InterMat Staff

Related Link: Purdue's 2011-12 Schedule WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue wrestling program announced its 2011-12 schedule on Wednesday, unveiling a solid lineup of duals and tournaments capped by the 2012 Big Ten Championships at Mackey Arena and the 2012 NCAA Championships at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. The Boilermakers will host five dual contests this year, including four Big Ten Duals in Holloway Gymnasium. Purdue opens up its season on Nov. 5, returning to the Eastern Michigan Open after a year's absence. The squad then heads out to Columbia, Mo. on Nov. 13 for a tilt with the Missouri Tigers, looking to knock them off for the third straight season and 15th time in school history. The Boilermakers have their home opener on Nov. 18, hosting NCAA Division II foe Indianapolis, and close out the month with a rigorous schedule at the Northeast Duals in Troy, N.Y., where they're scheduled to face Binghamton, Lock Haven, Rutgers and American. The Boilermakers head back out on the road to start December, traveling on Dec. 1 to Dekalb, Ill. where they'll square off with Northern Illinois for the 26th time in Purdue's history and the first time since 2008. They return home on Dec. 9 to open the Big Ten Dual slate, hosting Michigan State in Holloway Gymnasium for the second straight year. Purdue took a 22-9 victory last season and looks to open the conference schedule with a victory for the second time in the last three years. The Old Gold and Black has scheduled a trip to Edwardsville, Ill. before the holiday break on Dec. 18, heading over for a pair of duals against Southern Illinois Edwardsville and Truman State. They'll restart the season at the prestigious Midlands Championships, hosted by Northwestern on Dec. 28 and 29, returning as a team after sending just six athletes in 2010. The New Year opens with Illinois on Jan. 6, with plans for a special celebration for Military Appreciation Day. Purdue then heads to Columbus, Ohio the following Friday, Jan. 13, to face the Buckeyes, and comes back home on Sunday, Jan. 15 for a clash with the Golden Gophers of Minnesota. The Boilermakers start a grueling trip on Jan. 19, heading up to Madison, Wis. for a Friday night battle (Jan. 20) with the Badgers before heading out to Lincoln, Neb. for their first-ever Big Ten Dual with conference newcomer Nebraska on Sunday, Jan. 22. The last two Big Ten Duals are set for Jan. 27 and Feb. 5 as Purdue hosts Northwestern on the 27th and then heads down the road for the 98th showdown with archrival Indiana on the 5th. The Boilermakers are set to be a part of the new format of the NWCA National Duals, scheduled for Feb. 10-12, heading to Cornell for a six-team regional tournament. Joining Purdue in Ithaca, N.Y. is Central Michigan, Illinois, Oklahoma, American and the host Big Red. The winner of the region will advance to a four-team championship weekend, set for Feb. 19 at a location to be determined. Unless they advance, the Boilermakers close out their regular season schedule on Feb. 19, facing Central Michigan on neutral turf in Toledo, Ohio. After being forced to pass on hosting in 2011 with the Mackey Project in full swing, the Boilermakers bring the Big Ten Championships to West Lafayette for the first time since 2000. It's been a mixed bag for Purdue in recent history, but they'll aim for their first top-five showing at the conference tournament since 1992, after finishing sixth in 2004 and 2009. The national meet returns to St. Louis after a two-year absence as Purdue works to place its third All-American in the last four seasons.

With the high school wrestling season's start fast approaching, InterMat will be taking fans across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From now until the middle of November, InterMat will introduce fans to the top high school senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. From Alaska to Florida, and Maine to California, fans will gain exposure to future college and senior level stars. The rankings within this article do not necessarily reflect those done by InterMat. Kansas saw seven of their Class of 2011 wrestlers sign with Division I programs, leaving a perceived void in 2012. A closer look uncovers some gems that are bound to make a name for themselves on the national stage. This class carries with it 128 Fargo wins and six returning All-Americans. Headlining the class are a Fargo national champion, a Fargo finalist, and an NHSCA finalist. Matt Reed1. Matt Reed (Wichita Heights) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 170 Projected College Weight Class: 165/174 Analysis: Reed is a multi-sport phenom. He was a USAW Cadet National Greco-Roman finalist in 2010 and doubled his All-American status this year at Fargo. He anchored the Junior National Dual team, going 16-1 in dual matches. He brings a 98-16 record into his senior season, coming off an undefeated 35-0 junior campaign. In his two seasons as the starting quarterback of the football team, he is 19-1 while finishing as undefeated state champions last year. Reed carries a 3.4 GPA and is very active in the school Peer Leader program to acclimate incoming freshmen to the high school experience. Look for this elite athlete on the podium at Virginia Beach and Fargo next year! 2. Austin Hood (Louisburg) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: Hood is a two-time Kansas state champion with a career 110-13 record. In 2010 he brought home the hardware with a USAW Cadet National folkstyle title, followed by a Fargo USAW Cadet National freestyle title. That same year he was a Fargo USAW Greco-Roman finalist. His freshman season, he also claimed a double All-American status in folkstyle and freestyle. He is an unprecedented seven-time Kansas Triple Crown winner. In all, Hood has 26 Fargo wins! Reece Wright-Conklin3. Reece Wright-Conklin (Lawrence) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 182 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Wright-Conklin is a two-time state champion and three-time placer. He is 98-6 through three years and had a dominating 37-0 junior year with quality wins over nationally-ranked Kyle Crutchmer, Willie Schwartzkopf, and Austin Coburn, among others. Wright-Conklin carries a 3.7 GPA and has many college coaches interested. I can guarantee that this athlete will have many choices! 4. Bo Pursel (Lansing) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 132 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Analysis: Pursel is the favorite to be the next four-time state champion in Kansas. He has a career 109-8 record and three state titles. He beat four state champions last year, including a win over our other returning three-time champion Dylan Schumacher. He has trained under national coaches at the OTC. He was a 2011 National High School Rodeo qualifier in team roping. He has won multiple buckles, and rodeos, both locally and regionally. He won a 2010 United States Team Roping Jackpot in 2010. Bo competes in both tie-down roping and team roping. His style makes him very difficult to take down and he can scramble from anywhere to a scoring position. He has chosen to stay close to home for college and is going to attend budding NAIA program Baker University and wrestle for Coach Jimmy May. 5. Javier Vieyra (Salina South) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 113 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: Vieyra is a four-time Fargo All-American with 23 wins on the biggest stage. He is 92-24 in high school action and a two-time state finalist. He was also an NHSCA Junior National finalist in Virginia Beach. Adding to his hardware, Vieyra was a two-time USAW folkstyle All-American. He is a National Honor Society member and was voted class president of his senior class. 6. Connor Middleton (Olathe Northwest) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Analysis: Middleton's career record is 128-10. He is a three-time state placer and 2010 Kansas state champion. He is an NHSCA Junior National folkstyle All-American, as well as a Cadet and Junior National All-American. Over the last two years, he has only lost to two wrestlers and capped his junior season with a 45-1 title, losing only to four-time state champion Ryne Cokeley. Alex Bontz7. Alex Bontz (Andover Central) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 152 Projected College Weight Class: 149 Analysis: My comments about Bontz over the years have usually included, “He's one of the toughest kids I know.” Bontz is a three-time state placer and 2010 state champion with a 115-5 career record. He is a 2011 NHSCA Junior National All-American. 8. Dylan Schumacher (Thomas More Prep) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 120 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: Schumacher has had a stellar high school career! He is a three-time state champion with a record of 104-3, losing only to fourth-ranked Bo Pursel, Tim Prescott, and last year's Arizona State recruit Dalton Miller. 9. Brandon Charbonneau (Emporia) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 138 Projected College Weight Class: 141 Analysis: Charbonneau is a two-time Fargo All-American with 24 Fargo wins! In 2009, he was a Cadet National runner-up. He carries a 101-19 record into his senior season and is a two-time state placer, including a 2010 state championship. Charbonneau maintains a 4.0 GPA and ranks first in his class of 328! 10. Sam Son (Chanute) Projected 2011-12 High School Weight Class: 170 Projected College Weight Class: 165 Analysis: Sam brings a 123-11 record into his senior season and is a favorite in 4A to stand atop the podium. He is a three-time state placer and two-time finalist. He finished a stellar junior season with a 44-1 record. He also set a school season record with 180 takedowns! To crown his junior year, Sam was a 2011 NHSCA Junior National All-American at Virginia Beach. He competes as a two time starting outside linebacker in football and a varsity catcher in baseball. He carries a 3.3 GPA and has goals of becoming a math teacher and coach in the future. Honorable Mention: Luke Bean (Kapaun Mt. Carmel) Ulyesses DeShazer (Wichita Heights) Konnor Kriss (Colby) Eric Mason (St. Thomas Aquinas) Justin McPhail (Liberal) Tim Prescott (McPherson) Aaron Seybold (Pittsburg) T.J. Stokes (Gardner) Colby Watters (Arkansas City) Tommy Williams (St. Thomas Aquinas)

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Join Takedown Wrestling Host Scott Casber and Brad Johnson with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News. Listen in this Saturday for Takedown Wrestling 9 to 11 a.m. CT/ 10 a.m. to 12 noon ET. This week's guests: 9:01: Mike Letts -- Assistant wrestling coach at Navy 9:20: Barry Davis -- Head wrestling coach at Wisconsin 9:40: Randy Lewis -- Former Iowa wrestler, celebrating the 27th Anniversary of Olympic gold in LA 10:01: Mike Straka -- TV Host, Author of Fighting Words by Mike Straka 10:20: Jimmy Pedro Jr. -- Hd Ch. Olympic Judo 10:40: Nikko Reyes -- Clovis West (Calif.) wrestler commits to Illinois 10:50: Amy Ruble -- Wildrose Casino and Resort, Emmetsburg Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio App.

The Clash board and the city of Rochester, Minn. is proud to welcome back Brandon, Fla. to The Clash X. Coach Russ Cozart is taking the 2,000-mile trip for the second consecutive season in search of the elusive national title he has been seeking. If healthy, Brandon will be bringing its most talented team in the history of this storied program. This team is absolutely loaded and as the field is settled, they have to be considered one of the strong favorites to win. First a little history: Brandon FL owns the longest winning streak in the history of high school sports (459 -- broken in 2008.) The program has taken one loss since then (to Apple Valley at Clash IX). The Eagles finished last season winning their 11th straight state title and ranked third nationally behind Blair Academy and Apple Valley, MN. In the last 30 years, Brandon has won 21 state titles and has three runner ups. Returning state medalists: Dylan Lucas -- state champion at 103 (Tampa Bay Christian) -- Class 2015 Devan Berrian -- state runner-up at 103 -- Class 2014 James Flint -- state champion at 112 -- Class 2014 Kevin Norstrem -- state champion at 125 -- Class 2013 Rossi Bruno -- state champion at 130 -- Class 2012 Tyler Liberatore -- state champion at 135 -- Class 2012 Bryce Jones -- fifth at 140 -- Class 2012 Travis Berridge -- state runner-up at 145 -- Clash of 2013 Clark Glass -- state champion at 152 -- Class 2012 Kyle Koziel -- state champion at 171 -- Class 2012 Additional state qualifier: Victor Fugate at 119 -- Class 2013 That are six state champions returning and one more joining.

Jennifer Pharr Davis, current speed record holder for thru-hiking on the Appalachian Trail, and Jessie Whitmer, 1997 NCAA wrestling champion at 118 pounds, will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, August 10. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. An archive of the show can be found on www.themat.tv. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. During the months of August and September the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum will conduct “champions” interviews with champion athletes and coaches outside the sport of wrestling. There will also be regular interviews with wrestlers and coaches. This week's champion interview is with Jenn Pharr Davis. Pharr Davis recently broke speed record for thru-hiking on the Appalachian Trail -- a 2,175 mile hiking trail that covers 14 states on the east coast. Her time of 46 days, 11 hours, and 20 minutes translates to an average of 47 miles a day. Whitmer was an NCAA champion for the University of Iowa in 1997 at 118 pounds. His individual championship was part of the all-time NCAA wrestling championship point record set at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa.

We assembled our U.S. FILA Cadet Pan Am Team in Aurora, Ill. on July 29. Twelve of the top Cadet age group wrestlers in the nation (representing nine different states) joined forces with coaches from California, Utah, New Jersey, Florida, Illinois, and Michigan for training camp at Marmion Academy near Chicago. The elite coaching staff prepared two-a-day workouts for the team that included freestyle and Greco-Roman training as well as team-building techniques and mental training. Trip Summary: July 29: Team and coaches arrive in Aurora for training at Marmion July 30: Training started with two-a-day workouts and team building drills July 31: Training intensity picked up with several live situations and mental training Aug. 1: The day focused on agility training, live matches and individual instruction Aug. 2: Travel day from Chicago O'Hare to Mexico City and then to Campeche Aug. 3: Started training in Campeche and team trip to the beach Aug. 4: Weigh-ins for Greco-Roman and team meal Aug. 5: Greco-Roman competition; eight medals, including four golds and the team title! Aug. 6: Weight cutting for freestyle and a visit to Mayan Ruins in Edzna. Aug. 7: Freestyle competition; nine medals, including five golds and the team title! Aug. 8: All team members head back home The tremendous cultural experiences, the ability to coach and compete at the international level and most importantly the pride in representing the USA in competition was felt by each team member and that allowed us to bond quickly into a very strong unit! The maturity of our elite wrestlers and the focus of our coaching staff allowed us to all grow to be better wrestlers, coaches and people. Team USA at Pan Am Cadet Championships"Our Greco team started a bit slow in Friday's morning session but we really rallied to earn 8 medals including 4 golds and the team title. For many of our guys, this was their first taste of international competition. As they became more comfortable with the environment they really started to tear guys up," said Coach Mike Clayton, head coach at Stevens Institute of Technology. Northwestern University head coach Drew Pariano said, "We are developing a more international style and this tournament effectively allowed us to test our match strategies. We still need to learn when to attack and when to control our mat position. The entire U.S. contingent from the athletes themselves; to the support staff, were motivated to win gold medals." The men's freestyle and Greco-Roman teams dominated the Cadet Pan Am Competition by bringing home 17 of a possible 20 medals in the two-day event. In total, the U.S. Contingent hauled in nine gold medals (four in Greco-Roman and five in freestyle). Jake Stilling (Wisconsin) and Eric Hoffman (Maryland) earned double titles for the U.S. team. Stilling had an impressive run of four straight victories in freestyle to capture the 73 kg weight class. Hoffman had an electrifying comeback victory in Greco-Roman to claim the 69 kg class. At 42 kg, Ethan Koan (Missouri) earned a silver medal in Greco and a bronze medal in the freestyle competition. At 50 kg, Chris Allen (Missouri) earned a spot in the Bronze Medal match in Greco-Roman. Illinois natives Tommy Pawleski and Jered Cortez had impressive showings and both athletes were double finalists. Pawleski won the gold in Greco-Roman and earned a silver in the freestyle competition. Cortez had a gold medal performance at 54 kg in freestyle and took the silver in Greco. At 58 kg in Greco-Roman, Brandon George (Utah) made his second Cadet Pan Am appearance after earning the spot in 2009. New Jersey's Anthony Ashnault earned a silver medal in freestyle after a back and forth finals match with tournament OW Wilfredo Rodriquez of Venezuela at 58 kg. Ashnault had two dominating wins in the qualification rounds. Utah's Grant LaMont (63 kg) earned gold as he dominated his freestyle opponents. In the bronze medal match for Greco-Roman, LaMont was able to score two five-point throws to secure his spot on the podium. At 84 kg, Spencer Wilson (Kansas) was a double medalist with a bronze in the Greco-Roman competition and a silver medal in freestyle. Specializing in Greco-Roman at 100 kg, Alex Bambic (Arizona) put together an array of attacks to earn his gold medal. Taking the freestyle duties for the U.S. team at 100 kg was Adam Coon (Michigan) who was unscored upon during the freestyle competition. Coon, who was a double champion at the FILA Cadet Nationals this past spring and will represent the United States at the Cadet World Championships in Szombethely, Hungary, Aug. 25-28, 2011. Team leader Brian Giffin of Beat the Streets Chicago said, "The Cadet program is a vital part of the development of our nation's top wrestlers. This trip to Pan Am's was a strong step to helping us prepare tomorrow's Olympic and World Champions for their journey." Special thanks to the USA Staff that made this trip such a successful venture: Team Leader: Brian Giffin (Illinois) Head Coach: Mike Clayton (New Jersey) Head Coach: Drew Pariano (Illinois) Asst. Coach: Steve Glassey (California) Asst. Coach: Craig LaMont (Utah) Asst. Coach: John Grecco (Florida) Asst. Coach: Dan Coon (Michigan) Team Manager: Ricardo Garcia (California) Team Manager: Matt Hampton (Illinois) Media: Mike Bambic (Arizona) Media: Bill Ashnault (New Jersey)

Event: UFC 133: Evans vs. Ortiz II Venue: Wells Fargo Arena (Philadelphia, Pa.) Date: Aug. 6, 2011 Coming off a 5-0 Strikeforce card, including two underdogs, the UFC Monster is back at it again, trying to beat the oddsmakers with tonight's UFC action. Betting on superior wrestlers against hot-shot strikers has been a winning and recession-beating strategy in mixed martial arts. Let's see if we can find some winners again tonight ... In what might be the lamest UFC card ever, due to injuries and cancellations, we find Rashad "Suga" Evans (15-1-1) fighting future HOF'er Tito "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Ortiz (16-8-1), once the face of the UFC. Evans was supposed to fight Jon Jones for the light heavyweight belt, but he finds himself in a rematch with Tito instead. Unfortunately, Jones suffered an injury in his beating of Shogun Rua. Evans and Ortiz fought four years ago, and the fight ended in a draw! Tonight that score gets settled. There is no value in the betting line with Evans installed as a -400 favorite. But Tito was 0-4-1 in his last fights before miraculously catching ASU's Ryan Bader in a choke hold. Other than beating up rival Ken Shamrock three times, Tito has been over-the-hill and AWOL forever. Now he fights a former champion on just one month's rest! Good luck with that. Rashad wins by second-round KO. It's OK to lay the heavy lumber in this lock. Rashad is the better athlete, wrestler, and striker. This is easy. One of my all-time favorite fighters, Vitor "The Phenom" Belfort (19-9), takes on formidable Yoshihiro "Sexy" Akiyama (13-3), who is 1-2 in the UFC. Not only has Belfort dropped to middleweight where his quick hands and powerful striking will dominate, but Akiyama is made to order for my Brazilian friend. Akiyama will be handed his pink slip early here, as Belfort responds from his kick-in-the-face loss to Anderson Silva by KO'ing Akiyama before the bell sounds to end the first round. Lay the -300 and enjoy the beating. I am also betting this as KO of the night, and quickest KO of the night, both at +450. Who really cares about journeyman veterans Dennis "Superman" Hallman (50-13-2) vs. Brian "Bad Boy" Ebersole (47-14-1)? I don't. The betting line is -115 either way, and that's where it should be as either guy can win. Both are best at submissions, but this stalemate should end in a decision. Expect plenty of back-and-forth action in a meaningless fight that I will pass on. I don't even know why it's on the main card ... next: Jorge "El Conquistador" Rivera (19-8) was to fight Alexio Sakara, but injuries restructured that fight to this, a strikefest with Constantino Philippou (7-2), who lost his UFC debut to unknown Nick Catone. Rivera went from an underdog to a favorite. Experience matters here, and Rivera is fighting on borrowed time. He needs a win badly here, and will get it with a vicious, and I mean vicious, second-round KO of his less experienced rival. Jorge is a bargain at -140. Another fight that baffles me for being on the main card, is up-and-comer, Rory MacDonald (11-1), against journeyman veteran, Mike "Quicksand" Pyle (21-7-1). Both will be active trying to set up the submission games, but MacDonald should prevail. I find the -275 reasonable. A second-round rear-naked choke submission will end this. Now let's take a quick look at the undercard, which I find to be as attractive as the main card. Joe Silva, whaddup with that? Chad "Money" Mendes (10-0) has been money in the bank. This lightning quick wrestler has over-powered and outworked every one of his opponents, and he is heading quickly up the food chain. He should roll through submission guru, former WEC star Rani Yahya (16-6), who's only hope is to sink in a submission hold before Mendes pushes him around the Octagon. There is no value at -600, though, so I'll watch this fight with splinters in my butt. Who doesn't love Matt "The Hammer" Hamill (10-3), the deaf wrestler with lead in his fists? Matt's gentle demeanor is anything but a fighter's. And his slow-prodding style, and willingness to stand and strike, often gets him in trouble. His opponent, Alexander Gustafsson (11-1), is perhaps more athletic, quicker, and the better striker. So what? I like wrestlers, so I'm hoping that Matt uses his brains and skill set to drag the Swede to the ground, and make him eat fists. At +160, I'll take my chances on Hamill. The ref stops this one in the third round, as he pulls the gentle giant off the bloody corpse. Ivan Menjivar (22-8) will try to use his experience to get by the determined Nick Pace (6-1). I'll go with the veteran here, and lay the -200, expecting to get awarded a decisive decision. Menjivar -200 is the play. Two great wrestlers go head-to-head when Okie State's Johny Hendricks (10-1) takes on Mike Pierce (12-3), who's 4-1 in the UFC with his only loss being to Jon Fitch. When two wrestlers meet, surprising you often see a boxing match evolve. If that is the case here, then Hendo has the edge. Six of his 10 wins have come by KO. He is the master of the upper cut. For some strange reason the oddsmakers opened the betting with Hendricks as a slight underdog. I got on early. Now Hendo carries a -125 price tag. It won't be easy, but I like Hendo to win here. By KO (I also took the 12:1 odds for KO of the night). Johny wins, "you know what I'm sayin'?" Nam Phan (16-8) will always be remembered for his courage and guts in his epic toe-to-toe battles with Leonard Garcia. Tonight he has to find a way to beat former WEC champion Mike Thomas Brown (24-8), who will always be remembered as beating the unbeatable Urijah Faber TWICE! Brown has struggled since, but his brute strength, quickness, and diversified attack will be enough to overwhelm Phan and gain some momentum in his attempt to climb the mountain. I like Brown -205 to win by second round submission. Newcomer Paul "The Gentleman" Bradley (18-2) makes his UFC debut tonight against Rafael "Sapo" Natal (12-3-1), who is a disappointing 0-2 in the UFC. Both are best at submissions. Natal opened as a slight -125 favorite, but the betting public is pounding Bradley, who now is as high as -140 to win! Why? ... I have no clue. Bradley, a former Iowa wrestler, has been fighting out of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy in venues at Black River Falls, Wis. and Podunk, Iowa. His last three opponents include a guy who is 1-39 and another who is 0-9!!! What the ... ? This guy has not only never been to the Big Show, but who the heck has he even fought? On principle alone, I'm taking Natal at +110. I'll say he wins a decision or gets a submission victory. Now let's see if we can turn these winners into some cash with our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll: Let's lay $160 to win $40 in a bridge jump on Rashad Evans. Let's lay $150 to win $50 on Vitor Belfort's quick hands and KO power. Let's pass on Hallman/Ebersole and just enjoy the action. Let's lay $112 to win $80 on Jorge Rivera keeping his UFC career alive. Let's lay $110 to win $40 on Rory MacDonald's submission skills. Let's pass on Mendes/Rahya. Price too steep on Money. Let's lay $60 to win $ 96 with a big smile on our faces for the Hammer. Let's lay $100 to win $50 on Menjivar. Let's lay $125 to win $100 on Johny Hendo, and wish we had laid more..... Let's lay $123 to win $60 on Mike Brown to get back on track. Let's lay $ 60 to win $66 on Sapo Natal to send Bradley back to the farm. In all, we are risking $1000 to try and win $582. I feel confident in my selections, tho' the butterflies come late. Don't forget to share your winnings with your local youth wrestling program, where tomorrow's champions are born! Enjoy the fights, I know I will.

Jarred Oftedahl (Benilde-St. Margaret's, Minn.), a 2011 Junior National folkstyle champion, has registered for the 2011 InterMat JJ Classic at 113 pounds. Oftedahl was a Junior National double All-American this summer in Fargo at 105 pounds. He finished as a state runner-up this past season at 103 pounds, posting a season record of 39-3. Jarred Oftedahl (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)

Wrestling, which began as a varsity sport at Stevens in 1919, has gone through some major transitions over the past 92 years. For the past five years, Mike Clayton, who became the head wrestling coach in 2007, has initiated and led many of these revolutionary changes. Mike ClaytonStarting with the numbers, the team's roster has grown from 15 wrestlers back in 2007 to 40 members for the fall 2011 season. This number includes three Neupauer Scholars and six wrestlers who made the President's List this past year with a GPA over 3.75. Academically, the team has gone from 19th in Coach Clayton's first year coaching to 10th, 6th, and 3rd this past year in all NCAA Div III wrestling -- as the team had an impressive collective GPA of 3.551. The team also earned Stevens' highest national ranking this past year at 18th and has had three All-Americans, a title no wrestler in Stevens' history had held prior. "Our success over the past four years has been the direct result of setting high goals and a willingness to work hard to reach those goals. We continue to attract top student-wrestlers from around the nation and we have a committed support staff that helps them focus on their academic and athletic priorities," says Coach Clayton. Team member Ryan Dorman, a three out of five Mechanical Engineering major, asserts: "Coach brings energy, not only to the wrestling room, but also to the image of the team overall. He promotes the growth and success of the team more than any other coach to come through the Stevens wrestling program." "He also cares for the athletes at both the athletic and academic levels, which is essential for the future success of student athletes as they look for employment upon leaving Stevens," Ryan adds. "He does as much to prepare the athlete for the mat as he does to prepare the student for the business world." Wrestler Joe Favia, a four out of five double major in Business and Technology and Social Science, remarks, "Coach Clayton has spent his career at Stevens tirelessly working to improve our program. He has built the program from a once unranked team to a top 20 team, with this upcoming year's goal of landing a top 10 ranking. He has given us these opportunities by surrounding us with a great training environment. He has recruited the best wrestlers and the best coaching staff. Our staff alone is one that can rival a Division I program." "A wrestling team is nothing without great training partners and a coaching staff that is fully committed to the team system," continues Joe. "Coach Clayton has provided our team with all of those amenities and more." While coaching at Stevens, Coach Clayton was able to focus on his studies as well and obtain a Master's degree in Management from the Howe School. He has also served as a member of the ROTC and Stevens Veterans Office for the past three years. A veteran of the Navy Supply Corps, he enjoys helping other vets in their educational pursuits. There were a number of things that first attracted Coach Clayton to Stevens, in particular, the academic success, spectacular location, career placement, and the salary statistics for graduates. He believes that the combination of these strengths help improve the ability to recruit students to Stevens and the wrestling program. When asked what he expects from the wrestlers wanting to come to Stevens Clayton says, "Total commitment to academics and discipline to get the training that will help them reach their goals in wrestling as well." The wrestling team had never won a match in the Centennial Conference. In the past four years, however, with Clayton's determination and passion, the team is now 22-6 in the conference. He mentions how he has toughened the schedule to compete against some of the highest ranked teams in the nation annually. "The season is long which is hard in itself. During that time you are challenged to battle one-on-one in competition 30 or more times. As many athletes know, game day is the most brutal part of competition sports, but what sets wrestling apart from other sports is the "mano a mano" physicality," adds Ryan. He goes on to explain that unlike any other collegiate sport, wrestling forces its athletes into a ring for seven minutes, during which each athlete tests and pushes the other for the smallest sign of weakness (this is part of the reason why a wrestling competition is called a "match" not a "game"). Couple that with the day-to-day mental discipline and desire to be the best which pushes each athlete past their physical breaking point on a daily basis. "As a team this causes athletes to join together and push one another to the next level to get them through any tough times," says Ryan. "The team aspect of wrestling is very important for this reason." Joe echoes the comment: "Being surrounded by athletes who share a common goal and work endlessly to achieve that goal no matter what it may take is my favorite part about the team. It is a new year with new wrestlers and we plan to work hard to come out on top." The team is expanding the wrestling room over the summer in addition to running a summer wrestling camp. Also, Clayton is currently working to build a wrestling team locker room. The newly expanded Wrestling Center will offer the 2011-2012 team over 3,000 square feet of mat space and more than 1,000 square feet for cardio workouts, weight lifting, and conditioning training. "Not only has the room expanded, but generous donations have allowed us to paint the entire room in red and gray and improve our signage to show off our wrestlers' accomplishments over the entire history of our program," says Coach Clayton. Joe concludes, "Our team is a close group of wrestlers. We share blood and sweat. Nothing can bring a team closer. We feed off each other's energy, in and out of the wrestling room, constantly pushing each other to reach high levels of success on and off the mat. We have high goals and even higher expectations for our own success every day. It forces us to work hard and become a tight group fighting for a common goal: A National Championship." The wrestling team sets the perfect example of what it means to be a student-athlete in a Division III college. As much time that is put into the training is put into the studies as well, giving any individual the opportunity to go above and beyond after college. Coach Clayton undoubtedly sets the example for what this means and brings out the best in the wrestlers to achieve their highest potential.

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the mobile Brute studios in Las Vegas, NV on 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Join Takedown Wrestling Hosts Scott Casber, Todd Patterson, Ryan Couture, Gary Abbott and many more. Brad Johnson will have the Takedown Wrestling Headline News along the way. Listen Saturday's for Takedown Wrestling 9 to 11 AM CST/ 10 AM to 12 Noon Eastern as we broadcast live from Xtreme Couture in Vegas. This week we'll introduce the Grappling World Team Trials that we'll broadcast later in the day on TheMat.com 9:01: Todd Patterson -- Former U.S. Army wrestler 9:20: Gary Abbott -- USA Wrestling 9:40: Various Guests 9:50: Ty Barkley -- Max Muscle Sports Nutritionist 10:01: Gary Abbott -- USA Wrestling 10:20: Ryan Couture -- An MMA legend in the making 10:40: Michael Chandler -- Former wrestler for the University of Missouri, now in MMA 10:50: Maureen Roshar -- Wildrose Casino, Clinton, Iowa Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio App.

For three days my Facebook feed was clogged with links to the improbable acrobatic setup and subsequent reverse lift of 20-year-old USA Greco-Roman wrestler Ellis Coleman. I'd seen Coleman's "flying squirrel" once before, when he attempted it at the Beat the Streets Gala on the Intrepid in 2010. Like many fans I was pleased to see it made such an impression with such a large swath of sports fans (mostly MMA sites), but got the chills when I learned that he did it at the Junior World Championships -- his biggest stage. Ellis ColemanNot long after learning the video went viral I began to read Facebook posts by friends in the wrestling community bemoaning that Coleman's "Flying Squirrel" had been measured against the scripted and flashier moves of professional wrestling. At the time I hadn't seen the original program on ESPN2, but I could sense the underlying frustration of fans and viewers, "We finally get our wrestling on television and we get referenced to 'The Claw'?" I watched the program and at first agreed that the comparisons to WWE seem pretty bogus, but then I started thinking of it from an editor's viewpoint -- professional wrestling was the most relevant connection to be made with the move and the program's younger demographic. The writers and editors on the show had done what they needed to do to make the story profitable. Jason Bryant of USA Wrestling -- who is the unquestioned leader of social networking in the wrestling community -- voiced his frustrations and asked that "just once" the mainstream media not mention the professionals when recounting these infrequent events. He's right, the mention of professional wrestling does devalue the nuance of Coleman's achievement, but that's not the real failure. Leaving these moments unanswered stymies the progress of the sport. The fault for allowing wrestling to remain a static set of repeated messages about professionalism, cutting weight and tight clothing is the fault of those in charge of creating messaging and branding, myself included. I've worked as a freelance print journalist for three years and in that time have published one wrestling-centric in a major newspaper or magazine (H/T: Jim Casey of FIGHT! Magazine). The problem wasn't that every pitch lacked a compelling storyline -- I pitched Anthony Robles, Cornell's ascension and Cael Sanderson. The hangup for most editors was that amateur wrestling doesn't compel their audience, that behind the achievement is just tights and weight loss. Amateur wrestling as currently packaged cannot be sold to the mainstream media as a stand-alone product. The wrestling community shouldn't be flustered when Ellis Coleman gets on ESPN2 for an effort that is both named like a professional wrestling move and that authentically replicate the absurd athleticism typically only executed through choreography -- it's what compels the editors and interests the most viewers and we've given them nothing else to discuss or understand. Amateur wrestling needs to ask itself if it is willing to track towards a more professional style of wrestling (celebrations anyone?), or if we do a complete and total re-branding that includes themes that are both easily transmittable to our core communicators like Jason Bryant and repeatable by our athletes, coaches and fans. What are the new ideas? That's unclear right now. Wrestling is cluttered with entrepreneurial enterprises that add value to our connectivity, profitability and messaging (e.g. RIOT and Flowrestling) but the intellectuals in our community have so far been mum about new ways to capture a wider fan base for the sport. The leading organizations have recently created alliances between the powerful organizations in our community, most notably the Hall of Fame and USA Wrestling. That new power structure should help the thinkers and journalists within the sport create an improved message that every wrestler, coach and parent can repeat to sarcastic friends, nosy neighbors and pandering reporters. "Oh, like with the tights … God, I knew a wrestler who use to always spit in a cup ... Like the professional guys, right? The response can't simply be a personalized defense and assertion that this is "the real stuff." We need ideas. I'd like to see more individuals marry the entrepreneurship of the wrestling community with serious thought and debate about messaging. My work on Wrestling Roots aspires to introduce lots of new ideas about wrestling at-large, but the site is young and still too broad to direct the message. Still, there is no greater intellectual force internationally than the American amateur wrestling community. We have the wealthiest and most popular traditional wrestling community in the world and it's time we start using our intelligence, connectivity and energy to affect major change in our community, or else we can leave it up to ESPN to cultivate our message (hope you like Royal Rumbles). Coleman's takedown was a missed opportunity. Had these discussions started three years ago one of it's youngest and most charismatic stars could have responded with a pointed re-direct to his ESPN antagonist -- maybe he could've been coached for his media appearance and reminded on how to respond. What impact could Coleman have had if he'd been given a better message? Who watching that morning might have been convinced to give wrestling another look? What decision-maker in Washington D.C. or at a college in danger could have learned something new and influential? We'll never know because the conversation turned to our hyperbolic cousins in the WWE leaping from tight ropes and slamming each other with chairs. I find it interesting that Coleman's move is called the "Flying Squirrel." In college my roommates and I were interested in purchasing one for our apartment (we called it a "sugar glider"). The man at the pet store told us that they were awesome pets, that they might get a little loud but give them the platform and they could soar across the room. "I thought they could fly," said one of my roommates. No, the owner corrected it just takes them longer to fall to the ground than other squirrels. Flying squirrels don't fly, and without better ideas and messaging, wrestling will never take off, just take a longer time to fall down. T.R. Foley's website WrestlingRoots.org documents traditional wrestling styles from around the world and he recently returned from a three-month research trip to Mongolia.

Henry Cejudo

EDMOND -- Hosting the biggest tournament of the season highlights what is otherwise a light home slate for Central Oklahoma wrestling in 2011-12, according to the schedule released Tuesday. The Bronchos have just four home duals during the regular season, but UCO will be the host school for the all-important NCAA Division II Super Regional II Tournament Feb. 25-26 at Hamilton Field House. Twelve teams will compete in that two-day event, with the top-four placers from each of the 10 individual weights qualifying for the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships on March 11-12 in Pueblo, Colo. “Hosting the most important tournament of the year is a big deal for us and we're looking forward to it,” said long-time head coach David James, who has a 341-120-5 dual record and 12 national championships in 29 years at the UCO helm. “You can't do anything at the national tournament without getting through the regional and we're excited about having that event at home. “We have a good, tough schedule with several duals and events we'll point to throughout the season and I think we can accomplish some big things this year.” The Bronchos, who return all 10 starters from last year's 15-4 dual team that finished 13th in the national tournament, will preview the 2011-12 squad with the annual Bronze-Blue intrasquad dual on Nov. 2 before opening the season at the Oklahoma City Open on Nov. 6. UCO will make its home debut on Dec. 9 against Wayland Baptist, with the other home duals coming Jan. 12 (Nebraska-Kearney), Feb. 2 (Central Missouri) and Feb. 11 (Ouachita Baptist). The Bronchos have 10 duals scheduled in addition to the NWCA Division II National Duals on Jan. 7-8 in Chicago. UCO will also compete in five tournaments, including four open events.

AMES, Iowa -- Former Iowa State three-time All-American wrestler Travis Paulson, who was the No. 1 ranked U.S. wrestler at 74 kilograms (162.8 pounds) over the past year, has joined the Cyclone coaching staff as an assistant coach. Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson made the announcement Wednesday. Travis Paulson (Tony Rotundo, WrestlerAreWarriors.com)"Travis is a long time member of the Cyclone family," Jackson said. "He brings energy to our coaching staff, in addition to world class technique and priceless tactical experience. He understands my mental, technical and wrestling philosophy. Travis will oversee all middle weight classes. He is a great addition to our staff." Paulson, a three-time All-American for the Cyclones, ended his Iowa State wrestling career with a collegiate record of 106-32, tying Billy Kelly (1984-87) and Zach Roberson (2001-04), on the all-time Iowa State win list. Travis Paulson competed in high school and at Iowa State his twin, Trent. Trent was also a three-time All-American at Iowa State and a member of the U.S. Freestyle team. Travis Paulson's performance on the mat was replicated in the classroom, as he earned Academic All-Big 12 accolades all four years. Paulson graduated from Iowa State in 2007 with a bachelor's degree in business management and minor in entrepreneurship studies. "I am excited," Paulson said. "I will be training for the 2012 Olympic Games and can be an example as a coach and as someone wrestling toward a goal and the lifestyle that goes with getting to that goal." Paulson has excelled in a post-collegiate competition, including winning the 2010 World Team Trials championship at 74 kg. He underwent knee surgery in December, limiting his competitive options heading into 2011. Travis earned three Iowa prep wrestling titles at Council Bluffs-Lewis Central and posted a prep record of 174-3, including 87-0 his final two seasons. Jackson also announced that Jon Reader, the 2011 NCAA 174-pound champion as an Iowa Stater, is joining the coaching staff as a volunteer coach.

The InterMat JJ Classic is seeking volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to Kathleen Hennessy Rehbein at kukowskijustin@gmail.com. We are looking for volunteers in a variety of areas, including table workers, pairers, hospitality, weigh-ins/registration (Friday), tickets, awards, setup, take down, concessions, merchandise, runners, clock, and tappers.

Rod Frost (Farmington, Minn.) has been named head official for the 211 InterMat JJ Classic. It marks the second straight year in which Frost has served as head official for the event. Rod FrostFrost has officiated for 20 years and is a board member for the Gold Country Wrestling Officials Association, where he serves as the head of the mentoring program. He has worked/qualified for 17 state tournaments, officiated in the Big Ten, MIAC, NCC, and has worked the NCAA Division III National Duals, as well as the NCAA Division I West Regional twice, and several years at the NCAA Division III Iowa Conference national qualifier. Frost has served on the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL) wrestling board as Charter Clinician for nine years. He was also on the MSHSL Officials Advisory Committee for two years, representing all wrestling officials. Frost has been an official at The Clash eight of the nine years. He has been an official at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament for 18 years -- eight of those years as the head official. He has officiated high school section/regional tournaments for 20 years. Frost wrestled in high school at Don Bosco High School in Gilbertville Iowa, and at the college level for Cornell College in Mt. Vernon, Iowa.

Registration for the 2011 InterMat JJ Classic has opened. Below you will find information about the event. Overview The InterMat JJ Classic is an annual preseason high school wrestling tournament open to wrestlers in grades 7 through 12. This year's event takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22 at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. The tournament is sponsored by InterMat and organized by 360 Sports and Events Agency. InterMat is a leading national wrestling website that covers all aspects of amateur wrestling, including high school, college, freestyle and Greco-Roman competition, as well as mixed martial arts. 360 Sports and Event Agency is a sports management company that specializes in organizing, coordinating, and operating national sport-themed events, including the All American Bowl and Nike Coach of the Year Clinic. Cause Justin "JJ" KukowskiThe InterMat JJ Classic is named in honor of Justin "JJ" Kukowski, an athlete and avid sports fan who lost his long, hard-fought battle with brain cancer days after his 27th birthday in 2007. Proceeds from the event will go toward the Justin Kukowski Center for Spiritual and Physical Healing, a cancer support center that was opened in his memory two years after his passing, and is located in the Minneapolis suburb of Chaska. Wrestler Registration Wrestlers can register online for the 2011 InterMat JJ Classic at http://www.intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic/register. The registration rate is $50. The event is a USA Wrestling-sanctioned event, so a wrestler must have a USA Wrestling Card to participate. Not a USA Wrestling member? Purchase a USA Wrestling card now. Format Scholastic style (folkstyle) rules will be used. 2-2-2 periods for championship bracket matches, 2-1-1 periods for consolation bracket matches (This was a change from the original format.) Weight Classes The new high school weight classes approved by the National Federation of State High School Association's rules committee in 2011 will be used. Those weight classes are 106, 113, 120, 126, 132, 138, 145, 152, 160, 170, 182, 195, 220, and 285. Venue The 2010 InterMat JJ Classic will be held at the UCR Regional Sports Center (Field House) in Rochester, Minn. The UCR Regional Sports Center has hosted many premier wrestling events, including The Clash, Minnesota Christmas Tournament, Northern Quad, Cadet National Duals, and the NJCAA Wrestling Championships. The address for the UCR Regional Sports Center is 851 30th Avenue Southeast, Rochester, MN 55904. Event Hotel The Kahler Grand Hotel is the official event hotel. The address for the Kahler Grand Hotel is 20 SW Second Avenue Rochester, MN 55902. Weigh-Ins Weigh-ins will take place on Friday, Oct. 21, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. CDT at the Kahler Grand Hotel. There will be no weight allowance. Admission/Coaches Pass Admission will be $10 for adults and $7 for students (18 and under). Admission is free for children under 6. A coaches/floor pass may be purchased at the door for an additional $5. Social There will be a social at the Kahler Grand Hotel on Friday, Oct. 21, 8:30 p.m. to midnight CDT. All coaches, parents, volunteers, referees, and media members are invited. Beer, soda, and snacks will be provided. History The first InterMat JJ Classic took place on Oct. 23, 2011, at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. Wrestlers from Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin, South Dakota, Nebraska, and Texas competed in the inaugural event. Tristan Manderfeld of Foley High School (Minn.) was named Outstanding Wrestler of the 2010 InterMat JJ Classic after defeating multiple age group national champions en route to winning the championship at 103 pounds. Awards The top six placewinners in each of the 14 weight classes will receive medals. In addition, each of the 28 finalists will receive custom, limited edition InterMat JJ Classic finalist fight shorts from Cradle Gear. Exhibitors & Sponsors If you are interested in being an exhibitor or sponsor, please send an email to Terry Sullivan at info@360sportsevents.com. Volunteers The InterMat JJ Classic is seeking volunteers. If you are interested in volunteering, please send an email to Kathleen Hennessy Rehbein at kukowskijustin@gmail.com. We are looking for volunteers in a variety of areas, including table workers, pairers, hospitality, weigh-ins/registration (Friday), tickets, awards, setup, take down, concessions, merchandise, runners, clock, and tappers. If you have a preference on what position you would like to volunteer for, please specify in the email. Questions/Comments Questions and comments about the event can be directed at InterMat or 360 Sports and Events Agency depending on the nature of the question(s) or comment(s). InterMat General Questions, Rules, Format Email: contact@intermatwrestle.com Phone: 612-460-5824 360 Sports and Events Agency Logistics, Hotel, Facilities, Exhibitors, Sponsors Email: info@360sportsevents.com Phone: 612-356-2880

The 2011 NWCA Convention will be bringing a group of top notch presenters to the state of Florida for the three day event being held at the Harbor Beach Marriott in Fort Lauderdale. The NWCA Convention is outstanding opportunity to gain professional development while networking with over 200 college coaches in attendance. The 2011 Convention will be highlighted by two top-tier coaches who will serve as clinicians for this year's event. Mark Cody the newly appointed head coach at the University of Oklahoma and Bryan Snyder assistant coach at the University of Nebraska. Mark Cody the current 2011 NWCA Coach of the Year, takes over the Oklahoma program after eleven successful seasons at the helm of the American Program. His team placed fifth at the NCAA Championships and also broke two records on the 2011 NWCA All-Academic Team with six wrestlers making the individual team and being the team runner-up breaking the highest GPA on record. Bryan Snyder will be joining Cody as a clinician this year. He is a graduate of Nebraska and the schools only four-time conference champion and four-time All-American. He was a two-time NCAA Finalist. At Nebraska, his coaching has been integral in the development of eleven All-Americans and two NCAA Champions including 2011 Hodge Winner, Jordan Burroughs. Tying into the Scholastic Program for the weekend will be an All-Star line-up of high school coaches all from different backgrounds. Out of these coaches two of them have been named National Coach of the Year and the other two have been named Virginia Coach of the Year. Russ Cozart (Brandon High School, Florida), John Gordon (St. Christopher's School, Virginia ), Bryan Hazard (Robinson HS, Virginia), and Darryl Weber (Christiansburg High School, Virginia) will be making up this year's NWCA Scholastic presenters. The topics that the team will be presenting on: Selecting Captains and Assistant Coaches Building a successful and sustainable high school program Recruiting for high school and college Fundraising for your high school program Taking the meetings a step further will be the professional development series geared toward high school and college coaches alike that will feature sessions on: Who is Managing Your Career Injury Prevention for your Athletes Elevating your Human Performance State of Wrestling Forum Mark Tudi will start off the convention with his session on “Who is Managing Your Career.” Tudi is the Founder of SPORTS CAREERS and SPORTSEARCH, with their primary business being to retain executive recruitment and professional development. For over 30 years, Mark has established a high-profile track record in sports career development, closing in on 700 successful placements at all executive levels. Two leaders from the sports medicine community will be presenting the best practices to prevent some of the most common injuries is the knowledge of where they come from and applying the best practices to avoid them. Dr. Vinnie Hudson and Dr. Robert Palumbo from OAA Orthopaedic Specialists in Allentown, Pennsylvania, will be addressing this important topic both with many years of experience in the field. Stan Zeamer, will be bringing a specialized speech on elevating human performance, based off of the book, Three Laws of Performance: Rewriting the Future of Your Organization and Your Life, By Steve Zaffron and Dave Logan. This session is open to all coaches and their significant others and spouses who will be in attendance as well. Leo Kocher, President of the American Sports Council will be giving a presentation on Title IX and saving college programs. The CSC is a national coalition of coaches, athletes, parents, and fans who are devoted to preserving and promoting the student athlete experience. Convention registration can also be done through the NWCA Website through the Ticket Leap Registration Button. The Full Convention Registration is $225 also with the purchase of a Full Convention Registration an assistant coach from the same school can be registered for $175. Florida High School coaches (FACA Members) will receive a special rate of $150 for the event. Registration includes: Two luncheons, Social, Convention Notebook and Convention gift. During the NWCA Convention will be a trade show with many of wrestling's leading manufacturers and companies displaying their latest products. A highlight of the trade show will be a raffle which includes a week trip with airfare for two to St. Thomas, USVI. Convention attendees are able to take advantage of a $99 per night room rate during the convention, for more information on the hotel and how to reserve your room please visit the NWCA Website listed below. Deadline for reserving housing is Monday, August 1. For more information visit the NWCA website (http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwcawebsite/events/nwcaconvention.aspx) or call the NWCA Office at 717-653-8009. The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: Coaching Development, student-athlete welfare, and promotion of wrestling.

InterMat has learned that Cal Poly head wrestling coach Brendan Buckley plans to announce the addition of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Jamill Kelly to his coaching staff. Jamill Kelly coaching with Donny Pritzlaff in 2010 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Kelly, a native of Atwater, Calif., has served as a coach for the Dallas Dynamite Wrestling Club since 2008. He has also been involved with USA Wrestling and the Gator Wrestling Club. Over the past year, Kelly has guided U.S. teams in overseas tours to Iran, France, and Russia. In addition to his wrestling coaching duties, Kelly has worked with several MMA fighters, including past NCAA wrestling All-Americans Gray Maynard and Shane Roller, in training camps. Kelly was an assistant coach at Harvard during the 2006-07 season. Prior to that stint, he worked as an administrative assistant at Oklahoma State and coached the Cowboy Wrestling Club. Kelly is a 2000 graduate of Oklahoma State. He made his first U.S. World Team in 2003, and a year later captured a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Kelly was also a four-time U.S. National Team member and 2003 Pan-American Games silver medalist.

Russ Rose, coach of the four-time defending NCAA championship women's volleyball team, will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, Aug. 3. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 to 6:00 PM Central on AM 1650, The Fan. This week's show will air from 5:00 to 5:30 p.m. due to a Chicago Cubs baseball game. An archive of the show can be found on www.themat.tv. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments. During the months of August and September the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum will conduct "champions" interviews with champion athletes and coaches outside the sport of wrestling. There will also be interviews with wrestlers and coaches during full length shows. This week's "champion" interview is with Penn State head women's volleyball coach Russ Rose. Rose has coached the Nittany Lion women's volleyball team to five NCAA team titles including the last four (2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010). He has compiled a 1033-164 record during his 32 seasons as a head coach.

TEMPE -- Travis Pascoe, a former All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier for the University of Nebraska, has joined the Arizona State University wrestling program's coach staff as an assistant coach, third-year head coach Shawn Charles announced today. A four-year starter at 184 pounds for NU, Pascoe will work with the upper weights on the Sun Devil roster, a group that includes returning Pac-10 Champion Jake Meredith (184) and heavyweight All-American Levi Cooper. Travis Pascoe"Travis Pascoe is a hard working individual with great wrestling knowledge and enthusiasm," Charles said. "I hired him at Fresno State in 2005 because I knew he would be able to help the program succeed and I hired him here to do the same thing. He has found success at each level he has competed and I know he will be able to help our young men not only succeed on the mat, but off it as well. I am excited to have Travis back on staff with me and look forward to his contributions to the growth of the Sun Devil program." At the start of the 2011-12 season, Pascoe will work with the heavier weights while fifth-year assistant coach and former Sun Devil All-American Brian Stith will continue his work with the middle weights. Charles, a four-time All-American for the Sun Devils, is set to begin his third year in charge of the program and will once again work with the lighter weights on the roster. "I am very excited to be working with Shawn Charles once again," Pascoe said. "It is a great opportunity for me to learn from a tremendous person and coach. I grew up in the West and this program has a lot of talented wrestlers from the West, so I look forward to working with them and helping them achieve their goals, both as individuals and for the team. I really cannot wait to get started with the great group of young men Shawn has brought into the program and see were Arizona State wrestling can go from here." The 2011-12 season will mark the seventh year Pascoe has coached in some capacity among the collegiate ranks and his second assistant position after joining Charles' staff at Fresno State for the 2005-06 season. After the FSU program was discontinued following that season, Pascoe headed north to Corvallis, Ore., where he has served as a volunteer coach at Oregon State for the past five seasons. During his time in Corvallis, Pascoe worked with the Beavers' upper weight wrestlers and helped two individuals earn NCAA All-America honors, including Ty Watterson at heavyweight (2007) and Colby Covington at 174 (2011). On the conference level, Pascoe worked with six Beavers that combined to win seven Pac-10 titles (174-184-197-285), including two at the 2011 tournament in Corvallis, while the team won two titles in that same span. Prior to his time at OSU, Pascoe joined Charles at Fresno State for one season. That year, Pascoe worked with Greg Gifford, who captured the 184-pound title at the NCAA West Region Championships and was one of two Bulldogs to reach the NCAA tournament in 2006. Once the program was dropped, Gifford, who went 1-2 at the national meet that year, transferred to ASU for his senior season, where he won the 184 title at the Pac-10 Championships and went 2-2 at the national meet. Before Pascoe jumped into the coaching ranks, he was a highly ranked wrestler at 184 pounds for Nebraska. Competing as the starter for four years in a row (2001-02 season through the 2004-05 season), Pascoe recorded a career record of 100-36, which ranked as the 13th-most victories in NU history. A four-time national qualifier, Pascoe advanced to the semifinals of the 2005 tournament and eventually finished sixth overall to earn his first All-America honors. Winning at least two matches in each of his four NCAA appearances, Pascoe helped the Huskers to Top 20 finishes all four years, including a fifth-place showing in 2004 and an eighth-place finish in 2002. Charles and Pascoe first met at the start of the 2001-02 season as Charles was brought on to be an assistant coach while Pascoe was set for his first season as a starter. During those four years, Pascoe placed third in the Big 12 Championships each of this first two year and then finished fourth as a junior. In his senior season, he reached the finals and finished second in the conference to earn a berth into the NCAA tournament. Prior to joining the Huskers, Pascoe was two-sport standout at Gonzaga Prep in Spokane, Wash. A four-year member of both the wrestling and football squads, Pascoe was a three-time Washington state champion at 189 pounds and was widely considered one of the top recruits in the nation his senior year. He also was a High School All-American at 189 as a senior. Before his first season in Tempe gets underway, Pascoe will marry Sara McFarland on September 3.

Brian Smith

Fight Now USA Presents Takedown Wrestling from the Brute studios in Des Moines, Iowa at 1460 KXNO. Takedown Wrestling is brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods! Join Takedown Wrestling Host Scott Casber and Brad Johnson with the Takedown Wrestling Headline News. Listen in this Saturday for Takedown Wrestling 9 to 11 a.m. CT/10 a.m. to noon ET. This weeks guests: 9:01: Brian Smith, Head Coach at the University of Missouri 99:20: Barry Davis, Head Coach at the University of Wisconsin 99:40: Carl Perry, Fellowship of Christian Athletes 910:01: Jason Liles, Head Coach of South Dakota State University 910:20: Bruce and Cassidy Jasperson, Texas Dad and Daughter 910:40: Michael Bonora, NCAA Division IIl champ for Rhode Island College, author of the new book Wrestling with Your Destiny 910:50: Amy Ruble, Wildrose Casino and Resort in Emmetsburg, Iowa Takedown Wrestling is available on radio on AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa, online at Livesportsvideo.com, or on your Blackberry or iPhone with the iHeart Radio App.

I thought it might be fun to follow a top-tier wrestler as he moves his way through the Junior Nationals in Fargo, N.D. By follow, I mean words like shadow, tag along, pursue, and trail. I was purposely looking for a Junior freestyle wrestler with plenty of credentials that had a good shot at winning this thing. I also needed a grappler who was willing to allow me into his life for three days. Brandon Kingsley gets his hand raised after victory (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Somehow I was steered to Brandon Kingsley from Apple Valley High School (Minn.). He was back in Fargo after missing out last summer because of a leg injury. (Brandon would have been one of the favorites in the Cadet freestyle competition at 140 pounds.) I was told Brandon likes to talk. That may have been the biggest understatement of the year. We met at Concordia College, just outside Fargo, on Wednesday afternoon as Team Minnesota arrived for practice. I went to shake Brandon's hand. He smiled and hardly said a thing. I expected something right off the bat and got nothing, so I asked to meet him the next morning before his first match. On the way into the FARGODOME, his folks were in the lobby and it became clear to me he has parents who are deeply interested in his wrestling career. In fact, his dad, Roger, was along for the ride as his coach and helped feed me with information. I think I can all this Team Kingsley and get away with it. Lately I have heard plenty of parents use the word "we" while describing the wrestler's progress. It was refreshing to spend three days together without once hearing, "We have this wrestler next." It was always, "Brandon has (insert opponent's name) next." Day 1: Thursday, July 21 This morning Brandon is all smiles and ready to go. As a fan, I expect great wrestlers to have a bit of an evil edge to them. After all, this is a grueling sport with the intent of physically dominating your opponent. I always assumed a great wrestler has to have some level of meanness. Kingsley does not. He is about as happy and cheerful as a kid on the last day of the school year. After a full day, all I got was happiness. So did his opponents. Brandon always smiles and says something positive to his opponent before the whistle blows. But, from then on, a transformation takes place. He wrestles mean. Although he didn't know it, his first round opponent Adam Hendrickson was about to get schooled (fall at 1:16), like the next three victims would. Brandon claims to love rough competition. He simply wants the best. I asked him who he meant. "I want to wrestle Tsirtsis, Sueflohn, and Marsteller. Those guys are the best and I want to know where I stand." We may find out before this weekend is over. Jake Sueflohn is on the opposite bracket and the hope of this amateur writer is we see that match on Saturday. The next opponent is Devin Bera from Wisconsin. Kingsley knew nothing about him and really didn't care to know anything about his accomplishments. He would prefer to experience it, rather than hear about him. Bera made it into the second period, but was pinned at the 15-second mark. After this bout, one of Brandon's coaches, Jared Lawrence, an NCAA champion and four-time All-American at the University of Minnesota, came over to show him a move called the "West Point." He told BK he wants to see him use it today. Brandon has been part of the Apple Valley system since he started elementary school. He has been on the receiving side of many boos and catcalls from the crowds in Minnesota. I asked how it feels to know people want to see you lose. He said, "I kind of like it. I mean, if you're getting booed, you're probably the best, and I understand why fans want to see me lose. It is all part of the game." Brandon Kingsley stands with his father, Roger Kingsley (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)By this time it becomes clear to me Brandon and his dad, Roger, have a special relationship. Unlike most teenagers and adults, these two truly like each other. When Roger talks, Brandon is completely zeroed in on what is being dispensed. When Brandon talks, Roger is completely dialed in on his son. It was refreshing to watch these two men, 30 years apart acting like a couple of schoolyard buddies. There is nothing fake or contrived going on here. They love one another. Very special. This pattern continues through the third round. Brandon listens to music before every match, like most wrestlers seem to do these days. I asked what artist he is listening today. He tells me, "Chris Webby." But he has many types of music he likes and he uses it for inspiration. Next it was time for Grant Steen (Washington) to receive the smile and friendly words only to get taken apart 6-0, 7-0. In Fargo every participant wears either blue or red for each match. I asked Kingsley if it mattered which one. He revealed he likes wrestling in the blue singlet over the red. I thought maybe this was an opening and asked whether he had superstitions. "Nah, I just look better in blue. But I can't wear a blue shirt with blue jeans. That would be just too much." He gave me a giant smile and looked at me like I surely must understand what he means. I do ... or at least I want to. Here is some scary information. Brandon Kingsley HAS NOT LOST IN FREESTYLE IN TWO YEARS. It gets better. HE HAS NOT GIVEN UP A TAKEDOWN IN TWO YEARS EITHER! OK ... Those are two crazy statistics and I am becoming a believer. We talked about Jake Sueflohn again. Jake is the last wrestler to give Brandon a loss in folkstyle. Brandon wants the revenge only a wrestler dreams of. He mentioned that he heard Jake had to cut some deep weight to make 145 pounds and Brandon thought he would have liked to get him on Day 1. "But I'll gladly see him on Saturday." He flashes that big grin with the double braces and keeps moving. Brandon Kingsley can tell a lot by eyes and a handshake (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)The last match today is a complete screw-up. Kingsley and Eric Hoffman (Maryland) are scheduled to be on Mat 15. Just before they are ready to go, it becomes clear we have problems. The workers do not have bout sheets for these two guys and we are in for a delay. BK takes this time to talk to Hoffman and use that Kingsley snake charm. Still, more delays. Now we are being told to go to Mat 3. When we arrive, the computer at the scoring table is not working and the long delay is on. Brandon tells me he can tell his opponent is already beaten. I ask him how he could possibly know. "His eyes look afraid and his handshake gave it away. I can always tell when I reach that point with an opponent. I usually know it before the whistle blows." We finally get moved back to the opposite side of the FARGODOME only to wait a few more minutes. Finally, we start. It is over as fast as all the rest 6-0, 7-0. That is it for Day 1. Tomorrow it gets considerably more challenging. Kingsley will start with 2011 Junior National Greco champion Jacob Falk from Utah. Day 2: Friday, July 22 Brandon Kingsley greets me with a handshake and a toothy grin. I ask him if he can tell anything from shaking hands. He just laughs. He says he feels awesome today and the two-pound weight allowance is making him feel much stronger. I ask if he still would like to wrestle Jake Sueflohn. He answers with an emphatic, "Yes, that's the plan!" We make our way to greet the Minnesota coaches and the first match with Falk is on. Except, I look down and Kingsley's arm is raised. Another first-period pin. So far, this is looking way too easy. Brandon says he feels ready to take on the best before the day is out. He mentions Gabriel Moreno from Iowa and Brian Murphy from Illinois as the two toughest kids he expects to see today. Brandon Kingsley is serious on the mat, not so serious off it (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)The next match is with Tony Parks from Iowa. No one has heard of him and Brandon is all smiles and joking around going into this match. The first period goes like most of the others and ends in a quick 6-0 technical fall. The second period starts and something happens that shocks and rattles the crowd. Kinsgley gets taken down and a quick back exposure finds him staring at an 0-3 score. This is the first takedown BK has given up in a long time. Brandon quickly goes to work and avenges the takedown with one of his own and ends up winning the second period, 6-3. But Brandon is clearly rattled by Parks' move. He thought the ref made the wrong call, but quickly let it go. This the first opponent Kingsley has wrestled that did not seem to fear him. Round 3 on Day 2 finds Mark Pinero from Louisiana as his challenger. Again, Brandon and Roger know nothing about him. Brandon says he is much more focused now and is not going to make any mistakes. "My other rivals will be looking for any similar slipups." Pinero never gets a chance. He gets taken down and is pinned at 34 seconds of the first period. We stop after to watch Jake Sueflohn cruise through his match. Brandon looks at him with respect. We make our way over to another match to scout out his next two opponents. Brian Murphy is in a good battle with Gabriel Moreno. Murphy ends up winning a close one and he will face Kinsgley next. It is evident to me Brian Murphy from Illinois will finally give Brandon Kingsley a tough match. Murphy was the Cadet National freestyle champion at 140 pounds last summer. Brandon Kingsley battles Brian Murphy, a junior from Illinois (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)This match is to be contested on Mat 1, which has the elevated stage. I was wondering if he would get a chance to do battle on that championship mat. The time between matches have narrowed and before I am ready, these two warriors are shaking hands. Murphy is not going to going to be taken down easily. In fact, he seems to know exactly what Kingsley's moves are and he blocks each one. After a rough and physical two minutes, the first period ends 0-0 and Murphy wins the coin toss. The clinch is over in less than five seconds and Kingsley has lost his first period of the tournament. I look at his dad, Roger, and wonder if he is concerned. I see nothing. I do hear an "uh oh" from the Minnesota team pairing official. The second period starts with a much stronger sense of urgency and Brandon gets the first takedown and comes close to a tilt. It is 1-0 until the last 20 seconds and they are both up. Murphy tries a takedown that works and ties the score and suddenly, and without warning ... Brandon Kingsley has just lost. He comes off the mat and is furious with himself. He cannot believe how rotten he just wrestled. He has the look of a young man with a dream suddenly shattered. I have no idea what to say or even if I should talk to him. I choose to just watch. Brandon mumbles something and wants some time alone. It appears his best possible finish will be third place. I meet up with Team Kingsley before the final session of Day 2, following the Cadet freestyle finals. Team Minnesota won four Cadet freestyle titles and it is fun to talk about two of his Apple Valley teammates, Gannon Volk and Seth Gross, raising stop signs. I ask BK how he feels and he says, "I'm good. I wrestled like crap and I deserved what I got. It is not going to happen again." Brandon Kingsley gut wrenches Gabriel Moreno of Iowa (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Soon we are starting and right away BK is taken down and is behind 0-1 against Gabriel Moreno. It stays that way until the 1:50 mark when Kingsley scores a slick takedown to even the score at 1-1 and wins the period. I can almost feel the sigh of relief from the Minnesota contingent behind us. In the second period, Brandon gets the first takedown and cruises to a 7-3 win of the period and match. It is over for today. Now we find out who will be the antagonist for the third-place match. We hear Sueflohn has to wrestle twice tonight and we watch him coast to another easy win in his first match. A half hour later, Sueflohn is in the match of his life and inexplicably loses. Who would have guessed? Tomorrow morning Brandon Kinsgley will wrestle his adversary, Jake Sueflohn, like he hoped all along. The only difference being that it is for third place, not first place. Day 3: Saturday, July 23 The Minnesota wrestlers are all hanging out in the same area. I ask Brandon what above everything else, inspires him. "No question, my brother Jordan. I owe everything to him. He works harder and is more focused than I could ever be. He believes in me more than himself and sometimes I win for him." OK, it is time for the parade of All-Americans. These are the top 112 wrestlers in the nation, or at least had the courage to put it on the line way up here in Fargo, N.D. First the wrestlers in the seventh-place matches get introduced. Then comes wrestlers in the fifth-place matches. They are followed by the warriors battling for third place. I'm standing next to Roger and we both look at each other. Brandon is not lined up anywhere. We both do a double take and confirm. He is not there. A minute later, he walks up to us with that goofy grin and says, "What's up?" Roger lets him know he is supposed to be on the third-place mat for the ceremony. Brandon replies, "Oh, I was in the can." We burst out laughing and out he runs to join the others. Brandon Kingsley meets Wisconsin's Jake Sueflohn (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)It is time for the match Brandon Kingsley has been looking forward to ever since he watched Jake Sueflohn's arm get raised instead of his at the Cheesehead eight months ago. It is five minutes before show time and surprisingly Brandon is all business. He is more focused and intense than any time I have noticed all week. He is not cracking jokes and trying to mix it up with Sueflohn. He simply wants to win. I ask him how much he weighs today. He tells me 162. That is 15 pounds more than yesterday. He runs to the center and shakes hands with Sueflohn, minus the smile. Brandon is in his favorite blue singlet and gets the first takedown, 1-0. JS comes back with one of his own to tie it, 1-1. Sueflohn gets another and quickly rolls BK three times and wins the first period 7-1. Sueflohn is the most talented and strongest opponent Brandon has wrestled this week. His moves are as fluid as water moving down a stream. It is time for Period 2. It is do or die time for Kingsley. Brandon Kingsley and Wisconsin's Jake Sueflohn battle (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Again, Brandon muscles Sueflohn for the first takedown, 1-0. And again, Sueflohn comes back with one of his own, 1-1. So much happens in the next minute, it is very difficult to describe. Brandon gets a two-point back exposure move to jump ahead, 3-1. Sueflohn roars right back with another takedown to close the gap to 3-2. With 30 seconds left, Sueflohn manages another takedown to tie it at 3-3. But since Kingsley had a two-point move, he will win the period if the match remains tied. The two wrestlers two bang into each other again and Sueflohn has Brandon's legs only to get caught in a whizzer. There is only 10 seconds on the clock and the Minnesota crowd is screaming for Brandon to hang on. With three seconds remaining on the clock, Sueflohn limp arms out of the whizzer and secures the one-point takedown. It is over. Kingsley will finish fourth. I follow Brandon down to the tunnel. Like all great wrestlers, losing does not come easy to this young man. He does not want anyone to see the severe pain he is suffering. He screams like a panther and cries out. My heart hurts for him. I do not know what to do. I want to help, but I just stand there. It is hard watching a dream die. I walk back up and softly ask Roger how he feels. Mr. Kingsley's voice is crackled and he is fighting back tears. "Brandon wanted this so badly." I touch his shoulder and recognize how brutal this sport is on everyone. There is no hiding in wrestling and you either win or lose. There is no one out there to make it happen for you ... but you. It is so personal and it cuts to the bone. The fans in the stands cannot truly see it. I never knew it in all my years as a fan, until I got this close. I had no idea how much this event would kick up dirt from my childhood. I cannot remember wanting a win as badly as I did that morning for Brandon. I told myself going in I was not going to let this become personal, but I did. Thanks for the ride, Brandon.

Matt Dernlan