InterMat Staff

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. One of the benefits of InterMat is that our editors often let us riff on topics of the day. I'm rarely, if ever, one-hundred percent right in my take, but they understand that wrestling needs an infusion of opinion pieces. InterMat gets a bump in the page views when something strikes the right chord, and that attention can help influence the dialogue within the wrestling community. Sometimes it might even bring about some change. However, there are times when writing about the problems in the community can just come across as complaining, when there is a tenor of repetitiveness that toes the line between productive and "Whiny Little Brat." Though Mike Riordan and I have been mighty critical of Boston University head wrestling coach Carl Adams, USA Wrestling (more below!) and FILA, I think that overall we've stayed on the right side of that whine line, and even shied away from the type of vitriol that permeates many offline conversations between members of the wrestling community. Riordan's latest invective about FILA actually garnered a response from the organization. He replied, and there was communication built. The same can be said of USA Wrestling and their desire to improve after logging the criticism of wrestling fans. The point is that we can all complain, and as writers we are given the duty to do so in a public manner. Yet, at some point readers and writers have to acknowledge that our point has been registered and that we'll have to see if they've made an impact. That, or you can go out there and make the changes in your community that you believe will make a difference. Action from the Asian Wrestling ChampionshipsLast Friday I reached my breaking point. I'd been complaining online and off about the lack of quality content being offered wrestling fans and finally, blear-eyed and resolute, I made a decision to act. The wrestling community wanted to know more about international tournaments, wrestlers and events? We wanted video streaming, back stories, and a rich media center with which to interact? I decided to do what I could with my skill set and availability to work from anywhere. I woke up at 7 a.m. last Friday and booked a one-way ticket to Delhi to cover the Asian Championships. I had three hours to pack, kiss the girlfriend goodbye and made my way to Chicago's O'Hare airport to catch the 1:30 p.m. direct. I sent FILA leadership a note and by the time I landed, they'd responded and had credentialed me for the tournament. Not everything was smooth sailing. For whatever reason the tournament had been hastened along mid-day, and without an announcement to adjust the schedule I'd missed the finals. With a new schedule the next two days were massively productive. I was able to take photos and video of some incredible wrestlers. I interviewed competitors and documented action that otherwise would have lay dormant. By showing FILA, who famously didn't have a Facebook account in January, that quality content would make a difference, I figure we can boost their outreach and improve their positioning in the May meeting. There is a real possibility that no action, no matter how passion-driven (and short-sighted -- apologies to my Thursday night wrestling class ...) we might not be able to overcome the recommendation of the IOC's executive board to cut wrestling. There's a chance we're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic. I get that, but there is nothing worse than regret in knowing that we could have helped and been productive, but instead only sat back and whipped off witticisms. As my Dad has always said, "Well, at least I tried!" So I'm now overseas covering FILA events as a freelancer. Most of my work will be posted to the FILA Facebook page. Like it. Have others 'Like' it. Follow them on Twitter @FILA_Official and make others do the same. The first story is already up with two more behind that and many dozen to follow. It's a small gesture, but if done in good faith can help our sport to grow. The content is there. Now we just have to engage. And just for fun, let's all agree that the movie "The Edge" was actually a predictive and epic allegory to describe our current situation. "You can't kill the bear, Charles ..." "I'm gonna kill the bear Say it again! I'm Gonna Kill the Bear And AGAIN! I'M GONNA KILL THE BEAR!" On to your questions ... Q: I cannot understand why the U.S. Open or any other non-college wrestling tournament would be located in Las Vegas. If USA Wrestling wants to garner fan support, then they need to locate the events in venues that are hot beds of college wrestling. Even an East Coast arena would get a better crowd than Las Vegas. -- Ken S. Foley: You're ten-thousand percent right. Las Vegas can't draw a wrestling crowd. Sports are about building your fan base, and meeting their needs. Though Las Vegas is wonderful in its hedonism, it's not a premier event location for wrestling. In addition to our U.S. Open, Sin City will also play host to the 2015 World Wrestling Championships. That doesn't bother me as much, since it's a larger event that can draw tourists from other cities. Also I think it'll be comedic gold to see foreign contingencies at the blackjack tables, or better still, in the club. The comedic potential alone is worth the risk of a reduced crowd size. Like all of wrestling's boneheaded moves, this problem has an easy solution. The East Coast has a dozen cities capable of hosting the U.S. Open in a way that will draw fans and media attention. I think a change is both possible and likely. Q: How come more colleges do not have women's wrestling teams? Will we ever see an NCAA women's wrestling championship? -- Gregg Y. Foley: The NCAA has had discussions about adding women's wrestling as an NCAA-sanctioned sport, but as of yet they feel there isn't enough interest among big-time schools. Though that might be their reason -- even though it flies in the face of Title IX's "Build it and they will come" principle, my darkened curmudgeon heart think something far worse is afoot. I think the NCAA has a skirt-bias. Unfortunately there are still men and women in leadership positions at the NCAA and in athletic departments who think that women should only participate in sports where they can still wear skirts, or more to the point, non-contact sports. That theory is shared by those in the rugby community who feel sport's stagnation at the collegiate level is due to that bias We know that women's wrestling is growing at every level. Were there just ONE smart NCAA Division I school (I'm staring at you, Syracuse) who could revive their men's program while also adding an official women's team, they'd launch the sport into the national spotlight and promote others to follow. The press would gobble it up. Equal rights in sports is a huge evergreen topic with editors. It's easy to see the The New York Times running a full page profile of the athletic director BOLD enough to add wrestling for women. And who are we kidding? College athletics are no longer thought of in terms of healthy living (How would you explain football), but as a publicity tool. Success on the football field or basketball court is the fastest way to drive up applicants on a college campus. A bloated pool of applicants in turn drives competitiveness, school ranking, and alumni giving. All that leads to increased tuition rates that are paid through government loans, who as eager to dispense lifetime debt to their citizenry as they they were willing to distribute draft cards in the 60s. (For a longer form of this rant/theory Google the Michael Vick Effect -- the guys scrambled Virginia Tech from an average Top 75 university ranking to somewhere in the Top 40.) Women's wrestling might not have any of these effects, but some backward ass football powerhouse with money pouring out its $3.2-million locker room would earn reams of good press by giving the women a chance to scrap. Q: Do you think Henry Cejudo's MMA career is moving too fast? Rumor has it he is going to the UFC soon. Is this too early? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Let's talk honest. Man-to-reader. I'm forever appreciative to Henry Cejudo for winning an Olympic gold medal. I could barely win my conference and this 21-year-old kid was able to beat the best wrestlers in the world. His personal story is compelling, and when interviewed by Jay Leno in 2008 I found Cejudo charming, even funny. Now I want him to go away. I don't want rappers, or self-congratulatory posts about selling a wrestling technique book. I don't want him on Leno in 2012. I don't want press conferences. And finally I don't want press releases with American flag banners. There is a lack of genuine effort and promotional calculation behind everything Cejudo has done since his Olympic effort. He's working an angle, and while I like that in the long term, it irritates me that he's trying to bull rush MMA and find easy passage into the UFC by thumping tomato cans and then wrapping himself in the flag. I'm not old-fashioned, but I do like my martial artists to be humble and giving towards others. Luckily, the sport of MMA, with its four-ounce gloves and kicks to the cranium, is a wonderfully humbling pursuit. Maybe Cejudo needs to get knocked out, or choked unconscious for him to realize that this is a serious profession and not just a check-cashing operation. Maybe he needs to feel the sting of defeat without having the exit strategy of it being an Olympic year. To be great at anything you have to possess a passion for learning your craft, and a self-awareness to understand that you'll never be the absolute best, because learning doesn't allow you to spike the football in triumph. You're always growing, always learning. You just do what you can. You work hard, improve and hopefully, in the most organic way possible you create something that inspires other people, or changes the world. The Henry Cejudo from 2008 did inspire people. He inspired me. He was a young wrestler that that gave hope to others in his situation. Today's Henry Cejudo is the sponsored hologram of that person, a shill for cash, and an empty vessel for messaging and self-aggrandizement. I miss the old Henry Cejudo. Big Idea No. 2 The Wrestling at the Olympics is a one-week sport. I think they need to do all the gold-medal matches at once. I appreciate the rule change suggestions, but really the NCAAs have plenty of rule problems. Yet the NCAA finals are great because you get to see ten young men accomplish a dream in dramatic fashion. If you're going to start showing Olympic gold-medal matches Saturday at 1:00 p.m., I am glued to the TV for the next so many hours. I know this means that there are weigh-ins and other bracket issues, but right now it's almost impossible to keep track of. Make the finals a spectacle, show the drama of reaching the pinnacle of our sport, and you may pick up the casual fans like the NCAAs are. P.S. Maybe even bronze-medal matches Friday to even talk about the matches coming up on Saturday? -- Tom B. Foley: Pending approval by FILA and the IOC you'll see your big idea become a reality as soon as 2014. Q: Every day on InterMat there is another depressing story about how badly FILA is serving the wrestling community. Who the heck are the people who run FILA? Are they elected? Are they appointed? What are their names? Why do they run wrestling? Why can't someone set up a competing organization? So, who's driving this car off the cliff? Is anyone out there attempting to actually do something -- other than hold boring press conferences ... (redacted for content!)? -- Fed Up Foley: I know what was in those brackets, and I laughed. I'm all for a rage-filled takedown, but that was just personal and cruel. And again, funny. I sent this over to our boy Mike Riordan, whose post inspired a response from FILA on its Facbook page. More incredibly, his outrage and mine from previous weeks also prompted members of the wrestling media to ask us to please stop making negative comments about the leadership. If you ever wanted the best example of why we are in this type of situation, then look no further than a media member asking a colleague to stop being critical of failing leadership. To that I respond: Comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable. Mikey's response:According to FILA's constitution, the organization is run by its bureau. Every two years a FILA congress convenes and through secret ballot, elects new bureau members as their six-year terms limits expire. Voting in the FILA congress is a single designated member of each FILA member national sanctioning body (like USA Wrestling) as well as the current bureau. The FILA Bureau consists of the following positions with the right to vote: 1 President 1 Secretary General 4 Vice-presidents 12 Elected members The Continental Councils Presidents No more than one person of a particular national origin may sit on the bureau; unless the second member of the same nationality occupies one of the two seats that are reserved for women. Continental presidents vote on the FILA Bureau, but are selected at a meeting convened at their respective continental championship the year succeeding an Olympics. The Bureau is "entitled to take suitable justified decisions to safeguard the general interests of the FILA, as dictated by the current situation, without this decision creating a precedent. The FILA Bureau must inform the following FILA Congress meeting of its decision." Furthermore, bureau members get travel and lodging expenses covered, so their sojourn to Thailand to fire the past president was financed by the FILA coffers. The bureau members are ... Acting President: Nenad Lalovic (Serbia) Vice-President : Ahmet Ayik (Turkey) Vice-President: Stan Dziedzic (USA) Vice-President: Tomiaki Fukuda (Japan) Vice-President: Matteo Pellicone (Italy) General Secretary: Michel Dusson (France) FILA Bureau Member Zamel Sayyaf Al Shahrani (Qatar) FILA Bureau Member Namig Aliyev (Azerbaijan) FILA Bureau Member Theodoros Hamakos (Greece) FILA Bureau Member: Csaba Hegedus (Hungary) FILA Bureau Member: Ik-Jong Kime (Korea) FILA Bureau Member: Mikhail Mamiashvili (Russia) FILA Bureau Member: Akhroldjan Ruziev (Uzbekistan) FILA Bureau Member: Daulet Turlykhanov (Kazakhstan) FILA Bureau Member: Tzeno Tzenov (Bulgaria) FILA Bureau Member: Rodica Maria Yaksi (Turkey) FILA Bureau Member : Natalia Yariguina (Russia) Continental President: Chang-Kew Kim (Korea) Continental President: Francisco Eduardo Lee Lopez (Guatemala Continental President: John Jr Tarkong (Palau) Continental President: Mohammed Ibnou Zahir (Morocco) FILA has its status as the sanctioning body of international wrestling because it's recognized by the International Olympic Committee as a member of the Association of Summer International Olympic committees (ASOIF). All of FILA's power stems from the IOC, which will make it interesting to see what becomes of FILA if the IOC severs ties and drops wrestling.Q: As you know the qualifying procedures were changed in recent years to reward wrestlers that medal in the world and Olympic Games. Jordan Burroughs and Jake Varner received automatic byes to finals of the Trials by virtue of medaling in the prior year, but last year (Olympic year) there was no U.S. Open either. And in the event there is no world/Olympic medalist from the prior year -- if the runner up in the WTT wins a gold medal at a winter tours tournament than that wrestler and the WTT champion will compete overseas in a tournament together and the highest placing wrestler wins the spot. (rules here), which is what we saw last year with Coleman Scott, Reece Humphrey, and Shawn Bunch. My question is, we obviously had a U.S. Open this year and do those rules apply again, and if so, what happens to Coleman Scott? He won a bronze but lost to Humphrey in the finals of the Open, so how does that work? Will they both sit up top and the winner of the challenge tournament wrestle a round robin like last year? It was a pretty big talking point last year, about what Coleman had to go through. But the bottom line is this, it's not about being fair, it's about winning medals, PERIOD. Zeke Jones and the USA Wrestling staff are not paid and evaluated on being fair and nice. They are judged on results and that means medals. So, what I would say is, since Coleman went through all of that last year to prove he is capable of competing overseas which is what the rules say he had to do (won the World Cup), he should in turn be given some special consideration for winning a medal and whoever wants to knock him off the team should have to go through exactly what he did last year (or something similar). -- Frank C. Foley: Your rant wins the day, Sir.

LOS ANGELES -- USA Wrestling and Beat the Streets-Los Angeles, Inc. has announced that the United States and Iran will come together in a friendly international wrestling competition Sunday, May 19 at 2 p.m. at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. The event will also be a major opportunity for the Keep Olympic Wrestling movement and the 2020 Vision: Wrestling, Keep the Dream Alive campaign. The match is being staged in cooperation with California USA Wrestling. On Feb. 12, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board made a recommendation that wrestling not be a core sport at the 2020 Olympic Games. A final decision on the program of the 2020 Olympics will be made by the entire IOC in September. A worldwide effort has been launched by FILA and all 177 nations which participate in wrestling to retain wrestling as an Olympic sport. Billed "United 4 Wrestling," the event will be a showcase competition as part of World Wrestling Month, which was declared by the international wrestling federation (FILA). "We are elated to bring together these nations in this historic friendly competition," said Beat the Streets-Los Angeles President Andy Barth. "This illustrates how the great sport of wrestling can enable countries from across the world to put aside their differences and create a common bond. 'United 4 Wrestling' will be an event that will demonstrate the broad impact and popularity of wrestling, as a sport, as a tool for diplomacy and as a means to raise funding for the inner-city kids who participate through wrestling in our year-round youth development 'Beat the Streets-Los Angeles' program." Sponsoring the "United 4 Wrestling" event in Los Angeles is the Semnani Family Foundation, an international humanitarian organization based in Salt Lake City and founded by Khosrow Semnani, a prominent Iranian-American philanthropist. "For hundreds of thousands of Iranian-Americans -- in L.A. and beyond -- the 'United 4 Wrestling' event offers a chance to celebrate and defend wrestling as an Olympic sport and tradition," Semnani said. "Beyond wrestling, these athletes, American and Iranian, embody standards of excellence and a code of sportsmanship that unites us around a culture of fair play. They remind us of the deeper ways in which the Olympic Games bind Iran and America, our ancestral and adopted homelands, as one. Whether it is in philanthropy, sports, medicine, business, culture or education, we Iranian-Americans are more than willing to do our part so that instead of growing up as strangers, future generations of Iranians and Americans can benefit from more of these people-to-people exchanges." The USA vs. Iran dual meet will feature the current international freestyle wrestling rules. Lineups will be released when available. Tickets for "United 4 Wrestling" will be available at www.ticketmaster.com beginning. May 1. "United 4 Wrestling" will follow on the heels of an event Wednesday, May 15 at Vanderbilt Hall in New York's Grand Central Terminal involving the United States, Iran and Russia, three of the world's best wrestling nations. Since the IOC announcement, these three nations have worked closely together to help support Olympic wrestling. Although their governments do not always agree, the wrestling leaders in these nations have a strong working relationship. Sports competition between the United States and Iran has been an example of how wrestling transcends politics and cultural differences. Iran has competed in wrestling in the United States 10 times in recent years, including two competitions in New York City. This included the 1995 World Championships in Atlanta, the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta and the 1998 Junior World Championships in Primm, Nev., the 1998 Goodwill Games in New York City and the 2003 World Championships in New York City. In addition, the Iranian team competed in the World Cup held in the United States five times (1995 in Chattanooga, Tenn.; 1998 in Stillwater, Okla.; 1999 in Spokane, Wash.; 2000 in Fairfax, Va. and 2001 in Baltimore, Md.). USA Wrestling sponsored the first American sports team to compete in Iran after an absence of nearly 20 years, when a U.S. freestyle wrestling team competed in the 1998 Takhti Cup in Tehran. In total, the USA has wrestled in Iran 11 times, including the historic 1998 tour. "It is an exciting opportunity for wrestling to show the world its ability to bring together nations of different political, cultural and geographic backgrounds," said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. "We are excited to participate in World Wrestling Month, and pleased to partner again with California USA Wrestling and Beat the Streets-Los Angeles to bring wrestling to new heights. I would also like to extend my thanks and thanks from all those involved in wrestling to the Semnani Family Foundation. Their philanthropy and charitable spirit serve as an example to all." "This being a unique visit to Los Angeles by the Iranian wrestling team and because of the large Iranian-American population in Southern California, this event will provide one of the most compelling showcase settings our sport has ever had," said Duane Morgan, state chairman, California USA Wrestling. TENTATIVE "UNITED 4 WRESTLING" SCHEDULE: At Los Angeles, May 19 2 p.m. -- USA vs. Iran, at Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena ABOUT BEAT THE STREETS-LOS ANGELES Beat the Streets -- Los Angeles cultivates youth development in underserved communities by encouraging a desire for excellence, respect, teamwork, leadership, integrity and perseverance through the instruction of quality wrestling programs. Together with public support, BTS-LA strives to enhance young men and women's lives in school, sports and community. More information can be found at www.beatthestreets-la.org ABOUT USA WRESTLING USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and the International Wrestling Federation FILA. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. Its president is James Ravannack, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. ABOUT KEEP OLYMPIC WRESTLING In the United States, the official website is http://www.KeepWrestlingInTheOlympics.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/officialkeepwrestlingintheolympics, and on Twitter @wrestlingvision. The international links for FILA are http://www.fila-official.com/, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fila.official and on Twitter @FILA_Official. ABOUT SEMNANI FAMILY FOUNDATION The Semnani Family Foundation focuses on tackling questions of global health, poverty and disaster relief, with particular emphasis on protecting women and children. During the past 20 years, the foundation has collaborated with more than 550 non-profit organizations in projects ranging from famine and earthquake relief to the establishment of vaccination programs and health clinics.

VESTAL, N.Y. -- Binghamton University wrestling scored a big victory off the mat on Thursday when the Bearcats were accepted into the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) beginning in the 2013-14 season. The EIWA is the oldest and one of the most prestigious conferences in the country and in gaining membership, BU will wrestle alongside such elite programs and institutions as Harvard and Cornell. The EIWA announced today that it will add four teams to its current membership (14) for next season, and earning invitations along with Binghamton were Hofstra, Drexel and Boston University -- all previously aligned with the CAA. “We are honored to have our wrestling program invited for membership in the EIWA,” Director of Athletics Patrick Elliott said. “The EIWA represents scholarship and athletic achievement on a national level and we are excited to compete alongside such renowned institutions and wrestling programs.” The composition of the EIWA features six Ivy League and five Patriot League members. The current 14-school membership is: American, Army, Brown, Bucknell, Columbia, Cornell, Franklin & Marshall, Harvard, Lehigh, Navy, Penn, Princeton, Rutgers, Sacred Heart. “This is monumental on a number of levels,” head coach Matt Dernlan said. “Academically, it speaks volumes about Binghamton as an institution and President Stenger’s vision moving forward that we are seen as ‘in line’ with some of the most elite private schools in the country. From a wrestling standpoint, to be viewed as adding value to one of the most powerful wrestling conferences in the country speaks to what the future holds as we progress as an emerging national power. “We are grateful for the efforts of Greg Strobel, executive director of the EIWA and Associate AD at Lehigh, as well as other administrators and members of the committee. We also are indebted to Steve Erber, current Cornell administrator (and founder and former coach of Binghamton wrestling). Steve’s been instrumental leading the charge on our behalf, and it took many hours and months of deliberations to make this a reality.” The EIWA has crowned 88 individual NCAA champions in its storied history, which dates back to 1905. The conference held its 109th championship this past March at Rutgers, and the strength of the conference has resulted in 50 NCAA automatic berths being allotted to member schools in 2012-13 (45 automatic). That number of qualifiers was second only to the Big Ten and was more than double the allotments given to the CAA. The EIWA crowned 13 All-Americans in 2012 and had three teams finish in the NCAA top-10 (Cornell, American, Lehigh) in 2011. Cornell has captured the last seven EIWA titles. The 2014 EIWA Championship will be hosted by Penn and the Bearcats will be eligible to compete for NCAA berths and the team title immediately. “The EIWA Championship is one of the premier NCAA qualifiers in the country,” Dernlan added. “It will be a great challenge - one we’ve positioned ourselves for – and an opportunity to move Binghamton wrestling forward on the national scene. What better platform to do that than at arguably the second-most competitive qualifying tournament in the country, behind only the Big Ten.” The Bearcats will likely add many of the EIWA members to the team’s dual match schedule for the upcoming seasons. “We’re excited to forge new relationships and grow new rivalries with some of the premier institutions in the Northeast.” Binghamton has churned out 21 NCAA qualifiers in the last four years.

Hempstead, NY -- The Hofstra University Department of Athletics is excited to announce that the Pride Wrestling program will be joining the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA), beginning with the 2013-14 season. “We are thrilled to accept membership in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association,” commented Hofstra Vice President and Director of Athletics Jeffrey A. Hathaway. “The EIWA is the nation’s oldest wrestling conference and provides us a partnership with outstanding academic institutions and wrestling programs that compete at the highest level. This move to the EIWA will allow our highly-successful wrestling program to compete against some of the nation’s best teams on a regular basis. Our student-athletes and coaches as well as the Hofstra and Long Island wrestling communities are certainly excited about this new conference affiliation. We extend our sincere thanks and appreciation to our colleagues in the EIWA for offering us membership and we look forward to representing the conference with great pride.” “We are truly excited to be joining a great wrestling conference with a long tradition of excellence, both in the classroom and on the mat,” Hofstra Head Wrestling Coach Robert Anspach said. “We are delighted to be associated with many of the top academic institutions, who also have some of the top wrestling programs in the country. In recent years, we have wrestled many of the teams in the EIWA. We look forward to renewing those rivalries as a conference opponent.” “The coaches and EIWA administrators looked at this and thought that Drexel and Hofstra were a great fit for our conference,” stated Greg Strobel, executive director of the EIWA. “I’ve often wondered why Drexel and Hofstra weren’t in our conference already, as it makes sense for them to be in this conference logistically because of their location and familiarity with our existing teams. This will be exciting for our fans, and we are looking forward to this year’s tournament with Drexel and Hofstra participating alongside our existing members.” Hofstra, which has enjoyed a dominant 12-year tenure in the Colonial Athletic Association (CAA) for wrestling, winning 11 conference championships including the last two, will be joining a highly-competitive academic and athletic 18-team EIWA along with Binghamton University, Boston University, and Drexel University. Current EIWA membership includes: Ivy League members Brown University, Cornell University, Columbia University, Harvard University, Princeton University and the University of Pennsylvania; Patriot League members American University, Bucknell University, Lehigh University, the United States Military Academy at West Point, the United States Naval Academy; Current Big East Member Rutgers University; Northeast Conference (NEC) member Sacred Heart University; and Centennial Conference member Franklin and Marshall, which wrestles on the Division I level. The Big Red of Cornell have captured seven consecutive EIWA championships. Columbia and Pennsylvania have each competed in 109 EIWA Championship Tournaments with Princeton (107), Cornell (105) and Lehigh (101) close behind. Lehigh has won 34 team titles while Cornell has captured 21. The EIWA, which received 45 bids to the 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Des Moines, IA, earned six All-American honors. Among the All-Americans was four-time national champion Kyle Dake from Cornell, who captured the 2013 title at 165 pounds after previously winning at 141, 149 and 157 pounds. Robert Hamlin from Lehigh placed second at 184 pounds while Steve Bosak from Cornell placed third at 184, Steve Santos from Columbia finished third at 149 and Nahshon Garrett from Cornell was third at 125. Since joining the CAA in 2002, Hofstra has sent a total of 80 wrestlers to the NCAA Championships, earned 17 All-American honors and won 50 individual conference titles.

Former Cornell All-American (2004) and current F&M assistant wrestling coach Matt Greenberg joins the podcast to spit about wrestling's need for a "moment of clarity" and his enjoyment of the rich and diverse nightlife in Lancaster, Pa. Check out our Tumblr page at backpoints.tumblr.com. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching "back points" and pushing SUBSCRIBE. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

InterMat has released updated grade (recruiting) rankings. B.J. Clagon (Toms River South, N.J.) moves into the top ten for the final Class of 2013 grade rankings after winning his second state and fourth NHSCA grade-level title. InterMat ranks the Top 100 seniors, Top 50 juniors, Top 50 sophomores, Top 25 freshmen, and Top 15 junior high wrestlers. B.J. Clagon (Photo/Rob Preston)InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. Below is a sneak peek at the top wrestlers in each grade. Seniors (Top Ten): 1. Bo Jordan (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) 2. Adam Coon (Fowlerville, Mich.) 3. Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.) 4. Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.) 5. Isaiah Martinez (Lemoore, Calif.) 6. J'den Cox (Hickman, Mo.) 7. Anthony Ashnault (South Plainfield, N.J.) 8. Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.) 9. Oliver Pierce (Allen, Texas) 10. B.J. Clagon (Toms River South, N.J.) Juniors (Top Five): 1. Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.) 2. Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.) 3. Bryce Brill (Mount Carmel, Ill.) 4. Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.) 5. Solomon Chisko (Canon McMillan, Pa.) Sophomores (Top Five): 1. Zahid Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) 2. Fox Baldwin (Osceola, Fla.) 3. Myles Martin (McDonogh, Md.) 4. Michael Kemerer (Franklin Regional, Pa.) 5. Matthew Kolodzik (Blair Academy, N.J.) Freshmen (Top Five): 1. Aaron Pico (St. John Bosco, Calif.) 2. Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) 3. Mason Manville (Blair Academy, N.J.) 4. Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) 5. Nick Suriano (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) Junior High (Top Five): 1. Spencer Lee (Pennsylvania) 2. Brady Berge (Minnesota) 3. Cade Olivas (California) 4. Jelani Embree (Michigan) 5. Nick Lee (Indiana)

Mike Finn and Terry Steiner will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, April 24. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central on AM 1650, The Fan. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments about the show. A podcast of the show is available on theopenmat.com. Finn is the editor of Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine. He will provide a review of the U.S. Open in Las Vegas. Steiner, an NCAA champion for the University of Iowa in 1993, is the national team coach for women’s freestyle wrestling. He will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on Sunday, June 9.

After a long wait, UFC 159 is upon us for the light heavyweight title match that absolutely nobody asked for. If you think former middleweight challenger Chael Sonnen has a decent shot at beating Jon Jones, feel free to skip this episode of the podcast. If you think Sonnen is about to get destroyed after talking his way into an opportunity he didn't earn with over-the-top and transparent trash talk, hit play and enjoy. No thanks to the Jones vs. Sonnen tilt, this Saturday's pay per view does have some competitive bouts lined up that Richard and John take the time to analyze with a minimal amount of smarmyness. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

Related: Rankings InterMat Wrestler of the Year: Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.), Junior, 220 In three years of high school wrestling, Snyder has amassed a career record of 179-0. This includes three titles at the National Prep Championships and the Beast of the East, a pair of titles at the Ironman, as well as a POWERade title during the 2012-13 season. While amassing a record of 63-0 during his junior campaign, Snyder won every single match by major decision, technical fall, or pin. At the Walsh Ironman, Snyder had a major decision in the semifinals, technical falls in the final and quarterfinal rounds, and a pin during a preliminary match. His journey at the Beast of the East featured three pins leading up to technical fall victories in the semifinal and final rounds. Snyder opened his POWERade tournament with two pins and a technical fall, scored a semifinal victory by fall over the seventh-ranked wrestler in the country, and in the final earned a major decision over the nation's second-ranked wrestler. Finally, at the National Prep Championships, he had four victories by fall preceding a victory by technical fall over the nation's eleventh-ranked wrestler. Notable off-season accomplishments for Snyder during the 2012-13 cycle included a runner-up finish at the 2012 FILA Junior World Team Trials, a Junior National Greco-Roman title, a third-place finish in the Junior National freestyle competition, a Super 32 Challenge title (all matches there won by bonus points except for a finals victory over the nation's second-ranked wrestler), and a FILA Junior National freestyle title this past weekend. Kyle Snyder (Photo/Rob Preston)Snyder will forego high school competition during his senior season to train at the United States Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. He has already verbally committed to attend The Ohio State University in the Fall of 2014, where he is projected to compete at either 197 or 285 pounds. Others considered for the 2013 InterMat Wrestler of the Year were Adam Coon (Fowlerville, Mich.), senior, 285 pounds; Bo Jordan (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), senior, 160 pounds; Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.), junior, 160 pounds; Aaron Pico (St. John Bosco, Calif.), freshman, 132 pounds; and Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), senior, 138 pounds. 2012-13 InterMat High School All-Americans The following other wrestlers join Kyle Snyder as members of the 2012-13 InterMat High School All-American Team ... 106 First Team: Nick Suriano (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), Freshman Suriano finished his high school freshman season with an undefeated record of 38-0, and a New Jersey state championship. In addition, he was also champion of the Beast of the East in December, and prior to the start of the season was champion at the Super 32 Challenge in October. Other All-Americans at 106: 2. Luke Pletcher, Greater Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Freshman 3. Christian Moody, Collinsville, Oklahoma, Sophomore 4. Jose Rodriguez, Massillon Perry, Ohio, Sophomore 5. Austin Assad, Brecksville, Ohio, Sophomore 6. Chad Red, New Palestine, Indiana, Freshman 7. Kyle Bierdumpfel, Don Bosco Prep, New Jersey, Freshman 8. Tyrone Klump, Nazareth, Pennsylvania, Junior 9. Rudy Yates, Brother Rice, Illinois, Freshman 10. Jack Mueller, Trinity Christian Academy, Texas, Freshman 11. Adrian Camposano, Central, California, Junior 12. Gage Curry, North Hills, Pennsylvania, Freshman 13. Gionn Peralta, Vacaville, California, Junior 14. Ariel Dominguez, Osceola, Florida, Senior 15. Trent Olson, Campbell County, Wyoming, Freshman 16. Vincente Elizalde, Brawley, California, Junior 17. Trent Watson, Coronado, Colorado, Sophomore 18. Miguel Silva, Jr., Plainfield South, Illinois, Junior 19. Tyler Warner, Claymont, Ohio, Freshman 20. Hunter Marko, Amery, Wisconsin, Freshman 113 First Team: Stevan Micic (Hanover Central, Ind.), Junior Micic cemented a second straight state title with his 96th consecutive win going back to a victory in the third place match of the state tournament during his freshman season of high school. For his career, Micic has a record of 138-5. Outside of the scholastic season, he was fifth at the FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle this past weekend, second at the FILA Cadet Nationals in freestyle last spring, and has Cadet freestyle finishes in Fargo of first and third. Other All-Americans at 113: 2. Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco, California, Sophomore 3. Sean Russell, Collins Hill, Georgia, Junior 4. Ke-Shawn Hayes, Park Hill, Missouri, Sophomore 5. Brent Fleetwood, Smyrna, Delaware, Junior 6. Davion Jeffries, Collinsville, Oklahoma, Sophomore 7. Jaret Singh, Kearney, Missouri, Senior 8. Ethan Lizak, Parkland, Pennsylvania, Junior 9. Kaid Brock, Stillwater, Oklahoma, Sophomore 10. Nathan Boston, Woodford County, Kentucky, Junior 11. Aaron Assad, Brecksville, Ohio, Senior 12. Zack Fuentes, Norristown, Pennsylvania, Senior 13. Scott Parker, Pennridge, Pennsylvania, Junior 14. Luis Gonzalez, Don Bosco Prep, New Jersey, Junior 15. Nick Piccinnini, Ward Mellville, New York, Sophomore 16. Jordan Allen, Huntington, West Virginia, Sophomore 17. Israel Saavedra, Modesto, California, Freshman 18. Paul Mascarenas, Cleveland, New Mexico, Senior 19. Jake Gromacki, Erie Cathedral Prep, Pennsylvania, Junior 20. Eli Seipel, St. Paris Graham, Ohio, Sophomore 120 First Team: Nathan Tomasello (CVCA, Ohio), Senior Tomasello finished as an undefeated state champion for the third straight season, a career that includes four state titles, three titles at the Walsh Ironman, multiple titles at Medina and the Top Gun, as well as a Beast of the East title during this season. His cumulative high school record was 178-5, which included over 150 consecutive wins (141-0 during his sophomore, junior, and seniors seasons). Accomplishments outside the scholastic season include a pair of runner-up finishes at the Super 32 Challenge and a pair of Junior National freestyle titles. Tomasello will be attending The Ohio State University this fall. Other All-Americans at 120: 2. Matthew Kolodzik, Blair Academy, New Jersey, Sophomore 3. Sam Krivus, Hempfield Area, Pennsylvania, Sophomore 4. Darian Cruz, Bethlehem Catholic, Pennsylvania, Senior 5. Ryan Millhof, Collins Hill, Georgia, Junior 6. Tommy Thorn, St. Michael-Albertville, Minnesota, Junior 7. Johnny Jimenez, Marmion Academy, Illinois, Junior 8. Coy Ozias, Christiansburg, Virginia, Junior 9. Mason Pengilly, Porterville, California, Junior 10. Josh Alber, Dakota, Illinois, Junior 11. Isaiah Locsin, Live Oak, California, Junior 12. Dalton Macri, Canon-McMillan, Pennsylvania, Junior 13. Jonas Gayton, Clovis, California, Senior 14. Jared Prince, Palm Harbor University, Florida, Sophomore 15. Barlow McGhee, Rock Island, Illinois, Senior 16. Ronnie Bresser, Henley, Oregon, Senior 17. Josh Terao, Mid Pacific, Hawaii, Junior 18. Brandon Thompson, Solon, Ohio, Senior 19. Boo Lewallen, Yukon, Oklahoma, Sophomore 20. Vincenzo Joseph, Pittsburgh Central Catholic, Pennsylvania, Sophomore 126 First Team: Joey Dance (Christiansburg, Va.), Senior Dance ended his high school career as a four-time state champion with career record of 186-14. Though he placed every year at the Ironman and Beast of the East, he did not win championships in those events until his senior season, a season in which he went undefeated. Out of season accomplishments for Dance are numerous, and include four Super 32 Challenge finals appearance (titles as freshman and senior), being a member of the 2012 FILA Junior World freestyle team, a Junior National freestyle title in 2011, and a Cadet National freestyle title in 2009. He will be attending Virginia Tech this fall. Other All-Americans at 126: 2. Jered Cortez, Glenbard North, Illinois, Junior 3. Connor Schram, Canon-McMillan, Pennsylvania, Senior 4. Zac Hall, St. Johns, Michigan, Junior 5. Michael Kemerer, Franklin Regional, Pennsylvania, Sophomore 6. Ryan Diehl, Trinity, Pennsylvania, Senior 7. Brad Perkins, Oak Park, Missouri, Senior 8. Cole Weaver, Hudson, Michigan, Junior 9. T.J. Fabian, Shoreham-Wading River, New York, Senior 10. Anthony Giraldo, North Bergen, New Jersey, Junior 11. Corey Stasenko, South Plainfield, New Jersey, Senior 12. Fredy Stroker, Bettendorf, Iowa, Sophomore 13. Mike Magaldo, Watchung Hills, New Jersey, Junior 14. Kenny Bade, Detroit Catholic Central, Michigan, Senior 15. Ivan McClay, Massillon, Ohio, Senior 16. Brock Ervin, Union County, Kentucky, Junior 17. Zeke Moisey, Bethlehem Catholic, Pennsylvania, Junior 18. Michael Pongracz, Delaware Valley Regional, New Jersey, Senior 19. Jordan Northrup, Machesney Park Harlem, Illinois, Senior 20. Emilio Martinez, Greeley West, Colorado, Senior 132 First Team: Aaron Pico (St. John Bosco, Calif.), Freshman Prior to starting high school, Pico was a highly known commodity; he was a Cadet National double champion during the summer of 2011 and a Cadet National “triple crown” winner during the summer of 2012. This past October, Pico finished as runner-up at the Super 32 Challenge, losing his championship bout in overtime. However, he went without a loss, and with mostly total domination, during his freshman scholastic season – which included titles at the Walsh Ironman and Doc Buchanan Invitational in addition to the state tournament. This spring he has won a Junior National folkstkyle title and double titles at the FILA Junior Nationals this past weekend. Other All-Americans at 132: 2. Micah Jordan, St. Paris Graham, Ohio, Junior 3. Dean Heil, St. Edward, Ohio, Senior 4. Joey McKenna, Blair Academy, New Jersey, Junior 5. Brandon Jeske, Cox, Virginia, Senior 6. Jason Nolf, Kittaning, Pennsylvania, Junior 7. Dalton Brady, Chandler, Arizona, Senior 8. Jacob Schmitt, St. Johns, Michigan, Senior 9. Scott Delvecchio, South Plainfield, New Jersey, Senior 10. Dennis Gustafson, Forest Park, Virginia, Senior 11. Ronnie Gentile, Paulsboro, New Jersey, Sophomore 12. Javier Gasca, Kingsburg, California, Senior 13. Renaldo Rodriguez-Spencer, Cheektowaga, New York, Junior 14. Colton Adams, Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Junior 15. Andrew Atkinson, Liberty Christian Academy, Virginia, Senior 16. George Fisher, Marmion Academy, Illinois, Senior 17. Keegan Moore, Putman City, Oklahoma, Sophomore 18. Seth Gross, Apple Valley, Minneosta, Junior 19. Joseph Smith, Stillwater, Oklahoma, Sophomore 20. Cody LeCount, Perry Meridian, Indiana, Junior 138 First Team: Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), Senior The runner-up for Wrestler of the Year honors was this young man who earned his second state title with an undefeated 47-0 record during his senior season. Retherford amassed a three-year high school record is 131-2, as he was precluded from competition during his junior season by the PIAA. He was champion at the Ironman and POWERade during this past regular season and amassed the following off-season titles during the 2012-13 cycle: FILA Cadet Nationals (freestyle), Junior Nationals (freestyle), FILA Cadet Worlds (freestyle), and Super 32 Challenge. Additional out of season accomplishments include four placements at the Super 32 Challenge and a title at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. Retherford will be attending Penn State University this fall. Other All-Americans at 138: 2. Hayden Tuma, Centennial, Idaho, Junior 3. Anthony Ashnault, South Plainfield, New Jersey, Senior 4. Mitch Bengtson, St. Cloud Apollo, Minnesota, Senior 5. Logan Massa, St. Johns, Michigan, Sophomore 6. Joseph Galasso, Father Judge, Pennsylvania, Junior 7. Alfred Bannister, Bishop McNamara, Maryland, Junior 8. Kevin Norstrem, Brandon, Florida, Senior 9. Tyson Dippery, Central Dauphin, Pennsylvania, Senior 10. Daniel Lewis, Blue Springs, Missouri, Junior 11. Jake Marlin, Creston, Iowa, Senior 12. Jake Velarde, North Kitsap, Washington, Senior 13. Tyler Berger, Hermiston, Oregon, Junior 14. Noah Forrider, Marysville, Ohio, Senior 15. Mech Spraggins, Belleville West, Illinois, Senior 16. Tommy Forte, Mishawaka, Indiana, Sophomore 17. Nikko Villarreal, Gilroy, California, Junior 18. Lawrence Otero, Volcano Vista, New Mexico, Senior 19. Jed Mellen, Payson, Utah, Senior 20. John Dutrow, Council Rock North, Pennsylvania, Senior 145 First Team: Ben Whitford (St. Johns, Mich.), Senior Whitford ends his career as a four-time state champion, winning titles his first two years at Marmion Academy in Illinois, and the last two for St. Johns in Michigan. While in the Wolverine State, Whitford went 84-0 as part of a 167-1 career record. Accomplishments for Whitford outside the high school season include being a two-time Cadet National double finalist (three titles), winning a Junior National double in 2011, a Super 32 Challenge title in 2011, and winning the FILA Junior title in freestyle this past weekend. Whitford will be attending the University of Michigan this fall. Other All-Americans at 145: 2. Bryce Brill, Mt. Carmel, Illinois, Junior 3. B.J. Clagon, Toms River South, New Jeresey, Senior 4. Solomon Chishko, Canon McMillan, Pennsylvania, Junior 5. Mikey Racciato, Pen Argyl, Pennsylvania, Senior 6. Neal Molloy, Danville, Indiana, Senior 7. Jacob Danishek, Dayton Christian, Ohio, Junior 8. Troy Heilmann, South Plainfield, New Jeresey, Senior 9. Edgar Bright, St. Edward, Ohio, Senior 10. T.J. Miller, Camden Catholic, New Jersey, Senior 11. Clayton Ream, Holt, Missouri, Senior 12. Brandon Sorenson, Denver-Tripoli, Iowa, Senior 13. Christian Pagdilao, Santiago Corona, California, Senior 14. Jack Clark, McDonogh, Maryland, Junior 15. Mason Manville, Blair Academy, New Jersey, Freshman 16. Joey Lavallee, Reno, Nevada, Senior 17. Josh Shields, Franklin Regional, Pennsylvania, Sophomore 18. Grant Leeth, Kearney, Missouri, Junior 19. Chris Vassar, Cedar Cliff, Pennsylvania, Senior 20. Darick Lapaglia, Blue Springs, Missouri, Senior 152 First Team: Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), Freshman Like Destin McCauley before him, Hall has won state titles as a seventh grader, eighth grader, and freshman for Apple Valley. In those three seasons, competing at 130, 145, and 152 pounds, he has amassed a career mark of 133-4. Notable in-season accomplishments include two third place finishes at the Cheesehead Invitational and three Minnesota Christmas Tournament titles. Off-season accomplishments in the 2012-13 cycle include a 2012 Cadet National freestyle title, 2013 Cadet National folkstyle title, and championships in four preseason tournaments (Grappler Fall Classic, Super 32 Challenge, InterMat JJ Classic, and NUWAY Vegas). Other All-Americans at 152: 2. Oliver Pierce, Allen , Texas, Senior 3. Russ Parsons, Blair Academy, New Jersey, Senior 4. Anthony Collica, Solon, Ohio, Senior 5. Kyle Langendorfer, Lincoln-Way East, Illinois, Senior 6. Brian Murphy, Glenbard North, Illinois, Senior 7. Austin Matthews, Reynolds, Pennsylvania, Senior 8. Jake Short, Simley, Minnesota, Senior 9. Markus Scheidel, St. Edward, Ohio, Senior 10. T.C. Warner, Cumberland Valley, Pennsylvania, Junior 11. Alex Marinelli, St. Paris Graham, Ohio, Freshman 12. Garrett Hammond, Chambersburg, Pennsylvania, Senior 13. Fox Baldwin, Osceola, Florida, Sophomore 14. Cain Salas, Blue Springs, Missouri, Senior 15. Kaleb Baker, Christian Brothers, Tennessee, Senior 16. Wayne Stinson, North Burlington, New Jersey, Senior 17. Luke Wilson, Righetti, California, Senior 18. Chad Walsh, Camden Catholic, New Jersey, Senior 19. Reed Van Anrooy, Roseburg, Oregon, Senior 20. Josh Farrell, Greenfield Central, Indiana, Senior 160 First Team: Chance Marsteller (Kennard Dale, Pa.), Junior In three seasons of high school wrestling, Marsteller has accrued 125 wins against zero defeats. The accomplishments include three state titles, the last two coming with major decision victories over defending state champions in the final. He has also won three titles at the POWERade, including this year's victory up at 170 pounds against now three-time state champion Cody Wiercioch. Off-season accomplishments for Marsteller include a 2012 FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle title, 2011 Super 32 Challenge title, 2011 Cadet National double title, and 2010 Cadet National freestyle title. Other All-Americans at 160: 2. Bo Jordan, St. Paris Graham, Ohio, Senior 3. Isaiah Martinez, Lemoore, California, Senior 4. Bo Nickal, Allen, Texas, Junior 5. Garrett Peppelman, Central Dauphin, Pennsylvania, Junior 6. Dylan Artigliere, Roxbury, New Jersey, Junior 7. Jonathan Schleifer, East Brunswick, New Jersey, Junior 8. Myles Martin, McDonogh, Maryland, Sophomore 9. Josh Llopez, St. Mary's Ryken, Maryland, Junior 10. Burke Paddock, Warsaw, New York, Junior 11. Ryan Blees, Bismarck, North Dakota, Junior 12. Tyler Grimaldi, Half Hollow Hills West, New York, Senior 13. Javaughn Perkins, Omaha North, Nebraska, Junior 14. Cody Law, Forest Hills, Pennsylvania, Senior 15. Davonte Mahomes, Oak Park River Forest, Illinois, Junior 16. Zack Zavatsky, Greater Latrobe, Pennsylvania, Junior 17. Abraham Rodriguez, Hermiston, Oregon, Senior 18. Ray Lomas, Central Catholic, California, Senior 19. Daniel Woiwor, Apple Valley, Minnesota, Senior 20. Kimball Bastian, Maple Mountain, Utah, Junior 170 First Team: Zach Beard (Tuttle, Okla.), Senior Beard was an undefeated state champion for the second straight year, and also won a third straight Kansas City Stampede title during his senior season. His last high school loss came midway through his sophomore year, and the career record of 163-9 includes undefeated marks of 42-0 and 41-0 the last two seasons. Notable off-season accomplishments for Beard include winning a Cadet National freestyle title in 2011, finishing second at the FILA Cadet Nationals in freestyle in 2012, and winning a Preseason Nationals title in the fall of 2012. A crucial result for Beard, who will be attending the University of Wyoming this fall, came in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic last month when he scored a 7-4 victory over previous number one Cody Wiercioch to save the dual meet for Team USA. Other All-Americans at 170: 2. Cody Wiercioch, Canon McMillan, Pennsylvania, Senior 3. Nick Wanzek, Simley, Minnesota, Senior 4. Zach Epperly, Christiansburg, Virginia, Senior 5. Peter Renda, Brandywine Heights, Pennsylvania, Senior 6. Tyler Askey, Northgate, Georgia, Senior 7. Nick Kee, Scotland, North Carolina, Senior 8. Peter Santos, Oakmont, California, Senior 9. Chandler Rogers, Mead, Washington, Junior 10. Colin Holler, Carl Sandburg, Illinois, Senior 11. Ethan Ramos, Hawthorne, New Jersey, Senior 12. Corey Griego, Sultana, California, Junior 13. Andrew Garcia, Detroit Catholic Central, Michigan, Junior 14. Robert Steveson, Merrillville, Indiana, Sophomore 15. Jadaen Bernstein, Voorhees, New Jersey, Senior 16. Steve Cervantes, Poway, California, Senior 17. Travis Berridge, Brandon, Florida, Senior 18. Nicky Hall, Wyoming Seminary, Pennsylvania, Senior 19. Derek White, Edmond North, Oklahoma, Junior 20. Jacob Morrissey, Oconto Falls, Wisconsin, Senior 182 First Team: Domenic Abounader (St. Edward, Ohio), Senior Abounader was an undefeated 36-0 on the way to winning a third consecutive state title this season. In those three campaigns, he has a record of 102-2, which combined with his freshman season places his career mark at 135-8. Abounader moves up to the number one position in the rankings on the strength of his 1-0 victory over previous number one Eric Morris in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Bound for the University of Michigan this fall, he also won titles at the NHSCA freshman, sophomore, and junior Nationals during the course of his career. Other All-Americans at 182: 2. Eric Morris, Wyoming Seminary, Pennsylvania, Senior 3. Brooks Climmons, Pope, Georgia, Senior 4. Jacob Taylor, Bald Eagle Area, Pennsylvania, Senior 5. Brett Harner, Norristown, Pennsylvania, Senior 6. Preston Lehmann, West Fargo, North Dakota, Senior 7. Johnny Sebastian, Bergen Catholic, New Jersey, Junior 8. Zach Zupan, Canastota, New York, Senior 9. Michael Pixley, Blue Springs, Missouri, Junior 10. Ryan Christensen, Woodville, Washington, Junior 11. Jared Haught, Parkersburg, West Virginia, Senior 12. Parker Vonegidy, Piedmont, North Carolina, Senior 13. B.J. Toal, Troy Christian, Ohio, Senior 14. Lance Dixon, Edmond North, Oklahoma, Junior 15. Will Schany, Blair, Nebraska, Junior 16. Chip Ness, Buford, Georgia, Junior 17. Joe Ariola, Oak Park River Forest, Illinois, Senior 18. Adrian Salas, Clovis, California, Senior 19. Garrett Linebarger, Thomas Stone, Maryland, Senior 20. Aero Amo, Rapid City Central, South Dakota, Senior 195 First Team: Ryan Solomon (Milton, Pa.), Senior Solomon was an undefeated 40-0, including titles at the Beast of the East and Bethlehem Holiday Wrestling Classic, on the way to a second state title and fourth state placement during his senior season. He has amassed a record of 109-4 in his last three seasons, all of which have ended in a state finals appearance, and finished with a career record of 142-14. Solomon, who will be attending the University of Pittsburgh this fall, also earned double All-American honors each of the last three summers in Fargo: as a Cadet in 2010, and at the Junior level in 2011 and 2012 (includes a 2012 Greco-Roman national title). Other All-Americans at 195: 2. Frank Mattiace, Blair Academy, New Jersey, Senior 3. Mitch Sliga, Fishers, Indiana, Senior 4. Ricky Robertson, Carl Sandburg, Illinois, Senior 5. Garrett Krohn, Arvada, Colorado, Senior 6. Jake Hart, Hampton, Pennsylvania, Senior 7. Lance Benick, Totino Grace, Minnesota, Sophomore 8. Matt McCutcheon, Kiski Area, Pennsylvania, Senior 9. Jordan Ellingwood, Plainfield Central, Illinois, Senior 10. Broc Berge, Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota, Senior 11. Nathan Rose, Sibley East, Minnesota, Junior 12. Payne Hayden, St. Johns, Michigan, Senior 13. Tommy Petersen, Lakeville South, Minnesota, Senior 14. Nate Rotert, Spearfish/Lead-Deadwood, South Dakota, Senior 15. Josh Lehner, Lexington, Ohio, Senior 16. Joel Dixon, Edmond North, Oklahoma, Junior 17. Razohn Gross, Don Bosco Prep, New Jersey, Senior 18. Chase Morlock, Morehead, Minnesota, Senior 19. Jeramy Sweany, Vacaville, California, Junior 20. Preston Weigel, Hays, Kansas, Junior 220 First Team: Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Md.), Junior See Wrestler of the Year section Other All-Americans at 220: 2. Thomas Haines, Solanco, Pennsylvania, Junior 3. Spencer Empey, Reed, Nevada, Senior 4. Raymond O'Donnell, Saucon Valley, Pennsylvania, Senior 5. Andrew Dixon, Edmond North, Oklahoma, Junior 6. Adam Reth, West Delaware Manchester, Iowa, Senior 7. Chalmer Frueauf, Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio, Junior 8. Cody Crawford, Cascade, Oregon, Senior 9. Cody Andersen, Lowry, Nevada, Senior 10. Bryan Dobzanski, Delsea Regional, New Jersey, Junior 11. Garrett Ryan, Wyoming Seminary, Pennsylvania, Senior 12. Derrick Jones, Bloomington, California, Junior 13. Roy Nash, Taylorsville, Utah, Junior 14. Austin Myers, Campbell County, Kentucky, Sophomore 15. Zach Chakonis, Don Bosco Prep, New Jersey, Sophomore 16. Brian Moran, Fowlerville, Michigan, Senior 17. Zack Bacon, Hornell, New York, Senior 18. Lucas Joseph, East Peoria, Illinois, Senior 19. Gelen Robinson, Lake Central, Indiana, Junior 20. Sean Medley, Wasco, California, Senior 285 First Team: Adam Coon (Fowlerville, Mich.), Senior The performance level of Coon wrestling as a 215 his first two years of high school and as a 285 the last two years has been absolutely astonishing. He is a four-time state champion, and has not lost a scholastic match since some point during his freshman season. Coon's last three state titles come with a combined 161 wins against no losses, which is part of an absurd career mark of 212-3. Signed to attend the University of Michigan this fall, his off-season resume is extremely robust: two-time FILA Junior National Greco-Roman champion, two-time Junior National Greco-Roman champion, two-time Junior National folkstyle champion, 2012 Junior National freestyle champion, 2011 FILA Cadet World champion, and 2011 FILA Cadet Nationals double champion. Other All-Americans at 285: 2. J'den Cox, Hickman, Missouri, Senior 3. Nick Nevills, Clovis, California, Junior 4. Brooks Black, Blair Academy, New Jersey, Senior 5. Sam Stoll, Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota, Junior 6. Aaron Bradley, Nazareth, Pennsylvania, Senior 7. Cole Johnson, De Soto, Wisconsin, Senior 8. Nathan Butler, Leavenworth, Kansas, Senior 9. Brian Allen, Hinsdale Central, Illinois, Junior 10. Michael Johnson, Jr., Wyoming Seminary, Pennsylvania, Sophomore 11. Chet Spears, Sheldon, Oregon, Senior 12. Andrew Geers, Neuqua Valley, Illinois, Senior 13. Donte Winfield, Perry Meridian, Indiana, Senior 14. Travis Gusan, Hilliard Davidson, Ohio, Senior 15. Will Geary, Topeka, Kansas, Senior 16. Newton Smerchek, Luxemburg-Casco, Wisconsin, Senior 17. Harrison Phillips, Millard West, Nebraska, Junior 18. Mike Hughes, Smithtown West, New York, Senior 19. Jacoby Brown, Chickasa, Oklahoma, Senior 20. James O'Hagan, Seaford, New York, Junior

Related: Rankings Blair Academy has finished No. 1 in the InterMat Fab 50 for the second straight season (Photo/Rob Preston) After a season of dominating their opposition, Blair Academy, N.J., has been crowned national champions for a second consecutive season. The Buccaneers will end the season ranked No. 1 in the InterMat Fab 50 national high school team rankings. This affirms a season in which they were dominant champions in three of the nation's top four tournaments: winning the Ironman by 80-plus points, almost doubling the second place team at the Beast of the East, and winning the POWERade by 130-plus points. At their season-ending tournament, the National Prep Championships, Blair Academy had six wrestlers win titles, four others finish inside the top three, and all fourteen wrestlers earned a podium finish. They also won the tournament by almost 90 points. The Buccaneers will also have six individual wrestlers ranked in the final national weight class rankings: No. 2 Matthew Kolodzik (120), No. 4 Joey McKenna (132), No. 15 Mason Manville (145), No. 3 Russ Parsons (152), No. 2 Frank Mattiace (195), and No. 4 Brooks Black (285). 2013 Final Fab 50 Team Rankings 1. Blair Academy, N.J. 2. Wyoming Seminary, Pa. 3. St. Johns, Mich. 4. St. Edward, Ohio 5. St. Paris Graham, Ohio 6. Canon-McMillan, Pa. 7. Brandon, Fla. 8. Clovis, Calif. 9. Carl Sandburg, Ill. 10. St. Michael-Albertville, Minn. 11. Oak Park River Forest, Ill. 12. Montini Catholic, Ill. 13. Apple Valley, Minn. 14. Collinsville, Okla. 15. Allen, Texas 16. Massillon Perry, Ohio 17. Southeast Polk, Iowa 18. Detroit Catholic Central, Mich. 19. Brecksville, Ohio 20. Bethlehem Catholic, Pa. 21. Cincinnati Moeller, Ohio 22. South Plainfield, N.J. 23. Poway, Calif. 24. Kasson-Mantorville, Minn. 25. Marist, Ill. 26. Marmion Academy, Ill. 27. Maple Mountain, Utah 28. Perry Meridian, Ind. 29. Central Dauphin, Pa. 30. Edmond North, Okla. 31. McDonogh, Md. 32. Park Hill, Mo. 33. Franklin Regional, Pa. 34. Bergen Catholic, N.J. 35. West Delaware Manchester, Iowa 36. Broken Arrow, Okla. 37. Don Bosco Prep, N.J. 38. Blue Springs, Mo. 39. Simley, Minn. 40. Bound Brook, N.J. 41. Tuttle, Okla. 42. Good Counsel, Md. 43. Davison, Mich. 44. Pope, Ga. 45. Kearney, Mo. 46. Hermiston, Ore. 47. Christian Brothers, Tenn. 48. Archer, Ga. 49. Vacaville, Calif. 50. Bettendorf, IowaFinishing second in the national team rankings is Wyoming Seminary, Pa. The Blue Knights were second place to Blair at the Ironman, Beast of the East, and National Prep Championships. They have four nationally ranked wrestlers: No. 18 Nicky Hall (170), No. 2 Eric Morris (182), No. 11 Garrett Ryan (220), and No. 10 Michael Johnson, Jr. (285). Ending the season No. 3 in the Fab 50 is St. Johns, Mich. The Redwings earned a fourth consecutive team title in Division 2, a title which is decided through a dual meet tournament. They had a banner season in the individual bracket tournament, as seven Redwings wrestlers came home with gold medals, while they had four other individuals place (one each in second, third, fourth, and fifth). Five members of their squad appear in the national rankings: No. 4 Zac Hall (126), No. 8 Jacob Schmitt (132), No. 5 Logan Massa (138), No. 1 Ben Whitford (145), and No. 12 Payne Hayden (195). Rounding out the top five are the Buckeye State perennials St. Edward and St. Paris Graham. The Eagles won a third consecutive Division I state title, which also was their 16th in the last 17 years; while the Falcons made it 13 consecutive titles in the Division II state tournament; and both squads also earned team titles in the inaugural state-sanctioned dual meet championships. Four members of each squad end the season in the national rankings. For St. Edward it is No. 3 Dean Heil (132), No. 9 Edgar Bright (145), No. 9 Markus Scheidel (152), and No. 1 Domenic Abounader (182); while St. Paris Graham is represented by No. 20 Eli Seipel (113), No. 2 Micah Jordan (132), No. 11 Alex Marinelli (152), and No. 2 Bo Jordan (160). Ranked No. 6 in the nation is Canon-McMillan, Pa., which won its third consecutive Class AAA (big-school) individual state championship and repeated as dual meet state champions. Up until the individual tournament, the Big Macs competed without Solomon Chishko, who would end up winning a state title. Even in his absence, Canon-McMillan finished fifth at the Ironman (which was only behind four of the nation's top five teams), won the Reno Tournament of Champions, finished one point out of second at the POWERade, and earned the state dual meet title. Four Big Macs wrestlers end the season in the individual rankings: No. 12 Dalton Macri (120), No. 3 Conner Schram (126), No. 4 Solomon Chishko (145), and No. 2 Cody Wiercioch (170). Rounding out the top ten squads nationally are Brandon, Fla., which won their 13th consecutive state championship; Clovis, Calif., which won its third consecutive state title and won/finished first in all of their competitions this year; Carl Sandburg, Ill., which repeated as state champions; and St. Michael-Albertville, Minn., which won the Clash on a tiebreaker and was joint state champions. Notable features in the team rankings are five teams from Illinois, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. Four squads from Minnesota are featured in the Fab 50 as well. Five states have three squads in the national team rankings: California, Iowa, Michigan, Missouri, and Oklahoma. It is a pair of states with two teams each in the rankings -- Georgia and Maryland.

With the IOC executive board's meeting in St. Petersburg coming in May, a meeting which will determine if wrestling has any hope of persisting as an Olympic sport, international wrestling needs to take every opportunity to showcase itself as a vital and relevant global sport. With the world championship months away, wrestling's continental championships are the best chance to provide such a showcase. As of this weekend, three of these continental championships have come and gone, the three most important, and I'm willing to bet that most of you didn't even realize it. The European Championships came and went some time ago. When and where exactly? I'm not entirely certain. I tried to look it up for the purpose of this article, when I went to the FILA homepage and clicked the freestyle drop menu at the top and selected "results" I found that this section was not updated with the European Championship results. The European Championship is arguably the second most important annual wrestling tournament in the world, and FILA, the sport's own international sanctioning body, has not provided results for it in its dedicated results section. I'm sure that somewhere on the site I could find results, but why should I have to dig through various reverse chronological updates and suffer the site's shoddy abysmal information architecture in order to procure results which ought to be readily available. Alarmingly, the last result recorded in this "results" section is the "Senior World Championship" in "Theran" on Feb. 21 and 22. Because I am a knowledgeable wrestling fan, I know that they really must mean the Senior World Cup in Tehran. Forgiving the misspelling of an important world capital, I am still very much taken aback by the fact that whoever enters this data does not understand the distinction between wrestling's World Cup and its World Championship. This is not a trivial difference. One is an individual tournament and one is a dual meet tournament. Forgive me if I can't shake the perception that large swaths of those in the employ of FILA have no real understanding of the sports they are meant to promote and protect. The crappiness of the design FILA website's design and maintenance is not just a nuisance to fans, traffic to the sanctioning body's website was also a criterion used by the IOC board to determine which sport they recommended for elimination from the Olympic core program in February. In manner of speaking, in February the IOC board told FILA that it was throwing its sport into the dustbin, in part, because of a lousy homepage. Wouldn't you think that some sort of meaningful overhaul of this webpage would have occurred by the third week of April? Let's return to the discussion of the continental championships. A few months ago an acquaintance sent me a link to a YouTube hosted webcast, provided by judo's international sanctioning body, of an important judo tournament held in Paris. Watching this, I knew that wrestling was in deep trouble. The video streamed in high quality, and was accompanied by impressive production elements. Scores and results were displayed on the screen with modern looking graphics, action was accompanied by competent commentators, the broadcast used multiple cameras, everything was in English and it cost me nothing to watch it. What really made my jaw drop was the crowd. A decent sized arena was filled to the brim with enthusiastic fans. I compared this to the webcast I watched when the finals of the World Wrestling Championships held in Denmark in 2009. On that stream, I remember the complete lack of commentary, the absence of production elements, the solitary immobile camera and the depressingly meager crowd. That was four years ago, things should be different now, but they are not. The Pan Am Championships in Panama of a couple weeks ago and the Asian Championships in New Delhi of this past weekend should have featured a high quality webcast much like the judo tournament listed above. What better way to expose wrestling in an area where it really shines-providing meaningful chances of competitive success to often neglected portions of the developing world. Unfortunately they didn't even get the Denmark treatment. In this era of information super highways and inexpensive live streaming technology, the only way to watch these two tournaments, marquee FILA events, was by seeing them in person. These tournaments may well have been wonderful displays of wrestling, a cornerstone of the world's athletic cultural heritage, at its very best, but the fifteen members of the IOC's executive board wouldn't know because they weren't there. This is the same fifteen people who may disdainfully drop wrestling into the bottomless pit of irrelevancy next month. Looking at the participants in the Asian Games, it's clear that FILA has not done a good job of incentivizing countries to send their very best wrestlers. Close to a third of freestyle wrestling medal winners in the 2012 Olympics came from countries represented at the Asian Championships. Not a single one of these medalists were in competition this past weekend. Only one wrestler who even placed in the top five in London wrestled in the Asian Championship. Thanks, Daulet Niyazbekov of Kazakhstan! This problem of attendance could be cured if FILA introduced some sort of world ranking system which affected seeding at World Championships and results in the continental championships impacted these rankings. As it stands right now, FILA provides no world rankings, and there is no way to ascertain what weight FILA places on its sponsored tournaments relative to others. FILA must have some sort of weighting criteria, as it does name a "Wrestler of the Year" annually. It appears that FILA's determination of this "Wrestler of the Year" is based on performance at the worlds/Olympics, the European Championships (apparently to be a FILA Wrestler of the Year you must be from Europe, or Azerbaijan, which competes in the European championships), and a "Golden Grand Prix." I'm pretty smart and know more than most about international wrestling, but the whole "Golden Grand Prix" thing remains utterly opaque to me. Coming soon to Chad-FILA's African Championships, a cool event where practitioners of myriad African folkstyles try to adapt their unique skills to freestyle and Greco. I'd love to be able to watch it, but I surely won't. Maybe by the time the leaves change, FILA will properly list the results.

John Stutzman

ELMHURST, Ill. -- Team USA won eight of the thirteen weight classes in a 27-16 victory over Team Illinois at the Wrestling USA Dream Team Classic hosted by Elmhurst College just outside of Chicago on Saturday night. The matches featured showdowns of nationally ranked wrestlers, with multiple cases of higher ranked wrestlers falling to defeat. Team USA 27, Team Illinois 16 220: No. 14 (at 195) Nathan Rotert (Spearfish/Lead-Deadwood, S.D.) dec. Tom Howell (Marist), 7-2 285: No. 2 Brooks Black (Blair Academy, N.J.) pinned Alex Fritz (Marmion Academy) 113: Sebastian Pique (Carl Sandburg) dec. No. 17 Paul Mascarenas (Cleveland, N.M.), 3-1 120: No. 17 Barlow McGhee (Rock Island) dec. No. 3 Darian Cruz (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), 3-1 SV 126: No. 2 Connor Schram (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) dec. No. 17 Jordan Northrup (Machesney Park Harlem), 7-4 132: No. 15 (at 138) Jed Mellen (Payson, Utah) dec. No. 13 George Fisher (Marmion Academy), 6-1 138: Mech Spraggins (Belleville West) dec. No. 4 Mitch Bengtson (St. Cloud Apollo, Minn.), 8-5 145: No. 7 (at 152) Brian Murphy (Glenbard North) dec. No. 1 (at 152) Jake Short (Simley, Minn.), 3-2 152: No. 3 Oliver Pierce (Allen, Texas) dec. No. 6 Kyle Langenderfer (Lincoln-Way East), 4-3 160: No. 2 (at 170) Nick Wanzek (Simley, Minn.) dec. No. 9 Colin Holler (Carl Sandburg), 3-1 170: No. 1 Cody Wiercioch (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) dec. Dan Rowland (Willowbrook), 7-2 182: No. 4 (at 195) Ricky Robertson (Carl Sandburg) maj. dec. Matt Seabold (Burlington, Iowa), 9-0 195: No. 10 Matt McCutcheon (Kiski Area, Pa.) dec. No. 6 Jordan Ellingwood (Plainfield Central, 6-2

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, Steve Foster, Terry Cook, our own Jeff Murphy and Brad Johnson live from Des Moines, Iowa. This week's guests: 9:03 John Stutzman, Bloomsburg head wrestling coach 9:20 Richard Perry, Bloomsburg wrestler 9:35 Josh Veltre, Bloomsburg wrestler 9:50 Tyler Barkley- Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 515 661 9255 10:00 Nick Wilson, Bloomsburg wrestler 10:20 Dr. Amanda Stanec, Ph.D in physical education 10:35 Randy Kawa, Takedown Sportswear founder 10:50 Peggy Johnson, Wildrose Casino and Resort, Clinton 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. From the bombings in Boston to exploding fertilizer plants in Texas, this week has been filled with the heavy and insidious odor of frustration and sadness. In a parallel universe we could push the massive RESET button, and enjoy a weekend with our families. CNN and Fox News could go back to griping over the gun lobby, and wrestling fans could immerse themselves in the splendor of elite competition. There is no magical button and violence is an intractable part of the human experience. This weekend serves as another reminder of why wrestling competition is so special. It's a form of communication and non-violent conflict resolution that has been used for centuries to tell stories, to entertain and to solve social matters within modern and tribal societies. We should be able to grab out kids, point them at the computer screen and enjoy in a wrestling event with the rest of the world. We should be able to tell them, "Look, people can come together, solve their problems and become friends through wrestling." Unfortunately outside of Flo's commitment to coverage, the U.S. Open hasn't become such a fan-friendly event. Words are cooler than videos and photos, but sometimes there are juxtapositions to be made using multimedia that can amplify a point more than any well-placed metaphor, or exclamation point. The U.S. Open began yesterday at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Below you can see a photo of crowd gathered to watch the opening matches. The U.S. Open is being held at the Las Vegas Convention Center Of course, you don't see a crowd at all, you only see a guy in a green shirt looking for the Pai Gow table (he has a system!) but instead landed here in this tin can hopelessly lost and alone. Our attendance at this event is not just bad from a raw numbers and revenue level, it reinforces the arguments made by the IOC about the marketability of our sport. In a moment when we needed to be perfect, we've failed to deliver. The event has photographable banners, but no fan support and insignificant content. The pre-tournament hype was underwhelming. The event isn't fan friendly. And there is no significant national media coverage. Overall the event is lacking in the type of emotional appeal that our fans, (to say nothing of our Pai Gow pal) can find appealing. The tin can isn't just void of people, it's void of content. Modern sports are about making fans happy. Maybe as a sport we're too prideful to see that, and maybe we don't want to make the changes necessary, but in doing so we lose the right to complain about the failure of our product. Forget about the rule changes that need to happen in order to help the sport become marketable and mainstream, we can't even deliver to our fans an introduction to the personalities on the mat. Over the past several weeks wrestling has done well to play the victim well. We've trotted out weeks worth of "Isn't It A Shame (Insert your favorite Olympic hopeful) Might Not Earn Olympic Shot" stories in the local and national press. We played a martyr-worthy victim when placed opposite the cruel and shortsighted behavior of an all-powerful IOC. Nine weeks after the decision to eliminate wrestling the marketability of these stories has died off. Readers, even passionate wrestling fans, have experiences a fatigue. Readers want meaty, emotional topics. Right now they're getting Styrofoam peanuts. The movement to #KeepOlympicWrestling began 66 DAYS ago, yet in our first national tournament we didn't recruit a crowd, or promote a single appealing news story for circulation. It's not surprising. When compared with the promotion of the Pan Am Games, the European Championships and Asian Games it's become the status quo to let our continental championships languish. None were promoted, none were televised and none made even a ripple of attention among the international media. However, we did have banners. The outlook for overturning the IOC's decision is looking as depressing as an April day in Chicago, but wrestling still has time to improve. We can still, despite our early failings, make a significant media impact. Right now CPOW, USA Wrestling and Beat the Streets are preparing to host the tri-meet in Grand Central Station with the Iranians and the Russians. With hard work from those organizations that event has the opportunity to become something more than just a banner-hanging event. We can create significant media and hopefully add some pressure to members of the IOC. It's an opportunity we all hope isn't lost to inaction or the status quo. We aren't victims, we're the culprits. On to your questions ... Q: I'm not very impressed with the 84 and 96-kilo weights at the U.S. Open. Am I wrong? -- @mwlinder9935m Foley: You are exactly one-half wrong. The talent at 84 kilos is impressive and the expected matchups should lend to some top-flight action. I'm excited to see Ed Ruth wrestle, as well as Mike Pucillo, Phil Keddy and Max Askren. These are some brawlers with potential to medal at the World Championships. Well, maybe not Pucillo, but I love a comeback story Wynn Michalak has a win over Jake Varner at 96 kilos, but after him the weight class lacks the zing you like to see at the Open. And like stated before, I'd get more interested were there more back stories and plotlines built into the buildup. I think I'm with you ... It might be a yawn of a weight at the Open. Q: Do you think Logan Stieber will be the next four-time NCAA champ. Why or why not? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Yes, but only on the condition that he moves up at least one weight class before his senior season. Logan is talented enough to stay at 133 and win out, but we've seen a slowing of sorts in wrestlers that stay at a lighter weight throughout their careers (That Dude JO). Beers, pizza and Skittles can pack on the postseason tonnage and if Logan's body at the Grapple in the Apple last May was any indication, he's the first to get a little chubby in his downtime. Logan is an insanely talented wrestler -- possibly one of the all-time greats -- so it's likely he could compete at 133 for two more seasons and come away with four titles. Call it a personal preference that I bump up a weight to win his fourth title. It worked for Dake. Q: Were any Division I coaches fired this year? -- Andrew H. Foley: One. Jim Beichner of Buffalo. The rest made trips up the administrative ladder or stepped down to pursue other careers. The life of a college wrestling coach is full-time and in the words of now-former SIUE head wrestling coach David Ray, "Coaching wrestling is a young man's sport." Hallelujah. Let's see some of these hot shot assistants take over at SIUE, Brown and VMI. Big Idea No. 1 RULE CHANGE: Make a takedown worth 3 points and bring back the one count nearfall. This would change folkstyle as we know it, and make our wrestlers better prepared for freestyle. OLYMPIC RULE CHANGES: In my opinion, make a takedown worth 2-3 points. Enough of a high-risk, low-reward endeavor in our sport. No wonder Europeans are one-hundred percent dependent on defense and the ball grab. Now the IOC is taking the sport out of the Olympics. Reward risk and you have a sport! This is true even in folkstyle. Note: I remember when Lincoln McIlravy wrestled Gerry Abas in the NCAA finals. Gerry scored four takedowns in the first period, and cut Lincoln four times. Second period: Gerry cuts him, and gives up a close takedown, and BAM! It's an 8-7 match. That was when I realized the scoring was off. -- Tony Purler Foley: Thanks for taking the time to submit this week's Big Idea. You're on to something. There has always been an inequity in the amount of points you are given for launching an attack versus simply getting away. Your example was perfect. However, maybe there is something good in keeping matches close, even when there is some early parity. As we both know McIlravy came back to win that match in what would become one of the all-time most discussed moments in the history of the Iowa Hawkeyes. Boot scoot! Scoring should be reviewed, and maybe some select offseason tournaments could feature experimental scoring. Any objections to starting one of these tournaments yourself? Q: So in switching the name from "FILA Junior National Championships" to "ASICS Junior National Championships," do you think there will be some confusion regarding July's ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Championships (or Fargo, as most call it) and this month's tourney for a lot fans? To add to the possible confusion: I believe the ASICS Junior World Championships runs somewhere around the week that of the ASICS/Vaughan Junior National Championships. Why do you think the name was changed? -- Nick B. Foley: Money. I'm not a branding expert, but I have to think that it causes you and me this much confusion, it would cause the general public to give up. Sometimes wrestling can't get out of the way of itself, even when trying to do something smart. You know, like make more money. FILA Junior is for 18 to 20-year-olds, while ASICS/Vaughan Juniors is for high school wrestlers. Boom! Simple, right? Q: I recently saw an article on NCAA.com that talked about NCAAs next season. One of the things brought up was the return of Andrew Howe and how some people are not sure what weight he will go. The article said it could end up being 165, 174, and 184. Many people have talked about Howe staying at 165 to take on the challenge of David Taylor which would be an incredible match. But what about a Howe-Ruth matchup? Howe was able to dominate or at least control Taylor at the Olympic Trials but if Howe wrestled at 184 that could set him up for being the main guy at 84 kilos in the future. Wahoowa! -- Thomas A. Foley: What about Howe versus Perry? That's the big action! OK, maybe not a lot of points, but there will be intrigue, media attention, and plenty of Brian Muir's betting lines. Howe will draw attention at any weight, but I think 165 will be too light and 184 too heavy for him to make the type of impact Coach Cody and he will want. I think Howe is capable of winning the title at 174, even if that means taking out my boy, Penn State "Superman" Matt Brown. Q: Is a wrestler always required to wear head gear for protection? How come sometimes they do not? What happens when they do not wear it? Are they more prone to injury? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Headgear is mandatory while wrestling in scholastically-sponsored wrestling competitions. However, some offseason freestyle tournaments don't require headgear for kids, and wrestling rooms are largely unregulated leaving them to be headgear-free zones. There is no headgear required for international competition and ninety-nine percent of wrestlers choose to go without them in local, national and international freestyle and Greco tournaments. Headgear helps keep ears protected, but like condoms they aren't a fail-safe against the unexpected. Cauliflower ear happens, and though wearing some plastic to protect your ears from the onslaught of your practice partner, or rival might reduce your risk, there is always the chance that your ear can be opened up. If you're concerned then it's always wise to wear headgears. If you hate the way the cauliflower looks, then there are surgeries. The only medical issues that could arise tend to be infections of the fluid trapped between the skin of the ear and cartilage. Also ear infections can come as the result of water trapped inside your ear. In some cases the ear hole becomes completely covered by scar tissue. I happened to suffer from the last of these ailments my senior year in college, and was forced to seek out a minor plastic surgery that removed a few cubic millimeters of scar tissue from directly in front of the ear hole. My doctor asked me if I'd want to go ahead and have the entire ear reconstructed. I declined. I'm much too proud of my ears and the immediate camaraderie they can inspire. Wrestling is a life choice, not something to be embarrassed about or surgically altered. We should all value the scars of sacrifice more than the scars of vanity.

The UFC on FOX 7 this weekend features an interesting dynamic. Ben Henderson. The current lightweight champion, once beleaguered for a questionable win over Frankie Edgar, now seems invincible after a dominating performance against Nate Diaz. Gilbert Melendez. The challenger, a perennial top ten fighter and longtime Strikeforce champion, himself has come under scrutiny lately during a long but somewhat routine win streak. Is Melendez going to simply rediscover his old form now that he's in the UFC and facing top-level competition? And is Henderson ready to establish himself as one of the pound-for-pound best in MMA, or was his dominance of Nate Diaz aided by a favorable style matchup? Richard and John break down the fight and the rest of the main card. Spoiler alert: Daniel Cormier will punish Frank Mir. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

The seeds have been finalized for the U.S. Open, which takes place Thursday through Saturday in Las Vegas. Greco-Roman Seeds 55 kilos: 1. Spenser Mango, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 2. Nate Engel, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 3. Max Nowry, Wheeling, Ill. (New York AC/USOEC) 4. Nikko Triggas, Moraga, Calif. (New York AC) Alternate - Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, Brooklyn, N.Y. (New York AC/USOEC) 60 kilos: 1. Joe Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 2. Jamel Johnson, Greensboro, N.C. (YES Wrestling) 3. Marco Lara, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 4. Jesse Thielke, Germantown, Wis. (Badger WC) Alternate – Nick Simmons, Bloomington, Ind. (Sunkist Kids) 66 kilos: 1. Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla., (New York AC) 2. Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 3. Ben Sanchez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Nick Alvarez, Miami, Fla. (USOEC) 74 kilos: 1. Justin Lester, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 2. Ben Provisor, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 3. Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 4. Jake Fisher, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 84 kilos: 1. Jordan Holm, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 2. Peter Hicks, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 3. Zac Nielsen, Zimmerman, Minn. (Minnesota Storm/USOEC) 4. Mark Stenberg, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC/USOEC) 96 kilos: 1. Pete Gounaridis, Leominster, Mass. (U.S. Army) 2. John Wechter, Minneapolis, Minn.(Minnesota Storm) 3. Caylor Williams, Melbourne, Fla. (YES Wrestling) 4. Marcus Finau, Ewa Beach, Hawaii (New York AC/USOEC) Alternate - Charles Fish, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 120 kilos: 1. Dremiel Byers, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 2. Robert Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 3. David Arendt, Camp Lejeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 4. Erik Nye, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) Alternate - Parker Betts, St. Michael, Minn. (Minnesota Storm/USOEC) Women's Freestyle Seeds 48 kilos: 1. Alyssa Lampe, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Victoria Anthony, Huntington Beach, Calif. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Erin Golston, Lake in the Hills, Ill. (New York AC) 4. Emily Webster, Sedalia, Mo. (OKCU Gator RTC) Alternate - Candace Workman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (USOTC) 51 kilos: 1. Jessica Medina, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Carlene Sluberski, Fredonia, N.Y. (Brock WC) 3. Haley Augello, Lockport, Ill. (New York AC) 4. Samantha Klingel, Kregsville, Pa. (King College) Alternate - Amy Fearnside, Morgan Hill, Calif. (Jamestown College) 55 kilos: 1. Helen Maroulis, Rockville, Md (Sunkist Kids) 2. Sarah Hildebrandt, Granger, Ind. (King College) 3. Katherine Fulp-Allen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 4. Shauna Isbell, Flagstaff, Ariz. (Lindenwood) Alternate - Kayla Brendlinger, Slippery Rock, Pa (King College) 59 kilos: 1. Alli Ragan, Carbondale, Ill. (New York AC/King College) 2. Jenna Burkert, Rocky Point, N.Y. (New York AC) 3. Deanna Betterman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Tiffany Sluik, Mason City, Iowa (Jamestown College) Alternate - Brieana Delgado, Fountain Inn, S.C. (OKCU Gator RTC) 63 kilos: 1. Elena Pirozhkova, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Gator WC) 2. Jennifer Page, Orangevale, Calif. (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Erin Clodgo, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Amanda Hendey, Beaumont, Calif. (King College/Titan Mercury WC) Alternate - Monica Ramirez, St. Charles, Mo. (Lindenwood) 67 kilos: 1. Veronica Carlson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (New York AC) 2. Julia Salata, Canton, Mich. (New York AC/King College) 3. Tamyra Mensah, Katy, Texas (Wayland Baptist) 4. Brittany David, Brentwood, Calif. (Lindenwood) Alternate - Demi Strub, Guilford, Ind. (OKCU Gator RTC) 72 kilos: 1. Iris Smith, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 2. Brittany Roberts, Santa Fe, Texas (OKCU Gator RTC) 3. Christina Zamora, Orange County, Calif. (Jamestown College) 4. Melissa Simmons, Ridgefield, Wash. (OKCU Gator RTC) Alternate 1 - Mei Ling Keiki, Waianae, Hawaii (U.S. Air Force) Alternate 2 - Jackie Cataline, Corona, Calif. (Sunnyvale Scorpion WC) Men's Freestyle Seeds 55 kilos: 1. Obe Blanc, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Ben Kjar, Orem, Utah (Titan Mercury WC) 3. Zach Sanders, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 4. Mark McKnight, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 5. Brandon Precin, Evanston, Ill. (Wildcat WC) 6. Frank Perrelli, Ithaca, N.Y. (New York AC) 7. Kyle Hutter (HRWA/Virginia Beach RTC) 8. Steve Mytych, Coplay, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 9. Shawn Contos, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 60 kilos: 1. Coleman Scott, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Logan Stieber, Monroeville, Ohio (New York AC/Ohio RTC) 3. Reece Humphrey, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 4. Tyler Graff, Loveland, Colo. (New York AC) 5. Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Sam White, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Team OTC) 7. Alan Waters, Kansas City, Mo. (Missouri RTC) 8. Danny Mitcheff (West Point WC) 9. Darrius Little, Raleigh, N.C. (Sun Devil WC) 10. Bebeto Yewah (Lehigh Valley AC) 66 kilos: 1. Brent Metcalf, Iowa City, Iowa (New York AC) 2. Chase Pami, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Adam Hall, New York, N.Y. (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC) 4. Jordan Oliver, Easton, Pa. (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Jason Chamberlain, Springville, Utah (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Phil Simpson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 7. Kevin LeValley, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 8. Drew Headlee, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 9. Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 10. Kyle Ruschell, Madison, Wis. (New York AC) 74 kilos: 1. Jordan Burroughs, Lincoln, Neb. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Nick Marable, Columbia, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 3. David Taylor, St. Paris, Ohio (Nittany Lion WC) 4. Colt Sponseller, Glenmont, Ohio (New York AC) 5. Moza Fay, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 6. Ryan Morningstar, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 7. Dan Vallimont (Blue & Gold WC) 8. Nate Carr, Charlottesville, Va. (Cavalier WC) 9. Andrew Sorenson (Jackrabbit WC) 84 kilos: 1. Keith Gavin, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 2. Max Askren, Hartland, Wis. (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC) 3. Phil Keddy, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 4. Jon Reader, Ames, Iowa (Sunkist Kids/Cyclone WC) 5. Austin Trotman, Boone, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Clayton Foster, Laramie, Wyo. (Cowboy WC/GRIT Athletics) 7. Ed Ruth, Harrisburg, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 8. Cam Simaz, Ithaca, N.Y. (Finger Lakes WC) 9. Mike Pucillo, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 10. Kurt Brenner (Mountaineer WC) 96 kilos: 1. Wynn Michalak, Champaign, Ill. (Titan Mercury WC) 2. Les Sigman, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 3. David Zabriskie, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 4. Chris Pendleton, Laramie, Wyo. (Cowboy WC) 5. Dustin Kilgore, Berea, Ohio (Sunkist Kids) 6. J.D. Bergman, Columbus, Ohio (New York AC/Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 7. Trevor Brandvold, Verona, Wis. (New York AC) 8. Jack Jensen, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army) 9. Cayle Byers, Stillwater, Okla. (Titan Mercury WC) 10. Luke Lofthouse, Iowa City, Iowa (Hawkeye WC) 120 kilos: 1. Tervel Dlagnev, Columbus, Ohio (Sunkist Kids/Ohio RTC) 2. Dom Bradley, Blue Springs, Mo. (Sunkist Kids) 3. Zach Rey, Hopatcong, N.J. (Lehigh Valley AC) 4. Ryan Tomei, Chapel Hill, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Kyle Massey, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 6. Tyrell Fortune, Portland, Ore. (Grand Canyon WC) 7. Nick Gwiazdowski, Delanson, N.Y. (New York AC) 8. Jeremy Johnson, Broadview Heights, Ohio (Bobcat WC) 9. Matthew Meuleners, Young America, Minn. (Aberdeen WC) 10. Riley Orozco (Dave Schultz Elite)

EDMOND, Okla. -- Grand Canyon heavyweight Tyrell Fortune put together a dominating season in 2012-13 and has been named the NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year, it was announced Wednesday. Tyrell FortuneFortune went 37-1 with a school-record 20 falls and five major decisions, going a perfect 20-0 against Division II opponents. The junior standout captured the Division II national championship on March 9 in Birmingham, Ala. with a 4-3 finals victory over two-time defending champion Matt Meuleners of Northern State. Fortune is sixth recipient of the award, sponsored by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches’ Association and voted on by eight coaches from around the country. The Region IV representative edged St. Cloud State senior and Region III Wrestler of the Year Shamus O’Grady by one point for the top honor. O’Grady was the Outstanding Wrestler at the Division II Wrestling Championships after winning the 184-pound title to cap a 40-1 season. The other two finalists were Notre Dame freshman 165-pounder Joey Davis from Region II and North Carolina-Pembroke senior 174-pounder Mike Williams from Region I. “It’s an honor to be chosen the national wrestler of the year,” Fortune said. “It has been a great experience at GCU this season and I am grateful for the opportunity to finish my degree and my collegiate wrestling career here.” “Tyrell has done a tremendous job here at GCU,” head coach R.C. LaHaye said. “He has really stepped up and been a leader for our younger athletes and we are looking forward to even bigger things from him in the future.” Fortune gave up only one takedown all season and won regular season tournaments at the Cowboy Open and Roadrunner Open before taking the Super Region IV crown. He had a fall, major decision and 7-0 shutout at the national tournament before beating Meuleners in the title match. A two-time state champion at Lake Ridge High School in Portland, Ore. who has won 16 freestyle and Greco-Roman national titles, Fortune captured back-to-back junior college national championships at Clackamas Community College (Ore.) before going to Grand Canyon. Previous winners of the award were Nebraska-Kearney heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev (2008), Nebraska-Omaha 157-pounder Todd Meneely (2009), Pittsburgh-Johnstown 133-pounder Shane Valko (2010), Western State 197-pounder Donovan McMahill (2011) and Upper Iowa 133-pounder Trevor Franklin (2012).

Andy Hrovat joins the podcast for an honest discussion of USAW, FILA and both organization's shortcomings in preparing for the U.S. Open and the May meeting with the IOC. Brian Muir joins up to discuss his tan, wedding season and collegians competing at the Open. Check out our Tumblr page at backpoints.tumblr.com. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching "back points" and pushing SUBSCRIBE. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

From the moment I stepped on the mat as a competitor in an elementary school, intramural wrestling tournament in 1956 until the time I sat in the stands as Penn State demolished Rider in a Feb. 17, 2013 dual meet, amateur wrestling has been the most exciting part of my lifelong sports experience. Although I hit more than my fair share of home runs during a highly successful teenage baseball career and garnered plenty of medals as a long-distance runner in my 30s and 40s, my heart never beat as hard as it did when I sat in the stands and watched my son win his second straight Cadet National Greco-Roman championship in 1988 by throwing future Olympian Cary Kolat to his back in the final 15 seconds of their all-Pennsylvania final and win a thrilling 10-8 match; or when I stepped on the mat to officiate my own very first bout as a FILA licensed mat official. Charles PrebishLike so many fervent Olympic wrestling fans, I was shocked and appalled by the statement of the IOC that it would seek to drop wrestling from the 2020 Olympic Games. What follows is my attempt to explain what may have precipitated this outrageous decision and how it might be overcome. While I cannot comment on the political circumstances that may have contributed to this highly unpopular decision, I can start with the possibly controversial suggestion that the leaders of FILA uniformly place their shoes on the mat and respectfully retire from a sport they apparently no longer understand. It's time for a new generation of forward-looking administrators take over and pursue their own "vision quest" of returning Olympic wrestling to its previous, and hopefully future splendor. To some degree, this process has already begun with the resignation of Raphael Martinetti and his replacement with Nenad Lalovic as acting president. Clearly, I am no stranger to sports controversies. On Jan. 4, 1982 I published an essay in the New York Times entitled "Spirit of Sport Inspires New Faith," in which I argued that sport was the newest and fastest-growing religion in America. It raised havoc everywhere and was the focus of one of Howard Cosell's "Speaking of Sports" radio shows in which he lambasted my theory in front of a national audience. The following day, an Associate Dean at my university (Penn State) telephoned my office to accuse me of "blasphemy." Blasphemy notwithstanding, my 1993 book Religion and Sport: The Meeting of Sacred and Profane went on to become a standard volume on the relationship between religion and sport. I hope what follows will not be considered blasphemous, and that readers will resonate agreeably with the difficult ideas presented. A high-amplitude throwSo how did Olympic style wrestling wind up in this difficult dark place, and how can we remedy the situation? As an official during the 1980s and 1990s, there was nothing more exhilarating than watching a freestyle or Greco-Roman wrestler hit an astounding five-point throw. I saw these throws regularly, along with slightly less thrilling three-point "moves" a lot during my officiating career. Now we barely ever hear the word "suplesse" (or suplay); it's just not in our vocabulary any longer because it almost never happens. I imagine that some current officials in the USWOA will never even see a five-point throw during their entire officiating career. How sad! And for the fans, it's even worse. They can sit in the stands all day at a major tournament, and barely ever even see a gut wrench. In other words, Olympic style wrestling has become, sadly, a complete and total BORE! No action, no risk, and virtually no scoring. I'm sure when FILA changed the rules which have led to this situation, they intended quite the opposite ... but it just hasn't turned out that way. So we need to change the rules and promote scoring, excitement, and risk-taking. So here's three minor rule changes that I believe will change everything and restore our sport to splendor! My first suggestion is to eliminate the three-period format and return to the previous format of one five-minute period. That will do away with some of the highly unjustified results that emerge from the three-period format. Now, you can win the first period with four one-point takedowns, lose the second period by being pushed out of bounds once by your opponent, and lose the third period by again being pushed out of bounds. Total points: 4 for you, 2 for your opponent (and none on truly offensive moves), but YOU LOSE. In addition, the one period format does not interrupt the continuity of the match as the three period format does. No more! ONE period, winner takes all. My second suggestion involves re-emphasizing "passivity" calls on the part of the officials, including a disqualification following the third passivity warning. If a competitor knows that he/she will be disqualified following the third passivity warning, we'll start to see some of the offensive attacks that once made wrestling a beautiful and exciting sport. That also means officials will finally have to show some courage in actually enforcing the passivity rule. I remember many years ago when I went to my FILA qualifying tournament, a senior Class I mat official said to me, "If you EVER let a bout move into the final minute without either wrestler having scored any points or having disqualified one of the wrestlers for passivity, you will NEVER get your FILA license. Compare that mentality to what we see now in a 1-0, 0-1, 1-0 yawner. My third suggestion involves eliminating the "clinch." It's a silly, artificial, hard to articulate maneuver. Just watching the officials trying to start wrestlers from the clinch position is almost laughable. It interrupts the flow of the match and it places too much emphasis on the official's timing and accuracy. The match is supposed to be about the wrestlers. The best official is the one you never remember seeing. Speaking of officials, they need to change their approach as well. I was fortunate to work with several great officials when I was new to officiating. I worked with fellows like Mort Geller, Jerry Wager, and Eric Kopsch, and each was a remarkable mentor to new officials like myself. Curiously, they all said the same things. They always reminded me to (1) know the rules, completely and absolutely, (2) learn the mechanics of officiating so I could always anticipate the action and be in perfect position to make the correct call, and (3) to ALWAYS have the courage to enforce the rules of passivity, so each wrestler was expected to be aggressive continually throughout the match. Too many officials today, in both Olympic style and "folkstyle" wrestling simply do not do these three simple things. If we can institute the above suggestions, I think our great sport will never again be in danger of losing its important position as a thrilling member of all future Olympic Games. Charles Prebish is Professor Emeritus at both the Pennsylvania State University and Utah State University (where he held the Charles Redd Endowed Chair in Religious Studies). His research focuses on early Indian Buddhism, with emphasis on the monastic tradition and sectarian movement, and on the development of Buddhism in the West. He is the author of more than twenty books, and his books Buddhist Monastic Discipline (1975) and Luminous Passage: The Practice and Study of Buddhism in America (1999) are considered classic volumes in Buddhist Studies. In 1993 he held the Visiting Numata Chair in Buddhist Studies at the University of Calgary. Dr. Prebish has been an officer in the International Association of Buddhist Studies, and was the co-founder of the Buddhism Section of the American Academy of Religion. In 2005, he was honored with a "festschrift" volume by his colleagues titled Buddhist Studies from India to America: Essays in Honor of Charles S. Prebish. He recently published his memoir, titled An American Buddhist Life: Memoirs of a Modern Dharma Pioneer. Along with his wife Susan, who was also a USA Wrestling and FILA mat official, they officiated dozens of state, regional, and national Olympic-style wrestling tournaments. His son Rob is a multiple-time national champion, Freestyle and Greco-Roman champion at the 1989 World Maccabiah Games, and is author of the ebook The Solitary Wrestler: Methods for Safe Weight Control, about which former Olympic coach Greg Strobel has said, "Rob Prebish has done an outstanding job of researching and putting together the most comprehensive book on proper weight management I have ever read." Chuck is retired and lives in State College, Pennsylvania.

If an Olympic medalist loses in Panama and nobody was able to see it, did it actually happen? On April 6, the Pan American Wrestling Championships were contested. Among the most notable results, the U.S.'s top 60-kilo wrestler and Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott lost to a Cuban opponent in the semifinals. This was a great match, featuring two of the world's best wrestlers, but I was unable to watch it. Nobody outside those in attendance in Panama was able to see it. The event received no video coverage, either via television or Internet stream. The Pan Ams, at least in theory, crown wrestling champions for an entire hemisphere. FILA should treat this tournament as one of its most important events. This is a pivotal time in the history of wrestling where the sport's international sanctioning needs to provide the access to marquee events that modern fans demand. FILA needs to provide two things at the very least: first a way to watch the event, possibly in the form of a video stream hosted on YouTube or its homepage, and second, a means to get to know the key competitors at these events. On the FILA website, I can look up the wrestler who beat Coleman Scott and find some vital information about him. His name is Alejandro Valdes Tobier. He is 25 and has twice placed seventh at the World Championships. This resume ought to impress, but it is merely a resume. I am left with no ability to get to know this wrestler in any meaningful way. In my mind, and in the minds of most Americans, Coleman was defeated by a fairly anonymous Cuban opponent. FILA, sadly, has done nothing to change this. Compare this to another combat sports event held the day before the freestyle Pan Ams. In Sweden, the Ultimate Fighting Championships held what was perhaps its least consequential event in recent memory. Even so, the event came with incredible accessibility for interested fans. The non-televised fights could be found on video streams on number of popular websites. If I wanted to learn more about the fighters who were competing, all I had to do was view their rather extensive and easy-to-find profiles on the UFC homepage. The UFC now provides rankings to give a casual fan a better idea of the relative accomplishment of each fighter, something sorely lacking on the FILA site. If I really want to become invested in the event, I could have visited the UFC's Facebook or YouTube pages, which featured interviews of the fighters. The UFC understands that in order to build the popularity of a combat sport, first the events must be available for viewing by a wide audience, and second, that the combat athletes must be featured in a way that fans can get to know them on a personal level. These are lesson that FILA could stand to learn. U.S. Open While the wrestling community crows about the incredible attendance at the NCAA Division I wrestling tournament, we fail to address the elephant in the room: that the NCAA Division I wrestling tournament is the only annual American wrestling event which enjoys such huge crowds (though the Olympic Team Trials had nice attendance last time around). We don't see fans come out in terribly strong force for extremely important events such as college's National Duals and the freestyle and Greco World Team Trials. This weekend a very deep field will compete in the U.S. Open. This is our national championship in freestyle and Greco and features significantly higher talent levels than any college tournament, yet I fear that the crowds will be sparse. I don't know how to solve this problem, it confounds me. What I do know is that to remain healthy, particularly at the international level, our sport needs to draw substantive gates at more than one event a year. Remembering John Trudgeon This week head Virginia Military Institute wrestling coach John Trudgeon announced his retirement. While there is no doubt that VMI's wrestling team has not enjoyed meaningful success for a number of years, it would be unfair to neglect to mention what Trudgeon's significant accomplishments. In the 1990s one could argue that Trudgeon built a winning program at a school which offers the most natural obstacles to building a successful Division I wrestling program (natural would be opposed to schools which could be good but for the fact that they receive no institutional support). In an era where many state schools offer resort-style amenities, VMI offers its students a chance to sleep four to a room on a cot called a "hay." Where many colleges enjoy bustling and energetic off campus life, VMI sits in tiny and sleepy (and beautiful) Lexington, Va. In an era where the redshirt is so important to athletic success, fifth-year VMI seniors live in what appears to be a dungeon underneath their barracks. While other schools build success by attracting recruits from all over the nation, VMI offers little out-of-state appeal in state with good but not elite wrestling. Finally, while many big universities boast student bodies numbered in the tens of thousands, VMI claims only a little more than a thousand students. John Trudgeon (VMI Sports Information)In spite of these impediments, Trudgeon ran a program that was tough by any standard, regularly featuring nationally ranked wrestlers, even after the turn of the century. In the 90s VMI could claim status as a bona fide mid- major college wrestling power, earning three conference championships and even leading two wrestlers to All-American status. He achieved this largely with the in-state talent remaining after Virginia's occasional blue chipper understandably fled to the greener pastures of the Big Ten or Big 12. I hope that Coach Trudgeon is remembered for his amazing, almost impossible achievements of ten to fifteen years ago, and not for the leaner times he experienced near the tail end of his tenure.

STANFORD, Calif. – Stanford head wrestling coach Jason Borrelli has received a contract extension, the university announced today. Details of the contract have not been disclosed. “We are excited with the plan and direction that Jason has for our wrestling program,” said the Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics Bernard Muir. “He has done a tremendous job building his program over the past five years. We are looking to reach even greater heights under his leadership in the future.” Borrelli completed his fifth season as the head coach of the Cardinal in 2012-13. With the extension, he will become the second-longest tenured coach in program history behind Chris Horpel (1980-2001). Borrelli’s 42 career dual wins is the most in a five-year span by any coach in school history. “I am honored and thrilled for the opportunity to continue on as the head wrestling coach at Stanford University,” said Borrelli. “This is an amazing place and having the opportunity to work alongside many of the best coaches and student-athletes from across the country is very humbling.” Under the guidance of Borrelli in 2012-13, Stanford produced a Pac-12 champion for the fourth consecutive year, marking the longest streak with an individual conference champion in school history. The Cardinal sent three wrestlers to the 2013 NCAA Championships in Des Moines, Iowa, bringing the total number of NCAA qualifiers under Borrelli to eight wrestlers making 15 appearances. “We have made tremendous strides over the past five years, and support from our administration, alumni and friends is at an all-time high,” stated Borrelli. “I have no doubt that the wrestling program can mirror the success of other championship teams in this outstanding athletic department. Myself, our staff and the student-athletes remain committed to accomplishing great things on The Farm and I am excited for the future of Stanford wrestling.” Since 2009-10, Stanford wrestlers have captured six All-America honors at the NCAA Championships. Nick Amuchastegui (’12), just the second three-time All-American in school history, became the first Cardinal wrestler to reach the NCAA finals on multiple occasions (2011 & 2012). Current Stanford senior Ryan Mango, who redshirted the 2012-13 season, is a two-time All-American and will return in 2013-14 with the hopes of joining Amuchastegui and Tanner Gardner (’08) as a three-time All-American. Mango was 15-0 during his redshirt campaign. Wrestling unattached at 133 pounds, he captured three tournament titles, including the Reno Tournament of Champions and the prestigious Midlands Championship.

The United States will take on the national teams of Hungary, Lithuania and Serbia in a world-class international Greco-Roman wrestling event at the 2013 Curby Cup at Lyons Township High School in LaGrange, Ill. on Saturday, May 11. The event is held in honor of the late Jacob Curby, a Greco-Roman Team USA member who unexpectedly passed away at the age of 25 in January 2010. It will be a showcase competition as part of World Wrestling Month, which was declared by the international wrestling federation FILA. The U.S. team will feature the 2013 U.S. Open Greco-Roman champions which will be determined in Las Vegas, Nev., April 18-20. Lineups for the three international teams will be announced shortly, but will feature a number of Olympic and World Championship athletes with impressive international achievements. “Besides the great competition and honoring the memory of a fine young man, this will be a time to rally the entire wrestling family in our struggle to preserve our great sport in the Olympics,” said Dave Curby, founder of the Curby Cup and Jacob Curby’s father. The event is another major opportunity for the Keep Olympic Wrestling movement. On February 12, the International Olympic Committee Executive Board made a recommendation that wrestling not be a core sport at the 2020 Olympic Games. A final decision on the program of the 2020 Olympics will be made by the entire IOC in September. A worldwide effort has been launched by FILA, the international wrestling federation, and all of the 177 nations which participate in wrestling, to retain wrestling as an Olympic sport. Wrestling legend Dan Gable, an Olympic and World champion wrestler and one of the greatest coaches in history, is the honorary chair of the 2013 Curby Cup. A special guest will be Olympic and World champion Greco-Roman legend Rulon Gardner. Coach Gable has invited the wrestling community to take part in this exciting competition in the video linked below Dan Gable video invitation to Curby Cup Tickets for the Curby Cup are just $10 and can be purchased at www.CurbyCup.com This is the fourth annual Curby Cup competition. The first Curby Cup was held in 2010, and featured challenge matches between U.S. Greco-Roman wrestling stars on the Senior, Junior and Cadet level. In 2011, it became an international event, when Team USA battled an International All-Star Team in Greco-Roman. In 2012, the Curby Cup featured a USA vs. Georgia international dual meet, featuring numerous world-class competitors. All three of the previous Curby Cup events have drawn large crowds and have raised funds for the Jacob Curby Foundation, whose mission is “teaching strong values through wrestling participation, growing youth participation in wrestling as a path to success and personal growth, and the advancement of Olympic-style international wrestling competition in the United States.” As part of the event, there will be free wrestling clinics provided for young athletes. A special girls freestyle wrestling clinic will be hosted by 2012 World silver medalist and Team USA member Helen Maroulis starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Vaughan Gym at Lyons Township High School. Participants receive a t-shirt, clinich and lunch and a pass to watch the Curby Cup. There will also be a chance for the participants to ask questions of Helen Maroulis following the lunch. Also at 10:00 a.m. is a free youth and high school Greco-Roman clinic, conducted by athletes from the U.S. Olympic Education Center Greco-Roman program at Northern Michigan University. World Sport Chicago is a sponsor of the 2013 Curby Cup, providing funds for transportation so that Chicago-based youth can participate in the clinic portion of the Curby Cup. On Sunday, May 12, a Fellowship of Christian Athletes Champions Breakfast will be held at the host hotel, the Holiday Inn & William Tell Banquets & Conference Center in Countryside, Ill. starting at 9:00 a.m. The master of ceremonies is two-time Greco-Roman Olympian and Wheaton College coach Jim Gruenwald. The special guest is freestyle Olympian and World medalist Tervel Dlagnev. The breakfast is open to wrestlers and fans with a $10 donation. The Curby Cup is the second major international wrestling competition announced by USA Wrestling as part of World Wrestling Month in May. Another major event is the Rumble on the Rails, an international competition between the USA, Iran and Russia in historic Grand Central Terminal in New York City on May 15. USA Wrestling expects to announce other major events and activities as part of World Wrestling Month, and the effort to Keep Olympic Wrestling. CURBY CUP At LaGrange, Ill, May 11-12 Event Schedule Saturday, May 11 at Lyons Township High School 10:00 a.m. – Girls youth freestyle clinic with Helen Maroulis 10:00 a.m. – Youth and high school Greco-Roman clinic with U.S. Olympic Education Center athlete 1:30 p.m. – Curby Cup, preliminary rounds 4:00 p.m. – MAIN EVENT - Opening Ceremonies and finals round Sunday, May 12 9:00 a.m. – FCA Champions Breakfast featuring Olympians Jim Gruenwald and Tervel Dlagnev at Holiday Inn & William Tell Banquets & Conference Center in Countryside, Ill. ABOUT THE JACOB CURBY FOUNDATION The Jacob Curby Foundation has been formed to honor the memory of my son, and has as its mission, teaching strong values through wrestling participation, growing youth participation in wrestling as a path to success and personal growth, and the advancement of Olympic-style international wrestling competition in the United States. Before his sudden, tragic death, Jacob Curby had been working as hard as he could to attain the ultimate goals in Greco-Roman wrestling – becoming an Olympic and World Champion. Jake was taken from us too early and was unable to complete his quest, but he remains a champion in all our hearts. ABOUT USA WRESTLING USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and the International Wrestling Federation FILA. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. Its president is James Ravannack, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. ABOUT KEEP OLYMPIC WRESTLING In the United States, the official website is http://www.KeepWrestlingInTheOlympics.com, on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/officialkeepwrestlingintheolympics, and on Twitter @wrestlingvision. The international links for FILA are http://www.fila-official.com/, on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/fila.official and on Twitter @FILA_Official.!

Destin McCauley won five state championships at Apple Valley (Photo/The Guillotine) After much speculation, Destin McCauley, a top recruit from the Class of 2011, has made his college decision. He will be enrolling at Nebraska, he announced on his Twitter page on Sunday night. McCauley considered a handful of schools in addition to Nebraska, including Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. He is expected to compete at 149 pounds. It's the third college commitment for the 20-year-old McCauley. He originally committed to Wisconsin as a high school senior in October of 2010 before enrolling at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Just over a year later, in November of 2011, McCauley announced that he would be enrolling at Iowa State. But after another year at the OTC, McCauley asked for his release from Iowa State. McCauley was a five-time state champion and six-time state finalist at Apple Valley (Minn.) High School. He has been a Junior National freestyle champion, FILA Junior National freestyle champion, and Junior World Team member.