InterMat Staff

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Q: Recently, former NFL MVP, Kurt Warner, stated that he does not want his children playing football. Do you have any reservations about your own children wrestling? -- W. Mondale Foley: You want to do this? Fine, let's do this. Let me start with a broader interpretation of your question. Sports aimed at children should teach skills and values that will influence them in maintaining an active and sustainable lifestyle through adulthood. What does that mean? That means that our job as parents, teachers, and coaches should be to give our children the tools and knowledge to show them healthy sporting options that they can continue to play for years to come. Obviously, football is WELL outside of these parameters, both because of the concussion issues and because there is no sustainable way to participate in full-contact football as an adult. There are other issues regarding football that make it unhealthy: lack of cardiovascular workout, injury rates, and unnecessary weight gain are just the first that popped into my likely damaged-by-football brain. Wrestling has injuries, too. Any activity increases your chance of a concussion while participating and wrestling is not different. However wrestling, unlike football, is a sport without additives -- there are no helmeted heads or shoulder pads to wield as weapons. Head injuries are ancillary in wrestling, while in football they're unavoidable. Nothing is scarier than watching a kids football game when nine-year-old kids leave their feet and dive headlong into a lineman twice their size just to impress their overcompensating youth football coach. Wrestling has its unnecessary dangers as well, premier among them being extreme weight cutting. Once the decision is made to start cutting weight there is usually no sacrifice a wrestler isn't willing to make in order to favor that weight and strength advantage. Cutting weight is lazy. It takes more discipline to maintain a healthy diet year-round than it does to shed ten pounds in two days. Disagree? How healthy do most of the former wrestlers you know look one year after they finish competing? Hell, take a look at some of our NCAA wrestlers with eligibility and you'll see some fleshy bodies. That type of cyclical eating leads to poor food choices later in life, and when you take away the two-hour workouts for five months you end up chunky. Given complete control I'd want my kid to start wrestling around his 12th birthday and would always encourage him to go up a weight class. The top priority of our wrestling community should be ending the cycle of binge and purge. How to do that, I don't know, but WEIGHT CUTTING will be our sport's biggest concern over the next decade. Gloomy, I know, but I also know that with leadership wrestling can once again be the absolute healthiest sport in the world. As for football? I suspect I'll love my children and because I will, none of them will play a snap, and neither should yours. Football doesn't make you tough and it doesn't build character, at best it'll give you a high school letterman jacket and a lifetime of headaches. Stick to running, swimming, and wrestling -- sports that maximize the human body's potential and when done in moderation leave us emotionally and physically healthy. Q: I am surprised that Michigan didn't make the list of the top wrestling states. They have produced 103 All-Americans since 1961, which is more than both Virginia and Minnesota. Recently St. Johns High School spent most of the past two years ranked in the top five with a few other schools also cracking the list. There was also the crop of Davison wrestlers winning NCAA titles: Paul Donohoe, Brent Metcalf, and Jon Reader. Cam Simaz won an NCAA title last year as well. As for the college scene, Central Michigan has spent more time in the last 10 years inside the top 10 than out. Michigan has had some success as well. Michigan State and Eastern Michigan have been a little down. Kevin Jackson and Steve Frasier both went to high school in Michigan before winning Olympic gold. Currently, some of the top freestyle wrestlers are training out of Ann Arbor and there is the USOEC Greco-Roman program in Marquette. -- RRudy Foley: I don't hate your argument. The only reason I threw North Dakota in as an honorable mention is because the Fargo tournament holds a special place in the culture of American wrestling and deserved a little recognition for its contribution. Michigan definitely deserves to be in the discussion of the nation's top wrestling states. Q: Has there ever been any more than five champions on one team at any NCAA Division I tournament? How many times have there been five? -- Rick Foley: (Realizes this is a research question, bangs head against desk.) THREE TIMES (H/T Joe). OSU had five NCAA champions in 2005 (Photo/Jeremy Cook)The first squad (since 1961) to accomplish the feat was the 1986 Iowa Hawkeyes Brad Penrith (126) Kevin Dresser (142), Jim Heffernan (150), Marty Kistler (167) and Duane Goldman (190). (Note: Four of these men are or have been Division I head coaches. Impressive stuff.) Next was the much-documented 1997 Iowa Hawkeyes. The NCAA champs that season were Jesse Whitmer (118), Mark Ironside (126), Lincoln McIlravy (150), Joe Williams (158) and Lee Fullhart (190). The other team to capture five individual championships at the NCAA tournament was the 2005 Oklahoma State Cowboys who did the deed with Zack Esposito (149), Johny Hendricks (165), Chris Pendleton (174), Jake Rosholt (197) and Steve Mocco (285) It's interesting that in an era of parity one school could be so dominant as to have five champs. But it seems to be the case that we are coming into a cycle of mega-programs with a sea of equally matched also-rans. As for the next team to have five champs? Well, if you believe in patterns, you might want to lay some money on Penn State having five champs in 2013, which was eight years after Okie State and 16 years after Iowa's second team to accomplish the feat. Q: Worst description of wrestling in Hollywood: A. A.C. Slater's girlfriend on SBTB almost passing out in a wrestling match due to her much larger male opponent's standing full nelson? B. Vin Diesel's pin (I guess flat stomach on the mat is considered a pin) of Everyone Love's Raymond's brother in "The Pacifier"? C. Louden Swain's coach wearing a singlet (over his T-shirt) during wrestling practices? D. None of the Above. -- D. Tompkins Foley: I'll eliminate the singlet over the T-shirt because I'm certain that at least one of our readers had a wrestling coach that dressed that way on occasion. In fact, my assistant wrestling coach wasn't scared to pull it off, but I can't remember if it was a joke or not. I'll choose to remember it as something he did to motivate us for dual meets. Did I miss something when I passed on the chance to watch "The Pacifier?" If you locked me on a plane for 14 hours and made me choose between sitting in first-class where I HAD TO WATCH "The Pacifier" on repeat, or else occupy a middle seat in coach between an arguing couple, I'd gladly choose to play Dr. Phil. However, if the first-class movie was Vin Diesel's "Fast Five" I'd be SOLD. I watch that movie by accident once a week, and each time I'm shocked by the attractiveness of the Brazilian female cop. Yikes. She needs more work.(Unfortunately, she's married to that enormous Australian dude who plays Thor.) That leaves me with "none of the above" or Slater's girlfriend almost going night-night from an illegal, albeit improbable, hold. I have to go with "None of the Above" because I'd never want to anger the SBTB overseers, or discourage them from including wrestling as often as they did. How many football games did we watch at Bayside? Basketball? Wrestling was their sport of choice, and though they flubbed the move in this situation, they DID get right that Slater wanted to wrestle at Iowa instead of going to West Point, where presumably he wouldn't be wrestling (Would hiring Joe Heskett have changed Slater's mind?). To my SBTB geeks: On how many episodes of SBTB was wrestling featured? Other sports? Well-researched answers get an InterMat T-shirt and the gratitude of our readers. Q: I like to compare wrestlers from different decades. Wrestling has clearly advanced significantly over the past 20 years (more funk). That being said, I give you this match: 2012 133-pound NCAA champion Logan Stieber (freshman) vs. 1992 134-pound NCAA champion Tom Brands (senior). Who's your pick? -- Robbie P. Foley: Are you challenging me because of my perceived (and not at all real) man-crush on Logan Stieber? Tom BrandsUnfortunately a "young" Stieber wouldn't be a match for 23-year-old Tom Brands, who won the OW at the 1992 NCAA Championships. Stieber's victory over Jordan Oliver was significant (although a *touch controversial), and though his wrestling style might have frustrated Brands briefly, I don't think anyone was going to stop that monster in 1992. Hell, imagine if Brands had the opportunity to wrestle on the entire mat? Stieber would've passed out from exhaustion. I think that Stieber may end up being more accomplished and his older self might've slaughtered Brands, but not the 2012 version. Brands by two. Q: Any more jiu-jitsu and I'm going to stop reading the mailbag. -- Jim D. Foley: You just opened the door. Adios, hombre! Jiu-jitsu is relevant to wrestling. Cael Sanderson knew that the value of learning more about grappling he invited black belt Ricky Lundell onto his Iowa State squad. That anecdote might not have ended with Lundell winning an NCAA championship, but it shows the power that the sport has in influencing wrestling. The sports are closer cousins than many people imagine. (It's NOT just for people looking to start their MMA career.) What compels many former wrestlers to take up the sport is the sustainability of the act (fewer injuries) and the attractiveness of a more technical and calculated set of skills and game planning. In many ways wrestling is checkers and jiu-jitsu is chess. Just this week comedian and UFC announcer Joe Rogan earned his black belt from 10th Planet jiu-jitsu in LA. Watch his promotion and listen to his speech and you'll hear the themes I've touched on in the mailbag and that many jiu-jitsu choose the sport: camaraderie, self-awareness, and physical conditioning. Rogan isn't a guy proud to get his black belt because he thinks it might score him extra points with women, it's just a minor recognition that he's dedicated his life to self-improvement through jiu-jitsu. Why should we stop learning about ourselves after our wrestling career is over? Jiu-jitsu is also an example of the type of healthy sport that I'd encourage my kids to practice from a young age. If he picks it up he'll also be able to dork up all those bully lineman and tight ends filling high school and college campuses with their false machismo. "You're wearing pads and you play four seconds at a time. CALM DOWN BUTKUS" Please note: Foley's Friday Mailbag is taking next week off in the expectation that you'll be wakeboarding and NOT sitting at your desk reading about wrestling. Feel free to send in questions and Happy Independence Day. See you back here on Friday, July 13.

Stephany Lee will no longer be heading to London for the 2012 Olympic Games as a member of the U.S. Olympic women's freestyle team at 72 kilos. The 27-year-old Lee tested positive for a tetrahydrocannabinol acid, a marijuana metabolite, at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City on April 21. She has accepted a one-year suspension. "I apologize to USA Wrestling, my teammates, my coaches and everyone who supported me for my mistake. I will continue to train, and hope to be able to represent my country at the 2016 Olympic Games," said Lee said in a statement released through USA Wrestling. Ali BernardAli Bernard, who was runner-up to Lee at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, has been named the U.S. nominee for the 2012 Olympic Games at 72 kilos. U.S. Olympic Team nominees are subject to approval by the USOC Board. Bernard, a native of New Ulm, Minn., was fifth at the 2008 Olympic Games. She is a returning World bronze medalist. She is also a two-time Junior World champion and a University World champion.

DES MOINES -- Hello wrestling fans! Scott Casber, Jeff Murphy and Geoff Murtha will be live in TDR's home-based Brute Adidas studios for another two-hour show this week brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods. Guest hosts include Nate Hansen, Troy Peterson, and Tony Sly. 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: 9:01 Mike Clayton, Stevens Institute head wrestling coach 9:20 Jason Peters, Pitt assistant wrestling coach 9:40 Chad Smith, Lindenwood head wrestling coach 10:01 Kevin Roberts, Oregon State assistant wrestling coach 10:20 Jason Gillis, Cradle Gear founder 10:40 Justin Lester, 2012 Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Former University of Iowa All-American Ryan Morningstar has been appointed to the Iowa wrestling staff as a full-time assistant coach. The announcement was made today by head coach Tom Brands. Ryan Morningstar“I’m excited to welcome Ryan Morningstar to the coaching staff,” said Brands. “He obviously has strong ties to the Iowa program and I have no doubt he takes a tremendous amount of pride in Hawkeye wrestling. I know he gained some valuable experience in the coaching ranks last season and I think, once again, he’s going to be a tremendous asset to our program.” Morningstar joins the Iowa staff after serving as an assistant coach at Wisconsin for one season. He joined the Badger staff following a collegiate career that included four NCAA appearances (2007-10) as a Hawkeye. He earned All-America honors in 2009 and 2010, and was a member of three NCAA championship teams (2008-10). “I couldn’t be more excited to come home and work for my mentors,” said Morningstar. “The University of Iowa is a special place and I’m really looking forward to rejoining the wrestling program and getting to work.” Morningstar placed third at the NCAA championships and was a Big Ten runner-up at 165 pounds in 2009. He suffered a knee injury during his senior season (2010) but still went on to place seventh at the NCAAs and fourth at the Big Ten championships. That same year he was named Iowa’s Big Ten Sportsmanship Award winner and won the Mike McGivern Award, which is given annually to the team’s most courageous wrestler.

This week UFC featherweight prospect Max Holloway joined the show to discuss his win over Pat Schilling at the TUF Live Finale and upcoming showdown with Justin Lawrence at UFC 150. The youngest fighter on the UFC roster also talks about how he got into MMA and when he thinks he will be ready to contend for a title. Also on the show, Richard and John break down all of the weekend's action, including UFC 147 and Clay Guida's puzzling display against Gray Maynard. Do you want to listen to a past episode? View archives.

Related: Top Ten Wrestling States: Part 1 The list of America's top ten wrestling states wasn't easy to finalize. The states listed in this two-part series are a combination of the objective (individual performances at NCAAs, Fargo results, recent Olympians) and the subjective (cultural impact, leadership, overall reputation). This is a reflection of what wrestlers, clubs, teams and leaders have done to further the sport both on and off the mat. Special consideration is given to historical influences as well as how each state is trending. Therefore the list is both based on the history of the sport in each of these states and how they are currently influencing our wrestling community. Here is Part 2 of our two-part series looking at the top wrestling states in America. Let the debating begin! 5. New York The quality of New York's high school wrestling talent has never been better. Last decade wrestling fans were treated to the careers of Troy Nickerson and Jesse Jantzen. Nickerson, a 2009 NCAA champion for Cornell at 125 pounds. the Chenango Forks High School grad was the first-ever five-time New York high school state champion. Jantzen, who parlayed his four prep titles into a Harvard education, became that Ivy League school's first-NCAA champion since 1938. Nickerson and Jantzen, while exceptional, can't match the glow around the country's most talked about collegiate wrestler, three-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake of Cornell. Dake, who attended Lansing High School near Ithaca, next season is looking to become only the third wrestler in NCAA history to win four NCAA titles. When it comes to dominance, New York has produced some impressive talents. Rob Koll has turned Cornell's wrestling program into a power (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The most impressive and influential aspect of New York wrestling has come at the college level. Cornell University has not only done well to place at a few NCAA tournaments and crown individual champions, but make a substantial and lasting impact on the way college programs are operated. Cornell head wrestling coach Rob Koll has basically pioneered the CEO style of program management, and been successful in creating and maintain alumni support. From raising money for the nation's first-ever stand-alone facility to endowing each of his coaching positions, Cornell's financial stability and friendship network is the standard bearer for the rest of the NCAA. In addition to Koll's influence, the state has several other competitive Division I teams that have done well as regional entities, recruiting local talent and winning on the national stage. Hofstra had two All-Americans in 2012, and Binghamton added two more All-Americans to its growing list of wrestlers that have achieved success in recent years. On the hyper-local level wrestling is doing exceedingly well in upstate New York thanks to Journeymen Wrestling Club founder Frank Popolizio. His club, which brings in arguably the most decorated clinician staff throughout every season giving birth to some fresh-out-of-high-school talent and improving the competitiveness of the state at national tournaments. When it comes to the community aspect of the sport, some the most passionate and loyal fans in the country live on Long Island where allegiances are always tested and the battles between local high schools can draw respectable crowds. Finally nothing has been more beneficial to wrestling as a whole than Al Bevilacqua and his Beat the Streets Program. His non-profit has generated media interest, funding and reestablished wrestling as a sport in America's largest city. His organization and the support of the NYC donors could propel the sport to heights we've never understood to be possible. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 133 4. Oklahoma The National Wrestling Hall of Fame is in Stillwater, Okla.I'll start with the accomplishments of ONE Oklahoman family. Pat Smith: First four-time NCAA Division I champion; John Smith: four-time World champion, two-time Olympic Champion, two-time NCAA champion, five-time NCAA Division I championship coach; LeRoy Smith: NCAA champion; Mark Smith: three-time All-American. On the team level, Oklahoma has been the most dominant state in the country with a combined 41 NCAA titles between Oklahoma State (34) and Oklahoma (7). The influence of college wrestling is pronounced and the Oklahoma tradition created by Ed Gallagher whose influence extends today as he remains the only wrestling coach with an arena named in his honor. Gallagher and alter Art Griffin did more to shape the current wrestling landscape than almost any two other historical figures. Their coaching tradition is now being shepherded by John Smith, but his in-state dominance is certainly being tested. Last year's addition of Mark Cody as the head wrestling coach in Norman means that the competition between the old rivals is tightening and with a sudden influx of major talent on both sides we can expect to witness more Bedlam duals like last year's 19-18 criteria decision, and higher placings at the NCAA tournament in March. The only knock on Oklahoma might be a recent dearth of in-state wrestling talent. Johny Hendricks was the last native-Oklahoman to win an NCAA Division I championship, though Chris Perry placed third at this year's NCAAs. Still, the Oklahoma wrestling tradition is alive and well heading into the 2012 Olympic Games in London. The Olympic freestyle team is going to be represented by two Sooners, Sam Hazewinkel (55 kilos) and Jared Frayer (66 kilos), and one Cowboy, Coleman Scott (60 kilos). NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 134 3. Ohio Written by InterMat high school analyst Josh Lowe This year celebrated the 75th edition of the OHSAA State Wrestling Tournaments, the first of which was hosted in Cleveland in 1938. Fourteen of the first 16 championships were won (or shared) by a Cleveland public school. Subsequent to that is the Maple Hts. (an inner-ring suburb southeast of Cleveland) dynasty led by head coach Mike Milkovich. In a 19-year stretch (1956-1974), the Mustangs won 10 state titles and were runners-up six additional times. Among the driving forces in that era were two of his sons, Tom and Pat, who would become NCAA champions at Michigan State in the early 1970's. Inspired by that, Howard Ferguson's charisma, wealth and vision built the St. Edward program into a state and national power starting with the maiden team state title in 1978, anchored by Brian Heffernan, who was the program's first state champion. From that same family came four-time All-American, and 1986 national champion, Jim (now head coach at Illinois) and two-time All-American John (now the primary assistant coach at St. Edward). In the 12 years before Ferguson's tragic death, the Eagles won 11 titles, only interrupted by a fourth place finish in 1988. Greg Urbas continued that legacy, and has led them to 16 state titles in 23 years (six other times in second place). Stars of the Urbas era include 2008 Olympian Andy Hrovat, four-time NCAA All-Americans Ryan Bertin (also a two-time champion) and Lance Palmer. The runner-up finish from Chris Honeycutt in St. Louis made it 22 consecutive and 31 of 33 Division I NCAA tournaments in which a St. Edward alumnus earned All-American honors. David Taylor gave Logan Stieber his only high school loss (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The program at St. Paris Graham (located between Columbus and Dayton) demonstrates that wrestling is not exclusively a Cleveland "thing." Brothers Jim and Jeff Jordan became the second and third four-time state champions from 1978-1983, and gave the Falcons their first state title in 1982. Jim would go on to earn three All-American honors and two national titles at Wisconsin, and is now a U.S. Congressman. Younger brother Jeff was twice fourth at the national tournament, and has been head coach for 11 consecutive state championship teams, and the 2008/2010 national title winning teams. Current Penn State superstar David Taylor (a four-time state champion from 2006-2009) is the defining wrestler of the modern Graham dynasty. Also of significance is Jim's oldest son Ben, a three-time state champion (2005, 2006, 2008), who was an NCAA All-American this past year. The Cleveland, Ohio influence extends the national wrestling media. InterMat high school wrestling analyst Josh Lowe calls the Greater Cleveland area home, as do Bob Preusse from Amateur Wrestling News and Dan Fickel from Wrestling USA Magazine. The interest in wrestling is so strong that since 1972, way before the Internet and teams from different parts of the state competing in the same events, Brian Brakeman has written a comprehensive forecast for the state tournament one month before the event. In addition, Mark Osgood wrote the seminal publication, Ohio's Best in Amateur Wrestling to capture the first sixty years of the state tournament era, and an addendum was subsequently published. Ohio natives have made their impact felt at the collegiate and Olympic levels as well. In the last 42 years, 25 of them have seen a native son win a NCAA Division I title (as have 9 of the last 11). These champions include legendary three-timer Lee Kemp; along with two-timers Pat Milkovich, Jim Jordan, Dan St. John, Kevin Randleman, Markus Mollica, Tommy Rowlands, Ryan Bertin, and J. Jaggers. Buckeye State native Justin (Harry) Lester is on the U.S. Olympic squad this year, Hrovat was on the 2008 team, Mark Coleman represented in 1992, Lee Kemp and Greg Wojciechowski would have been on the 1980 squad, Bobby Dougas appeared in 1964 and 1968, Bill Kerlaske was a three-time Olympian, while Harry Steel was a gold medalist in 1924. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 177 2. Iowa Tell someone from Iowa that you wrestle and you're guaranteed to be engaged in a compelling discussion of wrestlers that attended their high school, or hear that their brother, father, cousin, uncle or grandfather was a famous wrestler. Perhaps nowhere else in the country is wrestling more of cultural staple than in Iowa. In fact, Dan Gable was so popular that in 2001 he was approached by leaders in the Republican Party to challenge incumbent Governor Tom Vilsack. Gable declined and Vilsack retained his governorship. Including Cael Sanderson, Iowa has produced two of the biggest names in American wrestling history and both wrestled collegiately at Iowa State and became NCAA championship coaches. Iowa's Matt McDonough, who will be vying for his third NCAA championship next March in Des Moines, is coached by Iowa legends Tom and Terry Brands (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The state has an outsized influence on almost every aspect of American wrestling. There is an argument to be made that the style of American wrestling most often mimicked over the past 40 years was the "Iowa style" which is defined by superior conditioning and unending pressure placed on opponents. Iowa wrestling has also inspired some of wrestling's biggest pop culture hits with the books "Four Days to Glory: Wrestling with the American Heartland" and the "A Season on the Mat: Dan Gable and the Pursuit of Perfection." The prep scene in Iowa is healthy and not surprisingly the Iowa Hawkeyes have done a fantastic job of taking local talent and creating NCAA champions and All-Americans. For example, homegrown talent Matt McDonough could become a three-time NCAA champion and four-time finalist next March in Des Moines, far from ho-hum, but not the best-ever within the state of Iowa. The state has produced dozens of multiple-time NCAA champions and Olympians. Many of the top college coaches from around the country were trained by Gable at Iowa. His influence can't be overstated. Gable has woven his DNA into the fabric of our wrestling community and directly changed the way our sport is perceived by millions of Americans. More than a decade after retiring from coaching he's still the sport's most recognizable figure. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 186 1. Pennsylvania There are plenty of places to start the quantification and qualification of Pennsylvania as the top wrestling state in the country. You can look at the number of All-Americans (295), NCAA champions (75), or Division I programs (12), each of which are a national best. You can look at the Dapper Dan where the Pennsylvania All-Star team competes ever year in a dual meet against the USA All-Star team (PA has a close to .500 record in the event, which started in 1975), or take a look at any number of other statistical oddities. For me the telling data is actually in the following anecdote, and not because it's SHOCKING, but because it makes complete sense. Pennsylvania native Jake Herbert won a World silver medal at the 2009 World Championships in Herning, Denmark (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Jake Herbert and Coleman Scott, America's Olympic freestyle representatives at 84 kilos and 60 kilos respectively, wrestled at the same club, Angry Fish. I'm sure it's happened before, but with all the different paths you can take to the Olympic dream (Colorado Springs and Regional Training Centers), I find it a bit heartwarming that these two knuckleheads GREW UP wrestling at the same club. Were they near the same weight, or went to the same high school we could add-in those factors, but they weren't and didn't. They just attended the same freestyle club and grew up in a time and place (mid-90's Pittsburgh) where wrestlers could be created. Obviously there is a new argument to be made for the state that revolves around the success of Penn State under Cael Sanderson. There are arguments to be made around the fact that Pennsylvania native Cary Kolat is the greatest high school wrestler in history. But none of these factoids matter, because you the reader know that Pennsylvania is the keystone of American wrestling. Within the borders of the commonwealth resides the most wrestling-pure subcultures in the country. You might disagree that Illinois is sixth or that California is ninth, but when it comes to No. 1 you knew the answer all along, which isn't to say that there won't be a new answer in ten years. Ohio or Iowa are certainly capable of making the jump. Until that happens the heart of American wrestling rests in Pennsylvania. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 295

STANFORD, Calif. -- The deadline for votes for the 2012 Stanford Fan Choice Awards came to a close Sunday night on the Stanford Athletics on Facebook page and featured some close votes over the five categories. Stanford Athletics would like to thank all of its fans for participating and making their voices heard in selecting their favorite athletes and moments of the 2011-12 athletic season. A late surge in the polls Saturday and early Sunday vaulted wrestling's Nick Amuchastegui into the lead and by closing time, Amuchategui would be the fans' choice for 2011-12's Male Athlete of the Year. At the time of close, Amuchastegui carried 54.5 percent of the votes. Early leader Andrew Luck would be next with 34.3 percent. This past season, the senior 174-pounder from Talent, Ore. ended his collegiate career going 24-1 and reaching the NCAA Championship Final in St. Louis. Although he fell short in the title match, Amuchastegui still put together one of the finest wrestling seasons and careers ever seen on The Farm. He was unanimously voted the Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year in 2012, becoming only the second Stanford wrestler to earn the honor. He captured the Pac-12 crown in the 174-lb. class, his second conference title, and for his career never finished lower than second at the conference tournament. He concluded his collegiate career with a 118-19 overall record, marking the fourth-best win total in program history. Amuchastegui competed in four NCAA Championships, earning All-America status on three occasions, joining Tanner Gardner as Stanford's only three-time All-Americans. Amuchastegui was also one of the top academics amongst his fellow student-athletes, twice being named CoSIDA's Men's At-Large Academic All-American of the Year (2011 and 2012). A mechanical engineering major, Amuchastegui is a three-time CoSIDA Academic All-America Team selection and was named the Pac-12 Scholar-Athlete of the Year this past April. Nnemkadi Ogwumike, voted by the fans as Stanford's top female athlete for the second straight year, earned that honor with an even greater campaign as a senior. In leading the Cardinal to a 35-2 record, a 12th straight Pac-12 title and fifth straight Final Four appearance, she averaged a school-record 22.5 points with 10.2 rebounds a game, becoming one of just five Stanford players to average a double-double for the season. Ogwumike scored a school-record 809 points on the year, and became one of just four Stanford players to accumulate both 2,000 points and 1,000 rebounds during her career. She ranks in Stanford's career top-five in field goals made (965 - first) and attempted (1,656 - second), points scored (2,491 - second), field-goal percentage (58.3 - second), rebounds (1,226 - third), scoring average (17.2 ppg - fourth), rebounding average (8.5 rpg - fourth) and free throws made (555 - second) and attempted (718 - first). Ogwumike, a consensus national player of the year candidate, earned a boatload of honors for her performance, becoming only the third three-time WBCA All-American in school history. She also earned All-America honors from the Associated Press, USBWA and John R. Wooden Award. She was named the 2012 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award winner and captured her second Pac-12 Player of the Year honor and was named MVP of the Pac-12 Tournament and Fresno Regional. Ogwumike captured 52.1 percent of the fan vote by Sunday night, nearly 35 points more than the runner-up, women's tennis' Nicole Gibbs, who got 17.4 percent of the vote. In the Newcomer of the Year balloting Chioma Ubogagu of women's soccer made a late push, moving up the ranks and taking home the honor. Ubogagu would top the closest vote of the week, grabbing 24.1 percent of the votes and beating out diver Kristian Ipsen by a single vote while men's basketball's Chasson Randle and women's water polo's Kiley Neushul were each just three votes behind. This past fall Ubogagu established herself immediately as a player to watch for the Cardinal. She scored 10 goals (second on the team) with 10 assists (third) for a total of 30 points, third-most on the squad, as the Cardinal claimed its first NCAA title. Those numbers helped lead to her being named Pac-12 Freshman of the Year, to the Soccer America All-Freshman First Team, the NSCAA All-Pacific Region Second Team, the All-Pac-12 Second Team and All-Freshman Team, and the NCAA College Cup All-Tournament Team. Ubogagu stepped right into the spotlight at the College Cup, scoring Stanford's first goal then assisting on the second just over two minutes later in the 3-0 semifinal win over Florida State. Two days later, the freshman was part of the sequence which led to the lone goal of Stanford's 1-0 title-clinching win over Duke, supplying a through ball to Camille Levin, who worked ahead and fed Teresa Noyola for the goal. Stanford Football would take home the Game and Performance of the Year votes, both coming in the Cardinal's thrilling 56-48 triple-overtime win at USC on Oct. 30. The game itself featured 948 combined yards of offense, 13 touchdowns and 104 points in Stanford's 56-48 triple-overtime victory. What was just a 10-6 game at halftime exploded in the second half, as each team scored 14 points in the third quarter. In the fourth, tied at 27, USC's Nickell Robey picked off an Andrew Luck pass and took it down the sidelines and in to give the Trojans a 34-27 lead with 3:08 to play. Luck, who captured the Performance of the Year with 40.2 percent of the vote, bounced back, immediately engineering a 76-yard drive capped by Stepfan Taylor's tying touchdown with 38 seconds left. For the game Luck would go 29-for-40 for 330 yards and three touchdowns passing, and ran for 56 yards and another score. Running back Stepfan Taylor rushed for 99 yards and two touchdowns. Both teams scored in the first two overtimes, and, with the ball first in the third overtime, Taylor rushed for the go-ahead score and Luck capped it with a two-point conversion pass to Coby Fleener, accounting for the final points of Stanford's thrilling 56-48 win. 2011-12 Stanford Fan Choice Award Winners Male Athlete of the Year: Nick Amuchastegui, Wrestling Female Athlete of the Year: Nnemkadi Ogwumike, Women's Basketball Newcomer of the Year: Chioma Ubogagu, Women's Soccer Game of the Year: Football outlasts USC, 56-48 in three overtimes (Oct. 30, 2011) Performance of the Year: Andrew Luck Rebounds To Lead Stanford Past USC, 56-48 In Three Overtimes (Oct. 30, 2011)

Related: Top Ten Wrestling States: Part 2 The list of America's top ten wrestling states wasn't easy to finalize. The states listed in this two-part series are a combination of the objective (individual performances at NCAAs, Fargo results, recent Olympians) and the subjective (cultural impact, leadership, overall reputation). This is a reflection of what wrestlers, clubs, teams and leaders have done to further the sport both on and off the mat. Special consideration is given to historical influences as well as how each state is trending. Therefore the list is both based on the history of the sport in each of these states and how they are currently influencing our wrestling community. Here is Part 1 of our two-part series looking at the top wrestling states in America. Let the debating begin! Honorable Mention: North Dakota Many of the nation's best high school wrestlers make the trip to Fargo every July (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Every summer North Dakota's largest city hosts the largest amateur wrestling tournament in North America. Like cauliflower-eared locusts the wrestling masses descend on this farming city with intentions of taking home titles in Cadet and Junior freestyle and Greco-Roman styles of wrestling. The Fargo tournament is one of the largest economic events in the North Dakota every year, and thanks to USA Wrestling's commitment to the city, wrestlers and coaches from several generations have a tournament site from which they can share common stories. North Dakota State is also improving its wrestling program, having hired former Minnesota Gopher and NCAA All-American Roger Kish as the program's head wrestling coach. The team had two wrestlers in the All-American round at the NCAA tournament in 2012, and with a good recruiting class and improved results the Bison could become a team that could produce All-American candidates every March. The work of Coach Kish is important, but Fargo is still best known for being the summer home of amateur wrestling in America. Without Wrestling's Oz, who knows how many fewer wrestling stories would start with "So we're on this bus for like thirty hours ..." 10. Virginia The state that gave birth to the Granby roll is itself on a roll. The high school programs in Virginia are as good as they've been since the 1960's and the collegiate options are the best they've ever been with nationally recognized coaches at the state's four top-tier programs. Virginia high school wrestling had for decades been dominated by two schools: Great Bridge of Chesapeake and Grundy of the coal-mining town with the same name. But over the past 15 years the power within the state has shifted. The top program is now Colonial Forge, led for the past 13 years by head wrestling coach Bill Swink. The Eagles, who've sniffed around the top fifteen nationally, are starting to also produce quality Division I talent, including the Huntley brothers who are currently on the rosters at the Univ. of Michigan and the United State Naval Academy. Grundy has alos fallen out of the top rans both nationally and in the state. The new powerhouse is Christiansburg, coached by three-time All-American and NCAA champion Daryl Weber of Iowa. The Hawkeye alum took over the Blue Demons program from Kevin Dresser in 2006 when the latter was offered the head coaching job at nearby Virginia Tech. (He was also the head coach of Grundy when they won eight-straight AA state titles.) Last year Dresser produced two All-Americans for the Hokies and at one point in the season had a top-ranked wrestler in Devin Carter (133 pounds), who he'd originally coached at Christiansburg. Bryan Hazard of Robinson High School and Roy Hill of Hayfield also have quality high school programs and have become charismatic leaders on the local and national stage. Steve Martin (right) and then-ODU assistant coach Matt Storniolo coached Ryan Williams to the NCAA finals in 2009 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The college scene has been improving for the past six years with new coaches taking over at Virginia Tech, University of Virginia (Steve Garland), and George Mason (Joe Russell). Steve Martin, who was hired away from his head wrestling coach duties at former powerhouse Great Bridge to coach Old Dominion program, has experienced some success as well. Martin's aggressive personality has translated into wins for the Monarchs and even an NCAA finalist in Ryan Williams (141 pounds in 2009). The influence of the Martin family on wrestling in Virginia can't be overstated. The Granby System has been influential for more than forty years, and not just because any bum on Granby Ave. can hit a fancy roll. The entire area, including the media, follows the sport with some passion making it one of the area's top high school sports. Let us not forget that the state Virginia also gave us Poquoson graduate and the voice of USA Wrestling, Jason Bryant! NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 38 9. California You'd expect the state with the largest population to be higher on the list, and were it not for a rapidly declining range of collegiate options, California might still have the momentum necessary to be one of the top five overall wrestling states in the country. However, as it stands now the state of wrestling in California is mirroring the state of its economy: dismal and trending south. Still, though there are some general disappointments the state has some notable bright spots. The high school scene in California is solid, largely because of the vast numbers of competitors at the prep level. The California high school state tournament is one of the top five toughest tournaments in the country meaning that multiple time champs like Darrell Vasquez, Ryan Flores and more recently Alex Cisneros are solid contenders for NCAA titles and locks for multiple All-American plaques. The state also shows well every year in Fargo, FloNationals, and NHSCA Nationals. California natives Jamill Kelly, Eric Guerrero, and Stephen Abas were teammates on the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Much of the state's top talent hails from the Central Valley, including the cities of Bakersfield and Fresno. CSU Bakersfield won several NCAA Division II team titles in the 1980's and produced megawatt wrestling superstar Stephen Neal in the 1990's. Until its sudden dismissal in 2010 the program consistently placed wrestlers at the NCAA tournament. Similarly the Abas brothers from Fresno State were some of the most influential wrestling of the past two decades, with a style that evoked creativity and on-the-feet mastery. Unfortunately the recent troubles stemming from Title IX and budget concerns has dismembered the Bulldogs program and forced Bakersfield into what essentially amounts to a self-funded status. In their stead Cal Poly and Stanford each rolled out two All-Americans in 2012 and hope to build on those traditions with young coaching staffs and top recruiting classes. Canadian Olympic Team member Matt Gentry is also a NCAA champion from the Stanford Cardinal. Every season California produces some of the most exciting wrestling talent in the country and with investment at the grassroots level (BTS coming to Los Angeles in 2012-13) that state that made popular the skank roll and cheap tilt could climb the rankings and once again become a top five wrestling state. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 152 8. Minnesota Written by InterMat co-owner & senior editor Andrew Hipps The land of 10,000 lakes has a rich wrestling tradition, especially in Greco-Roman. Minnesota has produced an Olympian in Greco-Roman in each of the past 12 Olympic Games, dating back to 1968. Chas Betts (84 kilos) will compete in the 2012 Olympic Games in London. But Minnesota is much more than just a Greco-Roman wrestling hotbed. High school and college wrestling programs in Minnesota thrive on the national level year in and year out. Seven-time defending state champion Apple Valley is one of the nation's premier high school wrestling programs. The Eagles have won two national titles over the past three seasons. Jayson Ness won an NCAA title in dramatic fashion in 2010 (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)The University of Minnesota (Division I) and Augsburg College (Division III) have combined to win nine national championships since 2000. In 2007, Augsburg's Marcus LeVessseur, a native of Minneapolis, became only the second college wrestler ever to finish his career as a four-time undefeated NCAA champion. (Iowa State's Cael Sanderson was the first.) In 2010, Jayson Ness, a native of Bloomington, Minn., claimed the Dan Hodge Trophy and InterMat Wrestler of the Year honors after an undefeated national championship season for the Gophers. University of Minnesota coach J Robinson remains a leader in college wrestling and one the sport's greatest promoters. Robinson and the Gophers have attracted some of the largest crowds ever for dual meets. The 2002 Border Brawl between Minnesota and Iowa in downtown Minneapolis attracted 15,646 fans, which set an NCAA attendance record for a collegiate wrestling dual meet. Rochester, Minn., located in Southern Minnesota, hosts The Clash National High School Wrestling Duals, and has hosted the Cadet National Duals, InterMat JJ Classic, and Minnesota Christmas Tournament, among other high-level wrestling events. The 1996 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships took place in Minneapolis, and the NWCA/Cliff National Duals finals will take place in Minneapolis in 2012. Minnesota/USA Wrestling is one of USA Wrestling's leading state associations. The Guillotine, a Minnesota wrestling news magazine that has been around since 1971, remains one of the nation's top wrestling state publications. InterMat's headquarters is also located in Minnesota. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 78 7. New Jersey My roommate is from Toms River and nothing gives me more satisfaction than placing New Jersey in seventh place as he pleads for a spot in the top five. I've loved my visits to the Jersey Shore, but the Garden State's resume for inclusion as a wrestling powerhouse while impressive at the prep level is still very incomplete. Returning World champion Jordan Burroughs is from New Jersey (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)On the prep side, Blair Academy is the most successful high school wrestling program in the country. For the past 20 years Jeff Buxton has been creating some of the most coachable college wrestlers in the country, including recent two-time NCAA Champion Kellen Russell. High school wrestlers from New Jersey have recently gone on to win NCAA titles in the Big Ten, the Big 12 and even the Ivy League and many more have placed for other conferences across the country. The talent and toughness of a Jersey-trained wrestler is beginning to translate well. In addition to the NCAA titles, the state is also home to 2011 World champion and current Olympic gold medal favorite Jordan Burroughs. The state is filled with all-star talent, but for a state with arguably the third best stable of college-ready talent they're still missing a dominant Division I program. This list doesn't rate states based solely on the talent of their prep wrestlers because NCAA programs have enormous influence over the future of the spot on a local and national level. That Rutgers program has struggled getting wrestlers to the podium and Rider is serviceable, but not excelling, which presents a problem in ranking the state ahead of nearby competitors. States like Pennsylvania and Ohio recruit locally AND win, which in turn creates more interest at the local level. Should Rider and Rutgers start pumping out locally sourced All-Americans and NCAA Champions -- and I've predicted in the past that they will -- the state will be much easier to place in the top five, much to the pleasure of my roommate. Notable wrestlers: Jordan Burroughs, Damion Hahn, Donny Pritzlaff, Steve Mocco, Matt Valenti, and Kellen Russell. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 123 6. Illinois The city of Chicago might be wanting for great talent, but the surrounding metropolitan area has some of the country's best clubs and fastest-rising high school programs. The state is undergoing a bit of a youth movement as well as increased success at the collegiate level. Team Illinois recently took home three straight Cadet National Dual championships, while the University of Illinois placed seventh and Northwestern placed ninth at this year's NCAA tournament. Illinois is the state that shows the most potential for becoming a future prep and collegiate powerhouse. Olympian Ellis Coleman wrestled for Mike Powell at Oak Park-River Forest, Ill. (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)At the prep level, Illinois has been led by Montini Catholic head wrestling coach Izzy Martinez and his complimentary clubs with the ubiquitous Izzy Style Training shirts. In Naperville, a suburb 45-minutes to the southwest of the Chicago, Team Overtime has become a juggernaut of a club. That team, first created by now-Michigan assistant Sean Bormet has been placing their top wrestlers in Division I programs across the country for several years. Another force on the high school scene is Mike Powell at Oak Park-River Forest, who has had the most success programs of the past five years coaching what has become an impressive roster of studs, including the Dardanes twins, Sam Brooks, and now-Olympian Ellis Coleman (Greco-Roman, 60 kilos). That program, which also competes for state titles year in and year out, is part of a long tradition in Chicago that includes the careers of the Williams brothers (Steve, Joe, and T.J.) from Mount Carmel. Pat McNamara is heading up a local youth movement in the southern portion of the state which is sure to produce some high quality talent that are guaranteed to be BEASTS on the mat. City champion and two-time state champion Max Schneider (Cal Poly) was the nation's No. 3-ranked wrestler at 152 pounds by InterMat. Illinois has some legitimate wrestling history between the collar-and-elbow bouts of Abraham Lincoln, the high school coaching days of former Speaker Dennis Hastert (IL-14) and the long-standing quality of the Midlands Championships. In spite of all that history it's actually the rush of new talent taking the podium at national and international events that makes Illinois one of the best wrestling states in the country. NCAA Division I All-Americans (since 1961): 137 Want to see the top five? Read Part 2.

Chance Marsteller finished this past season as the No. 1-ranked high school wrestler at 160 pounds, and No. 1 overall in the Class of 2014, after an undefeated sophomore campaign capped off by winning his second Pennsylvania state championship. He will take a perfect 85-0 high school career record into his junior season at Kennard-Dale High School. On June 3, Marsteller won the FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron, Ohio, which earned him a spot on the Cadet World Team that will compete at the FILA Cadet World Championships on Aug. 21-27 in Baku, Azerbaijan. On Sunday, Marsteller defeated Johnny Sebastian (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), 4-2, at the Adam Frey Classic. InterMat caught up with Marsteller and talked to him about his training, FILA Cadet World Championships, what his disappointment at FILA Junior Nationals did to him, whether he plans to wrestle in college or train full time at the OTC after he finishes high school, whether he would like to face Bo Jordan, what he needs to improve upon the most, and much more. What's your training schedule like right now? Marsteller: Right now it's just mainly at the wrestling barn at my house, just inviting guys in, like if a kid is home from college, one of my old buddies or something ... invite them in, work out with them. It's kind of a day-by-day thing to see who I can get in the room. Chance Marsteller claimed a Super 32 Challenge belt last October with a victory over Cody Allala (Photo/Rob Preston)You recently made the Cadet World Team by winning FILA Cadet Nationals. You'll wrestle in the FILA Cadet World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan in August, which will be your first event against foreign competition. What excites you most about that opportunity? Marsteller: The most exciting part is finally getting to go overseas and wrestle foreigners and just getting a feel for different countries and different styles of wrestling. I'm just really excited to go overseas. You have talked about wanting to wrestle an American style with a Russian mindset. What do you mean by that? Marsteller: Russians are really relaxed. Americans always try to be in really good shape and are always looking to go the full six or seven minutes. I kind of meant having a great gas tank, like most American try to have, but in the same respect have the Russian mindset of a relaxed wrestler. I know you wanted to wrestle in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but were not allowed to compete because of your age. How disappointing was that for you? Marsteller: It was pretty disappointing because I wanted to wrestle in the Trials before 2016 to kind of get a feel for what it's like. But at the same time, it also let me be a kid a little bit and have a little bit of fun ... and not cut a lot of weight. I would have had to maintain my weight for a while. It allowed me to go up a weight class, relax a little bit, and focus on training. Chance Marsteller with three-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake of Cornell (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)You went two and out at the FILA Junior Nationals this year in Madison, Wisconsin. What did that do to you? Marsteller: Well, I was sick with some kind of pneumonia. I was upset that I let myself compete, and let myself compete at that level with the way I felt. Coming into FILA Cadets, it really gave me something to look forward to and reprove myself. I trained really hard for the FILA Cadets because of it. It kind of put fire in my stomach again. You have spent time at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Who is the toughest U.S. wrestler you have trained with at the OTC? Marsteller: I really don't know. I couldn't pick one. There are a ton of great guys out there who bring a lot to the table. One of my favorite guys who taught me a lot was Raymond Jordan. Have you trained with Jordan Burroughs at the OTC? Marsteller: Not really. We have maybe drilled once. You still have two years left of high school. Have you decided whether you want to wrestle freestyle on a full-time basis immediately after high school, or whether you want to wrestle in college? Marsteller: Right now I'm thinking that I'm going to go to college and just take an Olympic redshirt in 2016. If I go to a good college I'll be in the room all the time with tough wrestlers. Chance Marsteller dominated his competition last summer in Fargo (Photo/Dave Jedlicka, jedicheetah.com)Is there a chance you could spend one of your high school years training at the OTC? Marsteller: It has crossed my mind, but right now I'm not really sure. I'm going to wait until my senior year to see where everything is at in my life. Many consider you and Bo Jordan of St. Paris Graham to be the top two wrestlers in the country regardless of weight class. He finished the year ranked No. 1 at 152 pounds and you were No. 1 at 160 pounds. Is Bo Jordan someone you'd like to face? Marsteller: People have asked me if I've wrestled him before, and I've always said no. It would be a great match to wrestle. I've just never really had a chance to yet. I don't really go to the same tournaments as him. It's not uncommon for high school wrestlers to transfer schools to seek out better training partners and coaches. You have chosen to stay at the school in your hometown and not transfer to an elite high school program. Why? Marsteller: I have a decent thing going here. I have my wrestling barn and can pull guys in when I want to. It just kind of keeps the fire going ... because if everything is just handed to you, you can get lazy. But I'm always seeking out partners. I also want to be a four-time Pennsylvania state champion, so I want to stay in PA. You have stated that you won't be competing in Fargo this summer. What went into that decision? Marsteller: It was mainly just a focusing kind of thing. I know when I really set my goals on one thing, that's normally when I do best. I'm just looking to keep training, instead of focusing on Fargo, cutting weight for Fargo, and everything that goes into that. I can find better training partners, whether it be around here or at the OTC. Chance Marsteller, wearing Nike Kolat wrestling shoes, is uncomfortable with the comparison to U.S. wrestling great Cary Kolat (Photo/Rob Preston)Is there a current U.S. wrestler or international wrestler you admire or try to emulate? Marsteller: No, sir. People like to compare you to U.S. wrestling great Cary Kolat. When you hear that comparison, how does it make you feel? Marsteller: I don't like being the second someone. I'm just going to be the first me and I want to do what I do. I kind of get upset when people compare me to Cary because I'm still young and Cary has had a great career. He was a great wrestler and I'm far from being what he ever was. What are some of the things you like to do when you're not training or competing? Marsteller: Just the basic high-schooler kind of stuff ... just hang out with friends, go swimming, play basketball, football, volleyball, whatever ... Do you take much of a break from wrestling? Or is it pretty much training year-round? Marsteller: It's training year-round, but I try to find a month where I can take a three-week break from practice and matches, which gets a little hard because I get antsy and want to get back on the mat. Penn State has reeled off two straight NCAA titles, and will be one of the frontrunners to win in 2013. Being in Pennsylvania, are you a fan of the Nittany Lions? Marsteller: I like to watch them wrestle. Chance Marsteller prefers freestyle over folkstyle (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)You have rolled through two years of high school undefeated and haven't been seriously challenged. You only gave up one takedown this past season, which happened in the state finals against Brian Brill. Is it ever difficult to motivate yourself against high school competition? Marsteller: Not really because I kind of look at everyone as a national-caliber wrestler or a national champion. You can never really take anyone lightly ... You could have a bad day and he could have a good day. You just never know. So I have the same mindset for every match. Do you enjoy wrestling freestyle or folkstyle more? Marsteller: I love wrestling freestyle. Folkstyle, not so much. I have heard you say you have wanted to be an Olympic champion since you were 10 years old. What put that goal in your head? Marsteller: I guess when I first started training at Kolat's ... and just knowing everything he did, learning and hearing about it, and wanting to get better at that time. Cary always wanted all of his guys to set their goals high. So I said that I wanted set the highest goal. What aspects of your wrestling do you feel you need to improve upon the most to get to where you want to be in 2016? Marsteller: I guess just a little more maturity, a little more lifting. I need to get stronger. Also, I need to learn how to get past the older guys' hands. They have great hand position and head position.

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InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Q: What do you think of the Jordan Oliver vs. Logan Stieber non-takedown call at the end of the match? Didn't he meet takedown criteria? Don't we see less control called takedowns all the time, especially at the edge of the mat? -- Mike S. Jordan Oliver was close to securing a takedown in the closing seconds (Photo/Kevin Schlosser, BuckeyeWrestling.com)Foley: Blargh. I don't really want to answer this question because I know that there are too many people that think I'm irrationally high on Logan Stieber, but I'll give this question my best bi-partisan effort. My contention has been that Stieber's chest lock kept his position active, and that with Oliver's head stuck in Stieber's crotch no takedown should have been awarded. Even when you look at Oliver's grip, his left arms seemed to be wrapped around Stieber's extended right leg, but Oliver's right arm was around Stieber's left shin and ABOVE THE PLANTED FOOT. Stieber's chest lock, Oliver's head position and the way his hands were locked are what I think prevented his final shot from being called a takedown. The edge of the mat argument employed by those who thought Oliver had a takedown I think reflects on our conditioning as fans and wrestlers more than it does actual rules. The edge of the mat usually creates big scrambles with the popular kick-turn-kick three-step used by defensive wresters to avoid giving up the takedown. When offensive wrestlers hang onto one leg and then REEEEAAAAAACHH for the other both fans and the referees are ready to call an immediate takedown. Hell, even the defensive wrestler tends to give in a little when his second ankle is finally nabbed. Reaction times are truncated and both fans and referees understand the second ankle to indicate immediate control. In this way wrestling in the middle of the mat is significantly different than wrestling on the edge. Stieber had more options to pursue and as with all middle of the mat takedown attempts was given a wider berth in exploring those defensive options. The takedown wasn't happening on the edge of the mat so Stieber wasn't conditioned to sense that he'd given up a takedown. Also, with Oliver's head lodged in his crotch and with his thighs flat against the mat, Stieber reacted like a wrestler in a scrambling position which was essentially perceived by the referee(s) as the case. There was no need to declare finality to the action because not only were they not n the edge but Stieber's back wasn't exposed AND the referee wasn't acknowledging the clock. (Side note: John Smith and Eric Guerrero stayed on stage after the match to shake Stieber's hand. I KNOW that is what we EXPECT as fans, but in such a difficult time they showed class to congratulate the opposing wrestler even as theirs jumped from the stage in disappointment.) Q: Sounds like Ed Ruth is bumping up to 184 next season and Matt Brown will wrestle 174 for PSU. I have a two-part question: How do you think Ruth does at 184 in both the Big Ten and NCAAs. What about Brown at 174? Ed Ruth was the InterMat Wrestler of the Year this past season (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Foley: Heading into next season Ed Ruth is my selection as best overall wrestler in the country. Confident as I am in his ability, Ruth will face a stacked weight class including defending NCAA champion Steve Bosak (Cornell) and 2011 NCAA runner-up Robert Hamlin (Lehigh), both back for their senior campaigns. Still, if Ruth can maintain his dominance next season then he'll not only walk through Big Tens and NCAAs, he'll also earn InterMat Wrestler of the Year honors again and also claim the Dan Hodge Trophy. Matt Brown will do just fine and could easily contend for both the Big Ten and NCAA titles. His teammates (most of whom are PRETTY GOOD) think of him as some sort of superhero with limitless amounts of conditioning and incredible athleticism. Another year of technique and I don't see why he's not top three at the NCAA tournament. (Remember before this season Brown spent two years in Africa completely removed from wrestling.) He could very well do much better than third place, which could result in another NCAA team title for the Nittany Lions who will be in position to put as many as five wrestlers into the finals. Five wrestlers into the finals? You're right to be shaking your head. The Nittany Lions could squeeze in a sixth. Yes, they're that loaded. Q: What do you make of Sammie Henson to Mizzou? It'll be weird seeing him coach against Tyler Caldwell. -- Andrew H. Foley: Sammie Henson has experienced one of the most frustrating careers in college coaching. Absolutely no assistant coach has a more immediate impact on a program with more consistency than Sammie. He's a genuine dude, family man and a tough-as-nails leader, but when its come time for the increase in responsibility he's gotten some tough breaks. My hope for non-Mizzou fans is that we'll see a big-time program extend him the opportunity and until then I'm on the Sammie bandwagon screaming to AD's: GIVE THIS MAN A HEAD COACHING JOB! Henson will do wonderful at Mizzou. The team had 10 NCAA qualifiers and no All-Americans in 2012 and I'd predict -- depending on which conference they land in -- that we'll see eight NCAA qualifiers and three All-Americans in 2013. Sammie has THAT type of impact on a program. Look for returning starters Alan "Dirty" Waters, Kyle Bradley and Drake Houdashelt to make big gains in the first semester. I love that you mentioned Tyler Caldwell! Neither of these guys will let their admiration for each other get in the way of a good competition. If Mark Perry would coach against Chris Perry, I wouldn't doubt for a second that Henson would corner his Tiger against Caldwell. Q: You posted up some cool videos of Marcelo Garcia. Have you gone back and done any wrestling recently? Was there a big difference? -- Mark B. Foley: I have. Yesterday I wrestled with Minnesota's Chris Dardanes for 45 minutes and though I outweigh him by thirty pounds and stand six inches taller my neck is so sore from being bullied that I'm staring at my computer screen with my head on a tilt. I much prefer being choked out by Marcelo Garcia to being head snapped by a Big Ten All-American wrestler. One significant difference between the sports is the pace and the anxiety you feel while competing on your feet. I can "pull guard" in jiu-jitsu (go to my back) and be in a better scoring position, whereas in wrestling I HAVE to stay on top or else I'm losing. That variable alone decreases the anxiety of of a match by eliminating that necessity of aggression on your feet. And remember, in jiu-jitsu you are only ONE move away from an equalizer, even if you're on your back. Q: Bo Jordan committed to Ohio State even though his father, uncle, and cousin wrestled at Wisconsin. I think that this shows us it's all going downhill in Madison, don't you? -- Aaron M. Foley: Alarmist. Would you wrestle for Tom Ryan? I would, especially if I lived in Ohio. That 'Little Jordan' chose to compete for Ohio State isn't surprising and isn't indicative of a larger problem at Wisconsin. Yes, Barry Davis has been going through a tough streak as of late, but he's one hell of a good coach and I suspect that given this year to prove his wrestlers can compete at the NCAA tournament we'll see an influx of talent for the recruiting class rankings in 2013. Too much is made of what family members do in comparison to their familial predecessors. That we've had high profile brothers (Chris and Mark Perry) choose different schools is actually indicative of a very healthy family life. Supporting your children on their individual path to success seems to me like one of the highest ideals you can achieve as a parent. That written, my kids WILL ATTEND the University of Virginia. Q: I was wondering your opinion on what was the best individual rivalry in wrestling. Collegiate and international? -- Brad H. Foley: The best collegiate rivalry of the past 20 years: Brent Metcalf vs. Darrion Caldwell or Mark Perry vs. Johny Hendricks. The best collegiate rivalry going forward: Tony Nelson vs. Mike McMullan. The best international rivalry of the past 20 years: Keith Sieracki vs. Matt Lindland. The best international rivalry going forward: Denis Tsargush vs. Jordan Burroughs. Q: Battle of the Batmen Tournament Edition: Val Kilmer vs. Michael Keaton and George Clooney vs. Christian Bale? -- D. Thompkins (Semifinal results: Michael Keaton dec. Val Kilmer 6-1. Bale tech. fall Clooney 18-3, 2:26). Foley: Who is the Batman? Let's start with the one sure best-of in the Batman franchise: Heath Ledger playing the Joker is the best villain of the franchise and has a claim to best overall acting performance in the franchise. Can we all agree on this? Michael Keaton, who as we've discussed has had a so-so career since the late 90s, introduced audiences to the idea of Batman. His success in portraying Bruce Wayne's ass-kicking side was something he did well enough to spawn the Spiderman movies. Christian Bale has taken the role and elevated to a new potential, which also may or may not have given incentive to other superhero franchises (like Spiderman) to simply start over. Do you over-credit Keaton by saying that his original incarnation was the only thing that made possible Bale's role? Or do we treat it as an inevitability? Bale has an argument as one of the top ten actors of the past 15 years. If you want a passionate portrayal of a complicated character you seek out Daniel Day-Lewis (greatest living actor) or you find Bale. He's dedicated himself to his craft and created believers out of studios and fans. Even his role in Terminator Salvation could have flopped, but his detail and professional approach (NSFW) to the art of acting might have carried him past all his competitors. As Bale has become one of the biggest actors in the world, Keaton has struggled to find work and leave an impression on younger audiences. And I REPEAT: Bale lost 60 pounds for a role. That type of caloric restriction appeals to the wresting community and gives him the win. It WAS a foregone conclusion, Bale maj. dec. Keaton, 12-1.

Shawn Bunch

If you're ready for a stacked weekend of MMA action, get ready! If you're ready for a weekend with quality MMA, too bad. UFC on FX 4? Solid. XFC 18 on HDNet? All right. UFC 147? Cool. Wait ... UFC 147 isn't free? It's a pay-per-view for the equivalent of a TUF Finale card? Ew. Nevertheless, Richard and John break down all of the action in a rapid-fire format to try and cover up the fact that John didn't watch any of The Ultimate Fighter: Brazil. Objective failed. For anyone that actually spends $50 or $60 on the UFC 147 pay-per-view, we'd love to hear from you. Send us an email to mmaoutsiderpodcast@gmail.com so you can explain what on earth you were thinking. Do you want to listen to a past episode? View archives.

Sammie Henson

INDIANAPOLIS -- The 2012 National Coaching Conference Presented by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS), will feature a seminar today, Wednesday, June 20 by the NWCA, "Using Coaching Education to Help Save Intercollegiate Olympic Sports: The NWCA Coaching Leadership Academy Program Example." The goal of the National Coaching Conference is to "educate, collaborate and influence"by bringing together coaches, coaching educators and school administrators to present new ideas and recognize the value of coaches as teachers. The theme for this year's convention is, "Sports – Take Part. Get Set for Life."This is the USA Coaching Coalition's opportunity to bring together the leaders in sport and create dialogue to change the paradigm of the way sports are viewed and coached in the United States. The NWCA's portion of the presentation will be given by the main architect for the Leadership Academy Daniel Gould, Ph.D., from the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports (ISYS) at Michigan State University along with his colleagues Larry Lauer, Ph.D., and Dennis Johnson, Ph.D. The Executive Director of the NWCA, Mike Moyer will also be discussing the importance of this program, why it was created and the impact it has had on Collegiate Wrestling in just four short years. The goal of the NWCA Leadership Academy is two-fold: to help coaches enhance their CEO skills in an effort to strengthen their programs and to promote best practices for improving retention and graduation rates. Since 2009, the NWCA has been able to provide scholarships to over 175 college coaches who have completed the course due to the generosity of our sponsors. This August, the NWCA and our sponsors will once again be able to scholarship an additional 50 coaches to take part in the Academy. To learn more about the NWCA Coaching Leadership Academy visit http://www.nwcaonline.com/NWCAWebSite/coachingdevelopment/leadership.aspx. One of the major features of the NWCA Leadership Academy comes from its funding source as all coaches receive a "Scholarship"to attend; their education has been made possible from extremely generous donors who believe in educating our coaches to allow continued growth and stability in the sport of wrestling. Without these generous donors this program would never have been made possible. By presenting this at the National Coaching Conference the NWCA and the ISYS will be discussing how this program can be adapted to other Olympic Sports at the collegiate and high school levels. "This is a fantastic opportunity for the NWCA to be able to share our knowledge of coaching education with the other Olympic Sports, along with coaches from many different backgrounds. This also allows us to keep our mission strong by following the three core competencies of the NWCA which are: Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling,"said Moyer. "We want to thank the NFHS and the National Coaching Conference for including the Leadership Academy and the NWCA into this year's program." About the NFHS Since 1920, The National Federation of State High School Associations has led the development of education -based interscholastic sports and activities that help students succeed in their lives. We set directions for the future by building awareness and support, improving the participation experience, establishing consistent standards and rules for competition, and helping those who oversee high school sports and activities. The NFHS, from its offices in Indianapolis, Indiana, serves its 50 member state high school athletic/activity associations, plus the District of Columbia. The NFHS publishes playing rules in 16 sports for boys and girls competition and administers fine arts programs in speech, theater, debate and music. It provides a variety of program initiatives that reach the 18,500 high schools and over 11 million students involved in athletic and activity programs. About the NWCA The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling. About the ISYS The mission of the Institute for the Study of Youth Sports is to provide leadership, scholarship and outreach that "transforms" the face of youth sports in ways that maximize the beneficial physical, psychological, and social effects of participation for children and youth while minimizing detrimental effects.

Fans can see a nationally televised broadcast of "The Grapple in the Big Apple" from historic Times Square on NBC Sports Network on Thursday, June 21 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern Time. The two-hour show will feature highlights of the Beat the Streets Gala competition including the ASICS USA vs. Russia freestyle dual meet, the U.S. Olympic Team Wrestle-off for the 60 kg/132 lbs. position on the U.S. Olympic Team in men’s freestyle wrestling, along with an exhibition match. Calling the action will be the NBC crew of play-by-play announcer Jason Knapp, with color commentary from Olympic champion Jeff Blatnick and sideline reporting from Andrew Catalon. The competition was held on Thursday, June 7, and was a spectacular day of action enjoyed by thousands of people in “The Crossroads of the World.” Fans can see the drama of the battle between Coleman Scott, Shawn Bunch and Reese Humphrey for the final spot on the U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team in the 60 kg Wrestle-off. Also headlining the USA vs. Russia match in Times Square were four U.S. freestyle Olympians: 2011 World champion Jordan Burroughs at 74 kg/163 lbs., 2009 World bronze medalist Tervel Dlagnev at 120 kg/264.5 lbs., Sam Hazewinkel at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Jared Frayer at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The tough young Russian team in Times Square featured two past Junior World champions, Andrey Valiev at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Shamil Akhmedov at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. Wrestling fans will not want to miss this outstanding broadcast of championship Olympic wrestling, held only weeks prior to the 2012 Summer Olympic Games in London, England. Additional airings for this show are expected on NBC Sports Network, so watch for updates. Check your local listings for the channel and time in your area. About NBC Olympics A division of the NBC Sports Group, NBC Olympics is responsible for producing, programming and promoting NBCUniversal's Olympic coverage. It is renowned for its unsurpassed Olympic heritage, award-winning production, and ability to aggregate the largest audiences in U.S. television history. Having produced every summer Olympic Games since Seoul in 1988 and every Olympic Winter Games since Salt Lake City in 2002, the networks of NBCUniversal are synonymous with the Games in the United States. In 2011, NBCUniversal acquired the U.S. media rights on all platforms to the Sochi 2014 Olympic Winter Games, the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games, and the 2020 Olympic Games. At the conclusion of the 2020 Games, NBCUniversal will have presented 17 total Olympic Games and 11 consecutive, the most for a U.S. media company in both categories. NBC has won an unprecedented 91 Emmy Awards for its Olympics coverage, as well as a prestigious Peabody Award for its presentation of the Beijing Opening Ceremony in 2008, which USA Today said was "the best overall Olympic experience ever provided by a U.S. network." In addition to its unsurpassed heritage and award-winning production, NBCUniversal is known for aggregating large Olympic audiences, as nine of the top 11 most-watched U.S. television events of all time are Olympic Games presented across the networks of NBCUniversal. The Beijing Olympic Games rank No. 1 with 215 million viewers.

Sammie Henson and Bill Apter will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, June 20. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. An archive of the show can be found on www.themat.tv. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with questions or comments about the show. Henson was an NCAA champion for Clemson in 1993 and 1994. He won the World championships in 1998 and an Olympic silver medal in 2000. Henson recently accepted an assistant coaching position at Missouri. Apter will received the Jim Melby Award for journalism during the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame on July 13-14. He is best known for his work with Pro Wrestling Illustrated.

Brian Smith

Related: Brian Smith Interview COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Mizzou wrestling program has filled out their coaching staff with the addition of Sammie Henson, announced today by head coach Brian Smith. Henson was born in St. Charles, Mo., and wrestled for Missouri in 1991. A former All-American at Missouri and national champion at Clemson, Henson returns to Columbia and will take over as an assistant coach, joining recently-announced assistant Joe Johnston, volunteer assistant Mark Ellis and director of operations Todd Schavrien. Henson began his collegiate career at Mizzou, wrestling under Wes Roper and winning the Big 8 title and earning All-America honors as a freshman, placing fifth at the 1991 NCAA Championships. He then transferred to Clemson and became a two-time National Champion, winning back-to-back titles at 118 pounds in 1993 and 1994. Sammie Henson coached at Oklahoma from 2009 to 2011 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)“I have coached against Sammie for many years and have always had great respect for him,” stated Smith. “Having him back in his home state is not only exciting for the University and our program, but for the entire state of Missouri.” One of the world’s great freestyle wrestlers, Henson won gold at 54 kg at the 1998 World Championships, and was the silver medalist at the 2000 Olympic Games. More recently, Henson served as an assistant coach at Cal Poly from 2007 to 2009 and was an assistant at the University of Oklahoma from 2009 to 2011. Henson took over as the head coach of the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club in July 2011. Fans can stay updated on all the happenings of the Tiger wrestling program this summer by following them on Facebook (facebook.com/MizzouWrestling) and Twitter (@MizzouWrestling).

SIEDLCE, Poland -- A day after U.S. freestyle wrestlers Obe Blanc (55 kilos) and Tervel Dlagnev (120 kilos) earned gold medals at the W. Ziolkowski Memorial, Ohio RTC wrestlers Logan Stieber (60 kilos) and J.D. Bergman (96 kilos) claimed titles to bring the U.S. gold medal count to four over the two-day event in Siedlce, Poland. Stieber, a 2011 Junior World silver medalist, went 2-0, which included a second-period fall in the finals over Munir Recep Aktas of Turkey and a shutout victory in the semifinals over Nikolay Noev of Tajikistan, 6-0, 2-0. Bergman, a 2010 U.S. World Team member, won four matches to claim the title at 96 kilos. His finals victory came over returning World silver medalist Serhat Balci of Turkey, 1-0, 1-0. The U.S. finished runner-up in the team standings, four points behind champion Turkey. Results 55 kilos: Gold: Obe Blanc (USA) Silver: Angel Escobedo (USA) Bronze: Ahmet Peker (Turkey) Bronze: Robert Okorokov (Russian) 5th: Adrian Hajduk (Poland) 5th: Emanuel Krause (Germany) 60 kilos: Gold: Logan Stieber (USA) Silver: Munir Recep Aktas (Turkey) Bronze: Nikolay Noev (Tajikistan) Bronze - Abdel Hakim Ibrahim Faray (Egypt) 5th: Krzysztof Bie?kowski (Poland) 5th: Oleh Pervachuk (Ukraine ) 66 kilos: Gold: Leonid Spiridonov (Kazakhstan) Silver: Haislan Garcia (Canada) Bronze: Azamat Omurzhanov (Kazakhstan) Bronze - Maxat Daulbayev (Kazakhstan) 5th: Rostilav Pervachuk (Ukraine) 5th: Innokentev Innokenti (Kyrgyzstan) 74 kilos: Gold: Matthew Gentry (Canada) Silver: Ramazan Sahin (Turkey) Bronze: Akzhurek Tanatarov (Kazakhstan) Bronze: Soner Demirtas (Turkey) 5th: Zhan Safian (Belarus) 5th: Jakub Kacenak (Slovakia) 84 kilos: Gold: Ibrahim Bolukbasi (Turkey) Silver: Semyon Semyonov (Kazakhstan) Bronze: Yermek Baiduashev (Kazakhstan) Bronze: Istan Vereb Istvan (Hungary) 5th: Michal Duba (Slovakia) 5th: Ricardo Robertty (Venezuela) 96 kilos: Gold: J.D. Bergman (USA) Silver: Serhat Balci (Turkey) Bronze: Faruk Akkoyun (Turkey) Bronze: Kamil Skaskiewicz (Poland) 5th: Rafael Toth (Hungary) 5th: Jozef Jaloviar (Slovakia) 120 kilos: Gold: Tervel Dlagnev (USA) Silver: Taha Akgul (Turkey) Bronze: Daulet Shabanbay (Kazakhstan) Bronze: Jarod Trice (USA) 5th: Abdel Raouf El Dosoki Ismail (Egypt) 5th: Arjan Bhullar (Canada) Team Standings: 1. Turkey 67 2. USA 63 3. Kazakhstan 60 4. Poland 40.5 5. Canada 24 6. Egypt 18 7. Slovakia 16.5 8. Ukraine 14 9. Hungary 12 10. Russian Federation 11 11. Tajikistan 7 12. Belarus 5 13. Kyrgyzstan 5 14. Germany 5 15. Venezuela 5

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! This Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio. Join Scott Casber and Brad Johnson with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m CT/10 a.m. to noon ET. Our guests include: In-studio guests: Chad Wiltsey and Troy Peterson 9:03 Tony Robie, Virginia Tech assistant head wrestling coach 9:20 Pat Pecora, Pitt Johnston head wrestling coach 9:40 Mike Rogers, Franklin & Marshall head wrestling coach 9:50 Ty Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 10:00 Mike Chapman, Wrestling historian and author 10:20 Archie Randall, Oklahoma City head wrestling coach 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort GM

Northwestern University and Stanford University's wrestling programs are two of the eight Division I wrestling programs honored today by the NCAA for earning Public Recognition Awards, based on their most recent multi-year Academic Progress Rate. These annual awards are earned by teams with APRs in the top 10% in each sport. Northwestern, which placed 9th in the NCAA Championships in March, is being recognized for a fourth consecutive time, while Stanford is a first time recipient of this academic award in the sport of wrestling and placed 16th in the NCAA tournament. The University of Pennsylvania wrestling program joins Northwestern in being recognized by the NCAA for a fourth consecutive season, while Duke University is honored for the second season in a row. Boston University, Michigan State University, Princeton University, and the US Military Academy are the other four teams recognized by the NCAA. Each is a first time recipients of this award. "This public recognition by the NCAA is a highly sought after accomplishment; it is an honor that our coaches embrace and seek to achieve for their program," says Mike Moyer, the Executive Director of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. "I salute the athletes, coaches, administrators, academic support staff, and fans of these programs. The student-athletes on these teams are among the elite competing at the Division I level." The sport of wrestling has made tremendous improvement in APR scores during the past four years and each year it is more competitive to finish in the top 10%. These top-performing teams APRs ranged between 978 and a perfect 1000 over the past four years and are among 394 men's programs honored by the NCAA. Full APR scores for all teams will be released by the NCAA next week. "Northwestern and Penn's programs have set the bar high in sustaining academic excellence," says Moyer. We are proud of what these programs have demonstrated over the course of time and equally proud of the four programs earning this recognition for the first time.

Manheim, Pa. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholastic Board of Directors is proud to announce the annual National Scholastic Award Winners. The NWCA presents awards in three categories: National Coach of the Year/National Prep Coach of the Year, National Assistant Coach of the Year and National Senior Wrestler of the Year/National Prep Senior Wrestler of the Year. The 2012 NWCA National Head Coach of the Year is Marty Linford of Cokeville High School in Wyoming. Cokeville is the smallest school in the state of Wyoming that sponsors wrestling. They have consistently proven themselves as one of the best teams in the state, by winning seven state titles in the past eight years. Coach Linford teaches English and Spanish along at Cokeville, along with helping as an assistant football coach and head Junior High football coach. "We commend Coach Linford for his dedication to draw the best out of his wrestlers, coming from a small community that is a large task to accomplish at the state level. He is the type of coach we strive to recognize as an educator and coach to these young student-athletes and pushing them to be the best person they can be," said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. Jeff Buxton of Blair Academy was named the National Prep Coach of the Year. Buxton has led the Bucs to 26 straight National Prep Championships and coached 145 individual champions. They have won the Ironman Tournament nine times, which is more than all other teams in the country combined along with the Beast of the East fourteen times. Buxton's team has perennially been the nation's top-ranked program the last two and a half decades. This is the third time that Coach Buxton has been honored as the NWCA National Prep Coach of the Year. "Coach Buxton has built a dynasty at Blair in his twenty-eight years as the head coach. He strives to take his athletes to the next level which shows when looking at the numbers of his former wrestlers who have gone on to wrestle at the collegiate level and have had so much success," said Moyer. The National Assistant Coach of the Year goes to Mark Madigan of Simley High School in Minnesota. He has been coaching for 31 years. This year he helped to guide the Simley Spartans to the fifth straight Class AA State Championship. He has helped to coach seven state finalist and five state champions. "Longevity is a great attribute to a truly dedicated assistant coach. I commend Coach Madigan on his years of dedication to the sport of wrestling and his continued service to helping build a program and to teach these young student-athletes," said Moyer. Pennsylvania's Jimmy Gulibon of Derry Area High School is the NWCA's Senior Wrestler of the Year. Gulibon is one of ten wrestlers in 75 years to accomplish the feat of being a four-time PIAA State Champion. He finishes his career with a 136-4 record, which he compiled at four weight classes: 103, 112, 119 and 126. Gulibon plans to compete at Penn State University next season. Mark Grey of Blair Academy takes home the National Prep Senior Wrestler of the Year Award for 2012. Grey is the tenth wrestler in Blair history to win four National Prep Titles, he is also the only four-time Beast of the East Champion. He holds a career record of 140-7, and will be attending Cornell University next year. "Both Jimmy and Mark have both concluded their stellar high school careers. We look forward to watching them compete and excel at the collegiate level in the years to come," said Moyer. "Our goal as a coaches association is to continue to recognize coaches and wrestlers for their outstanding accomplishments, both on the mat in competition, academically and in life." We would also like to recognize the award recipients of the NWCA Regional Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Senior Wrestlers of the Year. In order to be considered for National Honors, the nominee must have been selected as a Regional Award Winner: 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 Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Q: I want to read the article on the "Grapple in the Apple." Would you mind sending me your InterMat Platinum password? -- You and everyone else I know (including my mother) Foley: I did it, too. When I was a coach some of my friends, coworkers, and even guys on my team would share the same password to access InterMat's Platinum service. Of course, I understand now that I was essentially stealing information. (Ed. Note: InterMat now tracks Platinum logins by IP address. Those who share passwords (i.e. abuse their privileges) will have their Platinum service revoked without refund in accordance with InterMat's Member Service Agreement.) Information, especially when it comes from experts like Josh Lowe and Mark Palmer, should be at a premium. InterMat values a reader's experience, which translates into choosing an aesthetic that isn't saturated with ads. I think we can all agree that too many ads would diminish the quality of the site. However, this is a business and when you hire writers to do several hours of research, analysis and writing, the costs add up. It's obvious that Lowe, Palmer, and I don't work for compliments, which means our bosses have to support our paychecks while creating enough to also pay webmasters and the rest. When the information warrants it, they take it off the free site and put it behind the Platinum pay wall. I know that it's frustrating for users to land on the site to check out something they want only to be bested by a pay wall, but wanting to access the information in its own way validates that you should pay for it. The guys who run InterMat are already incredibly generous with the content they give away for free. The same type of specialization and analysis in lacrosse, golf, and basketball costs money for readers, usually big money. Even users of ESPN find themselves on the wrong side of the Insider when trying to learn more details about sports like MMA and college baseball. Trust me, I KNOW that you don't want to pay for news, information, and analysis. I GET IT. But buying Platinum is also a free-market exercise in showing your support for the sport. Guys like Lowe could make MUCH better money analyzing the bond market, or New York real estate prices, but he instead entertains us with his insane analysis of high school sports because he's passionate about the sport. We are always looking to add more value to the Platinum service without making the site off-limits to passer-bys. Should things go as planned, we'll be launching a new Platinum series that will be sure to cause some great debate and include factoids and research you won't want to miss. The high school rankings, Fargo breakdowns, and recruiting updates will also be updated throughout the year, along with exclusive interviews and the best analysis on the Web. At less than $1 per week I'm sure you'll find that platinum is a low-cost a service you'll use enough to find valuable. (This was the same argument that worked for my mother ... ) Q: What did you think about the Grapple in the Apple? Any thoughts on Coleman Scott and Shawn Bunch? -- Trevor L. Foley: You can read all about my thoughts once you get Platinum! The gist is that wrestling promotions are doing well to grab primary, secondary, and tertiary forms of media coverage when they host the BTS events in NYC. For example there was the actual taping of the event, then the stories about the results (local and national), and then analysis about what it all means or even just the guys who are responsible for running the show. The event also generated a bunch of dosh which will help expand BTS to LA, which in turn creates new wrestlers, new media and new fans. Overall: Winner, winner. Is it OK to go back in time and write that I KNEW Coleman Scott was going to win it all? I want to do that, because I thought he would, but statistically he seemed like a long shot. Maybe John Smith said it best when he told me that the reason Scott would win it is because he's had the toughest road. True, he did, but I have to think it also has something to do with having that much talent and dedication being ON. Zeke Jones, independent of Smith's comments, said before the wrestle-off that he expected the 60-kilo spot to be a highlight for the 2012 Olympic Team regardless of the representative for precisely the same reasons Smith thought Scott was going to achieve: TOUGHEST ROAD. By wrestling with what Jones called a "chip on their shoulder," Scott will be in position to take a home medal. Don't get me wrong, it's a long shot in a stacked weight class that includes four-time World champion Besik Kudukhov of Russia, but Scott is now part of what makes that weight stacked. Coleman Scott defeated Shawn Bunch with a five-point move in the third match (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The final move against Bunch became one of the most dramatic finishes to any wrestling event I've ever attended. You can't script the drama of wrestling (which is part of why scripted wrestling does so well -- you can guarantee the drama), so when Scott lifted Bunch for the win AND the Olympic spot it was tough to not cheer. I felt like I was cheering the event itself, that I was somehow enraptured not because I have any connection to Coleman Scott (I don't) but because EVERYTHING FELL EXACTLY INTO PLACE. Wrestling isn't known for catching a lot of great PR breaks, but that moment was a big break and would there have been a highlight by Universal Sports I think we would have seen it on SportsCenter's Top Ten plays. We could have at least hope for it to be passed around the Internet in much the same way as the Flying Squirrel. I also feel heartbroken for Bunch. He's talented and with some training and patience could hold off for another four years. My prediction is that we'll lose him to MMA, and while that hurts America in the short term, it does allow another young stud (LOGAN STIEBER, LOGAN STIEBER, LOGAN STIEBER) to earn more mat time with the coaches and earn better money once he's out of college. Final note on Bunch. His loss was horrific enough, but became even more so when he ran off the mat to be alone (force of habit for losing wrestlers everywhere), but found himself standing in the middle of Times Square. It's a nightmare sequence and I still feel bad when thinking of what he (and Reece Humphrey) must be going through right now. They gave it their all, and while they fell short, I'm sure I speak for many in the wrestling community when I say we are proud of their efforts. It's their competitive spirit that will help elevate Scott to a higher place on the Olympic podium. Final thought: Has there been a more likable cast of characters assembled for a U.S. Olympic Team? Q: Is Zain Retherford going to have a high school to wrestle for next season? -- @Bobbylit20 Foley: Word is that he'll be wrestling at Benton. Q: Did you see the Pacquiao-Bradley screwjob? Can you think of a wrestling match where someone got jobbed that bad? -- Geoff W. Foley: There is a significant difference in the structure of a boxing match which makes it much more offensive when someone like Pacquiao gets robbed. There are JUDGES, where in NCAA wrestling we just have a referee. Single humans can miss action, two judges seeing a fight the wrong way is almost certainly indicative of collusion. Americans can forgive mistakes. We have a tougher time forgiving people who intentionally try to screw us. Before I answer the wrestling portion of the question I did have friends place HEFTY bets on Bradley before the fight at +450 and walked away with enough money to buy 545 Platinum subscriptions. Another friend bought out of his Bradley bet in the 12th round because he was certain that Pacquiao had won. Ouch! (Secretly it makes me happy.) Many believe Johny Hendricks was pinned by Ryan Churella in the NCAA finals in 2006 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The worst screwjob is recent NCAA wrestling probably belongs to Gary Kessel's non-call in the 2006 NCAA Division I finals at 165 pounds. Ryan Churella (Michigan) decked Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State) in the second period, but Kessel was out of place, or just had a brief lapse in concentration and missed the call. Kessel caught some bad attention for his mistake because Churella went on to lose the match. But it was actually Hendricks who came out having lost the most. Maybe because Okie State was wrestling well, or his brash demeanor rubbed fans the wrong way, but Hendricks became the most hated wrestler of the aughties. Since then he's transitioned into MMA where he's one of the top welterweights in the world and fans don't just like him, they LOVE him (his nickname is the Happy Beard Guy). The reactions of the fans in 2006 might have cost wrestling something in the long term as well. In a recent interview with FIGHT! Magazine, the two-time NCAA champion said that the reason he didn't pursue the Olympics was because of the way he was treated by our fans. Why would he sacrifice his career for people who didn't respect his commitment? Internationally there have been so many American wrestlers hosed by Russian and European referees that it would be difficult to narrow it down to just one. I seem to recall that Mo Lawal was absolutely robbed in the semifinals of the 2005 World Championships where he eventually placed seventh. Lawal became so disenfranchised by the flippant way in which decisions were made in international wrestling that after a failed run at earning the Olympic spot in 2008 he moved over to MMA, and recently he also signed a contract with the professional wrestling organization TNA. He seems happy. Mixed martial arts aren't immune to bad decisions either (though most of them seem to surround Cecil Peoples). The biggest robbery in recent MMA history was Nam Phan vs. Leonard Garcia. Phan DESTROYED Garcia for three rounds, but Garcia was handed a split decision. The fight was so bad that it prompted UFC president Dana White to give Phan a rematch the next year, but only after he railed against bad decisions. On the whole, bad decisions in judged sports are rare. If Pacquiao had won maybe we'd finally get to see the fight with Floyd Mayweather Jr. As it stands now, he'll have to re-fight Bradley and keep his fingers crossed that Mayweather makes it back from prison. Should that happen we could be in for quite the main event, though one has to suspect the fix is already in. The estimated takeaway for the two fighters is expected to break $100 million. (If you want a pretty cool explanation of where the Bradley-Pacquiao fight ranks against other boxing jobs, check out the animated podcast by Slate and Deadspin.com.) Battle of the Batmen Tournament Edition: Val Kilmer vs. Michael Keaton and George Clooney vs. Christian Bale? -- D. Thompkins (Note: Last week Michael Keaton dec. Val Kilmer, 6-1, and moved into the finals.) Foley: Lets start by looking at Christian Bale's dedication to his craft. The sometimes cantankerous actor shed 60 pounds to play the insomnia-ridden Trevor Reznick in the Machinist. A few years later he repeated the feat when he trimmed 40 pounds to play crack head boxing trainer Dicky Ecklund in The Fighter. With the vision of Christopher Nolan, Bale has changed what it means to be Batman. The movies are dark and meaty, but the Oscar winner turned a stale character in what could be the best superhero depiction of all time during his performance in the Dark Knight. He also has THE best gravelly Batman Voice. Did I mention he also once LOST 60 POUNDS FOR A MOVIE ROLE. Wrestlers rejoice. We are not alone. Batman and Robin was George Clooney's turn in the cape. Look Down and Shake. Clooney was simply awful. Bale tech. fall Clooney, 18-3 (2:26) Next week: Christian Bale vs. Michael Keaton!