InterMat Staff

Manheim, Pa. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholastic Board of Directors is proud to announce the annual National Scholastic Award Winners. The NWCA presents awards in three categories: National Coach of the Year, National Assistant Coach of the Year and National Senior Wrestler of the Year. In each category, an individual is selected from their state association, as is a winner from the National Preps. The 2011 NWCA National Head Coach of the Year is Paul Morina of New Jersey. Morina is the longtime head coach at Paulsboro High School. This season, Morina and his Red Raider team accomplished a rare feat -- becoming just the third high school in the country to win 1,000 matches. For the last 26 years at the helm at Paulsboro, Morina’s teams have won 25 class state championships, 24 district championships and 25 conference titles. He’s coached 168 district champions, 72 regional champions and 13 state champions. In 26 years, Morina has coached over half of Paulsboro’s 1,000 victories. He’s 529-30-4 at Paulsboro as well as the principal at the school. “I am very honored and proud to be recognized for doing something I love,” said Morina. “Coaching is one of the most rewarding activities not because of winning, but because of the gratifying feeling you get watching kids achieve and some over achieve in the most demanding sport. Wrestling gives kids the opportunity to meet so many different people from all walks of life and make contacts they may never make otherwise.” “I am very fortunate to be administrator and coach at a small high school, in a blue color town that has such a strong wrestling tradition and community support,” said Morina. “This award is a credit to our head coaches, assistant coaches and wrestlers who have ever worn a Paulsboro wrestling singlet in the last sixty eight years. Dan Gable once said ‘Once you’ve have wrestled everything else in life is easy,’ I truly believe that.” Jeff Buxton of Blair Academy was named the National Prep Coach for the second time in his career. Buxton has led the Bucs to 26 straight National Prep Championships, coached 145 individual champions and has claimed titles at the prestigious Ironman and Beast of the East tournaments a combined 25 times. Buxton’s team has perennially been the nation’s top-ranked program the last two and a half decades. “It was a very exciting season for Blair Wrestling. This was one of the most improved teams I have ever coached, our young athletes developed throughout the season meeting the demands of our schedule which also helped them to develop,” said Buxton. “We went to many exciting events having a different line up almost every match or tournament and it was rewarding to see the number of kids jump so many levels as we finished the season with a very good performance at the National Preps. This was one of those teams that energized me as they wanted more knowledge and technique as they improved. Each week was a testimony of buying into a winning culture.” “Coach Morina and Coach Buxton have both accomplished many great things in their careers, not only preparing their athletes to be accomplished wrestlers, but also teaching them that education is just as important. Both of these coaches have been a great ambassador to our sport and to the NWCA.” said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. The National Assistant Coach of the Year goes to Kirk Skiles from Lincoln East High School in Nebraska. An assistant wrestling coach for 31 years, as well as serving as the cross country coach at both the high school and middle school levels, Skiles has helped Lincoln East win three consecutive state championships and has helped the program to 10 top-ten finishes at the state tournament. Twenty of Skiles’ years matside have been with Marty McCurdy at East. McCurdy has helped shaped Skiles’ coaching philosophy. “My philosophy, like many coaches is that the journey is more important than the destination. I would hope that all of the athletes on the team feel like they are part of something larger than themselves and that the teams and their friend’s struggles become more important than their own,” said Skiles. “There is nothing more rewarding in coaching than to watch teammates go through the blood, sweat, and tears of four years of training and then become friends for a lifetime because of the experiences they have shared.” Assistant Coach Adam DeCosmo of Archbishop Spaulding in Maryland receives this year’s National Prep Assistant Coach of the Year Award. He has served in the role of assistant coach for the past four years. His team this year went 33-0 on the season, were Maryland Independent Schools State Champions, broke into the Fab 50 National Team Ranking and ended the season with a third place finish at the National Prep Championships. DeCosmo credits a lesson taught to him by his former college coach that has helped him succeed. “Coach Pat Santoro taught me to always put yourself in your athletes shoes before making a decision on how to approach that person,” said DeCosmo. Minnesota’s Destin McCauley is the NWCA’s Senior Wrestler of the Year. The Apple Valley High School senior won is fifth state championship, completing a 51-0 senior season. McCauley, who will spend next year at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs before enrolling at the University of Wisconsin, finished with a 286-7 career record, with 198 victories coming by fall. Evan Silver of Blair Academy, is this year’s recipient of the National Prep Wrestler of the Year Award. He won his fourth consecutive National Prep this year, and is one of five wrestlers who have ever accomplished the feat. He holds a career record of 131-10 along with being a Beast of East, Ironman and Maccabiah Games Champion. He has committed to wrestle at Stanford University next year. “Both Destin and Evan have finished outstanding high school careers both individually and as a part of successful teams (Apple Valley and Blair Academy). We look forward to seeing them excel at both the collegiate and Olympic levels,” said Moyer. “Our goal as a coaches association is to continue to recognize coaches and wrestlers for their outstanding accomplishments, both on the mat in competition, academically and in life.” We would also like to recognize the award recipients of the NWCA Regional Coaches, Assistant Coaches and Senior Wrestlers of the Year. In order to be considered for National Honors, the nominee must have been selected as a Regional Award Winner: Region Regional Award Recipient Nominee School (State) 1 Assistant Coach of the Year Billy Daveys John Glenn HS (NY) 1 Head Coach of the Year Paul Morina Paulsboro HS (NJ) 1 Senior Wrestler of the Year Andrew Campolattano Bound Brook HS (NJ) 2 Assistant Coach of the Year John Heffernan Lakewood St. Edward HS (OH) 2 Head Coach of the Year Jeff Jordan St. Paris Graham (OH) 2 Senior Wrestler of the Year Nico Megaludis Franklin Regional HS (PA) 3 Assistant Coach of the Year Sal Basile Springstead HS (FL) 3 Head Coach of the Year David Perry Croatan HS (NC) 3 Senior Wrestler of the Year TJ Duncan McCallie School (TN) 4 Assistant Coach of the Year Stan Granger Holt Public Schools (MI) 4 Head Coach of the Year Mark Hahn Glenbard North HS (IL) 4 Senior Wrestler of the Year Jesse Thielke Germantown HS (WI) 5 Assistant Coach of the Year Kirk Skiles Lincoln East HS (NE) 5 Head Coach of the Year Mike Hagerty Blue Springs HS (MO) 5 Senior Wrestler of the Year Destin McCauley Apple Valley HS (MN) 6 Assistant Coach of the Year Stephen Burak Coronado HS (CO) 6 Head Coach of the Year Steve Davis Flower Mound HS (TX) 6 Senior Wrestler of the Year Connor Medbery Loveland HS (CO) 7 Assistant Coach of the Year Russ Winer Dobson HS (AZ) 7 Head Coach of the Year Mike Rippinger Box Elder HS (UT) 7 Senior Wrestler of the Year Morgan McIntosh Calvary Chapel HS (CA) 8 Assistant Coach of the Year Lorne Stills Culver HS (OR) 8 Head Coach of the Year Brent Barnes Lake Stevens HS (WA) 8 Senior Wrestler of the Year Jade Rauser Broadwater HS (MT) Region National Award Recipient Name School 1 National Head Coach of the Year Paul Morina Paulsboro HS (NJ) 5 National Assistant Coach of the Year Kirk Skiles Lincoln East HS (NE) 5 National Senior Wrestler of the Year Destin McCauley Apple Valley HS (MN) NP Head National Prep Coach of the Year Jeff Buxton Blair Academy (NJ) NP Assistant National Prep Coach of the Year Adam DeCosmo Archbishop Spaulding (MD) NP Senior National Prep Wrestler of the Year Evan Silver Blair Academy (NJ) The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.

USA Wrestling executive director Rich Bender and WIN Magazine editor Mike Finn will be radio show guests this week. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Bender has served with USA Wrestling for over 20 years and has been the executive director since 2000. Finn is the editor of WIN Magazine and is one of the most respected wrestling journalists in the nation.

LINCOLN, Neb. -- The Nebraska wrestling program and Head Coach Mark Manning announced Tuesday that Oklahoma two-time All-American Tyler Caldwell will transfer to Nebraska beginning with the fall semester. Tyler Caldwell was a 2011 NCAA runner-up and two-time All-American at 165 pounds as an Oklahoma Soonner (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)"We're excited about having Tyler join our program at Nebraska," Manning said. "He is an outstanding young man, as well as a tremendous competitor. He's going to fit into the environment and culture we have built here, and he will provide great leadership. Tyler is a young man that leads by example through work ethic, his attitude and his approach to being successful." Last season, Caldwell finished with a 32-6 record and a second-place finish at the NCAA Championships. Caldwell fell to Burroughs in the finals of the national tournament and the Big 12 Championships, which accounted for two of his six losses. The Wichita, Kan., native finished the year with six major decisions, three technical falls and two pins. Caldwell will have two seasons of eligibility at Nebraska. As a freshman, Caldwell posted a 31-14 record and finished in fifth place at the 2010 NCAA Championships to earn his first All-American honor. "I'm really excited about the change and transition to Nebraska," Caldwell said. "I feel like Nebraska has all the resources to make the most out of me as a wrestler and a person, and I can't wait to be a part of that team and work with the coaches. The coaches have scouted me the last two years, so I feel like they can help strengthen my weaknesses and make me a better all-around wrestler."

DEKALB, Ill. -- Nine-year wrestling coaching veteran Ryan Ludwig, who has spent the past six years as the assistant and then associate head coach at Northern Illinois, has been named the 17th head coach of the Northern Illinois University wrestling program, NIU Associate Vice President/Director of Athletics Jeff Compher announced Tuesday. Ryan Ludwig"Ryan's experience working under longtime NIU Head Coach Dave Grant over the last six years has given him a thorough understanding of Huskie Wrestling and the mission of NIU Athletics," Compher said. "He comes highly-recommended by Coach Grant, and has shown the ability to recruit, coach and lead during his time here. "I feel he will take the Northern Illinois wrestling program to the next level, and compete not only for Mid-American Conference championships, but on the national stage as well." Ludwig, who came to NIU in 2005, has spent the past six seasons on Grant's staff, serving as associate head coach for the last two years. He has played a key role in training 15 NCAA qualifiers, seven Mid-American Conference champions, most recently 2011 MAC Champion Brad Dieckhaus at 184 pounds, and one Midlands Tournament champion. "I'm extremely excited to move into this next phase of Huskie Wrestling," Ludwig said. "I want to thank the NIU administration, especially Jeff [Compher] and Senior Associate Athletic Director Christian [Spears] for their support throughout the process. "We have a fantastic group of returners and I'm really excited about the recruiting class coming in. I believe in this program and NIU. I am honored to usher in this new era for Northern Illinois Wrestling. I look forward to the pursuit of our goals within the MAC and nationally." A native of Chelsea, Mich., Ludwig has been a driving force in bringing top talent to NIU. Year in and year out, Northern Illinois' recruiting classes have been ranked among the best in the nation. The 2007 recruiting class was rated as high as 20th nationally, while the 2008 class boasted an outstanding blend of in-state and national talent featuring six high school All-Americans, 10 state champions and one Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award winner. His initial recruiting effort brought athletes with outstanding credentials to DeKalb as well. The 2006 recruiting class included four high school All-Americans. In 2007, the newcomers recruited by the coaching staff combined for six state titles, and included four All-Americans. Recruiting will remain a major point of emphasis under Ludwig. He plans on building on Northern Illinois' national recruiting footprint and feels the addition of the NIU Wrestling Room has continued to enhance that footprint. "We've taken a national approach to recruiting," Ludwig said. "Facility development has been huge here. The wrestling room we received a few years ago has been a significant element in recruiting, along with the completion of the Yordon Center. "We start recruiting in the state of Illinois. There's fantastic wrestling here. Then you have to reach out and get national-level recruits as well. We have unbelievable wrestling here in the Midwest." Ludwig came to Northern Illinois after two seasons as an assistant at Minnesota State University-Mankato. While coaching the Mavericks, Ludwig helped guide the team to a third-place finish in the NCAA Division II Championships. He also helped produce and train eight All-Americans at MSU-Mankato. Prior to his work with the Mavericks, Ludwig served as an assistant wrestling coach for his alma mater, the University of Findlay, where he coached seven All-Americans and a national champion in 2002-03. As a wrestler, Ludwig was a three-time NAIA All-American and a national finalist at 157 pounds. Elected a captain by his teammates, he was also voted Most Valuable Wrestler when the Roughnecks were NAIA national runners-up in 1999. Ludwig ranks third on Findlay's all-time win list with over 100 career victories. In high school, Ludwig was a Michigan state champion at 142 pounds in 1995. Ludwig earned a bachelor of arts degree in 2000 from Findlay as a double major in psychology and criminal justice.

Jacob Volkmann

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue wrestling team added a pair of standout wrestlers to its 2011 recruiting class last week inking University of North Carolina-Greensboro transfer Ivan Lopouchanski and 189-pound California native Preston Quam. The two improve an already outstanding Class of 2011 and push the Boilermakers’ recruiting total to eight. Lopouchanski becomes the most accomplished member of the Boilermakers’ recruiting class, coming to West Lafayette after UNC Greensboro dropped their program after the conclusion of the 2010-11 campaign. In his two years with the Spartans, Lopouchanski put together a 74-20 record, qualifying for the NCAA Championships in 2010 and 2011, and advancing to the NCAA Round of 12 in 2011. After redshirting his initial season at UNC Greensboro, he was 33-10 at 141 pounds as a freshman, including open tournament titles at Virginia Tech and North Carolina State and a Southern Conference Championship. Moving up to 149 pounds in his sophomore campaign, Lopouchanski put together an impressive 41-10 record and setting the UNC Greensboro record for single-season wins. He won the Virginia Tech Hokie Open and the North Carolina State Open to start the season, followed by a sixth-place effort at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and a fifth-place finish at the Southern Scuffle. He cruised to his second straight Southern Conference Championship to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships, where he fell just one win shy of All-America honors. Hailing from Hollywood, Fla., by way of Russia, Lopouchanski was a three-year high school state placewinner in Florida, winning the state title as a senior at South Broward High School after finishing second as junior at Cardinal Gibbons High School and third as a sophomore at South Broward. Lopouchanski will wrestle at 149 pounds for the Boilermakers. “We’re very excited to see Ivan join our team and become a part of Purdue Wrestling,” said Boilermaker head coach Scott Hinkel. “When you look at what he accomplished at Greensboro, and factor in the increased resources and training opportunities at Purdue and the outstanding level of competition in the Big Ten, the sky is the limit for a wrestler like Ivan.” Quam comes to Purdue from San Clemente, Calif., where he was a two-time California State High School placewinner for San Clemente High School. With just two years of wrestling experience under his belt, Quam has an extensive background in judo and martial arts. He has competed internationally in judo for several years, including the USA Judo Junior Olympics and the 2009 California State Games, where he was named Athlete of the Year. In his first year of wrestling competition he claimed fifth at the California High School State Championships, marking the third-best finish in the history of San Clemente High School. He was even more outstanding in his senior campaign placing fifth at the Walsh Ironman National Tournament in Ohio (called one of the toughest high school tournaments in the nation), winning five tournaments in California, and placing second at the state championships at 189 pounds. En route to the state silver medal he topped 12th-ranked Lucas Sheridan, who is committed to attend archrival Indiana, before falling to nationally top-ranked Penn State-commit Morgan McIntosh in the finals. “We honestly have no idea how amazing Preston could be,” said Hinkel. “To see the success he’s already achieved in just two years of wrestling illustrates how much potential there is for him to become a truly elite wrestler. We’re extremely excited to have him in our room as we are looking forward to not only the things we can teach him, but also the things he can teach us with his judo and martial arts background.” Quam is projected to compete at 184 or 197 pounds for the Boilermakers next season. Lopouchanski and Quam join Indiana natives Drake Stein, Doug and Chad Welch and Luke Schroeder, Illinois signee Danny Sabatello and Rusty Maness from West Virginia.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Minnesota wrestling program held its annual banquet over the weekend with over 200 guests of the program on hand to honor the 2010-11 squad as well as individual honorees, who were presented with their awards at the event. Minnesota's Mike Thorn celebrates after beating Iowa's Montell Marion in the 2011 Big Ten semifinals at 141 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Two-time All-American Mike Thorn earned this year's Most Outstanding Wrestler Award after compiling a 39-5 mark that ranks 11th on Minnesota's single season wins list. The redshirt senior closed out his career this season with a third-place finish at the NCAA finish, ending his college career with 111 wins -- the 24th most in Minnesota history. Thorn also earned the 2011 Most Falls Award after tallying 14 falls over the 2010-11 season, bringing the 141-pounder's career pin total to 37 -- the eighth most pins in Gopher wrestling history. Three-time All-American Zach Sanders took home the honor of Minnesota's Most Valuable Wrestler after placing fifth at the NCAA tournament and posting a 34-6 record in 2010-11. The redshirt junior already sits 35th on Minnesota's career wins list with 102. Redshirt Freshmen Kevin Steinhaus and Tony Nelson shared this year's Most Outstanding Freshman Award after both earned their first All-America accolades in 2011. Steinhaus also earned the team's Most Exciting Wrestler Award with a 34-12 record -- tied for the second most wins on the team with Sanders behind only Thorn. Additionally, two-time All-American Sonny Yohn earned the Fraser Dean Most Courageous Wrestler Award, David Thorn earned the team's Most Dedicated Wrestler Award and Danny Zilverberg took home the Chris Berglin Most Improved Wrestler Award. Scott Glasser, Ben Berhow and Brent Eidenschink all split the Minnesota Integrity Award in 2011 -- the first year the award was handed out. Eidenschink also earned the Upperclassmen Academic Award while Randy Hanson was honored with the Freshman Academic Award. 2010-11 Minnesota Wrestling Accomplishments Minnesota was one of four programs at the 2011 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships to boast a tournament-high five All-Americans. Redshirt senior Mike Thorn (141) paced the Gophers with a third-place finish at the NCAA championships. The St. Michael, Minn. native earned his second All-America honor after finishing seventh in 2010. Zach Sanders (125) finished fifth at the national tournament, earning the redshirt junior his third All-America honor. Redshirt junior Sonny Yohn (197) finished seventh for the second All-America accolade of his career. Kevin Steinhaus (184, 8th) and Tony Nelson (HWT, 7th) both earned their first All-America honors as redshirt freshmen. Head Coach J Robinson celebrated his 25th year at Minnesota in 2010-11. In the Robinson era, Minnesota has captured three NCAA team titles, 12 individual national titles, 102 total All-America honors, six conference championships and 42 individual Big Ten titles. Robinson enters the 2011-12 season with a 374-127-4 (.745) career record. Five Gophers topped the 30-win mark in 2010-11. Mike Thorn's 39-5 mark paced Minnesota and tied the redshirt senior for 11th on Minnesota's single season wins list. Joining Thorn above the 30-win platueau were Sanders (34), Steinhaus (34), Nelson (33), and Scott Glasser (31). Mike Thorn leaves Minnesota as one of best finishers in school history. His 37 career pins are the eighth most in program history while his 111 career wins (111-44 overall record), tie him for 24th all-time at Minnesota with Brett Colombini. Scott Glasser (174) and Ben Berhow (HWT) also ended their college careers as two of the top 50 wrestlers in Gophers history. Glasser's 100 career wins tie for 36th on Minnesota's all-time list with Matt Nagel while Berhow's 78 wins rank 47th along with Brandon Paulson and Brad Gibson. The Gophers ended the dual meet season 15-4-1 overall and 6-1-1 in the Big Ten. Minnesota was ranked No. 5 in the final NWCA/USA Today Division I Coaches Poll. Minnesota went 7-4-1 against nationally ranked teams in 2010-11. All four losses came against teams ranked fourth or higher. The Gophers tied for second with Penn State in the 2010-11 Big Ten Dual Season standings with a 6-1-1 record. Meanwhile, Minnesota finished third at the Big Ten Championships with 109.5 points behind Penn State (139.0) and Iowa (138.0). The Gophers led the conference with all 10 wrestlers earning seeds in the Big Ten championship. Mike Thorn, Kevin Steinhaus and Tony Nelson all paced Minnesota with runner-up finishes at the conference championships while Zach Sanders finished third and Cody Yohn (165) finished fourth. Both Scott Glasser and Sonny Yohn finished fifth in their weight brackets while Danny Zilverberg (149) finished sixth and David Thorn (133) finished seventh in their first appearance at the Big Ten Championships. Matt Mincey (157) rounded out the Gophers contingency at the conference championships.

Mike Ottinger

DURHAM, N.C. -- Duke University wrestling head coach Clar Anderson has announced the addition of eight student-athletes to the Blue Devils wrestling program. Duke welcomes in a group of talented wrestlers with outstanding wrestling and academic credentials. The incoming class features student-athletes from seven different states and across seven different weight classes. "I am really excited about the group that we are bringing in," Anderson said. "I think that we have identified some really talented student athletes that have the ability to make an immediate impact, and if they are the best wrestlers we have at that weight, they will wrestle." Included in the class are Trey Adamson, Michael Chapman, Marcus Cain, Andrew DeHart, Conner Hartmann, Randy Roden, Dylan Ryan and Brendan Walsh. Trey Adamson Riverton, Utah 6-0 - 180 Bishop Lynch High School A four-year letterwinner for Cameron Plocus at Bishop Lynch ... Four-time Texas Association of Private and Parochial Schools (TAPPS) State Champion ... Captured All-American honors all four years ... Three-time prep state champion ... Wrestled in four different weight classes, compiling a 170-18 scholastic record ... Went a career-best 61-7 at 160 pounds as a junior and won both the TAPPS and Prep state championships ... Also competed at 135, 152 and 171 pounds during his scholastic career ... Captured Clinch Gear Prep Slam Champion his senior season ... A two-time freestyle all-american ... four-time freestyle all-american and two-time greco roman state title holder ... brothers Dak Adamson and Riley Adamson both are members of the Duke wrestling team. Anderson on Trey Adamson "We are very excited about another Adamson brother joining our team. The Adamsons have proven themselves winners and Trey perhaps the most. We have great expectations of him and know that he will transition well to college wrestling." Michael Chapman Duluth, Ga. 5-11 - 220 Peachtree Ridge High School A four-year letterwinner for Danny Sinnott at Peachtree Ridge High School ... Earned All-America recognition after placing fifth at NHSCA Senior Nationals in 2011 ... Compiled a 154-35 career scholastic record ... Went unbeaten at 51-0 as a senior and won the Georgia State title at 215 pounds ... Three-time state qualifier and three-time Gwinnett County champion ... Won the regional title as a senior and took home runner-up honors in 2009 and 2010 ... Earned all-county second team recognition as a sophomore and junior ... Named to the all-county first team his senior season ... Selected as the Gwinnett Takedown Association Wrestler of the Year in 2011 ... Also voted to the Georgia Wrestling Coaches Association Dream Team his senior year ... Captured five tournament titles as a senior ... wrestleed with the The Wrestling Academy coached by Dustin Kawa. Anderson on Michael Chapman "Michael has really turned it on his senior year which culminated in earning All-America honors at the NHSCA nationals. He is very athletic and shows a great aptitude for skills acquisition. We have high hopes for him stepping in right away and being competitive." Marcus Cain Winston-Salem, N.C. 5-11 - 152 Parkland High School Northfield Mount Hermon (Post Graduate) A three-year letterwinner at Parkland High School for Maurice Atwood ... Also lettered in his postgraduate year for Rob Buyea for Northfield Mount Hermon ... Compiled a 182-15 scholastic record at Parkland and finished his high school career with a 213-18 overall mark ... Helped lead Parkland to state dual championships and state tournament titles in each of his three seasons as a letterwinner ... Team has won 216 consecutive matches in five years, ranking as the third longest streak in history across the nation ... Two-time state qualifier ... Captured the state title his senior season at Parkland at 140 pounds ... Finished 2010 with a 58-1 overall record ... Registered 40 pins in his 58 wins as a senior ... Won a career-best 65 matches his junior season ... Took first at the regional tournament as a junior and senior ... Captured top honors at the King of the Mat Invitational twice and was third as a sophomore ... Finished fifth at the state tournament as a junior ... At Northfield Mount Hermon, posted a 31-2 record at 152 pounds ... Took first place at the Class A Tournament ... Won the New England Championships and captured the top spot at the 2011 prep national championships to win a national title ... Northfield Mt. Hermon ranked sixth national among prep schools. Anderson on Marcus Cain "I met Marcus a couple of years ago and was very impressed with his story. He started wrestling in ninth grade and yet placed in the Super 32, a national tournament, his junior year. He went to Northfield Mount Hermon for a post graduate year to better prepare himself academically and athletically for college. While there, according to his coach, he shined and exceeded their very high expectations. We are very excited to start working with Marcus and know that he have a big impact upon Duke University." Andrew DeHart Covington, Ohio 5-11 - 165 Covington High School A four-year letterwinner for Tom Barbee at Covington High School ... Earned all-conference and academic all-conference recognition all four seasons ... Selected to the All-GMVWA team his junior and senior years ... Compiled a 185-18 career record and placed among the top six all four years ... Posted a career-best 52-4 overall record as a junior and earned runner-up honors at the state championships ... Took third overall at 145 pounds as a senior and fourth as a sophomore ... Never lost more than seven matches in a single season ... Helped team to 11th-place finish at state tournament his senior season ... Finished among the top 12 at NHSCA Junior Nationals ... Was a member of Team Ohio at the Disney Duals in 2009 ... Also earned three letters in baseball as a center fielder ... Was a member of the National Honor Society. Anderson on Andrew DeHart "Andrew is a phenomenal student athlete. He placed four times in the Ohio state high school wrestling championship and graduated valedictorian of his class. He loves to compete and learn both on and off the mat. We are very excited that he chose Duke over Princeton to continue his academic and athletic career." Conner Hartmann Port Orchard, Wash. 5-11- 195 South Kitsap High School A three-year letterwinner for Chad Nass at South Kitsap High School ... Went 113-15 during his scholastic career ... Compiled a perfect 38-0 record as a senior ... Lost just three matches his final two seasons ... Placed sixth at the Senior National Wrestling Championships in 2011to earn all-america honors ... Captured the 4A Washington State Mat Classic XXIII title at 189 pounds in 2011 ... The Greco Roman Junior Division State Champion at 189 pounds ... Awarded the Coach Maguire Award-highest honor for South Kitsap wrestling - as a senior ... A finalist in the 4A Washington State Mat Classic XXII in 2010 ... Washington State Freestyle Champion as a sophomore and won the freestyle cadet state title ... Advanced to the Pacific Coast Tournament finals as a junior and won the CK Matman Tournament title that same year ... Also won the 4A Region III title in 2010 ... Named the 2009-10 Narrows League Male Scholar Athlete of the Year as a junior ... Garnered both Mr. Pin and Mr. Takedown awards as a senior ... Also competed with Washington State National Wrestling Team as a sophomore and junior ... A four-year member of the South Kitsap Freestyle Wrestling Club ... A member of the ORCAS Washington Senior Duals Team his senior season ... Two-time Academic All-State Wrestling Team champion. Anderson on Conner Hartmann "Conner will be a great addition to our team. He is very focused and driven. His passion is to win a national title and excel in the classroom is second to none. He is very disciplined in every aspect of his life, which will serve him well here at Duke. I have very high expectations for Conner. He will be an asset for the wrestling team and the overall University on and off the wrestling mat." Randy Keith Roden Rome, Ga. 5-10 - 175 Rome High School A four-year letterwinner at Rome High School ... Put together consecutive 44-0 records as a junior and senior ... Compiled a 146-19 scholastic record ... Competed at 171 pounds in final three seasons ... Earned all-america recognition in 2011 ... Three-time regional champion ... Two-time Georgia state champion ... Took fifth as a sophomore ... Garnered the West Sectional title in 2011 ... Ranked 20th nationally by WIN Magazine in 2011 ... Registered a career-high 50 wins as a sophomore ... Was a member of the National Honor Society. Anderson on Randy Roden "Randy is a very special student-athlete who will transition well to the demands of college. Randy gets it done academically and athletically. He is very athletic and physical and is ready to compete at the college level. I believe Randy will acclimate quickly to the demands of college wrestling and contribute to our success. Randy will be joining his high school training partner Immanuel Kerr-Brown. I am told that Randy comports himself on and off the mat like Immanuel and if this is true I know that we will have the very finest student-athletes from the state of Georgia." Dylan Ryan Brentwood, N.H. 5-10 - 195 Phillips Exeter Academy A four-year letterwinner at Phillips Exeter Academy ... Compiled a 113-36 scholastic career record at 189 pounds ... Posted a career-best 39-4 record en route to New Hampshire State Championship as a senior ... Led the team in takedowns and pins ... Team Captain as a senior and his postgraduate year ... Earned runner-up honors at New Hampshire State Tournament as a junior ... Registered the most pins on the team as a junior ... A two-time national qualifier ... New Hampshire Division I Champion his senior season ... Voted the team's Most Valuable Wrestler final two seasons ... Went 24-6 in his postgraduate year with four of the losses coming to the eventual prep national champion ... Class A and New England runner-up in his postgraduate year ... Advanced to the round of 12 at the national tournament in 2011 ... Competed with Smiitys Wrestling Barn A team ... Helped guide squad to second place at 2010 New England Spring Duals ... Team captured Framingham Duals title and was considered the top team in New England ... Also was a three-year letterwinner in football ... Named first team all-state in 2008 and 2009 ... Was a member of National Honor Society. Anderson on Dylan Ryan "Dylan has proven himself a competitor and student of excellent caliber in high school and we expect no less of him here at Duke. He will be a great addition to our upper weights. I know that he has the tools and desire to make the transition to college wrestling. We are very excited about Dylan joining the Duke Blue Devil Wrestling team." Brendan Walsh Garnet Valley, Pa. 6-3 - 240 Garnet Valley High School A four-year letterwinner for Rocco Fantazzi at Garnet Valley High School ... Compiled a 101-31 career record ... A two-time All-Central League first team selection ... Voted to the All-Delco first team as a senior and second team in junior season ... A two-time Section VI and District I South winner ... Took fourth a junior nationals as a junior ... Brought home top honors at Junior Olympics in 2010 ... Finished third in the region as a senior and fifth as a junior ... Earned a third-place finish at prestigious Beast of the East tournament in 2011 ... Finished fourth at Escape the Rock tournament as a junior ... Posted a career-best record of 41-4 as a senior ... Went 74-10 in his final two seasons, wrestling at 285 pounds ... Garnered third place in Section VI tournament as a sophomore ... Also earned three letters in football ... Named first team All-Delco and second team all-Southeast State ... Named to the All-State Academic Wrestling squad. Anderson on Brendan Walsh "Brendan has proven himself at the national level by placing third at the Beast of the East wrestling tournament. We believe that he has a huge upside and that he will work hard to fill out his big frame. We know that he will be able to transition to college wrestling and we are excited to get him on campus and begin to help him fulfill his dream of being a national champion."

IOWA CITY, Iowa -- Former University of Iowa Director of Athletics Chalmers "Bump" Elliott, the man who brought Hawkeye legends Dan Gable and Hayden Fry to the UI campus, has been added to the growing list of guest speakers at Dan Gable’s retirement celebration. "Gable's Gold: A Celebration of Dan Gable's Legacy" will be held June 4 at the Marriott Hotel and Conference Center in Coralville, Iowa. The event is open to the public. Elliott served as Iowa’s AD for 21 years before retiring in 1991. He hired Gable to head the wrestling program in 1976 after Gable had spent the previous four seasons as an assistant on Gary Kurdelmeier’s Iowa staff. Gable led Iowa to 11 national titles and 15 Big Ten championships during the Elliott era. "It’s going to very difficult being here without (Bump)," Gable told the Cedar Rapids Gazette following Elliott’s retirement announcement. "He gave everybody a fair chance to be successful within the proper way of doing it." Elliott joins a list of guest speakers that includes Gable’s former college and Olympic teammate Ben Peterson; Hawkeye head wrestling coach Tom Brands; former Hawkeye wrestlers Mike DeAnna and Terry Brands; Minnesota head wrestling coach J Robinson; and UI Director of Athletics Gary Barta. The reception is scheduled to begin with a social hour at 5:30 p.m. Dinner is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. with a program to follow. Tickets for the reception and sit-down dinner are $50 per person, or $500 for a table of 10, and can be purchased online at hawkeyesports.com. Tickets can also be purchased over the phone at (319) 335-9323 or (800) IA-HAWKS, or in person at the Carver-Hawkeye Arena West entrance. Ticket office hours are 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Tickets are limited and must be purchased before May 27. Gable is considered, by most, to be the best collegiate wrestling coach in the history of the sport. He was Iowa's head coach for 21 years and compiled a 355-21-5 record that included 15 national and 21 Big Ten team titles.

California Hall of Fame Director Lynn Dyche reports that ten individuals will be inducted, and twelve individuals will receive the Lifetime Service Award at the Twelfth Annual Hall of Fame Banquet to be held Saturday, May 14 in San Jose, Calif. Inductees include Joe Gomes, Dr. Morris Johnson, Mack McCrady, Sam Huerta, Jim Sylvia, Neil Pew, Tom Rosenthal, Ashlee Sherman, Sam Lawson and Bill Gray. Those receiving the Lifetime Service Award include Matt Azevedo, Vern Baxter, Ed DeFerrari, Terry Espinoza, Ed Ferrell, Gene Gire, Armand Guerrero, Mike Harr, Chuck Kent, Fritz Knipe, Keith Pickard and Gus Talbot The first inductee into the California Wrestling Hall of Fame was Dave Schultz in 1998. One hundred thirty five individuals have been inducted into the Hall of Fame and 67 individuals have received the Lifetime Service Award

Tervel Dlagnev

NEW YORK -- "I'm baaack!!" Those were the words tweeted by 2008 Olympic champion Henry Cejudo moments after his victory over Russia's Rasul Mashezov in two straight periods on Thursday night at the Beat the Streets Gala held in Times Square. Henry Cejudo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Cejudo, who had not competed since winning his gold medal on Aug. 19, 2008 at the Beijing Olympics, wasted little time picking up the first points of the match with a lighting quick low single leg to go up 1-0. Cejudo added another takedown and took the first period 2-0. He closed out the victory by winning the second period, 4-3, over Mashezov, a 2011 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion and 2010 Junior World bronze medalist. "I feel good," said the 24-year-old Cejudo in his post-match interview. "You can't beat this. Look at Times Square. It's beautiful. It's America." Cejudo's opening-match victory helped propel Team USA over Russia, five matches to two, on a historic night billed as "The Battle on Broadway." After Cejudo 's win at 55 kg, Russia's Rasul Murtazaliev, a runner-up at the 2011 Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix, evened the dual meet at one win a piece with a 3-0, 3-0 victory over Shawn Bunch at 60 kg. At 66 kg, Brent Metcalf put Team USA back on top with a hard-fought three-period victory over Magomedmurad Gadzhiev. The former Iowa Hawkeye standout took the first period in the clinch, 1-0, but Gadzhiev, a 2011 Dave Schultz Memorial International champion, battled back to win the second period 4-1 to force a third and deciding period. Metcalf took the final period 1-0. Metcalf's victory over Gadzhiev avenged a loss from the bronze medal match at the 2011 Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix in January. "Last time it was the same match except for when I got to him I didn't finish," said Metcalf, a 2010 U.S. World Team member. "So that was the difference. I got to him and I finished. I would have liked to pick it up more. But he keeps his level low. I've got to find a way to get past his defense." Jordan Burroughs (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Jordan Burroughs, this year's InterMat Wrestler of the Year and Dan Hodge Trophy winner, kept the momentum on Team USA's side with a 1-0, 2-1 victory over Aniuar Geduev at 74 kg. Burroughs' victory put Team USA up 3-1. He used two of his patented blast double legs to pace him to the victory. For Burroughs, it was his first match ever against a Russian opponent. "Who said Jordan Burroughs couldn't double leg a Russian?" tweeted Burroughs after the victory. Russia came back to win the next match at 84 kg with 21-year-old Andrey Valiev, a 2010 Junior World champion, defeating 2009 World silver medalist Jake Herbert in two straight periods, 3-1, 3-2. At 96 kg, Jake Varner gave Team USA its fourth victory of the night and put the dual meet out of reach with an impressive 5-0, 0-1, 4-0 victory over Shamil Akhmedov, a 2011 Ivan Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix champion and 2010 Junior World champion. Tervel Dlagnev, a World bronze medalist in 2009, put the finishing touches on Team USA's victory over Russia with a 3-0, 3-1 win over Barsag Kesaev at 120 kg, avenging a loss from the 2011 Yarygin Memorial Grand Prix. Results: 55 kg: Henry Cejudo (USA) dec. Rasul Mashezov, 2-0, 4-3 60 kg: Rasul Murtazaliev (Russia) dec. Shawn Bunch (USA), 3-0, 3-0 66 kg: Brent Metcalf (USA) dec. Magomedmurad Gadzhiev (Russia), 1-0, 4-1, 1-0 74 kg: Jordan Burroughs (USA) dec. Aniuar Geduev (Russia), 1-0, 2-1 84 kg: Andrey Valiev (Russia) dec. Jake Herbert (USA), 3-1, 3-2 96 kg: Jake Varner (USA) dec. Shamil Akhmedov (Russia), 5-0, 0-1, 4-0 120 kg: Tervel Dlagnev (USA) dec. Barsag Kesaev (Russia), 3-0, 3-1

The University of Michigan wrestling program has let go of assistant coaches Kirk Trost and Mike Kulczycki. "I felt that we needed to make a change for the continued development of the program," said Michigan head coach Joe McFarland. "Kirk and Mike have served the Michigan program well -- both as coaches and as student-athletes -- and we wish them continued success in the future." Trost, a teammate of McFarland at Michigan in the mid-80s, spent 23 years on the Wolverine coaching staff. He was the 2005 NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year. Kulczycki, an All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier for Michigan, was on the Wolverines' coaching staff for six years. Michigan became one of the nation's top programs with Kirk Trost and Mike Kulczycki on staff, finishing as high as second at the NCAA Division I Championships in 2005. But the Wolverines are coming off three straight seasons of finishing outside the top 10. A national search is underway to replace Trost and Kulczycki. "We plan to actively seek out top candidates to complete our coaching staff," said McFarland.

LEWISBURG, Pa. -- Senior Kevin LeValley (Hugo, Colo./Limon) earned the William A. Graham IV Most Outstanding Wrestler Award to highlight the list of honors doled out by Bison coaches as the Bucknell wrestling team held its end-of-season banquet this past Saturday evening inside Larison Hall. It is the second consecutive year LeValley has been honored with the Graham Award, given annually to the Bison wrestler who performs best at the NCAA Championships. Four other Bison were honored with individual awards, while the 12 letterwinners and two NCAA qualifiers (LeValley, Jay Hahn) were also recognized. Senior Brantley Hooks (Spartanburg, S.C./James F. Byrnes) was presented with the Class of 2010 Leadership Award, while classmate Scott Sechler (Slatington, Pa./Northern Lehigh) was given the Coach’s Award. Sophomore Jack Ingram (Cotuit, Mass./Tbor Academy) copped the 11th Man Award and Hahn (Malvern, Pa./Great Valley) was rewarded with the Most Improved Award. LeValley, who became just the third two-time All-American in program history by finishing seventh at the NCAA Championships for a second straight year, shared the prestigious Graham Award with Andy Rendos in 2010. He is the program’s career wins leader with a 127-40 record, including a stellar 76-11 his final two seasons. LeValley, in 2010-11, led Bucknell in wins for a second consecutive season as he piled up 34 victories against just three losses. He joined Rendos as the only Bison to win EIWA individual titles, claiming the 149-pound title one year after finishing in a runner-up position. Bucknell’s single-season wins leader with 42 as a junior, LeValley earned the Christy Mathewson Award as the top male athlete in the Class of 2011 at Tuesday night’s Bison Club Senior Recognition Dinner. He climbed as high as No. 2 in the national rankings as a senior and finished his career with 59 dual wins, a 22-8 EIWA dual mark and nine pins. A fifth-year senior, Hooks joined current assistant coach David Marble as the only recipients of the two-year-old Class of 2010 Leadership Award, given to the team’s best leader in honor of the first class of seniors following the reinstatement of the program. Hooks began his Bison career in 2006-07, the same year the program returned from a four-year hiatus. The 157-pounder finished his career with an 87-67 record, ranking 10th on Bucknell’s all-time wins list. He was 21-12 as a senior and finished seventh at the EIWA Championships, his second consecutive time as a placewinner at the conference meet after a sixth-place showing in 2010. Sechler earned the Coach’s Award, which recognizes what the coaches look for in an athlete: work ethic, dedication and a positive attitude. Sechler, a 157-pounder, wrestled in six individual tournaments as a senior, finishing sixth at the Mat-Town Open and fourth at the Shorty Hitchcock Invitational. A 2009 EIWA placewinner (6th), Sechler finished the 2010-11 campaign with a 9-12 mark, but won five of his final seven bouts, bringing his career win total to 40. The 11th Man Award recognizes a wrestler who may not be in the starting lineup, but works just as hard, if not harder, and contributes tremendously to the overall achievement of the team. Ingram earned the honor this year and will try to replicate the success of 2010 winner Corey Lear, who became an EIWA placewinner this season. Ingram, a 141-pound grappler, wrestled just 12 bouts in 2010-11, picking up his only win of the season at the Shorty Hitchcock Invitational. Hahn joined LeValley in giving Bucknell two NCAA qualifiers as he copped the Most Improved Award. He nearly doubled his previous high win total of 16, posting a 29-12 record in 2010-11, bringing his final career tally to 63-52. Hahn finished fourth in the 197-pound bracket at the EIWA Championships, earning his first automatic berth to the NCAA Championships. At NCAAs, Hahn collected one win against two losses. Hahn posted four different winning streaks of at least four bouts and was 13-2 in bonus-point matches this past season. He never lost more than two consecutive bouts and finished third at both the Michigan State Open and Navy Classic. Hahn’s 29 wins tied for 13th on the program’s single-season list. Bucknell’s Class of 2011 – Hahn, Hooks, LeValley, Sechler, David Thompson (West Liberty, Ohio/Graham Local) and Rob Waltko (Pittsburgh, Pa./North Allegheny) - will graduate with 39 dual wins, the second-most of any class in program history. Bucknell posted a 7-11 record in 2010-11 and were 2-5 in EIWA duals. The Bison finished in eighth place at the EIWA Championships and had five placewinners at the event that took place inside Sojka Pavilion.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga and the Greater Chattanooga Sports & Events Committee announced today that they have teamed up to host the 2012 Chattanooga Southern Scuffle. One of the largest in-season collegiate wrestling tournaments in the nation, the Chattanooga Southern Scuffle will be held January 1-2, 2012, at McKenzie Arena. The event is a 30-team invitational tournament with student-athletes competing in each of the 10 collegiate weight classes. The Southern Scuffle gained notoriety in its original home of Greensboro, N.C., over the previous eight years. UNC Greensboro recently cut its collegiate wrestling program, prompting a need for the Southern Scuffle to find a new home. "This is a great opportunity for our student-athletes, our program and the Chattanooga community," stated Mocs Head Coach Heath Eslinger. "In terms of wrestling, this has become one of the toughest tournaments in the country outside of the NCAA Championships. It will allow us to showcase some of the best competition at the collegiate level to our wrestling community and provide our guys with a chance to compete against the best in the country." With approximately 300 participants, and the accompanying coaches, family and fans, descending upon the Scenic City, the Chattanooga Southern Scuffle will have a tremendous economic impact on the area. The event generated overall $1 million in tourism revenue each year during its run in Greensboro. "We are excited to partner with UTC to bring the Southern Scuffle to Chattanooga," added Scott Smith, President of the Greater Chattanooga Sports & Events Committee. "It will be a great event for our city, especially considering it occurs on January 1-2, when hotels are relatively empty. Events of this size at that time of year are normally hard to find." In addition to the Mocs, 16 teams have already committed to the tournament next year. Six squads finished in the top-25 at the 2011 NCAA Championships, including No. 2 Cornell, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 19 Missouri, No. 21 Oregon State, No. 23 Virginia and No. 25 Indiana. "When I heard that Heath was taking over the Southern Scuffle, I knew I had to get our team involved," said Virginia Head Coach Steve Garland. "He runs a class program and I'm completely confident this event will be a class event. We are excited to experience the new Scuffle at Chattanooga!" Also competing in the event are Duke, North Carolina, Virginia Tech, Appalachian State, Army, Campbell, Cleveland State, Gardner-Webb, Ohio and Old Dominion. Represented among all 17 teams are 10 returning All-Americans and one NCAA National Champion from the 2011 season. "Chattanooga is a great choice for continuing the Southern Scuffle," said Indiana Head Coach Duane Goldman. "The location and facilities are very good; that along with their hospitality and willingness to support wrestling in taking on such an event make us eager to attend." Be sure to check back to GoMocs.com in the coming months as more teams are added to the field. Ticket information for the Chattanooga Southern Scuffle, as well as the Mocs' full 2011-12 dual match schedule will be available in the next few weeks.

There are currently 16 wrestlers with college wrestling eligibility remaining who have qualified for the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials in freestyle, which take place June 10-11 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. However, several college stars with strong freestyle wrestling pedigrees have been missing in action this spring and have not qualified for the Trials. Wrestlers may still qualify for the event by winning the Northern Plains Regional on May 12 or by earning a wildcard selection. Below is a list of 10 wrestlers with college wrestling eligibility who have been missing in action this spring that could make noise at the Trials if they earn wildcard selections (or win the Northern Plains Regional). Please note: Some wrestlers may not be competing due to injury. Jason ChamberlainJason Chamberlain (Boise State) Chamberlain earned a spot on the All-American podium for the first time in his college wrestling career this past season with a third-place finish at 149 pounds. He has a strong freestyle wrestling pedigree. Chamberlain represented the U.S. at the Junior World Championships in 2009 and 2010. He narrowly missed earning a medal at the 2010 Junior World Championships, losing in three periods to Anton Afansyeu of Belarus in the bronze medal match. Derek Garcia (Ohio State) Garcia, a high school senior in 2009-2010, deferred enrollment at Ohio State to spend a year training freestyle at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. The Washington native, who won a Junior Nationals freestyle title in the summer of 2009, has seen limited action in competition over the past year, but has received high praise from Brandon Slay and Bill Zadick, two coaches on the U.S. freestyle staff. Garcia is expected to step in the lineup at 165 pounds for the Buckeyes in 2011-12 and many believe he will be an immediate impact freshman. Tyler GraffTyler Graff (Wisconsin) Graff, a two-time All-American at Wisconsin, has been active on the freestyle scene throughout this entire career, which is why his inactivity this spring is a bit puzzling. He represented the U.S. at the Junior World Championships in 2007 and 2008. Last spring, Graff was runner-up at the University World Team Trials, losing in three periods to 2011 U.S. Open champion Reece Humphrey. He competed at the 2010 U.S. World Team Trials and went 1-2. Matt McDonough (Iowa) McDonough has gone 64-3 in his first two seasons in the Hawkeye lineup, winning an NCAA title as a freshman in 2010 and finishing as an NCAA runner-up this past season. He won the FILA Junior World Team Trials at 60 kg last spring, which earned him a spot on the U.S. Junior World Team. Jordan OliverJordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) Oliver, an undefeated NCAA champion this past season, has openly stated that he wants to win World and Olympic gold medals in freestyle, which is no surprise considering he uprooted from his home state of Pennsylvania and moved to Oklahoma to be coached by John Smith, widely considered to be the greatest American freestyle wrestler ever, and Eric Guerrero, a 2004 Olympian in freestyle. Oliver has had a considerable amount of success in age group freestyle events, not only domestically, but also overseas. He earned a bronze medal at the 2009 Junior World Championships. Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) Perry, the younger brother of Illinois associate head coach Mark Perry and nephew of Oklahoma State head coach John Smith, is another Cowboy with a strong freestyle wrestling pedigree who has been inactive this spring. He placed in the top five at the Junior World Championships in both 2009 and 2010, earning a Junior World bronze medal last summer at 84 kg. Perry also placed fourth at the 2010 U.S. Open. Zach ReyZach Rey (Lehigh) Rey, an NCAA champion, continues to progress as one of the nation's top young heavyweights. He benefited greatly from the addition of Steve Mocco to the Lehigh coaching staff this past season. Rey placed seventh at the both the U.S. Open and University World Championships last year, but the Lehigh big man has been inactive in freestyle this year. Kellen Russell (Michigan) Russell was an undefeated NCAA champion this past season at 141 pounds, but rarely gets mentioned in conversations about the nation's best pound-for-pound college wrestlers because of the fact that he wrestles many close matches. But Russell is a winner. Wrestlers who win at the highest levels of wrestling are those who find ways to win the close matches ... and Russell has proven to be one of those wrestlers. Russell was two-time Junior Nationals finalist in freestyle, winning a title in 2006, but he has not competed much in freestyle since becoming a Wolverine. He finished runner-up to Jordan Burroughs at the 2008 University World Team Trials. Ed RuthEd Ruth (Penn State) As a collegiate 174-pounder, Ruth finds himself in between freestyle weight classes. If Ruth does compete at the 2011 U.S. World Team Trials, it will likely be at 84 kg (185 pounds), but he would be giving up some size to bigger, stronger wrestlers like Jake Herbert and Bryce Hasseman. Ruth finished fourth at the 2010 FILA Junior Nationals, losing to Iowa's Grant Gambrall and soon-to-be Penn State teammate Morgan McIntosh. David Taylor (Penn State) Taylor has been among the nation's best in freestyle at every level in which he has competed. He won national titles in freestyle as a Cadet and Junior. Taylor represented the U.S. at the Junior World Championships in 2007. He also won a University Nationals title last spring. Taylor competed at 157 pounds this past season for Penn State and will likely be moving up to 165 pounds next season. Like Nittany Lion teammate Ruth, Taylor is a tweener in freestyle right now. He is too big to drop down to 66 kg (145.5 pounds), but would be undersized competing at 74 kg (163 pounds).

Laramie, Wyo. -- Head coach Mark Branch and the Cowboy coaching staff announced the Wyoming wrestling squad’s team awards during the program’s annual year-end gathering last Saturday in Laramie. Friends and family saw UW wrestlers recognized for their efforts on the mat and in the classroom during the 2010-11 season. “This was a great way to celebrate a very successful season,” Branch said. “These men have continued to elevate this program and this was a day for thanking them for their hard work and outstanding contributions. It’s always sad to say goodbye to our seniors, but everyone is already fired up about the 2011-12 season and the future that waits for Cowboy wrestling.” Named after former head coaches of the program, Wyoming’s four team awards were the most highly coveted accolades of the event and were determined based on a vote of the coaching staff. Junior Shane Onufer took home top honors of the night as he was named UW’s Everett Lantz Most Outstanding Wrestler of the season. Onufer finished fifth at the 2011 NCAA Championships to earn his first All-America honor courtesy of a team-best 34-4 record. Senior Cole Dallaserra earned the Joe McDaniel Most Improved Wrestler thanks to his first West Regional title and a trip to the national tournament this season, while junior Michael Martinez claimed the Joe Dowler Cowboy Up Award after battling through several injuries to post another successful campaign. Junior Joe LeBlanc received the Steven Suder High Point Award for the second-straight season, which is a combination of dual points and grade-point average. The four Cowboys, along with sophomore L.J. Helbig and redshirt freshman Patrick Martinez, were given plaques for qualifying for the 2011 NCAA Championships, while Onufer and LeBlanc received watches for their All-America finish at the event. A total of 11 wrestlers were honored for their achievements in the classroom during the year. Dallaserra, LeBlanc, senior Shane Doughman, junior Alfonso Hernandez, senior Joe O’Farrell, freshman Leland Pfeifer, sophomore Michael Poulos, freshman Brandon Richardson and junior Tyler Davis all were recognized for having above a 3.25 cumulative GPA, while Michael Martinez and Helbig claimed the Hussle Award for their extra efforts academically. UW’s senior team members Dallaserra, Doughman, Bubba McLaughlin and Jack Tennant were thanked by Branch and the staff for their contributions and dedication during their careers with the Cowboys.

Alex Shaffer, a New Jersey state wrestling champion who stars in the new wrestling movie “Win Win,” and Marty Morgan, former assistant coach at Minnesota who coaches MMA star Brock Lesnar, will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, May 4. “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 p.m. CST on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show will be available on themat.com. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Alex Schaeffer made his acting debut in the film "Win Win." The film, which features wrestling prominently throughout, has received extremely positive reviews. Schaeffer was a state champion in New Jersey prior to making this movie. Morgan was an assistant coach at the University of Minnesota before training mixed martial arts star Brock Lesnar full time. He was an NCAA champion at 177 pounds for Minnesota in 1991.

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Takedown Wrestling Hosts Steve Foster and Jeff Murphy take over the show along with former Iowa State wrestlers David Zabriskie and Jon Reader. Join in this Saturday for Takedown Wrestling 9 to 11 a.m. CST. This weeks guests include: 9:01 to 9:15 Joel Sharratt -- Air Force head coach 9:20 to 9:35 Tervel Dlagnev -- Preparing for the World Team Trials 9:40 JD Bergman -- Preparing for the World Team Trials 9:50 Max Muscle Minute with Ty Barkley 10:01 to 10:15 Jeremy Spates -- Assistant coach at Cornell University 10:20 Open talk with in-studio guests David Zabriskie and Jon Reader 10:40 Mike Denney -- New head coach at Maryville University 10:50 Wildrose Casino and Resort in Clinton, 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.

Michael Novogratz

Reece Humphrey

Event: UFC 129: GSP vs. Shields Venue: Rogers Centre, Toronto, Canada Date: April 30, 2011 If you like watching Canadians fight, then tonight is your night! In what will be the largest live audience ever for an MMA event, 55,000 will be in attendance to see their favorite Canadians do battle with some of the sports best fighters. There are two five round title fights featured on a card with a dozen fights. So let's get busy trying to find the betting value in this record breaking affair. Welterweight Georges St. Pierre (21-2) could be elected Canadian Prime Minister he is so popular. He has eaten up all competition in his weight class, despite being criticized for fighting boring fights, and being unable to finish his opponents. Tonight he plans to finish former Strikeforce champion Jake Shields (26-4-1), whose sixteen fight-winning streak spans over six years! St. Pierre is perhaps better in each fight category, with the exception of jiu-jitsu, where Shields has the Cesar Gracie pedigree. Jake trains with the deadly Diaz brothers (Nick being the Strikeforce welterweight champion), and Gilbert Melendez, who is already posted as a -130 favorite to beat current UFC champion Frankie Edgar, if he gets by Gray Maynard on May 28. I love GSP, but how can you make Shields a +320 underdog against anyone? He beat the crap out of Dan Henderson for Pete's sakes! And, you don't think Hendo would hang with GSP? I do, and so will Shields as he shocks the world with a stunning rear-naked choke against the future HOF'er. GSP's reign ends with a third round submission. The first ever UFC featherweight (145 pounds) title is on the line tonight with Jose "Scarface" Aldo (18-1) making his UFC debut as the UFC champion against Canadian Mark "The Machine" Hominick (20-8), whose relentless pace and striking skills give him hope. But as he will soon learn, Aldo is a freak on a different level. Jose's explosive speed and devastating kicks make him impossible to corner. He mauls his opponents, and leaves them in heaps on the mat. Hominick may come out firing, but he will soon be another name notched into Aldo's golden belt. A -465 bridge jump is warranted as this one ends before the fight is half over (a prop bet that I added to my deposit slip). Aldo wins by KO in second round. Tonight's card will be memorable, if for no other reason, it is Randy "The Natural" Couture's (19-10) last fight! And, it is a fight that he has wanted to have ever since Lyota "The Dragon" Machida (16-2) won his light-heavyweight belt. Randy calls Lyota the Rubick's Cube of MMA. But unfortunately Shogun Rua and Rampage Jackson have already figured out the solution. Randy attempts to make it three straight losses for Machida, but is a huge +280 underdog in his venture. PERFECT. As much as I love Machida for his humbleness and unique fighting skills, I love Randy as a 'dog more. Bring it on! We know Randy will try to force the action against the cage with another dirty boxing clinic. But can he catch the quicker, more elusive Dragon? I hope so. Unless Lyota catches him with a stunning knockout like he did against Rashad Evans, or dances to victory like he is likely to do, Randy has a chance. We know the scene, and it is based on Greco Roman wrestling. Let's hope Randy goes out in style ... one more time, Randy. Please, just one more time! I think he wins by decision. I mean really, what judge wants to go against this legend in his final fight? No one. Thank you, Randy, for the memories and your gracious representation of the sport we all love (wrestling). We will miss you dearly. Light heavyweight fighters Jason Brilz (18-3) and Vladimer Matyushenko (25-5) are mirror images of each other, though Brilz is the younger fighter on the rise and "The Janitor" is in the twilight of his career. Simple math puts me on Brilz to grind out a convincing decision on the mat in a boring fight. And the -115 looks cheap to me. Two submission specialists fight when lightweight Canadian Mark Bocek (9-3) takes on former WEC star Ben "Smooth" Henderson (12-2). I think Henderson has the superior striking skills, and his two wins over Cowboy Cerrone showed me that he is "Gumby" when it comes to avoiding submissions. And that is Bocek's game. In what should be an action-packed battle with numerous ebb-and-flows, I think Henderson will do enough to win a close, maybe split, decision. Lay the -120 and enjoy the fight. On the undercard, we have a few more interesting matchups. The following two fights can be seen tonight FREE on Spike TV. The rest of the preliminaries can be seen for FREE on the UFC's Faceback page. If you like wrestling, you will like watching Jake Ellenberger (23-5) dismantle and control overmatched Canadian Sean Pierson. Ellenberger -200 wins by second round TKO. If you have never seen a Diaz brother fight, tonight younger bro,' welterweight Nate (13-6) will be on display. This Compton street punk is a well-skilled Cesar Gracie submission specialist. His gangly, pawing, awkward-looking striking style, sets up his lethal jiu-jitsu game. And if you find yourself on the mat with a Diaz, you are in deep waters. A wise Rory MacDonald (10-1) shouldn't go there. Nate wins by triangle choke submission in the third round. Cashing at -110 is simply a bargain. Canadian Jason "The Athlete" MacDonald (24-14) is recovering from a broken leg last time out. His skill set includes some dangerous submission holds, and tonight's opponent, Ryan Jensen (15-7) has lost five of his fights by submissions and is a dismal 2-5 in the UFC. The loser gets a pink slip. The winner fights on. Let's go with home cooking and take modest underdog MacDonald at +105 by third round armbar submission. Two more submission specialists tangle when French Canadian Claude Patrick (13-1) takes on Daniel "Ninja" Roberts (12-1). I'll take Roberts all day long as a +130 underdog. A close decision is the call here. Journeyman veterans Ivan Menjivar (21-8) and Charlie Valencia (12-6) will test their skills to see who can survive these shark infested waters. I like a determined, hungry-hobo-looking Valencia to bring home the bacon. His WEC losses were to the likes of Faber, Cruz, Torres, and Bowles, all top tier fighters. Pedigree and experience give this +160 underdog a shot. Valencia does enough to win a close decision. Canadian John Makdessi (8-0) fights Kyle Watson (14-6-1) ... who? I'll pass. Same with Pablo Garza and Canadian Yves Jabouin. No betting action there either. So now let's figure out how to make some much-needed money from these thoughts ... Let's see what we can do with our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll. Let's lay $115 to win $368 on Jake Shields to submit GSP. Thank you, Cesar Gracie. Let's lay $186 to win $40 on a Jose Aldo bridge jump. Look out below! Let's lay $100 to win $280 on the Natural's swan song ... one more time, Randy! Let's lay $92 to win $80 on a Brilz snooze fest. Let's lay $96 to win $80 on Smooth Henderson in an action packed fight. Let's lay $110 to win $100 on Nate Diaz and wish we had laid more ... Let's lay $150 to win $75 on Jake Ellenberger in an easy one. Let's lay $60 to win $63 on Jason MacDonald's recovery. Let's lay $50 to win $65 on Ninja Roberts all day long. Let's lay $40 to win $64 on Charlie Valencia. Let's pass (no bets) on Watson/Makdessi and Garza/Jabouin So we are all in risking $999 to win $1215. Lots of 'dogs, some big. I smell a big night! Don't forget to give some of your winnings to your local youth wrestling program, where tomorrow's champions are born. Enjoy the fights, I know I will.

Dear Brown Community Members, As you may be aware, the Athletics Review Committee released a preliminary report for campus discussion and feedback on April 21. This report, an effort to resolve longstanding questions about the appropriate scope and budget for Brown’s varsity athletics program, is a response to a request from the Corporation that we submit a plan for addressing these questions at their May 2011 meeting. In the week that the preliminary report has been available, campus discussion and debate about this subject has naturally generated a variety of concerns from students, parents, alumni, staff and faculty. Committee members have listened attentively to those concerns. However, one observation that has been made repeatedly is that the time-frame for consideration and implementation of the discontinuation of specific sports is too brief. This is especially troubling for some because of where we are in the semester, when students are focused on final projects and exams. Heeding this concern, the committee has now recommended to me that further deliberations and decisions on any recommendations concerning the discontinuation of team sports be placed on hold until the beginning of the fall semester. I have decided therefore to report to the Corporation that we will not make a recommendation with respect to the future status of wrestling, skiing and fencing at the May meeting and that those team sports will be allowed to continue through the next academic year. I will return to this matter in the fall, giving ample time for further discussion prior to submitting a recommendation at the October meeting of the Corporation. However, I will recommend to the Corporation at the May 2011 meeting that we move ahead to implement certain other of the committee’s recommendations. In particular, effective Fall 2011, I will recommend that we begin to reduce the number of admission slots for recruited athletes in line with the report’s rationale and terms for doing so develop a plan to make the necessary salary adjustments for staff and coaches as called for in the report; raise funds to support improvements in financial aid as allowed under Ivy rules, which provide that we may only improve financial aid to athletes if we are similarly improving aid for non-athletes; and raise funds for the most urgent additional needs identified by the report. I acknowledge that this discussion has been very difficult for all concerned: the students who stand to be significantly affected by the discontinuation of their teams, the supporters of those teams, the committee, and the campus more generally. While delaying the decision on the outcome for these teams is not ideal, I am persuaded that the committee’s recommendation to allow students to complete the semester’s work without the burden or stress of addressing this issue is sound and compassionate. Students will be able to return to Brown in September with the assurance of a full year of participation in their sport as well as have the opportunity to offer additional input about the value and status of their sport before a decision is made. Let me add also that we do not and will not plan to discontinue any additional varsity sports as part of this process. I want to thank the wrestling, skiing and fencing students and their many supporters for their efforts to collect information and to offer testimony to the committee. Not surprisingly, our students have conducted themselves with great poise and intelligence. I am especially grateful to the committee for the work they have completed to date on this very important topic. Their efforts to address the needs of the Athletics program as called for by the Corporation Principles of February 2011 as well as their openness to debate have been laudable. The committee’s memorandum to me pertaining to the suspension of discussion may be found on the right side of this web page, where the April 21 report already resides. Sincerely, Ruth J. Simmons