InterMat Staff

What Kyle Dake accomplished as a true freshman at Cornell, winning an NCAA title at 141 pounds and going 34-2, is nothing short of incredible. Almost equally incredible, though, is the fact that a year ago Dake was ranked behind three other Class of 2009 wrestlers. David Taylor (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)In the final InterMat grade level rankings for the 2008-09 season, Dake, a two-time New York state champion, was ranked fourth in the Class of 2009 ... behind No. 1 David Taylor (Graham, OH), No. 2 Eric Grajales (Brandon, FL), and No. 3 Chris Perry (Stillwater, OK). Taylor (Penn State), Grajales (Michigan), and Perry (Oklahoma State) all redshirted this past season. One has to wonder, considering Dake's immediate success, what kind of impact Taylor, Grajales, and Perry will have in their first official season of collegiate wrestling. Could the Class of 2009 go down as one of most accomplished classes ever? If this past collegiate wrestling season is any indication, it certainly has the makings of what looks to be a special class. Dake was not the only Class of 2009 wrestler to earn All-American honors as a true freshman. Two other InterMat Top 100 recruits from the Class of 2009, Tyler Caldwell (Goddard, KS) and Cashe Quiroga (Lawrence North, IN), found places on the All-American podium at the Qwest Center in Omaha. Interestingly, Caldwell and Quiroga were ranked 43rd and 65th respectively coming out of high school. Of the InterMat Top 10 recruits from the Class of 2009, only three started this past season as true freshmen. Below is a look at how the InterMat Top 10 recruits fared this past collegiate wrestling season and what other wrestlers in the Top 100 made an impact. 1. David Taylor (Penn State) Taylor began his redshirt season with an 11-4 exhibition loss to teammate Cyler Sanderson, a two-time All-American, at Penn State's intrasquad. Taylor, a four-time state champion who won everything under the sun as a high school wrestler, went on to compile a 21-2 record at 157 pounds in open tournament competition. His first loss came to two-time All-American Bubba Jenkins, a teammate at the time, 4-3, at the East Stroudsburg Open. His only other loss came to Sanderson, 9-7, at the Nittany Lion Open. 2. Eric Grajales (Michigan) Grajales tore his ACL before stepping foot on the Michigan campus, which prevented him from competing in the Wolverine lineup as a true freshman. He wrestled one match, picking up a pin at the Simonson Open on January 23, before injury defaulting out of the tournament. Chris Perry3. Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) Perry, the younger brother of four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion Mark Perry, went 15-1 as a redshirt at 184 pounds. His only loss came to teammate and All-American Clayton Foster, 7-4, in the championship match at the Central Missouri Open. Of his 15 victories, 10 came with bonus points. Perry won tournament titles at the Missouri Open, Fort Hays State Open, and Roger Denker Open. 4. Kyle Dake (Cornell) Dake put together a sensational true freshman campaign at Cornell. The Lansing, New York native went 34-2 and became the first true freshman since Dustin Schlatter in 2006 to win an NCAA title. He was named 2010 InterMat Freshman of the Year. 5. Ed Ruth (Penn State) Ruth compiled a 14-3 mark as a redshirt at 184 pounds. He won the Floyd 'Shorty' Hitchcock Memorial Open. Two of his losses came to teammate Quentin Wright, a 2009 true freshman All-American who redshirted this past season, and his other loss came to redshirt Chris Honeycutt of Edinboro, who went 26-1 with a victory over All-American Dustin Kilgore of Kent State. Collin Palmer6. Collin Palmer (Ohio State) Palmer, the younger brother of Buckeye four-time All-American Lance Palmer, saw limited action this season as a redshirt at 149 pounds. The four-time Ohio state champion was runner-up at the Cleveland State Open on December 13, losing in the finals, 3-2, to Purdue's Sam Patacsil. 7. Jake Kemerer (Penn State) Kemerer redshirted and competed in three open tournaments, going 11-4 at 165 pounds. He placed third at both the Washington & Jefferson Open and East Stroudsburg Open. 8. R.J. Pena (Oregon State) Pena started for the Beavers at 149 pounds and put together a solid true freshman season. He placed seventh at the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and spent much of the season ranked nationally. But Pena struggled mightily at the end of the season, losing his final four matches of the regular season. At the Pac-10 Championships, Pena lost in the opening round, but bounced back to place fifth. He finished the season with a 29-13 record. 9. Joey Napoli (Lehigh) Napoli earned the starting nod at 149 pounds for Lehigh. He compiled a season record of 21-12. His season ended with a disappointing 0-2 performance at the EIWA Championships. 10. Tony Ramos (Iowa) Ramos redshirted and went a perfect 12-0 at 133 pounds while competing in open tournaments. He won tournament titles at York Open, Grand View Open, and Duhawk Open. Other InterMat Top 100 recruits from the Class of 2009 who made an immediate impact � No. 14 John Nicholson (Old Dominion) Nicholson started for Old Dominion at 149 pounds and finished with a 23-8 record. He won the Hokie Open and placed seventh at the Southern Scuffle. No. 27 David Klingsheim (Nebraska) Klingsheim started at 125 pounds for Nebraska and went 15-16. No. 28 Alex Ekstrom (Oklahoma) Ekstrom was the starter for the first part of the season at 133 pounds for Oklahoma before Kendric Maple took over the spot. He finished with a 6-8 record. No. 29 Shane Young (West Virginia) Young went 16-10 and qualified for the NCAA Championships at 125 pounds for West Virginia. No. 32 Sean Boyle (Michigan) Boyle went 20-21 as Michigan's starter at 125 pounds. His season ended with a 1-2 performance at the Big Ten Championships. No. 36 Robby Fisher (Minnesota State-Mankato) Fisher went 20-15 for Division II Minnesota State-Mankato, but failed to qualify for the NCAAs. His biggest win of the season was a pin over two-time NCAA Division I qualifier Elijah Nacita of Cal State Bakersfield at the Reno Tournament of Champions. No. 37 Ellis Coleman (USOEC/U.S. Olympic Training Center) Coleman started the season in the USOEC program in Northern Michigan, but transferred out and is now a resident athlete at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, focusing on Greco-Roman full-time. He recently placed fourth at the U.S. Open. No. 39 Eloheim Palma (North Carolina State) Palma started at heavyweight for North Carolina State and went 23-16. No. 40 Orlando Scales (Notre Dame) Scales was an NAIA runner-up for national champion Notre Dame College at heavyweight, losing in the finals to Simon Fraser's Arjan Bhullar, the Canadian World Team member in freestyle. No. 41 C.J. Napier (Nebraska) Napier was the starter at 133 pounds for Nebraska and compiled a record of 16-15. No. 42 Ian Paddock (Ohio State) Paddock was an NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds for Ohio State, going 2-2 in Omaha. No. 43 Tyler Caldwell (Oklahoma) Oklahoma's Caldwell earned All-American honors, finishing fifth at 165 pounds. He won over 30 matches. No. 52 Cory Lear (Bucknell) Lear went 20-11 at 165 pounds for Bucknell during the absence of All-American Andy Rendos from the lineup. No. 61 Joe Colon (Iowa Central) Colon was an NJCAA champion for Iowa Central at 125 pounds. He registered a victory over Division III champion Clayton Rush of Coe during the regular season. No. 62 Joe Waltko (Clarion) Waltko earned the starting spot at 125 pounds for Clarion and went 15-16. No. 64 Steven Keith (Harvard) Keith started at 125 pounds for Harvard and qualified for the NCAA Championships after a third-place finish at the EIWA Championships. No. 65 Cashe Quiroga (Purdue) Quiroga, who started at 125 pounds for Purdue, earned All-American honors with a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships. He finished with a 28-15 mark. No. 68 Brendan Ard (Wisconsin) Ard earned the starting spot in the Wisconsin lineup at 174 pounds, finishing with a 1-11 record. No. 72 Brian Stephens (Virginia Tech) Stephens was thrust into the starting lineup for Virginia Tech at 149 pounds after an injury to Pete Yates. He made the most of the opportunity, winning 23 matches (including 12 in a row at one point) and capturing the ACC title to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships. No. 73 Dale Shull (North Carolina State) Shull dropped down to 133 pounds for the latter part of the season for North Carolina State after wrestling 141 pounds. He was 18-16 on the season and finished 4th at the ACC Championships at 133 pounds. 80. Justin LaValle (Old Dominion) LaValle started at 133 pounds for Old Dominion, which allowed two-time NCAA qualifier Kyle Hutter to redshirt. He compiled a 17-13 mark and placed fourth at the CAA Championships. No. 81 Erik Spjut (Virginia Tech) Spjut began the season as the starter at 133 pounds for Virginia Tech, but a knee injury cut his season short. He finished with a 7-6 record. No. 88 Nick Pica (Iowa Central) Pica placed third in the NJCAA Championships at 184 pounds for Iowa Central. No. 90 Luke Vaith (Hofstra) Vaith spent much of the season as Hofstra's starter at 141 pounds before dropping down to 133 pounds at the end of January. He finished with an overall record of 16-18. No. 91 Bret Baumbach (Stanford) Baumbach started for Stanford at 141 pounds and finished with a 10-22 record. No. 96 Roger McCovey (North Idaho) McCovey was an NJCAA runner-up at heavyweight for North Idaho. No. 100 Ryan Mango (Stanford) Mango, the younger brother of 2008 Olympic Greco-Roman wrestler Spenser Mango, started at 125 pounds for Stanford and qualified for the NCAA Championships, going 1-2 in Omaha, after a third-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships. He compiled a 25-15 record.

MINNEAPOLIS -- University of Minnesota head wrestling coach J Robinson and the Golden Gopher Wrestling Program are pleased to announce the signing of high school senior Scott Schiller to a National Letter of Intent today (Apr. 29). Scott SchillerA native of Fargo, N.D., Schiller will graduate this spring from West Fargo Senior High School. Schiller had a standout career at West Fargo High School, earning three consecutive North Dakota State titles. He won his first state title as a sophomore, claiming the title at 171-pounds. As a junior he moved up to 189, but still won his second consecutive state championship. Finally, his senior year was his best, as he dominated the competition on the way to a 43-0 record and his third state title at his third different weight class, winning at 215-pounds. He also spent his senior year in the national polls, ranking at No. 4 in the country at 215. He finished his career with a 165-27 record and was named North Dakota's Senior Wrestler of the Year in 2010. Schiller is the 10th Gopher Wrestling signee this season, and joins an already stellar class of recruits for 2010-2011. He will begin his Golden Gopher career next fall. The 2009-10 group of Minnesota wrestlers finished their season with a seventh place finished at the NCAA Championships and will return three All-Americans next season.

Doug Schwab, 2008 freestyle wrestling Olympian, JD Bergman, 2010 winner of the U.S. Open at 211 pounds, and Eric Keller, co-head wrestling coach at Wartburg College, will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, April 28. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM CST on AM 1650, The Fan. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Schwab was an Olympian in 2008 and a World Team member in 2007 in freestyle wrestling. A three-time All-American and 1999 NCAA champion for the University of Iowa, he is currently an assistant coach at his alma mater. Schwab has stated publicly that he has applied for the vacant head coaching position at the University of Northern Iowa. Bergman recently won the 211-pound title in the freestyle portion of the U.S. Open in Cleveland, Ohio. Bergman was a three-time All-American for Ohio State University and has wrestled competitively in both freestyle and Greco-Roman throughout his career. Keller will enter the 2010-2011 wrestling season as Wartburg’s co-head wrestling coach, a position he will share with Jim Miller. Keller served as Wartburg’s associate head coach for four seasons and was promoted to the co-head coach position this year. Keller was an All-American for the University of Northern Iowa.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The University of Minnesota Athletic Department held the fourth annual Golden Goldys last night (Apr. 26) honoring athletic excellence over the past year. An ESPY style event, Golden Gopher Wrestlers Jayson Ness and Mike Thorn each walked away as winners, adding yet more trophies to their case. Ness claimed the night's top honor, winning Male Athlete of the Year, on the strength of his National Championship. The Bloomington, Minn. native put together one of the best years in the century long history of Golden Gopher Wrestling. He finished 31-0, just the sixth perfect season in program history, and racked up 19 falls along the way. With 19 pins, he posted the third highest total in program history, behind his record 20 from 2008. 2008 also marked the last time Ness won a Golden Goldy, also for Male Athlete of the Year, making him the only two-time winner in an individual category. Cole Konrad also won Male Athlete of the Year in the inaugural Golden Goldys in 2007, giving wrestling three of the four winners in history of the event. Ness capped his year with his first NCAA title and fourth All-America honor. He won his second Big Ten title and was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. At the NCAA Tournament he earned Outstanding Wrestler of the Championships, becoming just the second Gopher to do so. At the conclusion of the season he was bestowed the highest honor in college wrestling as the winner of the Hodge Trophy, awarded to the top amateur wrestler in the country. Ness beat out baseball's Derek McCallum, cross country and track & field's Hassan Mead, track & field's R.J. McGinnis and swimming's Michael Richards in the category. Thorn earns his first Golden Goldy , as Male Breakthrough Athlete of the Year. The junior from St. Michael, Minn. won his first Big Ten title this past season, and earned his first All-America honor at the NCAA Championships. Thorn placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships as a sophomore, and went 0-2 at the 2009 NCAA Tournament, before breaking out this season. Thorn finished a career best 29-7 this season, dropping his losses from 17 in 2009. He was ranked in the top-10 all season, climbing as high as third in the country. He led the team with a career high 11 major decisions, and was second on the team with nine falls. As the two seed at the Big Ten Tournament, he beat the top seed and nation's No. 2 wrestler for the title, and then went 4-2 at the NCAA tournament with a 56 second fall in his last match to place seventh and earn All-America accolades. In one of the most competitive categories, Thorn beat out basketball's Devoe Joseph, baseball's Michael Kvasnicka, golf's Ben Pisani, and football's Nate Triplett. In addition to Konrad's honor on 2007, wrestling was also the 2007 team of the year, the only previous time they won two Golden Goldys at one event.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- The Ohio State recruiting class of 2011 continued to grow over the weekend when Monroeville junior Cam Tessari gave the team their third verbal commitment. A three-time Ohio state champion, Cam recently helped the Eagles win their first team title in school history at 2010 Ohio state tournament. He is expected to sign his National Letter of Intent in November and projects as a 141-149 in college. "At the end of the day there wasn't a better place for me than Ohio State," commented Tessari on the phone on Friday night. "Now that I made the decision I can just focus on school and wrestling my senior year." Cam Tessari (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)Despite coming from one of the smallest schools in the state, Cam has quickly become one of the most sought after recruits in the country. Currently the fourth-ranked 140-pound wrestler in the most recent InterMat rankings he is also rated as the seventh-ranked wrestler at any weight in his junior class. In the classroom Cam is an honor roll student that finished his last quarter with a 3.8 GPA. On the mat he is undefeated against Ohio wrestlers and has won state championships at three different weights. As a freshman he won his first title at 112 before moving up to 130 for his second in 2009. In March he won his third championship at 140 and completed his first undefeated season at 53-0 to improve to 135-5 in his career. "It meant a lot to finish the year undefeated because I hadn't done it before," stated Tessari at the 2010 Ohio state tournament. "It was always the goal and the Ironman was always a tough tournament so to win a title there was a big part of ending the year without a loss." At that point Tessari was still undecided about a college but listed OSU, Michigan, and Virginia Tech as his favorite. It didn't take long for him to make a decision. "I think I just needed a little more time but I know that I made a great choice," stated Tessari on Saturday when speaking of Ohio State. "They are close to home, I'm going to have a lot of friends on the team ... they have the coaches and practice to partners that can help me win a national title ... and I am going to get a great education." Tessari won't be the only Monroeville wrestler on the Ohio State team. He will join Logan Stieber who will enroll at OSU in the fall and his younger brother Hunter Stieber who will also sign his NLI with the Buckeyes in November. Logan is the nation's No. 1 ranked recruit at any weight while Hunter is ranked fourth overall at 119 pounds and ninth in his junior class. Together they have combined to win ten state titles. "I have been wrestling with Logan and Hunter since I was little so it means a lot to know we'll be together in college," said Tessari when asked about the ties. "We were able to win help Monroeville win a team title and it would mean just as much for all of us to be in the lineup helping Ohio State win a NCAA championship." The Buckeyes have three wrestlers that have given verbal commitments in their 2011 recruiting class. Joining Cam and Hunter Stieber, Derek Garcia will be released from his 2010 National Letter of Intent to resign with OSU in November. Garcia would have arrived in the fall with Logan Stieber but after making the decision to have knee surgery he also decided to delay enrollment for a year. Derek is the ninth-ranked recruit in 2010. Tessari's goals for his senior year are no different then what they were every year. "Hopefully we can come together and win another a team title. I want to go undefeated and work hard to get ready to wrestle in college. It is going to be a challenge and I want to be ready to wrestle when I get the opportunity. I am excited to be a Buckeye," said Tessari. Buckeyes receive third commitment in last three weeks The coaches received their third commitment in the last three weeks on Monday when Dublin Scioto senior Alex Gordon signed his National Letter of Intent. He joins high school teammate Randy Languis who signed with the Buckeyes last week and Tyrell Fortune who announced his intention to transfer to Ohio State after graduating from Clackamas Community College in the fall. Completing the current class of seven Logan Stieber, Josh Demas, Drew Stone, and Max Gladstone signed their NLI in November 2009. InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from BuckeyeWrestling.com. http://www.buckeyewrestling.com/?q=node/37256

Wrestling’s Mike Cannon was named the American University Male Senior Student-Athlete of the Year on Sunday at the 2010 American University Student-Athlete Banquet. has been at the forefront of the wrestling team's continued success over the last four years, helping the Eagles to a program record 14th-place finish at the NCAA Championships this March. Cannon’s third-place showing at this year’s NCAA Championships capped off an illustrious career, as he will graduate with 122 career wins, second most in school history. Among his numerous accomplishments this senior can boast being one of only two wrestlers in program history to earn All-America status three times, doing so in three different weight classes. His other accolades include being a 2008 Midlands Champion, a two-time EIWA Champion, a three-time Midlands place winner, a four-time EIWA place winner and a four-time NCAA Championships Qualifier. An accounting major, Cannon is American wrestling’s only three-time NWCA Academic All-American. He also helped the Eagles earn the distinction of NWCA Champions of the Classroom in 2008 and 2009, as the team achieved the highest combined GPA of all Division I wrestling programs.

CLEVELAND -- University of Minnesota wrestling sophomore Sonny Yohn took fifth over the weekend (Apr. 22-25) at the U.S. Open, and in doing so qualified for the final U.S. Word Team Trials. Also, freshman Danny Zilverberg claimed top honors in freestyle at the Asics Junior Nationals, and was named Outstanding Wrestler. Yohn took fifth place with a 2-0, 4-1 win over Brent Jones in the fifth place match. The Alamosa, Colo. native went 4-2 at 96 Kg (211.5 lbs) to claim fifth place honors, after winning his first national title on Apr. 11 at the University Nationals. Zilverberg was a redshirt freshman for the Golden Gophers last year, racking up a 17-5 record at 149 lbs. At the FILA Junior Nationals he went 6-0 with a 7-1, 2-0 win over Andrew Alton in the championship match for the 66 Kg (145.5 lbs) title. Zilverberg beat Alton's brother Dylan in the semifinals, rallying back from a 0-7 loss to win 0-7, 3-0, 1-1 to advance, on his way to the championship and Outstanding Wrestler honors. "I have improved tremendously," Zilverberg said. "I just kept battling and pushing the pace out there. This is going to be a good motivator to keep training through the spring." Also in Junior Freestyle, David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) placed second at 60 Kg (132.25 lbs), Jake Kettler (Ramsey, Minn.) placed fourth at 120 Kg (264.5 lbs) and Kevin Steinhaus (Pennock, Minn.) placed seventh at 84 Kg (185 lbs). Thorn lost a 6-0, 3-2 decision to future Gopher Nick Dardanes in the championship match. In the quarterfinals, Thorn beat Dardanes twin brother Chris to advance to the semifinals. In FILA Junior National greco roman, Alec Ortiz (Grande Rhonde, Ore.) earned championship honors at 74 Kg (163 lbs) with a 0-1, 3-0, 8-0 win over Corey Hope. In addition to freestyle, Kettler also competed in greco roman, and placed fourth again, at 120 Kg (264.5 lbs). All of the FILA Junior placewinners have now qualified for the final Junior World Team Trials. The World Team trails will be held in Council Bluffs, Iowa, June 11-12.

For those only truly familiar with high school and college wrestling, picture a tournament where arguably the easiest 16-man bracket was one that had seven wrestlers that had earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division I Championships. Well, that is the case when you analyzed the brackets this past weekend at the U.S. Open in men's freestyle. This is a testament to the level of competition witnessed at the Wolstein Center on the campus of Cleveland State University. One of the more wide open weight classes in the current men's freestyle landscape is at 55 kg (121 pounds). The championship bracket of 16 featured 11 wrestlers that had earned All-American honors at the NCAA Division I tournament. Angel Escobedo, a four-time All-American, and Paul Donahoe, a three-time All-American, were NCAA champions; while Sam Hazewinkel and Nick Simmons were also four-time NCAA All-Americans. However, the two main stories ended up being a one-time All-American that placed sixth, and a wrestler that has yet to graduate from high school. Eventual champion Obe Blanc did not give up a point in his four matches, while defeating two-time All-American Brandon Precin 3-0, 3-0, 2009 World Team representative Danny Felix, 1-0, 2-0, and Escobedo, 1-0, 4-0. High school senior Logan Stieber, ranked first by InterMat in the Class of 2010, advanced to the semifinal round on the strength of a three-period win over Hazewinkel (1-1, 4-0, 1-1) capped off by a double leg takedown right before the buzzer. Then, in the semifinal round, he was seconds away from defeating a second four-time All-American before Escobedo hit a three-point throw to win the match in three periods (1-0, 0-2, 4-1). Stieber lost two more matches to place sixth -- which meant that a wrestler who went 180-1 in high school had lost three consecutive matches. On the other hand, the landscape at 84 kg (185 pounds) seems to possibly be in the hands of Jake Herbert -- a 2009 World silver medalist, four-time NCAA All-American, and two-time champion. Most interesting is that the second-ranked wrestler in this weight, who also finished second at the U.S. Open, is an individual that never earned All-American honors while competing at Bloomsburg, Bryce Hasseman. Keep in mind that this was a bracket, which including Herbert, featured 11 total Division I All-Americans, plus two-time Division II champion Tom Meester. Herbert, Keith Gavin, and Chris Pendleton all have Division I championships to their credit as well. Given that context, the post-collegiate performance of Hasseman is very impressive. Other weight brackets that featured three Division I champions were 60 kg (132 pounds) and 66 kg (145.5 pounds). Matt Valenti, Coleman Scott, and Derek Moore were the NCAA Division I champions in the 60 kilogram bracket at the U.S. Open. However, the top two wrestlers in this weight class according to the rankings and the finish at this past weekend's tournament were Shawn Bunch and Mike Zadick; Bunch was a two-time All-American taking home second and third, while Zadick earned three All-American honors (seventh, third, and seventh). Though not competing at the U.S. Open, three-time All-American and NCAA champion Nate Gallick was ranked third in this weight in the most recent TheMat.com U.S. senior freestyle rankings. Doug Schwab, Teyon Ware, and J Jaggers were the NCAA champions appearing in the bracket at 66 kg -- with Ware and Jaggers having two titles to their credit. Two-time All-American and NCAA runner-up Jared Frayer is the top-ranked wrestler, and the one who emerged as U.S. Open champion in this weight class, while three-time All-American, also a NCAA runner-up, Josh Churella finished runner-up in the tournament. This weight class should also expect the injection of NCAA champions Darrion Caldwell and Brent Metcalf -- if not by the World Team Trials, then for sure in time to prepare for the 2012 Olympic Games. The weight in which the United States seems most equipped with high-level international depth is at 120 kg (264.5 pounds). Two NCAA Division I champions appeared in the U.S. Open bracket, along with three of the best ever to compete at heavyweight outside of Division I. Fresh off an NCAA championship last month, David Zabriskie placed eighth at the U.S. Open, while fresh off of an almost two-year retirement, four-time All-American (and two-time champion) Tommy Rowlands finished third. Rowlands was seconds away from defeating eventual champion Les Sigman in the semifinals, as Sigman needed a last second score to extend the match to three periods in his 0-2, 2-2, 3-0 victory. Sigman, a four-time Division II champion at Nebraska-Omaha then defeated Tervel Dlagnev in three periods for the championship (3-4, 2-1, 2-0). Dlagnev was a World bronze medalist in 2009, and won titles in Division II at Nebraska-Kearney the two seasons after Sigman left the collegiate scene. Finishing fourth in this weight class was Blake Gillis, a four-time Division III finalist (only one title) while competing at Wartburg. Just when there isn't enough for quality depth within the United States, 2008 Olympian Steve Mocco did not compete in this tournament but could be back by the World Team Trials -- and for sure will be in the mix for the 2012 Olympic Games. Mocco was a four-time Division I finalist winning titles as a true sophomore and redshirt junior. Along with Zabriskie, two other 2010 NCAA champions competed in the U.S. Open this past weekend. The first was 2009 World Team member Jake Varner, who was top seed in the 96 kilogram (211.5-pound) weight class after capping off a career in which he was a four-time Division I finalist and two-time champion. After not giving up a point in matches prior to the final, Varner fell in three periods to J.D. Bergman (0-1, 2-0, 5-0). Bergman was a three-time All-American while in college, including a runner-up finish at heavyweight as a senior. Though he did not compete this weekend, the 2008 Olympic representative at 84 kg (185 pounds) is ranked third in this weight behind Varner and Bergman; Andy Hrovat was a three-time Division I All-American. Andrew Howe, champion at 165 pounds five weekends ago as a true sophomore at the NCAA Division I Championships, earned three-period victories against both Paulson twins on the way to the U.S. Open title at 74 kg (163 pounds). In the semifinals, he defeated defending U.S. Open champion Travis Paulson, 0-1, 1-0, 4-0, while in the final, he upended World Team member (though it was down one weight class at 66 kg) Trent Paulson, 0-7, 1-0, 6-2.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Five Virginia wrestlers were named to the 2010 Virginia Sports Information Directors' All-State Wrestling Team, announced today by VaSID. UVa also captured two of the three major honors, with head coach Steve Garland winning Coach of the Year laurels and Chris Henrich (Jr., Lansdale, Pa.) earning the state's Wrestler of the Year award. The Cavaliers had three wrestlers named to the All-State First Team -- Henrich at 174 pounds, Mike Salopek (R-Fr., North Huntingdon, Pa.) at 184 pounds and Brent Jones (R-Sr., Burke, Va.) at 197 pounds. Matt Snyder (R-Fr., Lewistown, Pa.) and Jack Danilkowicz (R-Jr., Green Oaks, Ill.) each were named to the second team at 133 pounds and heavyweight, respectively. Garland was named Coach of the Year after leading the Cavaliers to one of the most memorable seasons in program history. After recording the second-most dual wins in a season at UVa (16), the Cavaliers peaked in postseason play. Virginia won its first ACC Championship since 1977, with Garland earning ACC Coach of the Year honors, marking the first time the ACC bestowed that honor on a UVa wrestling coach. The Cavaliers went on to finish 15th at the NCAA Championships. It was Virginia's second-best finish in program history behind only the 1957 team's 10th-place finish. Henrich had a memorable season of his own, as he finished 35-3 while easily winning the ACC Championship at 174 pounds before taking third place at the NCAA Championships. By virtue of his third-place NCAA finish, Henrich earned All-America honors for the second straight season, becoming the first two-time All-American in Virginia wrestling history. Salopek posted a 28-10 record in his redshirt freshman season. He recorded one of the more dramatic wins in Virginia wrestling history when he scored a late takedown in the final period against Virginia Tech's Tommy Spellman in their ACC Championship match. Salopek's ensuing win provided the clinching points for Virginia to win the team title. Salopek went on to compete at the NCAA Championships. Jones went 27-13 this season with a team-high 11 falls. He also competed at the NCAA Championships and fell one win shy of reaching All-America status. He finished his Virginia career as the all-time UVa pins record holder with 45. He also ended his career with 106 career wins, which ranks fourth in school history. Jones earned the 2010 Gorrarian Trophy, which is presented to the wrestler who pinned the most opponents in the least amount of time at the NCAA Championships. Snyder, normally a 125-pounder, wrestled up a weight class for the second half of the year and finished his season with a 27-16 record. He also took runner-up honors at the ACC Championships. Danilkowicz recorded his best season as a Cavalier with a 19-14 record. After taking third place at the ACC Championships, he earned a berth in the NCAA Championships, where he posted a 1-2 record. VaSID All-State First Team 125 James Nicholson, Old Dominion 133 Marcus Chevres, Apprentice School 141 Chris Diaz, Virginia Tech 149 Brian Stephens, Virginia Tech 157 Peter Rose, Southern Virginia 165 Chris Brown, Old Dominion 174 Chris Henrich, Virginia 184 Mike Salopek, Virginia 197 Brent Jones, Virginia HWT Josh Wine, VMI VaSID All-State Second Team 125 Jarrod Garnett, Virginia Tech 133 Matt Snyder, Virginia 141 Ty Holley, Apprentice School 149 Frankie Gayeski, Liberty 157 Jesse Dong, Virginia Tech 165 Chad Porter, Liberty 174 Mendbagana Tovuujav, George Mason 184 Tommy Spellman, Virginia Tech 197 Jesse Strawn, Old Dominion HWT Jack Danilkowicz, Virginia Wrestler of the Year Chris Henrich, Virginia Rookie of the Year Brian Stephens, Virginia Tech Coach of the Year Steve Garland, Virginia

Jake Shields

Marty Bartram

Andrew Murano

Marcie VanDusen

Chuck Barbee

COLLEGE PARK, Md. - The University of Maryland wrestling team celebrated a second consecutive top-20 finish at the NCAA Championships and said goodbye to one of the most decorated senior classes in program history Saturday night at the team banquet. The senior class consisting of Hudson Taylor, Steven Bell, Alex Krom, Mookie Golden, James Knox, Rich DiPietro, Casey Marwine and Andrew Bradley, along with volunteer assistant Brendan Byrne, were all presented individual awards for their contributions to the program. "It was an incredible event and a great way to cap off the season," said head coach Kerry McCoy. "We had a great senior class and a lot of emotions were displayed. I'm really happy with the success of the banquet and all the support we received. It really shows that Maryland is a special place." The Terps had a number of individual and team achievements to celebrate. Maryland achieved a No. 6 preseason ranking, the highest in school history. Krom became the first Terp to win the Midlands Championship and Maryland finished sixth as a team, its highest finish ever. Maryland set a school record with 19 dual-meet wins, finished in the top-20 at the NCAA Championships for the second straight year and had multiple All-Americans for the second consecutive year. M Club Executive Director Ziz Abdur-Ra'oof was on hand to recognize letter winners and present seniors with a special gift signifying their membership to the M Club. Taylor was awarded the John C. McHugh Outstanding Wrestler of the Year for the third straight year after going 42-4 and finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships. Taylor became the first three-time All-American in school history and finished his career with as Maryland's winningest wrestler with a 165-26 record. He also owns the school record for career pins (87) and single-season pins (24), which he set in 2009-10. Taylor also received the Kevin R. Kearns Award, given to the senior wrestler who has contributed the most to wrestling at the university. Taylor was recently named the ACC Scholar Athlete of the Year for the second time and also recently received an ACC postgraduate scholarship, to go with a number of other off-the-mat accomplishments. Steven Bell and Taylor received awards for becoming All-Americans. Bell finished eighth at the NCAA Championships and compiled a 27-8 record on the season, while Taylor finished fourth. Bell also captured his third ACC Championship and became the program's fifth two-time All American. Other award winners included: Mookie Golden, who went 15-6 on the season and stepped in to win several crucial conference matches for the Terps, was awarded the Tom Norris Unsung Hero Award for the wrestler who always puts the team first over himself. Josh Asper took home both the Freshman of the Year award and the Curt Callahan Mental Toughness Award, given to the wrestler who was always ready to do battle in the practice room, tournaments and dual meets. Asper had a sensations season, setting the school record for wins by a freshman with 34 and coming up just short of an All-American season by placing ninth at the NCAA Championships. Kyle John went 29-13 and qualified for the NCAA Championships as a redshirt sophomore and received the Most Improved Award. Jimmy Sheptock took home the Redshirt of the Year award after going 24-3 and winning the East Stroudsburg Open and the Wilkes Open. 2010 Maryland Banquet Awards: John C. McHugh Outstanding Wrestler of the Year: Hudson Taylor Kevin R. Kearns Award: Hudson Taylor Tom Norris Unsung Here Award: Mookie Golden Curt Callahan Mental Toughness Award: Josh Asper Most Improved Award: Kyle John Redshirt of the Year Award: Jimmy Sheptock Freshman of the Year Award: Josh Asper

Former Patriot Women's Wrestling standout Alaina Berube has been named the new Head Coach of the highly successful University of the Cumberlands (UC) Women's Wrestling team. Berube, a recent graduate of UC, has returned to the Patriot mat to coach and lead the #2 team in the nation. Berube enters the elite position with high expectations for the team in the near future. "I intend for the girls to work hard and do the best they can, on and off the mat," said Berube. "We will remain a program that produces top quality student-athletes." Having graduated from Cumberlands in 2007 with a Public Health and Exercise & Sports Science Major, Alaina will also be pursing her Masters degree in education. "I was just in my team's position a few years ago," said Berube. "I know what it's like to try to balance academics and wrestling and I know and understand what the girls are going through. As a coach, that's still taking classes and attending school as well, I empathize and understand what they're going through." With a vast array of wrestling experience, Alaina has traveled the world earning many awards, validating herself in the sport of women's wrestling. Just during her tenure as a Cumberlands wrestler Alaina was a 2X Junior National Champion, earned fourth place in the Junior World Championships, was a 3X College National Champion, a 2X Pan Am Champion, a United States Olympic Team Alternate, a Senior National Champion, a 2X third place University World Member, a 2X Senior World Team Trial Runner-up, a 2X University National Champion, a third place University World Member, and an eighth place Senior World Team Member to name a few. These accomplishments have only come through hard work and dedication, athletically and academically."My goal is to help my girls graduate with a college degree and to be ready for the world," said Berube. "I want them to have a good experience in and out of wrestling and understand that their education is their top priority." “I am excited to have Alaina Berube as our new Head Women's Wrestling Coach," said Cumberlands Athletic Director Randy Vernon. "Alaina took over in mid-season as our interim coach and has done an excellent job during the remainder of the year. She has a good understanding of what is expected of the head wrestling coach, having preformed as a member of our team during her undergraduate years at University of the Cumberlands and later as an assistant coach on our staff. She has strong leadership qualities and the knowledge and ability to help our student-athletes reach their maximum potential. I am very pleased to have here on our staff." Berube is determined to put all of her energy into making the team successful."I want the girls to earn spots on every level of wrestling, Junior, National, World, and the Olympics," said Alaina. "I am willing to do what it takes to help them reach their full potential." Going to practice every day to coach is an easy task for Berube. "We have a group of hard working ladies with positive attitudes. The girls are well-rounded coming from different backgrounds and while mat time is important, keeping the girls healthy is what is most important to me." The team is excited about having Berube as their new Head Coach."She really stepped up for us this season," said senior and team captain Jackie Stiles. "Being a former competitive student-athlete at Cumberland is an advantage for her. I've known her since I was a freshman and she is an all-around great person. She cares about the team and is very understanding. I have nothing but respect for her." The team is looking forward to their future and although many of the seniors will be gone, there are still many excited about what the future of Patriot Women's Wrestling has in store. "If the team will listen, work hard, and be ready for anything, then this team and teams in the future at Cumberlands will accomplish great things with Coach Berube," said Stiles. Berube will take several members of the current team to Cleveland, OH this weekend to compete at the U.S. Open Senior National Tournament. The Patriots are anticipating bringing home several All-Americans at the senior division level.

The third annual Wrestle Against Autism event will take place May 16 at the French Field House in Columbus, Ohio. TDR will be providing live coverage of the event. Wrestle Against Autism was started in 2008 and is a joint venture between the Mad River Wrestling Officials Association and the Ohio State wrestling team. The purpose of the tournament is to support the many families affected by Autism and to raise awareness about the disorder. The inaugural Wrestle Against Autism in 2008 consisted of around 225 wrestlers. $9,000 was raised to help families living with Autism. The second annual Wrestle Against Autism in 2009 was supported by 425 wrestlers. $17,000 was raised to help combat the challenges of Autism. TDR's Scott Casber recently spoke with some of the key figures behind the Wrestle Against Autism event. Jason Bross Kim Ryan Aaron Hartman Mark Quinn More information: www.wrestleagainstautism.com Photos: www.buckeyewrestling.com/?q=image/tid/726

RICHMOND, Va. -- Junior Old Dominion wrestling standout James Nicholson was one of five student-athletes honored by the Colonial Athletic Association as recipients of the CAA Scholar-Athlete Award for the winter sports season. All five student-athletes excelled both athletically and academically during the 2009-10 year. The conference honors one Scholar-Athlete in each of its 22 championship sports. Nominees for the award must be a starter or important reserve on their team and must have a minimum cumulative grade point average of 3.25. The winners were selected by a vote of the sports information directors at each CAA institution. Nicholson (Des Moines, Iowa) is majoring in finance and minoring in marketing at ODU. The Dean’s List student was a member of the NWCA All-Academic team in 2009 and is a three-time recipient of the CAA Commissioner’s Academic Award. On the mat, Nicholson compiled a sparkling 32-3 overall record this season and was the CAA Champion at 125-pounds for the third year in a row. The 2007-08 All American was ranked seventh nationally and was the #7 seed at the 2010 NCAA Championship, where he posted a 2-2 record. Other student-athletes earning Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors for their sports were Northeastern senior Baptiste Bataille in men’s basketball, George Mason junior Angelee LaTouche in women’s basketball, George Mason graduate student Eric Knight in men’s swimming and diving and UNC Wilmington senior Caitlin Kirsteier in women’s swimming and diving.

Zeke Jones, national men’s freestyle coach for USA Wrestling and author Matt Krumrie will 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. Jones won a World Championship in 1991 and has been the national men’s freestyle coach for USA Wrestling for nearly two years. The U.S. Open Wrestling Championships will be contested this weekend in Cleveland, Ohio. Author Matt Krumrie’s book, “The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps” was recently released. A sports writer for nearly two decades, Krumrie has served as editor for TheWrestlingMall.com and has written for several other publications. For the past few years Krumrie has written the preview article for the official NCAA Division I Championships program.

I return to the Brute adidas studios this week for a loaded show. Big thanks to Steve Foster, Randy Crimmins, John Reader and the Longs for filling in for me in my absence. This week on Takedown Wrestling Radio: Special Guest Co-Host former Oklahoma State Cowboy Ryan Freeman Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling/TheMat.com joins us for a look at what's happening in Cleveland, Ohio at the U.S. Open Eric Guerrero- Assistant Head Coach Oklahoma State Cowboys joins us to discuss camps and summer months. Al Bevilacqua- Founder of Beat the Streets joins us to discuss the program and its coming Gala Dinner and event on the Deck of the USS Intrepid. See Beatthestreets.org Joel Sharratt- Head Coach US Airforce Falcons. His team's performance has gotten steadily better and is on track for even more success. Wrestling at the academy is not easy. Find out why. John Hangey- Rider Assoc. Head Coach. The Broncs will act as host to the 2010/2011 NCAA Championships this coming season. John fills us in on the prep being done by he and Coach Taylor. Pat Popolizio- Head Coach of Binghamton Bearcats. Pat knows what it takes for a program to be saved, brought back to life and more. What are California's coaches facing in their time of great challenge. Wrestling fans- Please note that Episode 54 of TDR TV is now available with a new look. 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!

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- After 10 years at the helm and 87 victories, Army head wrestling coach Chuck Barbee has resigned, Athletics Director Kevin Anderson announced on Tuesday. Barbee will continue in his position until mid-July. Barbee, who coached 26 national qualifiers and 48 Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association placewinners, cited a change in career path and a desire to spend more time with his family as the reasons for his departure. "It has been my honor and privilege to coach at such an outstanding institution for the last 10 years," said Barbee. "The Army Wrestling team has been my professional passion and I am certainly indebted to the young men who believed in West Point and Army Wrestling. I will miss the team, and the West Point community but my family and I are excited about what lies ahead for us. The Army wrestling team is young and exciting and Army Wrestling fans have a lot to be excited about in the future." "We are grateful for everything Chuck has given to the U.S. Military Academy and the wrestling program," said Anderson. "As you can tell from his records and accolades, he was an accomplished coach who helped continue the storied history of the Army wrestling program. I respect his decision to take his career in a new direction." While assistant coaches Ryan Wilman and Rafael Vega will remain in their current positions, a national search to find Barbee's replacement will begin immediately. The 2007-08 EIWA Coach of the Year, Barbee helped Army compete on the national stage, coaching 15 wrestlers to the national tournaments and guiding three wrestlers to All-America honors. Barbee won double digit dual meets four out of the last six years and in 2009-10, two wrestlers earned a spot at nationals and six placed in the top eight at EIWA's. Barbee, who began his tenure at West Point in 2000, was brought in to restore the prominence of the wrestling team by developing All-America talent. Matt Kyler continued that lineage earning All-American honors in 2008 with a sixth-place finish at 141 pounds at the national championships in St. Louis following a run that saw him face a seeded opponent all seven times he stepped on the mat. A 1993 graduate of Oklahoma State, Barbee got off to a strong start in his first season by guiding Maurice Worthy to an EIWA championship and an appearance at the NCAA Tournament that also took place in St. Louis. Worthy's successful season ended after finishing NCAA runner-up at 174 pounds, becoming the Black Knights' first All-American wrestler in 14 years. Barbee's resume of success stories was lengthened a year later with the addition of Phillip Simpson to the squad. The only three-time All-America in Academy history, he qualified for the NCAA tournament four times, finishing runner-up at 149 pounds in 2005 after an eighth-place effort at 157 and a third-place finish at 141 the previous two seasons. Under Barbee's watchful eye, Simpson graduated as the all-time wins leader in Academy history with 134. Barbee's expertise has also translated into a rise in dual meet success for the Black Knights. The last six years have seen Army total 57 victories, including 12 during the 2004-05 season when the squad broke into the national rankings and climbed as high as 23rd in the country. The Black Knights also totaled 12 victories in 2007-08 to again mark the program's highest total since the 1996 campaign. Over the past five seasons, Army has compiled a 31-15-2 mark in EIWA dual meets, including a 21-13 upset of 25th-ranked Columbia in 2007, and an 18-15 victory over Lehigh in 2007-08 that was the Black Knights' first in 14 bouts dating back to the 1990-91 season. The 2007-08 season will be remembered as one of Barbee's finest on the banks of the Hudson River. Despite being picked to finish eighth at the EIWA Championships, Barbee and the Black Knights put together a third-place effort at the conference tournament as six wrestlers placed in the top-four of their respective weight classes. Senior captain Fernando Martinez (2nd, 125), Kyler (1st, 141), senior Christian Snook (4th, 165), senior Scott Ferguson (2nd, 184), sophomore Richard Starks (4th, 197) and senior Nathan Thobaben (3rd, 285) all punched a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Two years earlier, eight of Barbee's Black Knights placed at the EIWA meet, led by third-place finishers Patrick Simpson (149), Jon Anderson (165) and Charles Martin (197). A year later, four Army wrestlers finished in the top-six at the conference championships, including a runner-up effort at 141 pounds by Kyler, who joined Martinez (125) and Thobaben (285) in making their first appearances at the NCAA Tournament, while Snook was an alternate at 157. The 2008-09 season again included double-digit wins and was highlighted by Kyler, Richard Starks and William Simpson earning a spot at NCAA's in St. Louis. Starks was unable to compete due to an injury suffered during the EIWA Tournament but Kyler secured his third trip to nationals and Simpson his second. Barbee continued to advance wrestlers to the national tournament during the 2009-10 season. After a 7-4 regular season, six wrestlers placed at EIWA's and two -- Kyler and Starks -- earned return trips to the NCAA's. Kyler qualified for the fourth time, the first Army wrestler since Phillip Simpson in 2006 to do so. Starks earned his third bid to nationals. Before Barbee began his tenure at Army, he served as the top assistant at the University of Oklahoma from 1997-2000. Barbee coached under former Army assistant and Big 12 "Coach of the Year" Jack Spates, who was an assistant coach at the Academy when the 1986-87 squad won the only EIWA championship title in Army wrestling history. Barbee coached seven All-Americans and four national finalists during his tenure at Oklahoma, helping the Sooners build one of the country's top wrestling programs and winning the 1999 Big 12 team title. He helped coach over 30 national qualifiers and was also partly responsible for helping bring in a Top-10 recruiting class in each of his three years with the Sooners, keeping Oklahoma among the elite. The Sooners placed 10th, sixth and fourth at the NCAA Championships during Barbee's stay in Norman. Aside from his coaching experience at OU, Barbee served as the head coach of the 1999 Big 12 All-Star team versus Korea. He was also the Sunkist Kids freestyle coach at the 2000 Olympic Trials and coached for the Team Excel Freestyle Club from 1997 through 1999. Barbee was a three-time NCAA All-American for coach Joe Seay at Oklahoma State. He was a prominent contributor in leading the Cowboys to successive national titles in 1989 and 1990. He was also a two-time Academic All-American, a Big Eight Champion in 1991 and Espoir and University National Freestyle Champion. Barbee was a member of the Espoir World Cup team in 1988 and a Junior National Freestyle All-American. During Barbee's competitive career, he trained with wrestling legends John Smith, Kendall Cross, Alan Fried, Pat Smith and Kenny Monday. Barbee and his wife Sally have four children: Alexa (17), Grace (12), Liza (10) and Tony (8).

Bubba Jenkins

Mo Lawal

Lennie Zalesky