InterMat Staff

Jordan Burroughs

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team added three signees to its top-25 recruiting class head coach Heath Eslinger announced today. With this trio of student-athletes set to attend UTC, the Mocs will welcome seven new wrestlers to the Scenic City in the fall. Chattanooga already has commitments from four student-athletes in the early signing period. Highlighted by high school state champions Marvin Lopez (Cleveland, Tenn.) and Nick Soto (Spring Hill, Fla.), to go with Virginia Tech transfer T.J. Mitchell (Lawrenceville, Ga.) and prep wrestler Austin Sams (Fairfield, Ohio), the Mocs' fall class ranked No. 23 in the nation according to Wrestling Insider News (WIN) Magazine. Click here for a full recap of the early signing class. This newest group of signees is led by the top wrestler in Georgia in Hunter Barnes (Blue Ridge, Ga.). Barnes is projected as a 197-pounder at the collegiate level. He won the last two state titles at 171 and was the Sean Hage Award winner as last year's most dominant wrestler in Georgia. Alex Kooser (Dayton, Ohio) is the second Ohioan in this class to move south to Chattanooga. He finished in the top eight in the state tournament in each of the last two years. He is projected to compete at 149 at the collegiate level. Josh Lampe (Fairdale, Ky.) rounds out the group. He is a two-time state champion from St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Ky. He has also placed in the top-6 at the FloNationals in each of the last two years. "We have some talented wrestlers coming in with this class," stated Eslinger. "They are all going to have to work hard to crack the lineup, but they have the ability to push our returners in the wrestling room. They are also accomplished in the classroom and will help build our program, both on and off the mat." Hunter Barnes - 197 - Blue Ridge, Ga. - Gilmer County HS Two-time state champion for Gilmer County High School in Ellijay, Ga. ... led the Bobcats to back-to-back state championships ... wrestled for coaches Sam Snider ... went 148-9 in his prep career ... perfect 48-0 as a senior when he repeated as the 171-pound champion ... won the Sean Hage Award as the state's most dominant wrestler as a senior ... wrestled less than four minutes in the state tournament as a senior with four first period pins ... went 33-2 as a junior ... four-year starter on the football team and led the team to the state playoffs as a senior quarterback ... PERSONAL ... Full name is Christian Hunter Barnes ... son of Jerry and Cindi Barnes ... has an older sister, Cydney, and an older brother, Whit ... plans to major in Education. Alex Kooser - 149 - Dayton, Ohio - Oakwood HS Finished in the top-8 in the state in each of the last two years at Oakwood High School in Dayton, Ohio ... went 42-5 and placed fifth as a senior ... won four titles during senior season ... wrestled for head coach Gary Kesler ... was 37-10 as a junior, including an eighth place showing in the state tournament ... won a total of 13 tournaments during his prep career ... was on the Team Ohio Junior Olympic Team ... also lettered in soccer for two seasons ... PERSONAL ... Full name is Alex Kelly Kooser ... son of Kelly and Ellen Kooser ... born Aug. 7, 1992 ... oldest of three with two younger brothers, Dylan and Mason ... plans to major in Criminal Justice. John Lampe - 165 - Fairdale, Ky. - St. Xavier HS Two-time state champion from St. Xavier High School in Louisville, Ky. ... Posted a 120-8 record in high school, including a perfect 47-0 mark as a senior ... placed fifth and sixth in the FloNationals in the last two years, respectively ... wrestled for head coach James Kraezig ... first in the county in each of the last three years ... made the Principal's List all four years of high school ... earned the Ryken Underclassman Award in 2009 ... PERSONAL ... Full name is John Alexander Lampe ... born June. 19, 1993 ... son of Jeff and Shelley Lampe ... oldest of five with two brothers, Justin and Dominic, and two sisters, Maria and Angela ... plans to major in History

Arkansas Baptist College has announced plans to add wrestling and softball to its lineup of collegiate sports. The school, a Region 2 member of the NJCAA, will fill a void among colleges offering wrestling which are Historically Black Colleges & Universities (HBCU). The last HBCU to field a wrestling team on any level was Delaware State, which cut the sport a few years ago. College President Fitz Hill and athletic director Charles Ripley said in a news release that both sports will begin competing in the 2011-2012 academic year. Roosevelt Hadley has been chosen to coach the wrestling team while Ronald Roland will coach softball. Hadley has served as a volunteer wrestling coach at the Arkansas School for the Blind and at Central Arkansas Christian School. Roland is a former assistant softball coach at J.A. Fair High School.

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team has announced its much anticipated 2011-12 schedule and the 2011 National and Big Ten Champions will once again have seven home duals, all in Rec Hall. Penn State, under the direction of veteran head coach Cael Sanderson, will also take part in the Nittany Lion Open as well as host an Intrasquad Dual in early November. The season begins on Thursday, Nov. 3, when Penn State opens the Rec Hall doors for its Intrasquad Dual at 7 p.m. The event is free and open to the public. The regular season starts with the 2011-12 opener on Sunday, Nov. 13, when the Bloomsburg Huskies come to town for a 2 p.m. match-up. Penn State's home schedule, as always, features four Big Ten duals. This year's conference slate gets an early start when the Nittany Lions host conference rival Minnesota on Sunday, November 20, at 2 p.m. The dual was moved from early January to November to accommodate a trip to the 2012 Southern Scuffle. Penn State then competes in the Nittany Lion Open on Sunday, Dec. 4. The Nittany Lions hit the road for the first time when they trek to Lehigh for the annual match-up with the Mountain Hawks. Penn State and Lehigh will battle in Bethlehem on Friday, Dec. 9, at 7 p.m. Purposefully creating a schedule to both please its ever-growing fan base and to help grow the sport of wrestling statewide and nationally, the Nittany Lions will close out December with two important non-conference duals. Penn State welcomes long-time eastern rival West Virginia to Rec Hall on Sunday, Dec. 11, at 2 p.m., before continuing its long-standing rivalry with local opponent Lock Haven. This year, the Nittany Lions make the short jaunt to LHU to battle the Bald Eagles in Thomas Fieldhouse on Sunday, Dec. 18, at 2 p.m. Penn State returns to action on New Year's Day with a trip to the Southern Scuffle. This year, the event has moved to Chattanooga, Tenn., and will be hosted by Tennessee-Chattanooga on Jan. 1-2. The Nittany Lions return to Big Ten action a week later with their first conference road dual when they take on Michigan State in East Lansing on Sunday, Jan. 8, at 2 p.m. The battle with the Spartans is the first of three straight conference road contests. Penn State treks to Evanston, Ill., to face Northwestern on Friday, Jan. 13, at 8 p.m. (Eastern) and then heads north to Madison to meet the Wisconsin Badgers on Sunday, Jan. 15, at 2 p.m. (Eastern). Click here to find out more! Penn State returns home to welcome the Iowa Hawkeyes to Rec Hall in January. The Lions and Hawkeyes will meet on Sunday, Jan. 22, at 2 p.m. in a rematch of last year's standing room only dual here at Penn State. A week later, rival Ohio State comes to town for a battle on Sunday, Jan. 29, also at 2 p.m. The Nittany Lions head to Lincoln, Neb., for their inaugural dual against the Nebraska Cornhuskers as a Big Ten opponent. The Lions and Huskers will meet on Friday, Feb. 3, at 8 p.m. (Eastern). Penn State will then have a quick turnaround to get ready for its final home Big Ten dual on Sunday, Feb. 5, when the Nittany Lions meet Michigan in Rec Hall at 2 p.m. Mid-February will afford the Nittany Lion nation yet another opportunity to continue to grow the sport, this time with an important Western road trip and with the continuation of one of Pennsylvania's oldest wrestling rivalries. Penn State will close out its non-conference schedule with a first-ever visit to Utah Valley University in Orem, Utah. The Nittany Lions and UVU will meet on Saturday, Feb. 11, at 9 p.m. (Eastern). The trip to UVU marks the first time a Penn State team has wrestled a road dual west of the Central Time Zone since a road swing to Fresno State and CS-Bakersfield in 1996-97. A week later, Sanderson's squad closes out its dual meet slate against long-time in-state rival Pittsburgh. The dual with the Panthers, the 67th meeting between the two teams, will be on either Friday, Feb. 17, at 7 p.m. or Sunday, Feb. 19, at a time to be determined (depending on the finalization of Pitt's own home schedule later this summer). "We are excited about our schedule for next year," Sanderson said. "Once again, we have outstanding home matches and are looking forward to wrestling in front of our great fans in Rec Hall. There is a lot of hard work and organization that goes into putting this together and (associate head coach) Cody (Sanderson) did an excellent job of crafting such an exciting schedule. We are looking forward to the opportunities that next year will offer us." The season will culminate in March with the 2012 Big Ten Wrestling Championships on March 3-4. Purdue University will host the event in West Lafayette, Ind. The 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championships take place two weeks after that in St. Louis. The three-day event is set for March 15-17, in St. Louis' Scottrade Center. In all, Penn State will take on nearly half of the top 15 teams from last year's NCAA Championship (won by Penn State in Philadelphia). The Lions will take on third-place finisher Iowa, seventh-place Minnesota, eight-place Lehigh, 10th-place Wisconsin, 12th-place Nebraska, 13th-place Northwestern and 15th-place Michigan. It is important to note that all dates and times are subject to change, particularly with the Big Ten Network still finalizing its wrestling broadcast schedule. This year's season ticket package features seven home duals (the Nittany Lion Open is not part of the package and the Intrasquad is free) and costs only $42 for all seats, the same price as last year. Fans can place new orders for season tickets by calling Joel Diamond at 814-867-2557. A $5 per order handling fee will be added to new season ticket holders. Current season ticket holders from last year will receive their renewal notices later this summer and information on single dual tickets will come as the season approaches. With season ticket sales already brisk, Penn State will be capping the number of total season tickets sold (combining new applications and renewals from last year), so fans wishing to purchase new season tickets are encouraged to do so quickly. All information for purchasing new season tickets is also available online at is www.GoPSUsports.com/tickets/m-wrestl-tickets.html . Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at www.twitter.com/pennstatepat and on Penn State Wrestling's facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling. The 2010-11 Penn State Wrestling season has been presented by The Family Clothesline. The full 2011-12 Penn State Wrestling Schedule is as follows: 2011-12 SCHEDULE NOVEMBER Thur. 3 INTRASQUAD DUAL -- 7 p.m. Sun. 13 BLOOMSBURG -- 2 p.m. Sun. 20 MINNESOTA* -- 2 p.m. DECEMBER Sun. 4 NITTANY LION OPEN -- 8:30 a.m. Fri. 9 at Lehigh -- 7 p.m. Sun. 11 WEST VIRGINIA -- 2 p.m. Sun. 18 at Lock Haven -- 2 p.m. JANUARY Sun.-Mon. 1-2 Southern Scuffle, Chattanooga, Tenn. -- All Day Sun. 8 at Michigan State* -- 2 p.m. Fri. 13 at Northwestern* -- 8 p.m. Sun. 15 at Wisconsin* -- 2 p.m. Sun. 22 IOWA* -- 2 p.m. Sun. 29 OHIO STATE* -- 2 p.m. FEBRUARY Fri. 3 at Nebraska* -- 8 p.m. Sun. 5 MICHIGAN* -- 2 p.m. Sat. 11 at Utah Valley -- 9 p.m. Fri./Sun. 17/19 PITTSBURGH# -- 7 p.m./TBA MARCH Sat.-Sun. 3-4 2012 Big Ten Championships, West Lafayette, Ind. Sat. 3 Session 1 -- Opening Round Sat. 3 Session 2 -- Semifinals Sun. 4 Session 3 -- Consolations, 7th place Sun. 4 Session 4 -- Championship finals, 3rd, 5th Thur.-Sat. 15-17 2012 NCAA Wrestling Championships, St. Louis, Mo. Thur. 15 Session 1 -- 1st Round Thur. 15 Session 2 -- 2nd Round/Consolations Fri. 16 Session 3 -- Quarterfinals/Consolations Fri. 16 Session 4 -- Semifinals/All-America Rd. Sat. 17 Session 5 -- Medal Rounds Sat. 18 Session 6 -- Championship Finals * Big Ten Dual -- # Pitt dual will be either 2/17 at 7 p.m. or 2/19 time TBA in Rec Hall All Dates and Times Subject to Change -- All Times EASTERN

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- The honors continue to roll in for former University of Iowa wrestling coach Dan Gable. Wrestling USA announced this week it has named Gable its 2011 Master-of-Wrestling, an award recognizing years of dedication and leadership through the sport of wrestling. The national award has been presented to the nation's best in the sport since 1975. Gable is the second Iowa recipient of the honor. The first was Bob Siddens, who coached Gable at West High School and received the Master-of-Wrestling honor in 1979. Gable is considered, by most, to be the best collegiate wrestling coach in history. He was Iowa's head coach for 21 years and compiled a 355-21-5 record that included 15 national and 21 Big Ten team titles. His wrestling legacy is being honored Saturday at the Coralville Marriot and Convention Center. “Gable's Gold: A Celebration of Dan Gable's Legacy” is sold out. Gable is also being honored Friday, Sept. 2, at the third annual FRY Fest, “A Celebration of all that is Hawkeye.” Contact the Iowa City/Coralville Area Convention & Visitors Bureau or visit fryfest.com for more information about the event.

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. CST/ 10 a.m. to 12 Noon Eastern. This weeks guests include: Special surprise guest the return of CHRIS BONO 9:01 John Nicholson of Old Dominion 9:20 Joe Russell of the University of Minnesota 9:40 Eric Guerrero of Oklahoma State 9:50 Max Muscle Minute with Ty Barkley 10:01 Ricky Lundell of University of Grappling 10:20 Joel Greenlee of the Ohio Bobcats 10:40 Josh Kindig of Oklahoma State 10:50 Amy Williams Wildrose Casino and Resort in Emmetsburg, Iowa Join us LIVE 9 to 11 a.m. CST for Takedown Wrestling. Listen on radio, on computer, your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio App. on KXNO.com and Takedownradio.com.

Every high school wrestling season there are freshmen who turn heads and prove that age does not matter. This past season there were several freshmen across the country who burst onto the high school wrestling scene and not only captured state championships, but showed they could compete with the nation's best high school wrestlers. Names like Chance Marsteller and Kyle Snyder immediately come to mind. Marsteller won the POWERade and finished his freshman season as an undefeated state champion in Pennsylvania. Snyder, a 215-pounder from Maryland, went a perfect 55-0, did not surrender a takedown all season, and won the Beast of the East, Mount Mat Madness, and National Preps. So who will the breakout freshmen be in 2011-12? Below is a list of 10 incoming freshmen to watch. Please note: This is not an all-inclusive list or ranking of the nation's top freshmen in 2011-12, but merely a sampling of names to watch. Fox Baldwin High School: Osceola, Florida Projected Weight Class: 132/138 Fox BaldwinAbout Baldwin: Baldwin has already put together a very impressive high school wrestling resume before even beginning his freshman season. In his sixth, seventh, and eighth grade seasons, Baldwin compiled a high school record of 180-15 and placed three times at the state tournament. He was a high school state champion this past season at 119 pounds, going 61-2 with 53 pins. Baldwin holds national high school records for most wins before ninth grade (180) and most pins before ninth grade (131), both records his brother Pete previously held. He wrestled for Lake Highland Prep the last three seasons, but will be wrestling for Osceola in 2011-12. This spring Baldwin placed fifth at FloNationals and won a Brute adidas Nationals title. Osceola coach Jim Bird on Baldwin: "Fox is ahead of where his two-time state champ, record-setting brother Pete was at this age. He is a better athlete, has more refined skills from his feet, and almost as good on top. He will be fun to watch when he grows some muscles to go along with his technique. Maybe Fox can be the next breakout freshman at POWERade this year." Zahid Valencia High School: St. John Bosco, California Projected Weight Class: 126 Zahid ValenciaAbout Valencia: Valencia's pre-high school production has many California wrestling aficionados believing that he is about to make a big splash in the Golden State as a freshman, much like Eric Guerrero, Stephen Abas, Darrell Vasquez, and Alex Cisneros did before him. Valencia has already made waves in some national high school wrestling events. He placed fifth at FloNationals in 2010 as a seventh-grader at 103 pounds. This past season, Valencia won the NUWAY Southwest Kickoff Classic as an eighth-grader at 115 pounds, beating Junior National freestyle champion Ruben Navejas in the finals. He has wins throughout his career over many of the nation's best, including Nathan Tomasello, Mark Hall, Bryce Brill, Isaiah Martinez, Dom Malone, Brandon Sorenson, and Gary Wayne Harding. Valencia is a four-time Trinity Award winner who been dominating national events for several years. His brother Anthony is also a multiple-time national champion and an incoming freshman to keep an eye on. St. John Bosco coach Omar Delgado on Valencia: "Zahid is the hardest working young man I have ever had the pleasure of coaching. He is completely dedicated to his academic and wrestling goals. Zahid always shows up a half hour before practice and will read a book or complete his homework for the day. He trains twice a day every day unless he is competing in a tournament. Zahid absolutely loves the sport of wrestling and I know that his father Ruben has never had to tell him to get ready for practice because Zahid looks forward to practice and competition more so than any other boy I have ever coached. Zahid has big dreams and with his work ethic I know Zahid can make those dreams come true." Sammy Krivus High School: Hempfield Area, Pennsylvania Projected Weight Class: 106/113 Sammy KrivusAbout Krivus: The Keystone State is loaded with talented incoming freshmen and Krivus is at or near the top of the list, along with Franklin Regional's tremendous trio of Michael Kemerer, Josh Maruca, and Josh Shields. Krivus went a perfect 59-0 this season and captured his third PJW state title in four years. He has been in the PJW state finals every year since 2007, with his only two PJW state losses coming to Jason Nolf during that span. He had three wins this past season over Fredy Stroker, another nationally-ranked junior high wrestler, including a 1-0 victory in the PJW state quarterfinals. Krivus has won several national events, including the Super 32 Challenge (middle school division), Northeast Nationals twice, Philo Electric Invitational, and War at the South Jersey Shore. Krivus is very solid on his feet. He's always on the attack and is tough to score on. Krivus is also a bear on the mat. He is expected to start the season at 113 pounds before dropping to 106 pounds. Hempfield Area coach Vince DeAugustine on Krivus: "Sammy probably has the most natural ability that I've seen in a long time, combined with an incredible work ethic. He was born to wrestle. If he continues to buy into the philosophy that I preach to him, the sky is definitely the limit for him." Ke-Shawn Hayes High School: Park Hill, Missouri Projected Weight Class: 106 Ke-Shawn HayesAbout Hayes: Hayes will be stepping into a solid lineup at Park Hill, a program that has won two Missouri Class 4 titles in the last three seasons. He should be in the mix to win a state championship as a freshman at 106 pounds. Hayes is a two-time Trinity Award winner, two-time Tulsa Nationals champion, five-time Cliff Keen Tulsa Kickoff Classic champion, two-time Reno Worlds champion, and four-time Liberty Nationals champion. Hayes has won 15 state championships in folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman. Park Hill coach Jason Keck on Hayes: "One of the things that sets Ke-Shawn apart from others is his maturity at a young age. Everybody matures at a different rate, but he's one of those guys that gets it early on. That's one of his biggest assets, just having the maturity level to know what it takes to be the best. And then not only recognizing it, but then actually going out and consistently doing it. A lot of kids know what it takes, but it's hard to do, not only from a physical standpoint, but a mental standpoint. Ke-Shawn is one of those kids that is mentally mature enough to realize that and not make any excuses ... just go and get it done." Michael Johnson Jr. High School: TBD Projected Weight Class: 285 Michael Johnson Jr.About Johnson: Standing 6 feet 3 inches tall and weighing 280 pounds, Johnson is a monster of an incoming freshman. He has won everything under the sun as a youth wrestler, including, two USAW Triple Crowns, four IL/USAW Triple Crowns, Ultimate Dominator Award twice, Tulsa Nationals multiple times, and many other national events. He has twice been named TheMat.com Athlete of the Week for his achievements. Last year he hurt his shoulder at Cadet National Duals, which prevented him from wrestling in Fargo. He is expected to make his Fargo debut this summer. Johnson is also a former swimmer and weightlifting national champion. Montini Catholic coach Israel Martinez on Johnson: "Michael Johnson Jr. is a wonderful kid. He's very respectful. He trains hard. It's going to be exciting to finally see him compete with guys that are his size and as mature as him. Michael Johnson Jr. has the ability to do whatever he wants. He's fast. He's strong. He's athletic for a big guy. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with." Davion Jeffries High School: Collinsville, Oklahoma Projected Weight Class: 106 Davion JeffriesAbout Jeffries: Jeffries is a special talent who has the tools to be in the hunt for a state title as a freshman, but will be in a dogfight just to make the lineup at Collinvsille, a program that won both the dual team and state championship in Oklahoma's Class 5A this past season. He is expected to battle with Christian Moody, Wyatt Jordan, and Jacob Finley for the starting spot at 106 pounds. Coach Wes Harding's Cardinals graduate only two seniors and had underclassmen state champions at 112, 119, and 125 this past season, so the future looks bright at Collinsville. Jeffries is a two-time Trinity Award winner, six-time Cliff Keen champion, four-time Tulsa Nationals champion, three-time Reno Worlds champion, seven-time USJOC champion, and three-time All-American in freestyle. Collinsville coach Wes Harding on Jeffries: "Davion's major strength is his flexibility. He can actually do a back bridge and put his feet on top of his head. He's a dangerous wrestler because he's one of the those wrestlers that nobody wrestles like. He can pin the best kid at any time. His flexibility makes him an outstanding scrambler. Most of the time he ends up on top in scrambles." Fredy Stroker High School: Bettendorf, Iowa Projected Weight Class: 106 Fredy StrokerAbout Stroker: Stroker, an Army brat, was born in Panama and has been in wrestling in Pennsylvania with the aforementioned incoming freshmen from the Keystone State. Stroker, though, will be moving to Iowa later this summer to begin his high school career at Bettendorf. He is a five-time PJW state placewinner, which includes three trips to the state finals. He won a PJW state championship in 2010 with a 6-2 victory over Jason Nolf, who was an undefeated PIAA state champion this past season. Stroker is a Tulsa Nationals champion, two-time 2010 MAWA Eastern Nationals champion, Cliff Keen Eastern Worlds champion, West Coast Nationals champion, two-time Northeast Nationals champion, Liberty Nationals champion, and American Crown Award recipient. This spring he won Cadet state titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. All-American Wrestling Club coach Rob Waller on Stroker: "Fred has the will to win. He has great speed too. You can't teach speed." To read more about Fredy Stoker, check out the profile story published on InterMat. Luke Norland High School: Jackson County Central, Minnesota Projected Weight Class: 145/152 Luke NorlandAbout Norland: Norland grew up wrestling in Spirit Lake, Iowa, but moved over to nearby Jackson, Minnesota last fall. He has a youth wrestling resume that indicates that he could make an impact at the high school level as a freshman. In 2010, Norland captured the Trinity Award, and also made the USAW Schoolboy Duals All-Tournament Team in both Greco-Roman and freestyle, going a perfect 15-0. He wrestles for Minnesota high school coaching legend Randy Baker at Jackson County Central, a perennial powerhouse program in southwestern Minnesota that has churned out several college wrestling standouts, including Chad Kraft, Nate Baker, Travis Rutt, and Cole VonOhlen. An injury (hairline fracture) kept Norland off the mat for much of his eighth grade season, including the section tournament, but he still managed to win nearly 20 matches and give some of the state's best fits. Jackson County Central coach Randy Baker on Norland: "Luke is a tough eighth-grader. He'll do well. He has some good defensive skills. I think his composure is kind of uncanny for someone his age. Nothing seems to bother him. He can be ahead or behind and it doesn't show. You can tell he's wrestled a lot. He has been in a lot of situations. He has some good practice partners too." Matthew Kolodzik High School: Miami Valley, Ohio Projected Weight Class: 106 Matthew KolodzikAbout Koldzick: Kolodzik became just the seventh wrestler ever to win three Ohio junior high state (OAC) titles, putting him in the same company as Ohio high school wrestling greats like David Taylor, Logan Stieber, and Chris Phillips. This spring Kolodzik won a Central Regional Cadet freestyle title and placed third at FILA Cadet Nationals. He captured a Super 32 Challenge title in the middle school division this past year. He is also two-time Schoolboy Nationals freestyle champion. His older brother Daniel was a two-time Ohio state champion and currently wrestles at Princeton Eastside Cincinnati Catholic coach Duane Meyer on Kolodzik: "Matthew is an amazing wrestler with a great work ethic and a wonderful personality. Matthew, while obviously driven to achieve individual goals in our sport, understands the importance of team wrestling. Whether it is pushing the action for bonus points or working on the side with a practice partner, Matthew constantly displays the leadership and poise that make him such a well-rounded young man, as well as being one of the top junior high wrestlers in the nation. I am confident Matthew will continue to see success at the high school level, and I am looking forward to seeing him on the mat again this winter." Markus "Pupp" Simmons High School: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma Projected Weight Class: 106 Markus SimmonsAbout Simmons: Simmons is expected to step in and start as the 106-pounder for Broken Arrow, a wrestling powerhouse program in Oklahoma that won the regional, dual state, and state championship this past season, becoming the first Class 6A program to accomplish that Triple Crown since 2005. He is a six-time state champion, two-time junior high state champion, and three-time freestyle state champion. Simmons has won the Trinity Award, Tulsa Nationals twice, Cliff Keen Kickoff Classic three times, Reno Worlds three times, USJOC four times, Liberty Nationals, and has been a member of the World All-Star First Team five times. Collinsville coach Wes Harding on Simmons: "Pupp is an all-around athlete. He's not going to be real big. His dad is not huge. He'll be a solid 106-pounder. All that I can say about Pupp is that he's an outstanding athlete with natural ability. He's done it his whole life and has gotten good."

Jim Miller will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, June 1. "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 – 6:00 PM Central on AM 1650, The Fan. Podcasts of the show are available on themat.com. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Miller is the head wrestling coach at Wartburg College. He has coached the Knights to eight NCAA Division III team titles during his tenure. Miller will be on the program in advance of the Gable's Gold banquet being held in Iowa City, Iowa, on June 4. The banquet will honor Gable's legacy in the sport of wrestling. Miller will tell his “Outfly” story about Dan Gable coming to Wartburg in 1991.

It is not uncommon to hear stories of top high school wrestlers crossing city and state boundaries for better opportunities. Transferring has become a part of the high school wrestling landscape. Every spring and summer, wrestling fans speculate where the nation's top "free agents" will land. Fredy Stroker at the Pennsylvania junior state qualifierFredy Stroker, one of the nation's top junior high wrestlers, will be crossing state boundaries this fall to start his high school career at Bettendorf High School in Iowa, which is over 800 miles away from where he has spent the last five years in Mechanicsburg, Pa. It is rare for a wrestler as accomplished as Stroker, who is ranked as the No. 13 junior high wrestler in the country by InterMat, to leave wrestling-rich Pennsylvania shortly before his high school career begins. But Stroker's move, unlike many other top wrestlers who transfer, is not all about wrestling. It is only a piece of the puzzle. From Panama to Pennsylvania Fredy Stroker was born in Panama on Aug. 29, 1996, while his father, Fred, a Pennsylvania native, was serving in the military in Panama. His mother, Anabel, was born and raised in Panama. Six months later, the family moved to Charleston, S.C. because of Stroker's father's military work. In 2000, the family moved again, to Fort Leavenworth, Kans. A year later, the Strokers moved to Virginia Beach, Va. For Stroker, who was 4 years old at the time, it was the life of an Army brat. It is in Virginia Beach where Stroker was first introduced to wrestling while in kindergarten. Fredy Stroker with his very first medal in 2003"My dad put me in a real fun wrestling room right when I started," said Stroker, who also participated in soccer, gymnastics, and taekwondo. "We played dodgeball at practice, so right from the beginning I liked it a lot. It was real fun." Stroker's taekwondo training, a sport in which he earned a black belt, helped with the transition to wrestling. "There was some overlap between taekwondo and wrestling," said Stroker's father, Fred. "As all kids are, Fredy was very active. The taekwondo really taught him focus." Stroker won a medal in the very first wrestling tournament he entered in Virginia Beach, finishing third out of four wrestlers. From that point on, he was hooked on the sport. After his first grade year, Stroker began spending his summers in Western Pennsylvania, staying with his grandparents, and attending wrestling camps, like Rob Waller's All-American Wrestling Camp in Latrobe. Stroker was rolling around with some of the most accomplished youth wrestlers in Pennsylvania ... like Jimmy Gulibon, Solomon Chishko, Jason Nolf, Michael Kemerer, and Sammy Krivus. While in Virginia, he was wrestling in a club called Pin2Win with Brandon Jeske and Joey Dance. At the Cox Wrestling Club, Stroker remembers practicing alongside a future NCAA Division I champion. "I remember always doing sprints right next to Bubba Jenkins when he was only in ninth and tenth grade," said Stroker. "He was like the superstar." Fredy Stroker wins his second Virginia state titleWrestling was becoming a bigger part of his life. Wrestling camps, practices, and tournaments filled Stroker's calendar, which left little time for other sports. "He was a good soccer player," said his father. "He gave up soccer because wrestling was going into March, April, and May. That's the prime time for traveling soccer in Virginia." The summer training in Pennsylvania was paying off in competition. Stroker won Virginia elementary state titles in both in 2005 and 2006. He was named Outstanding Wrestler both years. Making his mark in the Keystone State Pennsylvania has long been king of the wrestling world. The numbers don't lie. In the final InterMat high school rankings of the 2010-11 season, Pennsylvania had 39 nationally-ranked wrestlers, which was 13 more than any other state. At this year's NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Pennsylvania produced 10 All-Americans, which was four more than any other state. At this year's Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic, a team comprised of Pennsylvania All-Stars defeated a team comprised of USA All-Stars. This year's NCAA Division I team champion, Penn State, also came from the Keystone State. Fredy Stroker with his father, Fred"Pennsylvania is just so deep," said Stroker's father, Fred, who wrestled at Hempfield High School, a District 7 school in Western Pennsylvania. "That's what I tell everyone from traveling around in the military. Pennsylvania has eight studs and another eight that no one even knows about that on any given day can take out top guys all over the place." In 2006, Stroker's father had military orders to go to the Middle East (Kuwait), so he moved the family to the Western Pennsylvania town of Greensburg, a city that sits on the Allegheny Plateau in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountains, and only a few miles from where Stroker had been spending his summers with his grandparents. Stroker wrestled in his first Pennsylvania junior (PJW) state tournament in 2007, finishing runner-up in the 10-and-under, 75-pound division. After spending a year in the Middle East, Stroker's father returned to the U.S. and accepted a position at the U.S. Army War College in South Central Pennsylvania, and the family settled in Mechanicsburg, Pa. "I never imagined that I would get stationed in Pennsylvania," said Stroker's father. "I knew I wanted to be there for wrestling, but I just never imagined there would be a career opportunity for me in Pennsylvania." Fredy Stroker with Rob WallerIn 2008, Stroker began winning national wrestling events like Northeast Nationals and MAWA Eastern Nationals. He finished third at the PJW state tournament, losing to Solomon Chishko in the semifinals. Not only was he traveling out of state for wrestling tournaments, but also for wrestling training camps and practices. He started attending practices at Cary Kolat's wrestling club in Maryland, which helped him improve his technique and conditioning. Stroker also continued going to Rob Waller's All-American Wrestling Camp. Waller, who is now in his 60s, is one of the most respected wrestling minds not only in Pennsylvania, but across the country. He speaks his mind and coaches with his heart. Waller is a member of the Western Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame, Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame, and National Wrestling Hall of Fame. His son, Robbie, was an NCAA Division I champion at Oklahoma in 2003 and is currently the head wrestling coach at Lock Haven. "He's a great teacher and technician," Stroker said of Rob Waller Sr. "He's one of my favorite coaches. He goes over stuff a lot. He doesn't let you go on to the next move until you have mastered it. He goes over all the basics." Fredy Stroker at the MAWA Eastern NationalsWaller believes that fundamentals need to be ingrained early on in a wrestler's career. "When you're young, it's crucial that you learn your fundamentals right because it will adversely affect you," said Waller, an Olympic Team Trials finalist in 1972 and 1976. "It's like the first three or four years of school ... If you don't get that stuff down right, you suffer forever. It's no different in wrestling. Your fundamentals are crucial in any sport ... I don't care if it's pingpong. I believe champions do the common things uncommonly well." In 2009, Stroker reached the PJW finals before losing to a wrestler he had beaten in the area finals. He also earned the American Crown Award, which is given to a wrestler who wins three America Crown national tournaments in the same season. In 2010, Stroker finally captured a PJW state title, a title that had eluded him the previous three years. Fredy Stroker wins a PJW state title in 2010"That had been my biggest goal, so I was real excited to win it," said Stroker of his PJW state championship. "In the finals, I had a three-time returning state champ who is pretty tough named Jason Nolf. He is a buddy of mine. We used to go to Waller's all the time, but he was always a weight below me." Stroker finished third at this year's PJW state tournament, losing only to Sammy Krivus, another nationally-ranked junior high wrestler, 1-0, in the quarterfinals. He also competed in freestyle and Greco-Roman for the first time in his career this spring. "It's a little bit of a change," Stroker said of wrestling the international styles. "You have to know where you are at all times. You have to keep good position so you don't expose your back." Despite his limited experience in freestyle and Greco-Roman, Stroker became a double champion at the PAWF Freestyle and Greco-Roman State Championships, which took place May 20-22. Moving to Iowa and starting his high school career Last November, Stroker's father, a lieutenant colonel, logistics officer in the Army with 21 years of active service, was notified of an open position at the Rock Island Arsenal in Rock Island, Illinois. Fredy Stroker working from the top position"We literally took the kids out of school and drove out to see the area," said Stroker's father, who also has two daughters, Damaris, 12, and Cecelia, 10. "I wanted the whole family to say, 'We could live here.' We liked it. It's a lot like Pennsylvania." So the Strokers made the decision to leave Pennsylvania and move to the Quad Cities, an area that straddles the Mississippi River on the Iowa-Illinois boundary. Stroker will begin his high school career this fall at Bettendorf High School, which is six miles from the Rock Island Arsenal where Stroker's father will be working. Bettendorf is a high school wrestling power that finished this past season ranked 12th in the InterMat Fab 50. "We'll have a pretty good lineup," said Stroker, who will likely compete at 106 pounds as a freshman barring a growth spurt. "I think I'm going to fit in well. We have a good coach (Dan Knight) who went to Iowa State. He was a four-time state champion in the state of Iowa and went undefeated." Stroker will compete for Team Pennsylvania at Cadet Nationals (Fargo) in late July before moving to Iowa at the end of the summer. So how does Stroker feel about all the moving? Fredy Stroker wins OW at the 2011 Wilson JH Classic"I have kind of gotten used to the moving," said Stroker, who has lived in two countries, four states (soon to be five), and attended wrestling training camps in eight states. "I know that wherever I go I'll fit in well." Stroker's father says that he would have loved to keep the family in Pennsylvania, but has held tight to advice Waller gave him a long time ago. "Waller said, 'Look, there are good people everywhere. Just make sure he's around the best wherever you go.' That was something I preached to Fredy." Waller clarified what he meant by that statement. "I meant that two ways," said Waller. "Number one, good people as in good human beings, character people. Number two, if you can get that, and they know how to wrestle, then you have a great combination. I think where he's going it's like that ... good character people and they know how to wrestle. They'll add to Fred's style. When Fred's 18, he'll probably do what I taught him when he was 10. He's just going to do it better." So who is Fredy Stroker? Fredy Stroker is a typical teenage kid who enjoys playing Xbox, watching movies, and hanging out with friends. Wrestling, though, is his passion. Fredy Stroker is presented with the American Crown Award"I love wrestling and I love what I do," said Stroker. "It's basically a full-time sport. There are no real long breaks. I get a break sometimes, maybe two or three weeks in the summer. Besides that, I'm usually going all year-round." But according to his father, you would never know it if you were in school with him. "His teachers tell me they wouldn't even know he wrestled," said Stroker's father. "That's just his personality. His sister wears more of his wrestling t-shirts than he does." Waller lights up when describing Fredy Stroker. "Fred's a great kid, a little mischievous," said Waller. "He's got that little smile about him. I tease him all the time. I love the kid. He's a great kid." Stroker not only enjoys competing, but also enjoys watching the best wrestlers compete. He has attended the PIAA State Wrestling Championships since he was a little boy. He attended the sold-out Iowa vs. Penn State dual meet this past season in Happy Valley. Stroker also attended the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Philadelphia, where he got to see one of the wrestlers he admires win an NCAA title. Fredy Stroker at the 2011 NCAAs in Philadelphia"I look up to Jordan Oliver," said Stroker. "I think my style is kind of like his. I like Oklahoma State and he's from Pennsylvania too. He's real fast and real good." So how does Stroker describe his own wrestling style? "I always attack on my feet," said Stroker. "I'm always shooting. I like to clear ties and go. I'm real fast. On top, I'm real brutal with the crossface cradle. I can usually turn almost anyone with it." As for his wrestling goals, Stroker has short-term and long-term wrestling goals. "My short term goal right now is to be a state champion in Iowa," said Stroker. "My long-term goal is to be an NCAA champion."

Rashad Evans

Event: UFC 130: Hamill vs. Rampage Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena (Las Vegas, Nevada) Date: May 28, 2011 Tonight's UFC 130 fight card was supposed to be headlined with Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard's rematch for the lightweight title. But injuries to both have forced that action off the card, and moved the legendary Quinton "Rampage" Jackson into the spotlight as he takes on Matt "The Hammer" Hamill, who has won five in a row. Despite the disappointment in losing Edgar/Maynard III, tonight's card offers plenty of intrigue and lots of hard-hitting action. It is my job to find weaknesses in the Las vegas betting line, and try to pick winners for Intermat readers. So let's take a quick look and see what we find. Matt Hamill (10-2) is the only man on the planet to have beaten Jon "Bones" Jones the amazing UFC light heavyweight champion. But he did it by disqualification after Jones used illegal downward elbows to demolish Hamill's face. Poor Matt was getting blasted before the ref stopped the fight and awarded him the awkward win. We all love Matt for his courage to train hard and fight despite being deaf. And, the lead he carries in his powerful fists is nothing to scoff at. But Rampage (31-8) is a different rabid beast. He howls at the moon, and uses street smarts to put his opponents away, usually with a knockout punch for the ages. We've seen a dozen years of his stuff. He ain't afraid of nobody. As much as the +220 price tag is appealing, I don't think Hamill has the speed or quickness to fight Rampage effectively. I see a slow, plodding, yet determined effort, falling by the wayside midway through the second period, as Rampage clocks him with an overhand right, ending it by KO. Heavyweight Frank Mir (14-5) has always been one of my favorites. His cockiness has been well-earned, as he is a former UFC champion. He also is one of the very best jiu-jitsu fighting heavyweights. His boxing has improved dramatically, and he has overcome a severe motorcycle accident to improve with every outing. And then there is Roy "Country" Nelson (15-5), who looks like an out-of-shape, blubber-bellied truck mechanic. But don't be fooled. Roy can fight and his KO power compliments an underrated ground game. Mir's five losses have all come by KO. Nobody has won a decision against him. And nobody has submitted Mr. Mir. And, nobody will tonight either. I see a testy, slow-paced couple of rounds, until early in the third, when Mir grabs an appendage and drags the farm boy to the mat. There it ends with an vicious armbar as Roy screams in pain. Mir is a bargain at -135. This is my best bet of the evening. In my "Fight of the Night," UFC veteran (13 octagon fights), welterweight Thiago Alves (18-7 w/11 KOs) will battle with Rick "Horror" Story (12-3), who was the first man to beat Okie State's Jonny Hendricks. Both fighters bring it, and both fighters are aggressive in pressing the pace. I see plenty of action and both will have their hands full. This one will be bet as my FON, but I will also lay the -210 on Alves with his vast experience being the difference. If you like watching giants fight, you will love 6'8" Stefan Struve (21-4) and 6'7" Travis Brown (10-0-1) battle. Struve uses his mediocre boxing to set up his powerful submission game. His long appendages make his ground game lethal. Brown will try to keep it standing as he wins his fights by KO. So, we have two different styles, which always makes for an interesting fight. Both have awesome records, but only one advances tonight ... I'll wager that Struve survives the first round pounding and gets his second round submission with an shoulder-popping arm bar to cash at +115. Former U.S. Marine Brian Stann has used his adrenaline and military focus for his buddies to carve out an impressive 10-3 record, winning most fights by KO. His opponent, Jorge Santiago (23-8 w/12 submissions) is another of the long list of Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters who can end it quickly if you make a mistake. This one should have Stann punching away, as Santiago tries to drag him to the mat. Eventually he will, and that is where it will end. Santiago will end this with a rear-naked choke and send me to the winner's window with a +125 ‘dog. Upset special. Now, let's take a brief look at tonight's undercard. Is Miguel Torres (39-3) back? Or is Mighty Mouse Demetrious Johnson (8-1) for real? Johnson can sure wrestle, but Torres has a wider arsenal of weapons. I like Torres at an extremely cheap price of -120. Another rear-naked choke ends this one. Free-swinging middleweight Kendall Grove (12-8) uses his lanky 6'6" frame to keep opponents away. He also has a great ground game where his lankiness is used to leverage opponents. But Tim "The Barbarian" Boetsch (12-4) is a light heavyweight who is cutting down to see if his power will transfer to a lower weight class. I think it will, and I'm hoping for a mild upset with Boetsch winning a close decision. I'll grab the +125. Veteran Gleison Tibau (22-7 w/10 decisions) is still improving. Rafaelio Oliveira (14-3) is formidable and will look to win by submission. I'm liking his +280 price tag and will hope for the best. Another surprise upset. Brazilian Renan Barao (25-1 w/12 submission) has built up an impressive record with many fights of lesser opponents in Brazil. But 25-1 is 25-1. He should cruise over Cole Escovedo (17-6 w/10 submissions). This will be a ground test of who has the best jits. Barao does, so lay the heavy -350. Michael McDonald (12-1) should defeat Chris Cariaso (11-2), but the price is too steep at -400, so I will pass on this action. That's 10 fights. We have five favorites and four underdogs with 1 no play. I like that distribution. I hope I have found some barking dogs. Now let's look at how we divide up our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll....... Let's lay $156 to win $60 on Rampage. Let's lay $189 to win $140 on Frank Mir. Let's lay $126 to win $60 on Thiago Alves. Let's lay $60 to win $69 on Stefan Struve. Let's lay $60 to win $75 on Jorge Santiago. Let's lay $120 to win $100 on Miguel Torres. Let's lay $74 to win $92 on Tim Boetsch. Let's lay $175 to win $50 on Renan Barao. Let's lay $40 to win $112 on Rafaelio Oliveira. Let's pass on Michael McDonald. In total we are risking $1000 to win $758. We need our big favorites to come through, and a few winning, barking 'dogs would seal the deal. Don't forget to share your winnings with your local youth wrestling program where tomorrow's champions are born! Good luck and enjoy the fights. I know I will.

Hempstead, NY -- Hofstra University Head Wrestling Coach Rob Anspach today announced the appointment of former two-time All-American Dan Vallimont as an assistant coach on the Pride staff for the 2011-12 season. Vallimont, a native of Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey, was a four-time NCAA qualifier for the Nittany Lions of Penn State from 2005 through 2010 who recorded a 110-36 mark during his collegiate career. A team captain in 2008-09 and 2009-10, Vallimont placed second at the 2010 NCAA Division I Championships at 165 pounds and finished the season with a 30-9 mark. As a sophomore, he finished third at the 2008 NCAA Championships at 157 pounds and posted a 32-3 record. A three-time top three finisher at the Big Ten Championships, Vallimont placed second in 2008 and third in 2009 and 2010. As a red-shirt freshman in 2006-07, he placed fourth in the Big Ten Championships and tallied a 22-12 record. Vallimont advanced to the NCAA Championships as the 12th-seed at 157 pounds and came within one win of All-America accolades. As a junior, he placed third in the Big Ten, advanced to the NCAA Championships at 165 pounds and, again, came one victory shy of All-America status, finishing with a 26-12 slate on the season. "I am quite pleased to add Dan to our Pride coaching staff," Anspach said. "As an outstanding student, one of the top wrestlers in the Big Ten and a recent two-time All-American, he brings to our program the talent and experience necessary to help bring us to the next level, both on and off the mat," Vallimont, who graduated from Penn State in 2010 with a degree in architectural engineering, was a two-time New Jersey State High School champion at Jefferson Township High School in Oak Ridge, New Jersey. A three-year team captain and a four-year member of the National Honor Society, he posted a 134-9 career record in high school.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- The Rutgers wrestling team will welcome five highly-decorated scholastic standouts to its 2011-12 recruiting class, head coach Scott Goodale announced today. The class, which is made up of Earl Hall (Miami, Fla.), Steven Rodriguez (Fox Lane, N.Y.), Anthony Perrotti (Caldwell, N.J.), Doug Hamann (Jackson, N.J.) and Billy Smith (High Point, N.J.), is ranked as one of the best in the nation by InterMat. “We're really excited about this class,” said Goodale. “It's a great class. There are five really, really good wrestlers in there. They're coming into a program where there is some depth now so they're going to have to fight everyday but I think that all of them have tremendous upside and I think you'll see that the first two or three weeks.” Hall, who InterMat ranks as the 14th best 119-pound prospect and 84th overall, comes to RU after an extremely successful high school career at South Dade and Homestead where he won an unprecedented four Florida State Championships. In addition to his success on the high school level, Hall was the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals Champion at 103-pounds in 2009 and a Dapper Dan team member. Hall projects to a 125-pound wrestler at RU. “Earl is one of the most decorated high school wrestlers to come from South Dade High School,” Goodale said. “He's won at every level, is extremely explosive and has tremendous upside. We look forward to getting him into a room with solid workout partners. We think he has a really high ceiling.” Rodriguez, who is ranked the 15th best 130-pound-prospect and 90th overall by InterMat, is a 2011 New York DI State Champ at 130-pounds. A projected 133 or 141-pound wrestler for the Scarlet Knights, Rodriguez finished third at New York DI's in 2010 and second in 2009. The Fox Lane, N.Y. native is also a 2010 FloNational Runner-up and a 2010 Super 32 fourth-place finisher. “Rodriguez has a motor, that's the best way to describe him,” Goodale said. “He's nonstop and loves to train. His work ethic is going to be contagious to the whole wrestling room. I think that's going to rub off on all of our guys, including the upperclassmen.” A 2011 New Jersey State Champ at 130-pounds, Perrotti comes to RU from West Essex High School in Caldwell, N.J. Perrotti, who became just the second wrestler in West Essex history to win a state title, also won back-to-back county, district and region championships this season. In addition to his success on the scholastic level, Perrotti placed sixth at the 2010 Super 32. Perrotti is projected to wrestle at 133 or 141-pounds during his career “On the Banks”. “Perrotti has what we call the X factor,” said Goodale. “He's tremendous on top. He's a great mat wrestler who does a lot of neat things from the top position that allows him to score a lot of points. He's a good ole Jersey boy, just a blue collar tough kid. He has a ton of upside.” A projected 157 or 165-pound wrestler for RU, Hamann is a 2010 Beast of the East fourth-place finisher. Hamann, a Jackson, N.J. native, was a standout wrestler for Jackson High School where he compiled several key dual victories for the Jaguars. Unfortunately for Hamann, an injury caused him to miss the New Jersey State Tournament his senior season, where he was seen as one of the favorites. “Dougy Hamann has the ability to wrestle at an extremely high level,” Goodale said. “He wasn't really able to show that because of his injury. I thought he was going to be the favorite to win the state title, but that doesn't matter since we signed him before that. We signed him because we think that he can be very, very, good at this level. The one thing with him is that he's hungry. He's going to be hungry because he doesn't have some of the accolades that some of the other guys have so he has something to prove and has a chip on his shoulder.” Smith, InterMat's fourth best heavyweight and 36th overall prospect, arrives “On the Banks” after a very successful high school career at High Point where he wrestled for Coach John Gardner. During his tenure at High Point, Smith garnered many accolades including going undefeated and winning the 2011 New Jersey State Championship at heavyweight. Additionally, Smith finished third at the State Championships in 2010 while competing at 215-pounds and was a two-time Region I Champion. “I love our heavyweight, Billy may be the gem of this class for the fact that he really wrestles,” said Goodale. “He grew up wrestling at 145-pounds, 171-pounds, 215 as a junior and now is a heavyweight who weighs 255-pounds. He's a big kid who can wrestle, very similar to DJ Russo (Netcong, N.J.), and he does a good job of winning because of conditioning. We love his work ethic and he comes from a great high school program in High Point, the No. 1 team in the state of New Jersey. He's been a part of winning teams so he's excited to come here and feed off of our guys and in turn hopefully all of his winning rubs off on them as well.” Rutgers finished the 2010-11 season with a school-record 21 dual wins and No. 9 national ranking. The Scarlet Knights also saw a school-record nine wrestlers place at the 107th EIWA Championships, including a champion in 165-pounder Scott Winston (Jackson, N.J.), and sent a school-record tying eight wrestlers to the NCAA Championship. The future looks bright for RU as it will return seven starters and eight NCAA qualifiers for the 2011-12 season.

Joe Heskett Drive north on Route 9W on some September morning and you'll climb high along the eastern slope of Bear Mountain. The mountain and other hills are blanketed in the bronze and auburn tones of turning leaves. Glance to the right and you'll find that the mountain pinches the road narrowly along the winding Hudson, and that its waters warmly reflect the rising sun. Such is the scene that greets you before the gates of the United States Military Academy. Follow Thayer Road into the heart of Army's campus, and then take a walk on its granite sidewalks. Tradition. Joe Heskett (Photo/GoArmySports.com)Since 1802, thousands of America's finest and most patriotic young men have taken this path. Countless military legends like Grant, Patton, Eisenhower, MacArthur, and Westmoreland roamed these hills as cadets. Each year, a thousand more soldiers file into that Long Gray Line, graduating into leadership roles in the U.S. Army. If you're still walking, you'll find the Arvin Cadet Physical Development Center, site of the campus fitness center and the wrestling facilities for the Black Knights. This week, head wrestling coach Joe Heskett has invited three NCAA All-Americans to make the scenic trip every day as coaches. Announced as the head coach less than a year ago himself, Heskett welcomes Dan Mitcheff, Kyle Ruschell, and Terry Madden to help build a culture of high wrestling expectation and toughness. The Academy coaching staff has had significant turnover over the last decade, and Joe is excited to recruit a staff he expects to bring consistency for the next three to five years. "I'm really pumped up to establish some continuity that we've lacked in the past," explained Heskett. "But also, these guys are young and West Point is an excellent environment to grow. We have the opportunity to build something more or less from the ground up, and that's a valuable experience for a young coach to gain." Hiring three assistants would be a critical moment for any team administrator. In setting the foundation of the program, Heskett sought three traits for his hirees. "Obviously, coming to West Point, character is key. I was looking for guys who were excited not just about wrestling in the room every day, but in mentoring and developing young men." The youth of each candidate also helped earn him a spot on Heskett's short list. "They have the energy to train every day and really push our guys. That's something I don't think we've had in a while at Army. Having three young bucks come in to grind every days is really going to help our guys feel that next level." Finally, he sought to follow the habit West Point has for selecting all of its students: finding unique, driven individuals. "Each of them has such a unique story; where they've come from, how they have impacted the sport in their own ways." Mitcheff, an All-American for Kent State in 2010, went overlooked by most Division I programs as a high school wrestler. His tenacity and work ethic, however, have helped the Golden Flashes rise from irrelevance to a top-20 program. "I've heard nothing but outstanding things about his character and genuine nature. He wrestled at Kent State, where there had been a drought for a couple of decades when they didn't have an All-American, but he was a part of turning that around," said Heskett of Mitcheff's experience elevating a program. Dan is remorseful at leaving Kent just as they've reached their highest high, but relishes the opening before him. "It was little tough leaving because I've been a part of the success and I'd like to see this team continue to grow, but I think it's a good opportunity to be over there at Army. I admire what the cadets are doing up there, serving our country. I just think it was a good chance to move on," explained Mitcheff. "On top of [his experience turning a program around], I've watched him compete and beat elite wrestlers like Reece Humphrey, Brandon Precin and Obe Blanc. He's a little guy and I was in the market for a little guy coach. I don't think I could have landed a better one," added Heskett. Ruschell, who twice earned All-America status for Barry Davis at Wisconsin, glowed on Heskett's radar by achieving excellence out of the state of Kentucky. "Kentucky's not the most powerful wrestling state, but yet here comes a young man that qualified for nationals all four years and became a two-time All-American. I remember watching him wrestle Lance Palmer. Lance was winning 4-1, but Kyle came back to win 5-4 for third place at NCAA's. Now in his first year on the freestyle scene he's right there competing to win the U.S. Open. He's a fighter," claimed Joe. Kyle has trained in south and the midwest, and looks forward to living in a new region of the country. "I absolutely loved the campus. I think it's a cool atmosphere with the cadets in structure and uniform. I think it's going to be a really great experience," he expressed. The Academy draws its student population from all 50 states and many countries. "Kyle represents so much of what West Point is. You don't have to have all the tools at the onset, but hard work pays off," the head coach continued. The third coach is Empire State native Terry Madden, who placed third in the New York state tournament as a high school senior. He went on to wrestle at Hunter College, where he was a two-time DIII All-American and the 2007 NCAA Champion. Since then, he has clawed his way up the Senior freestyle ladder, reaching as high as fifth in the 74 kg rankings. "He didn't even wrestle DI, but then immediately on the freestyle scene he's competing with some of the best guys in the country. I like that. I like that he's fighting day-in and day-out as a DIII national champ and beats some of the best guys in the country from DI," raved Joe. In addition to his fighting spirit, Madden brings a love for West Point and a familiarity with New York wrestling to the table. "When I was a kid I used to go to the club there, and that was the college I went to watch compete as a little kid," said Terry. While Heskett gains a lot of strong talent to work with his collegians, he also takes a greater responsibility upon himself to help three freestylers trying to make the 2012 Olympic team. "We're going to have a solid training system for them. I've been fortunate enough to see a high level of freestyle competition and I feel confident in my abilities to coach. A lot like Lou Rosselli trained me when I started at Ohio State. However, we're going to have to be flexible and masters of time management." Dan, Kyle and Terry are optimistic about their new training environment. "To be coached by someone of [Joe's] caliber, I think my level of wrestling will increase a lot. I feel like he'll correct a lot of problems I have," claimed Madden. "At Hofstra, I really didn't have a freestyle coach." Ultimately, growing pains are certain to be part of a package of three young coaches who must split their time between teaching and learning. However, Coach Heskett is elated at the step the program is taking in his second year as mentor. "Year one was all about the culture; we had to lay out who we are. Year two is a little more transitional, getting the coaching staff into place." In years three, four and five, he hopes to add wrestling excellence to the profound tradition at West Point. "As we move forward, every year needs to be incremental progress to becoming a nationally prominent wrestling program. This can happen. We have the resources, we have the facilities, and we have the support of the administration. Not all institutions have that. We do." "Not only is it an elite academic institution, but you can become a leader of men. And on top of that, you can win big time wrestling matches. Yes, yes you can."

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. Join in this Saturday for Takedown Wrestling 9 to 11 a.m. CST/ 10 a.m. to 12 noon Eastern. This weeks guests include: 9:01 Shayna "Queen of Spades" Baszler Showtime Star 9:20 Jeff Murphy- Cyclone wrestling Club 9:40 Mike Garrow Fight Now TV Network 9:50 Max Muscle Minute with Ty Barkley 10:01 to 10:15 Randy Couture -- His dispute with UFC lays foundation for insurance policy 10:20 "Big" John McCarthy UFC and MMA Legend 10:40 Michael Chandler- Former Missou Star, Bellator Champ to be 10:50 Maureen Roshar Wildrose Casino and Resort in Clinton, Iowa Join us LIVE 9 to 11 a.m. CST for Takedown Wrestling. Listen on radio, on computer, your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio App. on KXNO.com and Takedownradio.com.

Assistant Vice President/Director of Athletics Tom O'Connor announced that George Mason Wrestling Coach Mark Weader has resigned to pursue other opportunities. "George Mason will always be a special place to me and my wife Shannon," Mark Weader said. "I have been fortunate to spend 16 years here and I am truly grateful to the senior athletic administration at Mason for the opportunities that they gave me. I also feel honored to have worked with some great student-athletes and I'm proud of the accomplishments the wrestling program made during my tenure." "Mark has been an integral part of Mason wrestling, watching him grow from a student-athlete to a coach and leader," O'Connor said. "We are grateful for his dedication he provided to the program, the student-athletes and the Mason community. We wish him and his family the very best." Weader recently concluded his sixth season as head coach and 16th overall with the Patriots program. He was the top assistant for the George Mason wrestling team from 1999-2005 and a former Patriot star, and took over the full-time head coaching duties after serving as the interim head coach during the 2005-06 season. The Danville, Pa native guided several wrestlers to conference and NCAA heights. In 2010, Brandon Bucher (149) and Mendbagana Tovuujav (174) both earned berths to the NCAA Championships. In 2008-09, both Cayle Byers (197) and Tovuujav (174) finished the season nationally ranked. At the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, Byers came within one win of earning All-America status. During the 2007-08 season, Weader guided the Patriots to a 13-5 overall mark, recording the most wins since the 1991-92 season. Two of Weader's pupils, Byers and senior Randy Oates, both qualified for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, while three freshmen - Bucher (149), Byers (197), who finished the season nationally ranked in two polls, and Frankie McLaughlin IV (157) - were all named to the CAA All-Rookie Team. In addition to their success on the mat, the Patriots were also recognized for their hard work in the classroom, earning 2007-08 NWCA Division I All-Academic Wrestling Team honors. In his first season as a head coach in 2005-06, redshirt freshman Tyler Tisdell finished as the runner-up at 165 pounds at the CAA Championships and advanced to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. As a student-athlete Weader completed his George Mason career in 1998-99 as he compiled a 17-11 overall record, won the Colonial Athletic Association Championship at 157 pounds and advanced for the first time to the NCAA Championships. The tri-captain placed second twice at 142 pounds at the CAA Championships, and he won the Virginia Division I Intercollegiate Championship in 1998. A four-year starter for the Patriots after transferring from Clemson University, Weader finished his career with an overall record of 75-40, ranking in the top-20 all-time in victories at Mason. Weader and his wife, the former Shannon Jones, married on May 14, 2005. Jones played soccer for George Mason's women's team from 1996-98. The couple has two sons, Benjamin and Tyler.

St. Cloud, Minn. -- St. Cloud State head wrestling coach Steve Costanzo and his staff of assistant coaches has announced the newest class of Husky wrestlers. Seven talented young men signed Letters of Intent and are set to join the 2011 NCAA DII Runner-Up team for the 2011-12 season. In addition, seven additional student-athletes have been accepted into St. Cloud State University and they all intend to wrestle for the Huskies beginning in 2011-12. This class features student-wrestlers from seven states that combined to win 41 state medals and 15 individual state championships during their prep careers. “We are very pleased to announce this recruiting class that we have coming in,” Costanzo said. “We believe this class has all of the qualities that we are looking for to keep SCSU wrestling moving in the right direction. This class has academics, talent and the right attitude to keep the Huskies competitive with the top teams in the country. I applaud my coaching staff for seeking individuals that are committed and dedicated to the classroom and to the sport. That is exactly what this group exudes. ” Isaiah Chip Erickson (Barronett, Wisc.), Trey Griffin (Lena, IL), Jay Hildreth (Council Bluffs, IA), Brady Johnshoy (Prior Lake, Minn.), Matt Nelson (Big Lake, Minn.), Andy Pokorny (Bennington, Neb.) and Caleb White (Neola, IA) have all signed letters of intent to wrestle for the Huskies. They join Eric Forde (Fargo, ND) and Clint Poster (Pierz, Minn.) as part of the incoming recruiting class for 2011-12. Forde and Poster signed letters of intent in November 2010. In addition, Mason Bohm (Shawano, Wisc.), Eric Hood (Lake Crystal, Minn.), Jared Kust (Clintonville, Wisc.), Shaun Little (St. Michael, Minn.), Derek Swanson (Cambridge, Minn.), Cody Tibbetts (Lake Crystal, Minn.) and Elliot Zander (Fargo, ND) have all been accepted into the University and they intend to wrestle for Coach Costanzo beginning this fall. CHIP ERICKSON Erickson is one of three Wisconsin natives in this year's recruiting class. The two-time Wisconsin state champion wrapped up a stellar high school career with a second straight WIAA title in 2011. Erickson went 44-0 as a senior to win the crown for Cumberland High School. A year prior, he posted a 43-4 mark to claim his first state title and leaves CHS with 119 wins in the past three years. He is projected to compete at 149/157 – pounds for the Huskies. TREY GRIFFIN Griffin comes to St. Cloud State from Lena-Winslow (Ill.) High School where he was a two-time state champion and three-time IHSA state place winner. Griffin leaves LWHS with a 145-15 career record. He was third in 2009 and won the 171-pound state title in 2010 with 39-0 mark. This year, Griffin won the 189-pound state title as a senior and concluded his season with a 38-1 record. He is projected to compete at 184-pounds for SCSU. JAY HILDRETH A 2011 graduate of Lewis Central High School (Iowa), Hildreth was a three-time IHSAA state place winner. He finished seventh in 2009, third in 2010 and second in 2011 at the Iowa High School State Championships. Hildreth amassed a career high school mark of 184-21 in four years. In addition, he claimed eighth place honors in the 2010 Junior National Greco Roman tournament to earn him All-American. He is projected to compete at 141/149 – pounds. BRADY JOHNSHOY Johnshoy is a 2011 graduate of Prior Lake High School. He was a four-time state qualifier and a three-time MSHSL state place winner. He placed fifth in 2009, third in 2010 and second in 2011. He posted a career high school record of 152-39. On the Junior Freestyle and Greco Roman scene, he was a double champion at the Minnesota state tournament this past spring. Johnshoy is expected to compete at 133/141 – pounds this next fall. MATT NELSON Nelson comes to St. Cloud State with a lofty senior national ranking. The Minnesota product is the No. 14 ranked wrestler at 130-pounds by Wrestling USA Magazine. Nelson was a five-time Minnesota state place winner, four-time state finalist and a 2011 state champion at 130-pounds. Nelson compiled an impressive 208-31 career record. In addition to his Folkstyle accolades, he was a 2010 Junior National All-American in Freestyle by placing eighth. The first team Guillotine Academic All-State wrestler is projected to compete at 133/141 - pounds for the Huskies. ANDY POKORNY Pokorny was a three-time state champion, winning the 2007 Class C crown at 125 pounds after winning at 112 pounds in 2006 and 103 in 2005. A 2006 Junior Freestyle All-American, Pokorny was the fourth-ranked 112-pound wrestler in the nation by Wrestling USA, and was the No. 52 high school wrestler overall by Intermat. Off the mat, he graduated with a 4.0 GPA and scored 33 on his ACT. He was also a member of the National Honor Society. Pokorny spent the 2008 and 2009 seasons at the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where he was a member of the Husker wrestling team. During the 2010-11 campaign, Pokorny attended the University of Nebraska at Omaha, but did not compete. He is expected to compete at 133 – pounds for this fall for the Huskies. CALEB WHITE White hails from Neola, Iowa where he attended Tri-Center High School. As a senior, he captured the 2011 IHSAA State Championship with an undefeated season, 37-0. As a four year letterwinner and starter, white also placed fourth in 2010 and fourth in 2009 at the state championships. He combined for an overall record of 124-13 his last three years. An accomplished freestyle and Greco roman wrestler, White was a double All-American at the 2009 Cadet Nationals placing eighth in freestyle and second in Greco roman. He will be competing at the 285 – pound weight class for SCSU. MASON BOHM Bohm is one of two Shawano High School graduates to join the 2011-12 Husky wrestling squad. Bohm was a three-time WIAA state qualifier and a two-time state runner-up. He amassed a career record of 146-29 including a 44-3 record during his senior campaign. Active in freestyle and Greco roman wrestling, Bohn is a two-time state place winner in freestyle and a state place winner in Greco Roman. He is projected to compete at the 125-pound weight class. ERIC HOOD A four-year letterwinner and starter at Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial High School, Hood qualified for the MSHSL state tournament as a senior. He was also a member of the Minnesota Cadet and Junior National teams in Greco roman. Hood had a career high school record of 101-50 and is projected to compete in the 149-pound weight class. JARED KUST Kust is a 2011 graduate of Shawano High School. As a four-year letterwinner and starter, he collected a third, fourth and fifth place medal at the WIAA state championships. He was a 2009 Cadet National All-American in freestyle by placing sixth and has combined for a career record of 170-23 at the high school level. An excellent student, Kust is expected to compete in the 141-pound weight class. SHAUN LITTLE A 2011 graduate of Saint Michael-Albertville, Little was a three-time MSHSL state qualifier. He wrapped up his senior campaign with a 39-3 record and a runner-up finish at state. He leaves STMA with a 101-32 record in his last three years. Little is projected to compete in the 197-pound weight class for the Huskies. DEREK SWANSON Swanson comes to St. Cloud State out of Cambridge-Isanti High School. He placed fifth at the 2011 MSHSL state tournament and had a record of 40-7 on the season. Swanson compiled a career mark 132-43 over his four-year career. He is projected to compete in the 165/174-pound weight class. CODY TIBBETTS Tibbetts is a 2011 graduate of Lake Crystal Wellcome Memorial High School where he was a three-time MSHSL state qualifier in wrestling. He placed second in the state as a sophomore en-route to a 30-9 record at 152-pounds and then placed again as a senior finishing sixth with a record of 27-11 at 160-pounds. He amassed a four-year mark of 167-61 for his career. Tibbetts was a 2008 freestyle and Greco roman state wrestling champion and a 2009 runner-up in both styles. He is projected to wrestle in the 165-pound weight class for the Huskies. ELLIOT ZANDER Zander, another product of Fargo South High School, was a 2011 NDHSAA state qualifier in wrestling. He finished his senior year with a record of 27-12 at 171-pounds. He will be joining teammate Eric Forde who signed with the Huskies in November. Zander is projected to compete in the 174-pound weight class. The Huskies finished the 2010-11 season with a school-record 19-2 dual match record. SCSU went on to claim first place honors at the 2011 NCAA Division II Super Region #3 and the Huskies placed second at the 2011 NCAA Division II championships. This marked the first time in team history the Huskies won an NCAA regional title and the second place finish at nationals is the best in team history.

BLACKSBURG -- Fresh off a record-setting dual meet season, Virginia Tech wrestling coach Kevin Dresser has released the team's 2011-12 schedule, one that will test the Hokies once again as they continue to build upon last season's success. The Hokies will open the season on Nov. 5 against Campbell at the Salem Civic Center before hosting the Hokie Open the following day at the same venue. Tech will then head to the Duals @ Hershey once again before taking to the road to take on Ohio State on Nov. 20. Tech will open its ACC schedule on Nov. 25 at Virginia before coming home for its home opener on Dec. 1 against Appalachian State. Individuals will compete in the Penn State Open on Dec. 4 before heading to the prestigious Midlands Open Dec. 28-29 in Evanston, Ill. The Hokies will open the new year by hosting defending ACC champion Maryland on Jan. 8 and then head to Iowa State on Jan. 13 and NC State on Jan. 15. A four-match homestand follows as Tech hosts Duke (Jan. 21), North Carolina (Jan. 22), Old Dominion (Feb. 3) and Rutgers (Feb. 5). On Feb. 12, the Hokies will participate in a newly remodeled NWCA National Duals. Tech will be one of 24 already-determined teams battling for the title in the event. Teams will be seeded in one of four regionals (Rutgers, Cornell, Iowa and Oklahoma State). Six teams will go to each site and the teams will wrestle dual meets (the top two seeds at each site get a bye) until a a winner is determined. The four winners will then wrestle the next weekend in the Final Four for the championship at a to-be-determined site. The hope is for this event to become an NCAA-certified dual meet national title event down the road. For the 2012-12 season, the 24 teams will be selected in early February based on season results. Tech is scheduled to wrestle at American on Feb. 19, provided it isn't in the Final Four of the NWCA Regionals. The 2012 ACC Championships will be held on March 3 at Chapel Hill, N.C., and the NCAA Championships will be held March 15-17 at St. Louis, Mo. Last season, the Hokies won a school-record 20 matches and finished the season ranked sixth in the country as a dual meet team.

1984 Olympic champion wrestling Randy Lewis and veteran wrestling announcer Sandy Stevens 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. Randy Lewis was a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American at the University of Iowa. He won the freestyle gold medal at 136.5 pounds at the Los Angeles Olympics. Sandy Stevens is a journalist by trade. However, most people in the wrestling world know her from her over 40 years of announcing high school, collegiate and international wrestling dual meets and tournaments.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Time is running out for wrestling fans to purchase tickets to “Gable's Gold: A Celebration of Dan Gable's Legacy.” The retirement celebration honoring the legendary wrestling coach will be held June 4 at the Coralville Marriott Hotel and Conference Center. The reception is open to the public, but tickets are limited and must be purchased by May 27. Tickets for the reception and sit-down dinner are $50 per person, or $500 for a table of 10, and available through the University of Iowa Athletic Ticket Office. Tickets can be purchased at hawkeyesports.com, over the phone at (319) 335-9323 or (800) IA-HAWKS, or in person at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena West entrance. Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. To order online, go to hawkeyesports.com and scroll over the tickets option and select “Buy Tickets” from the available options. On the next page you will want to select the group “Gable's Gold: A Celebration of Dan Gable's Legacy”. On the next page you will be able to enter in your ticket quantity and any special requests. The reception is scheduled to begin at 5:30 p.m. with dinner scheduled for 6:30 p.m. and a special program scheduled to follow. Featured speakers include former college and Olympic teammate Ben Peterson; former UI Director of Athletics Bump Elliott; Hawkeye head wrestling coach Tom Brands; Minnesota head wrestling coach J Robinson; former Hawkeye wrestlers Mike DeAnna and Terry Brands; and UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta. Gable is considered, by most, to be the best collegiate wrestling coach in history. He was Iowa's head coach for 21 years and compiled a 355-21-5 record that included 15 national and 21 Big Ten team titles.

Laramie, Wyo. -- Cowboy head coach Mark Branch announced today that five prep student-athletes have signed a National Letter of Intent to wrestle for the University of Wyoming. Branch's third recruiting class will begin its UW career during the 2011-12 academic year. Joining the Cowboy wrestling squad next fall will be Alex Baca (Pueblo, Colo.), Austin Breckenridge (Cheyenne, Wyo.), VJ Giulio (American Falls, Idaho), Tanner Harms (Greenwood Village, Colo.) and Jace Jensen (Buffalo, Wyo.). “We knew we weren't going to have a huge signing class like last year, so we were very specific in looking for kids who fit the mold we have created here at Wyoming,” Branch said. “These young men showed a passion to compete for the Cowboys and have demonstrated they can be successful at the highest level, which are two things that caught our eye. We feel very good they will fit in well with a very solid team that we have returning and help us compete in the future with great success.” UW's 2011-12 class is highlighted by student-athletes that have excelled at the prep level with a total of nine individual state titles and an overall record of 665-92, while also earning several All-America accolades during competition at the Cadet and Junior levels. The class includes two natives of Wyoming and student-athletes from a total of three states. Alex Baca -- Pueblo, Colo. -- 125 Pounds The second Colorado native in Wyoming's 2011-12 class, Alex Baca finished his prep career with a 117-13 overall record under coach Efrain Tapia at Class 4A Pueblo Central High School. Baca was a four-time state qualifier and advanced to the title match twice. As a senior, he finished runner-up in the state tournament at 112 pounds with a 44-2 mark, before earning All-America honors this summer at the National High School Coaches Association's High School Nationals with a sixth-place finish in the senior bracket. Wrestling at 119 pounds during his junior campaign, Baca compiled a 15-3 record until an injury at the state championships ended his season. He dominated the 103-pound division as a sophomore with a 29-0 record en route to a state title, as his effort's earned him a spot on the Denver Post's all-state first team. Baca went 28-7 as a freshman at 103 pounds. He also captured regional titles as a sophomore and senior. A four-time letterwinner on the mat, Baca was voted team captain three times. He was a three-time honoree on the school's honor roll and was a member of National Honor Society. Austin Breckenridge -- Cheyenne, Wyo. -- 149 Pounds Austin Breckenridge won individual state titles the last three years of his prep career under coach Bryce Leonhardt at Class 4A Cheyenne Central High School. He compiled a 160-21 overall record with 116 pins to become the first three-time state champion from Central and ended his career as the school's all-time pins leader. As a senior, he went 31-3 to earn the title at 152 pounds, after posting a 49-2 mark for the 145-pound championship during his junior campaign. He won at 140 as a sophomore with a 44-4 record and went 36-12 at 125 as a freshman. A four-time regional champion, Breckenridge earned all-conference and all-state honors each year and was named Wyoming's Dave Schultz Award winner as a senior. Breckenridge has also excelled in the U.S. wrestling system by winning four All-America honors. During the summer of 2009, he finished fourth in freestyle and fifth in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Cadet National Championships, while also earning All-America accolades with a third-place finish in the sophomore division at the National High School Coaches Association's High School Nationals. Last summer Breckenridge placed eighth in Greco-Roman at the U.S. Junior National Championships. On the football field, Breckenridge was a running back and earned all-conference and all-state honors during his senior season. He was also named all-conference as a junior while helping his team finish 10-2 and runner-up in the state. He earned four letters in wrestling, three in football and one in soccer. VJ Giulio -- American Falls, Idaho -- 184 Pounds One of the top recruits in the state of Idaho, VJ Giulio joins the Cowboys after a dominant prep career for Class 3A American Falls High School. Giulio compiled a 163-17 overall record en route to becoming the eighth wrestler in Idaho history to win four individual state titles. During his senior campaign, he posted a 42-0 mark with 37 pins to earn his second-straight state championship at 189 pounds and finish ranked seventh in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News. Giulio won the title at 160 pounds as a sophomore and at 135 as a freshman. Voted a team captain twice, he helped the Beavers capture three team state titles, while wrestling under his father Jim. The elder Giulio, a former University of Montana wrestler from 1984-88, finished second three times at the Big Sky Championships and has coached American Falls to five team state titles. On the football field, Giulio earned first-team all-conference honors as a running back this past season. The senior rushed for 1,232 yards and 15 touchdowns on 179 carries, while racking up 30 tackles and two sacks as a defensive end to claim second-team all-conference honors on the defensive side of the ball. Giulio also qualified for the state track and field meet in the triple jump as a junior. A four-time letterwinner in all three sports, Giulio has been named to the high honor roll in the classroom all four years. He was also recruited by Arizona State, Boise State and Oklahoma. Tanner Harms -- Greenwood Village, Colo. -- Heavyweight Projected to wrestle at heavyweight for the Cowboys, Tanner Harms progressed in leaps and bounds at the high school level and in the U.S. wrestling system during his prep career. Harms compiled a 120-12 overall record in three years under coach Mike Luhring at Class 5A Cherry Creek High School. Wrestling in the state's largest division, Harms went 38-4 with 17 pins as a senior at 215 pounds to finish sixth at the state tournament. He earned first-team All-Centennial League honors, while placing well at several prestigious tournaments throughout the season, including second at the Rocky Mountain Nationals. He was named the team's Most Outstanding Wrestler and earned the Most Takedowns Award with 81 during the season. As a junior, Harms finished third at the state tournament at 189 pounds courtesy of a 40-5 mark with 20 pins. He won the regional tournament and earned first-team all-conference honors, while also placing fourth at the Rocky Mountain Nationals. As a sophomore, Harms went 42-3 at 171 pounds at the junior varsity level. Harms has also wrestled well in the U.S. wrestling system at several levels and styles. This summer he placed third at 215 pounds at the Folkstyle Junior National Championships to earn All-America honors and a spot on the U.S. Junior National team. During the summer of 2010, he was the Colorado state champion at 189 pounds in the Junior Greco-Roman division and placed second in Junior Freestyle. At the Cadet level in the summer of 2009, he won the Greco-Roman division and finished runner-up in Freestyle. A two-time team captain for his high school, Harms earned academic all-state honors twice in the classroom. He has a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average and scored 31 on the ACT. Jace Jensen -- Buffalo, Wyo. -- 174 Pounds A two-sport standout, Jace Jensen excelled on the wrestling mat and the football field for Class 3A Buffalo High School. He completed his prep wrestling career with a 105-29 overall record under coach Jay Camino, including a senior season in which he went an undefeated 31-0 to capture the state title at 171 pounds. He rolled through the bracket at the state tournament with two pins, a decision and a technical fall, after winning the east region. His state title was the first for Buffalo in five years. Jensen was also named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Shane Shatto Invitational during his senior campaign. A four-time state qualifier, Jensen finished fourth as a junior at 160 pounds and second as a sophomore at the same weight after wrestling at 152 as a freshman. He notched at least 28 wins in each of his last three seasons on the mat. A fullback and linebacker on the football field, Jensen helped lead the Bison to three runner-up finishes and four appearances at the state tournament in his four years with the program. As a senior, he was named to the Casper Star Tribune's Super 25 first-team after amassing over 1,000 all-purpose yards and 18 touchdowns on offense and intercepting five passes on defense, while also earning an invite to the Shrine Bowl. As a junior, he was named to the Super 25 second-team. Jensen was the captain of the football and wrestling teams as a senior, and earned four letters in wrestling and three in football.

NEW YORK -- The first 24-hour-a-day, seven-day-a week combat sports channel is bringing the best battles, fiercest fights and stunning knockouts to America. FIGHT NOW TV caters to fight fans of every genre, giving them a front row seat to compelling coverage of MMA, boxing, wrestling/grappling, Muay Thai, kickboxing and other combat sports. FIGHT NOW is the place for the best analysis, live and current events, documentaries and news coverage of the biggest PPV events and match-ups happenings around the globe. FIGHT NOW TV was founded by veteran broadcast executives Mike Garrow, Cal Millar and Romen Podzyhun; Garrow will serve as the channel's General Manager. Longtime sports TV veteran Doug Jacobs serves as a production and programming consultant. FIGHT NOW TV has also enlisted one of the fight game's biggest names to join its camp. Former UFC champion and MMA legend Randy Couture will serve as both a spokesperson and analyst for the channel. “Combat sports events happen 52 weeks a year. There is no off season in the fight game; so whether it's mixed martial arts, boxing, grappling or kickboxing contests you are into, we offer it all on one dedicated channel,” said Garrow. “There is something for every fight fan on FIGHT NOW TV, as we will deliver ‘knockout' entertainment to viewers each and every day.” “FIGHT NOW TV will bring the best fights from around the world right to our viewers,” said Jacobs. “We're working with the top promoters to showcase up-and-coming fighters, elite stars and ring legends.” The nation's first round-the-clock combat sports channel goes live on Tuesday, May 24 as part of Cablevision's iO Sports & Entertainment Pak on channel 464. The iO Sports & Entertainment Pak is available to Cablevision customers in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa senior Luke Lofthouse and the University of Iowa wrestling program have received academic honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA). The Hawkeyes were named among the NWCA's Division I All-Academic Top 30 teams, while Lofthouse earned a spot on the 2011 NWCA Individual All-Academic Team. The Individual All-Academic Team is determined by GPA and season record/accomplishment. Lofthouse is one of 28 All-Americans and 84 NCAA qualifiers named to the national team. Lofthouse is an interdepartmental studies major from Avon, Utah. He completed his senior season with a fifth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and posted a 25-7 record en route to a runner-up finish at the Big Ten Championships. A 2011 Academic all-Big Ten honoree, Lofthouse was awarded the John and Dorothy Sill Award for most dedicated wrestler at this year's wrestling team banquet. This is Lofthouse's first NWCA academic award. He is the 14th Hawkeye in program history to receive the honor. For teams to be eligible for consideration, the team GPA is comprised of 12 student-athletes, including the 10 wrestlers that were the entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they may fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season. Iowa ranked No. 23 on the NWCA's All-Academic Top 30 list. The Hawkeyes finished the 2010-11 season with a record 10 Academic all-Big Ten honorees, five All-Americans and two Big Ten Champions. Iowa earned its fourth straight Big Ten regular season title with a perfect 8-0 conference record and extended its unbeaten dual winning streak to 77 by posting a 15-0-1 overall dual mark. The Hawkeyes' perfect 8-0 home record marked the program's 19th undefeated season at Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

Five competitors with ties to the Minnesota wrestling program placed last weekend at the 2011 FILA Junior World Team Trials including freshman Joel Bauman, who took home top honors in the 84 kg Greco-Roman division to advance to the FILA Junior World Championships next month in Europe. Bauman, who was 11-4 this season as a true freshman with the Gophers, topped Wisconsin's Devin Peterson in three matches over the weekend. Peterson opened the event with a decision over the Gopher (0-1, 1-0, 1-0) before Bauman rallied with two wins (2-0, 3-1; 3-0, 0-1, 3-0) to take home the championship at 84 kg. With the win, Bauman advances to the FILA Junior World Championships, scheduled to take place in Bucharest, Romania July 26-31. Meanwhile, two other wrestlers with ties to the Gophers will serve as alternates for next month's event after placing second this weekend. Freshman Nick Dardanes and Dylan Ness both finished as runner-ups in the 60 kg and 66 kg weight classes, respectively. Rounding out the Minnesota contingency last weekend in Indiana were Chris Dardanes and Scott Schiller, who both tallied third-place finishes in their weight classes - Dardanes at 60 kg and Schiller at 96 kg.

BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech head wrestling coach Kevin Dresser announced Monday the addition of nine athletes who will join the Hokie wrestling program in the fall of 2011. Led by the 2011 Virginia Group AAA heavyweight champion, this class features four upperweights, along with two middlewe! ights and three lightweights. Taylor Horner, who hails from Rocky Mount, Va., captured the Virginia Group AAA state title at heavyweight for Franklin County High School this past year, picking up a pin in the championship bout. He took fourth place in the state as a junior and was eighth at the 2010 Beast of the East Tournament. Two Virginia products will come in as projected 197 pounders, helping give depth to a thin part of the Hokies' roster. Jake Semones was a two-time Virginia Group AA state champion at 215 pounds for Salem High School in nearby Salem while Darren Hankins placed second at the Group AAA state meet at 215 pounds for Hickory High School in Chesapeake. He recently placed fourth in the country at the High School Nationals. Jordan O'Donnell is a two-time state placewinner who is projected as a 133-pounder. He attends James River High School in Richmond. The Central Region Outstanding Wrestler placed fifth in the state at 130 pounds this past year as a senior after finishing third at 125 pounds his junior year with a 47-10 record. Taylor Whitt is a projected 133/141-pounder from Norfolk Academy who posted a career record of 164-24 with 104 pins and was a three-time VISAA state champion. He was also a two-time national prep placewinner and was ranked the No. 1 135-pounder in Hampton Roads (public and private schools) all year by The Virginian Pilot. Christian Funder is one of three out-of-state products in this year's class. He hails from Winston-Salem, N.C., and attends Forsyth Country Day School. The projected 149/157-pounder was a state champion as a junior and took second as a senior. Sean Van Dyke was also a state champion this past year, winning a Group AA title at 125 pounds for Grundy High School. Van Dyke is projected as a 125/133-pounder in college. Dan Garwood hails from Mullica Hill, N.J., where he attends Clearview Regional High School. The projected heavyweight went 40-3 as a senior, taking fifth place at 215 pounds at the New Jersey state meet. He went 28-7 as a junior, qualifying for the state meet and also earned a pair of letters in football and lacrosse. Jordan Rosa is a projected 141/149-pounder who is from Wyomissing, Pa. He compiled a 127-31 career record, including a 30-1 his senior year before an injury cut his season short. Rosa attends Wilson High School and was a two-time Pennsylvania state sectional champion and finished fifth at 2010 Junior Nationals. These additions join those who signed in the fall: two-time Ohio state champs Matt Stephens (165/174) and Nick Brascetta (141/149) from Graham High in St. Paris, Ohio, three-time Maryland champs Bubba Scheffel (174) and Lex Ozias (141/149) from Southern Garrett in Oakland, Md., and three-time Colorado state champ Austin Gabel (184/197). The class is ranked ninth in the country by WIN Magazine. This is the fifth-straight national top-11 class pulled in by head coach Kevin Dresser and his staff.