InterMat Staff

Related: Iowa Wrestling Schedule IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The University of Iowa wrestling program, the national attendance leader in each of the last six seasons, has released an upcoming schedule that includes eight home dates and six duals against teams that finished in the top 10 at the 2012 NCAA Championships. The Hawkeyes released the 2012-13 schedule earlier this week. The Hawkeyes begin the 2012-13 campaign with a dual tourney at Tennessee-Chattanooga on Nov. 17 before hosting Cornell College, Iowa Central CC and Southern Illinois at the Iowa City Duals in the home opener Nov. 24. Iowa continues its non-conference home schedule against Iowa State on Dec. 1 and Lehigh on Dec. 6. The Hawkeyes have won eight in a row against the Cyclones and are undefeated in 23 meetings with Lehigh, the most recent a 25-13 victory in 2003. Iowa then returns to the road to participate in the inaugural "Grapple at the Garden" at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Dec. 16. The Hawkeyes, one of nine college programs participating in the first ever college wrestling dual meet in the history of the Garden, will face Hofstra and Bucknell. Iowa will also wrestle at Buffalo the following day. Big Ten competition opens at home against Ohio State (Jan. 4) and Purdue (Jan. 6). Iowa then steps out of conference for a dual against Oklahoma State in Stillwater (Jan. 13) before jumping back into Big Ten action with road trips to Michigan (Jan. 18), Michigan State (Jan. 20) and Minnesota (Jan. 27). The Hawkeyes return to Carver-Hawkeye Arena for a Super Bowl Sunday showdown with Penn State on Feb. 3. The Hawkeyes then close the Big Ten dual schedule with a trip to Illinois (Feb. 8) and a home date against Nebraska (Feb. 10). Iowa's final home date is a non-conference meeting with Edinboro on Feb. 16. The postseason begins with the NWCA National Duals on Feb. 23 at a site to be determined. The Big Ten Championships are March 9-10 in Champaign, Ill., and the NCAA Championships will be held at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines on March 21-23. Start times have not yet been announced.

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the mobile Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Every Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio. Join hosts Scott Casber, Chuck Shockley, Steve Foster and Brad Johnson with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News. When: Saturdays, 9 to 11 a.m. CT. This week we're LIVE from the Gable Museum at the National Wrestling Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. Scheduled guests include: Dan Gable, Kyle Klingman, John “Bradshaw” Layfield, Road Warrior Animal, Bill Apter, Jim Ross, and Larry Hennig, Dan Severn, Baron Von Raschke, Bob Roop, Maurice Vachon, and Gerald Brisco Dan Gable, the most recognizable name in amateur wrestling, will participate in the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame induction weekend on July 13-14. He is the namesake of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum where the pro hall of fame is located. Gable won an Olympic gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics without surrendering a point. During his 21 seasons as the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa (1977-1997) the Hawkeyes won 21 consecutive Big Ten titles and 15 NCAA team championships. Several of the biggest names in professional wrestling will be on hand for the event. Most have ties to amateur wrestling. Kurt Angle, one of this year’s inductees into the Hall of Fame, won a gold medal at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. Angle and Gable are part of an exclusive nine member club: wrestlers who have won an NCAA title, a World title, and an Olympic title. Dan Hodge went 46-0 with 36 pins during his career at the University of Oklahoma. He was also a silver medalist at the 1956 Olympics. Hodge remains the only amateur wrestler to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Dan Severn, Baron Von Raschke, Bob Roop, Maurice Vachon, and Gerald Brisco had successful amateur wrestling backgrounds as well. Roop and Vachon each made an Olympic team while Raschke was a medalist at the World Championships. “This year’s Hall of Fame weekend includes an unprecedented line-up of amateur and professional wrestling legends,” said Kyle Klingman, director of the Dan Gable Museum. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to have them all in the same room.” Gable will be at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum on Saturday, July 14 at 1 p.m. for the panel discussion with Bill Apter and for the autograph signing that follows. Other professional wrestling legends on hand for the event include John “Bradshaw” Layfield, Road Warrior Animal, Bill Apter, Jim Ross, and Larry Hennig. Contact the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum at (319) 233-0745 or dgmstaff@nwhof.org for information on purchasing tickets. The Hall of Fame is located at 303 Jefferson St. in Waterloo. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum is a not-for-profit organization based out of Waterloo, Iowa. The mission of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame is to preserve history, recognize excellence, and inspire future generations. Fans, athletes, coaches: Join in the conversation live by calling 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Listen on radio, computer, Blackberry, or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app.

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- University of Maryland wrestling head coach Kerry McCoy announced Wednesday the addition of 15 student-athletes for the 2012-13 season. The class features two National High School Coaches Association (NHSCA) Junior National Wrestling Championships All-Americans, four state champions and 12 state medalists. "I am really excited about the incoming class,” said McCoy. “Going into last season, we had a good incoming recruiting class and some solid returnees. Some opportunities came about during the season and we were looking to add depth with this class. Not only were we able to add depth, but we were able to get some really good quality wrestlers who will challenge for starting positions right away." Heading into next season, the Terps return 9 of 10 starters including seven All-ACC selections and two-time All-American Josh Asper. Name (Projected Weight Class | High School | Hometown) - Listed Alphabetically Tommy Bostany (125/133 | Spain Park | Birmingham, Ala.) Prep: Four-time Alabama High School Athletic Association (AHSAA) medalist...two-time AHSAA finalist Shyheim Brown (141/149 | Central Dauphin | Harrisburg, Pa.) Prep: Tallied 178 career victories at Central Dauphin High School...2012 Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) AAA state finalist...three-time PIAA AAA state medalist...four-time Beast of the East medalist and 2011 finalist...three-time Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament medalist...two-time Super 32 medalist Carl Buchholz (285 | Great Valley | Malvern, Pa.) Before Maryland: Won 26 matches in two seasons at Rutgers. Placed fifth at the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic in 2010 and placed sixth at the Nittany Lion Open Prep: Tallied 152 career wins at Great Valley High School...two-time PIAA AAA state medalist including a third-place finish in 2009...two-time PIAA AAA Southeast Region champion...three-time PIAA AAA District 1 champion Robert DeGeorge (133 | Pequannock Township | Pompton Plains, N.J.) Prep: Over four years at Pequannock Township High School, won a school record 139 matches...two-time New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association (NJSIAA) state tournament qualifier...four-time NJSIAA District 4 champion and named most outstanding wrestler three times...2012 NJSIAA Region 1 and Morris County champion Dylan Devine (197 | DeMatha Catholic | Severn, Md.) Prep: 2012 Maryland Independent Schools state tournament champion and FloNationals champion....finalist at National Preps...Beast of the East medalist Seth Ehlo (149/157 | Central Bucks West | Doylestown, Pa.) Prep: 2010 PIAA AAA state medalist...two-time PIAA AAA Section Two champion...2012 PIAA AAA District 1 champion Derek Evanovich (149 | Peters Township | Venetla, Pa.) Prep: Winningest wrestler in Peters Township High School history with 124 victories...2012 Western Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic League (WPIAL) champion and 2011 medalist...Ohio Tournament of Champions finalist...Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament medalist Logan Jackson (184 | Stafford | Fredericksburg, Va.) Prep: Compiled 157 career victories at Stafford High School...2012 Virginia High School League (VHSL) AAA state champion and 2011 medalist Christopher Jastrzebski (184 | Central Bucks West | Doylestown, Pa.) Prep: Tallied 92 career wins at Central Bucks West High School including 62 victories by fall...2012 PIAA AAA state medalist...FloNationals All-American...2011 NHSCA Junior National Wrestling Championships All-American Tyler Manion (157 | Pittsburgh Central Catholic | McDonald, Pa.) Prep: Two-time PIAA AAA state medalist...2011 NHSCA Junior National Wrestling Championships All-American...two-time WPIAL champion...three-time Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament medalist...two-time Allegheny County champion...four-time Ohio Tournament of Champions finalist...Walsh Ironman medalist...Dapper Dan champion Kurt Meske (165 | Central Columbia | Bloomsburg, Pa.) Prep: Totaled 117 career victories at Central Columbia High School...medalist at the 2012 PIAA AA state tournament...FloNationals All-American...Pennsylvania Amateur Wrestling Federation (PAWF) state freestyle finalist Tito Onyekweli (149/157 | DeMatha Catholic | Laurel, Md.) Prep: Three-time Maryland Independent Schools state tournament medalist...three-time National Preps medalist...won the silver medal at the 2011 AAU Junior Olympics Billy Rappo (125 | Council Rock South | Holland, Pa.) Prep: Two-time PIAA AAA state champion and three-time medalist...FILA Cadet National Freestyle finalist Troy Smith (165 | George W. Hewlett | Woodmere, N.Y.) Prep: Holds school record for most career wins at George W. Hewlett High School...four-time all-conference...as a senior reach the county finals...named to the All-Long Island team his junior year and named to the all-state freestyle team Cody Stageberg (125 | Frank Cox | Virginia Beach, Va.) Prep: Won the 2011 Virginia AAA state championship at 112 pounds...Beast of the East and Walsh Ironman medalist

Throughout the country there are many excellent high school in-season wrestling tournaments that feature some of the top talent on a statewide and national basis. Many fans have taken interest in debating the relative quality of these tournaments. In this article, I provide a brief synopsis of the top tournaments across the country. The tournaments for inclusion in this article were evaluated on a variety of criteria including field quality for the upcoming year, field quality in the recent past (i.e. last year and a few years prior), as well as the overall tradition and flavor of the event. Honorable Mention Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic Dec. 28 and 29, 2012 (Friday and Saturday); Bethlehem Liberty High School, Bethlehem, Pa. Brecksville Holiday Invitational Tournament Dec. 28 and 29, 2012 (Friday and Saturday); Brecksville High School, Brecksville, Ohio Clinch Gear Battle for the Belt Jan. 18 and 19 (Friday and Saturday); Temecula Valley High School, Temecula, Calif. Ed Winger Invitational Jan. 19, 2013 (Saturday); Urbandale High School, Urbandale, Iowa King of the Mountain Dec. 14 and 15, 2012 (Friday and Saturday); Central Mountain High School, Lock Haven, Pa. Minnesota Christmas Tournament Dec. 14 and 15, 2012 (Friday and Saturday); University Center Rochester Field House, Rochester, Minn. Medina Invitational Tournament Dec. 28 and 29, 2012 (Friday and Saturday); Medina High School, Medina, Ohio Tri-State Tournament Dec. 21 and 22, 2012; North Idaho College, Coeur d'Alene, Idaho Tulsa Mid-America Nationals Dec. 7 and 8, 2012 (Friday and Saturday); Tulsa Union High School, Tulsa, Okla. Virginia Duals Jan. 11 and 12, 2013 (Friday and Saturday); Hampton Coliseum, Hampton, Va. 10. Geary Invitational Wrestling Tournament Date: Jan. 4 and 5, 2013 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: Stegall-Long Fieldhouse, Geary, Okla. Key Teams: Broken Arrow (Okla.), Tulsa Union (Okla.), and Tuttle (Okla.) History: Over the years, many a Sooner State wrestling star has appeared in this event -- going all the way to its inception and names such as Hugh Perry and Danny Hodge, through the Smith brothers (John, Lee Roy, and Pat), and all the way to names of recent lore like Johny Hendricks. With all these stars, it is staggering that only two wrestlers have ever won this tournament four times -- Brandon Tucker and Matt Bryan, both from Broken Arrow. The tournament, which debuted in 1944, has maintained much of the old time tradition. The small, yet distinctive, Geary medal is awarded to placewinners; visiting schools are hosted in local homes; the entire community flocks to support the tournament; and the tournament has a (what is in modern times) unique format with no seeding or advancement points, but does allow challenge matches for true second place. The tournament was hosted in the high school gymnasium through 1977, but for the last 35 years has been hosted in the Stegall-Long Field House (originally Bison Field House) two blocks to the west. Last Year: An extremely tight team race occurred between Oklahoma big school stalwarts Broken Arrow and Tulsa Union, which Broken Arrow won by 5.5 points (like they did later on at the state tournament). The 24-team field (22 from Oklahoma, one from New Mexico, and one from Texas) featured 17 wrestlers that stood on top of the podium at their respective state tournaments (15 from Oklahoma, one each in New Mexico and Texas). Nine of the eventual tournament champions went on to win state titles, while there was one championship match featuring a pair of eventual state champions. The 120-pound weight class featured four wrestlers that won state titles (Gunner Laffoon, Calib Freeman, Josh Walker, and Braun Marquez), but it was Jake Goodwin -- who finished third at National Preps -- that took home the weight class title. Comment: "Tradition is a big word in Geary, just as Geary is a big word in the world of wrestling. This is the oldest tournament in Oklahoma as well as the entire nation. Because of this tournament, Geary has become known through Oklahoma and the country. We'd like to thank the fans and community for their support and enthusiasm of this wonderful tournament." -- GearySchools.org website 9. Al Dvorak Memorial Invitational Tournament Date: Dec. 22 and 23, 2012 (Saturday and Sunday) Venue: Machesney Park Harlem High School, Rockford, Ill. Key Teams: Montini Catholic (Ill.), Marist (Ill.), Glenbard North (Ill.), Oak Park River Forest (Ill.), and Iowa City West (Iowa) Newcomer for 12-13: Lake Highland Prep (Fla.) History: The event started in the early 1970s as the Rockford (West) Christmas Tournament. For a time in the mid-1970s, the event was actually two mini 16-team tournaments (Class 2A, Class 1A) with a grand final between the two champions. The event subsequently moved to Glenbard East, and was renamed the Al Dvorak Memorial Invitational in 1988 in memory of a Glenbard East wrestler that was tragically killed when hit by a truck. It moved temporarily in the early 2000s to Dundee-Crown High School, before taking its current home at Machesney Park Harlem in Rockford Ill., in 2006. Over the years, it has always had about a thirty-team field featuring many of the best individuals and teams from across the state of Illinois. In addition, a live webcast of the semifinals and finals hosted by IllinoisMatmen.com has helped to bolster the national profile of the event in recent years. As did the 2004 edition of the event when sophomores Mike Benefiel and Albert White, both off of state titles as freshmen were upset by their semifinal opponents. It relegated these future four-time state champions to the third-place match, one that Benefiel won by a 5-2 decision. Last Year: Montini Catholic won the event for a fourth time in six seasons. Perennial contender Iowa City West finished in third place, their fifth top-three finish in the same six seasons -- including a championship in 2007. The schools in the tournament field combined for fifteen state champion wrestlers in the Illinois, Iowa, and Wisconsin championships. During the event, three matches featured would-be state champions against one another -- Jordan Northrup vs. Phillip Laux in the 113-pound semifinal, Eddie Klimara vs. Jack Hathaway in the final at 126 pounds, and Brad Johnson vs. Gage Harrah in the 195-pound final. Comment: "The tournament is unique in that it still brings together the top teams from across the state in both the top two divisions, where seeing a Class 2A state champ and a Class 3A state champ get the chance to face each other can take place." -- Mick Torres, tournament manager 8. Kansas City Wrestling Classic Date: Dec. 14 and 15, 2012 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: Hale Arena, Kansas City, Mo. Key Teams: Bettendorf (Iowa), Collins Hill (Ga.), Blue Springs, Tuttle (Okla.), Allen (Texas), Christian Brothers (TN), Kearney, Park Hill, and Collinsville (Okla.) History: In a relatively short time, the Kansas City Wrestling Classic presented by USA Wrestling and Dollamur, has grown into an early season showcase event. The tournament came about in response to significant restrictions placed on Missouri high school wrestling programs' ability to seek out elite competition. Since top teams and wrestlers in Missouri couldn't go out to find the competition, tournament organizers sought to bring the competition to them. In its initial year, the event started out with 24 teams, and now has grown into a field of 40 teams from ten states. The event has always had the format of a preliminary pool followed by a bracket of wrestlers finishing in similar pool positions. Currently, there are eight five-person pools on Friday evening. Wrestling continues on Saturday with a 16-person bracket for first and second place pool finishers, as well as a 16-person bracket for third and fourth-place finishers. At the end of the tournament, wrestlers leave with 4-9 matches against credible competition. Last Year: The tournament was won by newcomer Bettendorf, derailing the attempt of Collins Hill to three-peat in the event. However, the Eagles ended up in second, their fifth consecutive appearance in the top three at this tournament. Out of 28 tournament finalists, 23 of them appeared in their respective state tournament finals match. This included four matches that had eventual state champions battling it out for a KCWC title -- among them was the 120-pound weight class that featured six state champions among its top seven finishers. Comment: "We try to give each competitor the most matches we possibly can, and come Saturday afternoon, almost every wrestler is competing against others at their skill level. By keeping a solid base of long-standing quality programs, our field always has quality individuals on a year-to-year basis." -- Tom Taulbee, KCWC Competition Committee Chairman 7. Doc Buchanan Invitational Date: Jan. 4 and 5, 2013 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: Clovis High School, Clovis, Calif. Key Teams: Bakersfield (Calif.), Clovis (Calif.), Clovis West (Calif.), Gilroy (Calif.), Poway (Calif.), Roseburg (Ore.), and St. John Bosco (Calif.) Newcomer for 12-13: Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) Doc Buchanan (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)History: Over its 35 year history, the Doc Buchanan Invitational has evolved into the pinnacle regular season event in California's Central Section, which is the dominant area for wrestling in the Golden State. The event is named for the longtime former administrator of the Clovis Unified School District, and an ardent supporter of the sport of wrestling. Each tournament champion gets a unique prize, a fitted cowboy hat. In recent years, the tournament has been able to maintain the same field capacity, while gaining a significant boost in quality through the inclusion of partial entries. The last few tournament fields have featured wrestlers from just over 90 schools throughout California, and also from other "West Coast" states. One of the unique features that has helped increase the visibility of the tournament is the live web streams offered through the ClovisWrestling.com website for competition in the tournament. Last Year: The 2012 event featured 12 of 14 California state champions, as well as 22 of the 28 finalists. An additional ten state champions from three other states (Nevada, New Mexico, and Oregon) were also in the field. Two championship matches at the Doc Buchanan featured eventual state titlists against one another -- Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco) vs. Paul Mascarenas (Cleveland, N.M.) at 106, and Joey Davis (Santa Fe, Calif.) vs. Zach Nevills (Clovis) at 170. In fact, Davis had to beat another state champion -- Steven Elicegui (Wooster, Nev.) -- in the semis, just to reach the championship. Comment: "This is hands down the toughest individual tournament in California, 70 to 80 percent of the state's toughest kids will participate, and probably anywhere west of the Mississippi River. It is the California version of the Walsh Ironman -- a truly first-class tournament in all aspects, and has started to get more attention in recent years." -- Adam Tirapelle, Clovis assistant coach 6. Reno Tournament of Champions Date: Dec. 14 and 15, 2012 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: Reno Events Center, Reno Nev. Key Teams: Bakersfield (Calif.), Easton (Pa.), Maple Mountain (Utah), Poway (Calif.), Roseburg (Ore.), and Tulsa Union (Okla.) Newcomers for 12-13: Broken Arrow (Okla.) and Canon-McMillan (Pa.) History: During the summer of 1994, a group of wrestling enthusiasts came together seeking to establish a tournament like no other, which would bring together the best of the best to raise funds for youth sports program. After close to 18 months of planning, the first tournament came to be in January 1996, and featured 32 of the best high school teams from coast-to-coast throughout the United States. It is claimed by some that this initial Reno TOC was the best high school wrestling tournament ever. Reno Medals (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Over the years, this coming season being the 18th edition, the field has expanded to close to 80 teams. In addition, a college event was added to the weekend. It started out as a four-team dual meet, and has now grown into a tournament that features approximately 20 teams from across the country. The high school tournament recognizes eight placers per weight with the first three being named as All-Americans. Designed by Jostens, the awards and Outstanding Wrestler rings are unique and of fine quality that reflect the true honor of placing in the tournament. Last Year: Despite having just one champion in Connor King, and four other top four placers, Poway (Calif.) dominated the tournament on the basis of quantity -- twelve wrestlers finishing in the top seven of their respective weight classes. The Titans won the title for the second time in three seasons. Finishing as runner-up for the second straight year was Tulsa Union (Okla.) with a pair of champions and another pair of runner-up wrestlers. Perennial contender and 2010 champion Easton (Pa.) took third in the standings. Sixteen wrestlers who went on to win state titles made the championship match at the Reno TOC, and five of the fourteen championship matches featured a pair of wrestlers that would go onto stand atop their state tournament podiums at season's end. Comment: "Over the years we've had many great athletes compete in our tournament. These athletes have gone on to become NCAA champions, Olympic medalists, and then thrive in MMA and/or UFC. Because of the success the tournament has had over the years, it has continued to attract teams from all across the nation." -- Ryan Teubner, RTOC media relations coordinator 5. Cheesehead Invitational Date: Jan. 4 and 5, 2013 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: Kaukauna High School, Kaukauna, Wis. Key Teams: Apple Valley (Minn.), Bettendorf (Iowa), Montini Catholic (Ill.), Simley (Minn.), and Southeast Polk (Iowa) Newcomers for 12-13: Davenport Assumption (Iowa), Glenbard North (Ill.), and West Fargo (N.D.) Cheesehead logoHistory: Started from the ideas of former Kaukauna High School co-coaches Scott Kluever and Steve McDaniel, and inspired by connecting with legendary former Walsh Jesuit head coach Bill Barger at the 1997 Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, a tournament that will turn 15 this coming season was created. The January 1999 featured nine teams, including perennial powers Apple Valley, St. Edward (Ohio), and Walsh Jesuit (Ohio). It continued as an 8-9 team event with one out-of-state anchor for another couple years, before expanding to 16 teams in 2003, 20 teams in 2004, and slight incremental expansion to the present field size of 24-26 teams. The 2004 expansion enabled the tournament to include more strong teams from Wisconsin, as well as the addition of Illinois power Montini Catholic. The next major growth event for the tournament was in 2009, with Brandon (Fla.) making an appearance in the tournament. It led coaches away from their confusion about the tournament's format (preliminary pool leading into a bracket or cross-over matches) and scoring, and focused their attention towards the competition and benefit of getting kids many matches against like competition. With a date opposite of The Clash, and the return of Apple Valley to the tournament, it is in these last three years the Cheesehead has reached the standing it has in the national tournament landscape. The pinnacle for the tournament was in December 2010 when it can be argued that the national title race between Apple Valley and Blair Academy (N.J.) came to a head in this event that also featured six other nationally ranked teams. Last Year: Apple Valley made it a three-peat in the tournament, as they won the championship by four points over Bettendorf with Simley and Southeast Polk close behind. The January 2012 edition saw the appearance of Iowa teams in the event for the first time, as well as the inclusion of emerging national power Allen (Texas) in the field. Out of 28 tournament finalists, half were state champions, and only two did not finish in the top three of their respective state tournaments. This included a pair of finals matches that were previews of eventual state championship matches, as well as four title matches that featured a pair of state champions against one another. Comment: "It's been a great ride. We are thankful for the support of TrackWrestling, corporate sponsors such as ATC and J Robinson Intensive Camps, and Fox Sports Wisconsin that have enabled the event to expand and be covered across the media spectrum. It has become a point of pride to be on the cutting edge in terms of promoting the sport of wrestling." -- Scott Kluever, Tournament Director 4. POWERade Christmas Wrestling Tournament Date: Dec. 28 and 29, 2012 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: Canon McMillan High School, Canonsburg, Pa. Key Teams: Benton (Pa.), Blair Academy (N.J.), Canon McMillan, (Pa.), and Franklin Regional (Pa.) Newcomers for 12-13: Cincinnati Moeller (Ohio), Clovis (Calif.), Erie McDowell (Pa.), and Hermiston (Ore.) History: Ever since its inception in 1967 as the California University Christmas Wrestling Tournament, the quality and legacy of the event befit the location of the tournament in Western Pennsylvania. The tournament gained a corporate sponsorship for the 1995 edition from the Cameron Coca-Cola Co. in Washington Township, moved to Trinity High School, and was given its present name. It moved to its present home at Canon-McMillan High School in 2003. Many stars of wrestling have made their initial dent on the high school landscape on the mats of this tournament, including Nate Carr, Cary Kolat, and most recently Chance Marsteller. Over the years, 19 NCAA Division I champions have participated in this event, including Frank Molinaro (Southern Regional, N.J./Penn State) and Steve Bosak (State College/Cornell) from this past year. 2011 POWERade champions (Photo/Rob Preston)Last Year: Blair Academy made its debut in the event, and they emerged as dominant champions. The host school, Canon McMillan, came in second after winning the event in December 2010. Twelve of the tournament's champions appeared in their respective state or National Prep championship final, as did four runner-up finishers, while fourteen participants in consolation medal matches (third through eighth) would go on to win state titles. The most notable final had National Prep champion Todd Preston (Blair Academy, N.J.) upend Nate Skonieczny (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio) 2-1 in overtime at 138 pounds. Comment: "This tournament is one of the premier tournaments in the country. The list of state champions and NCAA champions to have participated in this event is impressive, and some have even gone beyond that and are on a world-class level (like 2012 Olympians Coleman Scott and Jake Herbert). This legacy is something that we want to continue on a year-to-year basis." -- Frank Vulcano, Jr., tournament director 3. The Clash XI, National High School Wrestling Duals Date: Dec. 28 and 29, 2012 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: University Center Rochester Field House, Rochester, Minn. Key Teams: Apple Valley, Carl Sandburg (Ill.), Marist (Ill.), Simley (Minn.), and St. Michael-Albertville Newcomers for 12-13: Blue Springs (Mo.), Collins Hill (Ga.), Kearney (Mo.), Montini Catholic (Ill.), and Oak Park River Forest (Ill.) The Clash is held at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)History: The event was initially designed to bring 16 teams from the Midwest to Rochester for two-day tournament in January 2003. However, the format was quickly altered when four national-caliber teams expressed an interest in participating. Three of those teams would finish in the top four of the debut tournament's 20-team field, with Glenbard North (Ill.) taking home the crown, Vacaville (Calif.) finishing third, and Wasatch (Utah) taking fourth. As a result, the field expanded to 32 teams -- as well as the present format of three dual meets in a bracket on Day 1, and then dual meets against the three teams placing in the same position of the other brackets on Day 2 the next year. Over the event's history, the goal has been to have a diverse field featuring in-state teams, bordering state teams, and those from across the country. In ten editions, there have been 130 teams from 29 different states represented in the event. The field has also grown in competitiveness each year, culminating in last year's field that featured five of the top eight teams from the end of season Fab 50 rankings and three others in the top 18. Last Year: Last year, St. Edward (Ohio) ended Apple Valley's three-year reign as champions of the event with their title in The Clash X. Additionally, Apple Valley has made the Day 2 championship bracket eight times in event history, including each of the last six years, and have an event-leading four championships. The only other team with even two titles is Carl Sandburg, who has been in the day two championship bracket on two other occasions. Glenbard North (Ill.) joins Carl Sandburg with four championship bracket appearances, while Simley and Montini Catholic (Ill.) have three appearances each. Comment: "Even though we've had the privilege of watching some of the best high school wrestlers in the country compete at The Clash, the tournament's chief appeal is the unique dual team format. Every wrestler and team gets to compete in six matches, and every one of them counts. Beside a few inevitable early round mismatches, most dual meets are very tight and lead to an electric competitive environment." -- Steve Patton, tournament director. 2. Beast of the East Date: Dec. 22 and 23, 2012 (Saturday and Sunday) Venue: University of Delaware, Newark, Del. Key Teams: Bethlehem Catholic (Pa.), Blair Academy (N.J.), Central Dauphin (Pa.), Christiansburg (Va.), Colonial Forge (Va.), McDonogh (Md.), St. Peter's Prep (N.J.), and Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) Newcomers for 12-13: Benton (Pa.), Cincinnati Moeller (Ohio), and Massillon Perry (Ohio) History: The tournament started in January of 1994 as the Delaware Mid-Atlantic Classic at St. Mark's High School, where it remained for two years before moving to its present mid-to-late December. It moved locations to Newark High School in December 1995, and then Delaware State in 1996, before switching to its present home at the Bob Carpenter Center on the University of Delaware campus in 1997. Starting in 2000, which happens to mark the beginning of Blair Academy's consecutive tournament title streak (the Buccaneers have won 16 of 19 previous tournaments), the event was rebranded the "Beast of the East." The Beast of the East is held at the University of Delaware in mid-to-late December (Photo/Rob Preston)This tournament serves as the primary fundraiser for the Delaware Wrestling Alliance, which has awarded over $600,000 dollars in scholarship money in the 19-year history of the event, and at least five $10,000 scholarship awards in each of the last nine years; along with supporting a wide variety of other wrestling activities throughout the state. Three of the seven U.S. freestyle Olympians competed in this tournament: Jordan Burroughs failed to place in December 2005 during his senior year at 135 pounds; Coleman Scott was a two-time finalist, champion at 125 pounds as a senior in December 2003 and runner-up the year prior at 112 pounds to Troy Nickerson; and Jake Herbert suffered his last high school loss to Matt Palmer in the 160-pound final during his junior year in December 2001. Last Year: For a twelfth straight year, Blair Academy emerged as the champion with yet another dominating tournament having five of its wrestlers stand on top of their respective weight class podiums. Among the 28 finalists from the December 2011 tournament, 20 of them went on to win state or National Prep championships and another five finished in second place. Seven weight class finals had state or National Prep champions wrestling against one another, while another pair served as previews of the eventual National Prep championship match. Comment: "The tournament is always an exciting event, with some of the nation's best high school wrestling teams and individuals present. We try to provide a first-class event every year, and it would not be possible without our great sponsors and awesome volunteers." -- Bob Shaw, tournament director 1. Walsh Jesuit Ironman Wrestling Tournament Date: Dec. 7 and 8, 2012 (Friday and Saturday) Venue: Walsh Jesuit High School, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Key Teams: Blair Academy (N.J.), Broken Arrow (Okla.), Christiansburg (Va.), Cincinnati Moeller (Ohio), Massillon Perry (Ohio), McDonogh (Md.), Montini Catholic (Ill.), St. Edward (Ohio), St. Paris Graham (Ohio), and Wyoming Seminary (Pa.) Newcomers for 12-13: Canon-McMillan (Pa.), Clovis (Calif.), Colonial Forge (Va.), and Kearney (Mo.) History: Coming up is the 18th year of the Walsh Ironman, the initial event being a 15-team event held in December 1994. Key teams in the initial event were the host Walsh Jesuit Warriors, St. Edward, and the three perennial Lehigh Valley stalwarts of Easton, Nazareth, and Northampton. That initial tournament was won by the host school, and marks the only time the Warriors have came home with the title. It was in the 1995 edition of the Ironman that Blair Academy made its debut trip, and the Buccaneers came home with their first of ten tournament championships. The Walsh Ironman is hosted by Walsh Jesuit High School in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio (Photo/Rob Preston)Over the years, the tournament field has evolved to where it is today -- a platform for top programs from coast-to-coast and all points between, as well as an opportunity for individuals to prove where they stand against the most elite of competition. In the tournament's relatively short history, the event has produced six U.S. Olympians, and 18 individuals have went on to win 25 NCAA Division I titles. In recapping the 2007 Walsh Ironman, Sports Illustrated deemed this event, "the toughest high school tournament in the country." Last Year: As expected, the tournament ended up being a showdown between the nation's two best teams, Blair Academy and St. Edward. The Buccaneers came out with a third title in four tournaments by twelve points over the Eagles on the strength of championships from Dylan Milonas, Frank Mattiace, and Brooks Black -- as well as 13 placers in all. All but one of the 28 finalists won their state or National Prep championships weight class title, or took second place (Greg Kuhar, second at 285 pounds, was injured). In fact, a full half of the finals matches featured state and/or National Prep champions battling it out against one another, with an additional match being a preview of the National Prep final for that weight class. Additionally, seven of the fourteen end-of-season No. 1-ranked wrestlers in the nation competed in this tournament, with two of them not coming home champions. Comment: "This tournament is eye-opening reality. The nation is up, and the nation is here. The Ironman is not a state tournament, it's a national tournament." -- Bill Barger, former Walsh Jesuit head coach and Walsh Ironman founder

Back from the horror of a week long power outage, the MMA Outsider returns this week with a review of UFC 148, focusing on the main event and what's next for champion Anderson Silva now that he's dispatched of trash-talking challenger Chael Sonnen. Hint: there aren't many options left. Also, Richard and John discuss the stacked Strikeforce card coming up on July 14 before welcoming featherweight contender Chris Gruetzemacher (11-1) to the show. Gruetzemacher, who trains with UFC lightweight champion Ben Henderson and former TUF winner Efrain Escudero, is fresh off of an impressive win over UFC vet Roli Delgado. Do you want to listen to a past episode? View archives.

Rulon Gardner

The top ten wrestlers of the 2000s is not based solely on empirical data. Were we just to list wrestlers in order of championship trophies hoisted and aggregate wins versus aggregate losses, we'd lose out on some of the context. The reality is that some eras and some weight classes were more robust than others, some wrestlers influenced the sport more than others, and some unbeaten streaks were too great to ignore. The only wrestlers considered are those who finished their careers in the aughties. Those, like Jordan Burroughs who finished in this decade, are ineligible. Chris Pendleton (Oklahoma State) and Ben Askren (Missouri) wrestled eight times over two seasons, with Pendleton winning seven of those meetings (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)The top ten considers the number of NCAA championships to be the most important stat (though as you'll see it doesn't hold up in every situation) and the numbers of finals appearances to be second-most important. Head-to-head match-ups aren't always weighed heavily since many of the wrestlers met at different points in their careers. The opponents faced within a given season does have some bearing, as does media attention and how that wrestler influenced the modern style of American wrestling. Enjoy the list and be sure to leave your comment below. I'm sure there will be plenty of disagreement, but I'll be sure to read each comment you post and when appropriate shed some lonely tears as I recount my own stupidity. Honorable Mention: Every two-time NCAA champion from last decade: Damion Hahn (Minnesota), Ryan Bertin (Michigan), Matt Valenti (Penn), Mark Perry (Iowa), Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State), Eric Juergens (Iowa), Johnny Thompson (Oklahoma State), Teyon Ware (Oklahoma), Tommy Rowlands (Ohio State), Donny Pritzlaff (Wisconsin), Steve Mocco (Iowa/Oklahoma State), Joe Dubuque (Indiana), J Jaggers (Ohio State), Travis Lee (Cornell), and Jake Varner (Iowa State). (Nebraska's Jordan Burroughs was omitted because he finished his career in this decade.) 10. Chris Pendleton College: Oklahoma State NCAA Finishes: Two-time NCAA finalist, two-time NCAA champion (2004, 2005) Career Record: 118-12 Why He Made the List: In addition to being a two-time NCAA champion, what stands out most about Pendleton's career was his dominance over Ben Askren. The final record from their eight college meetings has Pendleton in the lead 7-1. Add in the fact that he had single-loss seasons in '04 and '05 and Pendleton is the favorite in a large and distinguished field of two-time NCAA champions and three-time finalists that were left out of the top ten. 9. Cole Konrad College: Minnesota NCAA Finishes: Three-time NCAA finalist, two-time NCAA champion, (2006, 2007) Career Record: 155-13 Why He Made the List: It's hard to overstate how dominant Konrad was during his final two seasons as Minnesota's heavyweight. He went undefeated in those two seasons, reeling off 76 consecutive victories and 29 pins. During the 2005-06 season, Konrad defeated Steve Mocco, a four-time NCAA finalist and two-time NCAA champion, three times, including once by pin in the finals of the NWCA/Cliff National Duals. Konrad finished his college wrestling career with a .922 winning percentage, two NCAA titles, and four All-American honors. 8. Brent Metcalf College: Iowa NCAA Finishes: Three-time NCAA finalist, two-time NCAA champion (2008, 2010) Career Record: 108-3 Why He Made the List: Few wrestlers have entered NCAA wrestling with more hype or pressure than Brent Metcalf. The Michigan native wanted to live the Iowa style even when it was located in southwestern Virginia. Metcalf signed with Tom Brands at Virginia Tech out of high school and eventually was forced to take a one-year penalty from the NCAA for transferring, which in turn only caused more controversy. When Metcalf finally took the mat he put on three years of dominant performances. In 111 matches he only endured three losses, two at the hands of an NCAA champion (Darrion Caldwell) and one by NCAA finalist (Lance Palmer). Perhaps the most compelling reason for Metcalf to be included -- if not a justification for being higher -- is that he won the NCAA title at 149 pounds in 2008, arguably the most loaded weight class in the history of NCAA wrestling. 7. Jake Herbert College: Northwestern NCAA Finishes: Three-time NCAA finalist, two-time NCAA champion (2007, 2009) Career Record: 149-4 Why He Made the List: Lots of people go to college for six years! Like many of the other wrestlers on the list, Herbert is as popular off the mat as he is dominant on it. He finished his career with two NCAA titles, two undefeated seasons, and the knowledge that his last collegiate loss was to Ben Askren all the way back in the 2006 NCAA finals. What most fans probably remember about Herbert is the strength with which he was able to control opponents on the mat and his unrelenting pressure late in matches (when it mattered). The Wexford, Pa. native had a questionable selection of setups, but every time he managed to grab hold of a leg he seemed assured a finish. The 2012 U.S. Olympic Team member at 84 kilos, look for Herbert to try and improve on his silver medal performance at the 2009 World Championships. He also helped usher in arguably the greatest five-year span in the history of Northwestern wrestling. 6. T.J. Williams College: Iowa NCAA Finishes: Two-time NCAA finalist, two-time NCAA champion (1999, 2001) Career Record: 98-1 Why He Made the List: Did you know that T.J. Williams owns the record for best winning percentage in Iowa wrestling history? Were it not for his overtime loss to Boise State's Larry Quisel in the semifinals of the 2000 NCAA tournament, Williams would be the most celebrated wrestler in the history of Hawkeye wrestling. As it is he had one of the most astonishing and accomplished careers, even though he had to stuff it into three seasons. 5. Jake Rosholt College: Oklahoma State NCAA Finishes: Three-time NCAA finalist, three-time NCAA champion (2003, 2005, 2006) Career Record: 105-20 Why He Made the List: Rosholt was just 18-9 heading into his first NCAA tournament in 2002. As a freshman, the most any critic would've granted the 184-pound Rosholt was a shot at an All-American statue. Rosholt had different plans. After a first-round decision victory against the wrestler from The Citadel, Rosholt pinned Greg Parker (Princeton) and almost majored Josh Lambrecht (Oklahoma) by a score of 7-2 -- both NCAA finalists. Rosholt ended up beating Scott Barker (Missouri) in the finals by major decision, 13-5, only two weeks after Barker had dominated Rosholt at the Big 12 Championships. Oklahoma State head coach John Smith once said that Rosholt was one of his favorite wrestlers, mostly because he was capable of seeing past his regular season losses and focusing on what mattered most. I'd like to think that's what we're doing by ranking him fifth. 4. Ben Askren College: Missouri NCAA Finishes: Four-time NCAA finalist, two-time NCAA champion (2006, 2007) Career Record: 153-8 Why He Made the List: Askren was undoubtedly one of the most popular NCAA wrestlers of the aughties. With a hairstyle that belied his fondness to entertain the crowd, wrestling fans were treated to the Mizzou wrestler's unique brand of funk and penchant for finishing matches by fall. Askren had an INCREDIBLE 91 pins over his four seasons in Columbia. If the four-time finalist had a blight on his resume it was his 1-7 record versus Chris Pendleton -- all of which occurred in his first two seasons of competition. Every great wrestler has a nemesis (minus the guy at No. 1) and the ever-talented Pendleton was Askren's kryptonite. Despite those losses, Askren had arguably the most dominant stat line of any wrestler in NCAA history, which more than compensates for the spat of early career losses at the hands of Pendleton. His wrestling career ended a year after his appearance at the 2008 Olympic Games, but fans can still watch him impress in his skyrocketing MMA career. Askren is currently undefeated and carrying the Bellator welterweight championship. 3. Greg Jones College: West Virginia NCAA Finishes: Three-time NCAA finalist, three-time NCAA champion (2002, 2004, 2005) Career Record: 126-4 Why He Made the List: Jones is simply one of the greatest college wrestlers of all-time. The Slickville, Pa. native native won 97-percent of his matches and won an NCAA title in each of his three NCAA finals appearances. His style wasn't always punishing, but by executing with perfect technique and explosive power he often turned what might have been contestable matches into blowouts. His sophomore slump at the NCAA tournament was unexpected, losing to Ralph Everett (Hofstra) on the top side of the bracket and future UFC star Rashad Evans (Michigan State) in the consolation bracket. But his junior and senior efforts did enough to outshine that lapse. In those last two seasons Jones' dominance became even more evident with a variety of attacks on his feet and a re-upped top game that transitioned into more falls for the Mountaineers. He finished his career with 51 straight wins. 2. Stephen Abas College: Fresno State NCAA Finishes: Three-time NCAA finalist, three-time NCAA champion (1999, 2001, 2002) Career Record: 144-4 Why He Made the List: Stephen and his older brother Gerry Abas could be the single most technically influential wrestling family of the last decade. Before the Abas brothers, few wrestlers were diving through legs, finishing scrambles with tilts, or otherwise being exceedingly creative at the most difficult moments of a match. At times it seemed that the longer the odds of wiggling out of a position the more likely Abas would score back points. The Abas style redefined the sport of college wrestling and with only four losses and three NCAA titles, Stephen Abas is inarguably one of the greatest NCAA wrestlers ever. 1. Cael Sanderson College: Iowa State NCAA Finishes: Four-time NCAA finalist, four-time NCAA champion (1999-2002) Career Record: 159-0 Why He Made the List: Cael Sanderson became the first-ever four-time undefeated NCAA Division I champion in history on March 23, 2002. Sanderson went on to win an Olympic gold medal two years later, and most recently back-to-back NCAA team titles as a coach at Penn State. But nothing outshines the brilliance of his four years winning four titles at two weight classes. The greatest collegiate wrestler of all time, Sanderson was hardly challenged and it seems unlikely that we'll ever see another collegiate wrestler be as dominant as Cael.

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan wrestling head coach Joe McFarland announced Tuesday (July 10) the addition of Josh Churella to the coaching staff. Churella, a three-time NCAA All-American at Michigan (2005-08), will serve as the Wolverines' volunteer coach. "We're excited to add Josh to our coaching staff," said McFarland. "He loves Michigan wrestling, and he loves coaching. So, I know he's excited to begin this chapter of his career. It's important to keep that young enthusiasm on your staff and in your program, and he really brings a lot of it. Over the last several years, he's done very well in freestyle and continued to development as a wrestler. Those experiences, in training and in competition, will serve him well as a coach. He will be great both in the practice room and in the corner." Josh Churella talks with his father Mark and Sean Bormet (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)"I have always wanted to coach," said Churella, "and I am excited to begin the transition from competing full time and selfishly putting all my energy into that over the last four years to having the opportunity to give back and help our young guys develop into champions. It's a privilege to start out under Joe, Sean [Bormet] and Donny [Pritzlaff], who are unquestionably three of the best coaches in the country. I'm looking forward to learning a lot from them, seeing how it's done and drawing from each of their coaching styles. "I am so excited about the direction of our Michigan program -- with the coaches, the Bahna Wrestling Center, the recruits we're bringing in and the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club. Everything is coming together, and I'm proud to be a part of it." As a Wolverine wrestler, Churella wrapped up his collegiate career with a 124-21 record -- ranking 16th among Michigan's all-time wins leaders -- and three All-America citations. He boasted a career-best 31-5 record during his junior season; the same year he advanced to the 149-pound final at the NCAA Championships. Churella began his career at 141 pounds, where he won a Big Ten title and earned All-America honors as a freshman. Since his graduation, Churella has enjoyed a successful freestyle career. He is a three-year freestyle national team member at 66kg/145.5 pounds after twice placing third at the World Team Trials (2010, '11) and, most recently, at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials. He was the runner-up at the 2010 U.S. Open and captured a medal at several international tournaments, including the NYAC International Open (gold, 2009) and Cuba's Cerro Pelado Tournament (bronze, 2010). Crossing two generations, the Churella family combined for 10 All-America citations during illustrious careers at Michigan. Josh's father, Mark Sr. (1976-79), was a three-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American, while his brother, Ryan (2003-06), garnered three All-America distinctions, reaching the 165-pound final as a senior (2006). Eldest brother, Mark Jr., earned a varsity letter at Michigan in 2001. Originally from Northville, Mich., Churella earned his bachelor's degree in sport management from Michigan in 2008. He currently lives in Ann Arbor with his wife, Carlee.

The NWCA is excited to announce that 45 coaches representing all collegiate divisions have been selected to receive full scholarships to participate in the Fourth Annual NWCA Coaching Leadership Academy in Fort Lauderdale, FL on Aug. 1 and 2, 2012. "With the success of the past three Academies, we are looking forward to mentoring another group of outstanding head and assistant coaches," said NWCA President Brian Smith. "This is the second largest group of coaches that we have accepted to the Academy, last year there were 60 coaches enrolled, this continues to show the need for this type of leadership program." The purpose of this Academy is to utilize peer group discussion among college coaches, athletic administrators, and CEOs to develop "best practices" for protecting and strengthening intercollegiate wrestling programs through this challenging economy. Further, the NWCA wants to help coaches better align their programs with educational values. Nationally renowned coaching development expert, Dr. Dan Gould from Michigan State University along with his staff, will be facilitating these discussions. The NWCA is able to cover the airfare, lodging, meals and convention registration fees for all participants due to the generosity of several wrestling benefactors. The 2012 coaches that have been accepted to this year's Academy are: Dustin Baynes -- Waldorf, Kriss Bellanca -- Kutztown, Ryan Birt -- Loras, Chris Bono -- South Dakota State, Casey Bradley -- William Penn, Kevin Bratland -- North Central, Jeff Breese -- Northern Illinois, Craig Brester -- Univ. of Nebraska, Brian Burzynski -- Muhlenberg, Ricky Deubel -- Buffalo, Jon Egan -- Roger Williams, Tom Erikson, Matthew Fisk -- Appalachian State, Chris Fleeger -- Purdue, Joel Greenlee -- Ohio University, John Hangey -- Rider, Othello Johnson -- UNC-Pembroke, Corey King -- York College, Andy Lausier -- Sacred Heart, Ryan Ludwig -- Northern Illinois, Joseph Martinez -- Menlo, Jason Mester -- Central Michigan, Joseph Miller -- West Chester, Mitchell Monteiro -- Cal Poly, Nate Moorman -- King College, Troy Nickerson -- Iowa State, Keith Norris -- Johns Hopkins, J.P. O'Connor - Harvard, Tommy Owen -- George Mason, Chris Pendleton -- Wyoming, Joe Privitere -- Briar Cliff, Joe Russell -- George Mason, Doug Schwab -- Northern Iowa, Zack Sheaffer -- Drexel, Joey Simcoe -- Tiffin, Mitch Smith- Alderson-Broaddus, Jeremy Spates -- Cornell, Tyson Springer -- Dickinson State, Brian Stith -- Arizona State, John Stutzman -- Bloomsburg, Jeremiah Tobias -- Alma, Corey VanGroll -- Concordia (Wisc), Biff Walizer -- Millersville, Alex Whitney -- Norwich, and Rob Yahrmarkt -- Ohio Northern. Mentors for the 2012 Leadership Academy are as follows: Ron Beaschler, Mark Cody, Dave Kemmy, Carl Poff, Bill Racich, Archie Randall, Pat Santoro, Brian Smith, Jack Spates, Greg Strobel, and Lenny Zalesky. The following 2011 Leadership Academy Coaches have completed the course and will be recognized for their achievement on Aug. 4: Steve Anceravage, Chris Ayres, Joe Baranik, Duane Bastress, Marc Bauer, Frank Beasley, Todd Beckerman, Joe Boardwine, Jasen Borschoff, Jason Brew, Mike Catullo, Mike Childs, John Clark, Cisco Cole, Ryan Cooley, Ollie Cooperwood, Brian Davis, Mike DeRoehn, Jake Dieffenbach, Pete DiPol, Mike Dixon, Alex Dolly, Rob Eiter, Matt Eldredge, Justin Ensign, Mike Ester, Carl Fronhofer, Joe Galante, Sean Gray, Damion Hahn, Matt Hill, Kevin Hoogenboom, Greg Jones, Matthew Lackey, Glen Lanham, Jordan Leen, Matt Lowers, Stephen Makein, Rocco Mansueto, Jacob Marrs, Mark Matzek, Mason Mester, Cliff Moore, Travis Pascoe, Jason Peters, Mike Rogers, Corey Ruff, Charles Seibert, Bryan Snyder, Christopher Stratton, Richard Tado, Chas Thompson, James Torres, Jason Valek, Severin Walsh, Yero Washington, and Dan Wirnsberger. "We have been extremely fortunate that a select group of incredibly generous donors has made this educational program possible for the past four years. This program is vital to the future success of these coaches, their programs and the sport of college wrestling as a whole," said Mike Moyer Executive Director of the NWCA. "Our staff looks forward to working with this new group of coaches, along with the help of Dan Gould and his staff this will undoubtedly be a fantastic experience for each person in attendance." On behalf the NWCA Board of Directors, we would like to encourage all college coaches (head and assistants) to attend the 2012 NWCA Convention scheduled for August 2-5. Wrestling's challenges must be solved by wrestling people and this is the best environment that can be provided for coaches to be able to focus on the tough issues that are facing our sport, while networking with other coaches and administrators. 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 NWCA are Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.

FARGODOME (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com) For a 17th consecutive year, the ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet National Championships return to the FARGODOME in Fargo, N.D. This year's events will commence on July 14 with the start of Cadet women's freestyle competition, and the Junior National freestyle finals marking their conclusion on July 21. However, of greater import, the primary four events of the week start on Sunday with the Cadet National Greco-Roman competition. Now with seven different competitions (Cadet and Junior women's freestyle, Junior women's freestyle duals, Cadet and Junior Greco-Roman, and Cadet and Junior freestyle) held over eight days, the week in Fargo remains the largest single wrestling tournament in the world. It is also -- bar none -- the pre-eminent compilation of elite scholastic wrestlers in the United States. Over the years, many NCAA finalists and United States Olympians have competed in these tournaments. Given its perch on top of the scholastic wrestling calendar, what stories should one eye during the week of Fargo? 1. Breakout performances The fact that only Cody Jackson (Scappoose, Ore.) in the 84-pound Greco-Roman competition won a Cadet National title among incoming ninth graders last summer could have been viewed as an early indicator that the Class of 2015 appears to be somewhat weak in comparison to recent grades. In virtually every year, it seems that there are freshmen-to-be that make an opening statement to their high school careers with a Cadet National title. Three wrestlers in particular stand out as candidates, even though each has already shown their mettle against high school level competition on the major stage. Ranked second in the Class of 2016, Aaron Pico (California) swept Cadet National titles in Fargo last summer at the 119-pound weight class, and already snatched the 132 pound folkstyle title this April in attempting to win a Cadet Triple Crown. The top-ranked wrestler in this grade, Mark Hall, already has two Minnesota big-school state titles to his credit and was a FILA Cadet freestyle All-American last month at 152 pounds. Finally, Mason Manville (Minnesota) -- ranked third in this grade -- was third in the 152-pound weight class at the state tournament, placed seventh in the 138 pound class at the FloNationals, and took fourth place in both styles at last month's FILA Cadet Nationals in the 138 pound class. For the recent historical context, go back to the summer of 2010 when six different incoming freshmen-to-be picked up Cadet titles in Fargo -- Joey McKenna (New Jersey), Hayden Tuma (Idaho), and Patrick Coover (Pennsylvania/Blair Academy) in Greco-Roman, along with Brent Fleetwood (Delaware), Jered Cortez (Illinois), and Chance Marsteller (Pennsylvania) in freestyle. Similarly six wrestlers did the deed in 2009 -- Dylan Akers (Texas), Oliver Pierce (Texas), and Brooks Black (Pennsyvania/Blair Academy) in Greco-Roman, along with Brad Perkins (Missouri), Joey Dance (Virginia), and Ben Whitford (Michigan). Going back to the summer of 2008, three wrestlers earned the big stop sign before entering high school, as did four in the summer of 2007. The three young men listed below are among others seeking to make a strong statement on the high school landscape before their scholastic careers begin: Luke Pletcher (Pennsylvania): Ranked No. 4. FILA Cadet freestyle fifth place at 110 pounds. Luke Karam (Pennsylvania): Ranked No. 9. Combined 11-2 across styles in the Cadet Duals last month at 94 pounds (6-0 freestyle, 5-2 Greco-Roman), and finished as runner-up in Cadet freestyle last summer at 84 pounds. Nick Reenan (Texas): Ranked No. 14. Cadet folkstyle champion at 138 pounds, and is in contention for the Cadet Triple Crown. 2. Cadet to Junior transition For many of the stars of Fargo week last year, there will be a significant transition this coming year, and some new challenges for them to face. Over 20 wrestlers that won Greco-Roman and/or freestyle Cadet National titles last summer make the jump to the Junior level, though some may not be competing in Fargo this summer. While many of these young men are expected to do very well in the upcoming tournaments, there will be more challengers for their thrones -- both in quantity and quality. One of the most interesting things to follow year-in and year-out is how the new group of Junior-level competitors is able to transition. In many cases, they thrive -- and that is what helps identify whom the true stars of scholastic-aged wrestling are. There are four wrestlers that doubled as Cadets last summer that would be on pace to make their debuts at the Junior level this time around: Gannon Volk (Minnesota), Chance Marsteller (Pennsylvania), Mitch Sliga (Indiana), and Sam Stoll (Minnesota). Six additional wrestlers that were double Cadet finalists last summer make a debut at the Junior level: Ronnie Bresser (Oregon) and J'den Cox (Missouri) as Greco-Roman champions and freestyle runners-up; while Jabari Moody (Illinois), Hayden Tuma (Idaho), Ricky Robertson (Illinois), and Kyle Snyder (Maryland) were second in Greco-Roman and champions in freestyle. 3. Cadet World Team members in Fargo? As mentioned in his one-on-one interview with InterMat last week, Chance Marsteller is choosing to pass up on Fargo next week to focus on the FILA Cadet World Championships in late August. What about the other members of the FILA Cadet World Team? This is one of the unknowns about the upcoming Fargo week, and merits watching as the registration/entry lists are posted. Absence (or inclusion) of these wrestlers certainly influences the title races in their (would-be) weight classes. The following wrestlers were FILA Cadet Greco-Roman champions: Dalton Roberts (Michigan), Danny Boychuck (New Jersey/Wyoming Seminary), Kyle Norstrem (Florida), James Flint (Florida), Dylan Lucas (Florida), Hayden Tuma (Idaho), Grant LaMont (Utah), Chandler Rogers (Washington), Ray O'Donnell (Pennsylvania), and Garrett Ryan (Arizona). Only Roberts, Boychuck, and Norstrem are Cadet Nationals eligible, all others would compete at the Junior level. These wrestlers won freestyle titles at the FILA Cadet Nationals: Andrew Nieman (Oklahoma), Jordan Kutler (New Jersey), Tommy Thorn (Minnesota), Joey McKenna (New Jersey), Seth Gross (Minnesota), Zain Retherford (Pennsylvania), Jack Bass (Texas), Chance Marsteller (Pennsylvania), Mitch Sliga (Indiana), and Garrett Ryan (Arizona). Only Nieman, Kutler, and Gross are Cadet Nationals eligible, all others would compete at the junior level. Note that the 275-pound weight class won by Nathan Butler (Kansas) in freestyle and Michael Johnson, Jr. (Pennsylvania) in Greco-Roman is not contested at the World Championships. From the FILA Junior World Team rosters, only Geordan Speiller (Florida) in Greco-Roman, along with Adrian Cordova (Colorado) and Joey Dance (Virginia) would be eligible to compete in the Junior Nationals. There is an additional international competition this coming weekend, the FILA Cadet Pan-American Games in Venezuela, in which other Fargo-eligible wrestlers will be appearing. These young men placed at the FILA Cadet Nationals, but did not win. They will most likely not be competing in Fargo, or if they do, it will be part of a very long week for them between competition and travel. 4. Participation trending downward, Fargo still "place to be" One of the discussions topics posed within the wrestling community is if participation within the Olympic styles is down at the high school level. A very legitimate way to examine this is to look at participation trends at the Cadet and Junior Nationals over the previous six years -- which also happens to be the period of time for which data was available through TrackWrestling. Any number of possible rationale have been proposed. One of the theories is that the rule changes within freestyle and Greco-Roman have made the sports less popular, less translatable to scholastic wrestling, and therefore less promoted to high school aged wrestlers. Another theory is that the proliferation of opportunities for scholastic-style competition during the spring and summer months has made it possible for wrestlers to get a high level quantity and quality of competition without competing in the Olympic styles. Despite those two theories and the many more that are out there, the Cadet and Junior National Championships remain a primary destination for high school aged wrestlers during the off-season, especially for those seeking to make a name for themselves among the prominent wrestlers in the country. College coaches from across the country travel to Fargo, ND for the competition. The major national wrestling publications will make their presence known during the course of the competition as well. The competitions remain a critical measuring stick in determining the elite high school aged wrestlers in America. 5. A weighty discussion As was discussed significantly during the last off-season and the course of the past high school season, the NFHS implemented new weight classes for the 2011-12 season. Following suit, USA Wrestling chose to realign the Cadet and Junior competitions to match up with the high school weight classes. At the Cadet level, the opening weight is 88 pounds, continuing with 94 and 100, before going through the high school progression. The junior level opens with 100 pounds, and then goes through the high school progression. The key implication is there exists one less middle-weight (five weights from 125-145 become four weights from 126-145) and one extra upper-weight (four weights from 170-220 instead of three weights from 171-215). The implication at the Cadet level is very obvious, where the upper-weights were already extremely thin, and will just get thinner in terms of quantity. For the junior level, the old 130-145 weight classes represented the two most populous weight classes and two others among the next five. The likely outcome is going to be increased quantity in the 126-145 range, increasing the pairing asymmetry that is present in this tournament. This is an aspect certainly meriting examination in the post-tournament wrap. Look for a comparison line graph between the number (and/or percentage) of total participants in each weight class position from last year to this year in the wrap-up article. 6. Key vertical pairing reminders The Cadet and Junior Nationals are conducted using a bracketing concept known as vertical pairing, which essentially is a hybrid of double elimination and round-robin competition. At the start of the tournament, the wrestlers in each weight class are placed into two pools. The first match of the tournament for each wrestler will be against the one right next to them on the chart. If it was an eight-person chart: 1 vs. 2, 3 vs. 4, 5 vs. 6, and 7 vs. 8. If it was a nine-person chart, those four matchups would hold with the wrestler 9 getting a bye. From that point of the tournament onward, wrestlers are eliminated when they lose for a second time. The assignment of matches for a given round will start at the "top of the list" with each wrestler assigned a match against the "first available" opponent; a wrestler with a bye in the previous round becomes the "top of the list". In the eight person example, the second round matches would place 1 vs. 3, 2 vs. 4, 5 vs. 7, and 6 vs. 8. In the nine person example, second round matches would place 9 vs. 1, 2 vs. 3, 4 vs. 5, and 6 vs. 7, with 8 getting the bye. At the point that four wrestlers remain alive in a pool, they earn All-American honors, as they will finish in the eight placing positions. Should it go from five or six wrestlers remaining to three remaining, the fourth position is determined by a tiebreaking procedure. If possible, head-to-head is utilized. However, if it is not possible to use head-to-head, total classification points are used to determine the All-American finisher (if a tie exists there, then an extra match will be staged to determine the All-American finisher). As a refresher, and for those unfamiliar with classification points, they are awarded as follows: 5 points -- win by pin, disqualification, forfeit, etc. 4 points -- win by technical fall 3 points -- win by decision 1 point -- scoring a point in a loss when the opponent does not score 5 classification points 0 points -- failing to score within a match, or during a loss in which the opponent scores 5 points If the pool has three wrestlers remaining with less than two losses, the "round-robin" will ensue. Prior matches involving those wrestlers "carry forward", along with the classification points earned in those matches. After the round-robin is complete, the wrestler with the most classification points will win the pool (and advance to the first place match); head-to-head is the first tiebreaker in the case of a tie, then it goes to total points earned in pool competition. If a pool goes from four remaining to two remaining, the two wrestlers with less than two losses will either (1) wrestle if they haven't met already in pool competition (2) if a match involving them has occurred in pool competition, that match's winner is the pool champion. The third and fourth place finisher will be determined by tiebreaking procedure: head-to-head, total points, and match if necessary. The most obvious part of the vertical pairing/pool competition format is that wrestlers finishing first in the two pools meet for the championship, those finishing second meet for third, those finishing third meet for fifth, and those in fourth place meet for seventh overall. Schedule of Events Saturday, July 14: Cadet women's freestyle prelims 2-6 p.m. Cadet women's freestyle medals 7-9 p.m. Sunday, July 15: Cadet Greco-Roman (9 a.m.-1 p.m., 3-7 p.m.) Monday, July 16: Cadet/Junior Greco-Roman 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Cadet Greco-Roman medals 2-5 p.m. Junior Greco-Roman 6-9 p.m. Tuesday, July 17: Junior Women and Greco-Roman 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Junior Greco-Roman medals 2:15-5:15 p.m. Junior Women 3-4 p.m., medals 5:45-8:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 18: Junior Women Duals 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. (prelim) medals 3:30-7:30 p.m. Cadet freestyle 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., 3:30-7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 19: Junior freestyle 9:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. Cadet/Junior freestyle 3:30-7:30 p.m. Friday, July 20: Cadet/Junior freestyle 9 a.m.-1 p.m. Cadet freestyle medals 2-5 p.m., Junior freestyle 6-8 p.m. Saturday, July 21: Junior freestyle medals 10 a.m.-1 p.m. Fargo Coverage InterMat will again be providing coverage of the Junior & Cadet National Championships, starting with this feature. InterMat senior editor Andrew Hipps will be providing recaps of all the championship sessions, while InterMat high school analyst Josh Lowe will be offering perspective on various aspects of the event. For yet another year, TrackWrestling.com will be providing updated results throughout the event. In addition, USA Wrestling through its online portal (themat.tv) will be providing live web-streams of a number of mats during the competition.

Tom Borrelli

Photo/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images Event: UFC 148: Silva vs. Sonnen 2 Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena (Las Vegas) Date: July 7, 2012 There has never been as much interest and intrigue in a rematch as there is in tonight's UFC middleweight championship, a five-round affair that many see going the same way as the first. The trash-talking challenger, Oregon's elite wrestler Chael Sonnen (27-11-1) outwrestled and dominated the sport's best fighter for 4.5 rounds only to fall prey to a last minute triangle choke submission two years ago. First scheduled to be fought in Brazil, the rematch has finally arrived in Las Vegas, the hottest ticket in sports. Anderson "Spider" Silva (31-4) is undefeated in the Octagon, and has won 14 straight in the UFC, while Sonnen has struggled his whole career avoiding submissions (8 losses by chokeholds). I'm a believer that tonight's fight will be over quickly with a Spider highlight reel of powerful strikes from all angles, leaving a dehydrated challenger (Sonnen dropped 20 pounds in the last 24 hours before weigh-ins) looking weak and pathetic. There is no doubt in my mind that an angry Spider is more than a trash-talker can handle. Lay the juice (-270) and watch the massacre. Let's also make a couple of "prop bets" on the fight. Let's bet UNDER 2.5 rounds for the fight at +150, and let's wager that the Spider wins by KO/TKO/DQ at even money. Both props are underdogs, offering great value. Light heavyweight Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz (16-10-1) has just been inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame for his contribution in promoting and growing of the sport. Tito once was the poster boy for the sport. But tonight is his swan song against the always popular Forrest Griffin (18-7). This is the rubber match of three fights between the two. While I believe that Forrest is the bigger and better fighter at this stage of their careers, I see an amped-up Tito giving it his best shot, and doing just enough to win a split decision victory over Forrest. Take the ridiculous +300 underdog odds on the ex-champ, and let's hope we can send Tito out on a win! Middleweight striker Cung Le (7-2) has won all of his fights by KO/TKO. He was good enough to beat Frank Shamrock. Not Ken, but Frank! Canadian Patrick "The Predator" Cote (17-7) has made a career of knocking people out, and is back in the UFC after four straight wins in other venues. He was dismissed after struggling to win, but Cote is now back with a vengeance. This fight could be the FON (Fight of the Night). And it won't be going to a judge's decision! After gassing against Wanderlei Silva, Cung will bring a stronger focus as he too may soon be retiring from MMA. I'll give Le a final shot at attractive +200 underdog odds. Let's call it a second-round TKO kick to the gut. Ouch! Brazilian welterweight Demian Maia (15-4) entered the UFC with six straight wins mostly by dominating submissions. Since then, however, he has struggled, and left me vowing NEVER to bet on him again!.......ah, until tonight. His opponent Dong Hyun "Stun Gun" Kim (15-1-1) is a tough clinch fighter who rarely gets taken to the mat, and does enough to outlast and discourage rivals who have no answer for his clinch holds and strikes. But I think Maia will sense the urgency of the need for a great performance, and stun the MMA world with a patented chokehold and full body lock en route to a +130 upset win. He's due and he owes me. Ivan Menjivar (24-8) is back on a roll and his opponent Mike Easton (12-1) is as focused as a fighter can be. This fight should be full of strikes and either man can win. That's why I'm taking a pass. After days of coin flipping, I'll let this one go and just enjoy the fight. Easton is the slight -115 favorite, but this one's a tossup. Nice match-making, Joe Silva. In a bonus sixth fight on the PPV card, we see the return of former AA wrestler, lightweight Chad "Money" Mendes (11-1), who has only lost to champion Jose Aldo, who KO'd him with a knee to the face. Mendes' first fight back will be against the one trick pony, Cody McKenzie (13-2), who just disposed of Augsburg undefeated four-time NCAA champion Marcus LeVesseur with yet another triangle choke. McKenzie has now won eleven (11) straight by first-round triangle choke! Wow! First-round triangle chokes? Why change? Don't fix it, if it isn't broken, huh? But the chances of Mendez getting caught and submitted by this move?......I'd say, slim and none........and Slim just left town. A bridge jump on Mendes at -575 will put money in your account. Trust me. Now let's take a quick look at tonight's undercard ... seen free on FX. Melvin "The Not So Young Assassin" Guillard (29-10-2) has became a beast after joining Greg Jackson's camp. But a surprise loss to Joe Lauzon has left him desperate to get back on track. Guillard's weakness have been to submission holds and his opponent Fabricio Camoes (14-6-1) has won half his fights by submission. But I'll stick with Guillard at -265 to win by second-round TKO. He's still a beast. Undefeated Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov (17-0) offers great value as a +170 'dog against journeyman Gleison Tibau (25-7). Lack of UFC experience against a veteran could be a factor here, but I'll take my chances with a juicy 'dog. Nurmagomedov by third-round KO. If anyone knows who will win between Constantinos Philippou (10-2) and Riki Fukada (18-5), please let me know. I'm leaning towards Fukado as a +170 'dog, based on betting "value." Japanese fighters have done poorly in the UFC. In a risky wager, I'll take my chances here. Fukada by decision. Okie State's Shane Roller (10-6) is fighting for his UFC life after suffering three straight losses in the Octagon. That motivation is enough to get him past longtime UFC veteran John Alessio (34-15). Roller at -180 gets a second round rear-naked choke to win it. Wrestler's never die. And this one can be seen on Facebook, meaning I won't be seeing it anytime soon ... Rafaelio Oliveira (14-5) as a +160 'dog will get back on track in an upset victory over Yoislandy Izquierdo (6-1). A majority decision wins it. Now let's see what we can do with our fictitious $1000 bankroll. I can't remember when I last lost, betting on UFC fights. I hope the hot streak continues. The webmaster has promised to update my results soon! ......."And here we go......." Let's lay $270 to win $100 on Anderson Silva embarrassing Chael Sonnen. Let's lay $ 50 to win $75 that the fight goes UNDER 2.5 rounds. Let's lay $23 to win $ 23 on a Spider KO/TKO/DQ. Let's lay $ 60 to win $180 on Tito Ortiz' swan song. Let's lay $ 60 to win $120 on Cung Le's spinning kicks. Let's lay $ 60 to win $78 on Demian Maia finding another sub in his bag. Let's lay pass on Menjivar vs. Easton. Too close to call. Let's lay $115 to win $20 on a Chad Mendes bridge jump. Let's lay $132 to win $50 on the beast Melvin Guillard. Let's lay $ 60 to win $105 on the Russian Nurmagomedov. Let's lay $ 40 to win $68 on Riki Fukada to save face. Let's lay $ 90 to win $50 on Shane Roller's neck crank. Let's lay $ 40 to win $64 on Rafaello Oliveira to get back on track. In total we are risking $1000 to win $ 933. Not bad. Don't forget to give part of your winnings to your local youth wrestling program, where tomorrow's champions are born! Enjoy the fights, I know I will.

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! Every Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio. Join hosts Scott Casber, Wayne Edmiston, Steve Foster and Brad Johnson with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News. In Studio Guest Host: Shawn Charles, Arizona State head wrestling coach Live 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. CT its Takedown Wrestling Radio. Listen on radio, on computer, your Blackberry, or iPhone with the iHeartRadio App. This week's guests: 9:03 Dan Severn, UFC legend 9:20 Tom Borrelli, Central Michigan head wrestling coach 9:40 Mike Fusilli, World Wide Sports Supply 9:50 Ty Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 10:00 JohnMark Bentley, Appalachian State head wrestling coach 10:20 Troy Peterson, Impact Pro Wrestling founder 10:40 Mike Riordan, Bloody Elbow lead writer 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort

Chael Sonnen (Photo/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) On Saturday, Chael Sonnen, a 1998 NCAA Division I All-American and 2000 World University Greco-Roman silver medalist, will face Anderson Silva for the UFC middleweight title at UFC 148 in Las Vegas. Here are three reasons wrestling fans should root for the 35-year-old Sonnen on Saturday ... Sonnen is one of wrestling's greatest supporters and fans Sonnen traded in his singlet for fight shorts almost a decade ago, but still continues to give back to wrestling. He is a volunteer coach at a youth wrestling club in his hometown of West Linn, Ore., called All-Phase Wrestling Club. He still follows the sport religiously. Sonnen makes regular appearances in USA Wrestling's chat room during World-level events to follow Team USA's results and interact with wrestling fans. Earlier this week Sonnen tweeted to his 177,000 Twitter followers that he was offering two UFC 148 tickets to the first person to donate $1,000 to U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestlers Jake Herbert, Coleman Scott, or Jared Frayer. It didn't take long for Herbert to receive a donation of $1,000. Here is a 29-minute interview Sonnen did with Flowrestling after the 2011 World Championships ... Sonnen will bring wrestling more mainstream media attention as UFC champion Sonnen is already a major draw as the top middleweight contender in the UFC. If When Sonnen defeats Silva on Saturday night, he will be an even bigger draw and will make more mainstream media appearances. With those mainstream media appearances come more opportunities for Sonnen to promote wrestling through what he wears and says about wrestling. It's not uncommon to see Sonnen wearing a USA Wrestling jacket or a wrestling T-shirt. On Thursday night, when he was making the media rounds, Sonnen referenced Les Gutches and Randy Couture in his interviews, and talked about wrestling nine matches in a single day. A Sonnen victory could set up a title fight against another former wrestler If When Sonnen defeats Silva on Saturday night, there is a strong possibility he will face another former wrestler, Mark Munoz, for the UFC middleweight title. A title fight between two former wrestlers who faced each other as collegians will bring wrestling to the forefront in the UFC. Munoz, an NCAA champion at Oklahoma State, faces former All-American wrestler Chris Weidman on Wednesday night on the UFC on Fuel TV 4 card. Assuming Munoz gets past Weidman, he will be in position to earn a title shot against the winner of Silva-Sonnen on Saturday night. (Of course, depending on how Saturday night's fight turns out, a Silva-Sonnen III cannot be ruled out.) Sonnen and Munoz were scheduled to fight on Jan. 28, but the fight was cancelled after Munoz sustained an injury.

The InterMat Notebook includes all the latest wrestling news from across the country. Links: College Commitments Report a Commitment Get a Profile Top 100 Seniors & Senior Profiles Cadet freestyle champion Odighizuwa chooses football, commits to UCLA for Class of 2016 May 6, 2015: Osawaru Odighizuwa (David Douglas, Ore.), a Cadet National freestyle champion and two-time state champion, has committed to UCLA for football prior to the end of his junior school year. Odighizuwa is rated as a three-star recruit by Rivals, and his older brother Owamagbe just finished his college football career at UCLA and was drafted by the New York Giants. He is ranked No. 40 in the Class of 2016 as a wrestler, and finished the 2014-15 season as the nation's No. 10 wrestler at 285 pounds. Two-time state champion Holloway stays in-state, chooses Iowa April 29, 2015: Two-time state champion Steven Holloway (Mediapolis, Iowa), who ended the 2014-15 season ranked No. 13 nationally at 195 pounds, committed to the University of Iowa on Wednesday evening. The projected 197 pound wrestler added a second place finish in 2013 to the state titles earned the last two years, and was also a Silver Medalist at the Disney Duals this past summer. He joins three other nationally ranked commits for Iowa in their 2015 class: Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional, Pa.), Vincent Turk (Montini Catholic, Ill.), and Cash Wilcke (OA-BCIG, Iowa). NHSCA Senior Nationals runner-up Richards signs with VMI April 16, 2015: Four-time state champion Neal Richards (Matoaca, Va.) signed with VMI late Thursday afternoon. Richards is ranked No. 77 overall in the Class of 2015, and eighth nationally at 152 pounds. He was a NHSCA grade-level champion as a freshman, sophomore, and junior before finishing second in Virginia Beach at 152 pounds in late March. Richards placed eighth at the Super 32 Challenge this fall, and projects to compete at 149/157 pounds in college. NHSCA Senior Nationals champion Racer chooses Virginia Tech April 14, 2015: Dayton Racer (Bettendorf, Iowa), runner-up at this past fall's Super 32 Challenge and champion at the NHSCA Senior Nationals earlier this month, verbally committed to Virginia Tech earlier on Tuesday afternoon. Racer is currently ranked No. 6 nationally at 160 pounds, and No. 56 overall in the Class of 2015. He joins two other top 100 recruits in this year's Virginia Tech recruiting class, No. 14 David McFadden (DePaul Catholic, N.J.) and No. 70 Andrew Dunn (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) The runner-up finish at 152 pounds in the Super 32 was Racer's second placement in that tournament, finishing eighth the previous year. This fall, he also placed third at the Preseason Nationals at 160. Racer was a state runner-up this past year at Bettendorf, having placed second and then first when competing for Apple Valley as a freshman and sophomore in Minnesota. He projects as a 157/165 in college. Wisconsin native Lee second ranked wrestler to commit to Pittsburgh in 2015 class April 12, 2015: Three-time state champion, and four-time state finalist, Robert Lee (Kaukauna, Wis.) verbally committed to Pittsburgh late Sunday evening. The projected 133/141 pound wrestler is currently ranked No. 14 nationally at 138 pounds. He placed eighth in the Super 32 Challenge at 145 pounds this fall, and was runner-up at 132 pounds in the FloNationals one year ago. Lee will join Eli Seipel (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) as a nationally ranked wrestler to commit to the Panthers in their 2015 recruiting class. No. 10 Arujau becomes second major commit to Cornell for 2017 recruiting March 29, 2015: Two-time state champion Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.) made his college intentions known on Sunday evening, as the nation's No. 10 overall wrestler in the Class of 2017 verbally committed to Cornell University. Arujau won the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals at 126 pounds earlier in the day. He also won a second state title a month ago, that one coming at 132 pounds, where he is ranked No. 11 nationally in the weight class. Arujau is also ranked No. 10 nationally in the whole 2017 recruiting class, and will join No. 5 Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.) as a Cornell commit in that group. He projects as a 141/149 in college. Ironman champion Reynolds stays in state, chooses Edinboro March 27, 2015: Dylan Reynolds (Saegertown, Pa.), who finished as an undefeated state champion during his senior campaign with titles at the Walsh Ironman and PowerAde, verbally committed to attend Edinboro University earlier this afternoon. He placed fourth and third the previous two seasons. Reynolds is currently ranked No. 13 nationally at 195 pounds, and projects to compete at 184 or 197 in college. He will join a very solid recruiting class for the Fighting Scots, one that is anchored by a pair of top 100 prospects in No. 79 Patricio Lugo (South Dade, Fla.) and No. 85 Korbin Myers (Boiling Springs, Pa.) No. 40 Kraisser commits to Campbell for Class of 2016 March 26, 2015: Austin Kraisser (Centennial, Md.), now a two-time state champion, verbally committed to be part of the Campbell University 2016 recruiting class. During his junior season, Kraisser went 39-3 on the way to a state title in the 152 pound weight class, with all three losses coming during a sixth place finish at the Walsh Ironman. He is currently ranked No. 9 nationally at 152, and No. 40 overall in the 2016 class. Last spring, Kraisser placed eighth at the FloNationals in the 145 weight class, and was a FILA Cadet freestyle runner-up at 138 pounds. He was also a Cadet National double All-American in the summer of 2013, and projects to the 157 pound weight class in college. No. 12 Brinson signs with Army primarily for football February 19, 2015: Kenneth Brinson (Marist, Ga.), ranked No. 2 in the nation at 220 pounds and No. 12 overall in the Class of 2015, signed with Army primarily as a football player. He was rated as a three-star recruit, projected to play the weakside defensive end position in college. Brinson's final decision came down to Army and Stanford. In addition to winning his fourth state title this past weekend - and being a champion at the NHSCA freshman, sophomore, and junior nationals - he is an elite age group competitor in the weight throws (shot, discus, etc.). Should Brinson wrestle in college for the Black Knights, he would project to the 285 pound weight class. No. 64 Parmely signs with Upper Iowa for football, wrestling February 10, 2015: Ryan Parmely (Maquoketa Valley, Iowa) was a record-setting running back on the football field during the fall, and has had a banner career on the wrestling mat. He will continue with both sports at Upper Iowa, a Division II program. In wrestling, Parmely has already amassed 193 career wins with the district and state tournaments remaining in his senior season. He is already a three-time state place-winner, taking fourth and third before winning state as a junior. In addition, he was a Junior National folkstyle runner-up last spring at 220 pounds. Parmely is currently ranked No. 5 nationally in the 220 pound weight class, and No. 64 overall in the Class of 2015. He projects as either a 197 or 285 in college. Two-time state champ Schroder chooses Purdue for 2016 class January 23, 2015: Devin Schroder (Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Mich.) won state titles during each of his first two high school seasons, and has verbally committed to attend Purdue University, as part of their 2016 recruiting class. Schroder had a 93-4 mark during his first two seasons of high school competition, and was a FloNationals champion last year at 113 pounds. He is ranked No. 19 nationally at 120 pounds, and projects to compete at 133/141 in college. Junior double All-American DeShazer a fourth top 100 commit to Oklahoma in 2015 class January 12, 2015: The commitment of three-time state champion Sean DeShazer (Wichita Heights, Kan.) to Oklahoma was verified on Monday evening. This past summer, he placed third in Junior Greco-Roman and fourth in Junior freestyle at 126 pounds. He is currently ranked No. 10 at 132 pounds nationally, and No. 58 overall in the Class of 2015. DeShazer projects to compete at 125/133 pounds in college, and joins Davion Jeffries (Broken Arrow, Okla.), Dylan Lucas (Plainview, Okla.), and Christian Moody (Collinsville, Okla.) as top 100 commits for the Sooners in this class. Rundell a second top 100 Class of 2015 commit for Tar Heels January 9, 2015: Two-time state placer Matthew Rundell (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.), third at state last year and runner-up as a freshman, verbally committed to the University of North Carolina on Friday evening. Rundell is currently ranked No. 72 overall in the Class of 2015, and No. 18 in the 160 pound weight class. He projects as a 165/174 in college, and joins A.C. Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa.) as a top 100 senior commit for the Tar Heels. No. 66 senior Montoya chooses Northern Colorado December 26, 2014: Richard Montoya (Robertson, N.M.), ranked No. 66 nationally in the Class of 2015, verbally committed to Northern Colorado on Friday evening. The three-time state champion was also a NHSCA Junior Nationals champion in Virginia Beach this past spring. In addition, Montoya was a Cadet National double All-American in the summer of 2013, and a FILA Cadet freestyle medalist in May of 2014. He is currently ranked No. 12 nationally at 132 pounds, and projects to be a 133/141 in college. Cadet National double champ Stencel chooses Central Michigan for 2016 December 23, 2014: Matt Stencel (Oregon Clay, Ohio), who won both the freestyle and Greco-Roman tournaments at the Cadet Nationals this past summer, verbally committed to be part of Central Michigan's 2016 recruiting class on Tuesday evening. He went 40-6, and finished as state runner-up at 182 pounds in 2013-14. Already this high school season, he was runner-up at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman in the 195 pound weight class. Stencel entered the 2014-15 season ranked No. 42 overall in the Class of 2016, and is currently ranked No. 15 at 195 pounds nationally. He projects to be a 285 pound wrestler in college. Lucas a third top 100 senior to commit to Oklahoma December 17, 2014: Four-time Florida state champion Dylan Lucas (Plainview, Okla.) signed with the University of Oklahoma. While competing for Brandon in his freshman through junior years, he amassed a record of 159-1. Along the way, he was third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals, second at the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals, and fifth in the 2013 Super 32 Challenge. Lucas projects to be a 133/141 pound wrestler in college, and is currently ranked No. 51 overall in the Class of 2015. He is also ranked No. 7 nationally at 138 pounds, and joins Davion Jeffries (Broken Arrow, Okla.) along with Christian Moody (Collinsville, Okla.) as top 100 wrestlers in the Sooners' 2015 recruiting class. Mackall a second Class of 2016 commit for Rutgers December 15, 2014: Alex Mackall (Walsh Jesuit, Ohio), who placed in his third Walsh Jesuit Ironman tournament in as many attempts this weekend, verbally committed to Rutgers University on Monday evening. He has earned finishes of fourth, sixth, and seventh in the nation's best in-season high school tournament. Mackall was state champion as a sophomore, after placing seventh as a freshman. He is ranked inside the top ten nationally at 120 pounds, and is top 30 overall in the Class of 2016. Mackall projects as a 125/133 in college, and joins Brandon Paetzell (Phillipsburg, N.J.) as commits for the Scarlet Knights in the 2016 class. Nation's top 113-pound wrestler Moody commits to Virginia December 9, 2014: Jabari Moody (Rich Central, Ill.), who enters the 2014-15 season ranked No. 1 nationally at 113 pounds committed to the University of Virginia on Monday evening. The projected 125-pound wrestler in college is ranked No. 81 overall in the Class of 2015. Moody makes it four Cavalier commits that are in the top 100 for the senior class, joining No. 7 Fox Baldwin (Osceola, Fla.), No. 26 Sam Krivus (Hempfield Area, Pa.), and No. 40 Cameron Harrell (McDonogh, Md.) Moody was an undefeated state champion in 2013-14, amassing a 37-0 record at 106 pounds. Directly after the season he won a NHSCA Junior Nationals title at 106 pounds, and in early June, he earned a spot on the FILA Junior World freestyle team at 110 pounds. No. 23 junior Hidlay chooses North Carolina State December 8, 2014: Hayden Hidlay (Mifflin County, Pa.), third at the Super 32 Challenge last month in the 145 pound weight class, verbally committed to be part of the Class of 2016 for North Carolina State on Monday evening. A state qualifier in Pennsylvania's big-school division in both seasons of his high school career to date, Hidlay placed sixth at state last year, and enters his junior season with a career record of 66-12. Hidlay starts the 2014-15 season ranked No. 8 nationally at 145 pounds, and No. 23 overall in the junior class. Hidlay placed fifth in Junior Greco-Roman this summer, and was a runner-up in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the Cadet Nationals during the summer of 2013. He projects as a 149/157 pound wrestler in college. No. 8 sophomore Coy chooses Virginia December 3, 2014: Cameron Coy (Penn-Trafford, Pa.), 39-5 last year as a freshman and a state champion at 132 pounds, made an early verbal commitment late Wednesday afternoon to the University of Virginia. The nation's No. 8 overall sophomore also placed fifth at the Super 32 Challenge this fall in the 138 pound weight class, and starts the 2014-15 season ranked No. 10 nationally at 138. Coy projects as a 149/157 in college. Three other ranked wrestlers made college commitments on Wednesday November 19, 2014: In addition to elite junior prospect Mason Manville (Blair Academy, N.J.) verbally committing to Penn State, three other ranked wrestlers made their college intentions known on this day before Thanksgiving. Chance Cooper (Timberland, Mo.), ranked No. 15 nationally at 195 pounds, signed with Division II program McKendree University. The projected 184 pound wrestler placed third at the Super 32 Challenge earlier this month after placing third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals after the 2013-14 season. Cooper is also a two-time state runner-up. Kevin Budock (Good Counsel, Md.), ranked No. 15 nationally at 145 pounds and No. 47 overall in the Class of 2016, verbally committed to Old Dominion University. The projected 149/157 is a two-time National Prep runner-up and a champion at both the NHSCA freshman and sophomore nationals. Budock also placed sixth at the Super 32 Challenge earlier this month. Justan Rivera (Kennesaw Mountain, Ga.), ranked No. 6 nationally at 195 pounds and No. 39 overall in the Class of 2015, committed to Notre Dame College. The defending Division II national champs procure a projected 184 pound wrestler, who is a three-time state champion and was a Junior National double All-American this summer at 182 pounds (including a championship in Greco-Roman). No. 2 overall junior Manville commits to Penn State November 26, 2014: Mason Manville (Blair Academy, N.J.), a FILA Cadet World champion this summer in freestyle at 69 kilos (152 pounds), verbally committed to Penn State as part of their 2016 recruiting class on Wednesday morning. He was undefeated during his sophomore season competing at 152 pounds, including titles at the Walsh Ironman, Beast of the East, Escape the Rock, and National Prep tournaments. He also won a FILA Cadet national freestyle title and Junior National freestyle title at 152 pounds this summer, along with a FILA Junior national Greco-Roman title this spring. Manville starts the 2014-15 season ranked No. 2 nationally at 160 pounds, and No. 2 overall in the Class of 2016. His accomplishments are abundant, and he projects as a 165-pound wrestler in college. Two nationally ranked seniors, one junior commit to colleges November 23, 2014: Seth McLeod signed with Boise StateSeth McLeod (Post Falls, Idaho), ranked No. 79 in the Class of 2015, signed with Boise State University. The three-time state finalist, 2013 state champion, is ranked No. 7 to start the 2014-15 season at 182 pounds. Projected as a 174/184 in college, McLeod also placed fourth in Junior Greco-Roman this summer at 182 pounds. Jonathan Viruet (Springfield Central, Mass.), ranked No. 88 in the Class of 2015, committed to Brown University. A New England regional champion this past year, he starts the season ranked No. 12 at 170 pounds. Projected as a 157/165 in college, Viruet also is a two-time All-American in Junior Greco-Roman and was a NHSCA Junior Nationals champion this spring. Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio), ranked No. 15 at 182 pounds to start the season, committed to Cornell as part of the 2016 recruiting class. He finished as a state runner-up last season, was third in Cadet freestyle this summer, and placed fourth in the Super 32 Challenge earlier this month. Darmstadt projects as a 197 in college. More nationally ranked seniors commit November 19, 2014: With the early signing period a week old, much information is coming in related to new commitments and signings. Over the last few days a number of nationally ranked (both grade-level and weight class) wrestlers have had their college decisions made known. This includes a pair of top 100 seniors: Kris Williams (Thornwood, Ill.), a three-time state champion and ranked No. 64 overall, signed his national letter of intent with the University of Nebraska. The projected 125/133 starts the 2014-15 season ranked No. 8 at 120 pounds. Tate Orndorff (University, Wash.), a Junior National double All-American this summer and ranked No. 47 overall, signed his national letter of intent with Oregon State University. The projected 285 starts the season ranked No. 3 at 285 pounds. Four other weight class ranked seniors committed as well: Henry Pohlmeyer (Johnston, Iowa), ranked No. 20 nationally at 120 pounds, is a projected 125 and signed with South Dakota State. Salvatore Profaci (Monroe, N.J.), ranked No. 20 nationally at 132, is a projected 133 and committed to the University of Michigan. Kade Kowalski (Tri-Valley, Ohio), ranked No. 18 nationally at 152, is a projected 157 and signed with Ohio University. Cole DePasquale (Robinson, Va.), ranked No. 14 nationally at 195, is a projected 184/197 and signed with Stanford. No. 82 Armstrong commits to Nebraska November 16, 2014: Junior National double All-American Jacob Armstrong (Salem Hills, Utah) committed to the University of Nebraska this weekend. The two-time state champion is ranked No. 8 at 182 pounds in the initial 2014-15 weight class rankings, and was No. 82 overall for the Class of 2015 in the grade-level rankings published in August. Armstrong projects as a 174/184 and joins Jordan Shearer (West Fargo, N.D.) and Patrick Grayson (Colonial Forge, Va.) as weight class ranked wrestlers to commit to the Cornhuskers for the 2015 recruiting class. No. 34 junior Wentzel commits to Pitt November 16, 2014: Two-time state placer (eighth and third) Jake Wentzel (South Park, Pa.) verbally committed to the University of Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon. The No. 34 overall Class of 2016 prospect placed third at 152 pounds in the Super 32 Challenge two weekends ago, and is ranked No. 11 at 152 to start the 2014-15 season. Wentzel projects as a 157 pound wrestler in college. Two-time Super 32 Challenge placer Jared Prince chooses Naval Academy November 14, 2014: Jared Prince (Palm Harbor University, Fla.), a two-time Super 32 Challenge placer and two-time state champion, committed to attend the U.S. Naval Academy on Friday afternoon. Jared is currently ranked No. 4 nationally at 132 pounds, and was ranked No. 22 overall in the Class of 2015 in the August edition of the grade-level rankings. Jared is joined in committing to Navy by twin brother Connor, a three-time state placer and one-time state champion. Both wrestlers project to the 141 pound weight class. No. 17 Mejia second elite lightweight commit for Iowa in 2017 recruiting class November 12, 2014: State champion as a freshman in California, Justin Mejia (Clovis) made a very early college commitment on Wednesday evening. Before even the official start of practice for his sophomore season, the No. 17 overall Class of 2017 prospect verbally committed to the University of Iowa. Mejia projects as a 125/133, and will start the 2014-15 campaign ranked No. 3 at 113 pounds. He joins Jason Renteria (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) - who is ranked No. 4 at 113 and No. 22 in the 2017 class - as a Hawkeye verbal commit. Super 32 Challenge champion Ritter chooses Wisconsin November 11, 2014: Hunter Ritter (John Carroll, Md.), the nation's No. 35 overall ranked senior prospect, verbally committed to Wisconsin late Monday evening. The two-time National Prep placer (third/second) has won a FILA Cadet freestyle national title and a Super 32 Challenge title since the end of the 2013-14 scholastic season. In addition, Ritter has titles in Cadet Greco-Roman and at the NHCA Sophomore Nationals from the spring/summer of 2013. A projected 184/197 for the Badgers, Ritter is their second top 100 commit, joining No. 86 Eli Stickley (St. Paris Graham, Ohio). No. 24 Arthur second highly ranked recruit from Michigan to commit to Purdue November 10, 2014: Two-time state champion Angus Arthur (St. Johns, Mich.) verbally committed to Purdue University late on Monday afternoon. The No. 24 overall recruit in the Class of 2015 went undefeated during his junior season, and was also a FILA Cadet double national champion in May 2013. Arthur projects to compete at 197 pounds for the Boilermakers, and will join No. 31 Nate Limmex (Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Mich.) in their 2015 recruiting class. Two-time Super 32 champion Diakomihalis commits to Cornell for 2017 class November 10, 2014: Two-time state champion Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.), ranked No. 5 overall among sophomores nationally, verbally committed to Cornell University on Monday afternoon. Diakomihalis has also won the Super 32 Challenge each of the last two years, and during the past off-season was champion at the Flo Nationals and runner-up in Cadet freestyle. He projects to be a 133/141 pound wrestler in college. Junior National freestyle runner-up Tucker commits to Cornell November 8, 2014: Three-time National Prep finalist Chaz Tucker (Blair Academy, N.J.) verbally committed to Cornell on Friday evening. The 2013 National Prep champion finished as a runner-up in freestyle at the Junior Nationals this summer. Tucker is ranked No. 30 overall in the Class of 2015, and also was a Junior freestyle All-American in the summer of 2013 after being a Cadet freestyle runner-up the previous summer. He projects as a 133/141 in college. No. 33 junior Andersen commits to Missouri November 8, 2014: Ethan Andersen (Southeast Polk, Iowa), an undefeated state champion in 2013-14 during his sophomore season verbally committed to the University of Missouri on Saturday afternoon. The No. 33 overall junior represented the United States in Greco-Roman at the FILA Cadet world championships this summer, and projects as a 285 pound wrestler in college. Andersen also placed sixth at state as a freshman, and was a Cadet National freestyle All-American in 2013. No. 20 Myers a fourth top 100 commit for Mountaineers in 2015 class November 6, 2014: First-year head coach Sammie Henson has hit the ground running with recruiting at West Virginia, and that continues with the procurement of No. 20 Austin Myers (Campbell County, Ky.) as part of the 2015 recruiting class. The three-time state champion was a double All-American at this summer's Junior Nationals, sixth in Greco-Roman and third in freestyle. He won NHSCA grade-level titles as a freshman and sophomore, before finishing as runner-up last year. Myers projects as a 197/285 in college, and joins three other top 100 Class of 2015 wrestlers as Mountaineer commitments: No. 25 Keegan Moore (Putman City, Okla.), No. 36 Patrick Duggan (Cumberland Valley, Pa.), and No. 96 Devin Brown (Franklin Regional, Pa.) No. 43 Chaknois chooses Northwestern October 30, 2014: Two-time state runner-up, and three-time state placer, Zack Chaknois (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.) verbally committed to Northwestern University on Thursday evening. The No. 43 overall senior carries a career record of 114-10 headed into his senior year, and is also a two-time Beast of the East runner-up. Chakonis projects to compete at 285 pounds in college. No. 22 Renteria commits to Iowa, initial commit nationally for the 2017 class October 30, 2014: Sophomore Jason Renteria (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) verbally committed to the University of Iowa on Thursday afternoon. During his freshman season, Renteria was a runner-up at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and the Illinois Class 3A state tournament, both coming at 106 pounds. Since then, Renteria won a Gold Medal (going undefeated) at the Disney Duals in the District All-Star Division, and was champion at the Preseason Nationals in the freshman/sophomore division. He is ranked No. 22 overall in the Class of 2017, and an early projection for him is at 125/133 pounds. No. 81 Wyckoff commits to West Point October 29, 2014: Two-time state runner-up Wyatt Wyckoff (Paradise, Calif.) verbally committed to Army on Wednesday evening. The No. 81 overall senior also placed fourth in Junior Greco-Roman at 145 pounds this summer. He projects to be a 141/149 pound wrestler in college. Weiler a second top 15 commit for Lehigh in 2016 recruiting class October 29, 2014: Two-time Junior National freestyle All-American Chris Weiler (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) verbally committed to Lehigh University on Wednesday evening. The No. 15 ranked overall junior in the country is also a two-time National Prep placer, including finishing as runner-up during the 2013-14 season. He joins No. 5 Jordan Wood (Boyertown, Pa.) as part of the Mountain Hawks' 2016 recruiting class, and projects to be a 174/184 in college. No. 99 Turk third top 100 commit for Iowa in 2015 class October 28, 2014: Two-time state finalist Vincent Turk (Montini Catholic, Ill.) verbally committed to the University of Iowa on Tuesday afternoon. The No. 99 overall senior wrestler was a state champion this past season at 138 pounds, placing seventh at the Walsh Ironman in that weight class during the season, and projects to wrestle at 141 pounds in college. Turk joins No. 16 Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional, Pa.) and No. 93 Cash Wilcke (OA-BCIG, Iowa) as top 100 seniors to commit to The University of Iowa so far. No. 98 Walter is second top 100 Class of 2015 commit for Lehigh October 25, 2014: Three-time state placer - third, seventh, and third - Cole Walter (Mifflinburg, Pa.) verbally committed to Lehigh University of Saturday evening. The No. 98 overall Class of 2015 prospect also placed fifth at the FloNationals this spring, and seventh in Junior Greco-Roman this summer. Walter projects as a 157/165, and joins No. 73 Jordan Kutler (Blair Academy, N.J.) in the Lehigh recruiting class for 2015. No. 100 Patton a fourth top 100 commit for Northern Iowa in 2015 recruiting class October 23, 2014: State champion, and three-time state placer (7th/3rd/1st) Isaiah Patton (Dowling Catholic, Iowa) verbally committed to the University of Northern Iowa on Thursday evening. The No. 100 overall recruit in the senior class is a multi-sport athlete, and projects to be a 165/174 in college. Patton joins No. 19 Taylor Lujan (Carrollton, Ga.), No. 40 Max Thomsen (Union, Iowa), and No. 45 Bryce Steiert (Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa) as top 100 prospects in the 2015 recruiting class for the Panthers. No. 7 Kolodzik will follow older brother's footsteps at Princeton October 23, 2014: FILA Junior National freestyle runner-up Matthew Kolodzik (Blair Academy, N.J.) verbally committed to Princeton University on Thursday morning. The No. 7 overall Class of 2015 prospect won a state title in Ohio during his freshman season before transferring to Blair Academy, where he has been a National Prep champion the last two seasons. In addition, Kolodzik is a three-time Walsh Ironman finalist, and a two-time Beast of the East finalist; winning an Ironman title during his junior season. The projected 149 joins No. 87 Mike D'Angelo (Commack, N.Y.) as a top 100 Tigers' commit in the 2015 recruiting class. Matthew's older brother Daniel wrestled for Princeton, where he was a multi-year starter and NCAA qualifier. Bucknell nabs pair of Class of 2016 commits in No. 50 Phipps and Karam October 23, 2014: This has been a busy week for Bucknell relative to recruiting for the Class of 2016. The Bison secured commitments from a pair of home-state juniors, Drew Phipps (Norwin) and Luke Karam (Bethlehem Catholic). Phipps, ranked No. 50 overall in the Class of 2016, placed fourth at state this past year and was a Super 32 Challenge placer last fall; he projects to be a 197 pound wrestler in college. Karam is a two-time state finalist, who won state this past year and also was a Super 32 Challenge placer last fall, projects to be a 133 pound wrestler in college. No. 90 Marsden makes it five top 100 commits for OSU October 20, 2014: State champion Andrew Marsden (Crystal Lake Central, Ill.) verbally committed to Oklahoma State on Monday evening. The No. 90 overall senior will follow his older brother Austin, who started at heavyweight this past year for the Cowboys and earned All-American honors. Marsden also finished second at 220 pounds in FILA Cadet freestyle this spring. He projects as a 285 in college, and is the fifth top 100 commit in this Oklahoma State class. Marsden joins No. 9 Nick Piccininni (Ward Mellville, N.Y.), No. 33 Kaid Brock (Stillwater, Okla.), No. 46 Boo Lewallen (Yukon, Okla.), and No. 62 Lincoln Olson (Davison, Mich.). No. 9 junior Marinelli switches commitment to Iowa October 19, 2014: Two-time state champion and two-time Walsh Ironman runner-up Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) changed his mind in terms of his college plans this evening. The No. 9 overall Class of 2016 prospect plans on attending Iowa, which is a change from his verbal commit to Ohio State of two months ago. Marinelli projects as a 157/165 in college, and is the second top 25 junior to already commit to the Hawkeyes - joining No. 25 Kaleb Young (Punxsatawney, Pa.), who also projects as a 157/165. No. 76 Cefolo a second top 100 recruit for SDSU 2015 class October 16, 2014: Two-time state champion Anthony Cefolo (Hanover Park, N.J.) verbally committed to South Dakota State on Thursday evening. The projected 125 pound wrestler is ranked No. 76 overall in the Class of 2015, and has been a Greco-Roman All-American in Fargo each of the last four summers - Cadet in 2011 and 2012, Junior in 2013 and 2014. Cefolo also earned All-American honors in both styles this past summer at 120 pounds, second in Greco-Roman and third in freestyle. He also finished eighth place at 120 pounds in the 2013 Super 32 Challenge, and will join No. 59 Brett Bye (Vermillion, S.D.) in the Jackrabbits 2015 recruiting class. 2013 Junior freestyle champion Oliver commits to Indiana October 13, 2014: Elijah Oliver (Washington, Ill.), a three-time state champion while competing for Christian Brothers, Tenn., verbally committed to Indiana University on Monday evening. The projected 125/133 won a Junior National freestyle title at 113 pounds in the summer of 2013. Ranked No. 74 overall in the Class of 2015, Oliver joins No. 65 Devin Skatzka (Richmond, Mich.) as top 100 wrestlers to commit as part of this Hoosiers’ recruiting class. No. 48 Amine makes it three top 50 commits for Wolverines in 2015 recruiting class October 12, 2014: State champion Myles Amine (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), the No. 48 overall recruit in the Class of 2015, verbally committed to the University of Michigan on Sunday afternoon. The projected 157 pound wrestler placed third at the Flo Nationals this past spring, and seventh in Junior freestyle this summer. Amine joins No. 2 Logan Massa (St. Johns, Mich.) and No. 32 Austin Assad (Brecksville, Ohio) as top 100 commits to the University of Michigan in the 2015 recruiting class. Three-time Super 32 Challenge finalist Kemerer chooses Iowa October 8, 2014: Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional, Pa.), a three-time state runner-up, verbally committed to the University of Iowa on Wednesday evening. The projected 157/165 enters his senior season with a career high school record of 120-10, which also includes three finals appearances at the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament, with titles won in December 2011 and 2013. Kemerer is a three-time finalist at the Super 32 Challenge, winning as a freshman in 2011, before finishing second each of the last two years. Also a two-time Junior National freestyle All-American, Kemerer joins No. 93 Cash Wilcke (OA-BCIG, Iowa) as top 100 wrestlers included in the Hawkeyes’ 2015 recruiting class. No. 89 Stout makes it a pair of top 100 Class of 2015 commitments for Penn State October 8, 2014: Kellan Stout (Mt. Lebanon, Pa.), runner-up at both the Powerade Christmas Wrestling Tournament and Pennsylvania Class AAA state tournament during his junior year, verbally committed to Penn State on Wednesday evening. The projected 197 pound wrestler is ranked No. 89 overall in the Class of 2015, and has 100 wins in his high school career to date. Stout joins No. 8 Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Pa.) as a top 100 Class of 2015 recruit to commit to Penn State. Five-time North Dakota state champ Shearer chooses Nebraska October 8, 2014: Jordan Shearer (West Fargo, N.D.), a five-time state champion, verbally committed to the University of Nebraska on Wednesday afternoon. The projected 141/149 is the nation's No. 94 overall recruit in the Class of 2015. During the summer of 2013, he was a Junior National double All-American at 126 pounds, winning the Greco-Roman tournament and placing sixth in freestyle. Shearer has a career record of 223-20. He is the initial commit for Nebraska in this recruiting class. No. 53 Tovar chooses Grand Canyon University October 6, 2014: As Grand Canyon transitions to Division I wrestling, they procured the talents of a pretty good wrestler in Ralphy Tovar (Poway, Calif.), a two-time state placer. The No. 53 overall recruit in the Class of 2015 placed fifth and fourth at state the last two years. In addition, the projected 149 placed third at the Flo Nationals this past spring. No. 77 Parson commits to Oregon State October 6, 2014: Three-time state finalist, and 2013 state champion, Bryce Parson (Lewiston, Idaho) verbally committed to Oregon State on Monday afternoon. The projected 141/149 has a three-year high school record of 135-7, and placed third in the NHSCA Junior Nationals this past spring. No. 65 Skatzka commits to Indiana October 5, 2014: Three-time state champion Devin Skatzka (Richmond, Mich.) committed to Indiana University on Sunday afternoon. The No. 65 overall ranked wrestler in the Class of 2015 has placed the last two years at the Flo Nationals, seventh at 145 and third at 152. Skatzka has a career record of 139-13, and projects to be a 165/174 in college. He is the Hoosiers' initial top 100 commit in this class. No. 87 D'Angelo chooses Princeton October 5, 2014: NHSCA Junior National runner-up Mike D'Angelo (Commack, N.Y.) verbally committed to Princeton University on Friday afternoon. The projected 141 pound wrestler is ranked No. 87 overall in the Class of 2015, and has placed fifth and third in his state tournament each of the last two seasons. D'Angelo is the initial top 100 commit for Princeton in the 2015 recruiting class. Ohio State receives verbal from No. 4 Hayes to cap strong recruiting week for Buckeyes October 3, 2014: Two-time state champion Ke-Shawn Hayes (Park Hill, Mo.), who has a career record of 136-6 verbally committed to Ohio State on Friday morning. The No. 4 overall Class of 2015 prospect was a Junior National freestyle runner-up this summer at 132 pounds, after completing an undefeated 47-0 junior season at 126 pounds that included titles at the Walsh Ironman (120 weight class) and the Kansas City Stampede. The projected 141/149 joins No. 3 Myles Martin (McDonogh, Md.), who committed to Ohio State on Monday, and No. 49 Jose Rodriguez (Massillon Perry, Ohio) as top 100 commits for the Buckeyes in this recruiting class. No. 71 Barlow the initial commit for Harvard in 2015 recruiting class October 3, 2014: Three-time National Prep place-winner L.J. Barlow (Haverford School, Pa.) committed to attend Harvard University on Friday afternoon. He finished as runner-up in the 195 pound weight class at the National Prep Championships in February of 2014 after placing fourth and third the two years prior. Barlow also placed fifth at the Flo Nationals in the spring of 2012 and 2013, and placed at both the Ironman and Beast of the East during December 2013. He is ranked No. 71 overall in the Class of 2015, and projects as a 197 pound wrestler in college. No. 39 overall junior Harris chooses Kent State October 3, 2014: Already with 100 wins, and only six losses, in two seasons of high school competition, Jack Harris (Urbana, Ohio) verbally committed to Kent State on Thursday evening. The No. 39 overall prospect in the Class of 2016 has finished fifth and second in the state tournament so far during his high schoolc areer. Harris was runner-up in both Cadet folkstyle and freestyle during the 2013 off-season, while in May 2014 he was sixth at 187 pounds at the FILA Cadet freestyle nationals. He is the Golden Flashes initial Class of 2016 commitment, and projects as a 184 pound wrestler in college. Two-time state champ Brown becomes third top 100 commit for West Virginia in 2015 class October 1, 2014: Devin Brown (Franklin Regional, Pa.), a two-time state champion who is ranked No. 96 overall in the Class of 2015, verbally committed to West Virginia University on Tuesday evening. Brown is a combined 85-1 over the last two seasons, which includes an undefeated mark of 37-0 this past season. He is also a two-time Powerade finalist, winning that title in December 2013. Overall in high school Brown has a career record of 127-10. He was also a FILA Cadet freestyle champion in 2013 at 101 pounds, and projects as a 125 pound wrestler in college. Brown will join No. 25 Keegan Moore (Putman City, Okla.) and No. 36 Patrick Duggan (Cumberland Valley, Pa.) as top 100 commits in the Mountaineers' 2015 recruiting class. No. 8 Joseph, top senior in the Keystone State, stays in-state at Penn State September 29, 2014: Junior National freestyle runner-up Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Pa.) verbally committed to Penn State on Monday evening. The nation’s No. 8 overall Class of 2015 prospect was a state champion this past high school season, is a three-time state placer (7th/3rd/1st), and has a three-year high school record of 105-20. During his high school career, he is a two-time Powerade finalist, winning that title as a freshman; and is a two-time Walsh Jesuit Ironman placer. The projected 149/157 is also a two-time Junior freestyle All-American, placing seventh in 2013 at 138 pounds to go with this summer’s runner-up finish at 145, and the initial top 100 commit in this year’s recruiting class for the Nittany Lions. Junior National freestyle champion Martin, No. 3 overall in Class of 2015, commits to Ohio State September 29, 2014: Two-time National Prep champion, and three-time finalist, Myles Martin (McDonogh, Md.) verbally committed to Ohio State on Monday afternoon. This past summer, the No. 3 overall prospect in the Class of 2015 won a Junior National freestyle title at 182 pounds, after finishing fifth in the FILA Junior freestyle tournament at 185 pounds in April. Martin was champion at the Beast of the East and runner-up at the Walsh Ironman during his junior campaign, after finishing second and third in those tournaments his sophomore season. The projected 174/184 is the second top 50 commit for Ohio State in this recruiting class joining No. 49 Jose Rodriguez (Massillon Perry, Ohio). No. 73 Kutler, a Junior National All-American, chooses Lehigh September 28, 2014: Jordan Kutler (Blair Academy, N.J.), who earned All-American honors this summer in Fargo after placing seventh in Junior freestyle, verbally committed to Lehigh University late on Sunday evening. Ranked No. 73 overall in the Class of 2015, Kutler also finished fifth this past season in the 138 pound weight class at National Preps after winning the 106 pound weight class title in 2012. In addition, he was a FILA Cadet freestyle national champion at 101 pounds in 2012. The projected 149/157 in college is the initial top 100 commit for Lehigh in the Class of 2015. No. 23 Headlee commits to North Carolina September 28, 2014: Junior National freestyle third place finisher A.C. Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa.) verbally committed to the University of North Carolina on Sunday afternoon. The two-time state placer has a career record of 122-15, having placed sixth and third at the state tournament during the last two seasons. In addition, the projected 133/141 pound wrestler went undefeated at the Disney Duals this summer, finished third at the Flo Nationals this spring, and placed seventh in the October 2012 edition of the Super 32 Challenge. Headlee is currently ranked No. 23 overall in the Class of 2015. State champion Johnson chooses to play football for the Akron Zips September 28, 2014: Pennsylvania Class AAA state champion Jan Johnson (Governor Mifflin) made the decision to play football in college for the University of Akron. He plays quarterback and linebacker for his high school football team, but is slated to exclusively play linebacker for the Zips in college. Johnson went 44-1 on his way to a state title at 195 pounds this past season, after placing third at 195 pounds with a 43-3 record the previous season. He is currently ranked No. 56 overall in the Class of 2015. Junior National freestyle runner-up McFadcden commits to Virginia Tech September 25, 2014: Ranked No. 18 overall in the Class of 2015, David McFadden (DePaul Catholic, N.J.) verbally committed to Virginia Tech early on Thursday afternoon. The three-time state placer was a state champion this past high school season, and has a career record of 118-8 entering his senior season. McFadden has also finished third each of the last two years at the Beast of the East in addition to the Junior National freestyle runner-up finish this past summer. He is the initial top 100 commit for the Hokies in this class, and is a projected 165/174. No. 83 Myers chooses Edinboro September 25, 2014: Three-time state placer Korbin Myers (Boiling Springs, Pa.) verbally committed to Edinboro University yesterday evening. The No. 83 ranked overall Class of 2015 prospect was a state champion this past year, after finishing runner-up as a freshman and third during his sophomore campaign. Myers has a career record of 137-8, and projects to be a 133 pound wrestler in college. No. 16 Norstrem opens up 2016 recruiting for Virginia Tech September 24, 2014: Three-time state champion Kyle Norstrem (Brandon, Fla.) became the initial commitment for Virginia Tech in the Hokies' Class of 2016 late Monday night. Including his eighth grade season when competing for Class 1A Tampa Bay Christian, Norstrem has a high school record of 171-3. He has won titles at the NHSCA grade-level nationals in Virginia Beach each of the last two years, and placed fourth in the 113 pound weight class at the Super 32 Challenge in October 2013. Norstrem projects as a 125/133 in college, where he will join older brother Kevin on the Hokies' roster. No. 49 Rodriguez stays in-state, chooses Ohio State September 23, 2014: Three-time state finalist Jose Rodriguez (Massillon Perry, Ohio) verbally committed to Ohio State earlier on Tuesday afternoon. The nation's No. 49 ranked Class of 2015 prospect is also a two-time Super 32 Challenge placer (fourth and third), and was both a Cadet Nationals and FILA Cadet freestyle All-American in 2013. Rodriguez was also a state champion in 2013, and is a projected 133-pound wrestler in college. He is the initial top 100 commit for Ohio State in this class, and joined two-time state runner-up Kollin Moore (Norwayne, Ohio) as the initial commits in this Buckeyes' recruiting class today. No. 9 Piccininni makes it four top 100 commits for Oklahoma State in 2015 class so far September 22, 2014: Three-time state champion Nick Piccininni (Ward Melville, N.Y.), who ended the 2013-14 season ranked No. 1 nationally at 120 pounds, verbally committed to Oklahoma State on Monday. The No. 9 overall Class of 2015 prospect was also a FloNationals champion in April 2014, and projects as a 133-pound wrestler in college. He joins No. 33 Kaid Brock (Stillwater, Okla.), No. 46 Boo Lewallen (Yukon, Okla.), and No. 62 Lincoln Olson (Davison, Mich.) as Cowboys commits in their 2015 recruiting class, who are positioned in the top 100 for the grade level. No. 58 Roark chooses in-state Missouri, becomes third ranked commit to the Tigers September 21, 2014: Junior National freestyle fourth place finisher Will Roark (Seneca, Mo.) verbally committed to the University of Missouri on Sunday evening. The No. 58 overall prospect in the Class of 2015 became the third top 100 prospect to commit to the Tigers’ program in this class. Roark will join No. 38 Jaydin Clatyon (Father Tolton Catholic, Mo.) and No. 41 Dylan Wisman (Millbrook, Va.) as ranked recruits to make their way to the Columbia campus. Roark is a two-time state champion, and three-time state finalist. This past year he was an undefeated 52-0, and he has a three-year record of 161-4. Roark projects to be a 141/149 in college. No. 37 Ugalde chooses Maryland September 19, 2014: Two-time state placer Josh Ugalde (Bound Brook, N.J.) verbally committed to the University of Maryland last evening. The nation's No. 37 ranked overall Classs of 2015 prospect has placed sixth and second at state each of the last two years, and a career record of 103-20 (68-9 over the last two seasons). Ugalde is a two-time Cadet National freestyle All-American, placing eighth and third in 2012 and 2013 respectively, and he also finished as runner-up in the FloNationals this spring. The projected 165/174 is Maryland's first top 100 ranked commit for the 2015 class. No. 44 Johnson first top 100 commit for North Carolina State in 2015 class September 18, 2014: Illinois state runner-up Tyler Johnson (Lockport), who finished 51-1 competing at 195 pounds during his junior season, verbally committed to North Carolina State earlier on Thursday evening. The two-time Cadet freestyle All-American was a national champion at 195 pounds in Fargo during the summer of 2013. He was also a FILA Cadet freestyle fifth place finisher this spring in Akron at 187.5 pounds. Projected to compete at 197 pounds for the Wolfpack, he is ranked No. 44 overall in the Class of 2015, and their first top 100 commit in this class. Hawkeyes nab No. 25 Young as their first Class of 2016 commitment September 18, 2014: Kaleb Young (Punxsatawney), who placed fifth in the Pennsylvania Class AAA state tournament at 138 pounds, became the first University of Iowa verbal commitment for the Class of 2016 on Thursday evening. Also qualifying for state as a freshman at 126 pounds, Young has a two-year high school record of 60-6. The projected 157 pound wrestler in college is ranked No. 25 overall in his grade level, having also placed sixth in the 152 pound weight class at the FILA Cadet freestyle Nationals this past spring. No. 50 Jeffries initial Class of 2015 commit for Oklahoma September 16, 2014: Three-time state finalist, and two-time state champion, Davion Jeffries (Broken Arrow, Okla.) verbally committed to Oklahoma earlier on Tuesday evening. The projected 133/141 pound wrestler enters his senior season with a three-year career record of 109-7. Ranked No. 50 overall in the Class of 2015, Jeffries was eighth at the Super 32 Challenge and sixth in the FloNationals during the 2013-14 school year, both coming at 126 pounds. No. 66 Simmons a second top 100 commit for Iowa State September 16, 2014: Two-time state champion Markus Simmons (Broken Arrow, Okla.) verbally committed to Iowa State University on Monday evening. The nation's No. 66 overall prospect in the Class of 2015 is also a three-time state finalist, winning state as a freshman and junior, while finishing runner-up as a sophomore. Simmons has a career record of 102-11. The projected 125/133 also placed fourth at 120 pounds in the December 2013 edition of the Walsh Ironman, and ended the 2013-14 season ranked No.1 2 nationally at that weight class. Simmons joins No. 85 Colstin DiBlasi (Park Hill, Mo.) as top 100 prospects to commit to Iowa State in the 2015 class. No. 41 Wisman a second top 50 Class of 2015 commit for Mizzou September 14, 2014: FloNationals champion and NHSCA Junior Nationals champion Dylan Wisman (Millbrook, Va.) verbally committed to the University of Missouri on Sunday evening. Ranked No. 41 in the Class of 2015, Wisman also won his first state title and finished third at the Junior Nationals in freestyle during the 2014 calendar year. In previous years, he twice placed second at the state tournament, and finished fourth in Fargo in both styles during the summer of 2013. Wisman projects as a 184 pound wrestler in college, and will join No. 38 Jaydin Clayton (Father Tolton Catholic, Mo.) in the Tigers’ 2015 class. No. 62 Olson third Oklahoma State top 100 verbal in 2015 class September 9, 2014: Two-time Junior freestyle All-American Lincoln Olson (Davison, Mich.) vebally committed to Oklahoma State earlier on Tuesday afternoon. The nation's No. 62 overall Class of 2015 prospect has twice placed seventh in Fargo, and is a three-time state champion. His in-season scholastic record is 137-3. Projected to compete at 141 pounds in college, and also having placed seventh at the FloNationals this spring, Olson joins No. 33 Kaid Brock (Stillwater, Okla.) and No. 46 Boo Lewallen (Yukon, Okla.) as verbal commits to the Cowboys in the 2015 class. No. 31 Limmex initial Purdue commitment in 2015 September 8, 2014: Two-time state champion Nate Limmex (Grand Rapids Catholic Central, Mich.), who has a combined record of 45-0 during these two consecutive title-winning campaigns, verbally committed to Purdue University on Sunday evening. Having also won a FloNationals title in the spring of 2013, Limmex will enter his senior campaign with a record of 82-9 having finished fourth, first, and first in the state tournament. Ranked No. 31 overall in the Class of 2015, he projects as a 141/149-pound wrestler in college. No. 19 Lujan a third top 50 commit for UNI in 2015 class September 1, 2014: Three-time state champion Taylor Lujan (Carrollton, Ga.) verbally committed to the University of Northern Iowa earlier on Monday afternoon. He joins No. 40 Max Thomsen (Union, Iowa) and No. 45 Bryce Steiert (Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa) in the Panthers' 2015 class. In addition to three state titles, Lujan was runner-up at both the Super 32 Challenge and the FloNationals during the 2013-14 scholastic wrestling year. The projected 174 is ranked No. 19 overall in the Class of 2015, and ended the 2013-14 season as the No. 13 overall wrestler at 170 pounds. No. 11 Shields a fifth top-30 to commit to ASU August 30, 2014: Josh Shields (Franklin Regional, Pa.), a three-time state placer, verbally committed to Arizona State University earlier on Saturday evening. The nation's No. 11 overall prospect in the Class of 2015 has placed sixth, third, and second in the Keystone State during three high school campaigns in which he has amassed a record of 122-18. Shields placed third at 152 pounds in freestyle last month’s Junior Nationals. He projects to the 157/165-pound weight class area in college, and will join four other top-30 prospects in the Sun Devils' 2015 class. Those wrestlers would be No. 1 Anthony and No. 5 Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.), No. 12 Lance Benick (Totino-Grace, Minn.) and No. 29 Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa.). No. 67 James chooses Old Dominion August 30, 2014: Three-time state placer Brandon James (Perry Meridian, Ind.) verbally committed to Old Dominion University earlier on Saturday afternoon. The nation’s No. 67 ranked Class of 2015 prospect has placed third, fifth, and second in the state during his first three scholastic campaigns. James, a projected 141 pound wrestler, will enter his senior season with a three-year record of 125-7. During his high school career, he was third at the FloNationals this past spring, a Junior freestyle All-American last summer, a Super 32 Challenge placer in the fall of 2012, and a two-time Cadet freestyle All-American. No. 41 Agaisse early commit for Princeton in 2016 class August 28, 2014: Ty Agaisse (Delbarton, N.J.), an undefeated state champion during the 2013-14 high school season at 106 pounds, verbally committed to Princeton University this afternoon. Headed into his junior season, Agaisse has placed seventh and first in the state tournament, and has a two year record of 77-4. A Cadet freestyle third place finisher at 113 pounds last month, he projects as a 125/133 in college. In addition, he is currently ranked No. 41 overall in the Class of 2016, and was third in last fall's Super 32 Challenge at 106 pounds. No. 25 Moore a second top-40 recruit for Mountaineers’ 2015 recruiting class August 25, 2014: Three-time state placer Keegan Moore (Putnam City, Okla.), the nation’s No. 25 overall recruit in the Class of 2015, verbally committed to West Virginia University of early Monday evening. The projected 141-pound wrestler will enter his senior season with a 99-5 career record, placing third, first, and second in the state tournament. During the current off-season, Moore placed third at the FloNationals and fourth in Junior freestyle, both coming at 132 pounds. His uncle Hardell Moore was an All-American for Oklahoma State. Keegan Moore joins No. 36 Patrick Duggan (Cumberland Valley, Pa.) as a verbal commitment for the Mountaineers. No. 34 Early a third elite Class of 2015 recruit for the Gophers August 25, 2014: Three-time state placer and 2014 state champion Larry Early (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) verbally committed to the University of Minnesota on Monday afternoon. The nation's No. 34 ranked Class of 2015 prospect joins No. 10 Bobby Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) and No. 15 Fredy Stroker (Bettendorf, Iowa) in the Gophers' 2015 recruiting class. Early enters his senior season with a career record of 125-17, having placed third, second, and first in Illinois Class 3A. He is also a three-time Fargo All-American in Greco-Roman, including a Cadet national title last summer and a third place finish at the Junior level last month. The projected 157 pound wrestler in college was also a placer in the 2013 Walsh Jesuit Ironman and a Cadet freestyle All-American in the summer of 2013. No. 36 Duggan chooses West Virginia August 23, 2014: First-year head coach Sammy Henson got his first verbal commitment for the Class of 2015 in No. 36 overall prospect Patrick Duggan (Cumberland Valley, Pa.). The projected 149/157 pound wrestler has placed in the top four of Pennsylvania’s Class AAA state tournament during each of his first three high school seasons; fourth as a freshman, runner-up during his sophomore year, and third this past season. Duggan will enter his senior season with a career record of 118-15. Prior to the 2013-14 season, Duggan placed third in the Super 32 Challenge at 138 pounds. He ended the season ranked No. 11 nationally at 138 pounds. Last month Duggan placed eighth in junior freestyle at 145 pounds. Top-15 recruit Stroker commits to Minnesota August 19, 2014: Fredy Stroker recently watched a replay of the Minnesota-Penn State dual meet from Feb. 9 broadcast on the Big Ten Network. The Bettendorf (Iowa) High School senior saw Dylan Ness of Minnesota pin Dylan Alton and electrify the Gopher faithful in Minneapolis. The Gophers would go on to defeat the Nittany Lions, 18-17, in front of 5,600 fans at the Sports Pavilion. "I'm hoping to have a moment like that in the future," said Stroker, a two-time state champion and three-time state finalist with a career record of 144-3. That could soon become a reality. On Tuesday, Stroker gave a verbal commitment to the University of Minnesota. He becomes the second top-15 recruit from the Class of 2015 to commit to the Gophers, joining Junior National freestyle champion Bobby Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.), who committed last fall. Read full story ... No. 12 Benick is fourth top-30 recruit to commit to ASU August 15, 2014: Lance Benick (Totino-Grace, Minn.) a three-time state champion and No. 12 overall Class of 2015 prospect, verbally committed to Arizona State earlier on Friday evening. He will enter his senior season of high school with a mark of 125-4 in those three state title campaigns, including a 48-0 mark this past season. The 2013-14 year was one in which Benick ended the season ranked No. 1 nationally at 195 pounds. He has been superlative in three Fargo summer runs. This past year he finished second in Junior freestyle at 195 pounds. It comes after two straight Cadet National double (Greco-Roman and freestyle) titles. Benick projects to the 197 pound weight class in colleg, and will join No. 1 Anthony and No. 5 Zahid Valenica (St. John Bosco, Calif.) along with No. 29 Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa.) in the Sun Devils' Class of 2015. State champion Kelly, No. 55, to Ohio University August 15, 2014: Cameron Kelly (Bellbrook, Ohio), a three-time state finalist who is ranked No. 55 overall in the Class of 2015, verbally committed to Ohio University this afternoon. The 2012 state champion, and runner-up each of the past two seasons, will enter his senior year with a career record of 110-7. He is the initial commit for the Bobcats in this class, and projects as a 133/141 in college. This off-season, he was a Central Regional champion in Junior freestyle, and then was one match away from All-American honors in Junior freestyle at Fargo after a 5-2 tournament at 132 pounds. No. 29 Maruca gives verbal commitment to ASU August 9, 2014: Josh Maruca (Franklin Regional, Pa.) made a strong surge up the recruiting rankings this summer with an Outstanding Wrestler honor at the AAU Disney Duals and a third place finish in Junior National freestyle at 145 pounds. The nation's No. 29 ranked prospect in the Class of 2015 is also a three-time st

Darrion Caldwell

Tom Ryan has guided Ohio State's wrestling program to five top-10 finishes in his six seasons as head coach, including NCAA runner-up finishes in 2008 and 2009. Ryan has twice been named InterMat Coach of the Year. The Buckeyes are coming off a fifth-place finish at the 2012 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championship in a season in which they started seven freshmen. InterMat caught up with Ryan and talked to him about his Monroeville wrestlers, including newcomer Chris Phillips, why a takedown was not awarded in the closing seconds of the NCAA finals match at 133 pounds, what the win over the Iowa Hawkeyes meant to the Ohio State wrestling program, what makes Lou Rosselli a great coach, what his outlook is for the 2012-13 college season, and much more. The early contact period for recruiting kicked off on Sunday. You have already landed the nation's No. 1 overall senior. Are you targeting specific needs in terms of weight classes, or are you just looking for kids that best fit into your program? Ryan: I would say a combination of both. There are weight classes that we're still learning about with guys we brought in recently. There are other weight classes where you hope to get a little bit of depth and have some people challenging. This past season you started seven freshmen and finished fifth at the NCAAs. Your four All-Americans tied the second most in school history. Prior to the NCAAs you talked about wanting a team trophy. Obviously, you came up a little short. But how did you and the staff feel about how this past season turned out? Ryan: Overall we felt good. When you have individuals that you get close to and work with every day, you want to see each guy reach his goals, as well as the team. There was excitement with the Stiebers and Tessari. Campolattano and some other guys didn't attain the things they wanted to. Until you have ten national champs and win a team title, there will always be the ups and downs of coaching. But overall I think we were pleased. When we started the season, if someone said we were going to have a freshman win nationals and have three other wrestlers place, I would say we would have been pleased with that. It was a good rebound to a very tough season for us the year before. What did you take away from that 2010-11 season in which you went 2-11 in dual meets and finished eighth at the Big Ten Championships? Ryan: I think we learned a lot in that tough season. When you're winning, maybe you're not really assessing all the little things as much as you need to. But when you're losing the way we did, you really assess every aspect of your program, and I think we're all better for it. The athletes and staff, we're better now than we were before that season occurred. Tom Ryan coaching at the 2011 Big Ten Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)One of your highlights from this past season was a 21-9 victory over Iowa in front of almost 5,700 fans in Columbus. It was the program's first win over Iowa since 1966. What did that dual meet victory do for the program? Ryan: Iowa has been the standard for so long. They've done such an incredible job. When you think about all the great teams that Coach Hellickson had, and to never beat an Iowa team is pretty amazing. I think it's testament to the University of Iowa and how they do things there. For us, I think it was somewhat of a justification for kids in the state. It's so critical for us to really fence in the state and get the guys that we want from the state. So I think it was great justification, cementing in the fact that you can come to Ohio State. You can win national championships. You can be a part of a team that beats Iowa, Penn State, and others. It was a very, very important step in the process, as was Logan winning it as a freshman ... because there are a lot of great high school wrestlers out there right now that believe in their heart that they can win it as a freshman. When you do it, I think it gives great credence to the fact that they've done it before ... If Logan can do it, then I can do it too mentally. Your three Monroeville wrestlers, Logan Stieber, Hunter Stieber, and Cam Tessari, were freshmen All-Americans at 133, 141, and 149 pounds respectively. How much do they feed off each other? Ryan: They have a very healthy competitive relationship. They respect each other tremendously. I think Logan is the leader of the crew. He's the oldest and sets a great standard in every aspect of his life. So it's great having a leader like that. When Logan and Hunter were in the NCAA semifinals, Cam Tessari was fired up because he wasn't there. Then obviously he came back all the way through the tournament to place as well. They are a great nucleus for the program. Chris Phillips will be joining us this year, which will be nice. What has Chris Phillips shown you since he started training in Columbus and made a commitment to be a Buckeye? Ryan: Well, the only time we can see Chris is during the Regional Training Center workouts. He's an extremely impressive competitor. He has the toughness that's needed to excel at the next level. Now can he be consistent like the others? We'll see. A lot remains to be seen. But I'm certainly excited to have him on board. Do you anticipate a redshirt season for Phillips? Ryan: No, I don't anticipate a redshirt. Right now, Derek Garcia is going down to 157 to challenge Josh Demas. They'll fight it out. I think the loser there may come up and wrestle Chris Phillips at 165. There are still some question marks about our lineup. There are some really competitive weights this year, more so than any year I've been in coaching. Wrestleoffs will be challenging. Obviously, Logan Stieber's NCAA finals match against Jordan Oliver had a controversial finish. Some felt that Oliver had a takedown in the closing seconds. In your opinion, why wasn't it a takedown? Ryan: We have tremendous respect for Jordan Oliver. We recruited him. He's special. We knew that. We knew the preparation would have to be incredibly intense getting ready for him. The bottom line, in my opinion, is that the proper call was made. We saw Max Askren make a living there. Guy has his legs ... they can't get their head out, and next thing you know he pulls his hips out and the other guy is on his back. Obviously, it's my guy, but I'm very confident the right call was made. If his head came out or he lifted his legs, he would have had two. Also, overall, we controlled the pace of the match. I think that was the other factor. I think the guy that controlled the pace of the match was the guy that won the match. Logan Stieber, an NCAA champion this past season at 133 pounds, won in dramatic fashion over Russia's Akhmed Chakaev at the Grapple in the Big Apple held in Times Square (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Logan Stieber has put together a very strong spring and summer wrestling freestyle. He was runner-up at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, won at the Grapple in the Big Apple in Times Square, and recently won the W. Ziolkowski Memorial in Poland. Where has he made his greatest gain as a wrestler? Ryan: I think the greatest gain Logan has made is his toughness. He was tough when he got here, but now he's really tough. Greatness doesn't care how you feel. Greatness doesn't care that you may me a little tired today, you may be little sore today. You get your butt up at seven o'clock and you get in that room and you come back at three o'clock. He completely understands that. Both of his parents have an incredible work ethic. I think he saw that as a young person, how his dad works and mother works. He just understands that you have to put the work in. He continues to get stronger and tougher. Obviously, with a guy like him in your program, you feel pretty good about things. I know that Logan Stieber and Hunter Stieber are both driven to succeed. But it seems like their personalities are quite a bit different ... Ryan: Yeah, they're very different. One is much more laid back ... They're both kind of laid back. Hunter is more of a joker ... but when it comes time to step on the mat, they're equally as competitive. Hunter is extremely hungry to win some titles as well. They're very, very competitive people. Hunter is Logan's biggest fan. The relationship between the brothers and the parents is pretty impressive. It's pretty impressive in this day and age to see a family interact the way these guys do. How important has the Ohio RTC been to the Ohio State wrestling program? Ryan: It's the pillar. You look at the teams that are vying for national championships, they have a freestyle element where you have these elite athletes that set a very high standard. They're training alongside our guys. When I was at Iowa in '92, heck, any day I could pick one of ten people to beat me up. There were so just so many good people in there. Right when you think you're starting to get really good, you run across someone who is capable of winning a World championship, and you realize that you have a long way to go. They bring tremendous perspective to just how good a human being can be at this sport. They're invaluable. We have to keep it going, and we will keep it going. We've got some tremendous supporters that are backing the RTC that understand the importance of it. Lou Rosselli coaching Tommy Rowlands at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Lou Rosselli is widely considered to be one of the top coaches in the country. He was recently put on the Olympic coaching staff. What makes Lou a great coach? Ryan: Lou is all in. Lou understands the work that has to take place for people to reach their full potential. He understands how small the margin is between victory and defeat, and how much time goes into a one-point win. He's incredibly consistent. He loves the sport. He's very knowledgeable. For Lou, it isn't about telling guys to be in the room working out, he's in there. He spends a lot of time in the room with these guys. We're a very good team because we have him. The roles are well defined. He executes his role as well as any person in the sport of wrestling. He's a pleasure to have. Looking at the recruiting class you signed this past season, you added a few nationally ranked high school wrestlers in Nick Roberts, Mark Martin, and Nick Tavanello. You also landed an impact transfer in Chris Phillips. What are your overall thoughts on your 2012 recruiting class and how those wrestlers fit into the program? Ryan: Most importantly, the report on all these guys is that their work ethic is fantastic, and their character is impeccable. Those are areas, quite frankly, that we need to stay true to as a staff. Work ethic and character are two non-negotiables in recruiting. I feel all those guys have those characteristics. Now the question is ... Are they going to be able to make the adjustment to the rigors of day in and day out battling? A lot remains to be seen. I think we filled our needs. We're extremely excited about all these guys. Andrew Campolattano reached the round of 12 at the 2012 NCAAs before losing to Minnesota's Sonny Yohn, a three-time All-American (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Andrew Campolattano seemed to progress throughout his true freshman season and reached the round of 12 at the NCAAs. He won the FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle this spring. How do you feel about Camp's progression? Ryan: I think the sky is the limit for Camp. I think Camp is learning how hard he has to fight for points. This is guy that if he won the Olympic gold medal down the road, it wouldn't surprise me. He has that type of talent. When he was younger, in ninth grade, we saw a guy that was lighting people up and scoring lots of points. We want to continue to see him attack, build leads, and believe in the system, which is to get in in the morning, get back in the afternoon, and you do it regardless of how you feel. He has been a pleasure to coach. Coming out of high school, there were some questions about Andrew. There aren't any more. Andrew Campolattano wants to be great, and we're fortunate that he's at Ohio State. Do you see Camp as a career 197-pounder? Or could we see him at heavyweight down the road? Ryan: It's a constant discussion, really being led by Andrew, because obviously it affects our recruiting. Right now we feel like he's a 197-pounder. We've got Tavanello at heavyweight. We're still recruiting the weight. We just don't know where he's going to fall yet. 211 (96 kilos) is a perfect weight for him. We're watching that situation closely. But right now he's a 197-pounder. Looking ahead to the upcoming season, as you touched on, you have a lot of talent returning. Wrestlers like Nikko Triggas, Ian Paddock, and Kenny Courts come off redshirt. With so many talented wrestlers returning, is there a chance you could redshirt any of last year's true freshmen, like Johnni Dijulius, Hunter Stieber, or Cam Tessari? Ryan: There's a chance. Based on what we've seen as a coaching staff, day in and day out, the guys who are working the hardest, the guys who have done the best in the past, they teach you what to expect. We have expectations on what the lineup is going to look like. But it doesn't mean that things can't change. Ian Paddock is going to be a force in the middle weight classes. Johnni Dijulius doesn't want to redshirt. So Nikko and Johnni have been going at in the room. We're not really sure how it's going to play out. But we're excited about it. I think it's a healthy situation for us. If you're a student-athlete who is serious about winning a national championship, I don't know how you can't be excited about having somebody in the room every day that is going to push you. I know it made a difference for me as a competitor. I knew what I was getting into. When you've got an All-American in your weight class and your goal is to win national championships, well, you have to make the team first. How is your schedule shaping up for the 2012-13 season? Ryan: Our schedule is finalized now. Obviously, it's a grueling schedule that gets you ready for the end of the year. We're looking forward to it. Fortunately, we have a lot of depth. We're going to wrestle at Madison Square Garden at that inaugural event. We'll have Iowa on Jan. 4. I know they're looking forward to it, as are we. We have Minnesota, Penn State ... so as excited as we are, there is no time to rest because we know darn well that Cornell, Minnesota, Iowa, Oklahoma State, and even Oklahoma, after picking up those transfers, will be strong. It's very competitive at the top. Tom Ryan has twice been named Coach of the Year by InterMat (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Do you believe that Ohio State is a team that can realistically challenge for an NCAA team title in 2013? Ryan: I do. I think we can win it. I think Penn State has around 125 returning points. We have around 78. They're going to insert four guys. We're going to insert four guys. Is it a fairly big undertaking knocking off Penn State? Yes. But I've said we can do it before, and I don't think I believe it any more than I do now. This is a team that can win it if people live their lives the right way. We have the talent to win the tournament. We know there are things a lot more important than talent. So if those things come to fruition and these guys really train and believe, then we're going to be in the hunt. Is there anything else you want to add that we did not touch on? Ryan: J Jaggers has been fantastic with the team. He has been a great example for our guys. He's a fantastic young coach, as is Ross Thatcher. J has done a great job with our lightweights, just as Ross has done a great job with our upperweights.

OREM, Utah -- Utah Valley University wrestling and head coach Greg Williams have announced the hiring of world bronze medalist and Orem resident Justin Ruiz to an assistant coaching position. Ruiz comes to UVU on the heels of a long, decorated wrestling career that featured a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. Ruiz is very familiar with Williams as he was one of Williams' pupils at the club level during high school and this is the second time that Ruiz has joined Williams' staff as he previously coached at UVU for a short time during the 2007-08 season. That year Ruiz left to continue his distinguished wrestling career but this time the three-time Utah State Champion at Taylorsville High School (Taylorsville, Utah) returns to Orem after recently retiring from competition. Justin Ruiz"I've spent the majority of my life in wrestling and I'm looking forward to turning my attention to coaching full-time," Ruiz said. "I'm excited to be able to help these student-athletes go as far as they can in the sport of wrestling, especially here in the state of Utah and here at UVU." "We're really excited to be bringing Justin onto the staff," said Williams. "He's accomplished so many accolades during his career and he will be a great positive influence for all of the wrestlers in our program. I coached Justin at my club when he was in high school so I know what kind of work ethic he has and we're looking forward to what he can help us accomplish here." Besides winning three state titles at Taylorsville High, Ruiz was also a three-time ASICS Junior National Champion, a three-time Fila Junior Nationals Champion and a High School National Champion. He also was a member of the Fila Junior World Team two times and the recipient of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award in 1998. After high school he redshirted a year at the University of Nebraska before serving an LDS mission in Concepcion, Chile. Upon returning from his mission, he spent the next two seasons as an All-American wrestler at Nebraska. Ruiz then made the transition to the international ranks, where he went on to become a seven-time U.S. Open National Champion, six-time U.S. World Team member, 10-time U.S. National Team member, two-time Olympic alternate, two-time US Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year, four-time Pan American Champion, a World Cup Silver Medalist and a member of the first and only U.S. Greco-Roman Team to win a World Championship (2007). Williams, Ruiz and Erkin Tadzhimetov will make up the 2012-13 Wolverine wrestling coaching staff. "I've known Greg for a long time and I'm excited for the opportunity to be able to work together with him as well as Erkin," Ruiz added. "I also know the benefits of Greg's system because it worked for me and that's something that I can show the guys."

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA Division III Wrestling Committee announced Monday the selection of six sites to host the 2013 Division III Wrestling Regional Championships. The selected sites and host schools are: The six-site regional format is part of a new qualification process for the Division III Wrestling Championships, approved by the Division III Championships Committee in April. The format says that the top-three wrestlers from each weight class will advance to the championships from each of the six regional sites, allowing for a total of 180 qualifiers. The previous Division III wrestling qualification system consisted of seven automatic-qualifying conferences and two NCAA sponsored regionals that moved 170 student-athletes onto the championships through automatic bids and at-large selections. Student-athletes advancing out of the 2013 regional championships will compete at the Division III Wrestling Championships scheduled for March 15-16 at the Cedar Rapids Ice Arena in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

Ali Bernard

Terry Steiner

Grade Rankings: Top 100 Seniors|Top 50 Juniors|Top 50 Sophomores|Top 25 Freshmen|Top 15 Junior High Sunday was July 1 and the initial day that Division I college coaches could make direct contact with prospective student-athletes from the Class of 2013. The day before that was the conclusion of the Junior National Duals in Oklahoma City. The freestyle and Greco-Roman event featured a vast collection of high-level talent from this class, as well as the graduating seniors and juniors-to-be. It is one where many an elite wrestler will lose multiple matches, and conversely an opportunity for wrestlers to amass multiple "quality wins." Bo Jordan (Photo/Rob Preston)Even though the AAU Scholastic Duals (aka Disney Duals) are in progress in Orlando, rankings are being posted today to provide an assessment of the landscape as the contact period begins. Results from the Disney Duals, and from the Cadet and Junior Nationals in Fargo (coming up in less than three weeks), will be captured in an early August update of these prospect rankings. Leading the way in the Class of 2013 is Bo Jordan, already a verbal commit to Ohio State. The three-time state champion from St. Paris Graham, Ohio, has a career record of 133-1. The loss came to Nate Skonieczny, who is bound for the University of Iowa, in the overtime tiebreaker at the final of the Top Gun Tournament during his freshman year; a result which was avenged by a 3-1 state semifinal victory. Jordan has also won titles at the Walsh Ironman these past two seasons Right behind Jordan is the very impressive Adam Coon, a three-time state champion from Fowlerville, Mich. Over the two previous summers in Fargo, he has a 30-2 record with a Cadet and Junior title in Greco-Roman with second and third-place finishes in freestyle. Also on the resume was a Cadet freestyle World title late last summer, a FILA Junior Greco-Roman title this spring, and a fifth-place finish in FILA Junior freestyle. His high school career record is 157-3, including 106-0 the last two seasons, and with eight pins in 12 career state tournament matches. Third in this rising senior class is two-time state champion Isaiah Martinez from Lemoore, Calif. In the last fifteen or so months, he finished second and first at the FloNationals; took second at the Walsh Ironman in the 152-pound weight class, losing just 2-0 to Bo Jordan; and was undefeated at the America's Cup over the Memorial Day holiday, which included a 7-3 victory over Ben Whitford and a 14-5 major decision against a two-time Ohio state champion. Ben Whitford is fourth in the Class of 2013. After winning a pair of state titles at Marmion Academy in Illinois, he returned home to St. Johns, Mich., this past year to win yet another state title and move his career record to 127-1. His resume is extremely robust, including six finals appearances in Fargo and five championships (double titles the previous two summers). The University of Michigan-bound wrestler was a dominant champion at the Super 32 Challenge this past fall with five pins, a technical fall, and then 13-3 major decision in the final at 138 pounds. Class of 2013 Top 10 Recruits 1. Bo Jordan, St. Paris Graham, Ohio 2. Adam Coon, Fowlerville, Mich. 3. Isaiah Martinez, Lemoore, Calif. 4. Ben Whitford, St. Johns, Mich. 5. Brooks Black, Blair Academy, N.J. 6. J'den Cox, Hickman, Mo. 7. Jake Short, Simley, Minn. 8. Brian Murphy, Glenbard North, Ill. 9. Cody Wiercioch, Canon McMillan, Pa. 10. A. Ashnault, So. Plainfield, N.J.Closing out the top five in this group is Brooks Black from Blair Academy. Black is a two-time National Prep champion, Walsh Ironman champion, and Beast of the East champion. In addition, Black won three Cadet National titles in Fargo, finished sixth in Junior National freestyle last summer, and won three FILA Cadet National titles. Along with Coon, Black is a heavyweight wrestler with the rare trifecta of being big, athletic, and possessing vast wrestling abilities. Other highlights of the Top 100 in the Class of 2013 are three St. Edward, Ohio, wrestlers inside the top 18 (and a fourth in the rankings as well); Pennsylvania with 17 in the rankings (6 top 30, another 6 top 50, and the last five inside the top 70; and three other programs with three in the rankings (St. Johns, Blair Academy, and Christiansburg). Kyle Snyder (Photo/Rob Preston)Like the Class of 2013, the junior to be group is also very talented. It is led by the much ballyhooed Chance Marsteller. The two-time state champion from Kennard-Dale, Pa., is undefeated for his high school career with two championships at the POWERade. Additional features on the resume are a FILA Cadet National freestyle title, Super 32 Challenge title, a pair of Cadet freestyle titles, and a Cadet Greco-Roman title. Three high profile upperweight wrestlers reside in the top six of this class. Ranked second in this class is two-time National Prep champion Kyle Snyder from Good Counsel, Md. Snyder is also a two-time Beast of the East champion, won titles at the Walsh Ironman and FloNationals this past year, was a double Cadet National finalist last summer (freestyle champion), and placed third at the FILA Junior Nationals this spring. Fourth in the rankings is two-time state placer Nick Nevills from Clovis, Calif. This wrestler won state as a freshman, was third this past year, and runner-up to Snyder at the FloNationals. While sixth in the rankings is two-time state champion Thomas Haines from Solanco, Pa. This past year, Haines added Super 32 Challenge and POWERade titles to the resume. Other highlights from the Top 50 for the Class of 2014 are four Blair Academy wrestlers ranked within the top 30, and eight wrestlers competing at high schools in the Keystone State populating the rankings. Rounding out the top-ranked wrestlers in each class are Zahid Valencia from St. John Bosco, Calif., in the Class of 2015; two-time Minnesota high school state champion Mark Hall for the Class of 2016; and high school state champion Brady Berge from Kasson-Mantorville, Minn., for junior high wrestlers. Additional notes for the other three grade levels include nine Pennsylvania wrestlers in the Top 50 for the Class of 2015, along with an extremely talented incoming ninth grade group (Class of 2016) that has multiple wrestlers having demonstrated major accomplishments against high school age competition. Link: Grade Rankings

Justin Lester

This past season several freshmen showed they could compete with the nation's best high school wrestlers. The Valencia brothers, Zahid and Anthony, made California wrestling history as the only two freshman brothers ever to win a state championship in the same year. Zahid finished the season ranked No. 1 at 106 pounds after a perfect 40-0 season. But it wasn't only freshmen lightweights who made waves on the national scene. Heavyweight Michael Johnson Jr. (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) was a Prep National runner-up who finished the season ranked 13th nationally among all heavyweights. So who will the breakout freshmen be in 2012-13? Below is a list of 10 incoming freshmen to watch. Please note: Wrestles are listed in no particular order, and this is not an all-inclusive list or ranking of the nation's top freshmen in 2012-13, but merely a sampling of freshmen wrestlers to watch. Mark Hall (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Mark Hall High School: Undecided Projected Weight Class: 152/160 About Hall: Hall has received the most national attention among this group of incoming freshmen, and deservedly so. He will be entering high school with three high school state finals appearances and two high school state championships already on his wrestling resume. Hall was a state runner-up in Kentucky in 2010, and then claimed back-to-back Minnesota state titles in 2011 and 2012 wrestling for national power Apple Valley. He won three major preseason events in 2011, Grappler Fall Classic, InterMat JJ Classic, and NUWAY Southwest Kickoff Classic. Hall went undefeated this past season en route to winning a state championship at 145 pounds. His most notable win this past season came over nationally ranked Jake Short of Simley at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament. Hall finished the season ranked No. 3 nationally at 145 pounds. Apple Valley assistant coach Bill Demaray on Hall: "Mark is an outstanding student-athlete who has spent years preparing to become one of the premier wrestlers in the country. He is very relaxed and confident when he is competing and is like a cat that is ready to strike at any moment. He is a very caring person who will help others without being asked. Mark is the kind of person that any coach would be lucky and honored to have on their team." Luke PletcherLuke Pletcher High School: Greater Latrobe, Pa. Projected Weight Class: 106/113 About Pletcher: Pletcher is the Keystone State's most accomplished incoming freshman. He is a five-time PJW state champion and an eight-time TOC champion. As an eighth-grader, Pletcher finished fourth at the Super 32 Challenge competing at 106 pounds in the high school division. He lost a heartbreaker, 1-0 (ultimate tiebreaker), in the semifinals to fellow PA wrestler Michael Kemerer, who finished the season ranked seventh nationally at 106 pounds. This spring Pletcher finished third at FloNationals and fifth at FILA Cadet Nationals in freestyle. Last month he notched a win over PIAA state champion Ethan Lizak, ranked sixth nationally, at the NHSCA National Duals. Pittsburgh Wrestling Club coach Jason Peters: "Luke's committed. He works really hard. He wants to learn. He's tough. He's just a good kid. We've just been kind of fortunate to get the opportunity to work with him, to get a kid that has good drive that you can actually teach high-level wrestling to. It's been fun. The unique thing about Luke is that he has some great traits. His parents hold him accountable. He works hard. He wants to be good at wrestling. And he's tough. Those guys are hard to beat." Jose ChampagneJose Champagne High School: Montini Catholic, Ill. or Lowell, Ind. Projected Weight Class: 132 About Champagne: Champagne was adopted from Colombia and has only been in the U.S. for five years. He is just now completing his fourth full year of wrestling. Champagne did not speak a word of English when he was adopted, but has come a long way in a short period of time, both in the classroom as an honor roll student and on the mat as one of the nation's top incoming freshmen wrestlers. He is an eight-time state champion in Indiana. He has also won many national events, including USA Wrestling Nationals, Super 32 Challenge (middle school division), and Liberty Nationals. This year he was an Indiana Triple Crown winner as a Cadet, winning state titles in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman. Izzy Style & Montini Catholic coach Izzy Martinez on Champagne: "He's only wrestled a few years, so he hasn't been in the grind since he was 5, 6, or 7 like many of these kids. He's relatively new to the sport, so I think mentally he's charged. He has a full battery. He's not drained. He's not tired. He doesn't hate it. Mentally, he's ready to win. He learns well. Not only that, but he's very competitive. That's probably one of the biggest things you can't teach kids is a competitive drive." Aaron Pico (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Aaron Pico High School: St. John Bosco, Calif. Projected Weight Class: 132 About Pico: Last year St. John Bosco High School in California had two of the nation's top freshmen in the Valencia brothers, Zahid and Anthony. Both won state championships. This year the program has another freshman phenom on its hands in Pico. He has been successful in national age group events for several years, but his major coming out performance came last summer in Fargo when he won Cadet National titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman, and did so in dominant fashion. Pico added a Cadet National folkstyle title this spring, where he went 5-0 with three pins and two major decisions. He won 19-7 in the finals. At the California state freestyle tournament this spring, Pico did not surrender a single point and won every match by fall or technical fall. Pico will be a heavy favorite to win double titles again this summer in Fargo to cap off his Cadet Triple Crown. St. John Bosco coach Omar Delgado on Pico: "Aaron "Cheeks" Pico is a complete phenom in the sport of wrestling. What sets him apart is not only his work ethic, and athletic ability, but his total commitment to the sport of wrestling. Cheeks doesn't just like wrestling, he loves wrestling, and wants to be the best in the world. I am truly blessed to have the Valencia boys and now Aaron "Cheeks" Pico in my wrestling room. Cheeks will push the Valencia boys to be the best, as will the Valencia boys push Cheeks because the commitment they have to living like champions is hard to find in one young man let alone three. I look forward to journeying with him for the next four years." Mason Manville (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)Mason Manville High School: Apple Valley, Minn. Projected Weight Class: 145 About Manville: Manville has been dominating national age group events for several years. This past season he moved from Virginia to Minnesota to wrestle for national power Apple Valley, and made an immediate impact in the lineup. Manville won the Minnesota Christmas Tournament, which included a victory over Junior National folkstyle champion Nick Wanzek of Simley. He wrestled everywhere from 138 pounds to 152 pounds for the Eagles. Manville went undefeated at The Clash. He entered the state tournament ranked No. 1 in Minnesota's Class AAA at 152 pounds, but was upset in the state semifinals and finished third. Manville has been impressive this spring and summer. He won both styles at Southeast Regionals. He placed fourth at FILA Cadet Nationals in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Manville competed on Team Minnesota at the Cadet National Duals and posted a perfect 14-0 record in freestyle and Greco-Roman. Apple Valley assistant coach Bill Demaray on Manville: "Mason is a very intense individual when he is preparing to compete or while he is competing. He has set high but achievable goals of someday being an Olympic/World champion. I personally love watching him prepare and compete because he goes full out the whole time. In the practice room he is always working hard to get better. Mason has been coached by his dad David and without a doubt this has given Mason a leg up on his competition. Technically and emotionally Mason has been prepared very well by his dad." Kyle NorstremKyle Norstrem High School: Brandon, Fla. Projected Weight Class: 113 About Norstrem: Norstrem, like Mark Hall, already has a high school state championship on his resume before he even begins his freshman year of high school. This past season as an eighth-grader at Tampa Bay Christian, Norstrem compiled a record of 41-1 en route to claiming a Florida state championship at 106 pounds. In addition, he has an excellent resume in Greco-Roman wrestling, as a two-time FILA Cadet National finalist (champion this past year) and finishing third at the Cadet Nationals last summer. He will be wrestling at national power Brandon High School for his freshman year, where he will join older brother Kevin, who is one of the nation's top high school seniors. USA Wrestling Developmental Greco-Roman coach Ike Anderson on Norstrem: "Kyle is a hard-working young man who is always looking for ways to get better. He loves learning new things on and off the mat." Keegan Moore (Photo/Dan Condon, Jackson County Pilot)Keegan Moore High School: Jackson County Central, Minn. Projected Weight Class: 152/160/170 About Moore: Moore, the youngest in a family of seven, comes from a wrestling family. His older brother Cooper was a nationally ranked 170-pounder this past season and signed with Northern Iowa. His brother Paden, who will be a sophomore, placed fifth in the state tournament at 145 pounds. Moore wrestles for Minnesota legendary high school wrestling coach Randy Baker at Jackson County Central, a program that has won four state championships over the past five seasons. Several collegiate standouts have come out of the program, including four-time NCAA Division I All-American Chad Kraft, NCAA Division II champion Nate Baker, and three-time NCAA Division I qualifier Cole VonOhlen, among others. Moore is a six-time Minnesota/USA Wrestling Triple Crown winner (state champion in all three styles), which ties the state record. He has wrestled two years on the varsity at JCC, and qualified for the state tournament this past season as an eighth-grader, where he went 2-2 at 138 pounds. This spring Moore posted a 20-0 record at the Schoolboy Duals, earning a spot on the All-Tournament Team in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. He was also a USA Wrestling national champion in folkstyle. Jackson County Central coach Randy Baker on Moore: "Keegan is very athletic. He has a lot of natural tools. He also has a lot of experience. He's done a lot of wrestling since the high school season ended. He should improve pretty fast with the workout partners he has." Brent MooreBrent Moore High School: St. Paris Graham, Ohio Projected Weight Class: 120/126 About Moore: Moore is the Buckeye State's top incoming freshman. He is expected to be an immediate impact freshman for Jeff Jordan at national power St. Paris Graham. Last fall Moore claimed a title at the Super 32 Challenge (middle school division). He went undefeated this past season in junior school wrestling at Graham, and claimed an OAC junior high state championship. He was also a Philo Electric Invitational champion, which included a 3-2 victory over Luke Pletcher. This spring he went 8-0 at the Schoolboy National Duals in freestyle. He was also undefeated at the AAU Middle School National Duals. He was a fifth-place finisher at the Ohio TOC, where he split matches with nationally ranked Matthew Kolodzik. St. Paris Graham coach Jeff Jordan on Moore: "Brent understands how to really rise to the occasion when match time arrives. He thrives on the spotlight and is able to elevate his intensity level higher than his opponent when it is time to compete. He has a tremendous work ethic, but what truly makes him special is his insatiable will to win." Luke KaramLuke Karam High School: Bethlehem Catholic, Pa. Projected Weight Class: 106 About Karam: Karam posted a perfect 51-0 record through two years of junior high wrestling. He is a two-time junior high District XI champion, Cadet freestyle state champion, Cadet National freestyle runner-up, and Eastern Nationals runner-up. Karam was also undefeated at the Cadet National Duals in freestyle in each of the past two years. Bethlehem Catholic coach Jeff Karam on Karam: "I am really excited to have Luke and his brother (Cole) be a part of the high school team. They were born into wrestling (literally). I was actually coaching in a match when I got the call from my wife that she was in labor. I had to leave in the middle of the match and meet her at the hospital. Luke has been very self-motivated since he first started wrestling at age 5. Luke has a great mental attitude about the sport and shows a lot of maturity for someone of his age. He constantly looks at ways to improve his technique and is an extremely hard worker. Luke also is surrounded by some great workout partners in the room. He gets the opportunity to drill with Darian Cruz (nationally ranked, returning state champ) on a daily basis. Darian has been a great role model for Luke in preparing him for high school wrestling." Nick SurianoNick Suriano High School: Undecided Projected Weight Class: 106 About Suriano: Suriano trains at the Apex Wrestling Club in New Jersey, which is run by former Michigan two-time All-American Damion Logan. Suriano won his third Tulsa Nationals title this year. He has won the War at the Shore three times and the Super 32 Challenge (middle school division) twice. Apex head coach Damion Logan on Suriano: "Nick Suriano is a very focused, hard-working individual who has inspiration to be the best he can possibly be. Because of that, he's one of the kids that is always paying attention, trying to get the most out of his training and workouts because he needs all the answers for success." Apex assistant coach Matt Wernikoff on Suriano: "I think what makes Nick successful is that he wants to win very badly, and he has an understanding of what it's going to take to win on the high school level and on the national level. He's willing to make the sacrifices. He does all the little intangibles right."