InterMat Staff

Kyle Dake (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)STILLWATER, Okla. -- The Kid keeps winning. Kyle Dake shined in Friday's opening session at the 2013 U.S. World Team Trials, winning the Challenge Tournament as the No. 5 seed at 74 kilos in men's freestyle. He will now face World and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs in tonight's best-of-three finals. Dake's run through the Challenge Tournament included victories over three past NCAA champions. He opened with an 8-1 technical fall over 2009 World Team member Trent Paulson. He followed that up with a 7-3 victory in the semifinals over David Taylor. Dake then won a hard-fought battle over Andrew Howe, 4-2, scoring with a crotch lift in overtime, in a match that lasted nearly 12 minutes. Jimmy Kennedy, a New York AC and Guelph Open champion this year, earned a spot in the finals at 60 kilos in men's freestyle. He will face U.S. Open champion Reece Humphrey. Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott was forced to injury default out of the tournament in his first match against Brandon Wright. Kennedy dominated Andrew Hochstrasser 7-0 in his opening match. He then edged past Junior World silver medalist Logan Stieber 5-4 in the semifinals. Kennedy then came from behind late to defeat 2011 World Team member Nick Simmons 11-7 in the Challenge Tournament finals. Chris Pendleton went unscored upon with three technical fall victories to reach the finals at 96 kilos. His victories came over Scott Schiller, Micah Burak, and Dustin Kilgore. Pendleton will face J.D. Bergman tonight in rematch of the U.S. Open finals. Spenser Mango and Nate Engel advanced to the finals at 55 kilos in Greco-Roman. Mango pinned Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, while Engel earned a 2-1 victory over Max Nowry. Tonight's finals at 66 kilos in Greco-Roman will pit two Olympians against each other: Ellis Coleman and Justin Lester. Coleman, who moved up this year from 60 kilos, recorded two shutout victories in the opening session. Lester started his day with a fall over Santonio Thompson, and then squeaked past U.S. Open runner-up Kendrick Sanders, 2-1. U.S. Open champion Jordan Holm and Peter Hicks punched their tickets to the finals at 84 kilos in Greco-Roman. Both earned technical fall victories in both matches. David Arendt Jr. and Robbie Smith will meet in the finals at 96 kilos in Greco-Roman. Arendt advanced with two technical falls, while Smith advanced with a technical fall and pin. In one of the most surprising developments of of the opening session, multiple-time World medalist Dremiel Byers dropped matches to Toby Erickson and Nye, and failed to place in the top four. In women's freestyle, World champion Adeline Gray was dominant at 72 kilos in the opening session, winning three matches by technical fall without surrendering a point. She will meet U.S. Open champion Brittney Roberts in the finals. The other finals match will pit World silver medalist Helen Maroulis against past Junior World champion Whitney Conder at 55 kilos. Tonight's best-of-three finals take place at 6 p.m. CT. Finals Matchups Men's freestyle: 60 kilos: Reece Humphrey (New York AC) vs. Jimmy Kennedy (New York AC) 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs (Sunkist Kids) vs. Kyle Dake (Titan Mercury WC) J.D. Bergman (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC) vs. Chris Pendleton (Titan Mercury WC) Greco-Roman: 55 kilos: Spenser Mango (U.S. Army) vs. Nate Engel (U.S. Army) 66 kilos: Ellis Coleman (New York AC) vs. Justin Lester (U.S. Army) 84 kilos: Jordan Holm (Minnesota Storm) vs. Peter Hicks (U.S. Army) 120 kilos: David Arendt Jr. (U.S. Marines) vs. Robbie Smith (New York AC) Women's freestyle: 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis (Sunkist Kids) vs. Whitney Conder (U.S. Army) 72 kilos: Brittney Roberts (Gator Women’s RTC) vs. Adeline Gray (New York AC)

Links: Results | Schedule | Seeds Session Recaps: Saturday II | Saturday I | Friday II | Friday I Photos: WrestlersAreWarriors.com | Tech-Fall.com | Larry Slater | The Guillotine

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. The U.S. World Team Trials start this morning, and as a favor to our traveling editor and in recognition of the fact many of you will be watching on Flo, and following InterMat's coverage, I'll keep this mailbag shorter and less bitter than normal. Last week in the mailbag I dismissed Stillwater as a less-than-desirable location for the World Team Trials. There was agreement and disagreement from the wrestling community, but after some lengthy emails with those in the position to present fact-filled, intriguing arguments, I've come to a change of opinion. Stillwater might be among the best places in the country to hold the World Team Trials. Coming off the rejection of the IOC and a stellar NCAA season, wrestling has become hyper-sensitive about our standing within the athletic community. That awareness has led us to demand that our events all be featured in high-profile arenas with massive media coverage. That's a good thing to desire, we should always want more, but there are several reasons that the World Team Trials isn't the place to make that stand. Though an important and significant moment for many of America's wrestlers, the World Team Trials have not traditionally been a significant media event, the summertime is crowded with competing athletic events, college campuses are empty due to summer break, and a shift in the modern media landscape has significantly impacted how organizations choose host locations. If you accept that Stillwater is one of the founding locations for American wrestling then you have to then assume the local organizing committee will be able to sell all the tickets despite it being the summer months. The math is simple. Oklahoma loves wrestling and will attend the World Team Trials. A larger marketplace like Chicago might have more aggregate "fans," but fewer who would be guaranteed to attend the somewhat under-publicized World Team Trials. Stillwater and Oklahoma State will sell tickets, which means a better online product, and a better setting for any outside media that does attend. The way wrestling fans consume the sport has also changed how USA Wrestling and others decide where to host their championships. The popularity and accessibility of streaming video means wrestling fans (who are spread across the country and concentrated in their interests) are able to sit at our kitchen table and take in the year's best matches with only a small financial investment. That access means that the high cost and inconvenience of tournament travel is eliminated for the individual, while simultaneously increasing the value of deals struck with production companies to provide coverage. Why would an organization who could earn positive cash flow from their product waster that on a larger, more expensive and possibly not as well attended tournament venue? And yet at the core of the argument is that we aren't talking about coverage of the Olympics or NCAA tournament -- we are discussing the World Team Trials. There are few sports with televised World Team Trials in non-Olympic years (I can't name any), and wrestling isn't so different that we should expect ours to appear on NBC Sports. I'm no Pollyanna, but the wrestling community should be cognizant of our gains over the past several years. Is the process or product perfect? No. Are those in power aware of the wrestling community's want for better venues? Yes. The World Team Trials have found a nice home in Stillwater, and right now it's our job to encourage attendance and if that isn't possible, to at least engage in the product, either through streaming or blogging. In the meantime, please need to keep the fresh ideas coming to the mailbag because it's engaged wrestling fans with a voice that can help us make improvements to our beloved sport. To your questions ... Q: What do you think of Brown University's hiring of Todd Beckerman? Considering the fate of the program in recent years, is this a commitment by the university to move the program in the right direction? -- Jim D. Foley: Brown had several well-qualified candidates for their open head coaching position -- many who would've created a winning program in Providence. However, looking at what he offers to the program in terms of leadership capabilities, record of success on the mat and desire/ability to create a program that leans forward, Todd Beckerman was the best choice for Brown University and the sport of wrestling. The program won't be competing for the EIWA title in 2014 or even 2018, but Beckerman should bring back donors with more team wins, and some All-American talent at the NCAA tournament. That's not the type of turnaround we've come to expect from the world of professional sports, but the stability of a collegiate wrestling program doesn't rest in the W-L record as much as it does the mood and commitment of the valued individuals and decision-makers that compose the program. If Beckerman is able to utilize his professionalism, kindness and creativity as I believe he's capable of doing, then his wrestlers, alumni and administration will feel positive about making their commitments to the Brown program. Having read Coach Beckerman in action on Twitter and watched him coach from the corner while an assistant at Maryland, I'm one-hundred percent certain that he will be successful and help stabilize one of college wrestling's most at-risk, yet vital, programs. Good luck, Coach. Q: If you could pick an athlete from any other sport and train them to wrestle who would you train and why? -- Gregg Y. Foley: The USA Rugby 7's team. That sport, which far exceeds football in almost every metric of health and entertainment, is decided by player's ability to make and break tackles. A tackle, as you well know, is nothing but a takedown during forward motion. Wrestling teaches a unique type of balance. Ballerinas might be able to stand on one toe, or flip about on a beam, but wrestler's balance is focused on ONE PRINCIPLE: DON'T GET TAKEN DOWN. Wrestlers are currently in use by many of the large rugby nations to help improve their team's ability to keep opposing players on their feet. In holding players vertical, wrestling rugby players help jeopardize their opponent's possession. As successful (and controversial) as that technique has become, it's learning wrestling to BREAK tackles that I think is the key. Wrestling helps you break tackles and keeps ball runners on their feet for longer. Keeping your feet longer means scoring more points. Scoring more points means winning more games. Q: What (if any) was the most beneficial call you ever received from an official during your competitive years? -- Jason R. Foley: Wrestlebacks at NCAAs my senior season. I was wrestling a guy I'd beaten twice before, including in the conference finals. He's been penalized several times in our first few matches for illegal moves, and was nearly ejected during a dual meet for breaking my finger. I'd given up the first takedown (as I tended to do) and was coming out of a shoulder roll when my opponent gripped my wrist and yanked my arm the wrong way around the axis of the shoulder. The shoulder separated violently and referee immediately blew the action dead as I writhed in pain. I was beat up, and though the move was called illegal and a point given, the referee could've forced me to wrestle. An NCAA mat doctor came on the mat, ran some tests and made the decision that my shoulder was too weak to continue. Though advancing via injury default left me open to criticism (wrestlers aren't creative name-callers) and left me carrying a weird guilt for years, I've come to accept that I'd done nothing wrong. I'd been training my whole life for NCAA tournament and in no way should my dreams have been ended because of an opponent's anger management issues and tendency to commit flagrant penalties. Maybe it wasn't "beneficial" in the sense I got away with something, only that I avoided what could have been the worst call of my career. Fortunately the referee and doctor made the correct call. Had they not and somehow decided I was to continue wrestling, I'm sure my life would've ended up ... different. Instead of telling tales about the sport's origins and its ability to creep into everyday life (#WrestlingisEverywhere), I likely would've walked out the arena and headed north from St. Louis and been left to work among the Inuit as a fur trader in Greenland. Q: Why do the men-in-charge in the amateur wrestling world continue to slight women's wrestling? Sure, the video that you tout so highly in your column is filled with some great action of men's wrestling. But, how much women's wrestling is shown in the 1minute 30 second clip?? Do you think an IOC voting member who watches this video will be impressed as to how USA Wrestling and FILA are becoming more attuned to gender equality. We have to do better than this to 'Save Olympic Wrestling' -- which I thought was our main priority these days. Every public action that USA Wrestling and FILA takes going forward needs to include in the thought-process: "Are we giving equal opportunity to women in international wrestling?" -- Jamie M. Gulmaral Yerkebayeva of Kazakhstan throws Ryo Makishima of Japan during first-round action at at the Asian Junior Wrestling Championships in Phuket, Thailand.Foley: This really should have been the Rant of the Week, except I wanted to add my "Harumph" to your statement. Good grief, the wrestling community NEEDS to embrace women's wrestling with the same passion we show for our men. Hell, even if it's out of the self-interest of knowing women's wrestling could help save men's programs we need to think as a large single cell organism and SUPPORT WOMEN'S WRESTLING. File this in the FWIW section of your diary, but it's my understanding that the Scherr bros., who are working with CPOW and FILA to make significant and needed improvements to the sport, have made the visibility and acceptance of women's wrestling a top priority. That's a great endorsement, since those guys do a lot of stuff for the sport and rarely seem to mess around. For now just keep putting pressure on decision makers and supporting the programs that exist and you WILL make a difference. Rant of the Week I was on InterMat today and saw the article by Hipps about the World Team Trials is pay only! If were trying to spread the word & share our love of wrestling with the world ... Why are we making it hard for people to see and read about? I'm pissed. I don't have to pay money to read about what the top athletes in other sports are doing, so why wrestling? I thought the idea was to broaden the audience and expose more people. I demand that all wrestling related websites lose the pay walls and open up their content for all the world to see! Free of charge! At least until wrestling is back in the Olympics. End of rant. -- Donny C.

Competition begins on Friday, June 21 with the following weight classes: Men's Freestyle: 60 kilos, 74 kilos and 96 kilos Greco-Roman: 55 kilos, 66 kilos, 84 kilos and 120 kilos Women's Freestyle: 55 kilos and 72 kilos Competition on Saturday, June 22 are at the following weight classes: Men's Freestyle: 55 kilos, 66 kilos, 84 kilos and 120 kilos Greco-Roman: 60 kilos, 74 kilos and 96 kilos Women's Freestyle: 48 kilos and 63 kilos Men's Freestyle Seeds 55 kilos/121 pounds National Champion in Finals Series - Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Gator WC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Frank Perrelli (New York AC/FLWC) 2. Brandon Precin, Evanston, Ill. (New York AC) 3. Sam Hazewinkel, Norman, Okla. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Mark McKnight, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 5. Angel Escobedo, Columbus Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 6. Ben Kjar, Orem, Utah (Titan Mercury WC) 7. Dan Mitcheff, West Point, N.Y. (West Point WC) 8. Steve Mytych, Coplay, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 9. Zach Sanders, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 10. Kyle Hutter, Norfolk, Va. (HRWA/VBRTC) 60 kilos/132 pounds National Champion In Finals Series- Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 3. Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) 4. Nick Simmons, Bloomington, Ind. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Alan Waters, Kansas City, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 6. Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC) 7. Zach Synon, Cary, Ill. (Missouri WC) 8. Brandon Wright, Des Moines, Iowa (Viking WC) 66 kilos/145.5 pounds National Champion in Finals Series - Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Jordan Oliver, Easton, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC) 3. Adam Hall, New York, N.Y. (New York AC) 4. Chase Pami, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Phillip Simpson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 6. Kyle Borshoff, Washington, D.C. (DCAC) 7. James Green, Willingboro, N.J. (NWTC) 8. Jason Chamberlain, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC) 9. Kevin LeValley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 10. Drew Headlee, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 11. Kyle Ruschell, Madison, Wis. (Badger WC) 12. Rollie Peterkin, New York, N.Y. (New York AC) 74 kilos/163 pounds National Champion In Finals Series - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio (Nittany Lion WC) 2. Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Andrew Howe, Cedar Lake, Ind. (New York AC) 4. Trent Paulson, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids) 5. Kyle Dake, Ithaca, N.Y. (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Ryan Morningstar, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 7. Colton Sponseller, Glenmont, Ohio (New York AC) 8. Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 9. Dan Vallimont, Long Beach, N.Y. (Blue & Gold WC) 10. Quinton Godley, Raleigh, N.C. (Wolfpack WC) 11. Kevin Hartnett, Staten Island, N.Y. (Husky WC) 84 kilos/185 pounds National Champion In Finals Series - Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (GRIT Athletics/Cowboy WC) 2. Jon Reader, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 3. Phillip Keddy, Iowa City, Iowa (Titan Mercury WC) 4. Austin Trotman, Boone, N.C. (AppState RTC/Titan Mercury WC) 5. Enock Francois, New Windsor, N.Y. (West Point WC) 6. Max Askren, Hartland, Wis. (New York AC) 7. Cam Simaz, Ithaca, N.Y. (Finger Lakes WC) 8. Logan Storley, Roslyn, S.D. (Minnesota Storm) 96 kilos/211.5 pounds National Champion in Finals Series - J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Chris Pendleton, Laramie, Wyo. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Wynn Michalak, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Dave Zabriskie, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 4. Brandon Halsey, Oceanside, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) 5. Micah Burak, Colorado Springs, Colo. (HWC) 6. Dustin Kilgore, Berea, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) 7. Jack Jensen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 8. Deron Winn, Ames, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 9. Scott Schiller, West Fargo, N.D. (Minnesota Storm) 10. Evan Brown, Dubuque, Iowa (Cyclone WC) 120 kilos/264.5 pounds National Champion In Finals Series - Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Zach Rey, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 3. Tony Nelson, Cambridge, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Matthew Meuleners, Norwood-Young America, Minn. (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Kyle Massey, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC) 6. Nick Gwiazdowski, Delanson, N.Y. (New York AC) 7. Jeremy Johnson, Broadview Heights, Ohio (Bobcat WC) Women's Freestyle Seeds 48 kilos/105.5 pounds National Champion in Finals Series - Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Erin Golston, Lake in the Hills, Ill. (New York AC) 3. Candace Workman , Colorado Springs, Colo. (OTC) 4. Emily Webster, Sedalia, Mo. (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 5. Kristi Garr, Goodrich, Mich. (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 6. Shannon Constantine, Haverhill, Mass. (King College) 7. Tamika Jones, Columbia, S.C. (Waldorf) 8. Christina Varland, Douglas, Wyo. (Air Force WC) 55 kilos/121 pounds National Champion in Finals Series - Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids) Challenge Tourmament Seeds 1. Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 2. Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College) 3. Whitney Conder, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 4. Jacarra Winchester, San Leandro, Calif. (Missouri Valley) 5. Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 6. Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC) 7. Tamara Tillman, Whittier, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 8. Samantha Klingel, Kregsville, Pa. (King College) 63 kilos/138.75 pounds National Champion in Finals Series - Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Jennifer Page, Orangevale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Alli Ragan, Carbondale, Ill. (New York AC/King College) 4. Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Wayland Baptist) 5. Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC/King College) 6. Jenna Burkert, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 7. Lauren Louive, Massillon, Ohio (UC Women's Wrestling) 8. Beatrize Martinez, Fresno, Calif. (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 9. Michele Muscato, Henderson, Nev. (unattached) 10. Sharice Schnell, Thorp, Wis. (unattached) 72 kilos/158.5 pounds National Champion in Finals Series - Brittney Roberts, Santa Fe, Texas (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Jackie Cataline, Alhambra, Calif. (Sunnyvale Scorpion WC) 2. Lilia Gudzyuk, Lake Tapps, Wash. (Jimmie Wrestling Club) 3. Adeline Gray, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Julia Salata, Canton, Mich. (New York AC/King College) 5. Melissa Simmons, Ridgefield, Wash. (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 6. Mary Westman, Cattaraugas, N.Y. (Jimmie Wrestling Club) 7. Anastasia Lobsinger, Martinez, Calif. (Walnut Creek Wrestling Club) 8. Stephanie Geltmacher, Kahalui, Hawaii (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 9. Kayla Aggio, Rohnert Park, Calif. (OKCU Gator Women's RTC) 10. Lorrie Ramos, Orlando, Fla. (King College) Greco-Roman Seeds 55 kilos/121 pounds Challenge Tournament Seeds: 1. Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (New York AC) 3. Nate Engel, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Dmitry Ryabchinsky, Brooklyn, N.Y. (New York AC/USOEC) 5. Christian Nielsen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 60 kilos/132 pounds Challenge Tournament Seeds: 1. Joseph Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Badger WC) 4. Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C., (U.S. Army WCAP) 5. Ryan Mango, St. Louis, Mo. (Stanford - unattached) 6. Chad Vandiver, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 7. Joe DeNova, Fortson, Ga. (NYAC/USOEC) 8. Julian Gunnels, Kansas City, Mo. (Minnesota Storm) 9. Nikko Triggas, Moraga, Calif. (New York AC) 10. William Simpson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 11. Jake Calhoun, Mechanicsburg, Pa. (Modern Day Gladiators) 66 kilos/145.5 pounds Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 2. Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (New York AC/USOEC) 3. Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 4. Brian Graham, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 5. Ben Sanchez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 6. Santonio Thompson, Mooresville, N.C. (YES Wrestling) 7. Devin Scott, Burnsville, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 8. Nick Alvarez, Miami, Fla. (USOEC) 9. Sean Sloat, Trumbull, Conn. (Unattached) 74 kilos/163 pounds Challenge Tournament Seeds: 1. Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 2. Jake Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 3. Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Andy Bisek, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Minnesota Storm) 5. Bo Beckman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC) 6. Corey Hope, Carol Stream, Ill. 7. Joe Uccellini, Troy, N.Y. (New York) 84 kilos/185 pounds Challenge Tournament Seeds: 1. Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 2. Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Josef Rau, Chicago, Ill. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Donald Simmons, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 5. Kyle Deberry, Tucson, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 6. Courtney Myers, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (Marines) 7. Brian Sloat, Trumbull, Conn. (unattached) 8. Hayden Zillmer, Crosby, Minn. (Bison WC) 96 kilos/211.5 pounds Challenge Tournament Seeds: 1. John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 2. Ryan Halsey, Oceanside, Calif. (No Mercy School of Wrestling) 3. Marcus Finau, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (New York AC/USOEC) 4. Daren Burns, Boone, N.C. (AppState RTC) 5. Caylor Williams, Greensboro, N.C. (U.S. Army WCAP) 6. Pete Gounaridis, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 7. Patrick Carey, St. Paul, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 8. Tyler Lehmann, Fargo, N.D. (Minnesota Storm) 120 kilos/264.5 pounds Challenge Tournament Seeds: 1. David Arendt Jr., Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 2. Erik Nye, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Robert Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 5. Toby Erickson, East Helena, Mont. (New York AC/USOEC) 6. Jake Kettler, Anoka, Minn. (Patriot Elite WC) 7. Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm/USOEC) 8. Christopher Pierce, Lemont Furnace, Pa. (YES Wrestling)

Men's freestyle champions and women's freestyle champions from the 2013 U.S. Open held April 18-20 in Las Vegas automatically advance to the best-of-three finals at the 2013 U.S. World Team Trials. None of the Greco-Roman U.S. Open champions automatically advance to the best-of-three finals, but will receive the No. 1 seed in the Challenge Tournament. Freestyle: 55 kilos: Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 60 kilos: Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 66 kilos: Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC) 74 kilos: Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC) 84 kilos: Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 96 kilos: J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 120 kilos: Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC)* *Dlagnev moves into best-of-three finals after U.S. Open champion Dom Bradley withdrew from the U.S. World Team Trials. Greco-Roman: 55 kilos: Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 60 kilos: Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 66 kilos: Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 74 kilos: Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 84 kilos: Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 96 kilos: John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 120 kilos: David Arendt Jr., Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps) Women's Freestyle: 48 kilos: Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 55 kilos: Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids) 63 kilos: Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) 72 kilos: Brittany Roberts, Santa Fe, Texas (OKCU Gator Women's RTC)

All times Central Time Friday, June 21 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. -- Session I: Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Challenge Finals/Consolations and 3rd Place, Challenge Tournament Finals Men's freestyle: 60 kilos, 74 kilos and 96 kilos Greco-Roman: 55 kilos, 66 kilos, 84 kilos and 120 kilos Women's freestyle: 55 kilos and 72 kilos 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. -- Session II: Final World Team Trials and True Second Matches Men's freestyle: 60 kilos, 74 kilos and 96 kilos Greco-Roman: 55 kilos, 66 kilos, 84 kilos and 120 kilos Women's freestyle: 55 kilos and 72 kilos Saturday, June 22 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. -- Session I: Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Challenge Finals/Consolations and 3rd Place, Challenge Tournament Finals Men's freestyle: 55 kilos, 66 kilos, 84 kilos and 120 kilos Greco-Roman: 60 kilos, 74 kilos and 96 kilos Women's freestyle: 48 kilos and 63 kilos 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. -- Session II: Final World Team Trials and True Second Matches Men's freestyle: 55 kilos, 66 kilos, 84 kilos and 120 kilos Greco-Roman: 60 kilos, 74 kilos and 96 kilos Women's freestyle: 48 kilos and 63 kilos

The 2013 U.S. World Team Trials are set to take place Friday and Saturday at Gallagher-Iba Arena in Stillwater, Okla. The two-day event will determine the U.S. World teams in men's freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's freestyle that will compete in Budapest, Hungary, Sept. 16-23. It's not uncommon to see a lot of turnover on World teams from an Olympic year to the year immediately following the Olympic Games. This year appears to be no exception. Three of the seven U.S. Olympians in men's freestyle will not be competing for spots on this year's U.S. World Team, including 2012 Olympic gold medalist Jake Varner and 2009 World silver medalist Jake Herbert. Elena Pirozhkova is the lone member from the 2012 U.S. Olympic women's freestyle team expected to compete this week in Stillwater. This week's U.S. World Team Trials will be the first major U.S. wrestling event contested using the latest international wrestling rule changes implemented by FILA. The initial new international rule proposals, which were presented and passed at the FILA Extraordinary Congress on May 17, were used in the Beat the Streets event in Los Angeles on May 19. However, on June 7, FILA published a complete set of rules, which differed slightly from the rules released on May 17. Key differences in the two sets of rules include technical falls decreasing from 10 points to 7 points and five-point throws ending matches. Below are five things to watch at this week's U.S. World Team Trials. Friday Ellis Coleman vs. Kendrick Sanders Kendrick Sanders throws Ellis Coleman for three points in the first period of their finals match at the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)The precocious Coleman earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team last summer at the age of 20. This year he moved up a weight class from 60 kilos to 66 kilos and captured the U.S. Open title. His finals victory at the Open came over 22-year-old Kendrick Sanders, an explosive athlete with an arsenal of big moves. The match was contested under the old rules and went all three periods. Sanders used a reverse body lock throw for three points to break a scoreless tie in the first period. Coleman battled back to win the second period 4-0 on the strength of two gut wrenches. Coleman then took the third and deciding period 2-1, scoring with another gut wrench in the final 30 seconds. Assuming the two meet again this week, expect to see some fireworks, especially with the change to longer periods and cumulative scoring. Dremiel Byers U.S. Greco-Roman heavyweight Dremiel Byers has been on every U.S. World or Olympic team since 2005. He is the lone U.S. Greco-Roman wrestler ever to claim gold, silver, and bronze medals at the World Championships. Byers, a 10-time U.S. Open champion, has his sights set on the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he is hoping to earn his first Olympic medal after falling short in Beijing in 2008 and London in 2012. For the past ten years the question every year has been, will Byers win another World or Olympic medal? Now, as we begin a new Olympic cycle, the question has shifted to, will Byers make the U.S. team? He was defeated at this year's U.S. Open by Erik Nye in the semifinals. Byers is closing in on 40 years old (currently 38), and many are wondering if this is the year where there will be a changing of the guard in the Greco-Roman heavyweight division. Logan Stieber Logan Stieber defeated world No. 1 Opan Sat at the Beat the Streets event in New York (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The 22-year-old Stieber is one of wrestling's young, rising stars. A past Junior World silver medalist, Stieber is on track to become the next four-time NCAA champion after winning NCAA titles in his first two seasons as an Ohio State Buckeye. He was expected to contend for a U.S. Open title in April at 60 kilos, but finished a disappointing fourth, losing to Ohio RTC teammate Reece Humphrey and fellow collegian Tyler Graff. Stieber bounced back in a big way less than a month later by defeating world No. 1 Opan Sat of Russia at the Beat the Streets event held in Grand Central Terminal in New York. Will this be the year that Stieber breaks through and makes his first U.S. World Team on the senior level? To do so he will have to navigate through a deep and talented Challenge Tournament field that includes Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott, Graff, and Jimmy Kennedy ... and if he gets through that, then must oust U.S. Open champion Humphrey in the best-of-three finals. 74 kilos in men's freestyle Kyle Dake is one of the top contenders to win the Challenge Tournament at 74 kilos (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)The 74-kilo weight class men's freestyle is widely considered to be the most intriguing weight class at this year's Trials because of its abundance of talent. USA Wrestling's Craig Sesker recently wrote that "It's the weight class that nobody wants to miss at the U.S. World Team Trials." World and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs, who is unbeaten on the senior level (54-0), receives an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals after winning the U.S. Open. He has been dominant both domestically and internationally the past two years. The new rules also seem to favor Burroughs, and many believe the rules could help him widen the gap over his competition even more. Burroughs' finals opponent will be the lone survivor in a loaded Challenge Tournament field that includes four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake, U.S. Open runner-up David Taylor, Olympic Team Trials runner-up Andrew Howe, 2009 World Team member Trent Paulson, and U.S. Open third-place finisher Nick Marable, among others. Saturday 66 kilos in men's freestyle Every year since 2009 there has been a new Trials champion at 66 kilos. The last two Trials champions in this weight class, Teyon Ware (2011) and Jared Frayer (2012), have stepped away from competition, and 66 kilos is wide open heading into this Olympic cycle. Kellen Russell rode a hot hand at the U.S. Open, coming through unseeded to win the title over Jordan Oliver. Brent Metcalf, a World Team member in 2010, finished third at the Open, losing in the semifinals to Oliver. Another talented wrestler to keep an eye on in this weight class is James Green, a collegiate wrestler at Nebraska who was impressive in winning a University Nationals title. Adam Hall, Chase Pami, and Jason Chamberlain add depth to the weight class. The new rules, which award two points for a takedown and use cumulative scoring, appear to suit Oliver, Metcalf, and Green particularly well because of their strengths in the neutral position and attacking styles. InterMat will be providing session recaps from the 2013 U.S. World Team Trials.

You may think you know Bobby Douglas. You may know him as head coach at Arizona State, leading that school to its first -- and only -- NCAA team title ... and at Iowa State, as the man who coached Cael Sanderson to four titles and a perfect 159-0 record. You may also think of Douglas as a pioneer: first two-time African-American high school state champ in Ohio ... one of the first blacks to wrestle for the U.S. at the Olympics ... and first coach of color to guide an NCAA Division I program to a national championship. You might also picture him with his familiar Russian fur hat and fanny pack. But there's so much more to the story of Bobby Douglas which is now revealed in "Bobby Douglas: Life and Legacy of an American Wrestling Legend" by Craig Sesker, published by Exit Zero Publishing. Surprising stories about a man you think you know This 175-page book is packed with surprising stories and revelations, right from the opening. The first chapter describes a harrowing attack on Bobby Douglas' mother in a one-room apartment in Cincinnati when Douglas was only 3. Douglas hid under the bed as the intruder repeatedly stabbed his mother in her bed. Fearing he might be next, Douglas slipped out at an opportune moment, tripping and tumbling down the stairs as he tried to escape with his life. It was after that attack that the youngster was sent to eastern Ohio to live with his grandparents in a tiny coal-mining outpost called Stop 32 near Wheeling, W.Va. ... a move that would shape his life forever. The startling opening foreshadows other surprises throughout the book. Bobby Douglas (Photo/Cyclones.com)A prime example: "Bobby Douglas: Life and Legacy of an American Wrestling Legend" provides an unflinching analysis of another incident sixty years later -- the changing of the guard at Iowa State, when Douglas was replaced by his assistant coach of two years -- and once prize pupil -- Cael Sanderson, as the head coach of the Cyclones, a month after the 2006 NCAAs. The book serves up a reality that is far different than what was initially presented to the public, with direct quotes from Douglas, his wife Jackie, Sanderson, former assistant coach Chris Bono, wrestler Trent Paulson, and athletic director Jamie Pollard. "The book gets to the bottom of what happened," said Sesker. "I talked to everyone involved, and I included each participant's perspective, in his own words." "The strongest language in the book was when (Douglas) told his Iowa State team that he was fired," according to Sesker. "Originally the Paulsons and Kurt Backes told the story, then Bobby confirmed it. I thought that's how it needed to be captured." Then again, it's just one of the stories that needed to be told, about one of the great legends of amateur wrestling. How the book came about Craig Sesker has a strong background in wrestling ... and in writing. Craig SeskerSesker participated in four sports in high school in Tipton, Iowa, including wrestling. He launched his professional career by covered wrestling for the Burlington (Iowa) Hawk Eye and the Omaha World Herald. A two-time National Wrestling Writer of the Year, Sesker has covered the Olympics, the Pan American Games, World Championships, NCAA championships, and numerous high school tournaments in Iowa and Nebraska. Since 2006, Sesker has served as communications director for USA Wrestling, editing the organization's member magazine, USA Wrestler. "Bobby Douglas: Life and Legacy of an American Wrestling Legend" is Sesker's first book, though he had worked as an editor of "American Victory," the memoir of 2008 U.S. Olympic gold medalist Henry Cejudo, with Bill Plaschke. (Since the publishing of the Douglas book, Sesker has also written "Driven to Excellence: Family, Triumph and Tragedy -- The Story of Omaha Skutt Catholic Wrestling Program." "I knew Bobby via my time at the Omaha World Herald and USA Wrestling," said Sesker. "We had talked at the U.S. Open about doing a book. We needed an investor. Art Martori of Sunkist Kids, and supporter of Arizona State, stepped forward. He was very generous and very gracious." "I did the first interviews at the World Team Trials in Council Bluffs (Iowa) in June 2010," Sesker continued. "After the Trials, I spent the whole day at Bobby's house in Ames." "By the third interview, he really opened up, telling the story about his mom." "Spending that day with him in Ames really helped." In all, Sesker conducted 12-13 hours of in-person interview with Bobby Douglas, and, "a ton of time on the phone," to use the author's phrase. "He'd call up with tidbits, stories that he'd remember." An upbringing that overcame the odds Bobby Douglas' life story is one of overcoming considerable odds ... even at an early age. After the attack on his mother, Bobby Douglas went to live with his grandparents in rural eastern Ohio, in a tiny home with holes in the wood floor, and no indoor plumbing. It was a rugged, challenging upbringing; "The odds were stacked against him," said Sesker. Douglas had to deal with grinding poverty, bullying and racism. Yet growing up in tiny Stop 32 shaped Douglas' life in many positive ways. It was where Douglas discovered the benefits of participating in multiple sports at Bridgeport High School. He played football and wrestled for coach George Kovalick, a significant positive influence on his life, who urged his athletes "to give something back" -- words that have shaped Douglas' actions as an athlete and coach the balance of his life. "He's very fortunate that Geoege Kovalick came along," Bobby's wife Jackie told Sesker. "He was like a father to Bobby. He saved Bobby." At Bridgeport High, Douglas made friends with others who also went on to become superstars in their respective sports: brothers Phil and Joe Niekro in baseball, and John Havlicek in basketball. ("They thought the world of Bobby," said Sesker, who has featured the recollections of Havlicek and Phil Niekro concerning their lifelong friend Douglas in his book.) Fifty years ago, Douglas was one of two African-American wrestlers at Bridgeport ... and, being a pioneer, endured racism along the way. The book describes a tense dual meet at Parkersburg (W.Va.) High School where a novice Douglas gave a defending state champ all he could handle ... enduring racial slurs yelled by the partisan crowd that were "about to blow the roof off the place" to quote Douglas. It wouldn't be the first time -- or last -- that Douglas would encounter racism and racial tension, as the book illustrates. Yet Douglas overcame those challenges to become Ohio's first state wrestling champ of color, in 1959, then followed up with a second state title two years later. Douglas' pioneering state championship was the first of a number of times when Douglas would open doors in some sort of history-making "first." It was also in Stop 32 where Bobby Douglas met the love of his life, Jackie, who eventually became his wife and lifelong supporter. Life beyond Stop 32 The book goes on to chronicle Douglas' post-high school mat career, first at West Liberty in West Virginia, then at Oklahoma State ... then his freestyle career, bursting onto the international stage at the 1963 World Championships (which caused him to miss then-girlfriend, now wife Jackie's senior prom), and earning a place on back-to-back U.S. Olympic teams in 1964 and 1968. After the 1968 Olympics, Bobby Douglas then launched his coaching career, first at Cal State-Santa Barbara (becoming the first African-American head wrestling coach) ... then taking the helm at Arizona State, leading the Sun Devils to their first (and only) NCAA team title in 1988 (the only school west of the Rockies to achieve that honor.) Four years later, frustrated by a contentious relationship with the athletic director at ASU, Douglas headed north to accept the head coaching job at Iowa State, where, among others, he coached the one and only Cael Sanderson to four titles and a perfect 159-0 record ... then, as U.S. freestyle coach for the 2004 Olympics, guided Sanderson to a gold medal at the Athens Games. Douglas' career in wrestling spans more than a half-century. And, in that life journey, his career as a wrestler and coach has intersected with some of the biggest names of the past 50 years. It's a significant theme throughout the book, as Sesker weaves stories of these individuals into the fabric that is Bobby Douglas' life. Bobby Douglas and Cael Sanderson"Bobby's life crossed so many," Sesker said in the InterMat interview, naming some giants in wrestling. "He wrestled (Dan) Gable, trained with Yojiro Uetake (three-time NCAA champ at Oklahoma State, two-time Olympic gold medalist), coached Dan Severn (Arizona State wrestler who went on to be an early star in Ultimate Fighting Championships), worked with Tom and Terry Brands, coached Tricia Saunders (four-time World champion), and Destin McCauley (high school superstar, now Nebraska recruit, whose first wrestling camp was conducted by Douglas)." In addition, tens of thousands have benefitted from his series of instructional books. Beyond the countless lives Bobby Douglas touched, another recurring theme throughout the book is Douglas' human qualities as a coach and individual. "He's a man of great integrity and principles," Sesker wrote in the book's prologue. "He ran clean programs at Arizona State and Iowa State, nearly all his athletes graduated, and he cared very deeply about the young men he coached." "You won't find a better man than Bobby Douglas," Sesker told InterMat. Bobby Douglas (Photo/Larry Slater)"Bobby Douglas: Life and Legacy of an American Wrestling Legend" is more than an account of the accomplishments -- including pioneering firsts -- of a great wrestler and coach. It also provides an unflinching portrait of a rugged childhood and other challenges along the way, along with honest depictions of various milestone events, incorporating direct quotes from Douglas and other participants. What's more, the book is liberally sprinkled throughout with dozens of great photos of Douglas and those whose lives he touched. For all these reasons, the "Bobby Douglas" book makes for informative, inspirational reading. "Bobby Douglas: Life and Legacy of an American Wrestling Legend" is available for purchase directly from Craig Sesker. Contact him via email at csesker@usawrestling.org

Russian Nationals Russian Nationals (freestyle) took place in Siberia this past weekend. Surprisingly dependable, though production-free, video streams provided a live look at the premier domestic tournament in the world's premier wrestling country. The venue for the tournament appeared to be a smallish, strangely shaped, sparsely attended (seats were empty at least while I was watching) field house. The Russian republics of the Caucuses yield most of Russia's best wrestlers from fairly substantial populations where wrestling is extremely popular, yet the national championships are contested in Krasnoyarsk, thousands of miles away. You could fit Australia in between the epicenter of Russian wrestling and the location of Russian nationals. This makes no sense to me, but then again I'm the practical sort who would like to make a few bucks from ticket sales. Watching the Russians wrestle, I'm reassured that even on the other side of the world, wrestling still is wrestling. Very few techniques used by the Russians appear totally alien, and the vast majority of neutral positions you could see in a college dual meet, though some Russian reactions in certain situations may seem somewhat counter intuitive to the American eye. I find that where Russian wrestling separates itself from ours is in its creativity. Russians seem to have a knack for executing the utterly unexpected, producing original solutions to the puzzle presented by their opponent. Speaking of the unexpected, if Russia's uses its national champions as its World Team, it will mark the first time a Russian team has entered a World Championships or Olympics without a past World/Olympic champion. In the 20 years since Russia has been sending wrestlers to world events as Russia, they have sent at least one past champion, and usually multiple. Among this year's Russian national champs there isn't even a past World/Olympic medalist, nor are there any wrestlers who have competed at the World Championships or Olympics. Oddsmakers for this year's wrestling World Championships, if they exist, have a tough task ahead of them. Abdusalam GadisovAt this point last year, I thought that Russia's Abdusalam Gadisov represented the next big thing in world wrestling. I figured that much like Khadshimourad Gatsalov, Gadisov would move from 84 to 96 kilograms and not lose for many years. London should have been his coronation, yet he received a murderous draw, and reigning World champ Reza Yazdani eliminated him in an early match. This year, instead of widening the gap between him and his domestic competition, he has suffered two losses in Russia this year to the much more lightly touted Anzor Boltukaev. The first was an ugly affair in the quarters of the Ivan Yarigin, and the second was this weekend in the finals of Russian Nationals, where Gadisov paid for the cynical strategy of sitting on a one-point move for most of the match. Now the question is not whether or not Gadisov will ever claim his place as one of the all-time greats, but if he'll ever again make it out of Russia. U.S. World Team Trials I have question, if USA Wrestling bucks the new FILA rules by adding overtime, why not also go ahead and add a multi-day format for each weight? Come on guys, if you rebel a little, why not just go all the way? A tournament where all the best-of-3 finals are held on the final day offers a vastly superior fan experience for those in attendance and in the case that the event is ever televised. One reason that NCAAs have achieved their level of success lies in the fact that the best is saved for last, and the final night consists of one giant television friendly climax. The Trials should seek to become the other big annual wrestling event in the United States. If eschewing the established international tournament style means better prospects for future television coverage, then so be it. Two-day tournament or not, I can feel my heart beat just a little bit faster in anticipation for the Trials this week. With the new rules and overtime, this should be the best Olympic style wrestling event the USA has seen in years. NCAA proposal They were not lying about wrestling having no offseason. Even after the college season ended this year it seems that one crazy wrestling story after another have bombarded us. Now the NCAA has proposed that the performance at National Duals earns points towards the NCAA tournament. The question remains as to whether this splits the baby with Solomon-esque wisdom, or if whether it is just another crappy compromise. Ratification of this proposal would not have National Duals crown the team champion, as was the rather radical change discussed in the fall, but it would definitely make the duals relevant. At the very least, Division I wrestling needs a dual meet showcase tournament that ... Bears some degree of meaning in the national team championship race Attracts all of the nation's top teams Attracts the attention of fans and television cameras. Louden SwainThis NCAA proposal will definitely accomplish the first two, team tournament points will be up for grabs, and every top team in the nation will have no choice be to compete for them. As to bringing bodies to watch, and attention from broadcasters, perhaps if it's built, they will come. I still think nothing would be cooler than a national team title determined by dual meet, where teammates rush the mat and carry the victor of the deciding match on their shoulders as he flings his headgear in celebration a la Loudon Swain. Of course, I'm not so shortsighted as to understand why this will never be a reality.

DAYTONA BEACH, Fla. -- Team Illinois swept championships at the Cadet National Duals this past weekend in freestyle and Greco-Roman. The competitions were held Wednesday through Saturday in Daytona Beach, Fla. Squads from the Land of Lincoln went 13-0 over the four-day event, 7-0 in freestyle and 6-0 in Greco-Roman. In each style of competition, Illinois had to defeat the top squad from Pennsylvania for the preliminary bracket title and then in the championship pool final. Between the Schoolboy and Cadet National Duals, each of the four finals has featured Illinois against Pennsylvania, with the Illinois team winning all but the one in Schoolboy Greco-Roman. Illinois beat Pennsylvania 45-31 in the preliminary bracket final and 60-18 in the championship match during Greco-Roman; and in freestyle the victories came by scores of 40-37 during the preliminary bracket final, and 43-31 in the championship match. The following are a list of notable performances by wrestlers going undefeated in at least six contested matches for a given style, Greco-Roman and/or freestyle … Both Styles: 100: Ben Freeman (Michigan) 106: Spencer Lee (Pennsylvania) 120: Taylor LaMont (Utah) 138: Patricio Lugo (Florida), Conner Myers (Michigan) 152: Taylor Lujan (Georgia) 170: Jelani Embree (Michigan) 182: Mason Litz (Michigan) 285: Shawn Streck (Indiana) Greco-Roman: 88: Cade Olivas (California) 100: Coltan Williams (Texas) 106: Matthew Schmitt (Missouri) 126: Richard Montoya (New Mexico) 132: Clayton Arellano (New Mexico), Jaden Enriquez (California) 138: Cameron Harrell (Maryland) 152: Blake Montrie (Michigan) 160: Mitchell Owens (Washington), Nick Reenan (Texas) 182: Roberto Rivera (Georgia) 220: Michael Smith (Maryland) 285: Tate Ondorff (Washington) Freestyle: 94: Jaxon Cole (Utah), Kaden Gfeller (Oklahoma) 100: Jeremy Nygard (Washington), Jimmy Pawleski (Illinois) 106: Daton Fix (Oklahoma) 113: Jack Mueller (Texas), Dylan Udero (New Mexico), Brock Hudkins (Indiana) 120: Ethan Karsten (Missouri), C.J. Red (Indiana) 126: Nick Lee (Indiana) 132: Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma) 160: Joseph Grello (New Jersey) 170: Seth Avis (California) 182: Trevor Eicher (Washington) 195: Bailey Faust (Ohio), Emilio Fowler (Kansas), Tyler Johnson (Illinois) 220: Frank Carrasco (New Mexico), Dallas Goodpaster (Washington) Link to full brackets, results, etc.: Freestyle Greco-Roman

Tom Brands

The top Olympic-caliber wrestlers in the United States will come together to battle for spots on Team USA at the 2013 ASICS U.S. World Team Trials at Gallagher-Iba Arena on the Oklahoma State campus, June 21-23. The event will feature the top hopefuls for the 2016 Olympic Games in the Senior division, as well as future Olympic hopefuls in the FILA Junior division. The U.S. Senior World Team Trials will be hosted Friday, June 21 and Saturday, June 22, featuring athletes in the three Olympic styles of wrestling: men's freestyle, women's freestyle and Greco-Roman. Champions will qualify to represent the United States at the 2013 World Wrestling Championship in Budapest, Hungary, on Sept. 16-22. Top stars are expected to compete, including Olympic and World champion Jordan Burroughs at 74 kg/163 lbs. and Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott at 60 kg/132 lbs., both in men's freestyle. Joining Burroughs as past World champions in the field are two-time World champion Kristie Davis at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women's freestyle, plus World champions Elena Pirozhkova at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Adeline Gray at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. in women's freestyle and World champion Dremiel Byers at 120 kg/264.5 lbs. in Greco-Roman. Numerous past Olympians and World Team members will be in the field in all three styles. Scott and Davis are among the local stars in the field. Scott was an NCAA champion at Oklahoma State and trains and coaches in Stillwater. Davis won two WCWA women's college national titles for Oklahoma City Univ. 2012 Olympian Sam Hazewinkel at 55 kg/121 lbs. and 2012 Olympic Trials runner-up Andrew Howe both train at the Univ. of Oklahoma. Stars who competed for Oklahoma State include U.S. Open champion Obe Blanc at 55 kg/121 lbs. and U.S. Open runners-up Jordan Oliver at 66 kg/145.5 lbs., Clayton Foster at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Chris Pendleton at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. U.S. Open champion Brittney Roberts at 72 kg/158.5 lbs. is among the many women's entries from Oklahoma City Univ. All of the weight classes will be very competitive, but wrestling fans are especially excited about the battle at 74 kg/163 lbs. in men's freestyle. World and Olympic champion Jordan Burroughs headlines the division. Expected to compete are four-time NCAA champion Kyle Dake, U.S. Open runner-up David Taylor, Olympic Trials runner-up Andrew Howe, 2009 World Team member Trent Paulson, past U.S. Open runner-up Nick Marable and other stars. Based upon the approved World Team Trials procedures, champions from the 2013 U.S. Open in Las Vegas in men's freestyle and women's freestyle will advance directly to the best-of-three Championship Series in their weight class. None of the Greco-Roman U.S. Open champions advance to the finals series, but will receive the top seed in the Challenge Tournament. The U.S. FILA Junior World Team Trials, featuring the nation's best 17-20 year old athletes in men's freestyle and Greco-Roman, is scheduled for Sunday, June 23. Champions will qualify to represent the United States at the 2013 FILA Junior World Wrestling Championship in Sofia, Bulgaria, August 13-18. The ASICS U.S. World Team Trials has been declared an official event for Olympic Day 2013 by the U.S. Olympic Committee. Olympic Day is celebrated worldwide each year to promote the Olympic values and participation in sport across the globe, regardless of age, gender or athletic ability. USA Wrestling has invited Olympians from all sports as guests at the World Team Trials as part of the Olympic Day celebration. Oklahoma Olympians who would like to attend as special guests of the hosts should contact Krista Graff of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame by email at kgraff@nwhof.org or by phone at 405-377-5243. The local organizing committee for the event will include Oklahoma State University, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum and the Stillwater Wrestling Club. All-session tickets are still available through the Oklahoma State ticket office or at theworldteamtrials.com. General admission is $30 and reserved 200-level tickets are $50. Single session tickets will also be sold for the event. 2013 ASICS U.S. WORLD TEAM TRIALS At Stillwater, Okla. June 21-23 Event Schedule Friday, June 21 -- U.S. World Team Trials 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. – Session 1: Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Challenge Finals/Consolations and 3rd Place, Challenge Tournament Finals Men's Freestyle: 60 kg, 74 kg and 96 kg Greco-Roman: 55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg and 120 kg Women's Freestyle: 55 kg and 72 kg 6:00 -- 8:00 p.m. – Session 2: Final World Team Trials and True Second Matches Men's Freestyle: 60 kg, 74 kg and 96 kg Greco-Roman: 55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg and 120 kg Women's Freestyle: 55 kg and 72 kg Saturday, June 22 -- U.S. World Team Trials 11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. – Session 1: Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals, Challenge Finals/Consolations and 3rd Place, Challenge Tournament Finals Men's Freestyle: 55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg and 120 kg Greco-Roman: 60 kg, 74 kg and 96 kg Women's Freestyle: 48 kg and 63 kg 6:00 – 8:00 p.m. – Final World Team Trials and True Second Matches Men's Freestyle: 55 kg, 66 kg, 84 kg and 120 kg Greco-Roman: 60 kg, 74 kg and 96 kg Women's Freestyle: 48 kg and 63 kg Following the conclusion of competition – Presentation of the 2013 World Championship Teams Sunday, June 23 -- U.S. FILA Junior World Team Trials 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. – Challenge Tournament -- Preliminaries, Quarterfinals, Semifinals and Finals FILA Junior Greco-Roman: All Weights FILA Junior Freestyle: All Weights 3:00 – 5:00 p.m. -- Final Trials: Match #1, Match #2 and Match #3 (if needed) FILA Junior Greco-Roman: All Weights FILA Junior Freestyle: All Weights 2013 U.S. Open National Champions Freestyle Champions 55 kg/121 lbs. - Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC) 74 kg/163 lbs. - Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids/Nebraska RTC) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 120 kg /264.5 lbs.- Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC)* Greco-Roman Champions 55 kg/121 lbs. - Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 60 kg/132 lbs. - Joseph Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Army WCAP) 66 kg/145.5 lbs. - Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 74 kg/163 lbs.- Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 84 kg/185 lbs. - Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 96 kg/211.5 lbs. - John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 120 kg/264.5 lbs. - David Arendt Jr., Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marine Corps) Women's Freestyle Champions 48 kg/105.5 lbs. - Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 55 kg/121 lbs. - Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md. (Sunkist Kids) 63 kg/138.75 lbs. - Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Titan Mercury WC) 72 kg/158.5 lbs. - Brittany Roberts, Santa Fe, Texas (OKCU Gator Women`s RTC) *Dlagnev moves into best-of-three Championship Series after U.S. Open champion Dom Bradley withdrew from the World Team Trials.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Todd Beckerman, former Nebraska All-American, has been named the head wrestling coach at Brown University in an announcement made by Brown Director of Athletics Jack Hayes on Friday. Beckerman will head the Bears' coaching staff following eight successful seasons at the University of Maryland, where he served as the head assistant coach and recruiting coordinator. "We're excited to have Todd Beckerman lead our wrestling program," said Hayes. "Todd was an outstanding student-athlete and he has continued that success as an accomplished coach with proven credentials. He brings tremendous experience and leadership to the position as well as a clear commitment to the direction of the program." Todd Beckerman (Photo/Scott Morgan)"I'm honored and excited to become the head coach at Brown, one of the most prestigious universities in the country," said Beckerman. "I would like to thank Jack Hayes and the rest of the search committee for giving me this opportunity. I look forward to working with the student-athletes, administration, and alumni to honor Brown's legacy while building a successful, nationally recognized program." Beckerman, who has 12 years of coaching experience at the collegiate level, comes to Brown following an impressive stint at Maryland, where he helped lead the Terrapins to four ACC Championships in the last eight years, including back-to-back titles in 2011 and 2012. Individually, Maryland has produced 16 different and 26 total conference champions during Beckerman's tenure, while six ACC champions directly trained with the two-time All-American. Under Beckerman's tutelage, seven wrestlers have earned All-American honors, including a trio of multiple winners. Beckerman also coached Steven Bell to a sixth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships and an eighth-place finish at the 2010 NCAA Championships. Since 2006, 38 Maryland wrestlers were named to the All-ACC team, while two earned ACC Wrestler of the Year honors. In addition to assisting with recruiting, coaching, travel, budgeting, academic support and several other administrative and development duties, Beckerman spearheaded a social media campaign that launched the Maryland program into the national spotlight. For his social media efforts, Beckerman and Maryland won the "The Gold Standard" award by the National Wrestling Coaches Association Best of Brand Awards in 2012. Prior to his arrival at Maryland, Beckerman spent two seasons as an assistant coach at the Naval Academy. In 2004, Navy posted its best record since 1993 and had a school-record eight wrestlers record 25-win seasons. In addition to stints at Maryland and Navy, Beckerman served as a volunteer coach at Nebraska during the 2002-03 season, where he primarily coached the lower weight classes and assisted with recruiting. He began his career as an administrative assistant at Penn State in 2001-02, where he worked one-on-one with student-athletes and directed summer camps. A four-year letterwinner and two-time All-American at Nebraska, Beckerman graduated in 2001 with a B.S. in human resources and family sciences. In addition, he also earned a Master's in Education from Nebraska with an emphasis in post-secondary athletics in 2007. As a student-athlete, Beckman put together a decorated career on the mat and racked up a lofty list of accolades while wrestling for the Huskers. He earned All-American status at the 2000 and 2001 NCAA Championships and also earned Academic All-Big 12 honors in both seasons. As a senior, the team captain was named the 2000-01 Nebraska Male Athlete of the Year and the Husker Power lifter of the Year, and also competed internationally in 1999 and 2000 with the Big 12 All-Star Wrestling Team. Beckerman and his wife, Christina, have one daughter, Grace. "What They're Saying About Todd Beckerman" "I had the pleasure of coaching Todd at the University of Nebraska and he had an outstanding career there. Todd has definitely paid his dues as an assistant coach and is a true professional in every sense of the word. I am happy for both Brown University, for choosing Todd, and for the sport of wrestling. Having a young coach with his character will help not only Brown, but also our sport." Mark Cody – University of Oklahoma Head Coach "Brown University is getting a super coach, one of the best young coaches in the business. Todd has developed and prepared to put himself in this position. The student-athletes who are currently at Brown, along with future student-athletes, will be benefiting from a coach who will prepare them for life." Mark Manning – University of Nebraska Head Coach "I am really excited for Todd. This is a great opportunity. It's a bitter sweet moment for us and our program, because he does mean so much to the Maryland Wrestling Family. But, we are really excited for his opportunity and look forward to some great things from him as the head coach at Brown." Kerry McCoy – University of Maryland Head Coach "As a Brown graduate, I am very excited about the hiring of Todd Beckerman. He is a proven leader with a demonstrated history of success as a wrestler and a coach. He has mentored under some of our top coaches and is uniquely positioned to build on the rich history of Brown wrestling." Pat Tocci '93 – Director of Administration and Public Relations at the National Wrestling Coaches Association

WATERLOO, Iowa -- Five former NCAA wrestling champions, a historic wrestling family, a standout high school wrestling coach, and one of the nation’s premiere wrestling photographers highlighted a memorable evening at the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Festivities took place on Sunday, June 9 at Sunnyside Country Club in Waterloo, Iowa. The Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa was established in 2002 to honor people who have made an impact on the sport on a national level, or who have done extraordinary work in the State of Iowa. The hall recognizes native-born Iowans, and those who achieved their fame while wrestling or coaching for an Iowa school. The Hall of Fame is located inside the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. Sandy Stevens, a member of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa who has announced at every major wrestling tournament throughout the world, served as the master of ceremonies. She is also a member of the Board of Governors for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “The speeches by the honorees were some of the most heartfelt and poignant speeches I’ve ever heard at such an event,” said Stevens. “That was a feeling held by virtually everyone I talked with after the dinner. It was a memorable night for everyone involved.” Each award winner was introduced by Stevens and presented his award by Museum namesake Dan Gable. Gable, a native of Waterloo, won the 1972 Olympics without surrendering a point. He also coached the University of Iowa wrestling team to 15 NCAA titles and 21 consecutive Big Ten titles during his 21 year career. “I don’t think I’ve been to a banquet where I’ve felt that much emotion,” said Gable. “We in wrestling are now appreciating our sport more than ever. We know we need to make it better and I think we’re on the right track. “People were very appreciative at the event. That goes inside me and it makes me step up a little more. There’s more that I can do.” Wyatt Schultz received the Russ Smith Community Impact Award. The award is given to a person demonstrating exceptional local impact on wrestling within the state of Iowa. Schultz is the owner and publisher of The Predicament, a publication that covers wrestling within the state of Iowa. He is a sports photographer, covering wrestling tournaments statewide. Jason Christenson received the inaugural Bob Siddens High School Coaching Excellence Award. The award is given to an Iowa high school wrestling coach who exhibits the high standards that Bob Siddens set during his legendary coaching career. Siddens coached West Waterloo to 11 state team titles and a 327-26 dual meet record. Christenson is the head wrestling coach at Southeast Polk High School. He led his team to a 3A Iowa state team championship earlier this year. During his speech, Christenson alluded to the influence that Bob Siddens has had on his career as a coach. When Christenson began coaching he found an article from a 1985 issue of “Wrestling USA” that Bob Siddens wrote. The story included 11 principles on what makes a great wrestler. Christenson has used the article during the entirety of his 22 years of coaching -- and the article hangs proudly in the Southeast Polk wrestling room for all of his wrestlers to read. “It was surreal to be the first award winner,” said Christenson. “Even though he hasn’t been in the wrestling room, Bob Siddens has been a part of my coaching career every day. It was humbling to receive an award named in his honor.” The Huff family of Waterloo received the Family Legacy Award. Lewis and Louise Huff had four sons and one daughter, all of whom attended West Waterloo High School. Charles was a two-time state runner-up (1951-1952), Dale finished third as a senior (1954), Don was a state champion in 1956 and 1957, and Tom was a state champion in 1957, 1958, and 1959. Tom—an NCAA runner-up for the University of Iowa in 1963 and a third place finisher in 1962 -- spoke on behalf of the family. This year’s Hall of Fame induction class included Dale Brand (Cornell), Kirk Myers (Northern Iowa), Troy Steiner (Iowa), Terry Steiner (Iowa), and Heskett Iowa State. Brand was an NCAA champion for Cornell College in 1937 and a runner-up in 1936. He was also an alternate on the 1936 Olympic wrestling team that competed in Berlin, Germany. Brand was the head wrestling coach at Clarion High School from 1946 through 1976, compiling a 252-76-2 dual meet record. He coached 23 individual state champions and six runner-up teams. Dale’s most famous wrestler at Clarion was Glen Brand, 1948 Olympic champion and namesake of the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa. Dale and Glen were first cousins. Dale Brand died in 2004 at the age of 90. Myers was a three-time Division II NCAA champion for the University of Northern Iowa (1978-1980) and a three-time Division I All-American. He placed sixth at the NCAA tournament in 1979, third in 1980, and fifth 1982. Myers set the single season record for pins at Northern Iowa in 1982 at 21. He was also a state champion for Algona in 1977. Troy and Terry Steiner, identical twins who wrestled at the University of Iowa, each won an individual NCAA championship. Troy was a four-time All-American and an NCAA champion for the Hawkeyes, placing fifth, second, first, and third at the NCAA tournament (1990-1993). Terry was a three-time All-American and an NCAA champion, placing third, fifth, and first at the NCAA tournament (1991-1993). “I would like to thank the Dan Gable Museum and the selection committee for the induction” said Terry. “Wrestling is part of our lives and it has affected our entire family. It’s a great honor. The opportunity we were afforded by the University of Iowa and Dan Gable is something we are very grateful for. The passion Iowa fans bring to wrestling is second to none. We hope we can pass along the same passion and opportunity the next generation. The entire Steiner family was humbled to be part of this event.” Troy currently serves as an assistant wrestling coach at Oregon State. Terry is the U.S. National women’s head wrestling coach for USA Wrestling. Heskett was an NCAA champion and a four-time All-American (1999-2002) for Iowa State. He placed third at the NCAA tournament as a freshman, second as a sophomore and as a junior, and first as a senior. The former Cyclone compiled a 143-9 career college record with 58 pins. He also placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. Heskett is the current head wrestling coach at Army. “I want to thank the Hall of Fame for executing a first class event,” said Heskett. “It was not just a humbling honor being inducted, but having the opportunity to listen to the passionate speeches of the other inductees made for a remarkable evening. What the Hall of Fame does for our sport is a true gift and I would like to thank all of the individuals involved.” On Monday, June 10 the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum hosted the 14th annual Dan Gable Celebrity Golf Tournament. Celebrities from baseball, basketball, football, volleyball, wrestling, and television converged for a memorable day at Sunnyside Country Club for a round of golf. “I’m a little in shock about the golf tournament,” said Gable. “I was planning on speaking twice and I felt like I let some people down, but I had to put priorities in place due to a funeral. The reason I’m in shock is because I couldn’t believe the number of celebrities that were there playing in the golf tournament. I can’t get over it. Every one of the celebrities was capable of being a guest speaker at high level functions throughout the nation. Putting them together is a little overwhelming for me. “My message is we’re still going to do a better job. We’ll never settle for okay. I’ve never settled for okay at any point in my life. However, I can’t express my appreciation enough to those people involved in both events.” One of the celebrities participating in the golf tournament was former major league baseball player Casey Blake. A native of Indianola, Iowa, Blake played for the Toronto Blue Jays, Minnesota Twins, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians, and Los Angeles Dodgers during his 13 year career. “I’m a wrestling fan. I’ve said from the beginning that you can’t take wrestling out of the Olympics,” said Blake. “They deserve to be in there more so than baseball, softball, and squash.”

Fight Now TV Presents Takedown Wrestling in the Brute studios. Takedown Wrestling is proudly presented by Kemin, Inspired Molecular Solutions! This Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio from 9 to 11 a.m. CT/ 10 a.m. to noon ET. Join Scott Casber, Kurt Backes, Steve Foster, Terry Cook, our own Jeff Murphy and Brad Johnson live from Des Moines, Iowa. This week's guests: 9:03 JohnMark Bentley, Appalachian State head wrestling coach 9:20 Brooks Reynolds, Blue Ribbon Bacon Festival CEO/Founder 9:40 Alex Clemson, Virginia assistant head wrestling coach 9:50 Tyler Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 10:00 Jeff Buxton, Lehigh Valley Wrestling Club coach 10:20 Tom Brands, Iowa head wrestling coach 10:40 Jim Heffernan, Illinois head wrestling coach 10:50 Peg Johnson, Wildrose Casino and Resort Fans, athletes, coaches: This is your sport. Join in the conversation live. Ask questions. Call 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app. (Click on KXNO under Sportsradio.)

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. Because much of the Friday Mailbag is dedicated to discussing how wrestling can progress from the provincial to the profitable, I think it's best to lead with some upbeat news. The World Team Trials are next weekend, and for the first time in the event's history, there is a top-of-the-line promotional advertisement that encourages fans to attend the event, or at least care about the outcome. Geoffrey Riccio (RiccioProductions.com) has spent the last few years making highlight videos for wrestling, and though all are good, this one captures the drama of the event at a time when wrestling needs above-the-norm production value. What Riccio does that few others have is utilize HD video and graphics to package Olympic and world medalist into a 90-second video. Watchable, shareable, loveable. Riccio also understands his audience and puts the top freestylers in the world alongside images of Kyle Dake, David Taylor and Logan Stieber -- all three being assured to increase the imprint of the video. Though an imperfect weekend based on the distant geographic location, USA Wrestling should be commended for the expert marketing employed here. If there is a critique it's that the video wasn't out a month sooner, but in times of transition lag time for change can be greater than normal. I'm thrilled with this video and hopeful that as USA Wrestling, NWCA and the wrestling community at-large sees the positive response to this type of marketing we will also realize that to survive our sport needs better presentation and marketing. Wrestling needs to make fans our top priority and to honor their needs we need to recommit ourselves to growth and constantly asking for and accepting bold new ideas. Congrats to Geoffrey. I love this video and what its release could signify for the direction of the sport. Q: Why are the World Team Trials being held in Stillwater? Yes I know they have lots of fans and will fill the place, but it does absolutely nothing to promote wrestling on a big time stage. The Midwest is dead. When will the powers at be realize you can't be in small media markets for major events? The Super Bowl isn't held in Stillwater for a reason. NYC, Philadelphia, or another huge East Coast city is where it should be held. Heck, have it in Bristol on ESPN's campus, maybe it would get on TV, especially this year of all years. So frustrated with the sport. -- Tim J. Foley: Hey! I live in Chicago and we happen to have plenty going on right now! #GoHAWKS. You're right that Stillwater could be considered an underwhelming selection for a host city. Not to knock Oklahoma, but we can't keep having our sport's biggest events in the middle of wide-open prairies, or distant desert outpost built by gangsters in the pursuit of sin. (NOTE: This terribly composed sentence was not intended to knock on the hard work of those in Stillwater or to doubt the attendance or popularity of this weekend's event. It was a poor attempt at sarcastic humor (with a slight towards Vegas as well), written in a lazy manner that was deserving of backlash and critique. The larger point I was trying to make, but at which I failed miserably, was that I think going forward we need to ensure that our events occur closer to population centers where there is more national media and solid attendance. My apologies. I missed badly on this one and promise to do better the next time around. -- Tim) Wrestling needs to improve our selection of tournament locations. However, even if USA Wrestling had wanted a venue change after the Olympic decision, it would have been impossible given the timeframe and existing contracts with vendors in Stillwater. Moving forward you have to trust USA Wrestling (I'd still cut the cards) will start to seek out areas with higher population densities. There is some indication that progress is underway. The NWCA All-Star Classic, which for several years was held in front of small crowds in California and Arizona, made an enormous splash this season in Washington DC. Building off that momentum the NWCA is again hosting the event in Washington DC and this time hosting the event in George Mason's Patriot Center, a venue that can hold close to 10k people. The NWCA could set the example for USA Wrestling to follow. Put your events in well-lit, well-traveled areas and there is a better chance that people will attend. Invest in marketing, trust your product and you'll be surprised with the outcome. Q: I have heard of beach wrestling before but never knew it was a FILA-approved international sport. I think beach wrestling would make a great Olympic event for the sport of wrestling. It has simple rules, shorter matches, and is probably way more entertaining and interesting to non-wrestlers then a Greco-Roman match. I was wondering what your thoughts were on the future of beach wrestling, and the possible inclusion of it in the Olympics? (God willing there is Olympic wrestling.) -- Jake M. Foley: Anything is possible, including the addition of beach wrestling as an Olympic sport at some point in the future. The discipline will need time to grow and mature into a sport that several countries take seriously. Right now the wrestlers that are interested in traveling for events and training are doing so for the prize money and sponsorships in freestyle and Greco-Roman. To grow, beach wrestling will need to create larger incentives for athletes and become more marketable than its competitors. That, and it would need a strong advocate within the FILA Bureau. As we know, the shortcoming with FILA's revamped Olympic proposal is that it remains the only sport out of alignment with the IOC's demands for gender inequality. Traditional African wrestling, the continental cousin of beach wrestling, gives us good insight into the universality of the form and its potential marketability worldwide. Beach wrestling, or some variation thereof, could become the female answer to Greco-Roman, especially since the IOC would grant more medal latitude for a sport that allowed high numbers of female participation. Action from Batumi Beach Wrestling World ChampionshipsFemale beach wrestling does sniff of sexual opportunism, but understand that by creating this as a dual individual/team event FILA would not only start to level their numbers (16 countries with five Olympians per team is 80 athletes for 3 team medals and 15 individual), but also provide real opportunities to the world's least fortunate. For example, the women on Vietnam, Chad and Bolivia would be on the same starting sands as women from America, Brazil and Russia. In some of these countries, their traditional styles might even give them the opportunity to bring home much-coveted team medals. Beach wrestling might have a very bright future if the FILA Bureau members can see that this is a marketable and gender-equitable solution to their current IOC problem. Q: My question to you is, what official obstacles will I run into putting rash guards and singlets on youth and middle school wrestlers? Would the officials NOT let them wrestle? Will it take just one team moving forward for this to start grassroots style? As a progressive coach willing to push the envelope, what can be done to get this started? -- Brad A. Foley: Cost and fit. The parents probably won't mind that their 9-year-old isn't wearing a single piece of shiny spandex in front of a few hundred strangers, but you'll need to find a short that is sturdy, fits well, doesn't cause much snagging, and can be recycled year-to-year. There are a number of ways to change rules, but I'd start with empirical evidence to counter those who truly believe Jacob wrestled the Angel in a singlet. The singlet is NOT THE TRADITIONAL OUTFIT OF WRESTLING, and by starting with evidence that combats the power-half of nostalgia you can open up some minds to change. Overall, I'd recommend you approach this like you would any proposal. Acknowledge the arguments against the rash guard and shorts combo then dismiss them point-by-point. Next, create and present a list of problems with singlets (lower participations rates, lack of marketability, etc.) and show how the "modest, cost-efficient and technically superior" rash guards and fight shorts have short-term and long-term benefits. Now you start to win your audience. The atom-bomb approach would be to encourage and support your youth wrestlers who don't want to wear the singlets to simply refuse. Such insubordination might move your case into the school board where you would find a much friendlier set of bureaucrats who could see past the traditionalism and note that not every 7-13 year-old boy and girl MIGHT not feel cozy in a single sheet of spandex. The singlet is dead. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Senegalese Wrestling has been making a stir in the popular media this week. Check out the trailer for this documentary on the style. Q: You still don't think that Rafael Nadal would make a great wrestler? Did you see his match today? Since your previous answer was basically "no, because he grew up in Spain," what if Nadal's parents had moved to Pennsylvania (or Moscow) when he was 2 years old? If not Nadal, what non-combat sport athlete do you think would be a better candidate for Olympic gold under the "what if his/her parents had moved to PA/Moscow when he/she was two years old?" -- Ronald M. Foley: You love tennis. I can admit that you have a point -- the great athletes in one sport, given the time and coaching at an early age, would have been equally as talented in another sport. That's an argument for innate athleticism and mental outlook as the main drivers for any athlete's success. I can buy that. However, I think there is some variance within that model. My uncle was a national champion tennis player in college and at one point was the top-ranked amateur player in the world. He played his whole life, went to Bollettieri's Academy and as mentioned won championships at every level. After dropping the sport and starting a family he did what most men in their late 30s do and picked up the 9-iron. Boom. Guy is a savant, and after a few years was close to being eligible for qualification to play in the U.S. Open. Does that mean he could've also been a good wrestler? Maybe, but maybe not. From up close what I can tell you about my uncle is that he's able to maintain hyper-focus without rattling or questioning his position. He plays forward, never with regret or shame for where his ball now lies. This is a skill that makes him awesome under long durations of self-applied pressure -- situations that occur all the time on the tennis courts and on the golf course. Golfers are balancing the technique of their swing against the consequence of a poor performance on every hole. My uncle, and the great tennis and golf players, don't focus on the negative or dwell on past letdowns. Nadal does this as well. He is more confident and more sure than most of his opponents. He plays going forward. He has a certainty to every motion he makes, which is similar to pre-cheating scandal Tiger Woods. He makes the remarkable happen because to him it's not remarkable, just the course of the game. Wrestling is a sport that requires a wholly different set of emotional and mental skills. Good wrestlers are long-term focused, but short-term insecure. Don't believe me? Look at the language used in almost every popular wrestling trope. Wrestlers thrive off insecurity. We need to feel like we are the underdog, the one with something about to be taken. We measure all of our actions in terms of emotional aesthetics and breaking our opponents. Ours is a direct measure of will against the strength and balance of an opponent, not simply the execution of a game plan or technique. Wrestling requires that its athletes have a driving insecurity that leads them onto the mat to prove something. Wrestling's definition is that of a struggle, and that is indicative not just of what happens on the mat, but in the emotional characteristics of its participants. Nadal would've been a great wrestler for many reasons, but I don't think the tennis outlook is directly applicable to the wrestler's mindset, and that the difference between the two would limit Nadal's success on the mat. Q: I am a high school coach, and you and others have been talking about getting rid of the singlet, which I do think would help get some kids initially interested in the sport. However, another piece of wrestling equipment that I think is an even bigger problem is the headgear. Of my 35 to 40 kids, I might have 3-4 wear it during practice (and it's just because their ears are banged up). Since most kids don't wear it unless they are required, and it slows matches down with it coming off and sometimes even becomes potentially harmful when it gets around the eyes or throat, do you think there is a chance we could ever get rid of the required wearing of headgear during matches, and make it optional ? Sorta like the freestyle guys. If so, who do we contact? -- Mike C. Foley: I'd contact your most trusted deity, because only the act of a god could get the American parent to back down from preventing a perceived health risk in high school athletics (with the exception of safety in football, where is makes perfect sense to allow your child to throw themselves headlong into each other at a full sprint, thereby turning their delicate, developing minds into gray mush). There is NO CHANCE that a Snowplow Parent is allowing their child to develop cauliflower ear. How would that affect their college applications? Potential careers? Oy, the more I think about it, this has less than a zero-percent chance to work. There is literally a better chance of Tim Tebow leading the New England Patriots to an undefeated season, than there is a chance that parents would allow their kids to compete without a headgear. I like your outlook, and appreciate that you've joined the movement to change, but let's focus on the singlets first and choose our battles carefully! RANT OF THE WEEK! (Note: Not really a RANT) Q: Your 'tag-tucking' story is fascinating. Troy Letters did it throughout Lehigh and though I don't know if he did in in high school I always just kinda thought it was HIS "thing!" In his last season at Lehigh, Troy wrestled-off against Mike Galante in the finals of the team's wrestle-offs. At the start of the second period, Troy chose down, and Mike tucked Troy's tag in on one of the re-starts. Troy spun around, furious that HIS move had been used against him. A moment later he reversed Galante and threw him around the mat a bit for the dominant W. -- Mike

Logan Storley

If you've followed MMA news for the last couple of months, you might've forgotten about UFC 161, with the main two feature bouts getting scratched because of injuries. On the flip side, if you've seen commercials for this weekend's pay per view, be warned that Shogun vs. Nogueira and Barao vs. Wineland aren't happening. With that confusion cleared up, Richard and John break down the UFC 161 main card and debate whether Bellator can really afford the move to Friday nights. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

Over the last few days, the outcry of the wrestling public over FILA's newly published rules for Olympic wrestling has been intense. FILA has promulgated rules which include seven-point tech falls, and throw rules where matches end by a single five-point throw, or two three-point throws (so long as the wrestler is winning after the move). These rules diverge a bit from those agreed upon at the recent FILA congress, and wrestling fans feel a bit betrayed. Some feel that FILA has taken a step back after many steps forward. I'd rather look at it as a shirt with another wrinkle left to iron. Progress is being made, but invariably we will encounter some difficulties. One can be happy about two things. First the rules as they stand now are still better than the old rules, and second, those responsible for creating these rules are making overtures towards transparency, something heretofore unprecedented among the higher ups at FILA. While the seven-point tech fall does bother people, I think the majority of the issue is taken up by the throw rules. The idea that a single well-executed throw can end a match is a concept native to judo. At wrestling's most fundamental center lies the idea that the ultimate end of a match is the pinning of a competitor's back to the mat. While rewarding what are now referred to as "grand amplitude" throws (rather than "high amplitude," though I think the qualifier "grand" is an old term in the sport that has been resurrected) with instant victory may incentivize more aesthetically pleasing throws, it takes us farther away from the idea of the match-ending pin. I should also note that the introduction of the throw rules skew noticeably in favor of Greco-Roman, which may need to resort to radical measures, such as these throw rules, to increase its appeal to viewers on the Olympic level. I'm sure the throw rules were introduced with visions of poster worthy throws dancing in the heads of the authors. This is a clear attempt to use the rules to engineer excitement in the sport. The problem is that freestyle, even under the previous rules, wasn't really in need of excitement. Its rules just needed to be streamlined. Greco is the sport which suffers from rampant inaction and a dearth of scoring. I have to imagine that the throw rules were included almost exclusively to benefit Greco. Previously I alluded to the gesture of transparency which accompanied the publication of the rules. FILA vice president and former World champion Stan Dziedzic produced a document on Facebook defending each of the rule changes item by item. We should be encouraged by this, this shows that FILA takes seriously the need for openness and accountability. That said, Mr. Dziedzic's attempt at clearing the air ironically generates its own murk. I notice three issues in the document which could use additional explanation. First Mr. Dziedzic's discussion of the HERACLES system ...Some of the suggested changes, unfortunately, required too much time to reprogram the HERACLES system and possibly would require previously signed venue contracts to be renegotiated. Therefore, because of these logistical problems, it was agreed to table these changes for further discussion at a later date. I am a simple fan. I don't know what the HERACLES system is. I assume it is some sort of scoring software. This makes me wonder, why would changes in software constitute material enough changes to necessitate the renegotiation of venue contracts? Furthermore, I really believe that Mr. Dziedzic ought to have taken this opportunity to explain exactly which suggested rule changes had to be tabled.Allow me to make it clear; none of the suggestions is either Mikhail Mamashvili's or mine. Instead, they are the collective views of spectators, media; AND MOST SIGNIFICANTLY, some of the BEST WRESTLERS and COACHES in the WORLD -- past and present. I never suspected that Mr. Mamashvili exerted any undue influence over these rule changes, that is, until this denial of his undue influence was issued in Mr. Dziedzic's statement. This passage raises the additional process question. We have input in the form of opinions from a world's worth of great coaches and athletes, and we have the output in the form of these new rules; what methodology was put into place to change the input into output? One would like to know the answers to several questions. How were the opinions collected? How were they tabulated? Was the same weight given to each opinion? Stan Dziedzic (Photo/Larry Slater)Simply stating that the opinion of many others was involved in a decision without explaining how does not provide transparency, it actually fosters opacity. My last issue with Mr. Dziedzic's statement has to do with an omission rather than an assertion. Nowhere in the document does he address the most radical and controversial aspect of the new rules -- the throw rules. The problem with publicly defending one's actions lies with the fact that the entirety of the actions must be defended; picking and choosing undermines the rest of the defense. I like the fact that FILA is trying to explain itself. I am optimistic that the substance of these explanations will improve in the future.

Zeke Jones

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- Illinois and Pennsylvania were double finalists at this past week's USA Wrestling Schoolboy Duals held at Warren Central High School in Indianapolis, Ind. The Keystone State squad struck first with a 39-36 victory over Illinois in the Greco-Roman final, as Pennsylvania used pins from Josiah Jones (190), Cole Rickert (210), and Brendan Furman (265) to rally back from a twelve point deficit with three matches to go and secure the victory. Team Illinois avenged the Greco-Roman defeat with a 41-34 victory in freestyle. Six consecutive middleweight victories for the squad from the Land of Lincoln reversed a 16-4 deficit into a 25-16 lead. The advantage would hold through the last six matches, which the teams split three apiece. Victories in that winning streak came from Jason Renteria (105), Jake Polka (112), Blaize Punke (120), Jaime Hernandez (128), Trevell Timmons (136), and Jack Jessen (144). Undefeated records (at least six contested matches in the given style): Both Styles: 70: Jace Koelzer (Kansas) 77: Mark Heinselman (Colorado), Connor Keivman (Pennsylvania) 84: Mason Phillips (Washington), Van Schmidt (Georgia) 98: Andrew Merola (New Jersey) 105: Kyran Hagan (Missouri) 120: Anthony Artalona (Florida), Brock Hardy (Utah), Owen Brown (Georgia) 128: Payton Scott (Oklahoma) 136: Jermain Herring (Oklahoma), Max Wohlabaugh (Florida), Braedon Orrino (Washington) 144: Eric Byelick (Flordia), Jack Jessen (Illinois) 160: Brandon Whitman (Michigan) 175: Bryce Baumgartner (Indiana) 190: Josiah Jones (Pennsylvania) Greco-Roman: 70: Kurt McHenry (Virginia) 77: Manny Drexler (Wisconsin) 84: Job Greenwood (Colorado), Parker Huss (Minnesota) 91: Nathan Lendt (Iowa) 98: Peyton Robb (Minnesota) 105: Ryan Hansen (Utah), Joe Lee (Indiana) 112: Alec Hagan (Missouri), Justin Ruffin (Georgia) 120: McCoy Tekautz (Minnesota) 128: Jimmy Deitz (Arizona) 144: Matt Ceparano (North Carolina) 152: Mackoy Turpen (Idaho), Sangobunmi Smith (Georgia) 160: Alex Peplinski (Wisconsin) 175: Jacob Warner (Illinois), Brandon Closson (Utah) 190: Jacob Ruboy (New Jersey) 210: Matt Naig (Iowa), Tage McNutt (Missouri) Freestyle: 70: Max Crowe (Minnesota) 77: Cody Phippen (Kansas) 84: Matt Parker (Pennsylvania) 91: Tony Madrigal (Illinois) 98: Jacori Teemer (New York) 112: Beau Bratcher (Oklahoma), Chase Hauck (Pennsylvania) 120: Hayden Krein (Wisconsin), Anthony Scantlin (Kansas) 128: David Carr (Ohio), Braeden Redlin (Texas), Jaime Hernandez (Illinois) 136: Ryan Angeloni (Texas) 144: Bo McIntosh (Ohio), Kameron Bush (Michigan) 152: Nathan Walton (Indiana), Blake Berrick (Pennsylvania) 160: Andrew Davison (Indiana) 210: Brady Shepherd (Indiana) Placement Match Results, Greco-Roman: Championship: Pennsylvania Blue over Illinois, 39-36 Third: Wisconsin Red over Washington, 47-26 Fifth: Minnesota 1 over Indiana Gold, 40-39 Seventh: Kansas Gold over Ohio, 45-34 Consolation Final (Ninth): New Jersey over Iowa, 54-20 Placement Match Results, Freestyle: Championship: Illinois over Pennsylvania Blue, 41-34 Third: Oklahoma Red over Kansas Gold, 44-35 Fifth: Minnesota 1 over Iowa, 55-23 Seventh: New Jersey over Utah, 56-23 Consolation Final (Ninth): Indiana Gold over Wisconsin Red, 41-36 Full information, brackets, results: Greco-Roman Freestyle

Bismarck, N.D. -- University of Mary Athletic Director Roger Thomas today announced the hiring of Adam Aho as head wrestling coach. Aho joins U-Mary after serving as an assistant at Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Mavericks finished eighth in 2012-13 at the NCAA Division II National Championship. Adam Aho"Adam Aho is an exciting young coach who we believe will build on the recent strides we have taken with our wrestling program. A major part of winning programs while wrestling in high school and college, Adam has spent the past two years coaching at one of the top programs in the nation. We look forward to Adam bringing all of those successes with him as he takes over the Marauders wrestling program," stated Thomas. Adam Aho Aho is equally excited to have a chance to be a part of U-Mary athletics, explaining that, "The sincere hospitality and the commitment to excellence from all of the athletic staff made the decision extremely easy for me to accept the position. I feel that the University of Mary is the perfect fit for me." Optimistic for the future of Marauders athletics, Aho added, "Roger Thomas is a great leader and has a clear vision for the future of U-Mary athletics." Aho joins the U-Mary staff after serving the past two seasons at Minnesota State University. While at Minnesota State Aho worked with hall of fame coaches Jim Makovsky (head coach) and Mike Niemczyk (assistant). During his tenure at MSU, Aho coached four All-Americans and six all-conference wrestlers. The Mavericks were ranked as high as eighth in the country in 2012-13. As a student-athlete Aho was a four-year starter at North Dakota State University. Graduating in 2009, Aho served as a team captain his senior season. During his prep career at Frazee High School, Aho placed three times at the Minnesota Class A State Tournament including a state championship in 2004. Aho replaces Ben Berogan, who resigned the Marauders wrestling head coaching position earlier this spring due to career opportunities for his family in another city. After joining U-Mary as an assistant wrestling coach in 2003, Berogan became the Marauders interim head coach in January 2007 and the full-time head coach in 2008. Berogan coached all three Marauders NCAA All-Americans (Jesse Laber in 2008 and Taylor Nagel and Trevor Johnson in 2012) and led U-Mary to 19th place at the 2012 national championships. The Marauders also were named the nation�s top academic wrestling team in 2012 and have finished in the top seven the past three years. U-Mary received votes in the national poll much of the 2012-13 season and returns All-American Trevor Johnson. Aho is confident the program is on the right track. "I believe 100 percent that I can be successful and elevate the wrestling program to become contenders in the Northern Sun and be nationally competitive in the next few years. It has been my lifelong goal and dream to become a head wrestling coach at the college level. I am driven and determined to make the best of this opportunity," said Aho. Aho has already assumed full responsibilities of the wrestling program and is in the process of moving to the Bismarck area, where he will live with his wife LaBreena and 11-month old son Brayden.

Fight Now TV Presents Takedown Wrestling in the Brute studios. Takedown Wrestling is proudly presented by Kemin, Inspired Molecular Solutions! This Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio from 9 to 11 a.m. CT/ 10 a.m. to noon ET. Join Scott Casber, Kurt Backes, Steve Foster, Terry Cook, our own Jeff Murphy and Brad Johnson live from Des Moines, Iowa. This week's guests: 9:03 Henry Wiles, AMA pro flat track star and former wrestler 9:20 Carl Perry, Fellowship of Christian Athletes 9:40 Andre Antoine, BTS New York/ Kent State 9:50 Tyler Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 10:00 Doug Dake, Kent State alum & father of Kyle Dake 10:20 Matt Moos, BTS Toledo & Brian Murphy, Toledo Public Schools 10:40 Teague Moore, American head wrestling coach 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort, Emmetsburg, Iowa Fans, athletes, coaches: This is your sport. Join in the conversation live. Ask questions. Call 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app. (Click on KXNO under Sportsradio.)

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. This week's mailbag is massive, so I'll keep the proselytizing brief ... In an effort to create a wider base of support for the Olympic bid and to substantiate the sport's worldwide popularity, FILA is making a push for increased participation with their social media. Part of their outreach is to use my #WrestlingIsEverywhere as a drive of the campaign by collecting unique, engaging and heartfelt photos from around the world that tell the story of wrestling. FILA sees this user-generated series of photos as a robust social media successor to the popular and effective #SaveOlympicWrestling and #KeepOlympicWrestling campaigns that helped wrestling make it through St. Petersburg. With the long summer and a weariness of the general public to our message of quasi-desperation the tenor of the campaign needs to become more inclusive, upbeat and engaging. You can be part of the movement. In addition to liking the Facebook page and sharing the content with your friends, you can also submit your best wrestling photos to WrestlingIsEverywhere@gmail.com. The photos will then be used on the FILA Facebook page and distributed on Twitter. Check out the first 90 days worth of photos on my website WrestlingIsEverywhere.com and the first four official photos of the Facebook at FILA Official. Details of what to submit can also be found on my website. The #WrestlingIsEverywhere campaign is intended to capture the attention of the IOC voters, so remember that while photos of high-amplitude throws and Jordan Burroughs' double legs will be used, the campaign also needs photos that speak to the universality of the sport. We need photos that display humor, compassion, and inclusion. We want to inform and inspire. We want to show the IOC in one image what it would take 1,000 words to tell otherwise. Your photos don't have to be perfect. They just have to be yours. Choose to participate and we WILL create the type of organic social media campaign that can effect change and help influence the decision of IOC voters around the world. If the warm and fuzzy appeal of photography doesn't get you amped up to win the fight, here's empirical evidence that wrestling is in last place heading into the Sept. 8 meeting. Our goal should be to have 100k LIKES by Aug. 1. FACEBOOK: Squash2020: 42,291 PlayBall2020: 17,057 FILA: 11,540 #WrestlingIsEverywhere To your questions ... Q: There are two kids that have transferred from ODU in the last two months or so. What is going on down there? It seems that Coach Martin is doing great things at ODU. What are your thoughts or do you have inside information? -- Nick Foley: That number is now three. Justin LaValle (North Dakota State), Rob Deutsch (Rider) and John Nicholson (Iowa State) all left this season due to individual concerns. I don't like to speculate on why each left, but you're correct to wonder about the stability of the program. Retention is vital to medium-size programs with average support. Coach Martin is a proven winner, but his program has seen a small slide over the the past few seasons both on the mat and in anecdotes like the number of wrestlers leaving the program. Think of transferring like immigration. You might have your qualms with America (What the hell?!), but balancing how many people are trying to get in, versus how many are trying to flee is a good barometer. America is on the right side of that balance, ODU right now is not. As a Virginian, I pull for Old Dominion. As a journalist who will eventually have to answer the emails of alumnus Jason Bryant should something be misstated I'll leave it with you whether or not this is all cause for concern. My only advice is that if you're an alum of ODU, or even a fan of the Monarch program, now would be an exceptional time to show some financial support, and create some outreach among your community. Q: Nenad Lalovic seems to getting a lot of positive praise lately for spearheading FILA's much needed change. Does he deserve the credit he's getting or is he just in the right place at the right time making the obvious moves? -- Jeff N. Foley: Oof. I wrote a piece about Lalovic last month in which another FILA bureau member stated that it's too early to tell if he's the right guy. Essentially the response has been that he IS the guy, so we need to back our horse. All leaders have deficiencies (You've got to be kidding me?!) and Lalovic is not different. He's the son of a diplomat and successful businessman who so far has chosen the right time to say something in public and the right time to keep quiet. That's a lesson I wish I knew better. Lalovic will only be the savior of wrestling if he keeps the tent open for more participation and transparency. Already FILA is 100,000 times more transparent that FILA under Roi fainéant Raphie Martinetti. There are big actions in place that should they keep grinding correctly will change the face of the sport. However, FILA, and that means Lalovic, will be judged on their ability to stick to current reforms and expand opportunities for those outside the power three (USA, Russia, Iran). The IOC showed us that to be in their Olympics we need to play by their set of rules. Lalovic is making all the right moves in public, and should that continue of the next 91 days and wrestling earns reinstatement he will deserve much of the credit. Lalovic won't be alone in fathering this Olympic wrestling comeback story. Just on the American side there are a dozen individuals whose effort in this process has meant substantial and vital results. I won't name names because I don't want to leave off anyone whose played a key role, but there are plenty of men and women who are in a position to claim a piece of the success should wrestling be chosen by the IOC in Buenos Aires. The money, the labor, the intelligence and the overall collection of talent that has been assembled is remarkable. However, if wrestling is eliminated from Olympic contention it'll be Lalovic alone who suffers the brunt of the criticism. And it's because he chose in February to lead a movement that at the time had little hope of victory, that I'm happy to defer all public praise in his direction. Lalovic put himself in the crosshairs and that takes the type of courage we as wrestlers should all notice and respect. Q: I thought this might give you some ammo to write something comical for your mailbag in the midst of all the serious questions regarding money, the Olympics, and rule changes. What was the worst beating you took in college? For me two come to mind -- a non-competitive 7-1 thrashing by Travis Doto and a 16-4 thrashing that was borderline criminal by T.J. Williams. Doto took me down relatively quickly then proceeded to power half me without turning me. For what seemed like an eternity. Six minutes or so of power half time. And T.J. double legged me infinity times! Maybe only eight, but who is really counting? -- Scott G. Yoshi NakamuraFoley: Yoshi Nakamura from Penn teched me at the 2002 NCAA tournament in Albany. Whipped me silly. He wasn't just hitting takedowns, he managed to twice land five-point moves that were caught on film and later distributed on the NCAA highlight film. If you go back and watch the film you can see spindly legged me getting double overhook tossed twice and both times the referee was considerate enough to be out of the camera shot. The most comical part of being tossed around by the black belt judoka and two-time All-American was that every time he returned to top he tucked in the tag on the back of my singlet. I felt him do it, and thought to myself AS WE WERE WRESTLING, "Why did he tuck in my tag? Why? Seriously ... why?" Then he'd toss me on my head again and scramble my thoughts back to survival. Yoshi Nakamura. Guy laid a beating on me. Q: Thoughts on Spencer Lee announcing move from Saegertown High School (Saegertown, Pa.) to Franklin Regional? Seems a legit reason as his father took a job from the Saegertown area to Carnegie Mellon University. -- Ryan P. Foley: Sounds like you answered your own question! If my father took a job and moved the family, I'd also attend the high school in the area. Q: I think we need another event late this summer for freestyle wrestling to show its popularity and universality. It's great to rent out a Grand Central Terminal, but we need to sell out an arena. Pick a Midwest city (Chicago, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, etc.) and have an event where you can sell out an arena in a wrestling area. I think the event should be a four-team or eight-team event that shows off the global reach of wrestling. So many Olympic sports are dominated by one or two countries. It's a rare quality wrestling needs to show off. Have teams from all reaches (Mongolia, Georgia, Columbia, Egypt, Azerbaijan, India, Lithuania, etc.) I know this is a vague description, but I would like to see more stuff like this happen anyway. Soccer "friendlies" happen all the time. USA Wrestling should be a leader in bringing "friendlies" to prominence. -- Tom B. Foley: Excellent idea. We need another high profile event leading into the final month of the campaign to ensure that the IOC voters understand the universality of the sport, and its ability to bridge cultural gaps. My only critique is that we should do it outside the United States. Though we are the media capital of the planet, it might make more sense to move away from the American-centric approach to the sport, and towards something with more of a worldly component. Wrestling at the Giza Pyramids or under the Eiffel Tower might not mean much in terms of immediate viewership, but when reported it doesn't need a heavy coat of wax to shine the way we want. We could even go a step further and host an event in a place even more remote. I'd vote Mongolia or Tajikistan, but those might be too out of the way. I'm ready to hear some big ideas so please feel free to submit ideas to my email. Remember, #WrestlingIsEverywhere not just in the United States. Q: With everyone tired and bored with Greco-Roman at the world level (especially in the USA), is there a chance the two styles could ever be freestyle and folkstyle? -- Mike C. Foley: We very well could adapt a new style, and that style might be traditional or folkstyle, but it won't be American. Though there are big differences between freestyle and American folkstyle, the differences are nearly wide enough to generate worldwide interest. We like our scholastic style because it embodies a lot about what we like in America. Our wrestling style demands toughness, aggression and sacrifice over technique. We like action, but feel the need for fair results. Worldwide attitudes are much different and their traditional styles tell that story. My guess would be that beach wrestling, largely derived from traditional African wrestling would be the next style of wrestling to see in the Olympics. Takedowns are clear and easy to dictate, the action is bigger in the sand, and there is much more room for the marketability of the sport to the general sports audience who might not know how to score a leg lace but could tell you when someone earns a takedown in the sand. So, no, American folkstyle wrestling will never see the Olympics. I love it, and you love it, but for now we'll keep it American. Q: Regarding board shorts and rash guards, I have to disagree. Can you imagine Nico Megaludis trying to drop into the splits in the NCAA finals and getting caught up by his shorts, or Ben Askren's funk being stopped by his shorts? I think the shorts would limit the ability of funky and flexible wrestlers in a way that may affect the outcome of matches, which is basically the main thing you do not want in a uniform. Additionally, I'm not sure the wrestling community wants a change in uniform. Remember in 2007 when someone tried to popularize shorts/T-shirt (see video)? It faded pretty quickly. -- DB Foley: Your video shows the DoubleSport brand that was pushed in the middle of last decade. As you mentioned the changes advocated by many would be shorts and a rash guard, which have been improved over the past several years. As for the flexibility and funk argument, I think you're incorrect in assuming that fabric would hamper the flexibility. World-class grapplers who rely almost solely on their flexibility to create submission attacks have adopted this outfit as their uniform. Additionally, wrestlers wear these outfits EVERY DAY in the practice room. The only time American collegiate wrestlers don't wear shorts and a T-shirt is during competition, when suddenly we put on a tight, overly revealing piece of shiny spandex. It's totally odd once you think about it. We don't feel comfortable wearing only a singlet during practice, but suddenly in front of 17k people we are forced to wear them? Better uniforms mean more participation which means more fans, more dollars and more exposure. The singlet is dead. Lets parlay that highlight reel into a halftime dedicated to the marketing brilliance of BJJ and the Gracie Family ... MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Who could argue that this is the type of highlight and hype that wrestling needs ... I want this for next year! Always enjoy watching how the other guys are promoting their product ... For equal rights ... Q: Who would win in a NCAA finals match: Jordan Oliver from 2013 or Brent Metcalf from 2010? -- Nick T. Foley: Metcalf, 3-1, with a takedown at the end of the third. Q: The new freestyle rule changes seem like an improvement to the sport, with the exception of the passivity rule. It seems complicated, making it difficult for the casual fan to understand. Plus, it seems that the best strategy for the non-passive wrestler would be to be defensive, not take risks, during the 30 seconds and get his penalty point. Why not just give the point if a wrestler is passive. Signal it, award it, keep wrestling. Simple and easy to understand. -- Clay C. Foley: The 30-second clock has been working to create more offense from the wrestler who has been warned for stalling. Like a reverse power play, the defensive wrestler has to be weary not to lose his advantage and can't risk nullifying the point by being pushed out of the circle. That creates an odd mentality where he or she has to continue interacting, even as one wrestler is more incentivized to score. Wrestling rules aren't often brilliant, but my guess is that most fans won't even know that there is a 30 second clock for the stall point which means they'll just see more action. Assume that no action takes place, then the match is stopped and the aggressive wrestler earns the point -- exactly what you wanted in the first place. I heart this rule change. Q: It seems you have recently amped up your displeasure with the Greco-Roman style. Is this style outdated? Or are their improvements that can be made to make this entertaining and viable? -- NGM Foley: "Outdated" is an interesting way to state the issues within Greco-Roman. I'll answer your question with a question: What simple solutions can be enacted in Greco to overcome the inaction? I'm optimistic, but the style has fallen behind freestlye both because of the boredom, and lack of gender equality. RANT OF THE WEEK! Q: Now that we've made the "Final Four" in Olympic inclusion (I count baseball/softball as two and along with squash and wrestling) the wrestling community may need to use a different tactic for the final vote in September. With that said, two arguments I haven't quite heard yet are as follows. First off, and this is the biased one, is the fact I've heard no "top of the sport" individual for baseball -- which I'll assume will get included as a package with softball -- come out publicly to support its inclusion. The major players of wrestling -- and you only have so many hours in the evening to read all their names so I won't print them -- have all either met in a public forum or gone out of their way to publicly plead the case for wrestling. Where's Albert Pujols? Ryan Braun? Justin Verlander? Derek Jeter? Not a word about it and I haven't seen anyone from the media ever inquire/ask about such a topic to any Major League baseball player. That alone should clarify the support, or lack thereof, of the influential individuals amongst the leaders of the sport. Secondly -- and I'd like to think this may be the "clinch" argument (if I may use a wrestling term for it) to get it in -- the sport of wrestling embodies what Pierre de Coubertin was describing when he brought back the Olympics in 1896. De Coubertin envisioned Olympics as promoting peace in a very volatile world at the time. (No one in over a 1000 years had seen a war that was about to commence about 18 years after 1896, but many feared such a conflict would occur.) De Coubertin wanted to promote cultural relativity, and lessening the dangers of potential war. All sports have had at least a fraction of accomplishing this, but anyone has to see that wrestling has done this the most. The best example I can make of this are the medal winners from our most recent 2012 Olympic Games. If you were to go to pretty much any weight class in any style you would find various political and economic ideologies as well as nations that are industrialized, post-industrialized, and even agrarian. For example, the Men's 60-kilo medalists are Azerbaijan, Russia, USA, and India. All four of these wrestlers were at the pinnacle of the sport at the same time and I venture to say that their paths to that stage were remarkably different. The United States and Russia have facilities for wrestlers in every corner of their country's geography. However, I'll guess that India and Azerbaijan aren't quite as fortunate in their training facilities. And speaking of geography, if you were to draw a line from each of these nations and connect the dots, you'd about circumnavigate the globe. Not too many other sports, or even events within sports (Think track & field and sprints as opposed to a distance event.) could do that. I'll go out on a limb and say that I don't think these nations, or even nations similar, were represented in the men's or women's 50-meter freestyle finals in swimming. I don't think I remember these nations in the lead pack at any point in the men's or women's marathon. And I'll bet this wasn't a safe assumption for the semifinals of tennis played on Centre Court at the 2012 Olympics either. I don't want to come across as facetious here, but what other sport at what other time every four years will there be "finalists" from Cuba, Estonia, Turkey, and Sweden (men's 120-kilo medalists)? None! These countries have vastly different economic systems; natural resources; imports; exports; cultures; languages; and belief and value systems. Yet they are unified in the sport of wrestling. When de Coubertin said, "The important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle, the essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well." Does that not fit the sport of wrestling; whatever mat, grass patch, earthen field, or any other piece of ground you may be doing it on in the world; better than any other sport? -- Gregg B.

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. -- Former Bakersfield wrestling coach T.J. Kerr has passed away. Kerr was 64. T.J. Kerr"Today is a sad day for the CSUB wrestling program as we mourn the loss of Coach Kerr," said current Roadrunners head coach Mike Mendoza, a former wrestler and assistant coach at Bakersfield for Kerr. "He was such a big part of this program and had a huge impact on so many lives. Coach Kerr was a big influence in my life and in the lives of the many wrestlers he coached at San Jose State and here at CSUB. He was demanding, pointed, and was not shy about telling it how he saw it. He wanted to get the most out of every one of his guys and that sometimes resulted in hurting feelings. But I along with many of his wrestlers respected him for that quality." Kerr spent 26 years as the 'Runners head coach. He was a three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year, winning the award in 1996 when the Roadrunners won their first Pac-10 title. That honor was sandwiched by awards in 1991 and 1997, years in which CSUB placed second in the conference. In addition, Kerr was honored in 2005 by being inducted into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame and in 2007, was named the Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year. Kerr led the Roadrunners to a second Pac-10 title in 1999. Since joining the conference in 1988, CSUB has finished in the top three of the Pac-10 on nine different occasions. Since moving the 'Runners up to Division I in 1988, Kerr led CSUB to a 236-142-4 (.624) dual meet record and seven top-12 finishes at the NCAA Division I Championships. The pinnacle of his success came in 1996 when the Roadrunners placed third at the NCAA Division I Championships behind Iowa and Iowa State. That achievement, coupled with a Pac-10 title in the same year, earned Kerr National Wrestling Coach of the Year honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). Before the move to Division I, Kerr coached Bakersfield for three seasons at the Division II level. During that time, the Roadrunners won three Division II West Regional titles and were national champions in 1987. In each of CSUB's three seasons in Division II under Kerr, the Roadrunners finished no lower than seventh place. Kerr was also named the Division II Coach of the Year in 1987, the same season that Darryl Pope was named Outstanding Wrestler. T.J. Kerr (Photo/Kirby Lee, Image of Sport)Kerr coached at his alma mater, San Jose State, for 12 seasons before coming to CSUB. In that time, the Spartans won 10 Pacific Coast Athletic Association titles and finished second in the other two years. For his dominating efforts at SJSU, Kerr won PCAA Coach of the Year honors seven times. The high point for Kerr in his tenure at San Jose State came in 1982 when the Spartans not only won the PCAA title, but also placed ninth at the NCAA Division I Championships, their highest finish with Kerr at the helm. In 2008, Kerr was inducted into the Spartan Athletic Hall of Fame. Kerr was awarded with the highest honor in wrestling in the state of California in 2005 when he was inducted into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame. That honor follows his earlier hall of fame induction in 1999 when he was inducted into the Bob Elias Kern County Sports Hall of Fame. KERR'S HIGHLIGHTS 236-142-4 (.624) dual meet record in 26 years Pac-10 conference champions in 1996 and 1999 11 top-25 national finishes Five top-10 national finishes Third-place NCAA Division I finish in 1996 10 top-three finishes in the Pac-10 (20 years) 2007 Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year 1996 NWCA Coach of the Year Three-time Pac-10 Coach of the Year (1991, 1996, 1997) 1987 NCAA Division II National Championship Three NCAA Division I champions Six NCAA Division II champions 29 NCAA Division I All-Americans 17 NCAA Division II All-Americans 29 Pac-10 champions 166 Pac-10 placewinners Five Olympians One world champion Five world championships qualifiers Three world championship placewinners Five USA National Freestyle champions One USA National Greco-Roman champion Three Pan-Am Games Freestyle champions One Pan-Am Games Greco-Roman champion