InterMat Staff

Weight Classes Contested on Saturday Men's Freestyle: 60 kilos, 74 kilos, 96 kilos Greco-Roman: 55 kilos, 66 kilos, 84 kilos, 120 kilos Women's Freestyle: 55 kilos, 72 kilos Men's Freestyle 60 Kilos Expected Competitors: Coleman Scott, Derek Moore, Matt Valenti, Tyler Graff, Martin Berberyan, Jimmy Kennedy, Justin Pearch, Drew Headlee, Andrew Hochstrasser, Mike Zadick, Logan Stieber, Jordan Oliver, Kellen Russell Synopsis: This is one of only two weight classes that the U.S. has not qualified a spot for the Olympic Games. (The other weight class is 96 kilos in Greco-Roman.) Humphrey and Bunch will not compete this weekend, and the Trials winner, assuming the weight class gets qualified, will be placed in a three-man bracket with Humphrey and Bunch. Zadick, a 2007 World silver medalist, is the only past U.S. World Team member expected to compete in this weight class this weekend. Scott won the Dave Schultz Memorial this year and has been knocking on the door. College stars Logan Stieber, Jordan Oliver, Kellen Russell, and Tyler Graff will be looking to make some noise in this weight class. Stieber, a Junior World silver medalist, was fourth at the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials. 74 Kilos Returning World champion Jordan Burroughs earned an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals at 74 kilos (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Expected Competitors: Jordan Burroughs, Andrew Howe, Nick Marable, Lloyd Rogers, Ryan Morningstar, Colt Sponseller, Tyler Caldwell, Moza Fay, Mike Poeta, Matt Brown, Trent Paulson, David Taylor, Kyle Dake Synopsis: Burroughs has become the face of USA Wrestling after winning a World championship shortly after graduating from college. He has not lost an international match and has won eight events. Burroughs' World title gives him an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals. He will await the winner of the Challenge Tournament, which is very much up for grabs. Howe was runner-up to Burroughs at the Trials a year ago, and took this past year season off from college to focus on freestyle. Paulson is a past U.S. World Team member down a weight at 66 kilos. NCAA champions Taylor and Dake add intrigue to this weight class. 96 Kilos Expected Competitors: Jake Varner, Dustin Kilgore, J.D. Bergman, Trevor Brandvold, Craig Brester, Tanner Hall, Brent Jones, Wynn Michalak, Chris Pendleton, Tommy Rowlands, David Zabriskie Synopsis: Varner, as a returning World bronze medalist, gets an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals. Ohio RTC wrestlers Bergman and Rowlands are past U.S. World Team members. Bergman was 10th at the 2010 World Championships, while Rowlands was fifth at the 2007 World Championships. Kent State's Kilgore, who took an Olympic redshirt, has put together a strong season, winning the Sunkist Kids International, Cerro Pelado International, and Pan American Championships. Brester was fourth at the Sunkist Kids International and won the Olympic Trials Qualifier. Pendleton, a three-time Sunkist Kids International champion, has moved up to 96 kilos from 84 kilos. Greco-Roman 55 Kilos Expected Competitors: Spenser Mango, Jermaine Hodge, Max Nowry, Nikko Triggas, Mike Fuenffinger, Nathan Engel, Tyler Cox, Ryan McQuade, Dmitry Ryabchinskiy, Paul Tellgren, Isaiah Varona Synopsis: Mango is the prohibitive favorite in this weight class. He was eighth at the 2008 Olympic Games, and represented the U.S. at the World Championships in each of the past three years. He was a University World champion and Junior World bronze medalist, but he's still looking for his first World or Olympic medal on the senior level. Hodge was a 2009 U.S. Open champion, and finished runner-up to Mango at this year's U.S. Open. He claimed a silver at this year's Pan American Championships. Nowry placed third at the U.S. Open, and was a fifth-place finisher at the 2010 Junior World Championships. Tellgren finished runner-up at both the U.S. Open and U.S. World Team Trials in 2011. There are some capable wrestlers with strong pedigrees in this weight class, but it's Mango title to lose. 66 Kilos Expected Competitors: Justin Lester, C.P. Schlatter, Ben Sanchez, Glenn Garrison, Josh Castellano, Zach Lamano, John Cox, Ravaughn Perkins, Faruk Sahin, Kendrick Sanders, Pat Smith Synopsis: Lester, a two-time World bronze medalist, is expected to compete in this weight class after winning the U.S. Open up a weight class at 74 kilos. Had Lester made the decision to compete at 74 kilos this weekend, he would have received an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals based on his fifth-place finish at the 2011 World Championships coupled with his U.S. Open title. At 66 kilos, Lester must go through the Challenge Tournament where he will see some stiff competition. Schlatter is having a very strong season. He won the U.S. Open, and also claimed gold medals at the Sunkist Kids International and the New York AC International. Army wrestlers Garrison and Sahin are seasoned veterans who should figure into the mix. Sanders, Perkins, and Smith are young, rising stars to keep an eye on. 84 Kilos Expected Competitors: Chas Betts, Zac Nielsen, Jordan Holm, Donald Simmons, Peter Hicks, Mark Stenberg, Cheney Haight, Jake Clark, Jason Plamann, Travis Rutt, T.C. Dantzler Synopsis: This is one of the more wide-open weight classes. Five of the top challengers in this weight class -- Betts, Clark, Nielsen, Holm, and Rutt -- are Minnesota natives. Betts, a 2009 U.S. World Team member, claimed the U.S. Open title. He has wrestled well in both domestic and international events this season. Clark, who has been living and training in Hawaii, is a two-time U.S. World Team member. He has been at or near the top of this weight class for the past 10 years. Nielsen dropped down from 96 kilos, and had a strong U.S. Open, finishing runner-up to Betts. Holm was a U.S. Open champion last year, but fell short of making his first U.S. World Team. Rutt, a college athlete who took an Olympic redshirt season, was eighth at the U.S. Open, but recently won the Final U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier, which included a win over 2008 Olympian T.C. Dantzler, who made a comeback. Haight made the U.S. World Team last year, but was seventh at this year's U.S. Open. 120 Kilos Expected Competitors: Dremiel Byers, Brandon Rupp, Pete Kowalczuk, Toby Erickson, Nikola Bogojevic, Jake Kettler, Joseph Sheffield, Steve Andrus, Rulon Gardner, Nick Severson, Timothy Taylor Synopsis: Byers, a 2008 Olympian, has been the dominant force in this weight class in the U.S. for many years. He was a World champion in 2002, World bronze medalist in 2007, and World silver medalist in 2009. Byers has claimed 10 U.S. Open titles. One of the biggest storylines of this year's Trials is the return of Gardner, an Olympic gold medalist in 2000, World champion in 2001, and Olympic bronze medalist in 2004. The 40-year-old Gardner let his weight balloon to 474 pounds at one during his retirement from the sport, so it remains to be seen if he will make weight and how he will perform after a long layoff. Rupp finished runner-up to Byers at the U.S. Open, and has been knocking on the door for the past four years, finishing runner-up at the Trials twice and third once. Taylor has been near the top of this weight class for several years. He was runner-up to Byers at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The Minnesota Storm has three highly-capable wrestlers in this weight class: Bogojevic, Kettler, and Severson. Kowalczuk is a past University World bronze medalist and placed third at the U.S. Open. Erickson was Junior World bronze medalist last year and placed fourth at this year's U.S. Open. Women's Freestyle 55 Kilos Expected Competitors: Helen Maroulis, Leigh Jaynes, Kelsey Campbell, Katherine Fulp-Allen, Amy Whitbeck, Schuyler Brown, Haley Augello, Sarah Hildebrandt, Ashley Hudson, Michaela Hutchison, Sharon Jacobson Synopsis: Maroulis has solidified herself as the No. 1 wrestler in this weight class and has earned an automatic berth in the best-of-three finals. She was fifth at last year's World Championships and won her third U.S. Open title this year. Maroulis has also won three Junior World medals. Jaynes and Campbell, both past U.S. World Team members, lead the group of wrestlers in the Challenge Tournament. Jaynes, a 2007 U.S. World Team member, was runner-up to Maroulis at the U.S. Open. Campbell, who was fifth at the World Championships in 2010, finished third at the U.S. Open, losing only to Jaynes. Fulp-Allen is a past University World champion. The weight class also includes college stars like Michaela Hutchison, a three-time WCWA women's college national champion. 72 Kilos Expected Competitors: Ali Bernard, Iris Smith, Stephany Lee, Kristie Davis, Brittany Roberts, Julia Salata, Christen Dierken, Kendra Lewis, Brittany Delgado, Sydney Nelson, Christina Zamora Synopsis: Bernard, who represented the U.S. at the 2008 Olympic Games, claimed a bronze medal at last year's World Championships, which qualified the weight class for the Olympic Games and earned her a spot in the best-of-three finals on Saturday. Bernard also has two Junior World titles and a University World title on her resume. The Challenge Tournament at this weight class is filled with talent and experience. Two past World champions, Smith and Davis, are expected to compete. Smith, a World champion in 2005, picked up her fifth U.S. Open title of her career this year. Davis is a U.S. wrestling legend. She is a two-time World champion and nine-time World medalist. There are several college wrestlers who could make noise in this weight class.

EDMOND, Okla. -- Undefeated Upper Iowa 133-pounder Trevor Franklin has been named the 2011-12 NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year, it was announced Thursday. Franklin capped a perfect 28-0 campaign by capturing his second straight Division II national championship March 10 in Pubelo, Colo., winning at 133 pounds this season after taking the 125-pound crown last year. Trevor FranklinFranklin is fifth recipient of the award, sponsored by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches’ Association and voted on by eight regional representatives from around the country. He was the runaway winner, with Nebraska-Kearney 157-pound national champion T.J. Hepburn coming in second and North Carolina-Pembroke 165-pound national winner Mike Williams third. "This is a tremendous honor and I am a bit overwhelmed by the recognition," Franklin said. "This award doesn't come to me alone; great coaching and great partners in the wrestling room have pushed me to this point. There are some awards you can control, like national championships, and then there are awards that you can't like this one. It's just great to have others recognize the work put in. I'm grateful for the honor." Franklin put together a dominating season in 2011-12 for the Peacocks, giving up only four offensive points (two takedowns) in 28 matches, including none in a 4-0 run to the title at the national tournament. He had 16 bonus-point wins, collecting nine falls and seven major decisions. A product of Unadilla Valley High School in South New Berlin, N.Y., Franklin ended the season with a 44-match winning streak and is 55-2 over the past two seasons. He has won three straight Super Region Three crowns and is undefeated in both Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference and dual meet action for his career. "The quality and quantity of Division II wrestling is outstanding to say the least," Upper Iowa head coach Heath Grimm said. "Since Upper Iowa's transition into Division II, I have seen the talent level continually climb to new heights each and every season. It is a great honor for Trevor to be recognized for his phenomenal season. The fact that he moved up a weight class, went undefeated and only surrendered four offensive points all season en route to winning his second NCAA championship speaks for itself." Previous winners of the award were Nebraska-Kearney heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev (2008), Nebraska-Omaha 157-pounder Todd Meneely (2009), Pittsburgh-Johnstown 133-pounder Shane Valko (2010) and Western State 197-pounder Donovan McMahill (2011).

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Four-time All-American Joe LeBlanc has been hired as an assistant coach for the Indiana University wrestling program, announced head coach Duane Goldman on Thursday (Apr. 19). LeBlanc comes to Bloomington after a collegiate career at the University of Wyoming that left him as the greatest wrestler in school history. Joe LeBlanc"I have been a fan of Joe LeBlanc since I first saw him at the NCAA Championships during his freshman season," said Goldman. "His attitude and passion for the sport are evident in the way that he competes. His commitment to wrestling, academics and family make him a great fit for our staff and the goals of our program." With 147 wins, LeBlanc became the winningest grappler to ever don a Wyoming singlet. Eighteen of those victories came at the NCAA Championships en route to four consecutive top-six finishes that vaulted him to the All-American stand. "This is a great opportunity for me and my family," said LeBlanc. "The coaching staff at IU has a great reputation and I'm excited for the chance to work at a Big Ten institution. I expect great things moving forward and can't wait to be a part of something bigger than myself." LeBlanc married his wife, Amanda (Gillan), on May 5, 2009; and has two sons, Tyson and Colby. He'll complete his kinesiology and health promotion degree from Wyoming before arriving in Bloomington. Coming up this weekend, LeBlanc is headed to Iowa City, Iowa to compete in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Trials (84 KG/185 lbs; freestyle). The Meeker, Colo., native capped off his collegiate career with a 34-3 mark as a senior. He lost just one bout during the regular season, earning the No. 1 seed at 184 pounds for the 2012 NCAA Championships. Overall, LeBlanc was 147-22 and the only four-time All-American in Cowboy history.

Related Link: The MMA Outsider Podcast Archives After a lot of build-up and promotional videos, UFC 145 is finally upon us. The boys break down the long-awaited main event between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former titleholder Rashad Evans. They also discuss the UFC's so-called clothing sponsorship of Jones, whether it's a conflict of interest, and the UFC's retraction demand for CagePotato.com due to a joke on the subject. Once that's done, Strikeforce veteran David Hulett (19-10) joins the show to discuss his upcoming bout on April 24 in Australia against Xavier Lucas (8-2), and an impressive streak of five wins in his last seven bouts -- including a submission victory over Bellator welterweight Ryan Ford.

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! This Saturday join us for a special live three-hour Takedown Wrestling Radio. Join Scott Casber, Steve Foster and Jeff Murphy live from Carver Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City Iowa. Brad Johnson will be in studio with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News. Join us this Saturday from 9 a.m. to noon CT/10 a.m. to 1 p.m. ET. It's time for the Olympic Team Trials! 9:50 Ty Barkley, Max Muscle Sports Nutrition Update 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort Fans, athletes, coaches: Join in the conversation live by calling 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Listen on radio, computer, Blackberry, or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app.

InterMat recently caught up with 2009 World silver medalist Jake Herbert and talked with him about this weekend's U.S. Olympic Team Trials, training in Michigan, Cael Sanderson, Donny Pritzlaff, and much more. Jake Herbert (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Are you nervous about the Olympic Team Trials? Herbert: I figured out how to not get nervous. I'm just going to picture it as an NCAA tournament. All I have to do is just show I'm the best wrestler in the country at 84 kilos. Everybody is surrounding this tournament with London and the Olympics and that's nerve-racking for anybody. You just have to view it as just a national tournament. That's all you have to do. Have you prepared for anyone in particular? Herbert: We don't know the seeds, but I'd guess I'm preparing for Reader in the semifinals and Gavin in the finals. But who knows? Doesn't matter, really. I have to wrestle two tough matches and then beat a tough guy twice in the finals. Possibly Ed Ruth ... Herbert: Uh, yeah, Ed Ruth is pretty damn good wrestler. What was your reaction to finding out Cael wasn't competing? Herbert: If he would have shown up to wrestle, it would've just meant that I'd have to beat him to go. Whoever steps on the mat I have to beat, whether it's an Olympic gold medalist or not. I have to beat him to go the Olympics. Michigan Men (left to right): Jimmy Kennedy, Andrew Howe, Tyrel Todd, Josh Churella, Mike Poeta, and Jake Herbert (Photo/Leah Howard, Michigan Sports Information)Tell us a little bit about life in Michigan. Herbert: The last eight months has been fun. It's nice to have a team to train with right now. There aren't a lot of places like we have here. You normally have one guy here or there, or you're training with the college team. It's freestyle focused with these guys. Better focus? Herbert: We aren't trying to win NCAAs. We're trying to beat the Russians. We have seven of us who can all come in and lift together, wrestle together, hang out together. We're all living and breathing the same goal and that's getting an Olympic medal. Makes it easier and makes it a lot more fun. I saw some pretty contentious in-fighting on Facebook regarding handball … Herbert: We play handball twice a week and it definitely gets heated. I heard you're no good. Herbert: Riiight. I'm probably top three. Who else is up there? Herbert: We all have our strengths. Poeta has quick bursts, Howe's very good defensively ... fantastic goalie. Josh Churella is an all-around player. Stevens, Russell, they just never stop moving. A good team needs all those guys, and you need a guy like me who touches the ball and usually scores. Jake Herbert fell to Cael Sanderson in the finals of the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Your scouting report of their handball could just as easily been used for their wresting. Herbert: We take it seriously, Foley. Same teams each week? Herbert: We were doing Ann Arbor versus Ypsilanti, which was our house against Howe, Todd and Kyle Massey. But now we basically do captains and go from there. Back to the mat, you have a reputation for being a slow-starter in matches. How've you remedied that? Herbert: Yeah, I used to be, but I've now decided to start kicking ass earlier. Technically speaking, how are you doing that? Herbert: Just going harder. I've toned up. I've tightened up my defense, and I haven't lost my offense. As I get people tired they are easier to score on, and easier break. That's not technically "technical." Herbert: Shut up. I saw you got in a Twitter beef with my boy Josh Lowe of InterMat. Herbert: (laughs) I like that he called me out on "not doing anything since 2009" because it shows that nobody follows international wrestling. I've beaten the last two World champions. I'm 3-0 against them in total. I'm 2-0 against the Azerbaijani who won it. Jake Herbert at the 2009 World Championships in Herning, Denmark with U.S. coaches Zeke Jones and Sean Bormet (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)It bothers you? Herbert: No. Let 'em think what they want. I've been placing at tournaments, I've been placing overseas. I don't think there is a clear front-runner at 84 kilos and I'm doing the right things. I can beat the best guys in the world. I can beat the Uzbeki, I can beat the Russian, I can beat the Azerbaijani. Do you think that this Olympic cycle was well-timed for you, having three full years to prepare? Herbert: I don't know, possibly. There has to be something with people coming out of college and going right into (international competition) as a good as they've done. Look at me in 2009 and Burroughs in 2011. So you think that the college training can be an advantage? Herbert: Your endurance and shape is going to be huge. These six-minute matches to foreigners is the hardest thing in the world, that's not even a full college match, you still have a minute left on the clock. Has your team tried to replicate that? Get more matches in? Herbert: We definitely tried to wrestle the seven-minute college folkstyle match as often as possible. It's tiring. You're flexing and using your muscles the entire time, whether you're riding and trying to get an escape. That's a hard grind, not like the quick explosiveness of a freestyle match. So Bormet and Pritz have guys training folkstyle year-round? Herbert: Not as much now, but earlier in the year we were wrestling live with the college guys, but we've since focused solely on the freestyle. You told me that you got to train with Jordan Burroughs at NCAAs. How was that? Herbert: We wrestled a match and got into a great scramble. Nobody I'm wrestling is going to be able to move like that. You were an atrocious practice room wrestler in college. Has that improved? Herbert: Yes! I'm not getting beaten to a pulp in the room and I'm actually shutting people down and winning some matches. I'm serious. I win matches. Are you still getting your daily ass-whippings by Donny Pritzlaff? Herbert: Ah, no ... Donny said he's not handing them out right now because he's trying to build our confidence. Are you as scared of Pritz as the majority of wrestlers between 150 and 180 pounds? Herbert: You can actually have that list go up to 230 pounds. He takes down our heavyweight. Jake Herbert (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)What makes him so good? Herbert: His hands. What you guys don't know about Donny is that he's a hard-working guy from the East Coast. His dad was blue-collar guy, so growing up his dad would dip Donny's hands in concrete every night before bed. So if you go and shake hands with Donny, or if you wrestle him, it's like a 40-pound weight hitting you over the head. On top of that, I believe he has four lungs. He's an impressive male. Herbert: You can't tell the difference between him and Howe. I'm telling you that they're cousins. Stop it. Herbert: They are cousins to me. Looking forward, what are your thoughts on the Olympic Games? Herbert: I need to win this weekend then get there and get my draw. It would be nice to be alone in the top side of the bracket, but I'm going to prepare to have the Azerbaijani in the first round, the Russian the second, and then the Uzbeki. I want to win the gold medal and I know that there is no easy way to do that. You have to train harder if you expect to win.

Alexander Gustafsson (Photo/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images) It's been raining in Chicago this week. Lake Michigan, a normally placid and calm body of water, has been made angry by the wind and the rain. Where sailboats normally dawdle by, white caps are raising up. But between April showers comes sunshine and the extra light that exposes the city's residents to the dusty reality that are our homes. Initiate Spring Cleaning. For some readers, like my friend who lives in forever-sunny Miami, spring doesn't warrant serious cleaning, but in a three-season city like Chicago (freezing, lukewarm, and humid) dirt and grime can hide for months inside 4 p.m. sunsets. Like a Chicago winter, the UFC recently went dark, four weeks with no fights, only this week awakening in Sweden. Of course, the schedule picks up through the summer, starting with this coming weekend's much-anticipated matchup between UFC light heavyweight champion Jonny "Bones" Jones and top contender "Suga" Rashad Evans. The Jones vs. Evans fight could be overhyped, but I'll still be paying the $55 PPV. It's because that fight and the next month of UFC content is so excellent -- and the last month has on the contrary been devoid of good storylines -- that I'm recommending five storylines that need to be swept up and tossed out. Alexander Gustafsson vs. Jon Jones He's tall and he kicks people, but no matter how bad Alexander Gustafsson beat up a rusty Thiago Silva, there is little compelling rational minds to compare the Swedish giant to Jon Jones. Unfortunately, the MMA Twitteratti is by habit irrational. The Gustafsson vs. Jones argument might be the freshest of the old and crusty stories being recycled, but it could easily be the most ridiculous. The comparisons and the simple-mindedness of thinking that that the Swedes reach will somehow be the antidote to Jones' constant advantage (9.5 inch against Evans) is too finite to be realistic. I was impressed with the skyscraper's kicks and ability to slow down Silva in their fight, but the obsession with pushing him towards a fight with Jones is premature, and already a bore. Oh, and though he's -500 in Vegas, it's also a little rash to assume a Jones victory on Saturday. There is at least one psychological advantage working in Evans' favor: Big Brother Syndrome. Gilbert Melendez's Strikeforce purgatory Melendez is a good fighter. He's won six of his last seven fights and should one day be considered for a running the UFC, but the constant bellyaching about not making it into the big show is beginning to seem counterproductive. The UFC might move him over if he becomes a marketable draw, but his downcast pestering (unlike the joyful Tweeting of guys like Roy Nelson) has come across petulant and whiny. I like watching Melendez fight, but he's wasted too much airtime complaining about his Strikeforce contract (there are more fights to come) and not enough time trying to become that promotion's all-star. It's not often you are given run of an economically stable promotion. The sooner Melendez recognizes that he can create a profit for himself in Strikeforce, the sooner he can make the transition to the UFC. King Mo fallout I'm as guilty as anyone else for being sucked into the drama surrounding King Mo's NSAC suspension and subsequent firing from Zuffa, but I think we can all agree that the apologies (while late) have finally been delivered. For me, what became the most interesting aspect of the whole affair was the in-fighting amongst the MMA media. The journalists in MMA are often tagged as fan-boys before reporters, and many did get caught up in defending King Mo, and others began eviscerating those journalists' weak-handed opinion pieces (Kevin Iole at Yahoo.com did the best job of finding facts as they related to the hearing and accusations of racism by Pat Lundell). The entire episode exposed the industry's sensitivity to criticism and just how incomplete many assessments of the event became when clouded by ego, and the constant trumpeting of fighter's rights. Truth is, with the notable exception of Josh Gross at ESPN, much of the MMA media does chose to chase the bamboo shorts. Moving forward, the media should be a little more cognizant of when they choose to defend a fighter and why, because with King Mo it was poorly executed and dragged on for far too long. Bellator exists?! I've been on the Bellator beat for several months, writing several profiles for FIGHT! Magazine and finding myself impressed with their often under-evaluated talent. With the UFC in hiatus Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney had the month to host fights and appear on the MMA talk show circuit. He's soft-spoken, but between his simple message (tournament formats are, like, cool) and fun title fights, many fans were screaming about how great the organization could be for the sport as a second-tier competitor. The Bellator model will continue to be successful because they're on the Viacom bankroll, and that means billions of dollars backing each decision. MMA companies are entertainment and media entities, not sports organization and Viacom knows how to makes sustainable and profitable programming. It's time to get used to Bellator. They aren't (that) new and they aren't going to be an also-ran for too much longer. TRT in MMA Has there ever been a more discussed topic where less was known? The UFC and the NSAC are both to blame, the former for a lack of will to enforce any comprehensive drug policy and the latter for not having clear guidelines. Scratch the surface further (and many have) and you quickly find that the most fundamental question: Is TRT dangerous? If so, at what levels? What levels should earn exemptions? Are there natural ways to raise TRT without taking creams or injections? The lack of information is so profound that complaining about it seems off-point. Investigations like the ones reported by ESPN's Josh Gross on fighter pay would probably shed some light and get public opinion in one direction. Do that and we can get the UFC and NSAC to do something more than displace blame. For an interesting read on how TRT can be beneficial read the lengthy feature by Craig Davidson in this month's Esquire.

Terry Steiner and Kevin Wulff will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, April 18. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central on AM 1650, The Fan. An archive of the show can be found on www.themat.tv. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Steiner is the current US National Teams coach for women’s wrestling. He was an NCAA champion for the University of Iowa in 1993. Wulff is the CEO of ASICS America. He will be at the Olympic Trials in Iowa City to present their “Stop at Never” athletic exhibition. ASICS has been long-standing supporter of wrestling.

Takedown Interview: Chris Bono, formerly the head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga and a longtime assistant coach at Iowa State, has been hired as head wrestling coach at South Dakota State University, Jackrabbit Director of Athletics Justin Sell announced Tuesday. "Chris was selected from an outstanding pool of candidates," Sell said. "Chris brings tremendous credentials both as an athlete and a coach and we are excited about the passion he will bring for wrestling in support of our student-athletes. His hiring gives us an opportunity to build a nationally competitive program while maintaining our commitment to academics and community service." "I'd like to thank the search committee and Justin Sell for this opportunity," Bono said. "It's something I'm excited about and I am really fired up to get the program back on the map." Chris BonoAfter winning a national title and earning All-America honors three times during his collegiate wrestling career at Iowa State, Bono joined the Cyclone coaching staff in 1997 and was promoted to associate head coach in 2002. While at Iowa State, Bono recruited and coached four-time NCAA champion Cael Sanderson. He also was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002 in helping lead Iowa State to a runner-up finish at the NCAA Championships with five wrestlers earning All-America honors. Bono moved on to Tennessee-Chattanooga in 2005 as the top assistant and was named head coach a year later. The Moccasins won three Southern Conference titles during his tenure and were ranked as high as 10th in the country during the 2008 season. He led Chattanooga to a 39-17 dual record, including a 16-1 mark during the 2006-07 season. In 2009, Bono returned to Iowa State as an assistant coach for one season before stepping down to enter private business. Bono has remained active in the wrestling community, conducting numerous camps and clinics across the country, as well as serving on the USA Wrestling Board of Directors. As a collegiate wrestler, Bono won a national title at 150 pounds in 1996 and claimed a runner-up finish in 1997. He also won both Big 8 and Big 12 conference titles en route to 130 career victories. Bono continued to compete nationally and internationally after graduating from Iowa State with a degree in exercise and sport science. He was an alternate for the 2000 U.S. Olympic team and was a member of the U.S. World Championships team in 2001, 2002 and 2005.

In honor of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials being held in Iowa City, it only makes sense to honor the first wrestler originally from the state of Iowa to win an Olympic gold medal. No, it wasn't Tom Brands. Nor was it Dan Gable. Some of you might be thinking, "It's gotta be Terry McCann!" who wrestled for the University of Iowa, and, yes, won the gold medal at the 1960 Olympics in Rome ... but was a native of Chicago. And, to the guy in the back of the room, frantically waving his upstretched hand, so sure he'll win the prize by naming Glen Brand, the graduate of Iowa State did win the gold medal at the 1948 London Olympics. But Brand was hardly the first. Another Iowan won his gold twenty years earlier. Allie MorrisonThe first native son of Iowa to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling -- or, actually, in any sport -- was Marshalltown's own Allie Morrison, who earned his gold at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. For those of you who are alums of one of the wrestling powers located in the state of Iowa, you're probably wondering where Morrison wrestled in college. No, it wasn't University of Iowa ... nor was it Iowa State ... nor what was known as Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa). Nor was it Cornell College or Wartburg or any of the current Division III programs. Iowa-born Allie Morrison wrestled for the Fighting Illini at the University of Illinois. Morrison's path intersected with some true sports legends. In his senior year, his high school wrestling coach later became a legendary college basketball coach ... at Illinois, he played football with one of the all-time gridiron greats ... at the Olympics, he became friends with another gold medalist who went on to fame and fortune playing Tarzan in the movies ... and indirectly inspired a kid in Chicago to pursue his own Olympic wrestling dream. So ... why haven't you heard of Morrison? For starters, his gold medal was won 84 years ago. It doesn't help that he wrestled at an out-of-state college ... and that he was left off the Sports Illustrated magazine's100 Greatest Athletes of Iowa list. All the more reasons to get to know Morrison. The Marshalltown mat Bobcat Allie Roy Morrison was born June 29, 1904 in Marshalltown, in the central part of Iowa. According to his only daughter, Bessie Morrison Svehla, Allie was the son of Ethan Allen Morrison, a railroad man, and Sarah Jean Morrison. Bessie described her father Allie as "a shorter version of his father," standing about 5 feet, 5 inches tall. Allie Morrison was a multi-sport athlete at Marshalltown High School, involved in track, football and wrestling. Morrison was undefeated in regular competition as a wrestler, competing at 135 pounds. He was a two-time Iowa high school state champ as a sophomore and junior in the years immediately before the Iowa High School Athletic Association sanctioned the state championships, starting in 1926. Morrison's only loss was as a sophomore, attempting to make the U.S. Olympic wrestling team to compete at the 1924 Olympics in Antwerp. As a high school senior, Morrison was declared ineligible to wrestle because of his age (21). However, that didn't stop him from continuing his involvement with the Marshalltown Bobcat mat program. A young teacher who had just arrived at Marshalltown High from Kansas was given the assignment of coaching the wrestling program. The teacher, Adolph Rupp, had been a basketball star in high school and at the University of Kansas, and knew nothing about wrestling ... so he asked Morrison to coach his former teammates, while Rupp served as the adult advisor to the program and Morrison. The arrangement between Rupp and Morrison worked; the Bobcats won the first-ever official Iowa high school state title in 1926. Rupp -- who went on to fame as head basketball coach at the University of Kentucky from 1930 to 1972, leading the Wildcats to four NCAA titles -- gave full credit to Morrison. At the team's end-of-season awards banquet, Rupp said, "Yes, I was the coach of this team, but I was not the man responsible for our state championship. That man is sitting right over there ..." -- pointing to Allie Morrison. Allie Morrison competed in at least one event as a high school senior -- the 1926 AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) national championships -- where he won his first major title outside his native Iowa. The Iowan becomes a Fighting Illini As expected, Allie Morrison was recruited by the University of Iowa to wrestle for the Hawkeyes ... and there was considerable pressure from his hometown fans to continue his mat career in-state. However, Morrison opted to go to the University of Illinois at Champaign-Urbana. Why did Morrison choose to be a Fighting Illini instead of a Hawkeye? His only daughter, Bessie, weighed in: "Iowa really wanted him, but Adolph Rupp told him that he had friends at Illinois ... I also think he may have wanted to get away from the state of Iowa." Paul PrehnAnother possible reason: University of Illinois was one of the leading powers in college wrestling at the time, having won the majority of Big Ten team titles in the 1920s. Illini head wrestling coach Paul Prehn was a significant figure in the sport of that era, having authored the 1925 classic how-to-wrestle book, Scientific Methods of Wrestling (which is available for reading online). As head coach, Prehn guided the Fighting Illini to a 47-3 record from 1920-1928. (In 1928, Prehn left his coaching job at U of I to become chairman of the Illinois State Athletic Commission.) At Illinois, Morrison crafted a successful wrestling career, compiling a perfect 22-0 record, and winning the 1928 Big Ten title at 135 pounds at Indiana University in Bloomington. A few weeks later, Morrison chose not to compete in the first-ever NCAA wrestling championships, held at Iowa State in March 1928, instead, choosing to focus on the AAU national championships, where he won his third title. In addition to wrestling at the University of Illinois, Allie Morrison played football for the Fighting Illini. One of his gridiron teammates was yet another sports legend, Red Grange, who was named greatest college football player of all time by ESPN in 2008, and, in 2011, selected Greatest Big Ten Icon by the Big Ten Network. Wedding bells ... then traveling to the 1928 Olympics Weeks after winning his third AAU mat title, Allie Morrison competed at the 1928 U.S. Olympic Trials in Grand Rapids, Mich., winning the event ... and earned a place on the U.S. freestyle Olympic team that would compete at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam. Before heading to Europe, Morrison and the other Olympic wrestlers trained at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. On July 11, 1928, the U.S. Olympic athletes boarded the U.S.S. Roosevelt in New York City for the trip to the Netherlands. Allie Morrison was joined by his new bride, the former Ora Bass, his hometown sweetheart who he met at a Halloween costume party their sophomore year. The popular Marshalltown mat star was immediately drawn to the-then 17-year-old who was dressed as a ballerina. Allie Morrison at the 1928 OlympicsEarly in their relationship, Ora's father wasn't impressed with Morrison. John V. Bass, a wealthy local mill owner who founded what is now ConAgra Foods, didn't want his daughter and Morrison to attend the same college ... so he paid for Ora to go to Drake University, knowing the private college in Des Moines was not on the list of schools actively recruiting Morrison. Despite this forced separation, Ora and Allie stayed in touch, and, after one year, Ora left Drake, heading east to Champaign-Urbana to be with her matman boyfriend and encourage him to pursue his dream to wrestle at the 1928 Olympics. (As Bessie Morrison Svehla said in the interview for this article, "Mom said to dad, 'You've got to win the Olympics because I've never been out of Iowa!'") By the time Ora and Allie became husband and wife in 1927, John Bass agreed to treat the young couple to a honeymoon tour of Europe ... with her parents joining them on the adventure. According to grandson Jeff Svehla, Allie's parents were not able to go to Amsterdam because they could not afford the trip. On the mat in Amsterdam Allie Morrison competed in the featherweight bracket at the 1928 Olympics in Amsterdam in late July and early August. According to the Marshall Times, the Olympic Games used a conventional bracket system, except that wrestlebacks were limited to consolation matches to determine second and third place. A wrestler had to win two of three bouts with an opponent to advance to the next round. And, for the first time, a country could have only one wrestler in each weight class. Kustaa PihlajamakiOn July 30, Morrison drew a bye in the first round ... then, later that day, in the quarterfinals, the Marshalltown native defeated Pierre Bressnick of Belgium to stay in the hunt for gold. The next day, Morrison encountered his first potential roadblock: Kustaa Pihlajamaki of Finland, the prohibitive favorite to win the gold medal in this weight class. After all, Pihlajamaki had won the gold medal at bantamweight at the 1924 Paris Olympics (and go on to win gold at the 1936 Berlin Games). The National Wrestling Hall of Fame describes the Finn as "one of the best European wrestlers of all time." However, as the Marshall Times reported in its 1995 profile of Morrison, "Allie whipped him soundly in two straight matches" in the semifinals. Now the Iowan was to face Hans Minder of Switzerland for the gold medal. In the match on August 1, Morrison defeated Minder to win the gold medal. (Pihlajamaki and Minder wrestled each other to determine their medal status; Pihlajamaki won the match, and the silver medal; Minder got bronze.) 1928 U.S. Olympic TeamAllie Roy Morrison was the only U.S. wrestler to be awarded gold at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics. What's more, he was the first American wrestler to earn that honor since the modern Olympics were established in 1896. While in Amsterdam, Morrison met fellow Olympic gold medalist Johnny Weissmuller. According to Morrison's grandson Jeff Svehla, Morrison became friends with the famed swimmer who went on to fame and fortune playing Tarzan in a series of movies in the 1930s. Celebration ... then a career cut short Following his triumph at the 1924 Olympics, Allie Morrison was among the U.S. athletes honored with the tradition of a tickertape parade in New York City. There were additional parades across the nation for the Olympic heroes ... and one for Morrison in his hometown of Marshalltown. Morrison returned to University of Illinois to resume his education ... and his wrestling career. However, on March 2, 1929, in a dual meet with the University of Chicago, Morrison broke some of the vertebrae in his neck. According to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, Morrison completed the match -- and the rest of his junior year. However, fearing paralysis, doctors urged Morrison to stop wrestling ... so he retired from the mat, but not from the sport. After graduating from Illinois in 1930 with a degree in English and physical education, Morrison moved into coaching, starting his career at Penn State (where daughter Bessie Jane was born, Ora and Allie's only child). However, according to Bessie, the young couple missed their families back in Iowa, so they returned to the Midwest ... specifically, the Omaha area, where they spent the rest of their lives. A coaching career, interrupted by war Allie Morrison coached football and wrestling at Doane College in Crete, Nebraska, just outside Omaha. As a coach, Morrison developed a reputation as a tough disciplinarian. In a 1996 interview with the Marshall Times, Bessie shared a story of how her father, thinking that his wrestlers were getting too cocky during an undefeated season, took his team to a nearby supper club for a celebratory steak dinner. As they finished their meal, coach Morrison delivered a speech: "You guys are far too confident, and you're all going to get beat if you don't get back down to earth right away." Morrison promised more strenuous workouts, then delivered the punchline: "Oh, yeah, we're starting tonight. You guys will have to walk back to town because I sent the bus back an hour ago!" The coach then left with his wife in her car. Morrison later left college coaching for the prep ranks, taking a job teaching English at Omaha Central High School ... and taking the reins of the Eagles wrestling program for a decade. In his last four seasons at Central, his wrestlers won four consecutive state team titles from 1939 through 1942. Joe ScarpelloOne of Morrison's most accomplished wrestlers at Central was Joe Scarpello, a three-time Nebraska state champ (1940-1942) who owns the distinction of never having been taken down in high school. Morrison encouraged Scarpello to follow in his own footsteps by participating in the national AAU competition as a senior. However, the coach sent his wrestler to New Orleans with this message: "If you don't win, don't come back." Not a problem; Scarpello won the AAU heavyweight title in 1942. After service in World War II, Scarpello went on to wrestle at University of Iowa, where he became the school's first four-time Big Ten champ (1947-1950), and a three-time NCAA finalist, winning the 175-pound crown in 1947 and 1950. Morrison served in World War II, in the U.S. Navy as a petty officer. According to his daughter, the 5'5" Morrison "had to stand on his tippy-toes to get in." After his military service, Morrison returned to Omaha, where he launched the new wrestling program at what was then called Omaha University -- now University of Nebraska-Omaha, which was an NCAA Division II powerhouse until the program was eliminated at the end of the 2010-2011 season. Morrison coached at Omaha University from 1949-1952. Later, Allie Morrison left coaching to run a tavern. His grandson Jeff Svehla says that Morrison would offer free drinks to anyone who could beat him in arm wrestling ... but no one ever did. Svehla also reported that his grandfather soaked his hands in vinegar to make them tougher. In 1960, Allie Morrison lost the love of his life when his wife Ora passed away unexpectedly in her 50s. Six years later -- on April 18, 1966 -- Morrison died at age 62. His past wrestlers served as his funeral pallbearers. Allie Roy Morrison's legacy lives on. He was welcomed into the Iowa High School Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1977, the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association in 1982, the University of Nebraska-Omaha Athletics Hall of Fame inaugural class in 1996, the Des Moines Register Sports Hall of Fame in 2008, and as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993. A high school tournament in his hometown of Marshalltown bears his name, the Allie Morrison Duals. Morrison was also credited as being the inspiration for another gold-medal-winning wrestler with Iowa connections: Terry McCann, Big Ten and NCAA champ at the University of Iowa in the mid-1950s who went on to win the gold medal in freestyle at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. McCann, a Chicagoan, claimed he had been inspired to get into wrestling by seeing a photo of Morrison in a magazine. "I was at a candy store and saw a picture of this little guy, Allie Morrison, getting a gold medal for wrestling," McCann told wrestling writer/historian Mike Chapman for his 2006 book, Legends of the Mat. "I was very impressed. I thought he was just a little guy, and that if he could do something so special in sports, so could I. That was the start. I had a vision." A proud daughter fondly remembers her gold-medal dad As the only daughter of Ora and Allie Morrison, Bessie Jane Morrison Svehla has strong memories of her father. She was born in Pennsylvania in 1931, when her father was a coach at Penn State. "He was a very, very strict father," said Morrison Svehla in an interview for this profile. "I couldn't date 'til I was 16." That didn't stop her from fantasizing about the young men who wrestled for her dad. "I went to as many wrestling matches as I could, to see which boys were the cutest," said Morrison Svehla. "I had crushes on some of them. However, dad told me, 'You can't go out with any of them.'" In the 1995 Marshall Times article, Morrison Svehla said, "He said that he knew far too much about each athlete on the squad to let any of them take me out!" That said, Morrison Svehla told InterMat, "I'm very thankful he was strict with me." "I was strong-headed like my dad. I even look like him." "I was like him because of his determined-ness. I think that's why he won the Olympics." When asked if her dad talked about his gold medal, Morrison Svehla said that the Olympic gold medal was on display in a big frame in the dining room ... then, later, when he owned the tavern, he put an Olympic plaque -- but not the gold medal -- on display behind the bar. His daughter told a rather poignant tale of one situation where dad got involved in a presentation of his pinnacle athletic accomplishment: "I was in high school," Morrison Svehla told InterMat. "I mentioned dad was in the Olympics. Some students were doubters. He stood outside the door of a classroom while I showed my class the Olympic medal, as well as his football and track medals, too." Bessie Morrison Svehla isn't the only person to think highly of Allie Morrison. No less a wrestling authority than Cliff Keen weighed in with his assessment of the 1928 Olympic gold medalist. Keen, who wrestled at Oklahoma State in the early 1920s, then served as head wrestling coach at University of Michigan from 1925 to 1970, told Jeff Svehla, "Your grandfather was the most dominant wrestler in the U.S. at the time."

Takedown Interview: Dennis Hall has entered his name in the ring at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City. Dennis is 41 years old and will be competing at the 60 kilos Greco Roman weight class. Dennis last competed in 2004 at the Olympic Games and is a former World champion and Olympic silver medalist. Dennis Hall (Photo/Lance Iversen)Dennis states, "I made the decision to come back and see if I can do it and give my four kids (Tyler, Jake, Brandon, and Alyssa) a chance to see me give it my all one last Olympic cycle. I would also like to thank World Wrestling Resource, Asics, Defense Soap, and Clinch Gear for their support." In 1992, Dennis Hall won the Olympic Team Trials and entered into his first Olympic Games competition in Barcelona, Spain. At Barcelona, he finished eighth. Again, in 1996 he claimed the championship at the Olympic Team Trials. Hall continued to wrestle to success at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta where he took home the silver medal. Hall made a third trip to the Olympic Games in Athens, Greece in 2004. Hall's prominent achievements: Two-time champion at the 1995 and 1999 Pan American Games 2000 Pan American champion which qualified him for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney Second in the 1999 Nordvest Cup in Norway Seven-time World Team Trials Championships (1990, 1993-95, 1997-99) Ten-Time U.S. National champion (1992-2001) Greco-Roman World champion (1995), (Hall is the second U.S. wrestler ever to win a Greco-Roman World championship, having to beat five former World champions to claim that title.) Two-time champion of the Sunkist International Tournament in 2001 and 2002 Outstanding Wrestler of the 2001 Sunkist International Tournament Dennis is married to Chrissy and they have four children together; Tyler, Brandon, Jake and Alyssa. Dennis was the former head Greco-Roman wrestling coach for United States Olympic Education Center at the University of Northern Michigan. Dennis also speaks to youth about the life-threatening issues of drinking and driving. The Olympic Trials will be held April 21 & 22 in Iowa City for more information about the Olympic Team Trials, visit http://iowacitytolondon.com. Dennis is involved with World Wrestling Resource, a website dedicated to improving the quality of wrestling in the world in order to enhance the athletic, educational, and social experience of the participants, coaches, and fans.

Takedown Interview: NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Rutgers head wrestling coach Scott Goodale announced Tuesday the addition of Frank Molinaro to his staff as assistant coach. A native of Barnegat, N.J., Molinaro starred at Penn State from 2008-12 as he earned All-America honors four-straight seasons and finished his career as the 2012 NCAA 149-pound champion. Frank Molinaro (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Molinaro completed his senior campaign as one of the top competitors in the nation, compiling a perfect 33-0 record to take top billing in his weight class. The former Nittany Lion won his second-straight Big Ten Conference individual championship, also earning the tournament’s Most Outstanding Wrestler award in 2012. With an outstanding career record of 121-29, Molinaro left University Park, Pa., as PSU’s fifth four-time All-American. The Scarlet Knights’ leader commented on the addition, citing Molinaro’s key experience of winning on the biggest stage of the sport. “Having Frank Molinaro as an assistant coach will be such a tremendous asset to the Rutgers wrestling program, our student-athletes, and this coaching staff,” Goodale said. “He comes from one of the top programs in college wrestling, so there is no doubt he will bring plenty of knowledge and discipline to our wrestling room. He has a work ethic that is unmatched at this point.” A three-time New Jersey state champion at Southern Regional High School, Molinaro made an immediate impact for the Nittany Lions after an initial redshirt season in 2007-08, placing eighth in the nation at 141 pounds at the 2009 NCAA Championships. He then bumped up a weight class to close his career, notching finishes of fifth-place and second-place at 149 pounds at the 2010 and 2011 national tournaments. Molinaro helped fuel Penn State to NCAA and Big Ten team titles in 2011 and 2012. Goodale noted his strong belief in Molinaro’s ability to inspire a group of wrestlers. “I have always believed Frank would make a tremendous coach ever since coaching against him when he was in high school here in New Jersey,” Goodale said. “You could tell by the way he motivates his teammates and makes everyone else around him better. His passion is this sport. It was a no-brainer for me to bring a national champion back to his home state who wants to win at the highest level.” Molinaro spoke about his readiness to pursue his coaching career, along with the thrill of getting to work at Rutgers. “I’m really excited for the opportunity to help build Rutgers wrestling and at the same time, help build New Jersey wrestling,” Molinaro said. “Being able to work with Coach Goodale and his great staff is an excellent atmosphere to be in. I learned a great deal at Penn State about being a better wrestler and living the right lifestyle. I feel I have a lot to bring to Rutgers in all aspects of wrestling, from mental preparation to physical training.” The four-time All-American echoed Goodale’s excitement, hitting on his hopes of immediately impacting Rutgers’ wrestling room. “I can’t wait to get started,” Molinaro said. “It will be great to get working with the team. I hope to be able to bring a lot of energy to the room and really impact practices right away.” Rutgers 165-pound standout and three-time NCAA qualifier Scott Winston summed up the feelings of the current RU squad. The chance to work with a wrestler of Molinaro’s caliber tops Winston’s list. “He’s a four-time All-American and national champion,” Winston said. “Anytime you can be around someone like that to see how they train and how they live their life, you’re going to get better. This will be an automatic boost of energy in our room. We can all get better from watching how Frank does things. It’s a huge addition for Rutgers in every aspect of a wrestling program.” Follow Rutgers Athletics on Facebook (www.facebook.com/RutgersAthletics) and Twitter (@RUAthletics) for all of the latest news and updates. For specific updates regarding Rutgers wrestling, follow the program on Twitter (@RUWrestling). Fans can receive timely information, including special offers and giveaways throughout the year on our social media outlets along with www.ScarletKnights.com.

DURHAM, N.C. -- Glen Lanham, a two-time All-American and a longtime assistant coach at some of the most prestigious wrestling programs in the country, has been named Duke's wrestling head coach Director of Athletics and Vice President Kevin White announced on April 16. Lanham most recently served as the Blue Devils assistant coach for two seasons. Glen Lanham"We are thrilled that Glen Lanham has graciously accepted our invitation to become the head wrestling coach in Duke history," White said. "Glen brings outstanding experience, professionalism and principles to Duke Wrestling. Certainly, the young men representing our program will find Glen has tremendous leadership qualities, unlimited passion for the sport, and an uncompromising commitment to their total experience as student-athletes. It became very evident throughout the search process that all roads led back to Glen Lanham being an ideal fit for Duke Wrestling at this point in time." In his two seasons with the Blue Devils, Lanham helped mentor Diego Bencomo and Tanner Hough to NCAA Championship berths in 2011 and 2012, respectively. Under Lanham's tutelage in the wrestling room, Bencomo earned 2011 All-ACC recognition after taking runner-up honors at the ACC Championships at 184 pounds. The Phoenix, Ariz., native registered a pair of wins in the NCAA Tournament, becoming just the second wrestler in Duke history to make it to the quarterfinal round. "I'd like to thank Kevin White and everyone here at Duke University for their support as I begin this next chapter of Duke wrestling." Lanham said. I'm very excited to lead the Duke wrestling program. Becoming a head coach has been a long process in the making and I feel right now that Duke University is a perfect fit for me as a coach. We have a very talented and amazing group of young men and I am thrilled for the opportunity to guide them on and off the mat. The Duke wrestling program has great potential and I look forward to a bright future for the Blue Devils." With the help of Lanham in 2012, Hough became the second Duke true freshman to earn a bid to the NCAA Championships after taking fourth at the ACC Championships at 141 pounds. Hough finished his rookie campaign with a 23-13 overall record. Lanham joined the Duke coaching staff as an assistant in June of 2010 after stints as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State, North Carolina and Purdue. Prior to arriving in Durham, he spent three seasons at Purdue where he spearheaded the Boilermakers' recruiting efforts. At Purdue, Lanham had an immediate impact on the program, helping several Boilermakers to breakout seasons. He mentored a selection of student-athletes to the NCAA Championships during his three seasons and under his watch Luke Manuel earned three bids to the NCAA postseason and climbed to as high as fifth nationally at 174 pounds. The Boilermakers' two recruiting classes under Lanham garnered a wealth of national honors, including the nation's No. 12 class from InterMat.com in 2008. It marked the second straight top-20 national recruiting class for the Boilermakers as they reeled in three of the nation's top-100 recruits, including a pair of 2009 USA Wrestling Junior national champions. Prior to his three years at Purdue, the former Oklahoma State competitor coached at the University of North Carolina for four years. With the Tar Heels, Lanham also worked closely with the middle to upper weight classes and headed their recruiting efforts. In his time in Chapel Hill, Lanham tutored four ACC Champions and nine NCAA Championships qualifiers. He also went to great lengths to improve the Tar Heels' program, bringing in an Intermat Wrestling Top-25 recruiting class in 2006-07. Lanham worked as a high school teacher and wrestling coach in Oklahoma from 1991-2003. He was at Midwest City High School for seven years, where he mentored several state champions and sent them on to prestigious college programs. While at Midwest City, he also volunteered his time at Oklahoma University, coaching several All-Americans. Lanham served as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State University from 1988-1991, helping the Cowboys to a pair of NCAA Championships. As a college competitor, he garnered All-American honors at both OSU and the University of Tennessee, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in human service with an emphasis in juvenile counseling in August of 1988. He competed internationally as a member of the Sunkist Kids team and was freestyle wrestling All-American. Lanham resides in Pittsboro, N.C., with his wife Melanie. What They Are Saying about Glen Lanham ... "Glenn has always had high integrity with an infectious personality that keeps people engaged, especially young people. From the moment I met Glenn I realized his walk in life was based on circumstances that would guide him in life. I remember when he came on his recruiting visit to the University of Tennessee we were so enamored with this kid that we were a bit sad he was leaving. However, his flight was scheduled at 7 a.m. and he was taken to the airport at 7 p.m. and thus allowing him to spend another night at UT. We were so delighted and that was sign for me that we was coming to UT for the exact same thing happened to me. Glenn involved me in his decision to come to Duke as an assistant and after weighing the pros and cons we decided that this was another positive circumstance that he must follow...and he did. So we believe this is more than just filling a coaching vacancy. It is destiny for Duke University and Glenn." -- Tony Mills, University of Tennessee teammate "Glen is a great leader and has had a positive impact in the lives student-athletes for many years. He has a wealth of knowledge competing for two of our sports legends - Gray Simons at Tennessee and John Smith of Oklahoma State. His strong integrity and family values make him a perfect fit at Duke. He will bring great pride to the program." -- Tom Ryan, Ohio State University Wrestling Head Coach "I am so excited for Glen and this opportunity to lead the Duke wrestling team. He knows what it takes on all levels to be successful on the mat, in the classroom, and most important of all in life. I am so grateful that I had the chance to coach with him during his time at Purdue. I learned so many valuable lessons from him that I have been able to apply in my daily grind. Glen will set the academic and wrestling standards high for each and every student-athlete he interacts with each and every second of the day he is their coach. Duke University made an outstanding choice in selecting Glen Lanham as their next coach." -- Scott Hinkel, University of Purdue Wrestling Head Coach "I think it is a great hire. I think it is an intelligent hire for Duke University. Glen is a tireless worker. He has competed and coached at every level. I think he'll do an outstanding job as the head coach at Duke. I know he has goals and aspirations to take Duke to a place that it hasn't gotten in its wrestling program. I'm 100 percent confident that the administration and university have hired the right man for the job and I wish nothing but the best for Glen, a great friend of mine I've known for over 20 years. " -- Kevin Jackson, Iowa State University Wrestling Head Coach "This is very exciting for Glen and I know it is a dream come true for him. I've known Glen for 25 years, and I've known people who work hard, but I've never met someone who is so consistent with his character. He has always had his priorities straight and he puts the person first at all times. He's a great leader of men. He's a tireless worker and I think Duke has the right man for the job." -- Kenny Monday, Olympic Gold Medalist Coach "Glen and I had been best of friends from as far back as the seventh grade when we both not only wrestled but also played junior high lacrosse together. Glen, through all our school years was always the top athlete whether it was football, lacrosse or wrestling, bearing the captain title for his leadership skills. Glen is a extraordinary human being and the real winner here is Duke University. The dedication, discipline and respect Glen brings not only to the University but to his athletes will last them a lifetime. His past athletes whom have either graduated from [North Carolina] Hill or Purdue University and are pursuing their professional continue still call upon Glen for his guidance and leadership or just for a positive hello chat. This includes myself on many,many occasions. As I have said earlier Duke University is the true winner here. They have hired an extraordinary human being who will professionally represent Duke University beyond the institution's expectations." -- Bill Fries, High School Teammate

Related Content: Results|TheMat.TV Videos MADISON, Wis. -- U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athletes Destin McCauley and Pat Downey have not yet entered the college wrestling ranks. On Saturday both showed they can not only compete with some of the nation's top college wrestlers, but also beat them. McCauley and Downey were two of the 11 champions crowned at the 2012 FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle. Destin McCauley and Pat Downey shined on SaturdayThe FILA Junior age group is comprised of 17-20 year-olds. The champions in each of the seven Olympic weight classes, plus 50 kilos, earned automatic berths in the best-of-3 finals of the FILA Junior World Team Trials, which take place May 25 in Colorado Springs. The top six finishers in the seven Olympic classes, plus 50 kilos, qualified for the FILA Junior World Team Trials. McCauley, a five-time Minnesota state champion, came through a loaded bracket to win the title at 66 kilos. He shut out 2009 Junior National freestyle champion Josh Dziewa, an Iowa Hawkeye, in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals he defeated another Fargo freestyle champion, Jason Tsirtsis, 2-0, 4-2, to advance to the finals. In the finals McCauley earned a fall in the first period over Hunter Stieber, a true freshman All-American at Ohio State. "I took a low single shot," said McCauley. "It's one of my best attacks. He was holding onto an ankle. I just sat back on it and put him in danger. I was up 4-0, just trying to get my two. But he held on and I just kept leaning back until I could get the touch fall." McCauley and Stieber have known each other for several years, but had never faced each other. "Hunter and I have been friends for the longest time," said McCauley. "We have been going to Jeff Jordan's camps at St. Paris Graham forever. Hunter, Logan (Stieber), and I have always been really good friends, but I never wrestled Hunter. I always wrestled Logan. I thought they would have the same style, so I was just ready for that." One of McCauley's coaches at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Bill Zadick, was pleased with McCauley's performance. "He went out and wrestled with some fire," said Zadick. "He wrestled an exciting style. It was fun for me as a coach to sit in the chair and watch him perform. I think it was also fun for the fans to see that brand of wrestling." McCauley will head to Iowa State to wrestle for the Cyclones after the freestyle season. He said he plans to wrestle at 149 pounds and is looking to step in the lineup right away as a freshman. He's excited to wrestle for Kevin Jackson. "Kevin Jackson is the best coach," said McCauley. "I love the guy. I know he's going to get me to where I want to be. I'll be wrestling folkstyle, but he has his freestyle program right there. I couldn't ask for anything more." Downey, a two-time Maryland state champion who moved to Florida for his senior year of high school, topped Logan Storley, a true freshman All-American at Minnesota, 1-0, 0-2, 3-2, to claim the title at 84 kilos. "He's a tough kid," said Downey of Storley. "He stays on the legs a lot. He knows what he's doing with his hand fighting. You just have to head block and be in good position the whole time. When I'm in my positions where I feel I'm the best -- whizzer kicks and on the edge -- I just had to capitalize. It was a good match and I did everything right to win that match." Downey's coach, Zadick, was familiar with Storley and knew it would take Downey's best effort to come out on top. "It was a great win for Pat," said Zadick. "I've been on some trips with Logan (Storley). He's a really tough kid and a great competitor. Those are the matchups that everybody likes to see. It was just a great match between two great athletes. Fortunately for Pat he was able to win. I'm super excited for him." Downey will be taking his talents to Oregon State to wrestle for Jim Zalesky. He plans to wrestle at 184 pounds, and like McCauley, believes he can win an NCAA title right away. "I'm stepping right in and winning that thing," said Downey. Ukrainian-born Nazar Kulchytskyy won a deep and talented weight class at 74 kilos that included two-time FILA Junior National champion Taylor Massa, two-time undefeated Pennsylvania state champion Chance Marsteller, nine-time Cadet and Junior All-American Alex Dieringer, four-time state champions Chris Phillips and Nick Moore, among others. Kulchytskyy went to the clinch in both periods of his finals match against Moore. Both times Kulchytskyy won the ball draw and scored. Moore advanced to the finals by beating Massa in three periods. Kulchytskyy grew up wrestling only freestyle in Ukraine. Since moving to the United States in high school has mostly wrestled folkstyle. He has battled injuries over the past two years, which prevented him training freestyle. Still, he was confident he would win the title. "I focused more this year on folkstyle," said Kulchytskyy, who attends the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. "I won NCAAs (Division III). I didn't have the really big camp. I just worked out every day. I would bring a guy to room and wrestle freestyle. I believed that I was the best in the nation. It was a tough bracket, a tough tournament. I did pretty well today. It was not easy, but I'm excited that I won it." Kulchytskyy, despite winning the FILA Junior National freestyle title, will not be able to wrestle for a spot on the U.S. Junior World Team because he is not yet a U.S. citizen. He has lived in the United States for three years. He must live in the country five years to become a citizen. Kulchytskyy said he could have wrestled for a spot on the Ukraine team, but the qualification event is during his final exams. "I just came here to show the American coaches that I'm here so they know me in the future," said Kulchytskyy. Joey Dance, one of the nation's top high school juniors, won the title at 55 kilos, beating Michigan native Conor Youtsey, 3-0, 5-0, in the championship match. "I knew he had a sturdy stance and he was strong," said Dance, who attends Christiansburg. "He always flares his elbows out, so I thought I would grab an elbow and hit ducks on each side. I just kind of felt him out in the first period and then countered all of his attacks." Dance, who has already committed to Virginia Tech, was a Junior National freestyle champion in Fargo last summer. He says the two events are similar despite the smaller brackets sizes at FILA Junior Nationals. "I think this is pretty much the same thing as Fargo," said Dance. "It's not as big, but every single kid you have is just as tough as anyone in Fargo." Another high school junior, Adrian Cordova, won the tile at 50 kilos. His finals victory came over Antonio Juarez, 1-0, 1-1. "The whole key for me was to stay in position," said Cordova, a two-time state champion for Coronado High School in Colorado. "I knew the kid was going to get tired so I had to stay on him." Cordova know has his sights set on winning the FILA Junior World Team Trials and representing the United States at the FILA Junior World Championships. "It would mean a lot to me to be on the team," said Cordova. "I get to follow in the footsteps of my uncle Henry (Cejudo)." Returning FILA Junior World Team member Mark Grey, a senior at Blair Academy, won the title at 60 kilos with a 5-3, 3-1 victory over Cody Brewer. Andrew Capolattano, who reached the round of 12 at the NCAAs this past season as a true freshman, took the title at 96 kilos, beating another Big Ten wrestler, Scott Schiller of Minnesota, 1-0, 2-1, in the finals. Oklahoma State's Austin Marsden won the heavyweight title with a hard-fought three-period victory in the finals over Navy's Daniel Miller, a returning FILA Junior World Team member. The three champions in the non-Olympic weight classes were Steven Rodrigues (63 kilos), Justin Deangelis (70 kilos), and Tyler Wilps (79 kilos). Finals Results: 50 kilos: Adrian Cordova (Westside) dec. Antonio Juarez (Unattached), 1-0, 1-1 55 kilos: Joey Dance (Virginia Elite) dec. Conor Youtsey (Michigan WC), 3-0, 5-0 60 kilos: Mark Grey (Blair Academy) dec. Cody Brewer (Oklahoma Elite), 5-3, 3-1 63 kilos: Steven Rodrigues (Illini WC) dec. Jameson Oster (Wildcat WC), 2-2, 1-1 66 kilos: Destin McCauley (Sunkist Kids) pinned Hunter Stieber (Ohio RTC), 1:25 70 kilos: Justin Deangelis (Oklahoma Elite) dec. Brad Dolezal (Minnesota Storm), 0-2, 3-0, 2-0 74 kilos: Nazar Kulchytskyy (World Class Wrestling) dec. Nick Moore (Hawkeye WC), 1-0, 1-0 79 kilos: Tyler Wilps (Pittsburgh WC) dec. Frank Cousins (Badger WC), 1-0,1-0 84 kilos: Pat Downey (Team OTC) dec. Logan Storley (Minnesota Storm), 1-0, 0-2, 3-2 96 kilos: Andrew Campolattano (Ohio RTC) dec. Scott Schiller (Minnesota Storm) 1-0, 2-1 120 kilos: Austin Marsden (Gator/Cowboy WC) dec. Daniel Miller (Navy Mat Club), 0-1, 1-1, 4-1

You have questions, we have answers. InterMat has launched a new feature called Foley's Friday Mailbag. InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Answers will be posted in Friday's column. Keep the questions challenging and insightful! Foley's Twitter: @trfoley Foley's Email: foley@intermatwrestle.com You guys play rough. Many of the questions I received were about the movements inside particular programs. Some of you wanted to know which wrestlers would be transferring and which coaches might be shifting to new teams. That's always tough information to verify. Others had questions about Penn State's lineup, the future of the Big 12 and even the toughness of past NCAA tournaments. Regardless of the question, almost all of the submissions were challenging. My only complaint is that there were no pop culture questions. I'll entertain anything so long as there is has even the loosest connection to wrestling. Maybe we can play the game, "Do you think (name actor) wrestled?" or "Who wins in a folkstyle match between Channing Tatum and the kid from Twilight?" I'm ready to provide a minute-by-minute breakdown of their hypothetical match (Tatum maj. dec. Lautner, 13-4). There were dozens of awesome questions, but only so much space, so some of the questions were bumped. Next weekend is the Olympic Team Trials in Iowa City so I'll be writing a special OTT Mailbag (plus pop culture). Management has also decided to reward each week's best question with an exclusive InterMat T-shirt. The winner will be highlighted below and contacted. Q: I enjoy looking through old NCAA Division I brackets and happened upon a very interesting weight class, which may go down as the most decorated (and likely toughest) in history -- the 149-pound weight class in 2008 in St. Louis. This weight consisted of six eventual national champions (Brent Metcalf, Jordan Burroughs, Dustin Schlatter, Bubba Jenkins, Darrion Caldwell, and J.P. O'Connor) and three others who lost in the national final (Ryan Lang, Josh Churella, and Lance Palmer). Furthermore, all eight All-Americans at 149 in 2008 appeared in a national final and six were national champions (1) Metcalf, (2) Jenkins, (3) Burroughs, (4) Churella, (5) Caldwell, (6) O'Connor, (7) Schlatter, (8) Palmer. Six of the eight All-Americans at 149 in 2008 were eventual national champions (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)The question: Can you think of another weight class that meets or exceeds six eventual national champions or nine finalists (the previous year (2007) at 149 comes closest in my findings with five national champs and eight finalists)? Has there ever been another weight were all the All-Americans appeared in a national final? Do you think the 149-pound weight class in 2008 would qualify as historically the toughest? -- Sid V. Foley: Love this question. My roommate and I wrestled at Virginia and though we are approaching Bert and Ernie living status we've stayed together because we thoroughly enjoy these types of superlative discussions. Your question actually starts with a pretty compelling statistical analysis, one that's hard to objectively refute -- six eventual NCAA champions and all eight All-Americans were finalists! That's insane. If you look down the bracket you find that two of the All-American round losers were eventual All-Americans, Adam Hall (Boise State) and Jake Patacsil (Purdue). The other two were tough-as-nails starters who never placed, Brandon Carter (Central Michigan) and Will Rowe (Oklahoma). Does anyone object to making them some type of honorary All-American statue? Can we whittle them a small wooden plaque? Tough draw. The only additional point to make about the bracket is that wrestling is a sport where competitors tend to get better as they get older. Though all the guys eventually showed the talent to be in the NCAA finals, they weren't necessarily at the same level as freshman and sophomores that they were when they climbed the stairs as seniors. I think that wrestling historian Jay Hammond probably has a weight class he feels was the toughest ever and I invite him to throw in his opinion for next week. My gauge would be which weight class had the most dominant set of competitors, regardless of eventual placing. Using that metric, the toughest weight class in history might be next year at 165 pounds. Expect the mailbag to be flooded with what-if's should Andrew Howe, Kyle Dake, Tyler Caldwell and David Taylor all end up in the same weight class. Q: Who are the leading candidates to join the ISU coaching staff? -- George J. Foley: It's difficult to say who the candidates are until something is announced, but my guess is that Kevin Jackson is pursuing Sammie Henson. He's the best available assistant coach and if he lands in Ames the Cyclones will have an NCAA finalist in 2013. Sammie has his critics, but I ain't one of 'em. If he and Coach Jackson get along and the Iowa State administration is willing to find the money, then this is Sammie's job. If not Henson, then I'm left a little stumped on who else would make a significant enough impact to redirect the program. Iowa State needs something to get excited about, and hiring Sammie would definitely get the fans, the wrestlers, and the media pretty jazzed up. Q: There are a lot of quality wrestlers that took a redshirt last season who are believed to be looking at transferring or committing to different schools (Andrew Howe, Tyler Caldwell, Travis Rutt, Destin McCauley, etc.). What light can you shed on this? -- Kevin W. Foley: Let's start with Destin McCauley because he seems to be set on wrestling for Iowa State in the fall. Kevin Jackson and Yero Washington (who has since left to start Beat the Streets: Los Angeles) successfully recruited him after he took what amounted to a gray shirt year in 2011-2012. He signed his NLI, and I haven't heard anything about him stepping out of his commitment, especially if Iowa State can get the money together to woo Sammie the Bull. Tyler Caldwell was scheduled to wrestle for Nebraska, but if Sammie were to make the commitment to Iowa State I'd be shocked it Caldwell didn't attempt to make the jump. However, I don't know the particulars of his transfer and whether or not he's enrolled at Nebraska. If he is, I doubt that the NCAA would let him transfer to a third Division I school, particularly if the only compelling reason he can provide was to follow an assistant coach (great as he might be). Travis Rutt and Tyler Graff are the last two big question marks in Madison. They're playing their cards close to the chest, but if the online roster is any indication they're leaving. Neither is an active member of the program right now. Rumor has been that Graff may leave, but where he ends up is anyone's guess. Rutt has fewer years remaining on his eligibility and may have to weigh transferring with potentially losing a year. Andrew Howe seems to be in a particularly weird situation. From what I understand transferring to Michigan is possible, but he'd need two years to finish school and only has one year of scholarship available. I'm sure that Joe McFarland, Sean Bormet and Donny Pritzlaff would love to see him in the lineup next season, but it might be tougher than just changing singlet colors. While he'll almost certainly remain in the Michigan room in some capacity I wouldn't be shocked to see him make the short commute to Eastern Michigan. Just guessin' ... but I feel confident that coaches Derek DelPorto and David Bolyard wouldn't mind getting him into school and graduated in one year. Q: My question is how many scholarships are given on average year to year for the sport of wrestling. I'm not talking "books" and the kid is paying $30,000 and telling everyone he is on scholarship. How many legitimate scholarships are out there for Division I (minus the Ivy League), II, III, NAIA, junior college. How many Division I schools out of the 78 are fully funded with 9.9 scholarships, and what schools are they? Same for Division II, III and NAIA, JUCO? -- Wrestling Mom Foley: Not taking it easy on me, are you? There are a few points to remember about wrestling scholarships. First, very few schools give out full rides anymore. With the possible exception of Taylor Massa and Destin McCauley (and eventually Chance Marstellar), the common thinking among Division I head coaches is that incoming freshmen don't get more than 70 or 80 percent, which I think is good business practice. There are maybe five wrestlers a year that you can feel confident will be three-time All-Americans, and maybe one or two you can assume will make a national finals. The rest have an increased element of risk. Scholarships are a powerful thing and you'd hate to waste one on a wrestler who doesn't perform. For head coaches in charge of 9.9 scholarships there is an enormous risk in giving, for example, the sixth-ranked 145-pound kid a full scholarship headed into his freshman season. Not only might that wrestler not make his own team, but as freshman they tend to have difficulty getting out from bottom and generally learning about college life ... neither of which lends confidence to the idea that he's placing out of the gate. I say better to give him 70 percent and incentivize his performance. The remaining 30 percent can be put towards a quality backup. The exception to this rule might be heavyweights, which many coaches are willing to spend more on because it tends to be a weak weight class. Good heavyweights score dual team points and tournament points and they tend to be really good when they're young. If they're growers (coming up from 160 pounds as a high school freshman) they may even be athletic enough to become a dominant heavyweight. Not to put too fine a point on the quality of competition, but Pitt's P.J. Tasser was a 174-pound wrestler who bumped up and made NCAAs at heavyweight. If this were a financial market, the largest profit area is with the big boys. How many schools have the full allotment of scholarships? Yikes. Programs tend to keep this information confidential unless they are fully funded and use it as a selling point with recruits. Some quick writer-math: There are 78 programs, meaning there is a potential for (roughly) 780 full scholarships. We know that all the Big Ten and Big 12 are fully funded, as are five schools in the ACC, three schools in the Pac-12, probably six in the EIWA, and another four or five in the CAA and EWL combined. Add in another half dozen between the West Region and SoCon and you have something like 45 schools with full scholarships, or 450 individual scholarships. The remaining schools could cobble together another 150. Let's assume a 10 percent cut to accommodate my typically Pollyanna assessments of such things and you end with about 540 potential full scholarships in NCAA Division I wrestling, or roughly 70 percent of the potential maximum. Now there are several points to make about that number. Most schools don't allow for all their scholarships to be out-of-state. For example, if I were the head wrestling coach at Alaska State-Fairbanks and my school agrees to give me the full NCAA allotment of 9.9 scholarships, they wouldn't necessarily give me the amount of money equal to 9.9 out of state scholarships. Let's say full out-of-state tuition at Alaska State-Fairbanks is $38k (we're nasty on top, by the way), the athletic department doesn't necessarily hand me $380k. More likely they give me $250k, a slap on the butt and say bring home some medals. With limited funding, I now have to recruit within Alaska because at say, $20k in-state tuition local wrestlers become a much better value. I can get better kids by setting up a card table at the Pennsylvania state tournament and handed out scholarships like Hershey Kisses, but I won't have a full team. In fact, I'll only have 6.5 kids on my team. While the PA studs might occasionally be worth the investment, if I do that too many times I'm assuming too much risk by not filling out my roster. I'd also tick of the administration who would likely want to see native Alaskans on the roster. Back to your question: Getting books paid for is a big deal! I was a walk-on in college and only earned a partial scholarship after I won the ACC tournament and two matches at NCAAs. I was the top returner headed into the next season and still only got an 80 percent scholarship. That was a tremendous help, but averaged over four years it came out to roughly 20 percent per year, roughly the cost of books and meals at a state school. My fifth year was full and that was admittedly pretty incredible. Overall, I probably earned $25k for five years of college wrestling. Parents love to brag on their kids, and if my offspring were offered money for being one of the best in the country at slamming other humans to the ground, I'd probably share it with poll booth operators, second cousins and my gastroenterologist. Though I don't have children so I really can't say that for certain. Q: How do you see West Virginia competing in the Big 12 next year? Do you expect this move will improve their recruiting? -- IndyWVU Foley: I like the idea of WVU in the Big 12 because the conference needed the team. However, I'm pretty concerned about the distance traveled. Someone posted online that Caracas, Venezuela is actually closer to Morgantown than any of their Big 12 opponents. I'm sure that's an exaggeration, but it hammers home the point that travel costs are going to rise, which means other parts of a likely static budget will suffer -- possibly the recruiting budget. Overall, the Mountaineers are probably going to take a few lumps in their first few seasons. Hopefully as recruits see that they can earn bids from Morgantown through the Big 12, the coaching staff might find some top-level recruits. My biggest concern is if the football team wins (or loses) the Big 12 Conference championship game, West Virginia students have been known to torch cop cars for far less. Q: Who would win in a folkstyle match, Ed Ruth or David Taylor? -- Mike C. Foley: Why do this to me? Answer: Fans. Ruth. Q: Brian Smith has done an excellent job at Mizzou over his tenure. With the move to the SEC in all other sports, does the replacement for exiting assistant coach Matt Pell need to be a "name" hire? Does this program need a bit of juice to get over that next hump and back into the top five again? -- Tim B. Foley: Top five is not an easy charge for any coach right now. You have Penn State, Iowa, Ohio State, Minnesota, and Cornell with very talented, very young teams. It almost seems like the sport has gained parity, but in two tiers: Them and Not Them. (Oklahoma State would be a sixth team.) Missouri could get back in the mix, but it will take a while. I don't know that role of the assistant coach in the Brian Smith system, but I can say that the success of his program in the last decade had a lot more to do with Ben Askren than my friend Matt Pell. Askren's skill and presence made those around him better and drew in recruits, without him the program has been in a lull. Q: After their worst performance in modern history, what should the Big Eight do to stop their decline? How should their conference tourney be constructed so as to be more competitive? Should they align with another conference? If so, which one? -- Hank B. Foley: I love that you called it "The Big Eight." It's like when I call Sean Combs "Puff Daddy" in front of my niece. Conference realignment is bullshit. Football has polluted the relationship between academics and athletics/physical fitness. It's a numbers game now and the entirety of college sports rests on the whims of wealthy college board members looking to swindle a few extra bucks from consumers. Wrestling shouldn't have to deal with these types of questions, but we do. (sigh) I think the Big 12 is committed to keeping Missouri in the conference tournament for wrestling. Adding in West Virginia gives the conference a fifth team which recertifies its pre-existing exemption with the NCAA. However, someone should look to for a deep-pocketed donor to start up a team at another program and see if that doesn't create some competitive jealousy among the schools. Please steal this idea: Get Alabama to reestablish its wrestling program, have Nick Saban endorse it, and watch the rest of the SEC start ordering Resilite. Trust me, they are as bad as the Ivy League when it comes to measuring contests. Q: This is the same in most sports, not just wrestling, but why do you think some of the top coaches at other levels, such as DII, DIII or NJCAA or NAIA, are not usually hired for the DI openings? Every spring DI jobs open up and it doesn't seem if there are many coaches who switch divisions throughout their careers, or are even considered. Why do you think this is? Do you think coaches at the other levels pursue the DI jobs? Why or why not? -- Matt from Minnesota Foley: You're mostly correct, though there have been a few exceptions. Drew Pariano came to Northwestern from Cornell College (though I guess he was an assistant for a few years). Kevin Dresser was the coach at Christiansburg High School before moving over to Virginia Tech, and Old Dominion's Steve Martin was the coach at Great Bridge High School. In some respects wrestling has been abnormal. How many other sports promote directly from high school? Not many. I've always wondered why the most successful DII and DIII coaches didn't get DI jobs, though I also don't know if they even applied. Does winning several DIII championships at Wartburg mean something less than winning a Division I title at Oklahoma? Maybe not. It's a personal decision for a lot of these guys and some just like where they live and are content winning at home. Q: Does PSU have any kind of inside track in recruiting Chance Marsteller? -- @BobbyLit20 Foley: Cael Sanderson. Chance Marsteller. Sounds about right. Q: Do you think PSU can repeat as national champs next year? -- @dmehcsg Foley: Yes. Here is an example of the type of article I should have been forwarded, but wasn't. Next time I suppose: http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/cultist/2012/04/competitive_underwater_leg_wre.php. For the record, I'd count this as a "real" sport and look forward to it replacing trampoline in the 2024 Olympics.

Kenny Rice

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! This Saturday it's Takedown Wrestling Radio. Join Scott Casber and Brad Johnson with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News this Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m. CT/ 10 a.m. to noon ET. It's Autism Awareness Month! This week's guests: 9:03 Jeff Sitler, WAA Founder 9:15 Julie McClure 9:20 Mark and Jensen Quinn 9:40 Kyle Klingman, National Wrestling Hall of Fame Executive Director 10:03 Jason Gillis, Cradle Gear owner and founder 10:20 Ryan Morningstar, Wisconsin assistant coach 10:40 Jim Zalesky, Oregon State head coach 10:50 Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort Fans, Athletes, Coaches Join in the conversation live by calling 866-333-5966 or 515-204-5966. Listen on radio, computer, Blackberry, or iPhone with the iHeart Radio app.

InterMatFight caught up with UFC lightweight Clay Guida and asked him about training for his fight with Gray Maynard, his thoughts on NCAA wrestling, and dressing up to meet the real Dude. By now most people know that you love the movie Big Lebowski. You really love the movie and all the characters. Guida: Obsessed with it! I have a tattoo on my right side that I got done last November of the Dude and Walter standing side-by-side. The dude has a drink in his hands and Walter is holding a smoking gun. That's dedication, Clay. Guida: I've always identified with the Dude. Lisa Stevenson, Joe Stevenson, Cub Swanson, and Clay GuidaRumor is that you had a date night to go see the real Dude? Guida: Yeah, it was me, Big Daddy Joe Stevenson, his wife and Cub Swanson got dressed up in suits and headed out to the Palm Springs Film Festival to meet him, his name is Jeff Dowd and he's insane. Was he wearing jellies? Guida: Ha! No, he was wearing a suit with white sneakers. Legendary! You're known for being a fan of wrestling, and being from Illinois you've helped orchestrate the pre-finals video montage at states. Tell us about that. Guida: The state athletic body was running out of money a few years ago and didn't want to pay for the intro video. It's the best part and the guys love it, so I paid for them to produce the video. They did an awesome job. You wrestled at Harper College for a few years. Ever make it to matches? Guida: I try, but it's tough because training camps keep me in New Mexico most of the year. I spend a lot of time with Izzy (Glenbard North High School wrestling coach Israel Martinez) working on my wrestling for MMA. We ran into you at the NCAA tournament this year in St. Louis Did you have a good time? What'd you think of the competition? Guida: Amazing tournament. Dude, it was a great experience and definitely not my last time heading there. I couldn't believe how amazing of an experience the whole thing was. I was lucky this year because it tied in really well with getting my next fight scheduled. What was your takeaway from the event? Guida: I got extra motivation watching the guys compete on the highest level of wrestling. They were battling, and it's kinda funny because you're looking out there at all these guys and you know that in a couple of years at least one of them is going to be in the UFC, tearing up some people. There could be some MMA guys right there on the mat. Hard work starts on the wrestling mats. Speaking of the tournament, you ran into another wrestler in the UFC while in St. Louis, didn't you? Guida: (Laughs) Yeah, I bumped into Gray Maynard, who I'm going to be fighting next. We're cool so we kinda laughed about it and shook hands. I like Gray a lot. He's a cool dude and I'm looking forward to our fight.

Related Link: The MMA Outsider Podcast Archives Richard and John did not even talk this week, but they were still able to put together a great piece of audio. This episode is kind of like The Postal Service before they got sued by the actual postal service. Richard breaks takes a look at the upcoming UFC event in Sweden, while John chats with Strikeforce veterans Lumumba Sayers and Andreas Spang.

Dustin Schlatter is an Olympic hopeful in freestyle at 66 kilos. In November, Schlatter won the New York AC International in his first competition since dropping down from 74 kilos. He was member of the U.S. World Team in 2009. Dustin Schlatter (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)As a collegiate competitor at the University of Minnesota, Schlatter was an NCAA champion as a true freshman and three-time All-American. He finished his collegiate career with a record of 114-10. His .919 career winning percentage ranks fourth in program history behind only Larry Zilverberg (.948), Brock Lesnar (.948), and Cole Konrad (.922). InterMat caught up with the 25-year old Schlatter and talked to him about his preparation for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, dropping from 74 kilos to 66 kilos, Brent Metcalf, Dylan and Jayson Ness, MMA, what it would mean to make the U.S. Olympic Team with his brother C.P., and much more. How are you feeling health-wise as you prepare for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials? Schlatter: I'm feeling good. I'm healthy and ready to compete. What has your training situation been like? Schlatter: It's been good. We brought in Kevin LeValley from Bucknell this past year. So he's been my training partner. That's one of the things I lacked since graduating ... having a full-time guy with me. That's made a big difference, having someone my size, my weight, on the same schedule with the same goals. So I have him with me. Then there are a lot of Greco guys that train here in Minneapolis, including my brother, who I live with. It's been a big bonus being able to train with him. I do a lot of lifting, conditioning, and running with him, and even wrestling Greco has helped my freestyle. Then I also wrestle with the college guys. There are a lot of tough guys around my weight. My coach Jared Lawrence is also really tough and a great partner to have. I also wrestle with Luke Becker and Brandon Eggum. We have a good group of guys to push me and work with who are very knowledgeable and kind of unique from one another. So it gives me a lot of different feels. What went into the decision to drop from 74 kilos to 66 kilos? Dustin Schlatter battles Destin McCauley at the Olympic Trials Qualifier in Las Vegas (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Schlatter: I'm in between weights naturally. There are big gaps in freestyle weights. The reason I went up in 2009 was because I was too big for 149 when I was redshirting and there was no reason to cut to 145 if I wasn't going to be at 149. So I thought I might as well get big and have fun. I got a little bigger than I thought I would. 74 kilos was pretty good, but the whole time it was a lot of work to stay big enough. The guys in that weight are very big. I had to kind of actively keep my weight up, do a lot more lifting, and focus a lot more on what I was putting in my body. I thought I was small for the weight. To be honest, getting down to 66 kilos was probably equal in terms of the amount of effort I had to put in to stay up at 74 kilos. People would probably think cutting the weight would be harder, but it's just as much effort to stay up. This past summer I was just focusing on getting healthy. I wasn't focusing on keeping my weight up and doing as much lifting. My weight just kind of came down naturally. I thought 66 kilos would be more of a natural fit. So I kind of let my weight just go naturally and thought I might as well give it a shot at the New York AC tournament. I just felt better at that weight. I felt like I moved better. I was quicker. I felt like it fit my style better. It feels more natural to me. What's the biggest difference between wrestling Americans and wrestling foreign competitors? Schlatter: It's definitely a different feel. Foreigners tend to feel things a little better and flow a little better, whereas Americans I think have a tendency to maybe force things and are known for conditioning and wearing people out. Foreigners just kind of wrestle how they feel ... They feel things. They don't force things. They're very dangerous in certain positions. I think Americans have a set offense and they go to it continuously throughout the whole match. It seems as though your weight class, 66 kilos, is one of the more wide-open weight classes at the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. There has been a new World Team representative at the weight class every year since 2008. How do you see the field of competitors at 66 kilos? Schlatter: Whether there is a proven guy who has been consistently making the team or not, there's always going to be tough competition. I think that's true with 66 kilos, just as much as any other weight. There are a lot of tough guys. It comes down to who shows up on that day and who puts together four, five, six wins, or whatever it takes, and has a good tournament. Obviously, there is a chance you could face former rival Brent Metcalf at the Trials. Is that a potential match you have thought much about? Dustin Schlatter and Brent Metcalf faced each other in high school and college, but have yet to meet on the senior level in freestyle (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Schlatter: I guess a little bit. He's one of the top guys in the weight. But you can't really think about one competitor over another. You're going to have to beat several guys who are former World Team members, NCAA champions, and All-Americans. If you kind of get hung up on one guy or overlook someone, then you're going to get picked off early. It's kind of like the old saying, 'You've got to take it one match at a time.' But I think maybe it holds true more at the Trials than anywhere else because the competition level is so high and you are facing a national champion pretty much every round. Do you train much with the Minnesota Gopher wrestling team? Schlatter: Yeah. I like that we're a little more involved than most places. It makes it more enjoyable. It keeps things fresh. There are a lot of great guys and wrestlers on Minnesota's team, which is great for me. It's also nice to be in a role where I'm on the coaching staff and helping. We do get in there to wrestle with the guys probably about half the practices during the week when we're in town. We travel with the team to the bigger events. You won an NCAA title as a true freshman, which is obviously a very rare accomplishment. Now we are seeing more and true freshmen step in and make an immediate impact. This year alone there were five true freshman All-Americans. Why do you think we are seeing more and more true freshmen make an immediate impact in college wrestling? Schlatter: I think wrestlers are getting better training at a young age with the acceleration of technique and opportunities to go out to the Olympic Training Center or train with college guys. It just seems like guys are getting more exposure at a young age and are able to hang with the older, more mature, experienced wrestlers because the training opportunities are getting better at the younger ages for these guys. Dylan Ness reached the NCAA finals at 149 pounds as a redshirt freshman for the Gophers. What has allowed him to be so successful so soon in his college career? Dylan Ness was an NCAA runner-up at 149 (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Schlatter: I think his biggest strength is that he's very dangerous. He can threaten any wrestler and do some crazy things that not many people are capable of doing. He could be losing one minute and then throw him on his back and pin him the next. He's just a very dangerous and talented wrestler. Not only that, but he has a great mindset. He enjoys himself and has fun out there. He's a gamer. He had some lumps this season. But I, along with coaching staff and everyone who knows him, was pretty confident that he would do well at the NCAAs because he tends to show up for big events. He gets excited. When he's on the big stage he performs. Having been around both Dylan Ness and his older brother Jayson Ness, do you see many similarities between the two brothers? Or are they quite a bit different? Schlatter: I think they're pretty different. Obviously, Jayson performs well on the big stage himself, like Dylan. They have quite different personalities and outlooks, I think. I think their styles are kind of different, but obviously they're both very talented and hard workers. But they're very different. You wrestled in the World Championships in 2009. What did you take from that experience that you think will help the next time you wrestle in a world-level event? Schlatter: When I was on the World Team I was somewhat inexperienced and young. I didn't really know what to expect. I ended up losing my first-round match to the eventual bronze medalist. I got taken down with 12 seconds left in the third period to lose 1-1, and I remember being somewhat disgusted with myself. But it made me realize that I should have beaten that guy and that I'm right there with the best in the world, and I should have medaled my first time out there. But you have to wrestle all six minutes. Giving up that takedown at the very end of the match made me think that I do need to wrestle all six minutes. Not only that, but it gave me an opportunity to see what the world level is like and get experience that I hadn't had before. It kind of left a sour taste in my mouth and left me wanting more. You have been successful in all three styles of wrestling throughout your career. Obviously, now you're only competing in freestyle. Do you like freestyle more than the other styles? Dustin Schlatter battles India's Ramash Kumar at the Worlds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Schlatter: Yeah, I enjoy freestyle the most. Ever since I was little I liked freestyle. It's always been a favorite of mine. Obviously, you're still young at 25. Have you put a timetable on how long you want to continue competing? Schlatter: I guess I'm kind of taking it year by year. We'll see how my body holds up. That's a big thing. I don't have a set plan for how long I'm going to compete. We'll just see how it goes. Mixed martial arts (MMA) has become a popular career choice for wrestlers, even some former Gophers like Brock Lesnar, Cole Konrad, and Jacob Volkmann have had successful MMA careers. Have you ever seriously considered competing in MMA? Schlatter: Obviously, it's kind of been in the back of my mind. I think it's something that most wrestlers think about or ponder at some point because there are a lot of opportunities and it's growing, but I try to put all my focus into freestyle and what I'm doing now. I try not to think about doing that or whether it's a possibility down the line. I'm trying to put all my energy towards freestyle and making things happen this month. What would it mean to you to be on the U.S. Olympic Team with your brother C.P.? Schlatter: That would be amazing. It would be a dream come true. It's something that we have been dreaming about since we were kids. In 1995 our parents took us on vacation to Atlanta, Georgia for the World Championships. We saw some of the greatest American wrestlers compete and win World titles, wrestlers like Kurt Angle and Kevin Jackson. We were just kids then. But after that we would go down to our basement, wrestle on our mat, and pretend that we were a U.S. wrestler winning the Worlds or Olympics. Ever since then it has been in the back of our minds. For that to come true, it would be amazing and unbelievable. This story also appears in the April 13 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering amateur wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote amateur wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. Subscribe to The Guillotine.

North Carolina State has hired Pat Popolizio away from Binghamton. Let's examine what the hire could mean for North Carolina State, ACC, and Binghamton. North Carolina State Probably the best hire possible for the struggling Wolfpack program. Popolizio is a proven turnaround expert and national recruiter, and is guaranteed to motivate the Raleigh fan base. That energy pump should help increase their home attendance and potentially generate new sources of financial support. The Wolfpack administration, headed by former Maryland AD Debbie Yow (Pat Santoro, Kerry McCoy), knew that they were offering a special opportunity to their new coach; revamped facility, full scholarships, and a desirable living location. For Yow and her staff, Popolizio is proof that they are in tune with the wrestling world and that they intend to provide the Wolfpack program with the support they need to be successful. Pat Popolizio guided Binghamton to a 14th-place finish at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Popolizio has an excellent reputation, and for good reason. The Binghamton program he adopted had been discontinued in 2004 and after reinstatement in 2005-2006 was dealt a blow when Tony Robie left to take a position at Virginia Tech after only one season. (The team was 0-12.) Popolizio, a native of New York, moved quickly to create a culture of confidence in the program and notched several accomplishments in his first three years as coach. However, it was the 2010 season when he oversaw a conference championship squad and two All-Americans that created buzz that he might be in line for more opportunities. Fickle as the wrestling community can be, Popolizio had a down year in 2011, failing to place any wrestlers at the NCAA tournament (As one coach told me after NCAAs, "Are you kidding me? This guy created a winning program at Binghamton and all of a sudden he's not hot shit after one down year?") Popolizio's wrestlers had a stellar 2012 campaign with two wrestlers, Ironman Award winner Donnie Vinson (third place at 149 pounds) and freshman heavyweight Nick Gwiazdowski taking home All-American honors as the team finished a program-best 14th in the country. Popolizio was named the CAA Coach of the Year for the second time in his career (2010, 2012). Popolizio will be looking to recruit some of the nation's best talent, but former coach Carter Jordan didn't leave the cupboards bare. The team is looking forward to the return of two NCAA qualifiers in rising sophomore Coltin Fought and rising junior Matt Nereim. Also word is freshman 184-pounder Josh DaSilveira (Ft. Lauderdale, Cardinal Gibbons High School) might be poised to make an immediate impact. ACC Popolizio is entering a conference in the midst of a revival, and his talents are sure to make the competition a lot tougher in a hurry. Parity is the new buzzword in college wrestling, and if you look at the current lineups of Maryland, Virginia, and Virginia Tech, there is reason to believe that another top 20 program (like Popolizio has proven he can create) could mean a lot more automatic qualifiers for the conference. Fans of the ACC won't have to wait long to witness his impact, Popolizio's on-mat coaching skills are substantial and with the right staff should help bring a balanced lineup to the tournament. Binghamton The Binghamton job is much more attractive than it was when Popolizio inherited the position from Robie in 2006. But his exit is incredibly deflating for a program on the cusp of creating a legacy of multiple All-Americans every year. Does Binghamton have all the chips in place to move forward with a new coach? Of course, and they'll attract top talent, but will it be other head coaches or just assistants? Binghamton will probably want to pursue coaches who are familiar with recruiting the area and that have a preexisting relationship with Frank Popolizio (which doesn't narrow it down much since Frank seems to know and love everyone). They will also be looking at someone they believe can build on the momentum Pat was able to create in the last three seasons. Success in the eyes of an administrator isn't just about winning. They want to see alumni activity, good grades, and financial support. Overall they'd love to see a program as close to self-sustaining as possible. It's a difficult charge, but one that might motivate a few of the country's top assistants, and maybe a few head coaches as well. Jeremy Spates (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)If they choose an assistant the smart money would be on Cornell's Jeremy Spates, who would likely accept the job. The longtime Oklahoma and Cornell assistant has been looking for his first head coaching job and has many of the qualifiers needed to be successful at Binghamton. As a Cornell assistant (and childhood denizen of Ithaca), Spates is familiar with wrestling in upstate New York, recruiting local and national talent, and has up-close experience with how to friend-raise and fundraise. Another assistant possibility would be Sean Gray from Princeton, who along with head coach Chris Ayers has done well to improve the team's middleweights. He's got a ton of coaching experience and might be looking for a chance to spring up a rung on the coaching ladder. It's unclear who Binghamton has called or plans to call, but don't be surprised to hear names like Matt Dernlan, and even Chris Ayers tossed around. Both are great head coaches who would certainly attract the attention of the Binghamton administration. Prognostication is a fool's errand, but I see Jeremy Spates as the most logical hire. He's smart, well-liked, and though the Binghamton fan base feels deflated (and rightly so), his hire would undoubtedly reenergize the base.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- A contingent of Ohio State wrestling letterwinners will head to Iowa City, Iowa, Friday to compete in the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team Wrestling Trials April 21-22 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Schedule J.D. Bergman (2004-05; 2007-08), Reece Humphrey (2006; 2008-10), Tommy Rowlands (2001-04), Colt Sponseller (2008-11), Logan Stieber (2012-present) and Nikko Triggas (2008-10) will vie for a coveted spot on the Olympic team that will represent the U.S. at the 2012 London Games. Current Ohio State coaches Lou Rosselli, J Jaggers and Ross Thatcher will be present in Iowa City, coaching the Buckeye delegation. Rosselli, a 1996 Atlanta Games Olympic qualifier, has extensive experience coaching on the international level. Rosselli has helped lead the U.S. Freestyle team at the World Championships in 2006, 2007 and 2011. Bergman initially competed in the Greco-Roman style before moving to freestyle on the senior level. Bergman was successful as a Greco-Roman competitor, finishing third at the 2005 World Team Trials. The following year in 2006, he was fourth at the U.S. Open and World Team Trials before qualifying for his second U.S. National Team in 2009 thanks to a third-place finish at the World Team Trials. In 2010, Bergman accomplished an impressive feat, claiming his place on the U.S. World Team after first-place finishes in both the World Team Trials and U.S. Open. Collegiately, Bergman concluded his Ohio State career with three All-America honors as a four-time NCAA qualifier. The Oak Harbor, Ohio, native had a trio of Top 4 finishes at the national tournament, including second-place in the heavyweight division his senior season. Bergman also was a three-time Big Ten championship runner-up, finishing second in 2005, 2007 and 2008. Beginning his collegiate career at 197 pounds, Bergman moved to heavyweight at the start of 2008 and compiled a career mark of 129-36. Following a stellar high school career at Lawrence North in Indianapolis, Ind., Humphrey was the 2008 University freestyle national champion before winning the Silver Medal at the 2008 University World Championships. Successfully defending his freestyle title at the 2009 edition of the University National championships, Humphrey also won the Greco-Roman championship. Earning a place on the University World Team, Humphrey went on to win the Bronze Medal at the 2010 University World Championships. Humphrey wrapped up his career at Ohio State as a four-time NCAA championship qualifier with a 117-33 overall record. The 2009 Big Ten and NCAA Championships runner-up at 133 pounds, Humphrey also was the 2010 Big Ten runner-up (141 pounds). During the 2005-06 and 2009-10 seasons, Humphrey led the Buckeyes in wins with 26 and 34, respectively. At the conclusion of his storied collegiate career, Rowlands won his first international title in 2005 at the University World Championships. In the 2007 and 2008 U.S. Opens, Rowlands captured two more Gold Medals, in addition to finishing first at the 2007 World Team Trials. Following a brief retirement in 2008, Rowlands returned to training for the 2012 Olympics and earned his third spot on the national team courtesy of a third-place finish at the U.S. Open and World Team Trials. During his time at Ohio State, Rowlands won a pair of NCAA heavyweight titles in 2002 and 2004. The first Buckeye to earn four All-America honors, the Hilliard, Ohio, native, who also claimed consecutive Big Ten titles in 2002 and 2004, remains a fixture in the Ohio State records book as the all-time leader in career wins (164), career team points (702) and career takedowns (705). Additionally, his career record of 164-14 (.921) ranks fourth all-time in Buckeye win percentage. Sponseller, a two-time University National Freestyle champion, was the runner-up at the 2011 World Team Trials. At Ohio State, Sponseller became a three-time NCAA championships qualifier (2009, 2010, 2011) and was the 2010 and 2011 Big Ten Championships runner-up at 165 pounds. During four seasons, the native of Glenmont, Ohio, amassed a 105-24 record, which ranks him in the Top 10 in the Ohio State records book in career win percentage. Sponseller also finished his senior and sophomore seasons as the team leader in wins with 25 and 34, respectively. Earning a wildcard berth to the Olympic Trials, Stieber was the 2011 runner-up at the FILA Junior World Championships in Bucharest, Romania, and prior to that was the FILA Freestyle Junior National champion. The USA Wrestling national championships titlist in the freestyle division, Stieber was the Cadet and Junior Greco-Roman champion. Additionally, Stieber finished third at the 2009 U.S. Open and was fourth at the World Team Trials. The 2012 Big Ten and NCAA Champion at 133 pounds, Stieber finished the 2011-12 campaign with a 33-2 overall record. Concluding his redshirt freshman season this spring, the Monroeville, Ohio, native was the team leader in pins with 16. During the Big Ten and NCAA championships, four of Stieber’s nine victories were bonus-point wins, including consecutive pins in the opening rounds of the national tournament. A Greco-Roman specialist, Triggas won five Gold Medals combined at the University and Junior Team Trials (2010), University National Championships (2009) and Pan American Championships (2007 and 2008). Triggas also earned the Bronze Medal in the freestyle competition at the 2007 Pan American Championships, while claiming the Gold in freestyle at the 2008 edition of the Pan Am games. A 2010 All-American at 125 pounds, Triggas was a three-time NCAA championships qualifier from 2008-10. The Moraga, Calif., native finished fifth at the 2010 Big Ten Championships and led the Buckeyes in falls with 15. Subsequently, Triggas moved into a tie for fifth place in the program records book in single-season pins. He also improved to fifth all-time at Ohio State in career falls with 37. Overall, Triggas compiled a 72-54 collegiate record.

Boiling Springs, N.C. -- The Gardner-Webb Athletics Department is pleased to announce the promotion of Daniel Elliott to Head Coach of the Wrestling program. Elliott served as the Associate Head Coach for the last two seasons and has been on the GWU wrestling coaching staff for the last seven years. Daniel ElliottElliott will take over for former head coach Dick Wince who retired at the conclusion of the 2011-12 season after 22 years at Gardner-Webb University. “Daniel came here as a student-athlete in 2001, and it has been a pleasure to watch him mature and grow into a coach worthy of this position in just over 10 years,” said Vice President for Athletics Chuck Burch. “His drive and enthusiasm will serve him well, as will his love for this University and wrestling program. “I am extremely excited about the opportunity to be the next head wrestling coach at Gardner-Webb University. It is a special feeling to be able to coach at one’s alma mater and I am truly thankful for the chance to continue to be a part of the development of this program,” commented Coach Elliott. Since moving over to the bench as a coach, Elliott has seen at least one GWU wrestler make it to the NCAA Championships in five of the last six years, including watching a record-tying four student-athletes qualify for nationals in 2010-11. In 2010, Dustin Porter, who reached the NCAA Championships in each of the four years from 2007-10, became GWU’s first four-time qualifier, while fellow GWU grappler Rob Tate reached the Championships in 2006-07, earning the Runnin' Bulldogs lone victory at the national event that season. In the classroom, redshirt-sophomore Alex Medved was tabbed as a 2011 National Wrestling Coaches Association National Academic All-American, one of 92 student-athletes across the nation to receive this academic recognition. Redshirt-senior Jonathan Velazquez was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 2011 NCAA East Regional Championships, as he helped lead GWU to a second-place overall team finish with a total of 74.5 points at the meet. Velazquez, along with Travis Porter and both Alex and Ryan Medved, were crowned East Regional Champions in their respective weight classes and qualified for the national championship tournament. In 2010-11, Gardner-Webb had four grapplers' record over 20 wins on the season, while six wrestlers posted winning records on the year. “Daniel has learned and gained a wealth of knowledge and wisdom from one of his mentors, Coach Dick Wince, as both a student-athlete and a coach,” added Burch. “We continue to be grateful to Coach Wince for his tireless efforts in building our wrestling program over the past two decades. We are excited for Daniel to be able to continue building on that foundation.” Elliott has worked hard in raising money for the GWU Wrestling program and its new facility. His fundraising efforts allowed the Runnin' Bulldog wrestling program to move into a new building for the 2010-11 season, which when fully renovated will be one of the nicest wrestling only facilities in all of NCAA Division I with offices, locker room, team room, bathrooms and a large practice area. “The wrestling program has undergone several changes in the recent year ranging from our move into the Southern Conference to the current training facility. During my past few years as associate head coach, Coach Wince has given me the trust and guidance to take over several areas of the program,” added Coach Elliott. “I am excited to continue to grow as a coach and as a program. We will continue to work to bring quality people to Gardner-Webb who will buy into the goals of the wrestling program as we work to improve. This is a very vital time in a young person’s growth, and I look forward to helping our athletes grow into citizens that Gardner-Webb will be proud of.” During his career for the Runnin' Bulldogs, Elliott was a two-time NCAA Qualifier. He was also a two-time regional champion at 149 pounds. In his last regional meet, Elliott was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler. He finished the regular season with a record of 39-2 during his senior campaign and was ranked 10th in the nation in the final standings. Elliott holds the school record for career wins, single-season wins in addition to consecutive wins. He also led the team in each of his last three seasons in takedowns. In the spring of 2008, Elliott competed in the USA Wrestling Northeast Regional and placed third in his weight class, marking the first time that he had placed at a senior-level event. “Gardner-Webb University holds a very special part of my heart. I have been associated with this university for over ten years now, starting as a student and now becoming the head coach of the wrestling program. I believe wholeheartedly in the mission of the school, the athletic department and the wrestling program. I have been changed as a person during my time here at Gardner-Webb and look forward to helping our team members grow as men,” remarked Elliott. Elliott graduated in May 2006 with a double major in history and communications. Elliott then went on to earn his masters in sports sciences and pedagogy from Gardner-Webb in the summer of 2008. “I would like to thank Dr. Bonner, Mr. Burch and the rest of the Gardner-Webb administration for putting their trust and faith into me as I take over the wrestling program. This is an exciting time in the program’s history and I am thankful to be a part of this transition,” continued Coach Elliott. Last season, the Gardner-Webb wrestling program's first year as associate members of the Southern Conference, the Runnin' Bulldog grapplers posted a 6-12 dual match record and a 2-5 record in conference dual match action for the season. Battling injuries all season long, the Runnin' Bulldogs were able to post a sixth-place finish at the 2012 Southern Conference Wrestling Championship in March, scoring a team total of 21 points as three wrestlers placed in fourth-place or higher in their respective weight classes. However, for the first time in the program's 12-year Division I history, the Runnin' Bulldogs did not send a wrestler to the NCAA National Championships. In the program's first ever postseason conference championship tournament, redshirt-junior Travis Porter, who suffered a fall in the True Second match at 197 pounds at the conference championship tournament, took third-place overall, while fellow teammates Alex Medved (157 pounds) and Justin Guthrie (165 pounds) each placed fourth in their weight classes. Alex Medved and Guthrie each posted 19 overall wins on the season to lead the team, while redshirt-senior Michael Slaughter finished his career out at GWU on a high note with 16 total combined wins at 125 and 133 pounds, respectively.

Pat Popolizio, the 2012 Colonial Athletic Association’s Coach of the Year, has been named head wrestling coach for the Wolfpack. In six seasons at Binghamton University, Popolizio transformed the Bearcats into a national contender after inheriting the program that went 0-12 following its reinstatement in 2005-06. “Pat is a builder of programs and of young men,” said Yow. “He was an outstanding collegiate performer at Oklahoma State and is a proven teacher and mentor as a head coach. He will lead Wolfpack Wrestling to compete for ACC titles and, eventually, the national championship. I thank Sherard Clinkscales and our search committee for their excellent work that resulted in his hire." “I want to thank Dr. Yow, Sherard Clinkscales, and the entire search committee at NC State for this opportunity and for believing I am the right person for this job,” said Popolizio. “The leadership of the athletic department, its reputation, and the tremendous facilities here, are what sold me. This is a wrestling program with a strong tradition and huge potential. I’m extremely excited and very thankful for this opportunity.” Coaching Career In six seasons at Binghamton, Popolizio achieved at the highest level under challenging circumstances. Despite working with fewer than half of the allowable number of NCAA scholarships, he built the Bearcats into a national power. 14th at the 2012 NCAA Championships 21st at the 2010 NCAA Championships 2010 CAA Champions Two-time CAA coach of the year (2012 and 2010) Candidate for national coach of the year in 2010 Four All-Americans and 21 NCAA qualifiers over six seasons CAA Wrestler of the Year and CAA Rookie of the Year in both 2012 and 2010 15-4 dual meet mark in 2011-12 was a school record .789 winning percentage School record 16 wins in 2010-11 Binghamton's meteoric rise on the mat has been mirrored in the classroom. Popolizio substantially improved the program’s Academic Performance Rate (APR) from 727 to 957 between 2006 and 2011. Last season, the Bearcats earned individual National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Academic honors and boasted 10 CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award honorees. In 2009, Popolizio’s team ranked 17th in the country academically. BU wrestlers also placed a high priority on community service, recently helping residents at emergency shelters and in their neighborhoods after historic flooding hit the area. Prior to his stint at Binghamton, Popolizio was the lead assistant and recruiter at American University for two seasons, helping that program finish 17th in the country. At American, he coached seven NCAA qualifiers and the school’s first All-American. Prior to that, he served as an assistant coach at Army (2003-04) and Sacred Heart (2002-03). His team at Sacred Heart achieved the highest grade-point average of any wrestling program in the country. Wrestling Career Popolizio was a decorated wrestler during his student-athlete career for Oklahoma State coach John Smith, a six-time world champion. Three-time NCAA qualifier Won greater than 90 matches Ranked No. 1 in the country at 184 pounds during senior year Helped lead Oklahoma State to Top 5 national finishes (second, third, third and fifth) at NCAA Championships in each of his four seasons in Stillwater Big 12 runner-up in 1998 and 2002 Fifth at the World Team Trials in 2003 2002 Oklahoma State Hustle Award Popolizio graduated in 2001 with a bachelor’s degree in health and physical education. He was a two-time Big 12 All Academic selection and five-time recipient of the Oklahoma State Student-Athlete Award. At the prep level, Popolizio was a New York state scholastic champion for Niskayuna High. He was named Most Outstanding Wrestler at the 1996 state prep meet, where he captured the 177-pound title, and went on to become the national high school runner-up. What They Are Saying About Pat Popolizio “North Carolina State’s hiring of Pat Popolizio is an excellent decision. He is one of the best young wrestling coaches in the United States. I appreciate Debbie Yow’s commitment to wrestling at Maryland and now at North Carolina State. Her choices in the hiring of head wrestling coaches have been brilliant.” - John Smith, Head Wrestling Coach Oklahoma State “I had the great fortune of coaching Pat as an assistant at Oklahoma State and had the pleasure of having him as my assistant coach at American University. He mentored many of our wrestling greats, including Daniel Waters, Josh Glenn and Mike Cannon. As an assistant coach, Pat was always eager to learn and we had many lengthy discussions about the importance of holding athletes to high standards and doing all we could do to make it a great experience for our student-athletes. “Pat went onto Binghamton University, and I feel that what he has done there is amazing. With his great leadership, the Binghamton wrestling program has reached unimaginable heights. Pat is one of the brightest young coaches we have in our sport. Well done North Carolina State - great hire.” - Mark Cody, Head Wrestling Coach Oklahoma “On behalf of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Board of Directors, I want to congratulate North Carolina State on their recent hiring of Pat Popolizio as their new head wrestling coach. Coach Popolizio represents the ‘gold standard’ in our coaching profession as evidenced by his phenomenal success at Binghamton University. He has a national reputation for recruiting elite students and athletes and then bonds them together into nationally competitive teams.” - Mike Moyer, Executive Director National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA)

Tim Dudley