InterMat Staff

Event: UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz II Venue: Wells Fargo Arena (Philadelphia, Pa.) Date: Aug. 6, 2011 Coming off a 5-0 Strikeforce card, including two underdogs, the UFC Monster is back at it again, trying to beat the oddsmakers with tonight's UFC action. Betting on superior wrestlers against hot-shot strikers has been a winning and recession-beating strategy in mixed martial arts. Let's see if we can find some winners again tonight ... In what might be the lamest UFC card ever, due to injuries and cancellations, we find Rashad "Suga" Evans (15-1-1) fighting future HOF'er Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz (16-8-1), once the face of the UFC. Evans was supposed to fight Jon Jones for the light heavyweight belt, but he finds himself in a rematch with Tito instead. Unfortunately, Jones suffered an injury in his beating of Shogun Rua. Evans and Ortiz fought four years ago, and the fight ended in a draw! Tonight that score gets settled. There is no value in the betting line with Evans installed as a -400 favorite. But Tito was 0-4-1 in his last fights before miraculously catching ASU's Ryan Bader in a choke hold. Other than beating up rival Ken Shamrock three times, Tito has been over-the-hill and AWOL forever. Now he fights a former champion on just one month's rest! Good luck with that. Rashad wins by second-round KO. It's OK to lay the heavy lumber in this lock. Rashad is the better athlete, wrestler, and striker. This is easy. One of my all-time favorite fighters, Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (19-9), takes on formidable Yoshihiro "Sexy" Akiyama (13-3), who is 1-2 in the UFC. Not only has Belfort dropped to middleweight where his quick hands and powerful striking will dominate, but Akiyama is made to order for my Brazilian friend. Akiyama will be handed his pink slip early here, as Belfort responds from his kick-in-the-face loss to Anderson Silva by KO'ing Akiyama before the bell sounds to end the first round. Lay the -300 and enjoy the beating. I am also betting this as KO of the night, and quickest KO of the night, both at +450. Who really cares about journeyman veterans Dennis "Superman" Hallman (50-13-2) vs. Brian "Bad Boy" Ebersole (47-14-1)? I don't. The betting line is -115 either way, and that's where it should be as either guy can win. Both are best at submissions, but this stalemate should end in a decision. Expect plenty of back-and-forth action in a meaningless fight that I will pass on. I don't even know why it's on the main card ... next: Jorge "El Conquistador" Rivera (19-8) was to fight Alexio Sakara, but injuries restructured that fight to this, a strikefest with Constantino Philippou (7-2), who lost his UFC debut to unknown Nick Catone. Rivera went from an underdog to a favorite. Experience matters here, and Rivera is fighting on borrowed time. He needs a win badly here, and will get it with a vicious, and I mean vicious, second-round KO of his less experienced rival. Jorge is a bargain at -140. Another fight that baffles me for being on the main card, is up-and-comer, Rory MacDonald (11-1), against journeyman veteran, Mike "Quicksand" Pyle (21-7-1). Both will be active trying to set up the submission games, but MacDonald should prevail. I find the -275 reasonable. A second-round rear-naked choke submission will end this. Now let's take a quick look at the undercard, which I find to be as attractive as the main card. Joe Silva, whaddup with that? Chad "Money" Mendes (10-0) has been money in the bank. This lightning quick wrestler has over-powered and outworked every one of his opponents, and he is heading quickly up the food chain. He should roll through submission guru, former WEC star Rani Yahya (16-6), who's only hope is to sink in a submission hold before Mendes pushes him around the Octagon. There is no value at -600, though, so I'll watch this fight with splinters in my butt. Who doesn't love Matt "The Hammer" Hamill (10-3), the deaf wrestler with lead in his fists? Matt's gentle demeanor is anything but a fighter's. And his slow-prodding style, and willingness to stand and strike, often gets him in trouble. His opponent, Alexander Gustafsson (11-1), is perhaps more athletic, quicker, and the better striker. So what? I like wrestlers, so I'm hoping that Matt uses his brains and skill set to drag the Swede to the ground, and make him eat fists. At +160, I'll take my chances on Hamill. The ref stops this one in the third round, as he pulls the gentle giant off the bloody corpse. Ivan Menjivar (22-8) will try to use his experience to get by the determined Nick Pace (6-1). I'll go with the veteran here, and lay the -200, expecting to get awarded a decisive decision. Menjivar -200 is the play. Two great wrestlers go head-to-head when Okie State's Johny Hendricks (10-1) takes on Mike Pierce (12-3), who's 4-1 in the UFC with his only loss being to Jon Fitch. When two wrestlers meet, surprising you often see a boxing match evolve. If that is the case here, then Hendo has the edge. Six of his 10 wins have come by KO. He is the master of the upper cut. For some strange reason the oddsmakers opened the betting with Hendricks as a slight underdog. I got on early. Now Hendo carries a -125 price tag. It won't be easy, but I like Hendo to win here. By KO (I also took the 12:1 odds for KO of the night). Johny wins, "you know what I'm sayin'?" Nam Phan (16-8) will always be remembered for his courage and guts in his epic toe-to-toe battles with Leonard Garcia. Tonight he has to find a way to beat former WEC champion Mike Thomas Brown (24-8), who will always be remembered as beating the unbeatable Urijah Faber TWICE! Brown has struggled since, but his brute strength, quickness, and diversified attack will be enough to overwhelm Phan and gain some momentum in his attempt to climb the mountain. I like Brown -205 to win by second round submission. Newcomer Paul "The Gentleman" Bradley (18-2) makes his UFC debut tonight against Rafael "Sapo" Natal (12-3-1), who is a disappointing 0-2 in the UFC. Both are best at submissions. Natal opened as a slight -125 favorite, but the betting public is pounding Bradley, who now is as high as -140 to win! Why? ... I have no clue. Bradley, a former Iowa wrestler, has been fighting out of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy in venues at Black River Falls, Wis. and Podunk, Iowa. His last three opponents include a guy who is 1-39 and another who is 0-9!!! What the ... ? This guy has not only never been to the Big Show, but who the heck has he even fought? On principle alone, I'm taking Natal at +110. I'll say he wins a decision or gets a submission victory. Now let's see if we can turn these winners into some cash with our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll: Let's lay $160 to win $40 in a bridge jump on Rashad Evans. Let's lay $150 to win $50 on Vitor Belfort's quick hands and KO power. Let's pass on Hallman/Ebersole and just enjoy the action. Let's lay $112 to win $80 on Jorge Rivera keeping his UFC career alive. Let's lay $110 to win $40 on Rory MacDonald's submission skills. Let's pass on Mendes/Rahya. Price too steep on Money. Let's lay $60 to win $ 96 with a big smile on our faces for the Hammer. Let's lay $100 to win $50 on Menjivar. Let's lay $125 to win $100 on Johny Hendo, and wish we had laid more..... Let's lay $123 to win $60 on Mike Brown to get back on track. Let's lay $ 60 to win $66 on Sapo Natal to send Bradley back to the farm. In all, we are risking $1000 to try and win $582. I feel confident in my selections, tho' the butterflies come late. Don't forget to share your winnings with your local youth wrestling program, where tomorrow's champions are born! Enjoy the fights, I know I will.

Jarred Oftedahl (Benilde-St. Margaret's, Minn.), a 2011 Junior National folkstyle champion, has registered for the 2011 InterMat JJ Classic at 113 pounds. Oftedahl was a Junior National double All-American this summer in Fargo at 105 pounds. He finished as a state runner-up this past season at 103 pounds, posting a season record of 39-3. Jarred Oftedahl (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

Wrestling, which began as a varsity sport at Stevens in 1919, has gone through some major transitions over the past 92 years. For the past five years, Mike Clayton, who became the head wrestling coach in 2007, has initiated and led many of these revolutionary changes. Mike ClaytonStarting with the numbers, the team's roster has grown from 15 wrestlers back in 2007 to 40 members for the fall 2011 season. This number includes three Neupauer Scholars and six wrestlers who made the President's List this past year with a GPA over 3.75. Academically, the team has gone from 19th in Coach Clayton's first year coaching to 10th, 6th, and 3rd this past year in all NCAA Div III wrestling -- as the team had an impressive collective GPA of 3.551. The team also earned Stevens' highest national ranking this past year at 18th and has had three All-Americans, a title no wrestler in Stevens' history had held prior. "Our success over the past four years has been the direct result of setting high goals and a willingness to work hard to reach those goals. We continue to attract top student-wrestlers from around the nation and we have a committed support staff that helps them focus on their academic and athletic priorities," says Coach Clayton. Team member Ryan Dorman, a three out of five Mechanical Engineering major, asserts: "Coach brings energy, not only to the wrestling room, but also to the image of the team overall. He promotes the growth and success of the team more than any other coach to come through the Stevens wrestling program." "He also cares for the athletes at both the athletic and academic levels, which is essential for the future success of student athletes as they look for employment upon leaving Stevens," Ryan adds. "He does as much to prepare the athlete for the mat as he does to prepare the student for the business world." Wrestler Joe Favia, a four out of five double major in Business and Technology and Social Science, remarks, "Coach Clayton has spent his career at Stevens tirelessly working to improve our program. He has built the program from a once unranked team to a top 20 team, with this upcoming year's goal of landing a top 10 ranking. He has given us these opportunities by surrounding us with a great training environment. He has recruited the best wrestlers and the best coaching staff. Our staff alone is one that can rival a Division I program." "A wrestling team is nothing without great training partners and a coaching staff that is fully committed to the team system," continues Joe. "Coach Clayton has provided our team with all of those amenities and more." While coaching at Stevens, Coach Clayton was able to focus on his studies as well and obtain a Master's degree in Management from the Howe School. He has also served as a member of the ROTC and Stevens Veterans Office for the past three years. A veteran of the Navy Supply Corps, he enjoys helping other vets in their educational pursuits. There were a number of things that first attracted Coach Clayton to Stevens, in particular, the academic success, spectacular location, career placement, and the salary statistics for graduates. He believes that the combination of these strengths help improve the ability to recruit students to Stevens and the wrestling program. When asked what he expects from the wrestlers wanting to come to Stevens Clayton says, "Total commitment to academics and discipline to get the training that will help them reach their goals in wrestling as well." The wrestling team had never won a match in the Centennial Conference. In the past four years, however, with Clayton's determination and passion, the team is now 22-6 in the conference. He mentions how he has toughened the schedule to compete against some of the highest ranked teams in the nation annually. "The season is long which is hard in itself. During that time you are challenged to battle one-on-one in competition 30 or more times. As many athletes know, game day is the most brutal part of competition sports, but what sets wrestling apart from other sports is the "mano a mano" physicality," adds Ryan. He goes on to explain that unlike any other collegiate sport, wrestling forces its athletes into a ring for seven minutes, during which each athlete tests and pushes the other for the smallest sign of weakness (this is part of the reason why a wrestling competition is called a "match" not a "game"). Couple that with the day-to-day mental discipline and desire to be the best which pushes each athlete past their physical breaking point on a daily basis. "As a team this causes athletes to join together and push one another to the next level to get them through any tough times," says Ryan. "The team aspect of wrestling is very important for this reason." Joe echoes the comment: "Being surrounded by athletes who share a common goal and work endlessly to achieve that goal no matter what it may take is my favorite part about the team. It is a new year with new wrestlers and we plan to work hard to come out on top." The team is expanding the wrestling room over the summer in addition to running a summer wrestling camp. Also, Clayton is currently working to build a wrestling team locker room. The newly expanded Wrestling Center will offer the 2011-2012 team over 3,000 square feet of mat space and more than 1,000 square feet for cardio workouts, weight lifting, and conditioning training. "Not only has the room expanded, but generous donations have allowed us to paint the entire room in red and gray and improve our signage to show off our wrestlers' accomplishments over the entire history of our program," says Coach Clayton. Joe concludes, "Our team is a close group of wrestlers. We share blood and sweat. Nothing can bring a team closer. We feed off each other's energy, in and out of the wrestling room, constantly pushing each other to reach high levels of success on and off the mat. We have high goals and even higher expectations for our own success every day. It forces us to work hard and become a tight group fighting for a common goal: A National Championship." The wrestling team sets the perfect example of what it means to be a student-athlete in a Division III college. As much time that is put into the training is put into the studies as well, giving any individual the opportunity to go above and beyond after college. Coach Clayton undoubtedly sets the example for what this means and brings out the best in the wrestlers to achieve their highest potential.

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the mobile Brute studios in Las Vegas, NV on 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Join Takedown Wrestling Hosts Scott Casber, Todd Patterson, Ryan Couture, Gary Abbott and many more. Brad Johnson will have the Takedown Wrestling Headline News along the way. Listen Saturday's for Takedown Wrestling 9 to 11 AM CST/ 10 AM to 12 Noon Eastern as we broadcast live from Xtreme Couture in Vegas. This week we'll introduce the Grappling World Team Trials that we'll broadcast later in the day on TheMat.com 9:01: Todd Patterson -- Former U.S. Army wrestler 9:20: Gary Abbott -- USA Wrestling 9:40: Various Guests 9:50: Ty Barkley -- Max Muscle Sports Nutritionist 10:01: Gary Abbott -- USA Wrestling 10:20: Ryan Couture -- An MMA legend in the making 10:40: Michael Chandler -- Former wrestler for the University of Missouri, now in MMA 10:50: Maureen Roshar -- Wildrose Casino, Clinton, Iowa 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.

For three days my Facebook feed was clogged with links to the improbable acrobatic setup and subsequent reverse lift of 20-year-old USA Greco-Roman wrestler Ellis Coleman. I'd seen Coleman's "flying squirrel" once before, when he attempted it at the Beat the Streets Gala on the Intrepid in 2010. Like many fans I was pleased to see it made such an impression with such a large swath of sports fans (mostly MMA sites), but got the chills when I learned that he did it at the Junior World Championships -- his biggest stage. Ellis ColemanNot long after learning the video went viral I began to read Facebook posts by friends in the wrestling community bemoaning that Coleman's "Flying Squirrel" had been measured against the scripted and flashier moves of professional wrestling. At the time I hadn't seen the original program on ESPN2, but I could sense the underlying frustration of fans and viewers, "We finally get our wrestling on television and we get referenced to 'The Claw'?" I watched the program and at first agreed that the comparisons to WWE seem pretty bogus, but then I started thinking of it from an editor's viewpoint -- professional wrestling was the most relevant connection to be made with the move and the program's younger demographic. The writers and editors on the show had done what they needed to do to make the story profitable. Jason Bryant of USA Wrestling -- who is the unquestioned leader of social networking in the wrestling community -- voiced his frustrations and asked that "just once" the mainstream media not mention the professionals when recounting these infrequent events. He's right, the mention of professional wrestling does devalue the nuance of Coleman's achievement, but that's not the real failure. Leaving these moments unanswered stymies the progress of the sport. The fault for allowing wrestling to remain a static set of repeated messages about professionalism, cutting weight and tight clothing is the fault of those in charge of creating messaging and branding, myself included. I've worked as a freelance print journalist for three years and in that time have published one wrestling-centric in a major newspaper or magazine (H/T: Jim Casey of FIGHT! Magazine). The problem wasn't that every pitch lacked a compelling storyline -- I pitched Anthony Robles, Cornell's ascension and Cael Sanderson. The hangup for most editors was that amateur wrestling doesn't compel their audience, that behind the achievement is just tights and weight loss. Amateur wrestling as currently packaged cannot be sold to the mainstream media as a stand-alone product. The wrestling community shouldn't be flustered when Ellis Coleman gets on ESPN2 for an effort that is both named like a professional wrestling move and that authentically replicate the absurd athleticism typically only executed through choreography -- it's what compels the editors and interests the most viewers and we've given them nothing else to discuss or understand. Amateur wrestling needs to ask itself if it is willing to track towards a more professional style of wrestling (celebrations anyone?), or if we do a complete and total re-branding that includes themes that are both easily transmittable to our core communicators like Jason Bryant and repeatable by our athletes, coaches and fans. What are the new ideas? That's unclear right now. Wrestling is cluttered with entrepreneurial enterprises that add value to our connectivity, profitability and messaging (e.g. RIOT and Flowrestling) but the intellectuals in our community have so far been mum about new ways to capture a wider fan base for the sport. The leading organizations have recently created alliances between the powerful organizations in our community, most notably the Hall of Fame and USA Wrestling. That new power structure should help the thinkers and journalists within the sport create an improved message that every wrestler, coach and parent can repeat to sarcastic friends, nosy neighbors and pandering reporters. "Oh, like with the tights … God, I knew a wrestler who use to always spit in a cup ... Like the professional guys, right? The response can't simply be a personalized defense and assertion that this is "the real stuff." We need ideas. I'd like to see more individuals marry the entrepreneurship of the wrestling community with serious thought and debate about messaging. My work on Wrestling Roots aspires to introduce lots of new ideas about wrestling at-large, but the site is young and still too broad to direct the message. Still, there is no greater intellectual force internationally than the American amateur wrestling community. We have the wealthiest and most popular traditional wrestling community in the world and it's time we start using our intelligence, connectivity and energy to affect major change in our community, or else we can leave it up to ESPN to cultivate our message (hope you like Royal Rumbles). Coleman's takedown was a missed opportunity. Had these discussions started three years ago one of it's youngest and most charismatic stars could have responded with a pointed re-direct to his ESPN antagonist -- maybe he could've been coached for his media appearance and reminded on how to respond. What impact could Coleman have had if he'd been given a better message? Who watching that morning might have been convinced to give wrestling another look? What decision-maker in Washington D.C. or at a college in danger could have learned something new and influential? We'll never know because the conversation turned to our hyperbolic cousins in the WWE leaping from tight ropes and slamming each other with chairs. I find it interesting that Coleman's move is called the "Flying Squirrel." In college my roommates and I were interested in purchasing one for our apartment (we called it a "sugar glider"). The man at the pet store told us that they were awesome pets, that they might get a little loud but give them the platform and they could soar across the room. "I thought they could fly," said one of my roommates. No, the owner corrected it just takes them longer to fall to the ground than other squirrels. Flying squirrels don't fly, and without better ideas and messaging, wrestling will never take off, just take a longer time to fall down. T.R. Foley's website WrestlingRoots.org documents traditional wrestling styles from around the world and he recently returned from a three-month research trip to Mongolia.

Henry Cejudo

EDMOND -- Hosting the biggest tournament of the season highlights what is otherwise a light home slate for Central Oklahoma wrestling in 2011-12, according to the schedule released Tuesday. The Bronchos have just four home duals during the regular season, but UCO will be the host school for the all-important NCAA Division II Super Regional II Tournament Feb. 25-26 at Hamilton Field House. Twelve teams will compete in that two-day event, with the top-four placers from each of the 10 individual weights qualifying for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships on March 11-12 in Pueblo, Colo. “Hosting the most important tournament of the year is a big deal for us and we're looking forward to it,” said long-time head coach David James, who has a 341-120-5 dual record and 12 national championships in 29 years at the UCO helm. “You can't do anything at the national tournament without getting through the regional and we're excited about having that event at home. “We have a good, tough schedule with several duals and events we'll point to throughout the season and I think we can accomplish some big things this year.” The Bronchos, who return all 10 starters from last year's 15-4 dual team that finished 13th in the national tournament, will preview the 2011-12 squad with the annual Bronze-Blue intrasquad dual on Nov. 2 before opening the season at the Oklahoma City Open on Nov. 6. UCO will make its home debut on Dec. 9 against Wayland Baptist, with the other home duals coming Jan. 12 (Nebraska-Kearney), Feb. 2 (Central Missouri) and Feb. 11 (Ouachita Baptist). The Bronchos have 10 duals scheduled in addition to the NWCA Division II National Duals on Jan. 7-8 in Chicago. UCO will also compete in five tournaments, including four open events.

AMES, Iowa -- Former Iowa State three-time All-American wrestler Travis Paulson, who was the No. 1 ranked U.S. wrestler at 74 kilograms (162.8 pounds) over the past year, has joined the Cyclone coaching staff as an assistant coach. Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson made the announcement Wednesday. Travis Paulson (Tony Rotundo, WrestlerAreWarriors.com)"Travis is a long time member of the Cyclone family," Jackson said. "He brings energy to our coaching staff, in addition to world class technique and priceless tactical experience. He understands my mental, technical and wrestling philosophy. Travis will oversee all middle weight classes. He is a great addition to our staff." Paulson, a three-time All-American for the Cyclones, ended his Iowa State wrestling career with a collegiate record of 106-32, tying Billy Kelly (1984-87) and Zach Roberson (2001-04), on the all-time Iowa State win list. Travis Paulson competed in high school and at Iowa State his twin, Trent. Trent was also a three-time All-American at Iowa State and a member of the U.S. Freestyle team. Travis Paulson's performance on the mat was replicated in the classroom, as he earned Academic All-Big 12 accolades all four years. Paulson graduated from Iowa State in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in business management and minor in entrepreneurship studies. "I am excited," Paulson said. "I will be training for the 2012 Olympic Games and can be an example as a coach and as someone wrestling toward a goal and the lifestyle that goes with getting to that goal." Paulson has excelled in a post-collegiate competition, including winning the 2010 World Team Trials championship at 74 kg. He underwent knee surgery in December, limiting his competitive options heading into 2011. Travis earned three Iowa prep wrestling titles at Council Bluffs-Lewis Central and posted a prep record of 174-3, including 87-0 his final two seasons. Jackson also announced that Jon Reader, the 2011 NCAA 174-pound champion as an Iowa Stater, is joining the coaching staff as a volunteer coach.

The InterMat JJ Classic is seeking volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to Kathleen Hennessy Rehbein at kukowskijustin@gmail.com. We are looking for volunteers in a variety of areas, including table workers, pairers, hospitality, weigh-ins/registration (Friday), tickets, awards, setup, take down, concessions, merchandise, runners, clock, and tappers.

Rod Frost (Farmington, Minn.) has been named head official for the 211 InterMat JJ Classic. It marks the second straight year in which Frost has served as head official for the event. Rod FrostFrost has officiated for 20 years and is a board member for the Gold Country Wrestling Officials Association, where he serves as the head of the mentoring program. He has worked/qualified for 17 state tournaments, officiated in the Big Ten, MIAC, NCC, and has worked the NCAA Division III National Duals, as well as the NCAA Division I West Regional twice, and several years at the NCAA Division III Iowa Conference national qualifier. Frost has served on the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) wrestling board as Charter Clinician for nine years. He was also on the MSHSL Officials Advisory Committee for two years, representing all wrestling officials. Frost has been an official at The Clash eight of the nine years. He has been an official at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament for 18 years -- eight of those years as the head official. He has officiated high school section/regional tournaments for 20 years. Frost wrestled in high school at Don Bosco High School in Gilbertville Iowa, and at the college level for Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.

Registration for the 2011 InterMat JJ Classic has opened. Below you will find information about the event. Overview The InterMat JJ Classic is an annual preseason high school wrestling tournament open to wrestlers in grades 7 through 12. This year's event takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. The tournament is sponsored by InterMat and organized by 360 Sports and Events Agency. InterMat is a leading national wrestling website that covers all aspects of amateur wrestling, including high school, college, freestyle and Greco-Roman competition, as well as mixed martial arts. 360 Sports and Event Agency is a sports management company that specializes in organizing, coordinating, and operating national sport-themed events, including the All American Bowl and Nike Coach of the Year Clinic. Cause Justin "JJ" KukowskiThe InterMat JJ Classic is named in honor of Justin "JJ" Kukowski, an athlete and avid sports fan who lost his long, hard-fought battle with brain cancer days after his 27th birthday in 2007. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Justin Kukowski Center for Spiritual and Physical Healing, a cancer support center that was opened in his memory two years after his passing, and is located in the Minneapolis suburb of Chaska. Wrestler Registration Wrestlers can register online for the 2011 InterMat JJ Classic at http://www.intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic/register. The registration rate is $50. The event is a USA Wrestling-sanctioned event, so a wrestler must have a USA Wrestling Card to participate. Not a USA Wrestling member? Purchase a USA Wrestling card now. Format Scholastic style (folkstyle) rules will be used. 2-2-2 periods for championship bracket matches, 2-1-1 periods for consolation bracket matches (This was a change from the original format.) Weight Classes The new high school weight classes approved by the National Federation of State High School Association's rules committee in 2011 will be used. Those weight classes are 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220, and 285. Venue The 2010 InterMat JJ Classic will be held at the UCR Regional Sports Center (Field House) in Rochester, Minn. The UCR Regional Sports Center has hosted many premier wrestling events, including The Clash, Minnesota Christmas Tournament, Northern Quad, Cadet National Duals, and the NJCAA Wrestling Championships. The address for the UCR Regional Sports Center is 851 30th Avenue Southeast, Rochester, MN 55904. Event Hotel The Kahler Grand Hotel is the official event hotel. The address for the Kahler Grand Hotel is 20 SW Second Avenue Rochester, MN 55902. Weigh-Ins Weigh-ins will take place on Friday, Oct. 21, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT at the Kahler Grand Hotel. There will be no weight allowance. Admission/Coaches Pass Admission will be $10 for adults and $7 for students (18 and under). Admission is free for children under 6. A coaches/floor pass may be purchased at the door for an additional $5. Social There will be a social at the Kahler Grand Hotel on Friday, Oct. 21, 8:30 p.m. to midnight CDT. All coaches, parents, volunteers, referees, and media members are invited. Beer, soda, and snacks will be provided. History The first InterMat JJ Classic took place on Oct. 23, 2011, at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. Wrestlers from Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Texas competed in the inaugural event. Tristan Manderfeld of Foley High School (Minn.) was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2010 InterMat JJ Classic after defeating multiple age group national champions en route to winning the championship at 103 pounds. Awards The top six placewinners in each of the 14 weight classes will receive medals. In addition, each of the 28 finalists will receive custom, limited edition InterMat JJ Classic finalist fight shorts from Cradle Gear. Exhibitors & Sponsors If you are interested in being an exhibitor or sponsor, please send an email to Terry Sullivan at info@360sportsevents.com. Volunteers The InterMat JJ Classic is seeking volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to Kathleen Hennessy Rehbein at kukowskijustin@gmail.com. We are looking for volunteers in a variety of areas, including table workers, pairers, hospitality, weigh-ins/registration (Friday), tickets, awards, setup, take down, concessions, merchandise, runners, clock, and tappers. If you have a preference on what position you would like to volunteer for, please specify in the email. Questions/Comments Questions and comments about the event can be directed at InterMat or 360 Sports and Events Agency depending on the nature of the question(s) or comment(s). InterMat General Questions, Rules, Format Email: contact@intermatwrestle.com Phone: 612-460-5824 360 Sports and Events Agency Logistics, Hotel, Facilities, Exhibitors, Sponsors Email: info@360sportsevents.com Phone: 612-356-2880

The 2011 NWCA Convention will be bringing a group of top notch presenters to the state of Florida for the three day event being held at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale. The NWCA Convention is outstanding opportunity to gain professional development while networking with over 200 college coaches in attendance. The 2011 Convention will be highlighted by two top-tier coaches who will serve as clinicians for this year's event. Mark Cody the newly appointed head coach at the University of Oklahoma and Bryan Snyder assistant coach at the University of Nebraska. Mark Cody the current 2011 NWCA Coach of the Year, takes over the Oklahoma program after eleven successful seasons at the helm of the American Program. His team placed fifth at the NCAA Championships and also broke two records on the 2011 NWCA All-Academic Team with six wrestlers making the individual team and being the team runner-up breaking the highest GPA on record. Bryan Snyder will be joining Cody as a clinician this year. He is a graduate of Nebraska and the schools only four-time conference champion and four-time All-American. He was a two-time NCAA Finalist. At Nebraska, his coaching has been integral in the development of eleven All-Americans and two NCAA Champions including 2011 Hodge Winner, Jordan Burroughs. Tying into the Scholastic Program for the weekend will be an All-Star line-up of high school coaches all from different backgrounds. Out of these coaches two of them have been named National Coach of the Year and the other two have been named Virginia Coach of the Year. Russ Cozart (Brandon High School, Florida), John Gordon (St. Christopher's School, Virginia ), Bryan Hazard (Robinson HS, Virginia), and Darryl Weber (Christiansburg High School, Virginia) will be making up this year's NWCA Scholastic presenters. The topics that the team will be presenting on: Selecting Captains and Assistant Coaches Building a successful and sustainable high school program Recruiting for high school and college Fundraising for your high school program Taking the meetings a step further will be the professional development series geared toward high school and college coaches alike that will feature sessions on: Who is Managing Your Career Injury Prevention for your Athletes Elevating your Human Performance State of Wrestling Forum Mark Tudi will start off the convention with his session on “Who is Managing Your Career.” Tudi is the Founder of SPORTS CAREERS and SPORTSEARCH, with their primary business being to retain executive recruitment and professional development. For over 30 years, Mark has established a high-profile track record in sports career development, closing in on 700 successful placements at all executive levels. Two leaders from the sports medicine community will be presenting the best practices to prevent some of the most common injuries is the knowledge of where they come from and applying the best practices to avoid them. Dr. Vinnie Hudson and Dr. Robert Palumbo from OAA Orthopaedic Specialists in Allentown, Pennsylvania, will be addressing this important topic both with many years of experience in the field. Stan Zeamer, will be bringing a specialized speech on elevating human performance, based off of the book, Three Laws of Performance: Rewriting the Future of Your Organization and Your Life, By Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan. This session is open to all coaches and their significant others and spouses who will be in attendance as well. Leo Kocher, President of the American Sports Council will be giving a presentation on Title IX and saving college programs. The CSC is a national coalition of coaches, athletes, parents, and fans who are devoted to preserving and promoting the student athlete experience. Convention registration can also be done through the NWCA Website through the Ticket Leap Registration Button. The Full Convention Registration is $225 also with the purchase of a Full Convention Registration an assistant coach from the same school can be registered for $175. Florida High School coaches (FACA Members) will receive a special rate of $150 for the event. Registration includes: Two luncheons, Social, Convention Notebook and Convention gift. During the NWCA Convention will be a trade show with many of wrestling's leading manufacturers and companies displaying their latest products. A highlight of the trade show will be a raffle which includes a week trip with airfare for two to St. Thomas, USVI. Convention attendees are able to take advantage of a $99 per night room rate during the convention, for more information on the hotel and how to reserve your room please visit the NWCA Website listed below. Deadline for reserving housing is Monday, August 1. For more information visit the NWCA website (http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/events/nwcaconvention.aspx) or call the NWCA Office at 717-653-8009. The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.

InterMat has learned that Cal Poly head wrestling coach Brendan Buckley plans to announce the addition of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Jamill Kelly to his coaching staff. Jamill Kelly coaching with Donny Pritzlaff in 2010 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Kelly, a native of Atwater, Calif., has served as a coach for the Dallas Dynamite Wrestling Club since 2008. He has also been involved with USA Wrestling and the Gator Wrestling Club. Over the past year, Kelly has guided U.S. teams in overseas tours to Iran, France, and Russia. In addition to his wrestling coaching duties, Kelly has worked with several MMA fighters, including past NCAA wrestling All-Americans Gray Maynard and Shane Roller, in training camps. Kelly was an assistant coach at Harvard during the 2006-07 season. Prior to that stint, he worked as an administrative assistant at Oklahoma State and coached the Cowboy Wrestling Club. Kelly is a 2000 graduate of Oklahoma State. He made his first U.S. World Team in 2003, and a year later captured a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Kelly was also a four-time U.S. National Team member and 2003 Pan-American Games silver medalist.

Russ Rose, coach of the four-time defending NCAA championship women's volleyball team, will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, Aug. 3. "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. This week's show will air from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. due to a Chicago Cubs baseball game. An archive of the show can be found on www.themat.tv. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments. During the months of August and September the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum will conduct "champions" interviews with champion athletes and coaches outside the sport of wrestling. There will also be interviews with wrestlers and coaches during full length shows. This week's "champion" interview is with Penn State head women's volleyball coach Russ Rose. Rose has coached the Nittany Lion women's volleyball team to five NCAA team titles including the last four (2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010). He has compiled a 1033-164 record during his 32 seasons as a head coach.

TEMPE -- Travis Pascoe, a former All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier for the University of Nebraska, has joined the Arizona State University wrestling program's coach staff as an assistant coach, third-year head coach Shawn Charles announced today. A four-year starter at 184 pounds for NU, Pascoe will work with the upper weights on the Sun Devil roster, a group that includes returning Pac-10 Champion Jake Meredith (184) and heavyweight All-American Levi Cooper. Travis Pascoe"Travis Pascoe is a hard working individual with great wrestling knowledge and enthusiasm," Charles said. "I hired him at Fresno State in 2005 because I knew he would be able to help the program succeed and I hired him here to do the same thing. He has found success at each level he has competed and I know he will be able to help our young men not only succeed on the mat, but off it as well. I am excited to have Travis back on staff with me and look forward to his contributions to the growth of the Sun Devil program." At the start of the 2011-12 season, Pascoe will work with the heavier weights while fifth-year assistant coach and former Sun Devil All-American Brian Stith will continue his work with the middle weights. Charles, a four-time All-American for the Sun Devils, is set to begin his third year in charge of the program and will once again work with the lighter weights on the roster. "I am very excited to be working with Shawn Charles once again," Pascoe said. "It is a great opportunity for me to learn from a tremendous person and coach. I grew up in the West and this program has a lot of talented wrestlers from the West, so I look forward to working with them and helping them achieve their goals, both as individuals and for the team. I really cannot wait to get started with the great group of young men Shawn has brought into the program and see were Arizona State wrestling can go from here." The 2011-12 season will mark the seventh year Pascoe has coached in some capacity among the collegiate ranks and his second assistant position after joining Charles' staff at Fresno State for the 2005-06 season. After the FSU program was discontinued following that season, Pascoe headed north to Corvallis, Ore., where he has served as a volunteer coach at Oregon State for the past five seasons. During his time in Corvallis, Pascoe worked with the Beavers' upper weight wrestlers and helped two individuals earn NCAA All-America honors, including Ty Watterson at heavyweight (2007) and Colby Covington at 174 (2011). On the conference level, Pascoe worked with six Beavers that combined to win seven Pac-10 titles (174-184-197-285), including two at the 2011 tournament in Corvallis, while the team won two titles in that same span. Prior to his time at OSU, Pascoe joined Charles at Fresno State for one season. That year, Pascoe worked with Greg Gifford, who captured the 184-pound title at the NCAA West Region Championships and was one of two Bulldogs to reach the NCAA tournament in 2006. Once the program was dropped, Gifford, who went 1-2 at the national meet that year, transferred to ASU for his senior season, where he won the 184 title at the Pac-10 Championships and went 2-2 at the national meet. Before Pascoe jumped into the coaching ranks, he was a highly ranked wrestler at 184 pounds for Nebraska. Competing as the starter for four years in a row (2001-02 season through the 2004-05 season), Pascoe recorded a career record of 100-36, which ranked as the 13th-most victories in NU history. A four-time national qualifier, Pascoe advanced to the semifinals of the 2005 tournament and eventually finished sixth overall to earn his first All-America honors. Winning at least two matches in each of his four NCAA appearances, Pascoe helped the Huskers to Top 20 finishes all four years, including a fifth-place showing in 2004 and an eighth-place finish in 2002. Charles and Pascoe first met at the start of the 2001-02 season as Charles was brought on to be an assistant coach while Pascoe was set for his first season as a starter. During those four years, Pascoe placed third in the Big 12 Championships each of this first two year and then finished fourth as a junior. In his senior season, he reached the finals and finished second in the conference to earn a berth into the NCAA tournament. Prior to joining the Huskers, Pascoe was two-sport standout at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Wash. A four-year member of both the wrestling and football squads, Pascoe was a three-time Washington state champion at 189 pounds and was widely considered one of the top recruits in the nation his senior year. He also was a High School All-American at 189 as a senior. Before his first season in Tempe gets underway, Pascoe will marry Sara McFarland on September 3.

Brian Smith

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Join Takedown Wrestling Host Scott Casber and Brad Johnson with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News. Listen in this Saturday for Takedown Wrestling 9 to 11 a.m. CT/10 a.m. to noon ET. This weeks guests: 9:01: Brian Smith, Head Coach at the University of Missouri 99:20: Barry Davis, Head Coach at the University of Wisconsin 99:40: Carl Perry, Fellowship of Christian Athletes 910:01: Jason Liles, Head Coach of South Dakota State University 910:20: Bruce and Cassidy Jasperson, Texas Dad and Daughter 910:40: Michael Bonora, NCAA Division IIl champ for Rhode Island College, author of the new book Wrestling with Your Destiny 910:50: Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort in Emmetsburg, Iowa 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.

I thought it might be fun to follow a top-tier wrestler as he moves his way through the Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. By follow, I mean words like shadow, tag along, pursue, and trail. I was purposely looking for a Junior freestyle wrestler with plenty of credentials that had a good shot at winning this thing. I also needed a grappler who was willing to allow me into his life for three days. Brandon Kingsley gets his hand raised after victory (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Somehow I was steered to Brandon Kingsley from Apple Valley High School (Minn.). He was back in Fargo after missing out last summer because of a leg injury. (Brandon would have been one of the favorites in the Cadet freestyle competition at 140 pounds.) I was told Brandon likes to talk. That may have been the biggest understatement of the year. We met at Concordia College, just outside Fargo, on Wednesday afternoon as Team Minnesota arrived for practice. I went to shake Brandon's hand. He smiled and hardly said a thing. I expected something right off the bat and got nothing, so I asked to meet him the next morning before his first match. On the way into the FARGODOME, his folks were in the lobby and it became clear to me he has parents who are deeply interested in his wrestling career. In fact, his dad, Roger, was along for the ride as his coach and helped feed me with information. I think I can all this Team Kingsley and get away with it. Lately I have heard plenty of parents use the word "we" while describing the wrestler's progress. It was refreshing to spend three days together without once hearing, "We have this wrestler next." It was always, "Brandon has (insert opponent's name) next." Day 1: Thursday, July 21 This morning Brandon is all smiles and ready to go. As a fan, I expect great wrestlers to have a bit of an evil edge to them. After all, this is a grueling sport with the intent of physically dominating your opponent. I always assumed a great wrestler has to have some level of meanness. Kingsley does not. He is about as happy and cheerful as a kid on the last day of the school year. After a full day, all I got was happiness. So did his opponents. Brandon always smiles and says something positive to his opponent before the whistle blows. But, from then on, a transformation takes place. He wrestles mean. Although he didn't know it, his first round opponent Adam Hendrickson was about to get schooled (fall at 1:16), like the next three victims would. Brandon claims to love rough competition. He simply wants the best. I asked him who he meant. "I want to wrestle Tsirtsis, Sueflohn, and Marsteller. Those guys are the best and I want to know where I stand." We may find out before this weekend is over. Jake Sueflohn is on the opposite bracket and the hope of this amateur writer is we see that match on Saturday. The next opponent is Devin Bera from Wisconsin. Kingsley knew nothing about him and really didn't care to know anything about his accomplishments. He would prefer to experience it, rather than hear about him. Bera made it into the second period, but was pinned at the 15-second mark. After this bout, one of Brandon's coaches, Jared Lawrence, an NCAA champion and four-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, came over to show him a move called the "West Point." He told BK he wants to see him use it today. Brandon has been part of the Apple Valley system since he started elementary school. He has been on the receiving side of many boos and catcalls from the crowds in Minnesota. I asked how it feels to know people want to see you lose. He said, "I kind of like it. I mean, if you're getting booed, you're probably the best, and I understand why fans want to see me lose. It is all part of the game." Brandon Kingsley stands with his father, Roger Kingsley (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)By this time it becomes clear to me Brandon and his dad, Roger, have a special relationship. Unlike most teenagers and adults, these two truly like each other. When Roger talks, Brandon is completely zeroed in on what is being dispensed. When Brandon talks, Roger is completely dialed in on his son. It was refreshing to watch these two men, 30 years apart acting like a couple of schoolyard buddies. There is nothing fake or contrived going on here. They love one another. Very special. This pattern continues through the third round. Brandon listens to music before every match, like most wrestlers seem to do these days. I asked what artist he is listening today. He tells me, "Chris Webby." But he has many types of music he likes and he uses it for inspiration. Next it was time for Grant Steen (Washington) to receive the smile and friendly words only to get taken apart 6-0, 7-0. In Fargo every participant wears either blue or red for each match. I asked Kingsley if it mattered which one. He revealed he likes wrestling in the blue singlet over the red. I thought maybe this was an opening and asked whether he had superstitions. "Nah, I just look better in blue. But I can't wear a blue shirt with blue jeans. That would be just too much." He gave me a giant smile and looked at me like I surely must understand what he means. I do ... or at least I want to. Here is some scary information. Brandon Kingsley HAS NOT LOST IN FREESTYLE IN TWO YEARS. It gets better. HE HAS NOT GIVEN UP A TAKEDOWN IN TWO YEARS EITHER! OK ... Those are two crazy statistics and I am becoming a believer. We talked about Jake Sueflohn again. Jake is the last wrestler to give Brandon a loss in folkstyle. Brandon wants the revenge only a wrestler dreams of. He mentioned that he heard Jake had to cut some deep weight to make 145 pounds and Brandon thought he would have liked to get him on Day 1. "But I'll gladly see him on Saturday." He flashes that big grin with the double braces and keeps moving. Brandon Kingsley can tell a lot by eyes and a handshake (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)The last match today is a complete screw-up. Kingsley and Eric Hoffman (Maryland) are scheduled to be on Mat 15. Just before they are ready to go, it becomes clear we have problems. The workers do not have bout sheets for these two guys and we are in for a delay. BK takes this time to talk to Hoffman and use that Kingsley snake charm. Still, more delays. Now we are being told to go to Mat 3. When we arrive, the computer at the scoring table is not working and the long delay is on. Brandon tells me he can tell his opponent is already beaten. I ask him how he could possibly know. "His eyes look afraid and his handshake gave it away. I can always tell when I reach that point with an opponent. I usually know it before the whistle blows." We finally get moved back to the opposite side of the FARGODOME only to wait a few more minutes. Finally, we start. It is over as fast as all the rest 6-0, 7-0. That is it for Day 1. Tomorrow it gets considerably more challenging. Kingsley will start with 2011 Junior National Greco champion Jacob Falk from Utah. Day 2: Friday, July 22 Brandon Kingsley greets me with a handshake and a toothy grin. I ask him if he can tell anything from shaking hands. He just laughs. He says he feels awesome today and the two-pound weight allowance is making him feel much stronger. I ask if he still would like to wrestle Jake Sueflohn. He answers with an emphatic, "Yes, that's the plan!" We make our way to greet the Minnesota coaches and the first match with Falk is on. Except, I look down and Kingsley's arm is raised. Another first-period pin. So far, this is looking way too easy. Brandon says he feels ready to take on the best before the day is out. He mentions Gabriel Moreno from Iowa and Brian Murphy from Illinois as the two toughest kids he expects to see today. Brandon Kingsley is serious on the mat, not so serious off it (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)The next match is with Tony Parks from Iowa. No one has heard of him and Brandon is all smiles and joking around going into this match. The first period goes like most of the others and ends in a quick 6-0 technical fall. The second period starts and something happens that shocks and rattles the crowd. Kinsgley gets taken down and a quick back exposure finds him staring at an 0-3 score. This is the first takedown BK has given up in a long time. Brandon quickly goes to work and avenges the takedown with one of his own and ends up winning the second period, 6-3. But Brandon is clearly rattled by Parks' move. He thought the ref made the wrong call, but quickly let it go. This the first opponent Kingsley has wrestled that did not seem to fear him. Round 3 on Day 2 finds Mark Pinero from Louisiana as his challenger. Again, Brandon and Roger know nothing about him. Brandon says he is much more focused now and is not going to make any mistakes. "My other rivals will be looking for any similar slipups." Pinero never gets a chance. He gets taken down and is pinned at 34 seconds of the first period. We stop after to watch Jake Sueflohn cruise through his match. Brandon looks at him with respect. We make our way over to another match to scout out his next two opponents. Brian Murphy is in a good battle with Gabriel Moreno. Murphy ends up winning a close one and he will face Kinsgley next. It is evident to me Brian Murphy from Illinois will finally give Brandon Kingsley a tough match. Murphy was the Cadet National freestyle champion at 140 pounds last summer. Brandon Kingsley battles Brian Murphy, a junior from Illinois (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)This match is to be contested on Mat 1, which has the elevated stage. I was wondering if he would get a chance to do battle on that championship mat. The time between matches have narrowed and before I am ready, these two warriors are shaking hands. Murphy is not going to going to be taken down easily. In fact, he seems to know exactly what Kingsley's moves are and he blocks each one. After a rough and physical two minutes, the first period ends 0-0 and Murphy wins the coin toss. The clinch is over in less than five seconds and Kingsley has lost his first period of the tournament. I look at his dad, Roger, and wonder if he is concerned. I see nothing. I do hear an "uh oh" from the Minnesota team pairing official. The second period starts with a much stronger sense of urgency and Brandon gets the first takedown and comes close to a tilt. It is 1-0 until the last 20 seconds and they are both up. Murphy tries a takedown that works and ties the score and suddenly, and without warning ... Brandon Kingsley has just lost. He comes off the mat and is furious with himself. He cannot believe how rotten he just wrestled. He has the look of a young man with a dream suddenly shattered. I have no idea what to say or even if I should talk to him. I choose to just watch. Brandon mumbles something and wants some time alone. It appears his best possible finish will be third place. I meet up with Team Kingsley before the final session of Day 2, following the Cadet freestyle finals. Team Minnesota won four Cadet freestyle titles and it is fun to talk about two of his Apple Valley teammates, Gannon Volk and Seth Gross, raising stop signs. I ask BK how he feels and he says, "I'm good. I wrestled like crap and I deserved what I got. It is not going to happen again." Brandon Kingsley gut wrenches Gabriel Moreno of Iowa (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Soon we are starting and right away BK is taken down and is behind 0-1 against Gabriel Moreno. It stays that way until the 1:50 mark when Kingsley scores a slick takedown to even the score at 1-1 and wins the period. I can almost feel the sigh of relief from the Minnesota contingent behind us. In the second period, Brandon gets the first takedown and cruises to a 7-3 win of the period and match. It is over for today. Now we find out who will be the antagonist for the third-place match. We hear Sueflohn has to wrestle twice tonight and we watch him coast to another easy win in his first match. A half hour later, Sueflohn is in the match of his life and inexplicably loses. Who would have guessed? Tomorrow morning Brandon Kinsgley will wrestle his adversary, Jake Sueflohn, like he hoped all along. The only difference being that it is for third place, not first place. Day 3: Saturday, July 23 The Minnesota wrestlers are all hanging out in the same area. I ask Brandon what above everything else, inspires him. "No question, my brother Jordan. I owe everything to him. He works harder and is more focused than I could ever be. He believes in me more than himself and sometimes I win for him." OK, it is time for the parade of All-Americans. These are the top 112 wrestlers in the nation, or at least had the courage to put it on the line way up here in Fargo, N.D. First the wrestlers in the seventh-place matches get introduced. Then comes wrestlers in the fifth-place matches. They are followed by the warriors battling for third place. I'm standing next to Roger and we both look at each other. Brandon is not lined up anywhere. We both do a double take and confirm. He is not there. A minute later, he walks up to us with that goofy grin and says, "What's up?" Roger lets him know he is supposed to be on the third-place mat for the ceremony. Brandon replies, "Oh, I was in the can." We burst out laughing and out he runs to join the others. Brandon Kingsley meets Wisconsin's Jake Sueflohn (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)It is time for the match Brandon Kingsley has been looking forward to ever since he watched Jake Sueflohn's arm get raised instead of his at the Cheesehead eight months ago. It is five minutes before show time and surprisingly Brandon is all business. He is more focused and intense than any time I have noticed all week. He is not cracking jokes and trying to mix it up with Sueflohn. He simply wants to win. I ask him how much he weighs today. He tells me 162. That is 15 pounds more than yesterday. He runs to the center and shakes hands with Sueflohn, minus the smile. Brandon is in his favorite blue singlet and gets the first takedown, 1-0. JS comes back with one of his own to tie it, 1-1. Sueflohn gets another and quickly rolls BK three times and wins the first period 7-1. Sueflohn is the most talented and strongest opponent Brandon has wrestled this week. His moves are as fluid as water moving down a stream. It is time for Period 2. It is do or die time for Kingsley. Brandon Kingsley and Wisconsin's Jake Sueflohn battle (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Again, Brandon muscles Sueflohn for the first takedown, 1-0. And again, Sueflohn comes back with one of his own, 1-1. So much happens in the next minute, it is very difficult to describe. Brandon gets a two-point back exposure move to jump ahead, 3-1. Sueflohn roars right back with another takedown to close the gap to 3-2. With 30 seconds left, Sueflohn manages another takedown to tie it at 3-3. But since Kingsley had a two-point move, he will win the period if the match remains tied. The two wrestlers two bang into each other again and Sueflohn has Brandon's legs only to get caught in a whizzer. There is only 10 seconds on the clock and the Minnesota crowd is screaming for Brandon to hang on. With three seconds remaining on the clock, Sueflohn limp arms out of the whizzer and secures the one-point takedown. It is over. Kingsley will finish fourth. I follow Brandon down to the tunnel. Like all great wrestlers, losing does not come easy to this young man. He does not want anyone to see the severe pain he is suffering. He screams like a panther and cries out. My heart hurts for him. I do not know what to do. I want to help, but I just stand there. It is hard watching a dream die. I walk back up and softly ask Roger how he feels. Mr. Kingsley's voice is crackled and he is fighting back tears. "Brandon wanted this so badly." I touch his shoulder and recognize how brutal this sport is on everyone. There is no hiding in wrestling and you either win or lose. There is no one out there to make it happen for you ... but you. It is so personal and it cuts to the bone. The fans in the stands cannot truly see it. I never knew it in all my years as a fan, until I got this close. I had no idea how much this event would kick up dirt from my childhood. I cannot remember wanting a win as badly as I did that morning for Brandon. I told myself going in I was not going to let this become personal, but I did. Thanks for the ride, Brandon.

Matt Dernlan

While not everything went as planned for the Ohio State wrestling team last season they ended the school year with a bang by signing the nation's top recruiting class. Getting the 2011-2012 school year off to a great start, the Buckeye coaches received their first verbal commitment from Wadsworth senior Nick Tavanello on Monday. A three-time state place winner, Tavanello is currently ranked No. 26 in the InterMat Top 100 from the Class of 2012. Nick Tavanello (Wadsworth) is ranked as the No. 26 recruit in the country (Bob Tuneberg, BuckeyeWrestling.com)"I felt like Ohio State was the best fit for me to become a great college heavyweight and to get a great education," commented Tavanello on the phone Tuesday night. "From the coaches to the wrestlers and from the alumni to the fans there are a lot of great people that love Buckeye wrestling." Asked about making an early commitment, Nick was confident he made the right decision. "I grew up an Ohio State fan, but I did my research and looked around. I talked to some other schools, even though in my heart I knew I always wanted to be Buckeye. I have family and friends down there and I know that I am going to feel comfortable," offered Tavanello. "I enjoyed the recruiting process, but the end of the day they (OSU) had a little more in every way than anyone else and it was an easy decision to make." A two-time state champion, Nick has gone 137-9 in three years of varsity competition at 215 pounds. As a freshman he went 42-7 and placed third at state, he improved to 47-2 and won his first state title as a sophomore with a 6-4 victory against Kyle Rose, and as a junior he finished the year 48-1 and defended his championship with a 5-2 decision against Ty Walz. Not only has Tavanello experienced individual success, he has also been a large part of his team's success. In the process of winning his first state title in 2010, he also clinched the team state championship for the Grizzlies. With heavyweight Ben Buzzelli adding another title to end the tournament, Wadsworth outscored Lakewood St Edward 172-167.5 to stop the Eagles run of thirteen consecutive Division I team state championships. The Grizzlies finished fifth in 2009 and third in 2011. "I think individual success and team success go hand and hand. If you are getting better individually then you are helping the team; if the team gets better, they are helping you to improve as individual. I know that having great coaches and workout partners have helped me, and I think I have been able to help them as well," stated Tavanello. After a dozen years on the wrestling mat Nick is hoping that his hard work, experience, and confidence will lead to a perfect senior season. "As a team I want to see us do as well we can and individually I want to win a state championship at heavyweight, I want to win the Ironman, and I want to go undefeated because those are things I haven't done before," responded Nick. "We work hard and wrestle a tough schedule; it is going to be a challenge and I'm really looking forward to getting on the mats this year." Tavanello finished last year ranked seventh at 215 pounds and was the highest ranked underclassmen at the weight. As a senior on the move to heavyweight he will likely be ranked in the top six behind potential number one, Brooks Black. With Wadsworth and Blair Academy both expected to wrestle at the Ironman Invitational in December his biggest match of the year could be wrestled in the Walsh High School gym. An honor roll student at Wadsworth HS with a cumulative 3.74 GPA, Nick has also played football the past three years earning Special Mention All-Ohio as a defensive tackle last season. Asked if he was a wrestler that played football or a football player that wrestled, Tavanello laughed. "That's easy … I like football, but I love wrestling," responded Nick. "When I was five I was too big to play football so I grew up on the mats. I am definitely a wrestler that plays football." A 2009 Cadet freestyle All-American, Tavanello had a dominant run in Fargo with four pins; an 8-0, 6-0 technical fall; and a 6-0, 2-0 decision. In the finals he outscored gage Harrah, but finished runner up losing in three periods 1-2, 3-0, and 2-3. "Freestyle can be fun but I prefer folkstyle right now," offered Nick when asked about his background in the international styles. "The Buckeyes aren't recruiting me to wrestle freestyle; they want me to help them win an NCAA title. If wrestling freestyle helps me get on the podium or the team to do well then that is something I will do." This summer he has been working out almost every day, working at a Giant Eagle (grocery store), and is getting ready to help the Grizzlies make it back to the state football playoffs to end his gridiron career. Tavanello plans on taking his official visit to Ohio State this fall and is expected to sign his National Letter of Intent in November. "Before I get to college I have to thank my parents for all the support over the years, they have always been there for me and I wouldn't be where I am without them, as well as Coach Gramuglia and Coach Nadeau, who have been great mentors on the mat and outstanding role models off it. I also need to thank the entire Wadsworth team because they have become family to me." "With that said I am excited to have the opportunity to wrestle at Ohio State and I am looking forward to learning from Coach Ryan and the entire staff, getting to know and learn from my new teammates, and becoming a part of a new family, the Buckeye wrestling family," concluded Tavanello. Planning on being a career heavyweight at OSU, Nick has two goals. "I want to be the best wrestler I can be and I want the team to do as well as we can." InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from BuckeyeWrestling.com. http://www.buckeyewrestling.com/?q=node/43805

1991 NCAA champion Mark Reiland and Mike Finn, editor of WIN Magazine will be radio show guests this week. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. “On the Mat” is archived on themat.com. Reiland was a two-time All-American at the University of Iowa and won the 167 pound championship at the 1991 NCAA Division I wrestling championships. He is the current head coach at Iowa City West High School and serves as the state chairman of the Iowa Wrestling Federation. Finn is the editor of WIN Magazine, considered by many as the premier wrestling publication in the nation. He is a well respected journalist and covers wrestling at the high school, collegiate and international levels.

Each year in Fargo only eight wrestlers per weight class earn All-American honors. However, there always seem to be some wrestlers that come in with strong credentials and/or have excellent tournament performances but fall short of a placement position. Here are some of those wrestlers from the Cadet and Junior freestyle competitions. *wrestler ended the 2010-11 season ranked in their weight class ^wrestler was ranked in their graduating class as of June 30, 2011 Junior Freestyle 98: Pool A had 7 wrestlers total, and Pool B had 6 in all; therefore, it's impossible to designate the 'Non-All-American All-Stars.' 105: Pool A: JJ Dorrell (Missouri), Josh Johnson (Oregon), Javier Guillen (Arizona), and Shawn Miller (California) Pool B: Grant Boggs (Montana), Kyndall Rutz (Colorado), Mark Raghunandan (New York), Martin Rodriguez (Michigan), 112: Pool A: Adrian Cordova (Colorado), Cassidy Oshiro (Hawaii), Aaron Assad (Ohio), *Billy Rappo (Pennsylvania) Pool B: Trey Andrews (Arizona), Evan Botwin (Pennsylvania), Ruben Navejas (Washington), and Gunnar Woodburn (Oklahoma) 119: Pool A: *^Mason Todd (Indiana), Paul Petrov (Indiana), Vito Pasone (Pennsylvania), and *^Eric Devos (Iowa) Pool B: Brenden Campbell (Indiana), *^Dylan Peters (Iowa), Nick Harrison (Illinois), and Will Mason (Virginia) 125: Pool A: *^Sam Brancale (Minnesota), Eric Friedman (Maryland), Devon Lotito (Pennsylvania), and Randy Cruz (Pennsylvania) Pool B: *^Earl Hall (Florida), Isaiah Varona (Florida), *^Nick Hermann (Texas), and Garrison White (North Carolina) 130: Pool A: Jacob Velarde (Washington), *^Val Rauser (Utah), ^Tyson Dippery (Pennsylvania), and Tyler Fraley (New Jersey) Pool B: *^Mitch Bengtson (Minnesota), Devon Jackson (Indiana), ^Josh Pennell (Michigan), and Dakota Bauer (Iowa) 135: Pool A: Connor Clarke (Oregon), Jameson Oster (Illinois), Tyler Goodwin (Maryland), and Kameron Hamley (North Dakota) Pool B: *^Chase Ferman (Oklahoma), ^Neal Molloy (Indiana), Connor Ryan (Iowa), and *^Ben Morgan (Minnesota) 140: Pool A: *^Eleazar Deluca (Oregon), *^Taylor Moeder (Kansas), Kaleb Baker (Tennessee), and Mitch Newhouse (Ohio) Pool B: *^Brandon Sorenson (Iowa), *^Natrelle Deminson (California), Joe Schumacher (North Dakota), and ^Steve Spearman (Pennsylvania) 145: Pool A: Ryne Cokeley (Kansas), *^Blake Roulo (Virginia), Jared Reis (North Dakota), and ^Jake Elliott (California) Pool B: *Jacob Falk (Utah), Mark Pinero (Louisiana), *^Jacob Crawford (Virginia), and Gabriel Turetsky (Massachusetts) 152: Pool A: T.J. Fox (Ohio), Dylan Palacio (New York), Brady Massaro (Maryland), and ^Daniel Woiwor (Minnesota) Pool B: *Taylor West (Idaho), Ross Parsons (New Jersey), Duke Pickett (Virginia), and Nick Wanzek (Minnesota) 160: Pool A: Lorenzo Thomas (Pennsylvania), Dillon Reid (California), *Patrick Rhoads (Missouri), Michael Nord (North Dakota) Pool B: *Austin Wilson (Nebraska), James Wilson (California), ^Jordan Wohlfert (Michigan), and Seth Thomas (Oregon) 171: Pool A: *^Reece Wright-Conklin (Kansas), *^Brandon Griffin (Oregon), *^Geordan Speiller (Florida), and Matt Hickman (California) Pool B: Kevin Beazley (Michigan), ^Brooks Climmons (Georgia), Sean Mappes (Indiana), and Connor King (Colorado) 189: Pool A: Taylor McGiffen (Illinois), Drake Stein (Indiana), ^Broc Berge (Minnesota), and Timothy Dudley (North Carolina) Pool B: Preston Lehmann (North Dakota), *Cody Johnston (Missouri), John Bolich (Pennsylvania), and *^Jake Waste (Minnesota) 215: Pool A: ^AJ Vizcarrando (Pennsylvania), Mick Dougharity (Oregon), *^Michael Kroells (Minnesota), and Lee Wildes (Florida) Pool B: James Souza (Washington), Taylor Hellman (North Dakota), James Trull (Washington), and JT Goodwin (California) 285: Pool A: Josh Harlan (Missouri), Evan McGee (Oklahoma), Jeremy Brazil (Illinois), and Gaylen Edmo (Idaho) Pool B: Dawson Peck (Pennsylvania), Garrett Gray (Ohio), Gabe Casillas (California), and Travis Morgan (Oklahoma) Cadet Freestyle 84: Pool A had 8 wrestlers total, and Pool B had 7 in all; therefore, it's impossible to designate the non-AA All-Americans 91: Pool A: Elijah McKenzie (Alaska), Danny Boychuck (New Jersey), Carlos Fuentez (Illinois), and Nicholas Koch (Illinois) Pool B: Andrew North (New York), Hunter Wright (Virginia), Adam Whitesell (Maryland), and Tyler Casamenti (New Jersey) 98: Pool A: Dante Rodriguez (Nebraska), Casey Cobb (Idaho), Brian Rossi (Illinois), and Tyrone Klump (Pennsylvania) Pool B: ^Markus Simmons (Oklahoma), Ethan Lizak (Pennsylvania), Ryan Friedman (Maryland), and Armando Torres (Ohio) 105: Pool A: David Bavery (Ohio), ^Fredy Stroker (Pennsylvania), Dalton Macri (Pennsylvania), and Chaz Tucker (Massachusetts) Pool B: Domenic Forys (Pennsylvania), Joseph Velliquette (Missouri), Jens Lantz (Wisconsin), and Zeke Salvo (Maryland) 112: Pool A: Bryce Meredith (Wyoming), Mason Pengilly (California), Logan Massa (Michigan), and Josh Newberg (Washington) Pool B: Cole Walter (Pennsylvania), Jordan Laster (Ilinois), Devan Richter (Missouri), and Brendan Calas (New Jersey) 119: Pool A: Colton Schilling (Oregon), ^PJ Klee (California), Luke Zilverberg (Minnesota), and Michael Sepke (Illinois) Pool B:Steve Bulzomi (New York), James Flint (Florida), ^Will Steltzen (Oklahoma), and Daniel Lewis (Missouri) 125: Pool A: Russell Coleman (Missouri), Ali Nasser (California), George Fisher (Illinois), and Luke Wolfenberger (Oklahoma) Pool B: Mason Cleaver (Michigan), Brandon Bruner (Tennessee), Jon-Jay Chavez (California), and Nick Anderson (New Jersey) 130: Pool A: Johnny Pellegrino (Illinois), Colin Heffernan (Ohio), Walker Dempsey (New Jersey), and Austin Schoen (Illinois) Pool B: Justin Staudenmayer (Pennsylvania), Jake O'Mara (Illinois), Jake Spengler (Florida), and Logan Ryan (Iowa) 135: Pool A: Myles Martin (New Jersey), Justin Arthur (West Virginia), Jonathan Viruet (Massachusetts), and Brayden Montgomery (Indiana) Pool B: Connor Lapresi (New York), Ernest Battaglia (Illinois), ^Darick Lapaglia (Missouri), and Mitch Berenz (Wisconsin) 140: Pool A: Spencer Derifield (Iowa), Taylor Misuna (Virginia), Tyler Cowger (Oregon), and Ryan Harris (Ohio) Pool B: Colton Laganiere (Minnesota), Matthew Moody (Georgia), T.J. O'Hara (Minnesota), and ^Fox Baldwin (Florida) 145: Pool A: Jared Scharenbock (Wisconsin), Peter Renda (Pennsylvania), Nathan Schnell (Wisconsin), and Austin Culton (Illinois) Pool B: Seth Leigel (Wisconsin), ^Aaron Hartman (Florida), Jake Deutchlander (Minnesota), and Vinny Corsaro (Indiana) 152: Pool A: Mitch Lange (Minnesota), Jared Johnson (Kansas), Quentin Hiles (Ohio), and Luke Kriech (Indiana) Pool B: Hunter White (Florida), Xavier Montalvo (Illinois), Anthony Cimorosi (Maryland), and Davonte Mahomes (Illinois) 160: Pool A: Elliott Antler (Connecticut), Cory Daniel (Maryland), Louis Cosce (California), and Brice Inbody (Oklahoma) Pool B: Gavin Grater (Kansas), Kayne McCallum (Illinois), Joseph Cortese (Illinois), and Brennan Johnson (Missouri) 171: Pool A: Troy Seymour (New York), Joey Dedick (Illinois), Will Balow (Minnesota), and Trevor Smith (California) Pool B: Jaeden Bernstein (New Jersey), Garrett Ryan (Arizona), Nick Corba (Ohio), and Dalton Johnson (Nevada) 189: Pool A: Jacyn Goebel (Iowa), Nathaniel Magiera (Illinois), Jake Leinwand (Montana), and Corey Damiana (New Jersey) Pool B: Jeremy Sweany (California), Daniel Hawkins (Maryland), John Loflin (Colorado), and Jadyn Wilson (Montana) 215: Pool A: Dane Pestano (Hawaii), Nathan Preston (Minnesota), Austin Edison (Wisconsin), and Austin Faunce (Oregon) Pool B: Nathan Butler (Kansas), Edgar Ruano (Illinois), Tommy Peterson (Minnesota), and John Benson (Illinois) 285: Pool A: Tate Dulany (Virginia), Jerrad Nieland (Minnesota), Bailey Sutko (Colorado), and Gavin Jolley-Little (Indiana) Pool B: Shaquille Williams (New York), Zach Wood (Michigan), Rhett Hoy (North Carolina), and Aaron Rafalko (Kansas)

The NWCA will kick off the 2011 Convention with another featured speaker from the wrestling community who has made a name for himself in the business world. Joe Galli a former wrestler and four year starter from the University of North Carolina and the current CEO of the TTi Group will be the NWCA Convention Featured Opening Luncheon Speaker. Galli has been the Chief Executive Officer of the TTi Group since 2006. TTi is the global leader in power tools, outdoor power equipment and floor care sales of 3.5 billion per year. The corporation's brands include Milwaukee, Ryobi, Homelite, Hoover, Dirt Devil, AEG, Vax and Stiletto. Amongst his many business accomplishments Galli was the President and COO of Amazon.com, he was the Director and Chief Executive Officer of Newell Rubbermaid Inc., he also held many high level management positions, including the President of Worldwide Power Tools and Accessories. Galli has a Bachelor Degree of Science in Business Administration from UNC and he also obtained an MBA from Loyola College. He is an avid supporter of the UNC Wrestling Program as they look to build a Top 5 program. Galli will deliver his speech to the wrestling coaches in attendance on Friday, August 5th at noon. The NWCA Convention will take place at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The full schedule can be found on the NWCA Convention Page which is listed below. For more information visit the NWCA website (http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/events/nwcaconvention.aspx) or call the NWCA Office at 717-653-8009end_of_the_skype_highlighting.

The 2012 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals Presented by Hibiclens, will be taking on a new format and a new location for the 2011/2012 season. This will be a change from the six division format that the event has featured for the past nine years, with the Division I portion of the event splitting off into a 24-team regional system. The Prairie Capital Convention Center in Springfield, Ill. will be the host to this year's multi-divisional tournament that will showcase the top 64 teams from Division II, Division III, NAIA, NJCAA and Women's Divisions. The event will remain a two day tournament with 16 team and eight team brackets, in a double elimination format. The Springfield Convention and Visitors Bureau has exceeded all expectations in their commitment to ensuring a fantastic experience for the wrestlers, coaches and fans. This year's event will be hosted by the National Wrestling Advancement Association (NWAA) a new non-profit organization whose mission is to advance wrestlers on and off the mat through its WREST Program (Wrestling Reflection Education Skills Training), a mat / life integration process. “The fact that we can showcase 64 of the top collegiate dual meet teams under one roof is a testament to the unity within collegiate coaching community. The participating coaches have demonstrated their resolve for strengthening collegiate wrestling through an extraordinary effort,” said NWCA President Brian Smith. The participating teams for 2012 are: Division II: Augustana, Central Missouri, Central Oklahoma, Findlay, Kings, Limestone, Maryville, Nebraska Kearney, Newberry College, Northern State, San Francisco State, St. Cloud State, Truman State, UM- Mankato, Upper Iowa, and UW-Parkside Division III: Augsburg, Centenary, Coe, Concordia (MN), Dubuque, Elmhurst, Ithaca, Johnson and Wales, Mount Union, North Central, Olivet, St. John's, UW- Lacrosse, UW – Stevens Point, UW- Whitewater, and Wartburg. NAIA: Baker, Campbellsville, Cumberland (TN), Dakota Wesleyan, Dickinson State, Great Falls, Grandview, Jamestown, Lindsey Wilson, Midland, Missouri Valley, Morningside, MSU-Northern, Shorter, Southern Oregon, and Waldorf. NJCAA: Clackamas, Harper, Iowa Central, Labette, Lincoln, Muskegon, Northwest, and Rend Lake. Women: King College, Jamestown College, Lindenwood University, Missouri Valley, Menlo, Oklahoma City University, Simon Fraser University, and University of the Cumberlands. The 2012 NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals will take place January 7-8, 2012, with wrestling starting at 9 a.m. each day. “Premier events like this can't happen without the extraordinary support of our Title and Presenting Sponsors. On behalf of the NWCA Board of Directors, I am forever grateful for the very generous and ongoing support of our Title Sponsor, Cliff Keen Athletic, who has been supporting the National Duals since its beginning in 1989. At the request of Cliff Keen Athletics, the National Duals actually will actually carry the name of Cliff Keen, the founding member of the NWCA (and Cliff Keen Athletics). Further, I'd like to also extend a heartfelt thanks to our presenting sponsor, Hibiclens, who is committed to ensuring a premier event,” said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. For more information on the event visit www.nwcaonline.com and look under the events section.

PHILADELPHIA – The term “battle-tested” will be appropriately applied to the Penn wrestling team at the conclusion of the 2011-12 regular season as head coach Rob Eiter has assembled a schedule rich with challenging dual meets and tournaments to prepare the Quakers for the rigors of March. Meets with four of the Top-8 finishers at the 2011 NCAA Championships highlight the dual portion of the schedule for the Red and Blue. In addition to the annual meeting with national runner-up Cornell (Jan. 14 in The Palestra), the Quakers will wrestle fifth-place finisher American and sixth-place finisher Arizona State at the Northeast Duals (Nov. 26) and host eighth-place Lehigh (Dec. 4). “We are very excited for the 2011-12 season to begin,” said Eiter, who enters his fourth season at the helm of the Quakers. “Our goal as a program is to be looked upon as one of the best in the nation, and we know that we need to challenge ourselves to attain that goal. Balancing high-caliber dual meets with grueling tournaments will prepare us to be ready in March.” The 2011-12 season will start with the annual Intrasquad Meet on Nov. 6 before the team heads to Binghamton, N.Y. for the Binghamton Open on Nov. 13. Last season, 141-pounder Zack Kemmerer started his All-American campaign with a title at the Binghamton Open and will look to defend his crown this fall. More championships will be defended by the Quakers on Nov. 20 when the Red and Blue host the Keystone Classic in The Palestra. 10 programs from around the country are scheduled to join the defending-champion Quakers for the all-day tournament, including American, Appalachian State, Boston University, Brown, Duke, Harvard, Northwestern, Princeton, Rider and VMI. In 2010, Penn won five individual crowns to go with the team title and three of those champions are slated to return this season in Kemmerer, Micah Burak and Kyle Cowan. Penn's first foray into dual competition for the 2011-12 season will not give the Red and Blue any chance to gently acclimate themselves. Once again heading to Albany, N.Y. over Thanksgiving Weekend (Nov. 26), the Red and Blue will take on Arizona State, American and North Carolina at the Northeast Duals. American and Arizona State had remarkable 2010-11 seasons, with the Sun Devils claiming two individual NCAA championships and the two teams totaling six All-Americans. After a trip to Bloomsburg on Dec. 2, the Quakers host Lehigh (Dec. 4) and Maryland (Dec. 10) to close out the 2011 dual portion of the campaign. All three opponents are return matches from the 2010-11 season, and Penn will be looking to exact a measure of revenge in all three, including a 25-23 loss to Bloomsburg last Jan. 9. The Red and Blue make their return to the Midlands Championships on Dec. 29-30 in Evanston, Ill. Penn last competed as a full team at the Midlands in 2004, finishing 13th out of 60 teams. Head coach Rob Eiter was an assistant at Northwestern from 1997-2006 and this will mark his first trip back to Evanston as a head coach. 2012 begins with a home dual against Rider on Jan. 8 followed by the beginning of Ivy League competition against nine-time defending Ivy champion Cornell on Jan. 14 in University City. Penn hits the road from there for a three-match road swing starting at Hofstra on Jan. 29. The next week sends the Quakers to New England for a pair of Ivy duals at Brown and Harvard (Feb. 4). Senior Day for the Red and Blue will be Feb. 11 when the Quakers host Columbia for the final home contest of the season. The next day, Penn heads to Lewisburg to wrestle EIWA foe Bucknell before closing the regular season at storied rival Princeton on Feb. 18. The Quakers will head back to New Jersey for the 2012 EIWA Championships hosted by Princeton on March 3-4. Penn finished in fifth place as a team at the 2011 EIWA Championships and will return finalists Mark Rappo (125) and Micah Burak (197) this season. The NCAA Championships return to St. Louis in 2012 with action taking place from the Scottrade Center March 15-17. Penn will be looking to send at least one wrestler to the podium for the third year in a row, with four NCAA qualifiers returning including All-American Zack Kemmerer and Round of 12 advancer Micah Burak. In addition, Mark Rappo and Bryan Ortenzio have all won matches at the national tournament in their careers. The Red and Blue return five All-Ivy wrestlers from the 2010-11 season, including Ivy League Rookie of the Year Kyle Cowan. In addition, a nine-wrestler recruiting class which has been ranked No. 11 in the country by InterMat and features four Top-100 individuals is set to step into the wrestling room this fall as the Red and Blue commence the 2011-12 season. “There is a lot to be excited about if you are one of the 28 wrestlers in the room,” Eiter said. “There is a great mix out veteran leaders ready to cement their legacy and youngsters looking to either start their careers or make that next step. Coaches Valenti, Cerminara and I are looking forward to getting everyone back on campus and beginning this season.” 2011-12 Penn Wrestling Schedule Date Opponent Time Nov. 6 Intrasquad TBA Nov. 13 at Binghamton Open All Day Nov. 20 KEYSTONE CLASSIC All Day Nov. 26 vs. American^ All Day Nov. 26 vs. Arizona State^ All Day Nov. 26 vs. North Carolina^ All Day Dec. 2 at Bloomsburg 7 p.m. Dec. 4 LEHIGH 1 p.m. Dec. 10 MARYLAND TBA Dec. 29-30 at Midlands Championships All Day Jan. 8 RIDER 1 p.m. Jan. 14 CORNELL* 1 p.m. Jan. 29 at Hofstra TBA Feb. 4 at Brown* TBA Feb. 4 at Harvard* TBA Feb. 11 COLUMBIA* 1 p.m. Feb. 12 at Bucknell TBA Feb. 18 at Princeton* 1 p.m. Mar. 3-4 at EIWA Championships# All Day Mar. 15-17 at NCAA Championships% All Day Home Matches in BOLD CAPS and held in The Palestra * Ivy League Dual ^ Northeast Duals # at Princeton, N.J. % at St. Louis, Mo.