InterMat Staff

It is late July in Fargo, North Dakota. A couple thousand young men (and women) have relocated here for anywhere from three days to a week. Along with them comes a cadre of adult coaches, officials, and event staff. Also along for the event is a huge cadre of media and collegiate coaches. One might ask why this is occurring and what the significance of this massive event is. However, the informed wrestling fan will recognize that the first paragraph in this article describes the ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet Nationals. The event is held every summer in late July, and is the biggest wrestling tournament in the world with respect to participation. In addition, it is also the most significant national showcase for high-school aged wrestlers in the United States. Although the contested styles at the tournament are not folkstyle -- that which is wrestled at the high school and college levels -- the event attracts significant interest from the wrestling community at large. College coaches come in droves and are attracted by the quantity of top-notch high school wrestling talent that competes in this event. And that is the key phrase, the wrestlers compete. In the vertical pairing format, wrestlers are split into two pools. Each pool is wrestled as a hybrid round-robin/double-elimination tournament. To make it simple, the last four wrestlers left in each pool that have yet to lose two times earn All-American honors. As a result, in most weight classes, it will take at least five wins -- and possibly even more -- to become an All-American. Keep in mind that matches in this event tend to involve elite wrestlers going against one another. The remainder of this article will seek to explore three separate, yet important, questions. First, how strong is the correlation between performance at the NCAA Division I level (i.e. earning All-American honors) and that in Fargo. The second is the correlation between performance in Fargo and at the NCAA Division I level. The third is the question of if the level/quality of competition in Fargo has trended slightly downward in recent years. In order to explore the above questions, this article is going to break things down from two angles. The first way is to evaluate how many of the NCAA Division I All-Americans in recent years earned All-American honors in Fargo (either as a cadet or junior, in Greco-Roman or freestyle). The second is to evaluate how many of the All-Americans at the Junior/Cadet Nationals also were NCAA Division I All-Americans. Total NCAA All-Americans that also placed in Fargo Over the last five NCAA Division I Championships, an average of between five and six out of every eight All-Americans (top 8 wrestlers in each of ten weight classes earn such honors) also earned such honors at the Junior & Cadet Nationals while in high school. Though statistics are not included in this article, it seems highly likely that a number of wrestlers that competed but failed to place at the NCAA tournament earned All-American honors in Fargo. In addition, there are those that did not place during their trips to Fargo but did earn NCAA Division I All-American honors. As the above table indicates, the number of NCAA All-Americans that were also Fargo All-Americans has dropped by about 10 percent in the last two years. There has been discussion about the slight downward trend in terms of high-end wrestlers that choose to compete at the Junio & Cadet Nationals -- especially at the junior level. Even if this is the case, the Junior & Cadet Nationals remain a platform for wrestlers to reveal their true character and ability level, and for collegiate coaches to discover the future stars of college wrestling. Number of Fargo All-Americans that placed in each NCAA Division I weight class These future stars of college wrestling found in Fargo are much more likely to be lowerweights than either middleweights or upperweights. In the last five NCAA Division I tournaments -- 33 of the 40 All-Americans at both 125 and 133 pounds also earned such honors in Fargo, which is five more than for any other weight class. Each of the middleweight classes (141-174) had between 25 and 28 of the All-Americans during the 2006 through 2010 tournaments also earn such honors in Fargo during their high school years. That is an average of between 5.0 and 5.6 out of 8 possible each year. On the other hand, success in Fargo is not as predictive for All-American honors among Division I upperweights. Less than 25 of the 40 All-Americans for the five year period between 2006 and 2010 in the 184 and 285 pound weight classes also had been All-Americans in Fargo, while only 26 at 197 pounds were placers in Fargo. Number of Junior National freestyle All-Americans that became NCAA Division I All-Americans Starting with 2002, the Junior & Cadet Nationals adopted the scholastic weight classes as the bass for most of their weight classes. There are 15 weight classes at the junior level starting with 98 and 105 pounds, while the cadet level has 17 weight classes starting with 84, 91, and 98 pounds. Prior to 2002, there were less weight classes, and they followed the pattern of the prevailing international weight classes. With so many weight classes to observe, the question becomes which ones are the most competitive -- the deepest with quality and future college stars. The data seems to show that the meat of the Junior National competition starts in the 119-pound weight class and goes through 189 pounds. This also aligns with the logical intuition that wrestlers in these classes are likely to be able to be effective competitors in nine of the ten collegiate weight classes. On the other hand, the 98 and 105-pound weight classes (also 112 pounds to a lesser extent) tend to be low in participants; and there seem to be the question of if these wrestlers will ever grow into effective competitors at 125. The 215 and 285-pound weight classes are on the similar but opposite side of the "bell curve." Those at 215 pounds face the choice of making what could be a tough weight drop and also stylistic transition to 197 pounds, or moving in the other direction up to competing at 285 pounds, while the 285-pound wrestlers only fit into one collegiate weight class. Number of Cadet National freestyle All-Americans that became NCAA Division I All-Americans Analysis of the cadet level competition shows similar patterns to the junior level, though these seem to be more participant driven. The growth spurts and patterns of wrestlers going from the cadet level to the time they start -- and subsequently complete -- their college careers is much less predictable. Only three years of data is shown at the cadet level for two reasons -- first is to remain within the period of 17 weight classes at the cadet level, the second is that the pool of wrestlers competing as cadets in 2004 has a pretty strong correlation to those competing as juniors in 2006. The general pattern at the cadet level is that performance in the opening two and closing three weights carries less connection than that in the remaining weight classes. It is my opinion that much of this is due to the participation numbers in those outer-extreme weight classes being less than those in other weights. Although sample size may be a significant constraint to making legitimate conclusions -- the limited data here shows a "double core" of 98-125 and 145-171 in terms of the stronger weight classes. Number of Junior National Greco-Roman All-Americans that became NCAA Division I All-Americans Most of the discussion in this country about international style wrestling is focused on freestyle. Two reasons come immediately to mind why that is the case. A first is an opinion that freestyle wrestling is much more in line with the scholastic folkstyle than is Greco-Roman. A second is that the majority of our star collegiate wrestlers choose to compete in freestyle at the senior level as opposed to Greco-Roman. However, there has been some momentum for Greco-Roman in recent years as the United States national program has improved by leaps and bounds, including winning the team points title at the 2007 World Championships. In addition, the program at the USOEC on the campus of Northern Michigan has enabled more wrestlers to start fine-turning their Greco-Roman skills right out of high school, and fully commit to that style of wrestling. Also keep in mind that certain aspects of Greco -- both techniques and tactics -- make for a more versatile and better scholastic wrestler. However, for this article, the discussion of Greco-Roman focuses on how Junior National All-Americans in this style end up performing at the NCAA Division I level of competition. In comparison to freestyle, it would seem that Greco-Roman performance is significantly less correlated to collegiate performance. Two possible root causes for this are: (1) the skills, techniques, and tactics necessary for Greco-Roman success do not translate as well to the collegiate style as do those that determine freestyle success (2) the participation numbers in Greco-Roman are less than those in freestyle, especially among the perceived higher ranked high school wrestlers. It could be some combination thereof as well. One closing note is a cautionary tale about the comparisons of NCAA Division I All-Americans from the different years in Fargo. Keep in mind that for the 2006 Junior Nationals, many of those competing wrestlers still have collegiate eligibility left. Some may still earn All-American status for the first time. The high school senior class of that year has completed four years of college, which means their eligibility is either exhausted or they have a redshirt senior year left. Wrestlers that graduated high school in later years fit into the picture accordingly.

The Brown University wrestling program is pleased to announce its class of 2014, consisting of 10 distinguished young men: Giuseppi Lanzi (Amsterdam HS, NY), C.J. Howard (Pittsford HS, NY), Billy Watterson (John Jay HS, NY), Dan Cataldi (Great Neck South HS, NY), Pat Labuz (Hazelton HS, PA), Jared Kay (Hazelton HS, PA), Brandon Vorrius (Middletown North HS, NJ), Sterling Hecox (Harlem HS, IL), Vinny Moita (De La Salle HS, CA), and Dan Flowers (Dexter HS, MI). Four of Brown's ten recruits come from New York, a mainstay at the top of the national high school rankings. Leading the group is State Champion, Giuseppi Lanzi, finished the season ranked 14th nationally in the 152-pound weight class. Lanzi is a two-time State Place Winner, placing 3rd in 2009 and 1st in 2010 and was voted the Most Outstanding Wrestler in Division 1 at the New York State Championships this past year. Lanzi finished his career as a three-time Section 2 Champion with 247 career wins. He also just recently represented the NYS team in the Dapper Dan Classic. Billy Watterson, of John Jay, has amassed a school record of 155 wins over his four-year high school career and placed 3rd at the State Tournament this past year. Watterson is also a four-time All League Award Winner as well as a two-time Sectional Finalist. Pittsford Senior, C.J. Howard, has collected an impressive 176 career wins and qualified for the State Tournament three times, placing 6th in 2010. Howard was also selected to be a member of the 2010 NYS Team competing at the Dapper Dan Classic. Rounding out the four New York recruits is Long Islander, Dan Cataldi. The Great Neck South wrestler was a Nassau County Tournament Champion this past year and was also voted the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. High school teammates Jared Kay and Pat Labuz, of Hazelton PA, will also make the trip to Brown University this fall. Kay accumulated 140 wins over his high school career. He was a two-time District Champion, two-time State Qualifier and a two-time Place Winner at the Pennsylvania State Championships 7th in 2009, 3rd in 2010. His teammate, Labuz, was a four-time District Champion, two-time Regional Champion, three-time State Qualifier and two-time NHSCA All-American. This past season Labuz placed 6th at the State Tournament after reaching the semi-finals, having to default due to an injury. Labuz finished his career at Hazelton with 138 wins. California native, Vinny Moita, placed 3rd at the California State Championships in 2009 and earned All-American status at the Junior Nationals. Vinny was also a finalist at the prestigious Tournament of Champions this year held in Reno, Nevada. He has an impressive Greco-Roman and Freestyle background, winning state championships in both styles. New Jersey Shore wrestler, Brandon Vorrius, holds a notable 112 career wins in the Garden State. This past season he placed 7th in the State Championships and holds the school record in most pins, total season wins, total career wins, and total team points. Brandon was a 3x District Champion as well as a 2x Region Champion. Coming from Michigan, Dan Flowers is a three-time State Tournament qualifier placing 2nd in 2009. He has a total of 174 career wins. Flowers has also been a three-time Conference Champion as well as a two-time District Champion. Finishing the list of impressive student-athletes arriving to Brown University in the fall is Illinois wrestler, Sterling Hecox. He is a four-time State Qualifier, placing 4th in 2009 and 2nd in 2010. This past season he knocked off the nation’s number one 189 pounder in his team’s regional tournament and finished the season ranked 13th nationally. Sterling finished his career with 147 wins for Harlem HS. We are pleased to announce the Class of 2014 Brown University Wrestling Recruits. These bright, talented young men will be a great addition to the team.

Rulon Gardner

Bernard Feldman

Jim Ramirez

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- University of Northern Iowa Director of Athletics Troy Dannen has tabbed Doug Schwab as the Panthers’ ninth head coach in the program’s illustrious history. Doug Schwab (Photo/Tony Rotundo, Tech-Fall.com)“Doug is going to bring passion and intensity back to UNI wrestling. Panther wrestling has a long and storied history and Doug has the championship mentality necessary to re-establish our program as one of the best in the nation,” Dannen said. “His expectations for academic success and a championship lifestyle outside of the wrestling room will ensure not only competitive successes but more importantly, enhanced educational experiences for our student-athletes.” “I’m extremely excited and grateful to have this opportunity at UNI,” Schwab said. “My main job is to get the guys to buy into the lifestyle – that includes on the mat and in the classroom. I’m looking forward to putting an exciting product on the mat that fans in the Cedar Valley can rally behind and come out and watch. I’m ready to get to work and starting building for the future.” Schwab, a native of Osage, Iowa, recently completed his fourth season as an assistant coach with the University of Iowa wrestling team after serving as the team’s volunteer assistant coach in 2006-07. As an assistant for the Hawkeyes, Schwab provided team and individual instruction on a daily basis. He worked with the coaching staff to recruit future student-athletes including leading the recruitment in 2009. He coordinated and scheduled the Iowa City Duals as well as various other dual meets. Schwab assisted with coaching responsibilities before, during and after competition, including weight management and video tape analysis. In his four seasons on staff, Schwab helped the Hawkeyes to three NCAA and Big Ten team titles. During that time, Iowa crowned six NCAA champions, six Big Ten champions, 23 all-Americans and 24 academic all-Big Ten honorees. The Hawkeyes posted an 82-6 dual record - including perfect records the last two seasons (24-0 in 2008-09, 23-0 in 2009-10). Several Hawkeye wrestlers earned individual honors during Schwab’s tenure. Former Hawkeye Brent Metcalf was awarded the 2008 Dan Hodge Trophy, which is presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate wrestler, as well as the 2008 Jesse Owens Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year award. Former Hawkeye Mark Perry won his second consecutive NCAA title in 2008, capturing his fourth all-America honor. Former Hawkeye Jay Borschel won his first Big Ten and NCAA titles last season, becoming the 19th Hawkeye wrestler to post an undefeated season record (37-0). Sophomore Matt McDonough won his first NCAA title in 2010 after earning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors at the conference meet. While serving on the Hawkeye staff, Schwab remained active in international competition. Schwab represented the United States at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China, wrestling freestyle at 145.5 pounds (66 kg). He won titles at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and U.S. Nationals. In 2007 he won the U.S. Senior Freestyle title, earned a bronze medal at the 2007 Pan American Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. Schwab’s other post-college national wrestling accomplishments include winning the 145.5-pound title at the 2003 Sunkist Kids International Open and earning Outstanding Wrestler honors in the freestyle event. In 2005, Schwab won the 145-pound division of Real Pro Wrestling, earning Outstanding Wrestler honors as part of the champion Iowa Stalkers team. Prior to joining the Iowa staff, Schwab served two seasons (2005-06) as an assistant coach at Virginia Tech University under Tom Brands. During his tenure with the Hokies, the team won the 2005 regular season Atlantic Coast Conference title, set a school record for dual meet wins (16) and had a school-record five wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships. Virginia Tech also crowned five conference champions and two all-Americans, and senior heavyweight Mike Faust was named 2006 ACC Wrestler of the Year. Schwab was a three-time all-American and Big Ten champion for the Hawkeyes from 1998-2001. He won the 1999 NCAA title at 141 pounds and finished his collegiate career with 130 wins, which ranks 10th-best in school history. Schwab was born Aug. 3, 1977. He earned a B.S. in communication studies from the University of Iowa in 2001, and is working toward a master’s degree in kinesiology/sport management at the University of Minnesota. He and his wife, Allyson, have a two sons, Hayden and Hendrix.

Mike Novogratz

This week the Brute adidas studio's of TDR will be LIVE from Columbus, Ohio for the 3rd Annual Wrestle Against Autism Event. Our broadcast will be live from the Buffalo Wild Wings 3. We'll have Loads of guests, 2 days of broadcasts and the results of the Beat The Streets event as well. Joining me will be Buckeyewrestling.com founder Kevin Schlosser and Wrestle Against Autism angel Jeff Sitler. Kevin has invited the following guests: Jim Andrassy- Head Coach of Kent State (by phone) Ben Stehura- Head Coach of Cleveland State (Live) Joel Greenlee- Head Coach of the Bobcats of Ohio University (Live) Frank Romano- Head Coach of Notre Dame College of Ohio (Live) Tom Ryan- Head Coach the Ohio State University (Live) Lou Rosselli- Associate Head Coach the Ohio State University (Live) This is set to be a great show followed by a Sunday full of great wrestling action to benefit the cause, Wrestle Against Autism. You can watch the action on Sunday as we partner with Buckeyewrestling.com and our streaming partners at Livesportsvideo.com. Please tune in for all the fun. Join Kevin Schlosser and Scott Casber starting at 9:00 AM and our special guest Gene Smith, AD of The Ohio State University as we broadcast from French Field House. More information on Autism and this event can be found at:http://www.wrestleagainstautism.com Watch Sunday's event LIVE starting at 9:00AM Eastern at LiveSportsVideo.com Wrestling fans- Please note that Episode 57 of TDR TV is now available with a new look and sound. It's on over 30 different web sites now and growing. TDR every week! It's appointment Radio and TV! Join us at Takedownradio.com for America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show that airs on Supertalk 1570 in Michigan, AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa and on line at many of our broadcast partners around the world including Livesportsvideo.com. TDR "the Radio Program" airs 9 AM to 11 AM CST every Saturday morning we look forward to having you listen. Thanks for watching and listening!

Oak Harbor junior Ian Miller is a three-year letterman, a two-time state place winner, and the 2010 DII 145 pound state champion. Over the weekend he added another title to his resume, Future Golden Flash, by giving his verbal commitment to Kent State head coach Jim Andrassy. With his college decided Miller has already began preparing to defend his title as a senior and is focusing on developing the skills that will make him a better college wrestler. He will be at 145 or 152 for the Rockets and projects as a 149 or a 157 for the Flashes. "I really felt comfortable at Kent State. I went there with my dad on Friday and I just felt everything was right to make the decision," stated Ian Miller when speaking of his verbal. "I have followed the team for a long time and I know a lot of the wrestlers in the room. Knowing the coaching staff it came down to where you feel comfortable and where you think you can experience the most success. For me... that was wrestling for Kent State." While Ian chose to make an early decision it wasn't an uninformed or quick choice after a nationwide search. Traveling with his uncle Zeb Miller, he spent time on campus at UC Davis, Maryland, Michigan, Navy, North Carolina, Oregon State, Penn, Princeton, Virginia, and Virginia Tech while Zeb was working for GOhioCasts.com. With an older sister a student at Ohio State and former high school teammates that have wrestled in college for the Buckeyes, Michigan State and Kent he was able to make an informed decision. "I really have to thank my uncle Zeb. Even though he wrestled at Kent State he wanted me to see what was out there and make the best choice for me. He has always been supportive and has always been helpful whether it was wrestling or just life. I owe a lot to my family, my teammates, and coaches," offered Ian. When asked about the early announcement Miller stated the decision to make it public was for himself and for the benefit of Kent State. "If you have the chance to look around and you know where you want to go why not let everyone know. I wanted to start my senior year knowing where I wanted to go so you know what goals you are working towards," responded Ian. "I think it helps the Kent State coaches with their recruiting because they know that I am coming and they can recruit some other weights to put together a great class." Miller has been on two of the best Oak Harbor teams ever, the 2008 and 2010 Rockets took second both years. Unfortunately Ian was injured in practice after the sectional tournament as a freshman and unable to compete at the state tournament but he came back to place third at 135 pounds in 2009 and he won his first title as a junior at 145 pounds. After three years in the starting lineup he has 122 wins and could graduate as the school's career victory leader if he can match the 41 wins he had in 2010. "We have a great wrestling tradition at Oak Harbor. I think we have been able to build on our success each year and you are starting to see some of the guys going on to make an impact in college," said Miller. "I am really good friends with Keith Witt at Kent State so I am excited about being on the same team again." Miller had an outstanding junior season with a 41-1 record at 140 and 145 pounds. His only loss has a 3-2 overtime decision to Blair Academy senior Chris Villalonga in the 2009 Ironman Finals. Villalonga was InterMat's top ranked 140 pound wrestler and the number three recruit in the Class of 2010. Ian was dominant against in-state competition going 40-0 against Ohio wrestlers; to his credit were quality wins over DII 135 pound state champion Issac Jordan (Graham) and DI state place winners Jerrel Valliant (Sandusky), Shane Foster (Perry), and Alec Marsico (Pickerington North). Moving up to 145 midseason Miller ended the year ranked twentieth in the InterMat All-Class Individual rankings. "It got harder to make 140 as the year went on and our 145 had an easier time making 140 pounds than what I did. It was a move we both made to make the team stronger at the end of the year and I think it turned out pretty well, because Jake (Cramer) ended up placing fifth (at 140), I won the title at 145, and as a team we took second," stated Miller. Like the Rockets, the Golden Flashes are also a team on the rise with a pair of All-Americans and back-to-back top-twenty-five finishes at the NCAA Tournament each of the last two years. It was something that was not unnoticed or unnoted by Miller. "Kent State has really been putting things together the last few years. They have two returning All-Americans this year that will be there my freshman year. The goal of the program is to become a top-ten team that competes for a MAC championship every year. I am going to do whatever I can to help the team accomplish our goals," offered Ian. Following NCAA guidelines college coaches are unable to comment on a potential recruit until they sign their National Letter of Intent during their senior years. Miller is expected to sign his NLI in November so head coach Jim Andrassy will be unable to discuss Miller until they have the document in hand. When asked about the plan once he arrives at Kent State, Ian stated nothing has been decided. "The coaches really want to see how I do once I get on campus in 2011. If I am ready to go it would be nice to be able to wrestle and get some experience. That way if I am going to redshirt somewhere down the road I know what I need to work on and I know what I am missing. At the same time I don't know what weight I am going to be at and if the coaches want me to redshirt I need to make the most of my time and be ready to go the next year," responded Miller. Ian is not waiting to get to Kent State before he starts preparing for the transition to college wrestling. He is currently training to represent Team Ohio at the Junior Duals in Oklahoma City at the end of June and is planning on wrestling in Fargo to end July. He will delay making the decision if he is going to play soccer again in the fall until later this summer. "The more you wrestle the better you are going to get. I still have a lot to work on before I get to college," stated Miller. "I want to get better on top because it is such a big part of college wrestling. Being able to ride someone and turn them in college is going to be a lot harder than high school so that is one area I can focus on. I am just glad to have made the decision of where I am going to go school so I can focus on wrestling and enjoy my senior year." InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from BuckeyeWrestling.com. http://www.buckeyewrestling.com/?q=node/37561

The on-going drama to finalize the Main Event for the 2010 Beat the Streets Gala on the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York City on Thursday, May 13 has taken another twist. Initially, the featured freestyle bout was a rematch between NCAA champions Brent Metcalf of Iowa and Darrion Caldwell of North Carolina State, who battled three times in college and are top challengers for the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Caldwell was injured in training on Monday, just three days before the event. Organizers secured a new rival for Metcalf in the Main Event, 2010 NCAA champion Kyle Dake, which was announced on Tuesday night. It’s now the day before the event and there’s another change. Dake can not wrestle after all. Another talented opponent for Metcalf has been secured, past NCAA runner-up and 2007 Junior World freestyle champion Bubba Jenkins. Metcalf met Jenkins, who was then competing for Penn State, in the finals of the 2008 NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo., claiming a 14-8 decision for his first NCAA title. Since then, Metcalf’s college career has ended. He was a two-time NCAA champion (2008, 2010) and a 2009 NCAA runner-up. Metcalf started his career at Virginia Tech and lost one year of eligibility when he transferred to Iowa. He completed his college career with a 108-3 record, and was the 2008 Dan Hodge Trophy winner as the nation’s best college wrestler. Jenkins competed in the 2009 NCAA Championships, but did not earn All-American honors. This past season, he left the Penn State team. He will attend Arizona State next season for his final college season. This spring, competing for the Sunkist Kids, Jenkins won a gold medal at the University Nationals in freestyle at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. So, fans at the Beat the Streets Gala will see Metcalf face another rival from his college career, another athlete who is an Olympic hopeful for 2012. “We truly appreciate all of these great athletes volunteering to participate in the Battle on the Intrepid and supporting the Beat the Streets program,” said Brian Giffin of Beat the Streets, Inc. “We thank both Darrion Caldwell and Kyle Dake for their support of this event. It is unfortunate that they can not participate. We are pleased that Bubba Jenkins has agreed to wrestle, and we expect the Main Event against Brent Metcalf will be an outstanding match. All of the matches should be fun, and are for a great cause.” The event will be held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier which is docked on the west side of Manhattan in New York City. It is part of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. It is being billed as the Battle on the Intrepid, in recognition of “wrestlers in the nation’s service.” The competition is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. TheMat.com will provide a live webcast of the seven-match card from the deck of the U.S.S. Intrepid, starting at approximately 6:15 p.m. The USA Wrestling Prime Time postgame show will follow from the Beat the Streets Gala dinner and awards presentation at approximately 8:15 p.m. Gary Abbott and Mitch Hull will call the action. Each year, the Beat the Streets Gala is held to celebrate wrestling and raise funds for Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc., the successful program which has provided wrestling opportunities for thousands of middle school and high school students in New York City. Registration for the Beat the Streets Gala will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Battle on the Intrepid from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Cocktails will be served from 7:30 p.m., followed by the dinner and awards presentation starting at 8:15 p.m. All participants will disembark from the U.S.S. Intrepid at 11:00 p.m. There will be a live musical performance by The Lost Trailers at the function. The minimum donation to support Beat the Streets and reserve admission to the Gala is $150. There are a many number of other levels of contributions available to those who wish to join the excitement and support this worthy cause. For further information about the event, please visit the website at www.beat-the-streets.org or you may contact Brian Giffin via email at BGiffin@beat-the-streets.org or via phone at 212-777-5702.

Mario Mason is returning to New Jersey. The former Blair Academy standout who spent the past two seasons at the University of Minnesota has made the decision to transfer to Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey, which is just over an hour drive from where he grew up in Moorestown, New Jersey. Mario Mason (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)"A lot of it was because of my family back home, maybe just being a little bit more comfortable there," said Mason of his decision to transfer. "The style that I wrestle compared to Minnesota's style is pretty different. Rutgers is just a better fit." One of Mason's longtime friends and coaches, Cory Cooperman, also a Blair Academy product, is on Scott Goodale's staff at Rutgers, which also factored into his decision. Interestingly, Cooperman also spent time (redshirt season) at the University of Minnesota before returning to the East Coast to wrestle for Lehigh University, where he became a three-time All-American. "I have known Coop since I was in eighth grade going into high school," said Mason, who won virtually every tournament he entered in high school, including the Beast of the East, Walsh Ironman, NHSCA Nationals, Cadet Nationals, Junior Nationals, and Prep Nationals. "He was a coach for me. He actually coached me in a few national finals matches. He was always in my corner. I'm pretty close with him. He's like an older brother to me. It will be cool to wrestle for him." Mason said that Minnesota gave him a release to "schools close to home." "I wanted to get my release because of family issues," said Mason, who has three seasons of college wrestling eligibility remaining. "The closer I am to home, the easier it will be for me to deal with those issues. I just decided that I have already been far enough away from home ... and I just needed to be closer to home." Mario Mason (Photo/Morgan Hennessy)After compiling a 14-2 record as a redshirt, Mason stepped into Minnesota's lineup this past season at 149 pounds and finished the season with 19-12 record. He placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships before going 0-2 at the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Nebraska. Mason characterized his season as "pretty terrible," but harbors no hard feelings toward the program he is leaving. "I don't have any hard feelings toward Minnesota," said Mason, who is majoring in sports management and eventually wants to become a wrestling coach. "I get along with all the guys on the team. I think I get along with the coaches pretty well. I'm not happy to be leaving because they are guys that I have become pretty good friends with over the past two years. I know they're not happy. It's just something I have to do." Mason plans to stay at 149 pounds next season. He has high expectations for himself and goals he wants to accomplish in wrestling. "I want to win NCAAs and would like to go undefeated while doing it," said Mason. "Then I want to go on to wrestle in the Worlds and Olympics ... and win gold medals."

Worcester, MA -- WPI Director of Physical Education, Recreation and Athletics Dana L. Harmon announced today the hiring of Steve Hall as the Head Wrestling Coach. Hall replaces Lance Baden and Rob Polin, who served as co-head coaches this past season. Hall was standout heavyweight wrestler in the mid-1980’s for Hall of Fame coach Phil Grebinar. He totaled a career record of 54-4-2 (.902 winning percentage) and is tied for fourth in dual-meet wins. The 296 team points he amassed places him second all-time while his 22 career pins is good enough for seventh. Hall belongs to a rare group of WPI wrestlers who garnered four All-New England honors and he was a key part of WPI’s first two New England championship teams in 1985 and 1987. He was inducted into the WPI Athletics Hall of Fame in September of 2008. “Our wrestling program is fortunate to have Steve Hall as our coach,” said Harmon. “As an undergraduate and wrestler at WPI, Steve learned to succeed and that has carried through in his business, personal life and in coaching. His passion for WPI wrestling is undeniable and I look forward to his leadership of our program in the coming years.” After graduation Hall served as an assistant coach under Grebinar for four years. During that time, he coached All-Americans Brian Glatz and John Roy, a total of five New England champions and 33 New England placewinners. He has remained extremely active in various youth football, wrestling, and lacrosse organizations including serving as founder of the non-profit Nashoba Area Wrestling Association and president of the non-profit Lincoln-Sudbury Lacrosse Association. “I am thrilled about the opportunity to take over the program that has been such an important part of so many lives within the WPI Wrestling Family,” stated Hall. “ My focus will be on ensuring that all of the current and future members of the program have the opportunity to experience what the tradition of WPI Wrestling really means. I am also very excited about the possibility of providing a unique perspective to the recruiting process at WPI. I am living proof of what a WPI education and the WPI wrestling experience can provide you.” Hall has been involved at some level with the sport of wrestling for 35 years and arrived at WPI after a impressive career at Unatego High School in upstate New York. He was a Section Four champion and third at the all-divisions New York State Championships. He wrestled for National Wrestling Hall of Fame coach Dan Wickham and helped the Spartans win the Section Four title and earn a final ranking of seventh amongst all divisions within New York. While at WPI, Hall also enjoyed success out of the classroom as he was named a Academic All-American following the 1986-87 season. He graduated from WPI with a degree in mechanical engineering design and has had a successful professional career starting and running companies. Hall is currently the owner of Federation Sports and Consulting, a corporate management consulting and sports management firm. Steve and his wife, Michelle (WPI '85), reside in Sudbury with their two sons, Connor and Matthew.

Andy Bisek, at age 23, has established himself as a legitimate contender to earn a spot on the U.S. World Team and the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team in Greco-Roman at 74 kg. But his wrestling career path nearly took a completely different turn six years ago. Andy BisekBisek, who placed third at the Minnesota high school state tournament as a senior, committed to wrestle at Minnesota State-Mankato, a Division II program, out of high school in 2004. The summer after Bisek's senior year, a month before he was to begin classes at Minnesota State-Mankato, he chose to wrestle Greco-Roman at the Junior Nationals in Fargo. That's when he suddenly had a change of heart about his post-college plans. "Before Fargo, I went through orientation at Mankato and I was actually enrolled in classes," said Bisek, a native of Chaska, Minnesota. "I had talked to my roommate about what we were going to bring." Bisek went to Minnesota's Greco-Roman training camp before Junior Nationals in July and casually asked longtime friend Chas Betts, who just completed his senior year at St. Michael-Albertville High School, about his post-college plans. "I asked Chas what he's doing and he said that he's going to Northern Michigan to wrestle Greco," said Bisek, who admits that he knew nothing about the program at the time. "I ended up placing seventh in Fargo. I had a talk in Fargo with the Northern Michigan coach, Ivan Ivanov, and decided that I was going to go there." With that life-changing decision, Bisek's entire focus shifted from folkstyle wrestling to Greco-Roman wrestling. In the fall of 2004, Bisek enrolled in the United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) program on the campus of Northern Michigan in Marquette. The program, which was established in 1999, has more than 100 resident athletes who all share the same dream of winning World and Olympic medals. It's not uncommon for freshmen to struggle in the wrestling room, especially in the first few months, against more experienced teammates. Even the most talented wrestlers take their lumps. Stephen Abas, for example, who set the national takedown record in high school and would eventually go on to win an Olympic silver medal, admits that he did not get a single takedown in the Fresno State wrestling room during the first two months of his college wrestling career. Bisek was no exception to the rule. "I definitely got beat up a lot that first year," said Bisek. "I remember trying to think of how many different guys in the room I could hold my own against in my weight class and the weight class below me. I think it was only one or two out of about 15." But eventually Bisek started finding success in the wrestling room, which translated into success in competition. Just a few months into his Greco-Roman career at Northern Michigan, Bisek won a period over T.C. Dantzler, an Olympian and five-time U.S. World Team member. Later that first season, Bisek won the FILA Junior World Team Trials. Andy Bisek throws 2008 Olympian Jake Deitchler (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)By his second season he was placing at major international events on the senior level, like the New York Athletic Club Holiday International. He won the FILA Junior World Team Trials again in 2006 and represented the United States at the FILA Junior World Championships, where he went 1-1. Bisek claimed his first University Nationals title in 2007. In 2008, Bisek repeated as University Nationals champion, but had his first major breakthrough on the senior level by reaching the U.S. Open finals. Last season, Bisek placed fifth at the U.S. Open, defeating 2008 U.S. Olympian Jake Deitchler in his final match. He was fourth in the Challenge Tournament at the U.S. World Team Trials. This season has been filled with life-changing events for Bisek. Last July, Ivan Ivanov resigned as head coach of the USOEC program to start a new Greco-Roman program in Boise, Idaho. "It was somewhat of a shock," said Bisek of his coach's resignation. "I knew that he was going there to visit. I also knew that the job here isn't necessarily ideal for someone with his coaching ability. It's not just coaching. It's a lot about having to babysit some of the kids at times. When Ivan left, I wondered how things were going to change and who his replacement would be." Dennis HallIn late August, Dennis Hall, who is widely considered to be one of the greatest American Greco-Roman wrestlers ever, was hired as head coach of the USOEC program. "With Dennis, it's definitely different, but still positive," said Bisek. "We're able to make gains. It's just done in a different way. "Dennis brings a lot more intensity into the room. Ivan would be intense, but Dennis has different ways of firing us up. He tries to create more competition within the room. He's kind of upset that there haven't been any fist fights or anything. He's just trying to provoke us to almost want to kill the other guy." Hall says Bisek has handled the coaching change well. "He took to the transition really well," said Hall, a three-time World and Olympic medalist. "He's one of the leaders of our team this year. Every day he works hard and leads by example. He's a great competitor. He's always willing to learn. He has an open mind to new techniques, new ways of doing things. I think he's getting almost to where he wants to be. He's got a little bit of work to do, but I think he'll do well at the Trials." Jacob CurbyAnother major event in Bisek's life occurred on January 22 when longtime friend and USOEC teammate Jacob Curby, who was ranked third in the U.S. at 66 kg, passed away unexpectedly. "I remember going on the most fun wrestling trip with him, his dad, Chas, and another wrestler," said Bisek. "We went to Spain and Georgia. It's definitely a trip I'll never forget. "He was just a funny guy. Every day, as soon as I would sign on to instant messenger, he would be telling me about something he ate that he thought I would enjoy. He definitely liked his coffee, muffins, and pastries. There are so many things about him that I'll never forget." Bisek is engaged with the wedding set to take place in June, a week after he wrestles at the 2010 U.S. World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He also just recently graduated from Northern Michigan with a degree in physical geography and minors in biology and art & design. Despite all the life changes, Bisek is putting together his strongest season on the mat. He was runner-up at the Sunkist International Open in October. Three weeks later, Bisek won the New York Athletic Club Holiday International. In January, Bisek went 3-1 at the Kit Carson Cup. He was the only U.S. wrestler to win a match at the Hungarian Grand Prix in March. Bisek not only won a match, but he won two matches, which included a victory over Olympic and World champion Farid Mansurov of Azerbaijan. Last month, Bisek won his fourth University Nationals title and finished third at the U.S. Open. Hall doesn't think there is much separating Bisek from the No. 1 wrestler in the weight class. "I think the difference is scoring on people on the feet," said Hall, a 1995 World champion. "His defense has gotten a lot better. We're working on little things that can open up people where he's able to score on his feet." Bisek plans to move out to Colorado Springs this summer to train full-time at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. He knows there are other opportunities out there, which he considered, like staying at Northern Michigan or reuniting with his former coach, Ivanov, in Boise, Idaho. But he believes Colorado Spring is where he needs to be. He points to the fact there are more opportunities at the U.S. Olympic Training Center to train with partners from foreign countries. Andy Bisek (Photo, Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Bisek's wrestling goals are simply stated, but far from simply accomplished. "My short-term goal is to come out on top at the Trials next month," said Bisek, who served as a training partner for Chas Betts at the 2009 World Championships in Herning, Denmark. "I'm right in there with the two guys ahead of me. I'm looking to make the World Team. My long-term goal is to make the Olympic Team in 2012 and hopefully win a medal." Bisek is one of many young, rising Greco-Roman stars that have come out of the USOEC program in Northern Michigan. The program has produced several U.S. Open champions, U.S. World Team members, and U.S. Olympians. Bisek is hoping to be the next. So what would Bisek tell a young wrestler who is considering joining the USOEC program at Northern Michigan? "The program is going to be unlike any other college program," said Bisek. "A lot of college programs may slightly differ from each other, but they are all somewhat similar. This program is going to be nothing like that. It's a lot of fun. It's a lot of hard work. But you get to go places and train with different people. It's a lot more than about just the NCAAs. It's about being a World and Olympic champ." This story also appears in the May 14 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering amateur wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote amateur wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. Subscribe to The Guillotine.

Darrion Caldwell (Rahway, N.J./Sunkist Kids) reinjured his shoulder during a practice session at the U.S. Olympic Training Center on Monday afternoon. Due to the injury, he will not be competing as part of the 2010 Beat the Streets Gala on the U.S.S. Intrepid in New York City on Thursday, May 13. He was scheduled to face his top college rival Brent Metcalf in the main event of a seven-match card of wrestling bouts which will be showcased on Thursday at the Beat the Streets Gala. Caldwell missed the 2009 college season for North Carolina State due to shoulder surgery this past fall. He has not been medically cleared to compete and is undergoing additional tests at this time. Replacing Caldwell in the main event matchup against Metcalf will be 2010 NCAA champion Kyle Dake (Ithaca, N.Y./Shamrock WC), who won a NCAA title for Cornell as a true freshman this year. It will be a battle of two 2010 NCAA champions. Dake won the NCAA title at 141 pounds, while Metcalf won his second career NCAA title at 149 pounds. One other lineup change has been announced. There will not be an 84 kg/185 lbs. bout as previously announced in men’s freestyle. Instead, 2008 Olympian Andy Hrovat (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) will compete against 2009 U.S. Open runner-up Kyle Cerminara (Philadelphia, Pa./New York AC) at 96 kg/211.5 lbs. The event will be held on the USS Intrepid, an aircraft carrier which is docked on the west side of Manhattan in New York City. It is part of the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. It is being billed as the Battle on the Intrepid, in recognition of “wrestlers in the nation’s service.” The competition is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. TheMat.com will provide a live webcast of the seven-match card from the deck of the U.S.S. Intrepid, starting at approximately 6:15 p.m. The USA Wrestling Prime Time postgame show will follow from the Beat the Streets Gala dinner and awards presentation at approximately 8:15 p.m. Gary Abbott and Mitch Hull will call the action. Each year, the Beat the Streets Gala is held to celebrate wrestling and raise funds for Beat the Streets Wrestling, Inc., the successful program which has provided wrestling opportunities for thousands of middle school and high school students in New York City. Registration for the Beat the Streets Gala will begin at 6:00 p.m., followed by the Battle on the Intrepid from 6:30 p.m. – 7:30 p.m. Cocktails will be served from 7:30 p.m., followed by the dinner and awards presentation starting at 8:15 p.m. All participants will disembark from the U.S.S. Intrepid at 11:00 p.m. There will be a live musical performance by The Lost Trailers at the function. The minimum donation to support Beat the Streets and reserve admission to the Gala is $150. There are a many number of other levels of contributions available to those who wish to join the excitement and support this worthy cause. For further information about the event, please visit the website at www.beat-the-streets.org or you may contact Brian Giffin via email at BGiffin@beat-the-streets.org or via phone at 212-777-5702. Undercard Middle School 135 lbs. -- Will Wilson vs. Shateek Palmer High School 150 lbs. -- Jorge Jimenez vs. Andre Antoine Women’s freestyle 59 kg -- Leigh Jaynes vs. Kelsey Campbell Greco-Roman 66 kg -- Spenser Mango vs. Ellis Coleman Men’s freestyle 74 kg -- Ben Askren vs. Moza Fay Men’s freestyle 96 kg -- Andy Hrovat vs. Kyle Cerminara Main Event Men’s freestyle 66 kg -- Brent Metcalf vs. Kyle Dake

Mark Schwab, former University of Northern Iowa wrestler, and Ty Kimble, president of the Panther Wrestling Booster Club be radio show guests this week. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and 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. Schwab was a four-time state champion for Osage (IA) High School and a two-time All-American as a University of Northern Iowa Panther. His younger brother, Doug Schwab, is reportedly going to be announced as the new UNI head wrestling coach on Thursday. Cedar Falls resident Ty Kimble serves as the president of the Panther Wrestling Booster Club. The booster club will be hosting a social at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute & Museum in Waterloo for the new UNI head wrestling coach on Thursday night starting at 7:00.

The University of Northern Iowa will hold a press conference on Thursday at noon in the McLeod Center's Alumni Suite to announce the hiring of a new head wrestling coach. The Panthers' official athletic website - www.UNIPanthers.com - will also broadcast the press conference free of charge.

James Nicholson

Fred Feeney

Brent Metcalf

Al Bevilacqua

Spenser Mango

Russ Camillieri

Stan Williamson

Rick Yarosh