InterMat Staff

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from our Brute studios brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Join Takedown Wrestling host Scott Casber along with NEW producer Brad Johnson and an incredible roster of guests. Saturday morning from 9 to 11 we'll talk to some of the finest athletes and coaches in America. Join in from 9 to 11:00 AM CDT this Saturday for Takedown Wrestling at (KXNO.com and I Heart Radio on smart phones) this weeks guests include: 9:01 Dennis Hall- 2011 National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee 9:20 The Hammond Brothers of California, Bryce and Coleman Joey Krebs reports in the history of the NHSCA Wrestling Tournament, as Al Fontes confirms that no two brothers have ever won two titles each at this event. Bryce and Coleman Hammond have accomplished this feat as wrestling brothers. 9:40 Ryan Loder- University of Northern Iowa redshirt freshman Ryan Loder is the Western Wrestling Conference Freshman of the Year. Loder was a unanimous pick for the award by the league's head coaches. 9:50 Max Muscle Minute- Tyler Barkley returns in our Max Muscle Minute 1300 NW 100th St, Clive, IA 10:01 Michael Chandler- Former Missouri Star soon to be Bellator Champion 10:20 Max Askren- Where in the world is Maxwell? Missouri NCAA Champ has stories to tell 10:40 Ben Kjar- Utah's Incredible 1 joins us to look at what the future holds now that his collegiate career has come to a close. 10:50 Amy Ruble Wildrose Casino and Resort in Emmettsburg, Iowa Join us LIVE 9 to 11 AM CST for Takedown Wrestling. Listen on radio, on computer, your Blackberry or I Phone with the I Heart Radio App. KXNO.com, Takedownradio.com, I Heart Radio App

DEKALB, Ill.-- The Northern Illinois University wrestling team celebrated their 2010-11 season at its annual awards banquet. NIU head coach Dave Grant and his staff reflected on the accomplishments of the past year and handed out several awards. Vince Castillo (Western Springs, Ill./Lyons Township) won the Upperclassman Academic Award. Castillo has earned Academic All-MAC honors for the second-straight season, posting a 3.51 GPA as a kinesiology major. He finished the season with a record of 9-16 while wrestling at 149. Castillo also earned the Will McDermott Most Dedicated Award. He finished his career with a record of 44-33. Castillo has battled to see the mat all five years he’s been a Huskie, earning a full-time starting spot this year after moving up to 149 pounds from the 141 this year. Sam Bennett (Anderson, Ind./Anderson Highland) received the Freshman Academic Award with a GPA of 3.3. Bennett compiled a record of 10-3 in fresh/soph matches while wrestling at 157 in his first season as a Huskie. Tristen DeShazer (Wichita, Kan./West) and Dakota Greenhaw (Monett, Mo./Monett) were both awarded the Four-Year Huskie Award for their four-year commitment to the program. DeShazer finished his career with a record of 57-42 with 33 pins, a superior accomplishment. He also placed third at the MAC Championships twice and earned a trip to the NCAA National Championships with his third-place finish in 2009. Greenhaw finished his career as a Huskie with a 27-42 record. Greenhaw fell one match short of making it to the NCAA Championships at this year’s MAC Championships in a bracket loaded with four nationally-ranked opponents. Nick Smith (Ida, Mich./Ida) took home the Outstanding Freshman award with an extraordinary first season as a Huskie. Smith finished the season with a team best 22-9 record with a dual meet mark of 10-4. Smith finished second on the team in pins with seven and a team-high six victories by major decision. Brad Dieckhaus (St. Charles, Mo./Francis Howell Central) earned the Outstanding Wrestler Award for his accomplishments on the mat this season. After being sidelined with an injury last year, the redshirt junior finished with a record of 15-8, including a 10-5 dual record and a team best 4-1 record in the MAC while wrestling at 184. His biggest accomplishment of the year was undoubtedly his first-place finish at the 2011 MAC Championships, solidifying a bid to the NCAA Championships where he won one match. Bryan Deutsch (Columbia City, Ind/Columbia City) was awarded with the Most Valuable Wrestler Bruce Swierczeski Award. Deutsch finished the season with a record of 21-10 with an 11-5 dual record and 3-2 in the MAC while wrestling at 157. Deutsch placed second at this year’s MAC Championships, qualifying for the NCAA Championships for the third-straight year, a remarkable accomplishment. This year, Deutsch won two matches at the NCAA Championships, finishing his career an impressive career record of 74-42. Six seniors were also honored at this year’s awards banquet, including Pat McLemore (Hinckley, Ohio/Padua Franciscan), who finished with a career as a Huskie with a record of 36-24 with one MAC Championship at 141 pounds and a trip to the NCAA Championships, Zach Taylor (Machesney Park, Ill./Harlem), who finished his career as a Huskie with a record of 5-14, Castillo, DeShazer, Deutsch, and Greenhaw.

Matt Azevedo

Philadelphia -- Drexel Athletics Director Dr. Eric Zillmer has announced the hiring of Matt Azevedo as the University's next wrestling head coach. Azevedo comes to Drexel after a successful coaching career at Cornell University and Cal Poly. He is the eighth head coach in the school's history and replaces Jack Childs, who retired after 35 seasons at Drexel. “We are thrilled to introduce Matt as our next wrestling coach,” Senior Associate Athletic Director Nick Gannon said. “Matt is a rising star who understands the big picture of a coach's role in collegiate athletics. With his energy, reputation and character, he will continue to build on the history of Drexel's wrestling program. Our staff is equally excited to welcome Matt and his wife, Brooke, into the Drexel Athletics' family.” “I want to thank the Drexel athletics department especially Dr. Eric Zillmer and Nick Gannon for giving me this opportunity,” said Azevedo. “I want to thank the Cornell coaching staff and athletics department as well. They helped to propel me to a place where I can now take advantage of such a great opportunity. Also, I want to thank my wife, Brooke, and my parents, for all of their support.” While at Cornell, Azevedo helped the Big Red earn nine All-America honors, nine EIWA champions and seven Academic All-Americans. He also guided the team to back-to-back second-place finishes at the NCAA championships, which marked the best performance in school history. “Matt has been a phenomenal asset to our program and he will be dearly missed,” Cornell Head Wrestling Coach Robert Koll said. “He will be a tenacious recruiter, intelligent coach and an exceptional ambassador for Drexel University. I can say, with no hesitation, that he is one of the finest coaches that I have ever had at Cornell University.” Prior to his time at Cornell, Azevedo spent seven seasons as an assistant coach at Cal Poly, where he coached seven All-Americans and eight Pac-10 champions. He also helped guide Cal Poly to its highest finish in school history at the Pac-10 championships by placing second in 2004 and 2006. Azevedo wrestled collegiately at Arizona State and Iowa State, each for two seasons. He advanced to the NCAA Tournament in three of his four seasons. Azvedo graduated with an education degree from Iowa State in 2002. He continued his wrestling career after graduation and went on to be a seven-time U.S. National place winner and won the 2008 U.S. Open National Championship. “I'm looking forward to getting to work with the guys on the team,” Azevado said. “They are a good group of guys with a good nucleus and I'm eager to get to work with them. I'm excited about the energy coming from the athletic department. Everyone seems excited about where Drexel athletics is going and I feel there is a lot of support from the department, which will help us reach new heights with the Drexel wrestling program.”

All times Eastern Thursday, April 21 University Greco-Roman & FILA Cadet Greco-Roman Preliminaries 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. University Greco-Roman & FILA Cadet Greco-Roman Preliminaries through Finals 3:00 p.m. to Conclusion Friday, April 22 University (Men) Freestyle & FILA Cadet Freestyle Preliminaries 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. University (Men) Freestyle & FILA Cadet Freestyle Preliminaries 3:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Saturday, April 23 University (Women) Freestyle Preliminaries through Finals 9:00 a.m. to Conclusion University (Men) Freestyle & FILA Cadet Freestyle to Completion 9:00 a.m. to Conclusion

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- University of Illinois head coach Jim Heffernan announced Wednesday that two-time NCAA champion Mark Perry will join the Fighting Illini coaching staff as an associate head coach. Perry comes to Illinois from Cal Poly, where he served as co-head coach last season and as an assistant coach in 2009-10. "We are thrilled to have Mark Perry join our staff," Heffernan said. "Through the support and resources provided by our administration, we were able to hire the best young coach in college wrestling. In assessing the needs of our program moving forward, I knew the best option was to bring in someone with a new approach, fresh ideas and a lot of fire. Mark's strengths as a coach address all the areas where we need the most improvement. His competitive nature and will to win are very evident and will be contagious. He will be a difference-maker for our program and we are all anxious for him to get started." Perry won a pair of NCAA titles at Iowa, taking the crown at 165 pounds in 2007 and 2008. He was a four-time All-American from 2005-08 and won a Big Ten title in 2007. He helped lead the Hawkeyes to an NCAA team national title in 2008 and was a team captain from 2005-08. "I'm very excited to be at Illinois," Perry said. "The main thing that drew me here was the vision of Coach Heffernan and Coach (Jeremy) Hunter, which is to win championships both in the Big Ten and nationally. That's where this program is headed and I'm going to do everything I can to help it get there." A native of Stillwater, Okla., Perry was the 17th four-time All-American and 14th two-time national champion in NCAA history. He defeated Michigan's Eric Tannenbaum in the championship match in 2008 and took down two-time defending champion Johny Hendricks of Oklahoma State in the 2007 finals. Perry also defeated Tannenbaum in the 2007 Big Ten championship match. Perry also won the Gorrarian Trophy after he pinned four opponents at the 2007 NCAA Championships. He was named the NWCA Rookie of the Year in 2005 and the Iowa Athlete of the Year in 2007. Perry also was a four-time finalist at the Midlands Championships, winning two titles. The former Hawkeye wrestler was an assistant coach at Penn State in 2008-09 before taking the position at Cal Poly in 2009. At Penn State, Perry helped a pair of wrestlers to freshman All-America honors and he has directed Mark Perry Wrestling Camps nationwide for the past four summers. Perry earned his B.A. in art from Iowa in 2008. He was a two-time high school national champion at Blair Academy in New Jersey and a three-time Asics High School All-American while posting a 169-7 career record. The Perry File Born: June 16, 1984 Education: B.S. in art (studio emphasis), University of Iowa, 2008 Coaching Experience 2010-11 Co-Head Coach - Cal Poly 2009-10 Assistant Coach - Cal Poly 2008-09 Assistant Coach - Penn State Wrestling Experience Two-time NCAA Champion (2007, 2008) - 165 pounds Four-time NCAA All-American (2005-08) NCAA Gorrarian Award for most falls in NCAA Championships - 2006 Big Ten Champion (2007) - 165 pounds Four-time Big Ten Finalist (2005-08) Two-time Midlands Championships Champion (2005, 2008) - 165 pounds University of Iowa Athlete of the Year - 2007

Jim Heffernan

Mark Perry

NEW YORK -- “Beat The Streets,” the New York City-based not-for-profit organization that has brought wrestling to thousands of middle and high school students in New York City, along with USA Wrestling and the New York City Department of Education, today announced their most unique event ever, a freestyle wrestling match featuring some of the world's greatest Olympic-class wrestlers, to be held in Duffy Square in New York's Times Square on Thursday, May 5. The freestyle wrestling dual meet between defending team world champion Russia and the United States, will be the featured competition for the 2011 Beat the Streets Gala and Benefit, which will be held following the dual meet at the Hard Rock Café. It is being billed as The Battle on Broadway, with “New York Is Wrestling” as the theme of this year's event, which traditionally raises several hundred thousand dollars for programs in five boroughs of New York City. The event is free to the public, and will also be streamed live on TheMat.com by USA Wrestling and be shown on the single largest face LED screen in Times Square. “There is no grander setting than Times Square to feature some of the world's greatest athletes and to raise awareness for our program, which has given thousands of boys and girls the ability to be more physically fit and learn the life lessons that are essential for success in today's ever-changing world,” said Mike Novogratz, Beat The Streets Chairman of the Board. “This event, outdoors in Duffy Square, will provide us with a very unique way to expose our program to thousands who may not be aware of our work, so we are very appreciative of all involved from the City and the Times Square Alliance, as well as USA Wrestling, for helping make this happen.” “We are very proud to be able to help present this very unique event as a way to grow awareness for the sport and all the good work ‘Beat The Streets' does for kids in New York City,” said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. “It will be a great setting for some of the world's greatest athletes to showcase their skills.” This is the second straight year in which a major Olympic-style competition has been featured as part of the Beat the Streets Gala. In 2010, an all-star challenge featuring top U.S. wrestlers was held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan. Over 1,200 donors from over 26 states attended the event. A card of exhibition matches will be held at 3:00 p.m. in Duffy Square, featuring young athletes who wrestle in the Beat the Streets youth program, as well as high school wrestlers from the Public School Athletic League. Final lineups for Team USA and the Russian National Team will be announced shortly. The USA vs. Russia freestyle dual meet will follow at 6:00 p.m. in Duffy Square. Russia is the reigning World Team Champion in freestyle wrestling and is a traditional wrestling rival for the United States. USA vs. Russia freestyle dual meets go back to the 1960's, and are among the most popular spectator events in wrestling. The Beat the Streets Reception and Awards Ceremony is set for the Hard Rock Café, 1501 Broadway in New York City, starting at 7:30 p.m. There will be a live musical performance by country music legend John Rich at the function. 2011 BEAT THE STREETS GALA New York Is Wrestling Battle on Broadway Duffy Square – Times Square at 46th Street in New York, N.Y., May 5 3:00 p.m. – Exhibition Matches – Beat the Streets and PSAL wrestlers 6:00 p.m. – USA vs. Russia freestyle wrestling dual meet 7:30 p.m. – Reception and Awards Ceremony at the Hard Rock Café, 1501 Broadway in New York City, with special musical guest John Rich ABOUT BEAT THE STREETS The Mission of the Beat the Streets Wrestling Program is to expand and develop wrestling in the New York City Metropolitan area from the youth through the Olympic level. Our dream is to provide opportunities for boys and girls in the activity of wrestling, building lifelong skills. If you share this mission and would like to volunteer to help, please contact info@beat-the-streets.org.

Joe Tiboni and Tervel Dlagnev will go “On the Mat” this Wednesday, April 20. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM CST on AM 1650, The Fan. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Tiboni co-wrote the recently released wrestling movie “Win Win.” The movie, which has received extremely positive reviews and was featured at the Sundance Film Festival, stars Paul Giamatti, Amy Ryan, and Bobby Cannavale. Tiboni wrestled for four years at New Providence High School in New Jersey. Dlagnev recently won the freestyle division at U.S. Nationals at 264.5 pounds in Cleveland, Ohio. Dlagnev was a bronze medalist at the 2009 World Championships and a two-time Division II champion at Nebraska-Kearney.

ATCHISON, Kan. -- Benedictine College Athletic Director Charlie Gartenmayer has announced the hiring of Cy Wainwright to lead the new Benedictine wrestling program. Cy WainwrightWainwright comes to Benedictine from St. Cloud State University in St. Cloud, Minn., where he served as an assistant coach. "I am very grateful for the opportunity to become the first head wrestling coach at Benedictine College," he said. "Benedictine College is a great place for students to achieve academic and athletic greatness. "Building a great wrestling program requires a campus and community wide commitment of excellence. Benedictine College has exactly that. I am up to the challenge of continuing that excellence with the Benedictine College wrestling program." Wainwright’s duties at St. Cloud included aiding the head coach in the daily operations of the program along with monitoring student-athlete academic progress and eligibility criteria. While at St. Cloud, he helped coach 16 NCAA Div. II national qualifiers, 10 All-Americans, two national semifinalists and one NCAA Div. II National Champion. As an athlete, Wainwright wrestled at Newberry College in Newberry, S.C. During his senior season at Newberry, he went undefeated as a heavyweight to win the NCAA Div. II National Championship. He is also a two-time NCAA Div. II All-American. Wainwright earned a B.S. in secondary education from Newberry and will graduate in May with a M.S. in Sports Management from St. Cloud State. He will begin his duties as head coach in July and the inaugural season for Benedictine wrestling will be during the 2012-13 school year. Founded in 1858, Benedictine College is a Catholic, liberal arts, residential college nestled on the bluffs of the Missouri River in Atchison, Kan. The Raven and Lady Ravens are members of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and compete as members of the Heart of America Athletic Conference (HAAC).

When a wrestler steps onto the mat, he or she may be all alone. However, many wrestlers have found their way to the sport thanks to family ties ... an older brother or sister, or a dad or uncle, who has taken to the mat first. Now a new book celebrates the thicker-than-blood bonds that have brought generations of wrestlers from around the world to the sport: Family Ties: An American Wrestling Tradition, published by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. The book documents over 130 families (from Abas and Abel, through Zilverberg and Zinkin) that met criteria established by the Hall of Fame: Immediate family members who were NCAA Division I All-Americans, Senior World Team members, or Olympic Team members. Photos of these wrestlers -- and their credentials -- are included in the first chapter of the book. In addition, there are dozens of stories about these wrestling families, written by nearly two dozen wrestling writers and historians. (Among the contributors: InterMat's Andrew Hipps, Brian Jerzak, and Mark Palmer.) It all begins with family The foreword of Family Ties presents the big-picture purpose of the book. "The National Wrestling Hall of Fame's Educational Outreach Exhibits celebrate the sport's heritage by informing the public about the influence the sport and its heroes have upon society," wrote the Hall's Executive Director, Lee Roy Smith. "Family Ties: An American Wrestling Tradition documents the greatest wrestling families in America. Through a collaborative effort of 22 contributing wrestling historians, writers and media professionals, we are able to present a glimpse into the achievements of America's most accomplished wrestling families. We hope that their stories will entice young families to consider the benefits of this family-friendly sport." Lee Roy Smith"Traditional values derived from wrestling are conveyed by the various family members featured in this book," according to Smith, himself a member of one of the nation's leading wrestling families that includes current Oklahoma State head coach John Smith. "These stories further the positive contributions the sport has made to the institution of the family, and to building a more civil society." "We've always had a section in the museum devoted to 'family ties,'" according to Krista Graff, Development and Special Events Manager for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. "In recent years, we've produced exhibits and books honoring African-American wrestlers, Native American wrestlers, wrestlers in the military. In talking to Lee Roy (Smith), we thought it was time to look at wrestling families." "Everyone sees wrestling as a family sport," Graff continued. "Not just fathers and sons, or brothers, but mothers who take their wrestlers to countless practices and tournaments all across the country, who wash sweaty clothes and make two dinners to help their wrestler make weight." "The notion of family goes beyond the blood ties," said Graff. "At the presentation for the military project, so many of the guys being honored talked about how great it was to see their 'wrestling family.'" The birth of a book Krista Graff worked with Kyle Klingman of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo, Iowa to bring the Family Ties book together. "Early on, we had decided we wanted to cover various aspects -- siblings, fathers-and-sons, fathers-and-daughters, wives, moms ... We tried to be representative of all aspects, in terms of freestyle, Greco and folkstyle." "We wanted to stress the personal aspect, by telling the stories of these families," said Graff, whose father and brother were wrestlers. "As we started working on the book, we immediately saw so many families met our criteria. We quickly realized there were too many stories for just one or two writers." "Once we came up with the family stories we wanted to tell, Kyle and I went through the list, and assign a writer to each story. We tried to match stories with writers who might already have written about their subject, or have some kind of connection to the family or the school they represented." Families you know ... and some you might not Family Ties features profiles of more than 40 wrestling families. Some will be immediately recognized by anyone in wrestling -- Brands, Sanderson, Schultz, Smith, to name a few. And there are some that might not be as well known to today's wrestling fan, including the Peerys (father Rex, sons Ed and Hugh) or the Hensons (brothers Stanley and Josiah). These profiles are organized into chapters that bring together similar relationships. For example, in the chapter titled "Moms," the reader gets to know wrestling moms like Bonnie Brands (mother of Tom and Terry), Louella Carr (nine wrestling sons, including Nate and Jimmy), Leslie Churella (wife of Mark, mother of Mark, Ryan and Josh) and Debbie Sanderson (mother of Cole, Cody, Cael and Cyler). Zadick siblings: Terry, Mike, MaryAnn, and BillWrestling dads aren't left out. Among the stories Family Ties shares are current Cornell head coach Rob Koll and his late father Bill, one of the all-time great wrestlers of the 1940s who coached at what is now Northern Iowa, and Penn State ... and Oklahoma State All-American Jerry Kelly and his daughter Mary who won Cadet World and Junior World medals. As one might expect, there are a number of brother stories (including the Askrens, Ben and Max, and Ben and John Peterson) ... along with a couple stories about wrestling families -- the Peerys, and the Zadicks -- from the perspective of a sister who didn't wrestle (at least, not in organized competition). Words ... and pictures One of the bonuses of the Family Ties book is the incredible bounty of photos sprinkled throughout. These images -- many of them in color -- help bring the stories of the featured wrestlers and their families to life. When asked about the photos, Krista Graff responded, "We contacted a lot of schools, and got great cooperation. We also worked with Amateur Wrestling News, which has a lot of photos. We also have a pretty large photo library here at the museum as well." Family Ties: An American Wrestling Tradition provides a great introduction to some of the top amateur wrestling families. The individual profiles are meaty yet concise, making this book a great choice for young readers with short attention spans, or for on-the-go adults who may only have a few minutes to spare for reading. Family Ties: An American Wrestling Tradition is available for purchase from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater at their website or by calling (405) 377-5243 ... or from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo at their website or (319) 233-0745.

COUNCIL BLUFFS, Iowa -- The Iowa Western Community College board of trustees voted April 18 to begin a Division I junior college wrestling program beginning in the Fall 2011. "It's clear we can be successful, and it's clear there's a need for kids that still want to wrestle and go to college,” said board member Brent Siegrist of Council Bluffs. “I think it's great. Hopefully, everything will fall into place." Following a presentation from IWCC Athletic Director Brenda Hampton, the board (on a 6-2 vote) approved the start of wrestling in the fall with the stipulation that the college first interview and hire a qualified coach. That person will need to hit the ground running in terms of recruiting, making equipment purchases and scheduling meets for the upcoming season. Iowa Western will compete in the Iowa Community College Athletic Conference (ICCAC) and join fellow conference foes Iowa Central Community College, Ellsworth, North Iowa Area Community College and Iowa Lakes Community College in offering wrestling. The National Junior College Athletic Association has 46 wrestling programs nationwide. Iowa Western is expected to recruit upwards of 50 student/athletes to form the first wrestling team in school history. College officials are currently surveying its facilities to find a home for the new team. A committee of community leaders has already met to discuss fund-raising efforts for the $45,000 needed for start-up costs. "As with all of our athletic programs, Iowa Western will be committed to making wrestling a quality experience for our student athletes," said Dr. Dan Kinney, president of Iowa Western.

BALTIMORE, MD -- Johns Hopkins wrestling coach Keith Norris and seniors Eric Levenseller, Rocky Barilla and Robbie Nedbor-Gross recently presented Dr. Rebecca Landa, the Director of the Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) at the Kennedy Krieger Institute, with a check for $3,022.50 to complete the Blue Jays' Takedowns for Autism initiative for the 2010-11 season. The Blue Jays used their dual meets during the 2010-11 season to launch their efforts against autism with their "Takedowns for Autism" program. Members of the team and coaching staff sought donations for each takedown the team compiled during its 19 dual meets with various levels of support available. The team accumulated 184 takedowns in its duals meets during the season with the total donation checking in at just over $3,000. Today the odds of a child being diagnosed with Autism is 1-in-110. With that in mind, the team established a goal of 110 takedowns during the dual meet season, a mark the Blue Jays far exceeded in a season that ended with a program-best second-place finish at the Centennial Conference Championships. JHU also posted a 5-2 record in Centennial Conference duals meets. Members of the team also volunteered their time throughout the year at Kennedy Krieger and local schools working with children with autism. In fact, the team recently spent the day at St. Elizabeth School. St. Elizabeth School is a nonpublic, coeducational, special education day program located in Baltimore City that serves students who are 10 to 21 years of age and are diagnosed with autism, autism spectrum disorders and other health impairments. The team was able to teach wrestling moves and interacted with the students in a positive way. "Takedowns for Autism was a positive experience for everyone involved," Norris noted. "We are excited that we were able to partner with and support the Kennedy Krieger Center for Autism and Related Disorders and also added a few fans for our team as well. Without question the best part was watching our team interact with the students at St. Elizabeth School. The impact this had on the young men representing the Johns Hopkins wrestling program is immeasurable." The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) at Kennedy Krieger Institute is a multi-faceted, multidisciplinary program for children with autism spectrum disorders and their family members. CARD combines research, clinical (assessment and intervention) services, as well as community outreach and training to help improve the lives of individuals with autism spectrum disorders, their families, and the community who cares for them. CARD endorses a flexible approach to treatment, adjusting the core set of methods used and goals of intervention to meet the needs of each child and his or her family.

Head coach Jason Liles and the South Dakota State wrestling team held their annual banquet Sunday where they released year-end awards. Sophomore Aaron Pickrel took home the Most Outstanding Wrestler Award after leading the Jacks with a 26-10 record, including 7-3 in the Western Wrestling Conference. The Watertown, S.D. native also won the Most Takedowns award and the Highest GPA Award. Senior Kevin Kelly was named the Most Improved Wrestler, finishing the 2011 season with a 13-17 record and a fourth-place finish at the West Regional. A third-team all-conference selection, Nick Flynn earned the Coaches Award. The junior from Lansing, Kan., finished third at the West Regional. He ended his junior campaign with an 11-17 overall record, including 3-7 in the WWC. Also earning awards at the banquet: Outstanding Redshirt - Dustin Walraven Hardest Worker - Joe Rasmussen Most Pins - David Michaud Highest Freshman GPA - Joe Brewster Weight Room Award - Dustin Walraven

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The University of Missouri wrestling program officially closed the book on the 2010-11 season, as they held their annual banquet on Friday, April 15. Seven Tiger grapplers were recognized with nine different awards for their achievements over the course of the year. Junior Dom Bradley was named the team’s Most Outstanding Wrestler after winning his first career Big 12 title and earned his first ever All-America honors after taking third at the NCAA Championships. The Most Outstanding Wrestler award is the oldest award given by the Missouri wrestling program, dating back to 1963. Bradley finished his first year as a starter in Missouri’s lineup with a 30-4 record, including a 19-3 record in duals. Earning the Marshall Esteppe Most Outstanding Freshman Award was Alan Waters, who emerged as one of the top 125-pounders in the country this season as he posted a 39-7 record during his true freshman campaign. This award is given to the freshman wrestle who has made the most significant contribution to his class and teammates. Marshall Esteppe is credited with resurrecting the Missouri wrestling program in 1958 after 10 years of dormancy. Waters also won the award for Most Falls, as he stuck 11 opponents over the course of the season. After winning his first career Big 12 title and first-ever All-America honors at 141 pounds, senior Todd Schavrien was awarded with both the Hap Whitney Coach’s Award and the Ironman Award. With a 30-9 record and a sixth place finish at NCAA’s, Schavrien wraps up his career as a Tiger with an overall record of 86-44. The Coach’s Award is given to the wrestler that displays dedication, commitment, sacrifice and unselfishness to the team on a constant basis, while the Ironman Award is given to the Missouri wrestler who has never missed a weight training session, practice or competition. Stepping in at 157 pounds this year, Nick Gregoris was picked as the team’s Most Improved Wrestler, which has been given to former Tiger greats such as Michael Chandler, Nicholas Marable and Todd Schavrien. Gregoris finished the season with a second place finish at Big 12’s and posted a 17-12 record. Redshirt sophomore Nathan McCormick was given the Ed Lampitt Total Tiger Award, given to the wrestler who is a leader both on and off the mat. McCormick earned his first ever NCAA bid this season in his second year as a starter. Winning the Strength and Conditioning Award was junior Dorian Henderson, while sophomore Todd Porter earned the Total Person Progrma Academic Excellence Award for his success in the classroom.

Finally, the last of the d3wrestle.com awards has arrived. The d3wrestle.com Wrestler of the Year is Minga Batsukh of Saint John's. Batsukh finished his career this March as a three-time NCAA champion, this time winning the 149-pound weight class many considered to be the toughest in the tournament. He rode a tech fall, major decision, and three decisions to the title and the Outstanding Wrestler award for the tournament. For the season, Batsukh finished up 27-1 with 20 bonus-point wins, and he avenged his only loss of the year in the national semifinals. This wrapped up an outstanding career during which Batsukh was a four-time NCAA qualifier and three-time NCAA champion, the first athlete from his school in any sport to win three national titles. Batsukh won three titles despite only entering the tournament as the No. 1 seed one time. He definitely showed the ability to wrestle his best when it mattered most. When asked to comment about Batsukh, Saint John's head coach Brandon Novak said: Minga Batsukh"It has been an unbelievable experience to coach Minga. He is an amazingly talented wrestler. He has been a great leader for our team and his international wrestling experience has been invaluable to the rest of our team. To me what is the most amazing thing is that Minga was born and raised in the countryside of Mongolia, and didn't know the English language until he came to the U.S. his junior year of high school. From there he has found success in everything that he has been involved with! Winning three national titles, graduating with a degree in mathematics and a business minor. He is on his way to being a successful business man and it is because he has always given his best effort." Batsukh used his internationally-influenced style to rack up takedowns by the handful. One weekend in particular showcased his talent. At the North Country Open hosted by Saint John's on Feb. 6, Batsukh won five matches to take the title, but he also managed to score 50 takedowns on the day, a whole season's worth for some wrestlers. Included in this total was 17 in a single match as Batsukh shot for and eclipsed the school record for takedowns in one match. Batsukh led his team to a sixth-place finish and was one of five All-Americans for the Johnnies. Both marks are the best in the team's history, as Batukh's 2010-2011 season was definitely one of superlatives. The former St. Benedict's Prep All-American finished his career on a high note and has now been honored as the d3wrestle.com Wrestler of the Year for 2010-2011.

The St. Cloud State University wrestling team has announced its team award winners for the recent 2010-11 season. The awards were handed out at the team's year-end banquet at the Holiday Inn in St. Cloud on April 15. SCSU senior John Sundgren (Blaine) was named the Huskies' John Weisman Award winner, which is presented to the team's Most Valuable Wrestler each season. Sundgren earned first place honors at the 2011 NCAA Division II championships at 157-pounds and he was also selected as the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2010-11. The Huskies also presented Tom Eitter with the Jack Gause Husky Wrestling Hall of Fame. A former wrestler at SCSU in the early 1960s, Eitter also enjoyed a distinguished career as a high school and college wrestling coach. He was presented the award at the banquet by Jack Gause, who was the first wrestling coach at SCSU in 1949-50. The Huskies finished the 2010-11 season with a school-record 19-2 dual match record. SCSU went on to claim first place honors at the 2011 NCAA Division II Super Region #3 and the Huskies placed second at the 2011 NCAA Division II championships. This marked the first time in team history the Huskies won a regional title and the second place finish at nationals is the best in team history. The complete list of team award winners can be found below. Captain Award Westy Hanson, Chad Kubasch, Tad Merritt, Erik Rogness, Derek Skala, Gabe Suarez, John Sundgren Scholar of the Year Award Chris Brassell NSIC All-Academic Award Westy Hanson, Jacob R. Horn, Josh Joriman, John Sundgren NCAA DII All-Academic Award Chris Brassell, Westy Hanson, Trent Herold, Jacob D. Horn, Jacob R. Horn, Josh Joriman, Jacob Kahnke, John Sundgren, Erik Rogness, Zach Stewart Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Wrestler of the Week Award Jacob Kahnke (2x), Shamus O’Grady, Gabe Suarez Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference - All Conference Award Eric Ellington (First Team), John Sundgren (First Team), Tad Merritt (First Team), Shamus O’Grady (First Team), Jacob Kahnke (First Team), Gabe Suarez (Second Team), Jacob D. Horn (Second Team) Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference – Wrestler of the Year Award John Sundgren 20 Match Winner Award Jacob R. Horn (23) 25 Match Winner Award Jacob D. Horn (29), Jacob Kahnke (29), Ben McPhail (25) 30 Match Winner Award Shamus O’Grady (30), Gabe Suarez (30) 40 Match Winner Award Tad Merritt (40) Most Falls Award Tad Merritt (12), Shamus O’Grady (12) Most Improved Wrestler Award Westy Hanson “Jim & Dave Hazewinkel” Tough Man of the Year Award Mic Berg, Luke Munkelwitz Iron Man of the Year Award Jacob R. Horn, Ben McPhail, Tad Merritt, Shamus O’Grady, Gabe Suarez “Jim Sundgren” Most Courageous Wrestler Award Josh Joriman NCAA DII National Qualifier Award Eric Ellington, Gabe Suarez, Jacob D. Horn, John Sundgren, Tad Merritt, Shamus O’Grady, Luke Munkelwitz, Jacob Kahnke NCAA DII All-American Award Gabe Suarez (3rd), Jacob D. Horn (5th), John Sundgren (1st), Tad Merritt (3rd), Shamus O’Grady (4th), Jake Kahnke (2nd) Red-Shirt Wrestler of the Year Award Ben McPhail “Dean Weisman” Wrestler of the Year Award John Sundgren Husky Appreciation Award Kristine Schiller, Linette Shoemaker, Russ Jacobson, Dennis Quinn, Katy Leppa Coaching Appreciation Award Derek Sikora, Brad Padgett, Jeremy Lang, John Peterson, Cy Wainwright, Tony Mack “Jack Gause” Husky Wrestling Hall of Fame Award Tom Eitter Wrestler of the Week Awards Ben McPhail – RCTC Open Gabe Suarez – Cyclone Open, UW La Crosse Duals, UW Eau Claire/St. Johns, Northern State/Mary U., Upper Iowa, MSU-Mankato, NCAA’s Tad Merritt – Auggie Open, UW La Crosse Duals, Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals, St. Johns, Nebraska-Omaha/Southwest State, Augustana/MSU-Moorhead, Northern State/Mary U., Upper Iowa, MSU-Mankato, Super Region Three, NCAA’s Shamus O’Grady – Auggie Open, UW La Crosse Duals, Grand Canyon Duals, Northern State/Mary U., MSU-Mankato, Super Region Three, NCAA’s Kurt Salmen – Auggie Open, UW La Crosse Duals Dustin McKinney – Auggie Open, Warrior Open Mic Berg – Auggie Open, Augustana/MSU-Moorhead Zach Stewart – UW La Crosse Duals, Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals, St. Johns, Nebraska-Omaha Westy Hanson – UW La Crosse Duals, UW Eau Claire, Southwest State, Mary U. Jake Tabbert – UW La Crosse Duals Jacob D. Horn – UW La Crosse Duals, National Duals, Mary U., Upper Iowa, MSU-Mankato, NCAA’s Jacob Kahnke – UW La Crosse Duals, Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals, National Duals, St. Johns, Nebraska-Omaha, Augustana/MSU-Moorhead, Northern State/Mary U., Upper Iowa, MSU-Mankato, Super Region Three, NCAA’s Chris Brassell – UW La Crosse Duals, National Duals, UW Eau Claire Luke Munkelwitz – Husky Open, UW Eau Claire/St. Johns, Northern State/Mary U., Upper Iowa Eric Ellington – Grand Canyon Duals, Nebraska-Omaha, MSU-Moorhead, Northern State, MSU-Mankato John Sundgren – Grand Canyon Duals, St. Johns, Augustana/MSU-Moorhead, Northern State, Upper Iowa, MSU-Mankato, NCAA’s Dylan Wright – National Duals, UW Eau Claire, Southwest State, Northern State/Mary U. Jacob R. Horn – National Duals, UW Eau Claire, Southwest State, Northern State/North Country Open Josh Joriman – National Duals, UW Eau Claire, Southwest State, Mary U. Cullan Morrissey – Warrior Open Tough Man of the Week Awards Eric Ellington – Cyclone Open, Auggie Open, UW La Crosse Duals, Super Region Three, NCAA’s Tad Merritt – Cyclone Open, National Duals Jacob Kahnke – Cyclone Open Josh Antonneau – Auggie Open, Husky Open Chris Brassell – Auggie Open, Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals Jacob D. Horn – Auggie Open, Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals, Nebraska-Omaha, Augustana/MSU-Moorhead, Super Region Three Jacob R. Horn – Auggie Open, Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals, Grand Valley Open Mic Berg – UW La Crosse Duals, Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals, National Duals, Northern State/Mary U., MSU-Mankato, Super Region Three Josh Howk – Auggie Open, North Country Open, UW Eau Claire Open Chad Kubasch – Auggie Open, North Country Open Matt Leibforth – Auggie Open, Warrior Open, Worthington Open, North Country Open Ben McPhail – Auggie Open, Warrior Open, Grand Valley Open, North Country Open Cullan Morrissey – Auggie Open, Dan Gable Open, Grand Valley Open Zach Stewart – Auggie Open Gabe Suarez – Auggie Open, Grand Canyon Duals, National Duals, Nebraska-Omaha/Southwest State, Augustana/MSU-Moorhead, Super Region Three Dylan Wright – Auggie Open, MSU-Mankato, Super Region Three Luke Munkelwitz – UW La Crosse Duals, Grand Canyon Duals, National Duals, Nebraska-Omaha/Southwest, MSU-Mankato, Super Region Three, NCAA’s Josh Conrath – Husky Open, Warrior Open, North Country Open, UW Eau Claire Open Westy Hanson – Husky Open, Grand Canyon Duals Joey Falde – Husky Open, Warrior Open, Worthington Open, North Country Open Shamus O’Grady – Husky Open, National Duals, UW Eau Claire/St. Johns, Nebraska-Omaha/Southwest State, Augustana/MSU-Moorhead Kurt Salmen – Husky Open, North Country Open Derek Skala – Grand Canyon Duals (Team Leadership) John Sundgren – National Duals, Nebraska-Omaha, Super Region Three Cody Paulsen – Warrior Open Tyler Mathison – Worthington Open, North Country Open

Ben Askren

PLYMOUTH, N.H. -- Plymouth State University will have a new head wrestling coach in 2011-12 following the resignation of current head coach Tommy Prairie to become the full-time head coach at Washington & Jefferson College in Western Pennsylvania. Matt Eldredge has been named the new head wrestling coach at PSU, effective immediately. Eldredge, who has been a Panther assistant coach under Prairie the past two seasons, is a former standout wrestler and assistant coach at the State University of New York at Cortland. “I am extremely honored to be named the 14th head wrestling coach in Plymouth State history,” said Eldredge. “The opportunity that lies before me is an exciting one and I look forward to the challenge of keeping up the high academic and athletic success that Coach Prairie has brought to the program. I would like to thank the PSU Athletics Administration for having faith in my abilities to lead our team into the future, and to Jim Aguiar for agreeing to stay on as an assistant coach.” A native on Canandaigua, N.Y., Eldredge was a four-year wrestler at 197 pounds and heavyweight for the nationally-ranked Cortland program, where his 24 pins rank ninth in the program’s history. He also served one season as an assistant coach before graduating in 2008 with a degree in physics. He has been a Panther assistant coach since 2009 and also the assistant director of the PSU Summer Wrestling Camp. PSU Director of Athletics John Clark has mixed emotions about the announcement of a new wrestling coach. “We are excited to name Matt Eldredge as our new wrestling coach,” said Clark. “He has shown in his two years here that he is ready to take over the program. We have full confidence in Matt and look forward to working with him as he begins his head coaching career. We are also very excited for Tommy as he moves into a great situation at Washington & Jefferson. He did a fantastic job here and we know he will do the same there. He will be sorely missed here and everyone in the Plymouth State family wishes him nothing but the best.” Prairie enjoyed a successful four-year stint as Plymouth State’s wrestling coach. The Panthers placed second at the New England Dual Meet Championships in 2011, their highest finish ever, and tied for fourth at the New England Championships, the best place since 2003. PSU had one wrestler capture the New England championship and advance to the NCAA Division III National Championships in 2011, and eight Panthers earned All-New England honors, the most in the program’s history. PSU earned its first national ranking on the mat in 15 years, and was ranked in the top 30 in the NCAA for grade point average for the second year in a row. “I really enjoyed my time in Plymouth,” said Prairie, who was a three-time First Team All-America wrestler at Williams College before coming to PSU. “We accomplished a lot in these four years and I cannot say enough good things about the athletic administration, alumni and my student-athletes. Plymouth State Wrestling is on the rise and I expect there to be a very smooth transition as Matt takes over. I look forward to watching Plymouth State’s success in the future.”

WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Washington & Jefferson College Director of Athletics Bill Dukett announced Tommy Prairie as the Presidents’ head wrestling coach on Friday. A 2005 graduate of Williams College (Mass.), Prairie replaces Jay Robison, who resigned following the 2010-11 season after six years on the Washington, Pa., campus. “Tommy is an outstanding young coach who has been successful in NCAA Division III as a student-athlete and as a coach,” said Dukett. “He has experienced both sides of what it takes to succeed in the classroom and on the mat. Tommy displays great passion for the sport and epitomizes what the student-athlete experience at Washington & Jefferson College is all about. His organizational skills and recruiting experience will help us continue to grow the sport of wrestling on our campus.” “We would like to thank Coach Robison for his dedication to W&J wrestling,” added Dukett. “He helped maintain a level of success with our wrestling program and Coach Prairie is excited to put his own mark on our team as the new coach.” Prairie comes to W&J after spending four seasons as the head wrestling coach at Plymouth State University (N.H.). This past winter, he helped the Panthers to their best finish (4th) at the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Championships since 2003. One PSU wrestler, Mike Willey, qualified for the NCAA Division III Championships after compiling a 21-match win streak. Following the 2008 season, Prairie was honored as the NEWA Rookie Coach of the Year. Five Plymouth State wrestlers were named NWCA Scholar All-Americans under his leadership. A 2001 Blair Academy (N.J.) graduate, Prairie was inducted into the New England Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2010. He had a standout career at Williams College as a three-time NCAA Division III All-American (125 pounds), becoming the first Eph wrestler to accomplish the feat. In 2005, he finished as the national runner-up and was named the South Jersey College Wrestler of the Year. As a sophomore, he posted a 30-1 record and finished third at the national championships. He followed that season up with a fourth-place showing at the 2004 national tournament. Prairie owned a 106-8 collegiate record and was a three-time NEWA champion. Prairie has also spent time as an assistant coach at Cumberland University (2005-06), where he earned his MBA, and Delran High School in New Jersey. Prairie attended Delran High School before spending one year at Blair Academy. At Williams, he earned his bachelor’s degree in political science. In 2009, Prairie was selected to the National Wrestling Leadership Academy. The 2011-2012 Washington & Jefferson wrestling season will be highlighted by the 50th anniversary of the first Presidents’ Athletic Conference championship team (1962).

Colorado Springs, Colo. -- The National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) recently awarded the University of Wyoming's Cole Dallaserra with its annual All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year award. Dallaserra is the second consecutive Cowboy wrestler to claim the honor, after junior Joe LeBlanc earned the accolade last year. Dallaserra recently completed his eligibility on the mat for UW at the 2011 NCAA Championships in March. He entered the tournament ranked 16th in the nation by InterMat, but went 2-2 to miss All-America honors. The effort wrapped up a 29-9 senior campaign for him, as he finished his time at UW as a four-year starter at 141 and 149 pounds with an 88-42 record and 22 pins. During his career Dallaserra won one West Regional title and was a three-time All-Western Wrestling Conference honoree. Dallaserra was nominated for the honor by the UW strength and conditioning staff. The NSCA All-American Athlete of the Year program is in its 33rd year, and is made possible by a grant from Power Systems, Inc., a Knoxville, Tenn., fitness product leader.

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from our Brute studios brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Join Takedown Wrestling Host Scott Casber and an incredible roster of guests. Saturday morning from 9 to 11 we'll talk to some of the finest athletes and coaches in America. Join in from 9 to 11:00 AM CDT this Saturday for Takedown Wrestling at (KXNO.com and I Heart Radio on smart phones) This week's guests include: 9:01 -- Jim Beichner -- Head Coach of University at Buffalo, which just received a $400,000 renovation to its facilities and the UB staff announced the signing of Blake Roulo of Matoaca High School in Petersburg, Va. 9:20 -- Adam Lynch -- Penn State's Total Commitment Award, given to the wrestler who shows total commitment and courage at all times in reaching team and individual goals. 9:40 -- Ben Askren -- Missouri's two-time NCAA champ and Bellator Fighting Championships Middleweight titleholder is feeling the heat he moves back to Wisconsin to live and train. 9:50 -- Joey Boyens -- Max Muscle Minute. The founder of the Des Moines stores joins us. 10:01 -- Robbie Waller -- Head Coach of Lock Haven. Fans are worried that Lock Haven's Head Man won't get a contract extension... but, sometimes these things take time. 10:20 -- Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling joins us for Q & A with the next two guests ... 10:20 -- Teyon Ware -- Now splitting time between Penn State and Lock Haven, the former Sooner still finds time to wrestle and win. Ware competed at the US Open last week and won 66kg freestyle title. 10:40 -- Sam Hazewinkel -- Former Oklahoma Sooner scores a victory over former Cornell NCAA Champ Troy Nickerson 6-0, 4-3 to become the 55kg champ at the US Open last week. Both Ware and Hazewinkel talk about preparing for the World Team Trials in Oklahoma City in June. 10:50 -- Maureen Roshar - Wildrose Casino and Resort in Clinton, Iowa

InterMat has released a sneak peek at the latest grade level (recruiting) rankings. InterMat ranks the Top 100 seniors, Top 50 juniors, Top 50 sophomores, Top 25 freshmen, and Top 15 junior high wrestlers. InterMat Platinum is required to view all the rankings. This is the last set of rankings of the 2010-11 season for the graduating classes. The next rankings -- which will be in late June -- will be the initial rankings for the 2011-12 season, and mark the unveiling of the InterMat Top 100 seniors for the Class of 2012. The Top 50 juniors in the Class of 2013, Top 50 sophomores for the Class of 2014, Top 25 incoming freshmen in the Class of 2015, and Top 15 junior high wrestlers will also be released at that time. Senior (Top 10): 1. Morgan McIntosh (Calvary Chapel, California) 2. Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, Minnesota) 3. Jesse Thielke (Germantown, Wisconsin) 4. Logan Storley (Webster, South Dakota) 5. Nico Megaludis (Franklin Regional, Pennsylvania) 6. Mason Beckman (Reynolds, Pennsylvania) 7. Hunter Stieber (Monroeville, Ohio) 8. Austin Ormsbee (Blair Academy, New Jersey) 9. Chris Phillips (Monroeville, Ohio) 10. Tanner Hall (Meridian, Idaho) Junior (Top Five): 1. Taylor Massa (St Johns, Michigan) 2. Jason Tsirtsis (Crown Point, Indiana) 3. Jimmy Gulibon (Derry, Pennsylvania) 4. Mark Grey (Blair Academy, New Jersey) 5. Tyler Liberatore (Brandon, Florida) Sophomore (Top Five): 1. Bo Jordan (Graham, Ohio) 2. Ben Whitford (Marmion Academy, Illinois) 3. Brandon Jeske (Cox, Virginia) 4. Brooks Black (Blair Academy, New Jersey) 5. Cody Wiercioch (Charleroi, Pennsylvania) Freshman (Top Five): 1. Chance Marsteller (Kennard-Dale, Pennsylvania) 2. Kyle Snyder (Good Counsel, Maryland) 3. Solomon Chisko (Canon-McMillan, Pennsylvania) 4. Nick Nevills (Clovis California) 5. Colton Adams (Scottsbluff, Nebraska) Junior High (Top Five): 1. Mark Hall (Minnesota) 2. Zahid Valencia (California) 3. Fox Baldwin (Florida) 4. Matthew Kolodzik (Ohio) 5. Michael Johnson Jr. (Illinois)

The Clash, the premier high school wrestling dual meet event in the country, will celebrate its 10th anniversary during the 2011-12 season. The Clash X will take place Dec. 30-31 at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. The field is expected to be the deepest and strongest since the event's inception in 2003. InterMat and The Guillotine will be releasing the field of teams for The Clash X in three installments over the next two months, starting with the first 11 teams. 1. Apple Valley, Minnesota Record at The Clash: 46-6 Appearance at The Clash: 10th Returning State Champions: 5 Returning State Placewinners: 7 Apple Valley (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)About Apple Valley: What more can be said about this powerhouse from Minnesota? The Jim Jackson-led Eagles are the two-time defending national champions, 19-time state champions, and four-time Clash champions. What surprises many is this high school has only been open since 1977, but won its first title in 1980. Apple Valley is the envy of all Minnesota wrestling and the Eagles treat The Clash as their Super Bowl. Last season this group of kids destroyed everything in their path, winning the Keith Young Invitational, Minnesota Christmas Tournament, Cheesehead, and The Clash, followed by the state tournament. No school came close to defeating Apple Valley. The Eagles qualified a remarkable 13 wrestlers to the state tournament and ended with seven state champions, two state runner-ups, and a pair of state third-place finishes. In the team dual portion their wrestlers went 39-3 in the three duals. At the end of the season, every poll had this legendary team at the top. Last season will be hard to duplicate, but Apple Valley returns several experienced wrestlers with impressive state and national credentials. Seniors Brandon Kingsley, Dakota Trom and Ben Sullivan - all three state champions (Sullivan's title won in Alaska) - will lead this team. The Eagles also bring back 2010 state champion Daniel Woiwer, and 2011 state champion Mark Hall. State third-place finisher Seth Gross will be returning, as will several underclassmen with experience. 2. St. Paris Graham, Ohio Record at The Clash: 0-0 Appearance at The Clash: 1st Returning State Champions: 5 Returning State Placewinners: 6 Jeff Jordan (Photo/Kevin Schlosser, BuckeyeWrestling.com)About St. Paris Graham: Every year it is the tournament's goal to attract teams in the hunt for the national title. St. Paris Graham certainly fits into the "sweet spot." This legendary team out of Ohio coached by Jeff Jordan will be looking to follow up on its championship finish in last year's Walsh Ironman. It is the program's second Walsh Ironman championship in the last three years. St. Paris Graham can also claim two national championships in the past four years. This past season, the Falcons wrapped up their 11th straight state championship and 13th overall. Ten grapplers qualified for the state tournament and eight wrestled for the championship. Of these eight state finalists, six were state champions. 3. Clovis, California Record at The Clash: 0-0 Appearance at The Clash: 1st Returning State Champions: 2 Returning State Placewinners: 5 Clovis returns five state placewinners, including state champions Daniel Gaytan and Nick Nevills (Photo/ClovisWrestling.com)About Clovis: Another new entrant to The Clash is Clovis, California. Clovis is coming off perhaps the program's best season ever. The Cougars finished the season ranked seventh nationally. In the state of California there is only one team champion and one individual champion in each of the 14 weight classes. Clovis competed in a hard-fought battle with Bakersfield, but managed to wrestle the crown away with 186 points, which was second most ever in California. This deep team qualified all 14 wrestlers for the state tournament, had nine state placewinners, and two state champions. It was the Cougars' ninth team title and individually it made 23 state champions. 4. Simley, Minnesota Record at The Clash: 30-18 Appearance at The Clash: 9th Returning State Champions: 4 Returning State Placewinners: 6 Jake Short (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)About Simley: Coming back to The Clash for its ninth trip is Simley High School out of Inver Grove Heights, Minnesota. This powerhouse team led by the father-son duo of Jim and Will Short brings a deep and talented team back. Simley finished this past season ranked sixth nationally and is expected to be in the hunt for a national title in 2011-12. The Spartans captured their fourth straight state title this past season, bringing the program total to eight. Jim Short took over this program in 1970 and embarked on a 28-year career as head coach. In 1998, Jim handed the reigns over to his son, Will, a 1993 All-American at the University of Minnesota. Will coached for 10 years and in 2008 Jim rejoined his son as co-head coach. It's impossible to think of Simley without thinking of the Short family. Will is one of four Short brothers to win an individual state championship for Simley. Will's son, Jake, is a two-time state champion heading into his junior season. 5. Carl Sandburg, Illinois Record at The Clash: 22-8 Appearance at The Clash: 6th Returning State Champions: 0 Returning State Placewinners: 2 About Carl Sandburg: Carl Sandburg High School in Orland Park, Illinois will be celebrating its 60th year of competition. This school of 3,800 kids became a high school wrestling force in Illinois in 1993 when Mike Polz took over as head coach. His son, Conrad, was a three-time state champion who now wrestles at the University of Illinois. Just how dominant has this program been? How about state champion in 2005, 2006 and 2007, and runner-up 10 times. Carl Sandburg also managed a third-place finish 11 times. Since 1993, the program has produced 44 state placewinners and 12 individual state champions. 6. Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota Record at The Clash: 12-18 Appearance at The Clash: 6th Returning State Champions: 2 Returning State Placewinners: 6 Sam Stoll, who is ranked among the nation's top 25 freshmen by InterMat, was a 2010 InterMat JJ Classic champion (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)About Kasson-Mantorville: Kasson-Mantorville, Minnesota is a relative new power in Minnesota's Class AA. This growing school is 13 miles west of Rochester and appeared in the InterMat Fab 50 throughout much of last season, finishing the season ranked 44th. Coach Paul Mann took over this program in 2003 and has since helped five individuals make it to the top of the podium. The Komets will be making their sixth appearance at The Clash. 7. St. Michael-Albertville, Minnesota Record at The Clash: 20-16 Appearance at The Clash: 7th Returning State Champions: 1 Returning State Placewinners: 4 About St. Michael-Albertville: STMA will be returning for its seventh appearance at The Clash. The Knights have been making plenty of noise in the Minnesota high school wrestling world. STMA finished runner-up to Apple Valley in Class AAA. Seven wrestlers from STMA finished this past season with over 30 or more wins. Coach Dan Lefebvre is coming off his sixth season as head coach. Notable STMA alums include the Thorn brothers (Mike and David) and Chas Betts. 8. Arrowhead, Wisconsin Record at The Clash: 2-4 Appearance at The Clash: 2nd Returning State Champions: 2 Returning State Placewinners: 4 About Arrowhead: Arrowhead will be returning for the second straight year to The Clash. This perennial power finished runner-up in the state tournament in 2011 and is looking improve upon its 26th place finish at The Clash. The Warhawk wrestling team has become a Classic 8 Conference power, claiming conference tournament titles in 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2008, 2010, and 2011. The program has produced 15 individual state champions, including three this past season. Arrowhead advanced to the WIAA state team tournament every year from 2004 through 2008, and again in 2011. The Warhawks reached the state semifinals in 2004, 2006, and 2008, and finished runner-up in 2005 and 2011. Arrowhead has produced numerous collegiate wrestling standouts, including the Askren brothers, Ben and Max, both NCAA champions at the University of Missouri. 9. Hastings, Minnesota Record at The Clash: 18-24 Appearance at The Clash: 8th Returning State Champions: 0 Returning State Placewinners: 4 About Hastings: Hastings is led by head coach Josh McLay, the only wrestler ever to win three individual state titles for the program. McLay, also a Junior Nationals double champion, went on to have a successful collegiate wrestling career at the University of Minnesota. Hastings has qualified for the state tournament eight times and won a state championship in 1996. Some of the more well-known alumni, in addition to McLay, include Nik and Dan Lewandowski, brothers who won Division III national titles for Augsburg. 10. Baylor, Tennessee Record at The Clash: 7-5 Appearance at The Clash: 3rd Returning State Champions: 4 Returning State Placewinners: 10 The Baylor School is a Tennessee high school wrestling power. Jordan Leen, a 2008 NCAA champion and three-time All-American for Cornell, wrestled at the Baylor SchoolAbout Baylor: The most decorated team in Tennessee history is returning to The Clash for a third straight year. Ben Nelson, formerly of Minnesota (two-time state medalist at Wayzata High School), heads up this gutsy squad. This program started back in 1949 and had one coach until 1985. Tennessee is one of the few states that crown both a dual meet and tournament team champion. Baylor has won either (or both) in each of the past 14 seasons. Baylor scored 315 points at this year's state tournament, which set a state record. Jordan Leen, a 2008 NCAA champion and three-time All-American for Cornell, wrestled at Baylor. 11. Vacaville, California Record at The Clash: 26-26 Appearance at The Clash: 10th Returning State Champions: 0 Returning State Placewinners: 2 About Vacaville: Vacaville returns for a 10th straight year. This program is celebrating 50 years of wrestling starting in 1961. The Bulldogs won their first state title in 2007. Vacaville has been a force in California and finished a respectable 10th at The Clash this past season. This past season Vacaville became one of only a few teams in the country to win 1,000 dual meets. Coach Adam Wright prides his team on coming to Minnesota every year to wrestle the best teams in the nation in a dual meet format. Steve Elwood can be reached at steveel@rstransportinc.com. This story also appears in the April 15 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering amateur wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. 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