InterMat Staff

Mark Perry

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Ben Askren

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hempstead, NY -- Hofstra University senior Lou Ruggirello has been named the 2011 Colonial Athletic Association Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year, the CAA announced Wednesday. The CAA honors one Scholar-Athlete, who excel both athletically and academically, 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. Ruggirello, who won his second CAA Scholar-Athlete of the Year award after receiving the honor in 2009, is a four-time CAA champion and NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds and earned his first All-America award this year by placing seventh at the NCAA Championships in Philadelphia last month. A senior majoring in finance, the Walden, New York native is a four-time CAA Commissioner's Academic Award recipient and a five-year member of the Hofstra Athletics Academic Honor Roll. He is also a two-time (2008-09) member of the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic Team. Ruggirello posted a 32-5 overall record in 2010-11 including a 17-1 mark in dual matches with 13 wins by fall. In his Pride career, Ruggirello finished second on the Hofstra all-time career victory list with a 131-26 record including a 72-7 mark in duals. The CAA also announced the four other Scholar-Athletes of the Year in the winter sports. Earning Scholar-Athlete of the Year honors were Old Dominion junior Trian Iliadis in men's basketball, Georgia State sophomore Cody Paulk in women's basketball, Old Dominion senior Kristofer Hagg in men's swimming and diving, and Towson senior Brooke Golden in women's swimming and diving. Including Ruggirello, all five honorees had a cumulative grade point average of 3.5 or better.

Lowell Lange, of the famed 1947 Cornell College NCAA championship team, and Steve Knipp, retired high school coach at East Waterloo High School, will be radio show guests this week. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Lowell Lange compiled a career record of 140-2 and was a three-time NCAA champion at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa. His first title came as a freshman in 1947 at 136 pounds when Cornell won team titles at the NCAA tournament and the AAU Nationals. The 1947 Cornell College wrestling team will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in Waterloo on Saturday. Waterloo native Steve Knipp taught and coached at East Waterloo High School for over 30 years. Knipp led the Trojans to the 1983 Class 3A state championship and has done tremendous volunteer work in Waterloo and Cedar Falls; ensuring tournaments in the area are well run and properly staffed. Knipp will be receiving the Russ Smith Community Impact Award at the Glen Brand Hall of Fame ceremony.

Mark Cody

NORMAN, Okla. -- Mark Cody, the reigning national college wrestling coach of the year, has been named the head wrestling coach at the University of Oklahoma. He succeeds Jack Spates, who retired from the position following the 2011 season, his 18th with the Sooners. Cody, who comes to OU after nine years at American University, led the Eagles to a program-best fifth-place finish at the recently completed NCAA Championships. The team produced three All-Americans after qualifying six for the tournament, while also posting a school record 3.48 grade point average. "The wrestling community has watched Mark Cody do remarkable things with his teams at American," said Joe Castiglione, Oklahoma's Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics and Athletics Director. "He has maximized limited resources to take a program that was once struggling and transform it into one of the strongest in the country. Along the way, he has earned the respect of his peers as not only a great program builder, but an outstanding teacher and leader. "We have watched Mark's work and spoken with a number of people in the profession who are familiar with him. He is held in very high regard and has proven his ability to operate a program at an extremely high level." Cody said it was tradition and the people of the Sooner state that attracted him to the job. "I think back on Tommy Evans, Stan Abel, Jack Spates and the other men who coached there and I really appreciate the tradition they established," Cody said. "It's a responsibility to take that over, but it's also encouraging because it's a school that appreciates and expects success." Two stints at Oklahoma State taught the New York native all he needed to know about Oklahomans. "People make the place and I have always loved the people in Oklahoma," he said. "I lived there twice and always felt they were some of the nicest people in the world." Recent improvements at OU's wrestling facility caught Cody's attention and said things like the upgrades at the Port Robertson Center send a strong message. "The improvements to the facilities indicate a commitment to the sport and that's something that has a great impact on recruiting," he said. "The cupboard is full there in terms of the resources and I look forward to getting started." Cody's work at American has been impressive. He took over the program just after it had been dropped and then resurrected. Just 4.5 scholarships were available for seven wrestlers. Finally, in 2005, the Eagles broke through with their first national qualifiers. It went on to post top 25 team finishes in the NCAA Tournament from 2006-2011. In 2008, American added wrestling as only its third fully-funded sport. "People thought I was crazy when I took the job, but we always had a plan for recruiting, fund-raising and running the program," said Cody. Some $180,000 were raised in the programs first year and that total has risen to nearly $1 million over the length of Cody's nine seasons. Now he can look back on a tenure that included the school's first national champion, 14 All-Americans and 16 NCAA qualifiers (all since 2005) and 21 academic All-Americans. Cody came to American after spending two seasons as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. He helped OSU to a Big 12 Championship and a fifth-place finish at the 2002 NCAA Championships. In addition, the squad earned recognition from the NWCA as a top-25 academic team, and two were named Academic All-America by the NWCA. Nine were also named to the Academic All-Big 12 team. Before joining Oklahoma State, Cody served as the upper-weights coach for 12 years at the University of Nebraska. During that time, he was responsible for bringing in some of the nation's top recruiting classes, including national champions Tolly Thompson (Hwt.) and Brad Vering (197). Vering later became a two-time Olympian with Cody in his corner. While Cody was at Nebraska, 23 Cornhuskers were named All-America, including Rulon Gardner, who later captured the heavyweight gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Cody spent the 1986-87 season as an assistant coach at Oklahoma State. He was also an assistant at Bloomsburg University during the 1985-86 season and for the University of Missouri in 1984-85. As a student-athlete, Cody was a three-time All-American. He spent two years at the State University of New York at Delhi before transferring to Missouri in 1983. His greatest success came during his senior season, 1984-85, when he earned All-America status and was named the team's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Cody still ranks in Missouri's single season top-10 for falls (17) and winning percentage (.875). He graduated from Bellevue University with a Bachelor of Science degree in business. A member of the New York Athletic Club, he was a 198-pound finalist at the 1988 U.S. Olympic Trials. A native of Binghamton, N.Y., Cody and his wife, Holly, have three sons, George, Charlie and Henry.

CLEVELAND -- Redshirt sophomore Kendrick Maple won the FILA Junior Nationals freestyle title at 63 kilograms on Sunday at the Cleveland Public Auditorium. Maple, a 2010 NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds, defeated Penn States’ Samuel Sherlock, 3-1, 2-0, to take home the 138.75 pound championship. Additionally, incoming freshman Sam Wheeler and Cody Brewer finished fourth and fifth, respectively. OU redshirt freshman Justin DeAngelis also finished fifth. The Junior age group consists of 17-20 year olds, featuring some of the nation’s top wrestlers, as well as underclassmen from the college level. The champions in each of the seven Olympic weight classes, plus 50 kg/110 lbs., advance to the best-of-3 finals for the FILA Junior World Team Trials. The Junior World Team Trials are set for May 19-20 in Franklin, Ind. The top six finishers in the seven Olympic classes, plus 50 kg, qualify for the Junior World Team Trials. There were 357 wrestlers entered in the FILA Junior freestyle class.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- Freshmen Alan Waters and Drake Houdashelt of the Tiger wrestling squad posted impressive finishes this weekend at the 2011 ASICS FILA Junior Nationals, as each took third place in the freestyle category in their respective weight classes in Cleveland, Ohio. Waters, who went 39-7 with an NCAA appearance as a true freshman at 125 pounds for the Tigers, opened with a 7-0, 1-0 decision over Sean Boylan (Husky Wrestling Club). He followed that up with a 6-0, 6-0 technical fall over Robert Dyar (NYAC-Harlem) before knocking off Mike Rhone (Mat Town USA), by a 5-0, 7-3 decision. Waters was bounced from the championship bracket in the quarterfinals, losing to Jesse Delgado (Meathead WC), the eventual champion of the 55 kg/121.25 pound class, by a 5-1, 1-0 decision. Waters bounced back in the consolations, winning his first match on that side of the bracket by a 6-0, 7-0 technical fall over Zack Nelson (Samurai) before toppling Caleb Richardson (Blair Academy) by decision, 1-0, 2-0, in the third place contest. Wrestling at 70 kg/154.25 pound weight class, Houdashelt bounced back after a second round loss to win his next eight matches, securing third place. Winning his first match by a 6-0, 6-0 technical fall, Houdashelt fell by a 2-0, 0-3, 4-2 decision in the second round to Steve Santos (NYAC-Harlem) to fall to the consolation round. He was the winner of his first wrestleback match by forfeit, and then rallied off two technical falls in a row, the first by a 6-0, 6-0 final and 7-1, 6-0 in the second. He rallied past Christopher Castillo (Bronco Wrestling Club) in the next match, as he overcame an 0-6 loss in the first period to win the next two, 4-0 and 7-0. He pinned his next opponent in 0:51 in the second round, and moved to the third place match after taking an 0-2, 4-1, 2-0 decision. In his final match, he knocked off Justin Koethe (Trojan Wrestling Club) by decision, winning 13-6, 4-3. Houdashelt redshirted this season for the Tigers, and went 23-5 wrestling in opens over the course of the season. Of his 23 wins, 16 came by bonus points.

Related Link: InterMat High School Rankings The following wrestlers have been selected No. 1 in the nation to end the 2010-11 high school campaign, and they comprise the InterMat High School All-American First Team for this season. Morgan McIntosh (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Wrestler of the Year: Morgan McIntosh Weight Class: 189 High School: Calvary Chapel, California Class: Senior About McIntosh:On the way to a third state championship, McIntosh had an undefeated senior season in which he did not give up a takedown. The Penn State-bound grappler was champion at the Walsh Ironman, Five Counties Invitational, and FloNationals to go with a pin during the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Last offseason, McIntosh was a Junior National freestyle champion and finished third at the FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle. 103: Nathan Tomasello High School: CVCA, Ohio Class: Sophomore About Tomasello: Tomasello was undefeated at 43-0 in winning a second state title in as many years of high school, as he earned titles at the Walsh Ironman, Medina, and Top Gun tournaments. This past offseason, he was champion of the FILA Cadet Nationals in freestyle, third in freestyle at Cadet Nationals, and a Super 32 Challenge runner-up. 112: Anthony Ashnault High School: South Plainfield, New Jersey Class: Sophomore About Ashnault: Though he was an undefeated state champion as a freshman, and a double Cadet National All-American over the summer, it was at the Super 32 Challenge in late October that Ashnault burst onto the national consciousness. His last five victories on the way to the title were over a quartet of 2010 state champions and an additional National Prep champion. Like in the freshman campaign, Ashnault was an undefeated state champion with a 42-0 record. 119: Jimmy Gulibon High School: Derry Area, Pennsylvania Class: Junior About Gulibon: Despite a maiden Walsh Ironman championship, a third title at the POWERade, and a third state title -- none of those accomplishments will be what defines Gulibon this season. Instead it was a mid-January event in which he went up a weight class to take on fellow No. 1 in the nation Nico Megaludis; despite holding a late lead, Megaludis scored a takedown inside the last 30 seconds to win 4-3. Heading into the senior year, Gulibon has 111 wins against just three losses (the third of which was a disqualification in his first tournament as a freshman for an illegal slam). 125: Nico Megaludis High School: Franklin Regional, Pennsylvania Class: Senior About Megaludis: The Penn State-bound Megaludis capped off one of the finest high school careers of any prep wrestler in Keystone State history with a 135-match winning streak, not losing in high school since a 1-0 state semifinal loss his freshman year. The 170-1 career mark included three state titles and becoming only the third wrestler to win four titles at the POWERade. 130: Jesse Thielke High School: Germantown, Wisconsin Class: Senior About Thielke: His Greco-Roman exploits are known to all across America, as the repeat winner of FILA Junior National titles is now seeking a third straight Junior World team trip. However, Thielke's scholastic record is very distinguished, as the four-time state champion ended high school on a 100-match winning streak after starting his career on a separate 85-match streak. The only loss (to Jake Sueflohn, who is ranked No. 2 at 140 pounds this year) coming in the sectional final as a sophomore, which was avenged the next week in the state final. Thielke also beat No. 2 Zach Horan in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic 8-3. After a year at the Olympic Training Center, he is planning to enroll at Wisconsin in 2012-13. 135: Hunter Stieber High School: Monroeville, Ohio Class: Senior About Stieber: While David Taylor is the only four-time champion in Walsh Ironma history, Stieber joined Chris Villalonga as the only other wrestlers to make the finals four times at what is arguably the nation's best in-season high school tournament. Winning as a freshman, Steiber lost in the championship match the next two years, before upending No. 2 Austin Ormsbee (a 2010 Junior National freestyle champion) in this year's final. For the senior year, Stieber went 54-0 to cap off a 203-2 high school career. Like his older brother Logan, Hunter will be attending Ohio State next year. 140: Jason Tsirtsis High School: Crown Point, Indiana Class: Junior About Tsirtsis: The two-time FloNationals champion and Super 32 Challenge runner-up has also been freestyle All-American in three Fargo appearances (twice as a Cadet, and last summer finishing third at the Junior level). Tsirtsis is also a three-time state champion in as many years, undefeated his last two seasons, with an unofficial career mark of 129-2. 145: Nick Hodgkins High School: Wyomissing, Pennsylvania Class: Senior About Hodgkins: Since falling 4-2 in the state semifinal last year to eventual state champion A.J. Schopp, all Hodgkins has done is win. He came back to finish third at state as a junior, won the NHSCA Junior Nationals, won the Super 32 Challenge over No. 3 James Green, won a title at the Beast of the East, was an undefeated state champion at 47-0, and defeated No. 2 Alex Dieringer by a 7-2 score in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic. Hodgkins ends his career with two state titles and placements of second, first, third, and first. Hodgkins has yet to select a college. 152: Destin McCauley High School: Apple Valley, Minnesota Class: Senior About McCauley: Like fellow No. 1 Thielke, McCauley will be spending the next year at the Olympic Training Center before planning to enroll at the University of Wisconsin in 2012-13. The anchor of Apple Valley's national championship team was a six-time state finalist, only failing to win a state title his sophomore year. The 2010 Junior National freestyle champion finished his high school career with two 50-0 seasons after that loss. 160: Bryce Hammond High School: Bakersfield, California Class: Senior About Hammond:Having chosen to stay home and attend Cal State Bakersfield, Hammond earned a second consecutive state title; then he finished his high school career with a win in the Dapper Dan Wrestling Classic and a NHSCA Senior National championship. 171: Logan Storley High School: Webster, South Dakota Class: Senior About Storley: The rarest of phenomena, Storley is a six-time state champion. Over the last year, Storley was a NHSCA Junior National champion, Disney Duals Association Division gold medalist, and a Junior National freestyle champion. He has signed to wrestle at the University of Minnesota 215: Tanner Hall High School: Meridian, Idaho Class: Senior About Hall: After going 17-20 as a freshman state qualifier at 171 pounds, Hall finished his last three years with a 123-5 record along with three state titles. Since the end of the junior year, Hall was a double FILA Cadet National champion, double FILA Junior National All-American, and double Junior National finalist (freestyle champion). Also earning a title in this year's Walsh Ironman, Hall will join Thielke and McCauley in delaying his college enrollment by one year to be a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center. 285: Donny Longendyke High School: White Bear Lake, Minnesota Class: Senior About Longendyke: After a one-and-done state tournament as a freshman 215-pound wrestler, Longendyke made three consecutive state finals earning state titles the last two years. The Nebraska bound grappler had a 92 match win streak from the time of his state finals loss as a sophomore to the loss in the sectional final this past year (that loss was avenged in the state final); he went 138-4 in his last three years of high school. Longendyke has also been a double All-American the last two summers in Fargo. Below is a count of the number of wrestlers ranked from each state in the top twenty of their respective weight classes. 39: PA 26: OH 25: IL 23: CA, NJ 17: IA 16: MN 12: MI 11: FL 10: NY 9: MO, WI 7: VA 6: IN 5: MD 4: NE, OK, OR, WA 3: CO, KS, SD 2: GA, ID, MT, NC, TX, UT 1: AZ, KY, MA, NM In all, wrestlers from 32 states appear in the weight class rankings. InterMat will also be releasing updated grade level rankings this week.