InterMat Staff

A wrestling-centric baby boom has visited Charlottesville, but instead of mixing together scrappy boys and girls, the stork's basket will be filled exclusively with double-X chromosomes and pink-tinted bonnets. Scott Moore and Steve GarlandThe University of Virginia coaching staff will welcome five daughters over the next five months: head coach Steve Garland (November), volunteer assistant Jim Stance (December), Club Coach Jim Harshaw (January), associate head coach Scott Moore (February), and assistant Alex Clemsen (March). "This is nuts!" said Garland. "It's crazy enough we are all having kids, but all girls? All during the season? I know we're lucky, but it's super weird." Before taking out the calculator to adjust for the improbability of hiring a staff of soon-to-be fathers -- and the impossibly eerie timing of the pregnancies (November-March) -- know that the odds of five randomly selected couples each ending up with girls is only about 3.5 percent, or one out of every 28 attempts. Super weird, indeed. For those familiar with U.Va.'s current baby situation it's difficult not to mention a "wrestler's curse" -- a metaphorical shorthand for recognizing that instead of siring men to uphold the masculine tradition of aggression and discipline in wrestling, a seemingly disproportionate number of former wrestlers have daughters. Virginia's current baby boom seems to lend anecdotal credibility to the argument of a curse. "Every wrestler dreams about having a little guy and getting him into wrestling," Moore said. "When you love the sport, you just want to share it with your son." Alex ClemsenWhile every pregnancy and birth is exciting, the real test of professional and personal balance rest with Moore and Clemsen, who, along with full-time coaching responsibilities, are both expecting their first child (Stanec is also expecting his first, but works part-time as he finishes his Ph.D. in electrical engineering. Harshaw has two boys and recently founded a sports marketing firm.) Moore said that while he was happy to find out his wife was pregnant with a healthy girl; he'd been indulging in the idea of having a boy. Garland understands the initial disappointment. He wanted a boy when expecting the birth of his first child in 2006. He eventually came to realize how fortunate he was that his wife English gave birth to a baby girl: he was saved from turning into some terrible derivation of an over-protective, screaming wrestling dad. "It's a tough sport, and I'm pretty fortunate that I can separate my home life from my life on the mat, "Garland said. "I'm having a tea party and baking fake cakes with my daughter one night and then first thing in the morning I'm in the wrestling room leading extra technique sessions and getting my skull beat in," he said. "The home stuff is the best part of my day." Moore says he wants a similar type of professional and personal harmony. Steve and English Garland with Sarah"I've watched him care for his kids and his wrestlers. It's gonna be tough, but Garland's has the kind of balance I want to pull off." Only four months from the due date the energy of the event is starting to enliven an already-frisky Moore. Not ready to bake fake cakes, he's preparing for his daughter by assembling new furniture, baby proofing the house, and building extra storage cabinets. All the preparation is necessary because Moore and Clemsen are staring down due dates that coincide with the ACC and NCAA tournaments. While his assistants will certainly be focused on peaking their athletes for the end of the year competitions, Garland said nothing would keep them from being at the hospital on delivery day. "Wrestlers think that making All-American or winning a national championship is the happiest you can ever be. But when you have a kid the whole game changes -- nothing is more important or makes you happier than raising a family," Garland said. "There are plenty of wrestling tournaments." The Cavalier team seems equally excited and optimistic about the impact five infant girls will have on the organization. Sophomore co-captain Chris Henrich said he expects the coaches to take time to be with their families, but that there will be an enormous upside to watching the staff raise their daughters. "We're a young team and they're a young staff so I think we relate," Henrich said. "The coaches are a big part of our lives and the team is excited to welcome a new part of the family during the year. They work their butts off to get us ready for the season. That's not going to change because they have a kid … or five." Scott and Sherry Moore"The guys have been handling everything well," Garland said. "You can see how much it warms up a room when my one daughter is around. Can you imagine what it's gonna be like with five of 'em?" While it's difficult to imagine five coaches from same team having five daughters in the same season, the made-for-TV movie script wasn't certain until late last week when Moore and his wife Sherry received the results of her ultra sound. Moore said he was anxious about stepping into the starring role of hero (or heel) -- and apparently for good reason. "I'm pretty sure Clemsen would've punched me in the face if I was having a boy," Moore said. While there's humor in watching old competitors or teammates ready for the birth of a daughter -- a communal, good-natured ribbing indicating just how much everyone understands that gender is secondary to health and happiness. With growing families full of baby girls (and thus, no inner-staff fistfights) Virginia wrestling's single-gender baby boom definitely looks more like a pink-bowed blessing than any kind of curse.

Event: UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera Venue: Manchester Evening News Arena (Manchester, England) Date: November 14, 2009 In a rare free Spike TV showing of the UFC, fight fans get to see the legendary Randy Couture (16-10), the 46-year-old Greco Roman ruler, in the featured fight against a younger, quicker, and very athletic Muay Thai fighter Brandon Vera (11-3), who has won seven of his 11 wins by KO. This fight card is loaded with European fighters, mostly British, but two Americans will slug it out in this featured event. Randy Couture and UFC MonsterRandy has lost three of his last five fights and is actually 6-7 since 2002, mostly fighting in the heavyweight division. But he is back down to the light heavyweights at 205 pounds, and he is a force to be reckoned with in the UFC's deepest division of talent. The oddsmakers have set a very reasonable price on him, currently at -125. The issue will be his age and slowness in coping with a much quicker striker like Vera. I think Vera will come out kicking, trying to end it with a high, powerful head kick. But Randy covers up well and it will be only a matter of time before he grabs his younger opponent and schools him against the cage with some dirty boxing and eventually tosses him to the mat where he will mount him in Couture style and give him a lethal dose of a ground-and-pound beating. The ref will stop this midway through the second round. Take Couture and lay the -125. Randy's back! Hometown hero, middleweight Michael "The Count" Bisping (18-2) had won 15 in a row before losing a split decision to former Michigan State wrestler, Rashad Evans. He has since been KO'd by former Olympian Dan Henderson. His opponent is the very experienced Dennis Kang (32-11-1), who has spent most of his MMA career fighting in Japan. Kang's highly-touted fight game is diverse with 12 KOs and 15 submission wins on his resume. He is somewhat vulnerable to being submitted, but that is not Bisping's game. Michael's a striker, with sharp accuracy, fighting in front of a large fan base. In what I see as a "toss-up" affair, I will take the slight value on Bisping at +115 to win a hometown decision. This will be the first time I have ever bet on Bisping. I hope he rewards my risk. Both fighters desperately need a win to advance their careers in the UFC. The winner of the welterweight fight between Mike "Quick" Swick (14-2) and Nottingham native Dan "Outlaw" Hardy (22-6) gets a shot at the title against Georges St. Pierre, who is currently out with injury. Neither has a snowball's chance in H*** of capturing that belt, but tonight's fight should be a dandy, and probably the leading candidate for "Fight of the Night" -- a 6:1 wager. I see both fighters standing toe-to-toe, macho-style, mano-a-mano swinging away until someone crumples. This one may not escape the first round! And when the dust clears, my money will be on Quick Swick standing tall over the outrageous Mohawk man, another KO notched in his belt. I'll lay the -200 (and going up …) that the American will be fighting the Canadian GSP on Super Bowl weekend. While Swick gets a first-round KO. Hardy gets a headache. The main card is rather lame with welterweights Matt Brown (12-7) and James Wilks (7-2) doing battle for bragging rights. Wilks will be looking for a submission, while Brown will try to take advantage of his slightly superior striking skills. He has five KOs and five submissions in his 12 wins. His experience and more well-rounded skills should be enough to earn him a three-round decision. The betting value is fair at -150. I like my chances on Brown. Now on to the undercard: Two Brits will fire up the crowd as "Relentless" Paul Taylor (10-4-1) will test his kicking skills against undefeated John "The Hitman" Hathaway (12-0) in another welterweight fight. Both fighters will have their hands full, and this could be another candidate for "Fight of the Night". I have trouble believing that the oddsmakers have made Taylor a +210 underdog. His experience and relentless style could be enough to cash a nice ticket. I'll take my chances, as the judges give him a split decision. Journeyman Aaron Riley (28-11-1) has won his last four wins by decision. He outworks his opponent and knows how to score points. That style may not be popular with the fans, but it could earn him another victory over a younger, less experienced Ross "The Real Deal" Pearson (11-3). These lightweights will show a diversity of skills, both on their feet and on the mat. The better value may be in underdog Pearson at +170, but I think Riley will be fighting for his UFC life. I see him squeaking out a controversial decision and winning at -200 odds. In a battle of two lightweight submission experts, Terry Etim (13-2, with 10 submission wins) takes on Shannon Gugerty (12-3, with 9 submission wins) in what should be a technical ground affair. Only fight purists enjoy those shows, so expect some booing from the British crowd before Etim is pulled off his opponent, who will be barely breathing from a rear-naked choke. Etim cashes at -330, a steep winner. Two young welterweights with only eight fights between them, will see what they can do, as Nick Osipczak (4-1) tries to stop Xtreme Couture protégé Matthew Riddle (3-0), a dangerous wrestler, who has won all of his fights by decision. If he can avoid Osipczak's potent rear-naked choke, he will have his hand raised as the judges give him their verdict. He is a -300 favorite, which seems about right to me. British favorite, lightweight Paul Kelly (10-1) will bring his aggressive striking skills into the Octagon to try and take out German, Dennis Siver (14-6), who wins most of his fights by submission despite the fact that he considers himself a kickboxing expert. Kelly fits the mold of physical bullies like Gray Maynard and Melvin Guillard, who have beaten Siver. I see the same here. After a round of striking, Kelly will put Siver to his back and administer a second-round TKO with blows to the head from a full mount position. You may not get rich laying -320 constantly, but it should work here. Two light-heavyweight unknowns will make their UFC debuts when Swedish Alexander Gustafsson (8-0) takes on American Jared Hamman (11-1). Both are dangerous strikers with 6 of 8 Gustafsson's wins and 8 of 11 Hamman's wins coming by way of KO. So you do the math. This should be a slugfest, the type of fight British fans love. The difference may be that Gustafsson has a wrestling game far superior to Hamman's, and we all know how valuable that is in MMA fighting. The bookies have made him a slight underdog at +135, and I'll take the bait and hope for the best. Gustafsson wins by second-round TKO on the mat. Leightweight Andre Winner (10-3-1) has two losses and a draw in his last three fights. His opponent Rolando "The Crazy Cuban" Delgado (8-4-1) is a jiu-jitsu freak. This one makes for an interesting fight with Winner trying to avoid going to the mat where he has little chance of winning. The lanky Delgado has limited striking and wrestling skills, so it will be a battle of a striker against a submission artist. Winner should prevail with his close clinching style, and he should put a beating on a determined Delgado, but the judges' decision will go the way of Winner, an over-priced -325. So let's see what we can do with our fictitious $1000 bankroll: Let's lay $175 to win $140 on the "Natural" Randy Couture. Let's lay $60 to win $69 on Michael Bisping. Let's lay $150 to win $75 on Mike Swick, and wish him well against GSP. Let's lay $90 to win $60 on Matt Brown. Let's lay $80 to win $40 on Aaron Riley. Let's lay $55 to win $115 on Paul Taylor. Let's lay $99 to win $30 on terry Etim. Let's lay $90 to win $30 on Matt Riddle. Let's lay $40 to win $54 on Alexander Gustafsson. Let's lay $96 to win $30 on Paul Kelly. Let's lay $65 to win $20 on Andre Winner. In total, we are risking $1000 to win $663. Don't forget to give some of your profits to your local youth wrestling program where tomorrow's champions are made. Enjoy the fights. I know I will.

TODAY'S ACTION The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will open up the 2009-10 season with two duals in three days. No. 14 Penn State (0-0) visits No. 19 Lehigh (1-0) on Friday, Nov. 13, in a 7 p.m. battle in Stabler Arena. On Sunday, Nov. 15, Penn State hosts Bloomsburg (2-0) at 12 p.m. in Rec Hall. Head coach Cael Sanderson will have five ranked grapplers in his starting line-up, including No. 8 Brad Pataky at 125, No. 6 (at 141) Frank Molinaro at 149, No. 5 Cyler Sanderson at 157, No. 9 Dan Vallimont at 165 and No. 20 Cameron Wade at HWT. The Nittany Lions open up the season with a rugged dual at No. 19 Lehigh on Friday night. While the Mountain Hawks come in 1-0 after a 31-3 win over Rider last Sunday, Penn State will be making its 2009-10 debut. Key match-ups to watch would be No. 9 Vallimont of Penn State against No. 12 Mike Galante of Lehigh at 165 and No. 20 Wade against No. 6 Zach Rey at HWT. Penn State owns a 61-33-3 edge in the all-time series against Lehigh. The Mountainhawks won last year's meeting in Rec Hall, downing Penn State 17-16. Prior to that, Penn State had won four straight over LU, including a 33-0 win in Bethlehem in 2007-08. Bloomsburg will visit Rec Hall on Sunday at noon for Sanderson's first home dual as head coach of the Nittany Lions. The Huskies, a rising power in the Eastern Wrestling League, bring a 2-0 mark into the dual after commanding wins over Boston by a 26-9 margin and Millersville by a 35-(-2) margin last Saturday at Millersville. Key match-ups against the Huskies include a battle at 157 featuring No. 5 Sanderson against No. 2 Matt Moley of Bloomsburg and a potential meeting at 165 between No. 9 Vallimont and No. 19 Rick Schmelyun. The Nittany Lions own a 13-5-1 edge of the Huskies, dating back to Penn State's days in the EWL. The two teams last met on Jan. 12, 2006, at the Virginia Duals with Penn State getting a 22-9 win. Penn State will travel to the Sprawl and Brawl Duals in Binghamton, N.Y., for three duals on Sunday, Nov. 22. Penn State will face Rutgers at 9:45 a.m., No. 22 Harvard at 11:30 a.m. and 12 Edinboro at 3 p.m. on the campus of Binghamton, N.Y. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season are on sale now. The five-event package (which does not include the Nittany Lion Open) costs $30 for adults ($6 per event) and $25 for youth ($5 per event). Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $5 in advance and $6 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) and on GoPSUsports. com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. TODAY'S POSSIBLE LINE-UP As of November 9, 2009 #14 PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS (0-0, 0-0 Big Ten) Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record 125 #8 Brad Pataky Jr. Clearfield, Pa./Clearfield 0-0 133 Tyler Saltsman So. Concord, N.H./Concord 0-0 OR Bryan Pearsall Fr. Lititz, Pa./Warwick 0-0 141 Colby Pisani So. Ridgway, Pa./Ridgway 0-0 OR Adam Lynch Sr. Mifflinburg, Pa./Mifflinburg 0-0 149 #6 (@ 141) Frank Molinaro So. Barnegat, N.J./Southern Regional 0-0 157 #5 Cyler Sanderson Sr. Heber City, Utah/Wasatch 0-0 165 #9 Dan Vallimont Sr. Lake Hopatcong, N.J./Jefferson Twp. 0-0 174 David Erwin Sr. Urbana, Ohio/St. Paris Graham 0-0 OR Justin Ortega Fr. Oxford, Pa./Oxford 0-0 184 J.R. Brown So. Bellefonte, Pa./Bellefonte 0-0 197 Clay Steadman So. McKean, Pa./General McLane 0-0 285 #20 Cameron Wade So. Twinsburg, Ohio/St. Peter Chanel 0-0 #19 LEHIGH MOUNTAIN HAWKS (1-0) Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record 125 John McDonald So. Rehoboth, Del./Sussex Central 1-0 133 #12 Matt Fisk Sr. Wyalusing, Pa./Wyalusing 1-0 141 #18 Seth Ciasulli Sr. Easton, Pa./Easton 1-0 149 Brian Tanen So. Souderton, Pa./Souderton 0-1 157 Sean Bilodeau So. Harvard, Mass./Brooks School 1-0 165 #12 Mike Galante Sr. Ocean City, N.J./Blair Academy 1-0 174 Robert Hamlin Fr. Jonesville, Vt./Mount Mansfield Union 1-0 184 #12 David Craig Sr. Brandon, Fla./Brandon 1-0 197 Joe Kennedy So. Milford, Pa./Delaware Valley 1-0 285 #6 Zach Rey So. Hopatcong, N.J./Hopatcong 1-0 BLOOMSBURG HUSKIES (2-0) Wt. Name Yr. Hometown/High School 2009-10 Record 125 Jason Guffey Sr. Muncy, Pa./Warrior Run 2-0 133 Dan Gaylord Fr. Vestal, N.Y./Vestal 1-1 OR Jeremiah Biddle So. Slate Hill, N.Y./Minisik Valley 0-0 141 Frank Hickman Fr. Castle Hayne, N.C./E.L. Laney 2-0 149 Josh Roosa Fr. Mountaintop, Pa./Crestwood 2-0 157 #2 Matt Moley Sr. Phoenixville, Pa./Spring-Ford 2-0 165 Mike Dessino Fr. Middlesex, N.J./Middlesex 2-0 OR #19 Rick Schmelyun Sr. New Oxford, Pa./Bermudian Springs 0-0 174 Nate Graham Jr. Selkirk, N.Y./Ravena 2-0 184 Derek Coffey Jr. Lewisburg, Pa./Lewisburg 0-1 OR Brian Shaw Sr. Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg 0-0 197 Jake Dabashinksy So. Schuylkill Haven, Pa./Blue Mountain 1-1 285 Zach Walsh So. Denville, N.J./Morris Knolls 2-0 All rankings Intermat HEAD COACH Cael Sanderson Cael Sanderson comes to Penn State after three extremely successful years as the head coach at his alma mater. Sanderson's teams did not finish any lower than fifth at the NCAA Championships and never had a wrestler not qualify for nationals, getting 30 of 30 grapplers through to the championship tournament. In 2007, Sanderson's rookie campaign, he led ISU to a 13-3 dual meet record and the first of three straight Big 12 Championships. An NCAA Runner-Up finish in Detroit capped off a wildly successful year as the Cyclones crowned one national champion and Sanderson was honored as Big 12 Coach of the Year, National Rookie Coach of the Year and National Coach of the Year. The next year, Sanderson led ISU to a 16-4 dual meet mark, another Big 12 title and a fifth place finish at nationals. Iowa State's seven All-Americans in 2008 were the most at the school since 1993. This past season, Sanderson's team went 15-3 in duals, won its third straight Big 12 title and took third place at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis (just 12 points out of first place). The Cyclones also crowned another national champion. In three years, Sanderson's teams went 44-10, won three conference crowns, qualified all 30 wrestlers for nationals, and earned 15 All-America awards and two individual national titles. Sanderson now sports a 44-10 dual meet mark in this, his fourth year as a collegiate head coach. SEASON TICKETS DOUBLE IN YEAR ONE UNDER Cael Sanderson Fans of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team are in the process of making home duals a hot ticket for the 2009-10 campaign. The season ticket fan base has nearly doubled in the build up to head coach Cael Sanderson's home debut this Sunday in Rec Hall. Over 2,000 season tickets have been sold as Penn State prepares for the season-opening weekend. Last season, Penn State sold a respectable 1,058 season tickets. This year, 2,047 season packages have already been sold for Penn State's five-dual home slate, including 40 new `premium seats' which will also make their debut this weekend. VOLLRATH AND MACCHIAROLI PLACE AT CLARION Four Nittany Lion wrestlers competed at the Knight Point Clarion Open on Saturday, each wrestling unattached at the event. True freshmen James Vollrath (Richboro, Pa.) and Luke Macchiaroli (Tempe, Ariz.) each placed while classmates Tom Reynolds (Skillman, N.J.) and Andrew Church (Erie, Pa.) each competed as well. Vollrath entered the tournament seeded No. 2 at 157 and went 3-1, advancing to the finals, to take second place. Vollrath got wins over Corey Lear of Bucknell, Greg Hillbert of Lehigh and Patrick Marchetti of Army before falling to American's Steve Fittery in the finals (Fittery was the No. 1 seed). Macchiaroli entered the tournament seed No. 5 at 197 and went 3-2, advancing to the semifinals before losing and wrestling back to fifth place. Macchiaroli got wins over Lehigh's Robert Prigmore, Bloomsburg's Mike Grillakis and Franklin and Marshall's Colin Ely. Church was solid at 174, posting a 2-2 mark, including a pin over Bloomsburg's David Saksek. He also beat Buffalo's Pat Brady. Reynolds went 1-2 at 133 with a win over American's Corey Borshoff. MEDIA DAY A BIG SUCCESS FOR LIONS; OVER 30 PRESS DESCEND UPON THE LWC FOR EVENT Over 30 members of the press, including photographers and television crews, descended upon the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex for Penn State's Wrestling Media Day, held on Tuesday, Oct. 27. The well-attended event featured Sanderson's press conference, individual wrestler availability as well as an open practice session. Full transcripts of the event, photo galleries and video highlights can be found at http://www.gopsusports.com/sports/m-wrestl/psu-m-wrestl-body.html . TRUE FRESHMEN AND WRIGHT PROBABLE RED-SHIRTS; JENKINS COULD RED-SHIRT AS WELL Coach Sanderson confirmed at media day that it is the intention of the Nittany Lion coaching staff to red-shirt all true freshmen this year as well as sophomore All-American Quentin Wright. In addition, 2008 National Runner-Up Bubba Jenkins (who is ineligible first semester) is likely to red-shirt as well. BIG TEN NETWORK TO TELEVISE NINE DUALS THIS YEAR, SOME LIVE, PENN STATE ON ONCE The Big Ten Network will air nine dual meets on its national cable network this year, five of which will air live and four that will be broadcast on a tape-delay basis. The Penn State Nittany Lions will be featured once again this year, with the Nittany Lions' dual at Ohio State on Sunday, Jan. 24, airing on a same-day delay basis at 7 p.m. that day. In addition to the nine dual meets, the Big Ten Network will air the finals of Midlands on Sunday, Jan. 3, and the finals of the Big Ten Championships on Sunday, March 7. BigTenNetwork.com will offer video streaming of 15 other duals as well. Penn State will be featured on six of those web-only streams. PENN STATE #14 IN INTERMAT POLL; FIVE LIONS RANKED Five members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team will head into the 2009-10 season with individual national rankings as Intermat has released its pre-season poll. Head coach Cael Sanderson's squad is ranked 14th in the pre-season coaches rankings. Senior Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah) leads the charge for Penn State with a No. 5 ranking at 157. Sanderson, a transfer from Iowa State, was a 2008 All-American and is a three-time NCAA qualifier. Sophomore Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) is ranked No. 6 at 141 after his eighth place finish at 141 last season earned him his first All-America honor. Sophomore Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) is ranked No. 8 at 125. The Clearfield native was a national qualifier in 2009, finishing just one win shy of All-America laurels in the `round of 12'. Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.), a 2008 All-American as a third place finisher at 157, moved to 165 last year and also advanced to the `round of 12'. Vallimont is ranked No. 9 at 165 to start the year. Sophomore Cameron Wade (Twinsburg, Ohio) enters his second season at heavyweight ranked No. 20 in the pre-season poll. The Nittany Lions are ranked No. 14 to start the campaign. Seven Big Ten schools are listed in the rankings, including No. 1 Iowa, No. 3 Ohio State, No. 5 Minnesota, No. 11 Wisconsin, No. 15 Indiana and No. 21 Michigan State. In addition, Penn State will wrestle three other top 25 teams during its non-conference slate (No. 12 Edinboro, No. 19 Lehigh and No. 22 Harvard) in addition to whomever the team meets at the Virginia Duals. LIONS EARN PRE-SEASON RANKINGS FROM W.I.N. MAGAZINE Five members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team are ranked among the top 20 at their respective weights in Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine's pre-season individual rankings. Head coach Cael Sanderson's team is well represented on the list with all five wrestlers sitting in the top ten at their weights. With returning All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) set to red-shirt this year and not ranked at 174, fellow 2009 All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) checks in with a No. 7 ranking at 141. Molinaro placed eighth at nationals last year and went 23-19 on the year. Three 2008 All-Americans are also ranked, led by transfer Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), who is ranked No. 6 at 157. Sanderson, who finished seventh at 157 two years ago with a 33-6 record, went 20-9 last year and was 2-2 at nationals. Senior Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) spent much of the 2009 season ranked among the top two in the nation at 149, but injuries down the stretch prevented the 2008 national runner-up from repeating as an All-American. Jenkins went 24-3 last year, is ranked No. 6 nationally at 149, and is scheduled to return to action in late December of this year. Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) was a third place finisher at 157 two years ago, earning his first All-America tag. Last year, Vallimont moved up to 165 during the Big Ten season and ended the campaign with a tough loss in the `round of 12' at nationals, just one win shy of All-America status. Vallimont ended the 2008-09 season with a 24-12 record and enters this season ranked No. 9 at 165 by W.I.N. Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) also advanced to the `round of 12' in 2009 during his first trip to nationals. The talented 125-pounder went 31-11 last year and heads into the new season ranked No. 9 at 125. LIONS EARN PRE-SEASON RANKINGS FROM AWN MAGAZINE Five members of the Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team are ranked among the top 20 at their respective weights in Amateur Wrestling News' pre-season individual rankings. Head coach Cael Sanderson's team is well represented on this list, which is released every year by one of the nation's oldest wrestling publications. With returning All-American Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) set to red-shirt this year and not ranked at 174, fellow 2009 All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) checks in with a No. 8 ranking at 141. Molinaro placed eighth at nationals last year and went 23-19 on the year. Two 2008 All-Americans are also ranked, led by transfer Cyler Sanderson (Heber City, Utah), who is ranked No. 5 at 157. Sanderson, who finished seventh at 157 two years ago with a 33-6 record, went 20-9 last year and was 2-2 at nationals. Senior Dan Vallimont (Lake Hopatcong, N.J.) was a third place finisher at 157 two years ago, earning his first All-America tag. Last year, Vallimont moved up to 165 during the Big Ten season and ended the campaign with a tough loss in the `round of 12' at nationals, just one win shy of All-America status. Vallimont ended the 2008-09 season with a 24-12 record and enters this season ranked No. 12 at 165. Junior Brad Pataky (Clearfield, Pa.) also advanced to the `round of 12' in 2009 during his first trip to nationals. The talented 125-pounder went 31-11 last year and heads into the new season ranked No. 8 at 125. Senior David Erwin (Urbana, Ohio) was injured in last year's opening event after beginning the year 3-0. A two-year starter for Penn State, Erwin has a 49-18 career record and is ranked No. 17 in AWN's pre-season rankings. THE Cael Sanderson RADIO SHOW The Cael Sanderson Radio Show will take place on Wednesday nights at 6 p.m., airing locally on 3WZ (95.3 FM) and statewide on the Pennsylvania Sports Network. The show will then air every Wednesday night throughout the season with the exception of an occasional off-evening. The 30-minute show will be hosted by Jeff Byers, the voice of Penn State wrestling, and Sanderson. Upcoming events will be highlighted and fans will have the opportunity to call in and ask questions of Sanderson and Byers. The show will originate from the conference room in the Lorenzo Wrestling Complex. Local affiliate 3WZ is the Centre Region's source for the Pennsylvania Sports Network. The PA Sports Network is a 16-station radio network spanning the entirety of the Commonwealth, from Erie to Lancaster. The Network's programming is also carried live on Comcast Channel 4 in State College. The full affiliate list that will air the Cael Sanderson Show can be found at GoPSUsports.com.

MADISON, Wis.-- The No. 12 Wisconsin wrestling team officially kicks off the 2009-10 season with a home dual meet Friday against No. 22 Old Dominion at the UW Field House. The match is scheduled for 7 p.m. To follow Friday's dual, log onto UWBadgers.com for a Web stream (fee) and bout-by-bout coverage with the live Wrestling blog. The match against Old Dominion will be the only home dual for Wisconsin this semester, with the remaining four home duals taking place in January and February against Big Ten rivals. Shortly after Friday's dual, Wisconsin will wrestle in its first road dual of the season. The Badgers will then travel to Lincoln, Neb. to face No. 7 Nebraska at the NU Coliseum at 1 p.m. Sunday. Nebraska returns a squad including three returning All-Americans and the 2009 NCAA Champion at 157 lbs., Jordan Burroughs. The UW will face a total of six ranked opponents this weekend, starting with Old Dominion's No. 5 junior James Nicholson and No. 10 senior Jesse Strawn at 197 lbs. Nebraska's roster includes No.1 Burroughs at 157 lbs., No. 6 Stephen Dwyer at 174 lbs., No. 2 Craig Brester at 197 lbs. and No. 9 Tucker Lane at Heavyweight. Old Dominion began its 2009-10 season last weekend by winning six individual titles at the Hokie Open. Friday, fans will see five returning starters from the 2008-09 season and four others making their UW debut. At 125 lbs., senior Drew Hammen will battle No. 5 Nicholson. Hammen was Wisconsin's starter at 125 lbs. last year and went 5-21 overall. He completed the 2008-09 season with an 8th place finish at the Big Ten Championship. Nicholson posted a 5-0 record at 125 lbs. to win the title at the Hokie Open. Nicholson was the CAA Champion last year at 125-pounds and went a perfect 3-0 at the CAA Tournament. No. 10 redshirt freshman Tyler Graff will wrestle in his first official match as a Badger and face redshirt freshman Joshua Gillis at 133 lbs. Graff went 18-2 in open tournaments during the 2008-09 season with his only two losses to wrestlers ranked in the top five for 133 lbs. No. 2 senior Kyle Ruschell takes on senior Cam Watkins at 149 lbs. Ruschell finished third at the NCAA Championships last year with a 5-2 record, earning first-time All-American honors. He finished the season with a 32-8 overall record. The 165 lbs. weight class features another ranked bout with No. 3 sophomore Andrew Howe meeting junior Derek Gallagher. Last season, Howe finished second at the NCAA championships at 165 lbs. and was named the 2009 Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Gallagher finished the 2008-09 season with a 7-6 overall including unattached results. Freshman Jackson Hein will look to prove himself at 197 lbs. in a tough match up against No. 10 Strawn. Hein was the 2009 Division I Wisconsin state champion at 189 lbs., compiling a 54-3 record his senior year. Strawn went 4-0 to win the 197 lbs. at the Hokie Open. Last year, Strawn qualified for the NCAA Tournament at 197-pounds and won three matches. The meeting between Wisconsin and Old Dominion will be the second between the two teams, with the Badgers leading the all-time series 1-0-0. The Badgers won the last matchup 33-7 in the 1992-93 season. The UW will also look to extend their all-time series lead (7-3-2) over Nebraska and come out of the weekend a perfect 2-0. The two teams have not met since a 19-19 tie in the 2004-05 season. The Huskies returns a strong squad for the 2009-10 season. The team placed fourth at the 2009 NCAA Championships and Burroughs went a perfect 35-0 throughout the season. In 2009, Nebraska also won its first conference team title since 1995. Be sure to check back to UWBadgers.com throughout the weekend for results from the season-opening weekend.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling coach Cael Sanderson received more good news on the first day of the NCAA's early signing period. Four of the nation's top high school wrestlers have signed National Letters of Intent to attend Penn State and become members of the Penn State wrestling family. The vaunted foursome, all homegrown Pennsylvania talent, has combined for six PIAA state titles already as each young man readies for the 2009-10 high school season. Alphabetically, Sanderson received NLI's from twin brothers Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) and Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.), Dirk Cowburn (Coudersport, Pa.) and Sam Sherlock (West Mifflin, Pa.). Each wrestler is among the tops at his respective weight class, according to Intermat (www.intermatwrestle.com). "This is an outstanding group of young men and we are pleased that they have made the decision to become Nittany Lions," Sanderson said. "As we continue to build the kind of program we envisioned when we arrived in State College, it is the hard work and dedication of wrestlers like this that will help us achieve our goals." Andrew Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) is ranked No. 1 at 145 by Intermat and, heading into the new high school season, is the No. 2 ranked overall recruit in the country (at any weight). Andrew is coming off a 140 pound title at last year's PIAA championships, going 46-0 overall. Andrew went 47-1 at 140 as a sophomore, taking third at PIAAs, and was 40-7 as a high school freshman at 130 (also placing third at states). He carries a 133-8 career record into his senior season at Central Mountain High School in neighboring Clinton County. The Mill Hall native is also an outstanding freestyle wrestler, having won the last two (2008 and 2009) Junior National Championships. He took third at the FILA Junior Nationals in 2009, won the 2008 Super 32 Challenge and took second place at the 2008 Junior Nationals in Greco-Roman. Andrew is the son of Neil and Donna Alton of Mill Hall, Pa., and the twin brother of fellow signee Dylan. Dylan Alton (Mill Hall, Pa.) is ranked No. 1 at 152 by Intermat and, heading into the new high school season, is the No. 5 ranked overall recruit in the country (at any weight). Dylan is a two-time PIAA state champion, having claimed the 145 pound title last year after a 47-0 junior campaign. The year before, he went 45-1 at 135 and claimed the state title as well. As a high school freshman, Dylan posted a 39-4 mark and took seventh at states. Heading into his final year at nearby Central Mountain High School, Dylan sports a 131-5 career record. The Mill Hall native is, like his twin, an outstanding freestyle wrestler as well. Dylan won the 2008 and 2009 Junior National crowns, took the 2008 Junior National championship in Greco Roman, won the 2008 Walsh Ironman title and took third at the 2008 Super 32 Challenge. Dylan is the son of Neil and Donna Alton of Mill Hall, Pa., and the twin brother of fellow signee Andrew. Dirk Cowburn (Coudersport, Pa.) is ranked No. 4 at 160 by Intermat and, heading into his final year at Coudersport High School, is the No. 47 ranked overall recruit in the country (at any weight). Cowburn is a two-time PIAA state champion, having claimed the 152 pound title in each of the last two years. As a junior, he went 30-2 to claim the title and as a sophomore he went 38-0. Heading into his senior year, Cowburn carries a 101-7 overall mark with him on his quest to three-peat. An outstanding freestyle and Greco wrestler as well, Cowburn won the 2007 Cadet National title in Greco-Roman and took second in freestyle at that event. In 2008, Cowburn placed second at the 2008 Junior Nationals in Greco as well. Dirk is the son of Dan and Darla Cowburn of Coudersport, Pa. Sam Sherlock (West Mifflin, Pa.) is ranked No. 2 nationally at 130 by Intermat and, heading into the 2009-10 high school campaign, is ranked No. 16 overall at any weight. Sherlock is the defending PIAA state champion at 125 after going 38-3 last year and winning his first crown. He went 35-3 as a sophomore in 2007-08 and placed fourth. Sherlock is 73-6 in two years as the starter for West Mifflin High School as he preps for his final season. A standout in both freestyle and folkstyle, Sam took second place at the 2008 Super 32 Challenge and Beast of the East and placed third at the 2009 Junior Nationals. Sam is the son of Sam and Nancy Sherlock of West Mifflin, Pa. Penn State opens up the dual meet season at Lehigh on Friday, Nov. 13, at 7 p.m. Penn State's first home dual is slated for Sunday, Nov. 15, at noon when the Bloomsburg Huskies invade Rec Hall. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season are on sale now. The five-event package (which does not include the Nittany Lion Open) costs $30 for adults ($6 per event) and $25 for youth ($5 per event). Single event tickets will cost $8 for adults and $6 for youth. Group sales are available once again for groups of 15 people or more. Group prices are $5 in advance and $6 walk-up. Fans can purchase tickets by calling 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. All Penn State events will once again air live on Forever Broadcasting's WRSC (1390 AM) and on www.GoPSUsports.com as well. The 2009-10 Penn State Wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois head coach Jim Heffernan announced the signing of three student-athletes - including two top-25 national recruits - to National Letters of Intent Thursday. Jamie Clark, of Medina, Ohio, Jed Lightfoot, of Yorkville, Ill., and Jackson Morse, of Alto, Mich., will join the Illini program in the fall of 2010. Clark is the No. 7 overall recruit in the class of 2010 according to InterMat and Morse is No. 21 overall, while Lightfoot is a two-time Junior National All-American. "We feel very fortunate to have signed these three student-athletes this fall," Heffernan said. "All have extremely high goals and have achieved a high level of success at the national level. They fit in well with our current wrestlers and are the type of competitors we want to have. I am anxious to get them to Illinois and look forward to their impact on our program." Clark, from St. Edward High School - Heffernan's alma mater - is a two-time Ohio state champ, earning titles at 112 in 2008 and 119 in 2009. He also finished runner-up to current Illinois freshman Sam White at 103 pounds in 2007. He's the top-ranked national recruit at 130 and was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the Freestyle Cadet Nationals in 2007. Clark will wrestle at 133 for the Illini. "It is nice to get Jamie Clark from national powerhouse St. Edward," Heffernan said. "He has been a major factor in their success, leading them to three team championships and winning two individual state titles with a runner-up finish as a freshman." Lightfoot was the 2009 IHSA Class 2A runner-up at 125 pounds, finishing the season 25-5. He also earned Junior National All-America status, finishing eighth in both 2008 and 2009. Lightfoot led Yorkville to a team runner-up finish at the 2009 IHSA Class 2A dual team state tournament. He will wrestle either at 141 or 149 for Illinois. "Jed was the state runner-up last year as an individual and competed for Yorkville High School, who was the state team runner-up in Illinois," Heffernan said. "Jed also has proven that he can wrestle at the national level, placing twice at the Junior Nationals." Morse won consecutive Michigan Division 2 state titles at 140 in 2008 and 152 in 2009 after finishing runner-up at 125 in 2007. He's the No. 2 national recruit at 152 and the No. 21 overall national recruit, having won consecutive titles at the Super 32 tournament, one of the top national high school tournaments. He won the 145-pound championship in 2008 and took the 152-pound title in 2009, beating the No. 1 national recruit in the title match. Morse also led Lowell High School to the 2009 Michigan state championship. He will wrestle at 157 in college. "Jackson Morse has very similar credentials as Jamie Clark, also winning two state championships along with a runner-up finish," Heffernan said. "Jackson's team, Lowell High School, was the Michigan state team champions last year as well. Both have had a great deal of success individually as well as part of their teams."

Tony Schiena

Paul Pitts

Cisco Cole

Lee Roy Smith

AMES, Iowa -- The No. 2 Iowa State wrestling team was firing on all cylinders Thursday night in Hilton Coliseum. ISU handled South Dakota State 43-3 for the first dual win of Cyclone head coach Kevin Jackson's career. ISU made an impact with its offense in front of a home crowd of 2,528. The Cyclones recorded 29 takedowns to South Dakota State's four. ISU also counted heavily on back points in the contest, scoring six three-point nearfalls and seven two-point nearfalls. “We came in as the more heralded team and we needed to wrestle like it,” Jackson said. “We have a lot of things to learn and only a couple of guys have really taken over at their weight class. The rest will be determined by how we wrestle at the Harold Nichols meet this weekend and then at Omaha.” Making the first dual start of his career at 184 pounds, senior Joe Curran kicked off the 2009-10 Cyclone wrestling campaign in impressive fashion. The Elk Point, S.D. native scored a technical fall over South Dakota State's David Michaud by a score of 17-2 (5:52). Curran notched five takedowns in the match. “Joe has been making the most connections in training and that is why he was out there tonight,” Jackson said. “He and Jerome Ward have a battle going and both have done a good job. Joe went out tonight and went after his man from the start. That is what we are looking for this season.” Two Iowa Staters had pins on their mind Thursday night. Heavyweight David Zabriskie struck first for the Cyclones with a 4:17 stick of SDSU's Jeremy Swier. The fifth-ranked senior had built a 14-3 lead before recording the fall. Two-time All-American junior Jon Reader added six team points to the Cyclone effort with his pin of the Jack's Weston Blasius at 165 pounds. Reader notched the fall in the first period in 1:42. “The matches are the fun part,” Reader said. “We have a veteran team and all of us were here this summer training. It was great to get out and wrestle somebody outside of the wrestling room.” Senior Cyclone Duke Burk proved too much to handle for South Dakota State's Joe Rasmussen at 174 pounds. Burk ran the first period score to 14-1 before finishing off his Jackrabbit opponent with a takedown 21 seconds into the second period for the technical fall, 16-1 (3:21). No. 1-ranked 197-pounder Jake Varner started off his senior campaign with bonus points over 11th-ranked Tyler Sorenson of SDSU. In the premier match of the night, ISU's Varner controlled the bout with a 13-4 major decision. Second-ranked Cyclone 141-pounder Nick Gallick handled his SDSU opponent, Dustin Walraven, by major decision, 14-2. Fellow ISU senior Mitch Mueller followed with a strong 12-5 decision of the Jackrabbits' Nick Hagar. The son of former Cyclone three-time NCAA champion Nate Carr scored bonus points for ISU. Nate Carr, Jr. notched a major decision over Nick Flynn of South Dakota State by a score of 9-1. Senior Iowa Stater Nick Fanthorpe picked up a win by forfeit at 133 pounds. Making the first start of his Cyclone career, true freshman Dallas Collier of Aiea, Hawai'i was dropped by SDSU's Aaron Pickrel by decision, 9-3. ISU hits the mat Saturday for the Harold Nichols/Cyclone Open at the Lied Recreation Center. Action begins at 10 a.m. Results: 184 pounds – Joe Curran (ISU) tech. fall David Michaud (SDSU), 17-2 (5:52) 197 pounds – No. 1 Jake Varner (ISU) major dec. No. 11 Tyler Sorenson (SDSU), 13-4 HWT – No. 5 David Zabriskie (ISU) pinned Jeremy Swier (SDSU), 4:17 125 pounds – Aaron Pickrel (SDSU) dec. Dallas Collier (ISU), 9-3 133 pounds – No. 5 Nick Fanthorpe (ISU) won by forfeit 141 pounds – No. 2 Nick Gallick (ISU) major dec. Dustin Walraven (SDSU), 14-2 149 pounds – No. 9 Mitch Mueller (ISU) dec. Nick Hagar (SDSU), 12-5 157 pounds – Nate Carr, Jr. (ISU) major dec. Nick Flynn (SDSU), 9-1 165 pounds – No. 5 Jon Reader (ISU) pinned Weston Blasius (SDSU), 1:42 174 pounds – No. 12 Duke Burk (ISU) tech. fall Joe Rasmussen (SDSU), 16-1

It is exactly one month prior to the start of the 2009 FILA Grappling World Championships, set for the Fort Lauderdale/Broward County Convention Center, Dec. 12-13. USA Wrestling will host the competition. Grappling, also known as submission wrestling, is recognized as a new form of international wrestling. The No-Gi competition will be held on Dec. 12, with the Gi competition on Dec. 13. The U.S. is the defending World Team champions in both disciplines. The U.S. Grappling World Team was determined at the Grappling World Team Trials in Phoenix, Ariz. in late October. The complete U.S. Grappling World Team will be announced next week, after the final spots on the roster are being determined by committee selection. The U.S. team will be coached by USA Grappling National Coach Ricardo Liborio of Coconut Creek, Fla. Liborio is the coach of the respected American Top Team program and is a legend in the Grappling and Jiu-Jitsu communities. “Hosting the World Championships will provide a lot of tough competition because it is held in the United States,” said Liborio. “It will be hard work for our team. We will have more competition than ever before.” Many of the members of the U.S. Grappling World Team participate in a training camp conducted by Liborio at the American Top Team facility in Coconut Creek from Dec. 5-10 in preparation for the competition. At this time, the following nations have indicated they will participate in the Grappling World Championships: Austria, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Nigeria, Poland, Portugal, Serbia, South Africa, Spain, Sweden, Tajikistan, United States. FILA hosted its first Grappling World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland in December 2008. Tickets are available at the door, or for purchase in advance through Ticket Leap. Prices are $20 for adults, $10 for Seniors (65 and older) and $10 for Youth (15 and under). Order your tickets online now by visiting the following website: Click here to purchase Grappling World Championships tickets The last time that USA Wrestling hosted a World Championships event in the United States was in 2003, when the Freestyle World Championships were hosted in Madison Square Garden in New York City. Make plans now to attend the 2009 Grappling World Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 12-13, and see the best Grapplers in the world battling for world titles.

Columbia, Mo. -- Extending its season opening win streak to seven straight years, a program best, the eighth-ranked Missouri wrestling team held off Illinois, 18-16, in the Hearnes Center marking the Tiger's second consecutive victory over the Fighting Illini. Five Tigers won their bouts, two decided by a mere one point. "We had a lot of close matches tonight," Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith said. "We've got to get the team attacking more and being more offensive. They looked good, but there's always room to improve. It's a long journey to the end of the season." Second-ranked All-American Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) collected his first win at 184 pounds, besting 10th-ranked John Dergo, 9-4. Askren's victory set the Tigers on a three-match win streak that included a 4-1 win by Brent Haynes (Kansas City, Mo.) at 197 pounds and a fall by No. 1 ranked heavyweight Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.). Haynes was one of two redshirt freshmen in Missouri's lineup to claim their first career dual victory. Tiger 133-pounder Nathan McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) took a one point win, 3-2, over Daryl Thomas. The last time two Missouri redshirt freshmen made their first career start and won their bouts came in 2006 against Ohio State. Then redshirt freshman Ellis and teammate John Olanowski claimed victories at HWT and 125 pounds, respectively. "Brent looked good tonight," Smith said. It was exciting to see him fight through his match and get the win." Missouri's defending national champion, Ellis, extended his win streak to six straight bouts, dating back to day one of the 2009 NCAA Championships. Ellis has recorded 23 falls in his career, tying for 10th in Missouri's career falls record book. Down 16-15 entering the final bout of the night, senior two-time All-American Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) came through with a 3-2 win over Conrad Polz to secure a Missouri victory. Marable and Polz were scoreless through the first period, one of five matches that were scoreless in the first three minutes of action. Marable put up three points in the second period with his escape from the down position and takedown in 45 seconds. Polz was held to one escape in the second and third, while Marable was hit with stalling late in the third, but held on for the victory. The Tigers continue action at home next Friday, Nov. 20, at Noon (CT) against Cal Poly. The first of two duals on the day, Missouri will host its second Big Ten opponent of the season, Purdue, at 7 p.m. (CT). All former Missouri wrestlers and coaches are invited back to Columbia, Mo., for a wrestling homecoming, Nov. 20-22. Former wrestlers and coaches will be recognized during the Purdue dual as well as at Saturday's, Nov. 21 football game against Iowa State. For more information, or to register, please visit www.mutigers.com. Results: 174: #7 Jordan Blanton (ILL) dec. #20 Dorian Henderson (MU), 7-4 184: #2 Max Askren (MU) dec. #10 John Dergo (ILL), 9-4 197: Brent Haynes (MU) dec. #13 Patrick Bond (ILL), 4-1 HWT: #1 Mark Ellis (MU) pinned Pat Walker (ILL), 3:54 125: John Deneen (ILL) maj. dec. Troy Dolan (ILL), 9-0 133: Nathan McCormick (MU) dec. Daryl Thomas (ILL), 3-2 141: Ryan Prater (ILL) dec. Todd Schavrien (MU), 15-9 149: Eric Terrazas (ILL) dec. Brandon Wiest (MU), 4-2 157: Clint Arlis (ILL) dec. Patrick Wright (MU), 3-2 165: #7 Nick Marable (MU) dec. Conrad Polz (ILL), 3-2

MOUNT VERNON, Iowa -- The North Central College wrestling team improved to a perfect 4-0 in the early stages of its season on Wednesday, scoring a 19-16 victory at Cornell College. The Cardinals won the first match of the evening, as Nathan Fitzenreider claimed a 9-3 decision at 133 pounds. After Cornell's Kevin Donahue won by major decision at 141, North Central's Tim Gingerich responded with a 10-6 win at 149. Cornell's Nicholas Laughlin won by pin at 157 before the Cardinals put up four straight wins to seal the match. Ron Uccardi, Cowan Brown and Gabe Youel won by decision at 165, 174 and 184, and Vinnie Sapienza won a 10-1 major decision at 197. Youel now has 126 career victories, tying Noah Fitzenreider '07 for fourth place in school history. North Central travels to Evanston, Ill., for the Northwestern University Duals on Saturday. Results: 125 – Timothy Hood (CC) dec. Joe Norton, 8-6. 133 – Nathan Fitzenreider (NCC) dec. Tigue Snider, 9-3. 141 – Kevin Donahue (CC) maj. dec. Andrew Zobac, 12-4. 149 – Tim Gingerich (NCC) dec. Zach Wilson, 10-6. 157 – Nicholas Loughlin (CC) pinned Jake Sandborn, 2:13. 165 – Ron Uccardi (NCC) dec. Joe Hambleton, 6-4. 174 – Cowan Brown (NCC) dec. Cliff Robertson, 3-2. 184 – Gabe Youel (NCC) dec. Andrew Roberts, 4-2. 197 – Vinnie Sapienza (NCC) maj. dec. Robert Widmer, 10-1. 285 – Wyatt Bauman (CC) dec. Rod Knowlton, 2-1, OT.

EDMOND, Okla. -- Trailing 7-0 after the initial two bouts, the 18th-ranked University of Oklahoma wrestling team rallied to take control of Central Oklahoma by winning the next seven matchups to earn its first win of the season, 27-10. "We got off to a tough start but our team never lost confidence," head coach Jack Spates said. "Our guys will be fine and I am proud of the way they fought back. For the most part, we wrestled well but certainly have some areas where we need to improve." Zach Bailey righted the ship for Oklahoma, dominating Scott Berens at 141 pounds with four takedowns and a reversal to win, 17-4 Senior Kyle Terry turned in another impressive Sooner performance at 149 pounds, putting Oklahoma in the lead for the first time, 8-7. The defending Big 12 champion used five takedowns and a nearfall to claim the victory over Austin Standage, 14-3. Chad Terry extended OU's lead to 11-7 with a 12-5 victory over Eden Bernstein at 157 pounds. The Midwest City, Okla., product scored three takedowns and two reversals, including one in the first period, to record his first win of the season. Sooner redshirt sophomore Derek Peperas scored the match's first points at 165 pounds after a scoreless first period with a takedown in the second. Broncho Derrick Adkins inched within one point, 3-2, with an escape in the third. Adkins was unable to come back, as Peperas used 2 minutes 16 seconds of riding time to win by a 4-2 margin. Jeff James was a takedown machine at 174 pounds, scoring 10 takedowns against Cody Rowell to win by major decision, 23-10. The victory extended Oklahoma's team lead to 18-7. Erich Schmidtke then shutout Broncho Kenny Meredith, 5-0, at 184 pounds with a takedown in each of the second and third periods. With 1 minute 20 seconds remaining in the third period at 197 pounds, Sooner senior Eric Lapotsky scored a takedown against Jarrett Edison to lead 5-1. With the clock showing 40 seconds remaining in the match, Lapotsky recorded Oklahoma's first fall of the dual season. The evening's drama peaked in the last match of the evening between OU's Nathan Fernandez and Broncho Dustin Finn. Finn scored a takedown in the first and added an escape in the second to lead 3-1. Another Finn takedown in the third made it 5-3 in favor of the Broncho before Fernandez scored a takedown with one second remaining to force overtime. With 24 seconds left in the sudden death extra period, Finn scored a takedown to win, 7-5. Central Oklahoma led 7-0 after the first two bouts of the evening. Casey Rowell shutout Sooner Justin Forrest at 125 pounds, 8-0, with three takedowns. Broncho Trison Graham then earned an 8-5 decision over Alex Ekstrom at 133 pounds. Next up for Oklahoma is the Brockport/Oklahoma Gold Classic this Saturday, Nov. 14 in Brockport, N.Y. The Sooners will attempt to win their 11th straight team title at the event. Results: 125: Casy Rowell (UCO) maj. dec. Justin Forrest (OU), 8-0 133: Trison Graham (UCO) dec. Alex Ekstrom (OU), 8-5 141: Zack Bailey (OU) maj. dec. Scott Berens (UCO), 18-4 149: Kyle Terry (OU) maj. dec. Austin Standage (UCO), 14-3 157: Chad Terry (OU) dec. Eden Bernstein (UCO), 12-5 165: Derek Peperas (OU) dec. Derrick Adkins (UCO), 4-2 174: Jeff James (OU) maj. dec. Cody Rowell (UCO), 23-10 184: Erich Schmidtke (OU) dec. Kenny Meredith (UCO), 5-0 197: Eric Lapotsky (OU) fall Jarrett Edison (UCO), 6:20 HWT: Dustin Finn (UCO) dec. Nathan Fernandez (UCO), 7-5

Mankato, Minn. -- Second-ranked Minnesota State used four falls in eight contested matches to top Waldorf College 37-6 in a non-conference dual at Bresnan Arena. The match opened the dual season for the Mavericks, now 1-0-0 on the season. Returning All-American Andy Forstner (Madelia, Minn.) put the Mavericks up big early with a fall in 4:31 at 125 pounds over Jeff Ohenmous. Following an MSU setback at133 pounds, freshman Robby Fisher (Bloomington, Minn.) opened his Maverick career in big fashion with a 16-3 major decision win at 141. A Waldorf forfeit to freshman Jesse Westphal (Janesville, Minn.) put the Mavericks up 16-3 heading into 157 pounds where senior Darren Olsen (Davis, Ill.) tacked on a pin at 3:23. The Warriors’ Brandon Porter took a hard-fought 15-9 decision from senior Justin Turek (New Prague, Minn.) at 165 pounds but it was all Mavericks from that point on. Sophomore Tel Todd (Bozeman, Mont.) crafted a 5-3 decision at 174 pounds, followed by a fall from returning national qualifier Ben Becker (Fort Dodge, Iowa) in just 57 seconds. The Warriors and Mavericks matched forfeits at 197 pounds, leading the way for three-time All-American Brady Wilson (Faribault, Minn.) to close out the dual with a fall in 1:53. Minnesota State will wrestle four individual tournaments before returning to dual action, beginning this weekend at the Harold Nichols Open in Ames, Iowa. The all-day tournament is hosted by Iowa State University.

Anthony Robles

Brendan Buckley

Carl Adams

Faruk Sahin

The first season of Golden Gopher Wrestling, was 1910. The first conference title for Golden Gopher Wrestling, was 1910. Since its inception 100 years ago, the wrestling program at the University of Minnesota has been synonymous with winning. And the greatest run of success, has undoubtedly been during the tenure of current head coach J Robinson. Now is his 24th season, Robinson has assembled a team that can rank among his best by season's end. For a coach who has already won six Big Ten titles, and three NCAA titles, that may seem like a lofty statement. However, with the culture of the winning and the long history of success that has been Gopher Wrestling throughout the years, high expectations and lofty goals come with the territory. The consensus for the Golden Gophers in the preseason polls is No. 5 national ranking, including in the USA Today/NWCA/InterMat preseason Top-25. A talent laden line-up will be led by five returners with NCAA meet experience, three of which who have been named All-American. The head of that class are seniors and three-time All-Americans Jayson Ness and Dustin Schlatter, while sophomore Zach Sanders has already earned All-America status. There is ability in the line-up from top-to-bottom, and quality depth in every spot. Add to the mix, the nation's No. 1 ranked recruiting class and the Gophers look as strong as ever, ready to make a run at the Big Ten and NCAA titles. 125 Already an All-American, Zach Sanders (Wabasha, Minn.) enters his sophomore season as a staple at the top of the Gopher line-up. His 39 wins in 2008-09 led the team while his 19 in dual meet action were tied for the team lead. He broke on to the scene in a big way in his rookie campaign, winning his first 15 matches with the first six by either, fall, tech fall, or major decision. With six falls last season, he was among the team leaders while his nine major decisions and five technical falls were each the Gophers' best mark. He also had a win streak last season of 12-straight, which came after his first loss and left him with a 23-1 record as Big Ten play opened. With five wins over ranked opponents last season, Sanders begins his sophomore season ranked fourth in most preseason polls at 125 pounds. "He is a young leader for us," head coach J Robinson said. "He has a great motor and is a great example of Minnesota wrestling. He's very exciting, aggressive and intense." Sanders leadership will be called upon this season, as he heads a young group at 125. Backing him up will be freshman Thane Antczak (Prairie Farm, Wis.) and Austin Waliullah (Rockton, Ill.). 133 https://admin.xosn.com/pics22/400/VM/VMQHXSXRPCMGXJK.20090207034831.jpgFor one final season, Jayson Ness (Bloomington, Minn.) will take the mat for the Golden Gophers. In his already brilliant career Ness (right) has been named All-America three times and won the 2007 Big Ten title. He opens his final season ranked second at 133 in every preseason publication. "The goal for Ness is to return to the finals and put it all together for a National Championship," Robinson said. Coming off a good summer of training, the high expectations are more than warranted. In his first season at 133, he racked up 38 wins as well as 19 falls to lead the team and set a new career pins record with 54 at the end of his junior season. His chase for an NCAA title in his final season will coincide with his quest, along with teammate Dustin Schlatter, to become just the sixth and seventh four-time All-Americans in team history. After missing an entire season due to injury last season, sophomore Cody Marcicki (Lapeer, Mich.) will add valuable dept this season. Meanwhile freshmen Tom Giaimo (Appleton, Wis.) and David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) get their first taste of college wrestling. Thorn is the younger brother of current Golden Gopher junior Mike Thorn. 141 After a breakout campaign as a sophomore, Mike Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) enters his junior season ready to build on his first career appearance at the NCAA Championships. Entering the season, he is ranked as high as ninth at 141 pounds in some publications. "He got in a lot of good work over the summer," Robinson said of Thorn. "He is bigger and stronger and has really shown some great improvement." In his first season as a regular starter, Thorn went 12-10 in dual meets and 5-3 in the Big Ten. His season began with 12 consecutive wins, with six of the first seven by fall. He closed the season with 10 pins which was second on the team among starters. Now as an upperclassmen, he will be asked to lead a very deep and talented group at 141. Freshman Austin Enoch (Redmond, Ore.) had an impressive season last year as a redshirt with 10 wins, as did sophomore David Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.) with nine wins. Zilverberg, however, may spend time at 149 this season. Jake Mellmer (Dickinson, N.D.) and Ryan Blake (Chicago, Ill.) as a junior and sophomore respectively will add more experience to the group. As the younger brother of former Gopher three-time All-American Mack Reiter, freshman Bart Reiter (Gilbertville, Iowa) begins his collegiate career with four state titles on his resume. 149 In his first season with the Golden Gophers last year, Mario Mason racked up 14 wins against just two losses. Now, after his redshirt year, he is slated as the starter at 149 pounds. "He'll be taking over the spot held by Dustin Schlatter," Robinson said. "We have high expectations for him, after his redshirt season last year." His career started in dominant fashion with a 20-7 win in his first match, which he then backed up with a 15-3 win later the same day. At 149 pounds last season, he posted a 12-1 record, losing only in the championship match at the Kaufman-Brand Open, by just one point. His ability to compete with top competition was further proven as he ended the season wrestling up a weight class, and posting a 2-1 mark at 157 pounds. The rest of the field at 149 brings a wealth of experience including sophomores Joe Grygelko (Greenfield, Minn.), Luke Mellmer (Dickinson, N.D.) and Brian Peterson (Richmond, Minn.). Grygelko and Peterson split time in the starting line-up last season, appearing in 16 and seven dual meets respectively. Grygelko, who also may see time at 157, and Peterson each won seven total matches last season. Competing in open meets, Mellmer enters the season off a 4-4 campaign. Finally freshmen Wesley Richard (Dillingham, Alaska), Pat Smith (Chaska, Minn.) and Danny Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.) join the group. Richard was a redshirt last year while Zilverberg (the younger brother of current Gopher David Zilverberg) begins his college career fresh off an undefeated state championship season as a high school senior. 157 There will be a major hole to fill at 157 this winter, with the graduation of Tyler Safratowich, who posted 32 wins last season on his was to All-American laurels. The leading candidate to replace Safratowich is freshman Jake Deitchler (Anoka, Minn.). Deitchler gained notoriety in 2008 when he became the first high school wrestler since 1976 to qualify for the United State Olympic team. After the 2008 summer Olympics he put college off for a while and spent the next year training full time at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo. Now after a year of training full time, he has decided to come back to the University of Minnesota, and the Gophers are excited to have him. Coach Robinson describes Deitchler's style as aggressive, offensive and intense, and he has the ability to pick up right where Safratowich left off. Sophomore Joel Hill (Overland Park, Kans.) will back up Deitchler and will gain more experience after appearing in four open tournaments last season. 165 https://admin.xosn.com/pics11/400/PH/PHZDOBLLPEGNMZN.20090923231315.jpgThe 165 spot will be in good hands this winter, as three-time All-American Dustin Schlatter (Massillion, Ohio) makes the move up two weight classes . After redshirting last season, Schlatter (below) will join teammate Jayson Ness in the quest to become four-time All-Americans in their senior year. The 2006 NCAA Champion at 149 pounds, a bigger, stronger, and rejuvenated Schlatter will also chase his third Big Ten Championship, but his first at 165. "He's finally healthy after taking a year off," Robinson said. "We're looking for him to recapture National Championship form this season." Despite moving up two weight classes, he is still garnering national respect, as he is ranked No. 1 at 165 in the preseason by InterMat, and has earned a No. 2 ranking by Amateur Wrestling News. Backing up, and gaining valuable experience, behind Schlatter this season will be freshman Alec Ortiz (Grand Ronde, Ore.). Ortiz is a heralded recruit who earned multiple All-America honors in high school on his way to four undefeated state championship seasons. 174 The race for the top spot at 174 is as wide open as any, but has several strong candidates. Among the leaders heading into the open season are senior Matt Everson (Mitchell, S.D.) and junior Scott Glasser (Bismarck, N.D.). After splitting time between weight classes, Everson ended last season as the starter at 174 pounds. He placed seventh at the Big Ten Tournament and was just a match away from the NCAA Tournament in his first season back from a two-year tour in Iraq. He won his first two matches last season, as well as his last and will try to ride that momentum into his last season. Glasser was the top Gopher at 165 last season and, despite fighting through injuries, won 19 matches and started every Big Ten dual. He won 15 of his first 17 matches as a sophomore, and now bigger and stronger he will look to return to that form as he battles for the top spot at 174. Also in the mix are Kaleb Young (Tenstrike, Minn.) and Cody Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) after posting 17 and 14 wins respectively last season. Young earned the start in 18 dual meets as a freshman, winning his first three and seven overall. "Kaleb wants to get better," Robinson said. "He's always striving to get better, and as a starter last year he'll be looking to start again. Yohn was a redshirt a season ago and claimed championships at the Kaufman-Brand Open and Flash Open as well as runner-up honors at the Bison Open and the Minnesota West Open. After a summer spent improving, he will only add to the interesting competition at 174 this winter. Adding even further depth at the spot is senior Nate Matousek (Glencoe, Minn.) who returns after a year away from wrestling, as well as freshmen Steven Avalos (Mundelein, Wis.) and Kevin Steinhaus (Pennock, Minn.). 184 The spot at 184 is just another in the Gopher line-up that should be in good hands this season. Sonny Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.) returns for his sophomore season after starting a majoring of the Gophers' matches last season. "Sonny broke into the starting line-up late last year," Robinson said. "He had a great spring, he's diligent, and he's a great example of what you want in an athlete." Yohn has caught eyes nationally already in the preseason, gaining a No. 18 ranking by Amateur Wrestling News. He ended last season by going 3-2 at the Big Ten Tournament to earn seventh place honors. He began his run with a win over the No. 13 ranked wrestler it country, his second win over a ranked wrestler on the season. Now with a ranking of his own, he will be one of the many young leaders for the Gophers in 2009-10. 197 Another spot that opens the season with competition for the starters role is at 197, and at the forefront are a pair of wrestlers that were in different weight classes last year. Junior Brent Eidenschink (Detroit Lakes, Minn.) was a part-time starter at 184 as a sophomore while fellow junior Joe Nord (Waconia, Minn.) found himself in the starting line-up at heavyweight at times last season. Eidenschink won six total matches and Nord won 11 last season. "He has great experience after starting as a freshman and sophomore," Robinson said of Eidenschink. "He's bigger and stronger now, and moving up a weight class will help his strength and size." On the flip side, a trimmed down Nord will provide quality competition for the top spot. He was 11-3 against Heavyweight competition last season and 5-1 in dual meets. He closed last season with four wins in five matches, including two over ranked opponents. That momentum should carry over nicely to his new spot at 197. Providing the youth at 197 this year will be freshmen Greg Antonson (Eau Claire, Wis.) and Jake Filkins (Prescott, Wis.). HWT Finally, at heavyweight, the Gophers can look to another quality veteran and expect great results. Junior Ben Berhow (Hayward, Minn.) made his second consecutive NCAA Tournament last season and is ranked among the best heavyweights in the country in the preseason. "He's been close and this could be a breakthrough year," Robinson said. "He gained confidence last season, he knows what to do and he'll take his shots." Berhow has been known to take chances and is one of the most offensive heavyweights in the Big Ten, if not the nation. His chances paid off last season as he went 8-0 in Big Ten dual meets, on his way to 27 total victories and a fourth place finish at the Big Ten tournament. Now as an upperclassman, the goal is to improve and make deep runs at both the Big Ten and NCAA Tournaments. Learning behind Berhow this winter will be a pair of freshmen in Jake Kettler (Ramsey, Minn.) and Tony Nelson (Cambridge, Minn.). Each begin their Gopher careers fresh off Minnesota state titles, Kettler at heavyweight and Nelson at 215, giving the Gophers a very talented group of big men. Schedule It will be a daunting schedule, as always, for the Golden Gophers as they celebrate their 100th year. This year's slate is highlighted by seven home dual meets while the complete schedule includes three of the top four teams from last year's NCAA Championship meet, as well as 10 teams that placed in the top-20. Eight opponents can be found on the NWCA/InterMat Preseason Top-25, paced by the preseason number one and defending national champion Iowa Hawkeyes. For the fifth straight year, the season gets underway at the Bison Open as the Golden Gophers head to Fargo, N.D. on Nov. 14. A week later, on Nov. 21, they head to the Kaufman-Brand Open hosted by Nebraska-Omaha. The Gophers host their first home meet of the season on Saturday, Nov. 28 when Cal State Bakersfield visits Williams Arena. December begins with a road trip to perennial power and No. 6 ranked Oklahoma State on Friday, Dec. 4, before a home match with No. 7 Nebraska on Thursday Dec. 10. On Sunday, Dec. 13, Minnesota is back on the road as they travel to Northern Colorado, before taking some time off for the Holidays. After the break, the Golden Gophers close out the month in Greensboro, N.C. for the Southern Scuffle on Dec. 29-30. On Jan. 3, Minnesota returns home to the Sports Pavilion and opens 2010 with their third top-10 team in No. 2 Iowa State. The following weekend, it's off to Cedar Falls, Iowa for the National Duals on Jan. 9-10. The next action for the Golden Gophers is a weekend swing to Michigan to open the Big Ten season. As for the Big Ten slate this season, it will not include Northwestern or Ohio State as they are the two league teams the Gophers do not face in 2009-10. On Jan. 22 and 23, Minnesota travels to No. 21 Michigan State and Michigan respectively. January then closes with the season's first set of back-to-back home duals. On Friday, Jan. 29 No. 11 Wisconsin visits Williams Arena, and then on Sunday, Jan. 31 Minnesota hosts Purdue. After Big Ten road duals at Illinois and No. 15 Indiana on February 5 and 6 respectively, the Golden Gophers get the luxury of closing out the regular season at home. On Sunday, Feb. 14, in one of the most anticipated matches every season, Minnesota hosts No. 1 Iowa in Williams Arena. Then the regular season comes to a close at the Sports Pavilion on Friday Feb. 19 in a meet with No.14 Penn State. With March, comes tournament time and Minnesota will be on the road at the Big Ten Championships on Mar. 6-7 in Ann Arbor, Mich. and at the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Neb. on Mar. 18-20. It will be another exciting season on the mat, as the Gophers carry the tradition of the last 100 years, into the next century of Minnesota Wresting.

Robbie Waller

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Lock Haven University has announced that Robbie Waller will assume the reins of the Bald Eagle wrestling program. Waller, a Western Pa. native and former NCAA Division I National Champion at the University of Oklahoma begins his tenure in Mat Town, U.S.A., after four seasons as assistant coach at his alma mater. Waller is a 2003 graduate of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English and has spent the last four seasons as a top assistant with the Sooners. Working under head coach Jack Spates, Waller assisted in all facets of the program, including recruiting some of the nation’s top scholastic wrestlers. Waller, who claimed an individual national championship in 2003, is very excited about his opportunity with a storied program like Lock Haven. "I am extremely grateful for this opportunity to lead such a tradition-rich program,” Waller said. “Our coaching staff, athletes, and administration are committed to returning Lock Haven University wrestling back to National prominence.” Before returning to Norman, Okla., Waller spent time at the University of Missouri, Columbia. While at Missouri, he served as a graduate assistant and an assistant coach, helped them to 13th and 11th place finishes in ’04 and ’05, respectively, and earned a Master’s degree in Education in 2007. Waller is no stranger to the elite level of wrestling competition. Along with his 2003 title, he was also a four-time NCAA qualifier and an All American in 2002. As in his own wrestling career, Waller has been quick to help his athletes excel on the mats. He has coached 12 NCAA Division I All-Americans and four NCAA Finalists. In 2006, Waller helped Oklahoma to a third-place finish at the NCAA National Championship. A Latrobe native, Waller was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006. He is a graduate of Mount Pleasant Area High School where he won a 1998 Pennsylvania State Championship. Waller finished his scholastic career with a remarkable 128-3 record, was a two-time State Runner-up, and a FILA Junior Freestyle Champion. Lock Haven University Director of Athletics Sharon Taylor is very pleased with the appointment of Waller. “The traits that made Robbie Waller attractive as the associate head coach do not change with his taking over the program. He has been to the top of the NCAA as an athlete and in the coaching ranks and is highly respected by colleagues and other competitors. He knows what it takes to be successful and to translate that success to others. The team has responded remarkably well to coach Waller in the short time he’s been in Lock Haven, and I hope that everyone will give him and his staff the support they need to accomplish what they and the wrestlers have set out to do.” Waller has taken over the program following the recent retirement of Rocky Bonomo, who was Lock Haven’s head coach over the last seven seasons. An assistant coach is expected to be named within the week.

Lincoln McIlravy

Bob Sapp