InterMat Staff

MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 10 Wisconsin wrestling team hosted its annual intra-squad scrimmage in front of 535 fans at the UW Field House Thursday night. The red team took on the white team and hung on for the 20-14 victory. The match began with two semifinal bouts at 157 lbs., which were not included in the team scoring, and then nine matches at various weight classes. If you were unable to make it out to tonight's match, you can re-live all the action with the archived Web stream and the Wrestling Blog. A PDF of the scoresheet can also be found below. In the first semifinal match, freshman Eric Vanevenhoven took on junior Greg Burke. Burke jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first period and held on to win the match 9-3. In the second seminal match, redshirt freshman Brad Nardick faced off against freshman Kalvin York. Going into the third period, Nardick led 4-3, but a takedown by York with 20 seconds left gave him the edge, winning the match 6-5 and earning a spot in the finals at 157 lbs, which was the final event of the evening. After the semifinal bouts, senior Drew Hammen battled freshman Danny Arnel at 125 lbs. Hammen scored the first points of the match, scoring a takedown with 1:32 left on the clock in the first period. Hammen continued to build upon his lead by scoring a reversal and added riding time in the third period, resulting in a 5-0 victory and early 3-0 lead for the white team. No. 10 redshirt freshman Tyler Graff took on sophomore Tom Kelliher in a high scoring 133 lbs. match. Graff jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first period and scored seven more second period points before ending the match with a tech fall. Graff had four takedowns, a reversal and eight nearfall points giving the red team a 5-3 lead. Redshirt freshmen Cole Schmitt and Trey Bertram then met at 141 lbs. Schmitt scored a takedown in the first period with 1:55 left on the clock and never looked back, winning the match 5-2 and extending the red team's lead to 8-3. No. 2 senior Kyle Ruschell battled it out with freshman Shawn Perry at 149 lbs. Ruschell compiled two takedowns in the match and scored two nearfall points. Ruschell won the match by major decision 8-0, narrowing the red team's lead to 8-7. The 165 lbs. match featured No. 3 Andrew Howe and fellow sophomore Ben Jordan. Howe jumped out to an 8-3 lead at the end of the second period and held on the win the match by major decision 13-4,putting the white team back in the lead 11-8. Freshman Brendan Ard took on redshirt freshman Jimmy Duffy in an overtime match at 174 lbs. At the end of regulation, the score was tied 1-1, both scoring off of escapes. No points were scored in sudden victory, but an escape and a caution point awarded to Ard resulted in a 3-2 victory for the freshman and an overall tie at 11-11. At 184 lbs., freshman Derrick Borlie took on sophomore Travis Rutt. Rutt got out to a 3-1 lead before taking an injury timeout. No decision was called in the match but white was awarded the points to take the 17-11 lead. The heavyweight match featured junior Eric Bugenhagen, who is moving up to heavyweight this year after starting at 184 lbs. last year, and freshman Cole Tobin. Bugenhagen led 5-2 at the end of the second period, scoring a takedown in both the first and second period. He then held onto the lead, winning the match 6-3 and put the white team within three points at 17-14. In the final bout of the night, Burke took on York at 157 lbs. Burke registered two first period takedowns to take the 4-2 lead. York managed two escapes in the second to pull within two points at 6-4, but Burke added three more points with an escape and takedown to win 9-4 and cement the red team's victory, 20-14. The Badgers can next be seen when they host the season-opening meet against Old Dominion on Friday, Nov. 13 at the UW Field House.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue wrestling team is set for its first live action of the season as they'll have their annual preseason team wrestle-offs this Saturday in the Blake Wrestling Center in Lambert Fieldhouse. The Boilermakers will conduct upwards of 25 matches on the afternoon, giving some of their young wrestlers their first collegiate action and deciding several starting jobs in the process. "Wrestle-offs are exciting for everyone because they mark the start of our season," said Purdue junior 141-pounder Juan Archuleta. "It's our first opportunity to see the results of the off-season's hard work and see how much we've all improved." The team will weigh-in approximately one hour before wrestling begins, getting a three-pound allowance from their coaches. The team will have two matches going at all times, starting at noon, and they'll have two/three certified officials in attendance to preside over competition. The matches are open to the public and can be viewed free of charge, but in the case of high attendance the Blake Wrestling Center's fire code will be observed. Among the several highly competitive battles scheduled for the room on Saturday will be decisive positional battles at 125 and 149 pounds. With junior Akif Eren bumping up to 133 pounds, the starting nod at 125 pounds is up for grabs between sophomore Matt Fields and true freshmen Cashé Quiroga and Camden Eppert. With Eppert scheduled to redshirt his inaugural season, the action will most likely boil down to Fields and Quiroga as Saturday will be the first of several deciding factors in that slot. The positional order at 149 pounds will be hotly contested as well with a trio of redshirt seniors lined up for matches. Matt Redmond is the team's lone returner at 149, while classmates Nick Bertucci and Sam Patacsil have dropped from 157 to vie for starting action. All three have impressive credentials, have started for the Boilermakers at one point in their careers and should have success throughout the year, regardless of the depth chart. "This is a great problem to have," said assistant coach Glen Lanham. "We're going into the season with three guys who we all know can do a great job at this weight and will be very competitive. These three will battle all season and should have a lot of success in the starting lineup and open tournaments." Other highlights of Saturday will include the debut of several Boilermakers at new weights. Eren is set for his first season at 133 pounds, while sophomore Jake Fleckenstein has bumped up to 141 pounds, junior Luke Manuel jumped to 174 pounds, and senior Nick Corpe and junior David Pisarcik both moved to 184 pounds with Corpe moving up from 174 and Pisarcik dropping from 197. A full recap and results of Saturday's action will be posted on PurdueSports.com after the conclusion of all the matches.

Columbia, Mo. – Missouri Wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith released the lineup for Sunday's, Nov. 1, Black and Gold wrestle-off's set to begin at 1 p.m. (CT) in the Hearnes Center. This year's event features 11 matches, including one exhibition bout. The afternoon dual is free and open to the public. “We're kicking off the season with the Black and Gold wrestle-off's,” Smith said. “This is always an intense competition for our wrestlers. Each grappler is fighting for a spot in our starting lineup. For the fans, it's a great experience. They'll have the opportunity to see some of the nation's top-ranked wrestlers in action as well as watch some of our younger guys on the mat.” Opening competition at 125 pounds, sophomore Troy Dolan (Blairsville, Pa.) will don the black singlet while newcomer Bradley Wisdom (Farmington, Mo.) will represent the Gold Team. Wisdom is one of three true freshmen competing in the Sunday event. 2009 NCAA qualifier Todd Schavrien (Poway, Calif.) will move up one weight class and represent the Gold Team in the 141 pound bout. Schavrien will pair with redshirt freshman Nicholas Hucke (Pewaukee, Wis.) in the third match of the day. The 11-match lineup features four newcomers including recent transfer Scott O'Donnell (Kansas City, Mo). O'Donnell will compete for the Black Team and challenge sophomore Brandon Wiest (O'Fallon, Mo.) at 149 pounds. This year's Black Team features two-time All-American Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) at 184 pounds and 2009 NCAA Champion Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.) at heavyweight. The Gold Team is made up of two NCAA qualifiers in Schavrien and 174 pounder Dorian Henderson (Columbus, Ga.) as well as two-time All-American Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) at 165 pounds. Additionally, the Gold Team heavyweight representative is none other than Junior World Champion Dominique Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo.). The final bout of the day, an exhibition match, will feature redshirt freshman Cody Farinella (Maryland Heights, Mo.) against true freshman Kyle Bradley (St. Peters, Mo.) at 141 pounds. Missouri will begin its season Thursday, Nov. 12, with a 6:30 p.m. (CT) dual against border opponent Illinois.

Nick Purler

Jerome Robinson

When news surfaced in September that Ryland Geiger was leaving the University of Minnesota, it was more than just a small blip on the radar for the Gopher faithful. Ryland Geiger (Photo/Tracy Swisher/Clackamas CC)The 19-year-old Geiger, who was one of the nation's top recruits from the Class of 2008, was expected to make an immediate impact at 197 pounds for a young and talented Gopher team looking to get back to the top of the college wrestling world after coming off its worst NCAA finish (14th) since 1996. Great expectations had been placed on the broad shoulders of Geiger after a prep career that saw him capture two Oregon (OSAA) state titles and win titles at prestigious high school events such as NHSCA Nationals, Cadet Nationals, and Junior Nationals. He was ranked No. 1 in the country at 189 pounds by InterMat. Last season, as a redshirt for the Gophers, Geiger compiled a 19-3 record while competing in open tournaments. In the spring, Geiger won both the FILA Junior Nationals and FILA World Team Trials in freestyle to earn a spot on the Junior World Team. Geiger, though, chose not to compete at the Junior World Championships in Ankara, Turkey in August, and instead opted to stay in Minneapolis and focus on his summer term courses at Minnesota. Toward the end of summer, Geiger made the decision to leave Minnesota and head back home to wrestle at Clackamas Community College in Oregon. He says it was "a little bit of everything" that caused him to leave Minnesota, but "mostly academics." Ryland Geiger (far right) along with childhood friends Jayk Cobbs and Jared King of Great Bridge Middle School after the three won titles at the 2002 Virginia Challenge Summer Sizzler. Cobbs currently wrestles for Duquesne, King at Notre Dame College, and Geiger at Clackamas (Photo/Jason Bryant)"Everybody is going to be a little bitter that I left Minnesota," said Geiger. "I'm bitter. They're bitter. It sucks that I had to leave, but I'm pretty sure we ended things on a good note." Geiger's journey over the past 10 years could be best described as nomadic. His father, David, is in the military. Geiger grew up in Virginia, moved to Korea in middle school, spent his freshman year in the Philippines, moved back to the U.S. for his sophomore year and attended Blair Academy in New Jersey, and then moved to Oregon for his final two years of high school. In high school, Geiger was recruited by many of the nation's top college wrestling programs. He chose Minnesota over Lehigh, Arizona State, and Oregon State because of the combination of coaches, workout partners, facilities, and the fact that his best friend from his days at Blair Academy, Mario Mason, was also going to be wrestling for the Gophers. Then-Minnesota head assistant coach Marty Morgan played a key role in recruiting Geiger to Minnesota. Geiger expected Morgan to not only be one of his coaches, but also serve as a key training partner throughout his college wrestling career. But shortly before the college wrestling season began, Morgan resigned as the head assistant coach of the Gophers to train current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. "I was pretty shocked," said Geiger of Morgan's resignation. "We all had no idea that he was leaving. It was our understanding that he was going to be the coach. It was kind of terrible because he left and he has all that knowledge. It's good for him. I can't be mad at the guy. He's helping out probably the baddest man alive right now." Ryland Geiger pinned Brandon Jackson at in the Clackamas intrasquad on Thursday night (Photo/Tracy Swisher/Clackamas CC)Geiger, who roomed with Mason while at Minnesota, says it's a difficult transition going from high school wrestling to Division I college wrestling. "It's tough," said Geiger. "It's hard on your body, hard on your mind. It's a lot longer season than you expect it to be. You really have to be mentally tough to be able to get through every day." Last February, Geiger made the 90-mile trek from Minneapolis to Rochester, Minnesota to watch one of his best friends from Oregon, Tyrell Fortune, compete at the NJCAA Championships for Clackamas. Geiger and Fourtune, who became friends after their sophomore year of high school, were two of the nation's top upperweights from Oregon's Class of 2008. With Geiger in attendance, Fortune did not disappoint. He went 5-0 with five pins en route to winning the NJCAA title at heavyweight. He also won the Traphagen Award for the most falls in the least amount of time. Tyrell Fortune pinned Northwest's Landon Harris to win the 2009 NJCAA title at heavyweight. Fortune will redshirt this season (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Moments after winning the NJCAA title, Fortune talked about his relationship with Geiger. "Me and Ryland are like best friends," said Fortune. "We're like brothers. Ever since he came to Oregon he has been my training partner, best friend, and part of my family." While in Rochester watching Fortune compete, Geiger also spent time with the Clackamas wrestling team and connected with Clackamas coach Josh Rhoden. Ultimately, it was the combination of reuniting with Fortune, coming back home to Oregon, and wrestling for Rhoden that made Clackamas the best fit after leaving Minnesota. Geiger began summer workouts at Clackamas in August and fall classes in September. "He's doing well," said Rhoden, who will be entering his fourth season as head coach at Clackamas. "It has been a little bit hectic for him just making the transition from being enrolled and ready to go to school at a different place and then jumping in and getting him some credits that are going to apply towards his associate degree so that he can get out of here as soon as possible. As far as academics go, he's a really intelligent kid. He's going to do well here, I think." Josh RhodenClackamas is coming off a third-place finish at the NJCAA Championships, which is the program's highest finish since 1989. Rhoden has All-Americans returning at 184 pounds and 197 pounds, but both wrestlers, Caleb Kociemba and Brett Sanchez, plan to drop down to 174 pounds and 184 pounds respectively, while Geiger is expected to slide in the Cougar lineup at 197 pounds. Fortune will redshirt this season, but will serve as a key training partner for Geiger. Geiger hovers around 205-210 pounds, while Fortune weighs around 230-240 pounds. So what are Rhoden's expectations for Geiger this season? "To be realistic for him, at the very least, it has to be to place high at the national championships," said Rhoden, who has coached 14 All-Americans, two finalists, and a national champion in just three seasons. "I know he mentioned that he wants to win a national championship. For him, let's be honest, it's a step down. He's a much more talented kid than most of the guys in our room besides maybe Tyrell and another kid or two. One of the things he said to me when we met early on was, 'I've just never really had to get in that great of shape.' So we put a priority on conditioning. I think it's more about how can we better his future both academically and wrestling-wise so that he can get back to Division I. Because that's where he needs to be." Geiger's transcripts are in the process of being evaluated. Because of the fact that Geiger enrolled in summer courses the past two years, Rhoden believes there is a very good possibility that he could have his associate degree after next summer's term and be ready to enroll at a four-year school in the fall of 2010. Ryland Geiger (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)While Geiger's stay at Clackamas may be brief, there is so shortage of things he hopes to achieve before he moves on. "I want to get better in every aspect," said Geiger. "I want to be more mentally strong. I want to be in better shape. I want to be better technically. I want to be able to break people. I want to get better and then make everybody on our team better. Hopefully win the national title as a team, too." As for where he wants to go after Clackamas, he's not sure at this point. He would even consider a return to Minnesota if the door is still open. "I would consider going back," said Geiger. "I haven't really thought about it too much. I mean, I would like to go back. It's pretty much up to them, I guess." "It was a tough decision to leave Minnesota. I put myself in a little bit of a hole there. I'm not taking anything away from either program, but you have to go back a little bit to keep going forward."

Garrett Scott has left the wrestling team at Edinboro, according to Fighting Scots coach Tim Flynn. Garrett Scott "Garrett has left the team," said Flynn. "We wish him good luck in the future." Scott enrolled at Edinboro last fall after he was dismissed from the Penn State wrestling team for violation of team rules. In 2007-08, while at Penn State, Scott compiled a record of 21-7 and qualified for the NCAA Championships at 141 pounds. Last season, Scott competed unattached in three open tournaments, going 14-1, with his only loss coming by injury default. Of his 14 victories, 13 came by major decision, technical fall, or pin. Scott was a three-time Pennsylvania state champion and ranked as the No. 4 overall recruit in the country in 2006. With the departure of Scott, Torsten Gillespie, who was contemplating redshirting this season, is now expected to be the starter at 149 pounds for the Fighting Scots. Gillespie went 27-19 last season and qualified for the NCAA Championships.

EDMOND -- Redshirt freshman Trison Graham upset a returning All-American for the Bronze team, but the Blue won three overtime matches to pull out a 22-19 victory in Central Oklahoma's intrasquad dual Wednesday night at Hamilton Field House. Graham knocked off senior All-American and No. 5-ranked Scott Berens 6-4 at 133 pounds to give the Bronze a 7-4 lead after three matches, with the Blue coming back to win six of the next seven bouts to grab a 22-10 lead en route to the win. The Blue got overtime victories from Michael Walkup at 141, Austin Standage at 149 and Tanner Keck at 165 in building its big lead before the Bronze made it close by claiming the last two matches, including a fall by Mikey Morgan. It was the first of two intrasquad duals for the No. 6-ranked Bronchos, who will hold another Blue-Bronze battle next Thursday in Norman. UCO opens the season on Nov. 8 at the Oklahoma City University Open. “I saw a lot of good things, especially from some of our young guys, but we obviously have a lot of work ahead of us,” said 28-year head coach David James. “It was good for us to get out of the room and compete in front of a crowd, because some guys wrestle better in those situations.” Freshman Casy Rowell started the dual with a 13-4 major decision to give the Blue a quick 4-0 lead, but Seth Johnson followed with a 12-2 rout for the Bronze to tie it. Graham then pulled off his upset of Berens, getting a reverse in the final minute of the match to take a 5-4 lead and controlling Berens the rest of the way to add a riding time point for the 6-4 victory. Walkup used two third-period takedowns to draw even with Tyson Bernardi at 6-6 and force overtime, then won it with another takedown 30 seconds into the sudden-victory period. Standage prevailed 5-3 over Chris Watson on a takedown just six seconds into the first OT and Keck earned a 3-2 win over Derrick Adkins with an escape in the second tiebreaker. Blue 22, Bronze 19 125: Casy Rowell, Blue, major dec. Nick Rice, 13-4. 125: Seth Johnson, Bronze, major dec. Andrew Schmauch, 12-2. 133: Trison Graham, Bronze, dec. Scott Berens, 6-4. 141: Michael Walkup, Blue, dec. Tyson Bernardi, 8-6 (SV). 149: Colby Robinson, Bronze, dec. Ryan Rosales, 4-0. 149: Austin Standage, Blue, dec. Chris Watson, 5-3 (SV). 157: Kelly Henderson, Blue, dec. Justin Suskey, 7-2. 157: Eden Berstein, Blue, dec. Joe Snedden, 5-1. 165: Tanner Keck, Blue, dec. Derrick Adkins, 2-1 (TB). 174: Cody Rowell, Blue, dec. Brennan Ochoa, 5-3. 174: Mikey Morgan, Bronze, pinned Rance Rue, 4:37. 184: Daniel Morrison, Bronze, dec. Kenny Meredith, 3-2.

The NWCA Board of Directors is pleased to announce the 44th NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by the Wrestling Alumni of the College of William & Mary as they partner with the NWCA to raise awareness of the California State Fullerton Wrestling Program situation, and to highlight the talent showcased on November 22, 2009 at Titan Gym on the campus of California State Fullerton. William & Mary had their first and only ever All-Star participant in 1975, when Mark Belknap a two-time All-American at 134 pounds defeated Jim Miller of Northern Iowa. Twenty years later in 1995 the William & Mary program was dropped. Another athlete who saw his share of hardship was Rob Larmore who started his career off at Tennessee, who dropped the program his freshman year when he then transferred to William & Mary and in 1990 he also earned All-American status. This year they are pledging their support to help other Universities like California State Fullerton keep the dream alive and allow young athletes to keep competing well into the future. "Wrestling at William & Mary was a very big part of our lives during some of our most important formative years as young men. Wrestling taught us lessons and values that have served us very well throughout our adult lives. "The words that would come to one's mind if one was to read the resumes of our group can be described as a basket of superlatives," said Kirk Hankla. "We think that the dropping of university wrestling programs across the country is wrong and short sighted. Of all the sports, we believe that none provides the sense of pride and work ethic that derives from participation in the sport of wrestling." This particular group of wrestling alumni is working to preserve the sport that was near and dear to them in college. They have created The Society for the Preservation of Traditional Sport (SPOTS), a 501c3 non-profit organization that will focus specifically on wrestling and other "Olympic" style sports that are in the same situation. The NWCA All-Star Classic is a way to help launch awareness of SPOTS to the public and allow others to join forces in preserving the sports that have helped to change the lives of many. To learn more about this organization go to www.thespots.org. From past experiences Hankla knows the feeling of seeing his college program dropped, "It is much harder to start or re-start a wrestling program than to save one that is still in existence. When wrestling was dropped at William & Mary, a knife of sorts was driven in to the cores of our souls; it twists each time another wrestling program is dropped. Given what wrestling has meant to us, we have resolved that we will do what we can to see that the mistake which was perpetrated by the College of William & Mary is not repeated again and again. We hope that you will join us, a group of former collegiate wrestlers that attended a university on the other side of the country, to save wrestling at Cal State Fullerton." The 44th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic will take place on Sunday, November 22, 2009, at 2 p.m. on the campus of California State Fullerton in Titan Gym. Tickets can be purchased through TicketLeap: http://savefullertonwrestling.ticketleap.com.

Originally TDR was set to broadcast a regular room show at UNI this Saturday. Opportunity smiled and we now have the opportunity to present a live video stream of the UNI Wrestle-offs from the West Gym in Cedar Falls, Iowa. TDR starts at 9:06 AM CST for an hour pre-match show and then will continue through the wrestle offs. You can listen and watch by clicking on the live link on Takedownradio.com. That will take you to our partners at Livesportsvideo.com. We look forward to this first of the season event. The University of Northern Iowa wrestling team will take to the mat for the first time in the 2009-10 season, hosting its annual inter-squad scrimmage. The wrestle-offs will begin Saturday, Oct. 31 at 10 a.m. in the West Gym. The event is free and open to the public. The Panthers are coming off a 22nd place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships after capturing their 24th straight West Regional title. The Panthers return seven national qualifiers including Trent Washington and Christian Brantley. Both Washington and Brantley have found themselves ranked in preseason polls with Amateur Wrestling News ranking Washington No. 17 at the 141-pound slot and Brantley 11th in the heavyweight class. InterMat ranks Washington at No. 15 and Brantley at No. 12 for their respective weight classes. UNI will open the regular season Nov. 14 at the Northwestern Duals where they will take on Eastern Michigan, Purdue and Stanford. UNI's first home dual meet of the season will be Dec. 12 against Wisconsin at 2 p.m.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh fans will get their first look at the 2009-10 Mountain Hawks Friday night with the annual wrestle-offs held inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Head coach Pat Santoro has lined up a slate of 11 matches to kick off the 101st season of Lehigh wrestling as the Brown and White will take to the mat in preparation for the season opener November 8 against Rider. “Wrestle-offs are always difficult for the guys because you want to be intense and aggressive,” said Santoro, who begins his second season as head coach. “It’s tough for the guys to wrestle against teammates and friends. The important thing for our wrestlers is that they’ve worked so hard in the preseason. As coaches, we want to see them go out and just let it fly. We want to see them score points and be aggressive and opportunistic.” The lineup features nine returning starters from last season and six NCAA tournament qualifiers from a year ago. Three bouts will be rematches from last year as sophomore John McDonald squares off against junior Mitch Berger at 125 and junior Alex Caruso meets deferred freshman Robert Hamlin at 174. At heavyweight, sophomore Zach Rey will meet slimmed down senior Justin Allen. One of the more competitive battles in the preseason has been at 149, where as many as eight grapplers have challenged for the starting spot. The official starter likely will not be determined until next week, but Friday night sophomore Brian Tanen will meet true freshman Joey Napoli in the official wrestle-off at 149, while junior Kyle Rosser will meet deferred freshman Justin Koren in an exhibition bout. In addition, two other members of Lehigh’s true freshman class will compete as freshman Albert Woody will meet EIWA Champion Seth Ciasulli at 141 and Austin Meys will wrestle an exhibition bout against senior Mike Galante at 165. Santoro also indicated that one or two more exhibition bouts may be added to the slate. “The other important thing is to have the guys get their weight down and to get them in front of a crowd, with an official,” said Santoro. “We’ve seen what they can do in the room, now we can see how they perform in competition.” The wrestle-offs get underway at 7 p.m. Friday from Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by visiting the Lehigh ticket office, located in Grace Hall. For those unable to make it to Grace Hall on Friday, the wrestle-offs can be seen both live and on-demand at Lehighsports.com, with Lehigh wrestling historian Denny Diehl ’70 joining Steve Lomangino for the commentary. Friday’s probable match-ups: Weight Brown vs. White 125 John McDonald vs. Mitch Berger 133 Mike Margherita vs. Matt Fisk 141 Albert Woody vs. Seth Ciasulli 149 Brian Tanen vs. Joey Napoli 149 EX Kyle Rosser vs. Justin Koren 157 Sean Bilodeau vs. Josh Fitch 165 EX Mike Galante vs. Austin Meys 174 Alex Caruso vs. Robert Hamlin 184 Kadeem Samuels vs. David Craig 197 Robert Prigmore vs. Joe Kennedy 285 Zach Rey vs. Justin Allen

Oregon high school state champion. Two-time NCAA champion from Oregon State. Administrator at USA Wrestling. Coach Team Foxcatcher. Head coach at Lehigh. All of these describe Greg Strobel's long-time involvement in wrestling. However, even the most obsessive wrestling fans may not know about other aspects of Strobel's life as a devoted husband and father to two daughters, an avid fly fisherman, passionate about precision woodworking, and, since July 2008, Assistant Athletic Director for External Relations at Lehigh. The multiple dimensions of Greg Strobel's life and career are now revealed in Strobel: Stories From a Life With Wrestling, a brand-new 175-page book from Jamie Moffatt, produced by Exit Zero Publishing, Inc. This is Moffatt's third wrestling book. Two years ago, he wrote Wrestlers at the Trials, sharing the stories of wrestlers fighting for spots on U.S. Olympic teams from 1960-1988; in 2003, Moffatt teamed up with Roger Olesen on A Turning Point, which provided a fascinating look at the 1953 NCAAs at Penn State and the champs crowned there. With Strobel, Moffatt continues a thread established by his previous works -- providing a rather personal, you-are-there journey through wrestling history -- by telling the story of one man immersed in wrestling from an early age, in his own voice. Meet Greg Strobel Greg Strobel)Gregory Oscar Strobel was born in Montana on August 17, 1952, the fourth son of eight children. He was introduced to wrestling by his brothers ... but truly came into his own in the sport at Scappoose High School in Oregon, where he won three state titles (1968-1970). After turning down an offer from Oklahoma State to wrestle, Strobel chose Oregon State, where he competed for long-time coach Dale Thomas (who had been a member of the legendary Cornell College of Iowa wrestling team that won the 1947 NCAA team title). As a Beaver, Strobel was 126-8-1, for an incredible .940 winning percentage. He was a three-time NCAA All-American, three-time Pacific 8 (now Pac-10) Conference champ, and a two-time NCAA champ at 190 pounds in 1973-1974, winning Outstanding Wrestler honors at the 1973 national championships. After earning his Master's degree from Oregon State, Greg Strobel spent three years as a coach at Roseburg High in Oregon ... then returned to the Corvallis school to serve as an assistant coach for Dale Thomas, with the hope of replacing the long-serving coach upon retirement. However, when Thomas revealed he had no intentions of leaving the coaching job anytime soon, Strobel headed to Stillwater, Oklahoma to work at the then-headquarters of USA Wrestling. As National Teams Director for eight years, Strobel saw the world by attending international wrestling events ... and witnessed an endless parade of bosses. In 1991, Strobel was hired by John duPont as head coach at his Foxcatcher Farms facility outside Philadelphia. In 1995, Strobel got back into the college wrestling world by being hired as head coach at Lehigh University. The birth of a book When asked why he wrote a book on Greg Strobel, Jamie Moffatt cited Strobel's diverse wrestling resume: "His career covers so much ground -- an impressive high school career, wrestling for Dale Thomas at Oregon State, his involvement with USA Wrestling and Foxcatcher, and then Lehigh. I figured he must have so many great stories." Jamie Moffatt"I approached him in April or May of 2008 at the New York Athletic Club. I kind of knew him from my being an alum of Cornell University and seeing him at dual meets, EIWA championships and NCAAs. I put a bug in his ear about doing a biography. Two days later, he emailed me, saying ... 'I think you've got a great idea' and we started work." "We just started working together. There were no issues, no discussions about how things would be done. Greg is a very trusting person." "We had lots of interviews," Moffatt continued. "I have 28 tapes from talking to Greg." Most of the interviews were conducted in person at Lehigh, which is about three hours from Moffatt's home in southern New Jersey. "As I finished writing a section, I'd send it to him for him to correct any errors. If there was anything questionable or objectionable, we'd talk about it." Strobel speaks One of the more appealing aspects of Strobel is that it is written in the coach's voice, more like a memoir than a traditional biography. Brief interviews with other key individuals in his life -- including his wife Donna, their daughters, as well as wrestlers and friends -- are sprinkled throughout where appropriate. Greg StrobelWhy did Jamie Moffatt choose a first-person narrative style for the book on Greg Strobel? "He has an incredible memory. He could easily remember things from 20, 30, 40 years ago." "I really got lucky in terms of his ability to remember things, and his way of telling engaging stories." "For each interview session, I'd drive up to Lehigh in the morning, then spend 1 to three hours with him in person. He'd start talking wherever we were -- in his office, in the wrestling room -- and really let his hair down." "We even roomed together to Stillwater for the 2009 induction ceremonies at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame." "As I started writing, I had to decide what might readers might be interested in reading about," disclosed Moffatt. "A lot of good stuff was left in the editing room." Even the photos provide additional insight into who Greg Strobel is. Unlike most coaches' biographies that having nothing but pictures of their subject at work in the practice room or yelling from the sidelines, Strobel shares photos from Donna and Greg's scrapbooks, so there are plenty of images of Greg with his family ... sharing good times with friends ... or in solitary pursuits such as fly fishing. What makes Strobel special Jamie Moffatt described Greg Strobel as a "really solid guy. Extremely disciplined. A good thinker, very analytical." "He truly looked out for his wrestlers, both in terms of athletics, and academics" Greg StrobelIn the section of the book devoted to Strobel's 13 seasons as head coach at Lehigh, he demonstrated his concern for his wrestlers that went beyond teaching technique. For example, he encouraged his athletes to develop interests and skills they could use in the real world, such as public speaking, or taking up golf. "In college, it's hard for a student to find a mentor," said Moffatt. "Strobel filled that important role for a number of individuals." That level of care and concern extended to his own family. "Greg's always had very demanding jobs, requiring long hours, lots of travel, time spent away from home. He never lost touch with his family. He would bring them on overseas wrestling trips whenever possible, and include 'family time' away from the event, for sightseeing or relaxing ... He made the girls part of the wrestling room at Lehigh, where they served as team managers. They reveled in these experiences, with warm memories of time spent with wrestling greats like John Smith, Dave Schultz, Bruce Baumgartner." Another positive attribute of Strobel that Moffatt discovered in writing the book: "Greg is always looking at the big picture of wrestling. He has a different approach to the sport that goes beyond his own program. A broader vision, looking out for the overall success of the sport. He was actively involved in serving on committees for EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association), NCAA, USA Wrestling." One for the fans You don't have to be an Oregon State or Lehigh fan to enjoy reading Strobel: Stories From a Life With Wrestling. The book should appeal to anyone who wants to get to know more about all aspects about amateur wrestling, and one of the top wrestlers and coaches of the past 40 years. "I believe that wrestling fans who read the book will appreciate some insights about coaching -- could be any D1 sport -- that are not usually revealed," said Moffatt. "I think Greg does a great job of taking the reader behind the scenes with his stories in areas like the process of awarding coveted scholarships; the thinking behind making up the season schedule; the value of scouting reports on opponents -- key to some huge Lehigh individual NCAA victories; the handling of bad behavior and locker room lawyers' (how Strobel referred to guys who tried to subvert his efforts to build a unified team), and the whole recruiting process and how a team is built." "I think the reader will find things of interest beyond the headlines, stats and won-loss records that will add value to his or her understanding of the sport." To learn more about Strobel: Stories From a Life With Wrestling -- or to purchase a copy -- contact InterMat's Mark Palmer (mark@intermatwrestle.com) and he'll forward your request to book author Jamie Moffatt.

Greg Amos

John Trudgeon

Phil Davis

Bobby Telford

Chad Dubin

Mark Branch

Mel Hughes

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. -- The West Virginia University wrestling team will conduct a free clinic for coaches and wrestlers, with donations encouraged, on Nov. 1, to benefit WVU Department of Intercollegiate Athletics employee Cindy Smith, and her husband, Sam, who suffered two strokes in August 2009. The clinic, which will run from noon until 4 p.m., will be held in the WVU wrestling room. The clinic will feature six instructors, including world-renowned Cary Kolat, who was a four-time NCAA All-American, two-time NCAA champion and a three-time World Cup medalist. WVU assistant coaches Greg Jones, a three-time NCAA champion, and Danny Felix, a member of the 2009 U.S. World Team and a three-time Pac-10 champion, also will be at the clinic. The other three instructors are: Jim Akerly (All-American in 1987), Drew Headlee (All-American in 2005) and Mark McKnight (All-American in 2008). "She and her family are going through a very challenging time and it's something that immediately came to us," Turnbull adds. "We wanted to try and help in some way because she's been a long-time employee and a long-time supporter. She has done wonderful work with the wrestling program. When someone else needed help, she would be first in line. The wrestling team would like to provide some support for her and her family while they go through this difficult time." Pre-registration is strongly encouraged, but all walk-ups are welcome to participate. In order to help the Smiths, 100 percent of all donations received will go directly to the family to help manage medical costs and the loss of income. "Her original employment at the university began with the wrestling program," coach Craig Turnbull says. "The wrestling program has been associated with Cindy and her work for quite a period of time. She's done almost every aspect of work-related activity on the administrative side for the wrestling program and she's done it very well. Cindy is one of those people who is always willing to help, always extends herself and is very pleasant and enjoyable to work with." For more information regarding the wrestling clinic, please visit MSNsportsNET.com and click wrestling, or contact assistant coach Greg Jones at (304) 293-9872 or Greg.Jones@mail.wvu.edu.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The No. 15 Indiana University wrestling team held the 2009 intrasquad scrimmage Tuesday evening with nine matches on the docket, including 2008 National Champion Angel Escobedo in action. An exhibition heavyweight match started the night, pitting junior Joe Fagiano versus true freshman Jowan Gill. Fagiano, a likely redshirt for the 2009-10 season, made quick work of Gill, pinning him in 1:50. 149 LBS. -- r-Junior Alex Warren vs. Freshman Anthony Fretwell Warren jumped ahead 9-0 following the first period with a takedown and seven near-fall points. He then quickly recorded a reversal and two more near-falls to notch a 16-0 tech fall in the second period. Warren ran a very effective tilt to earn the majority of his back points. 141 LBS. -- r-Freshman Danny Monaco vs. r-Freshman Nick Viterisi After a scoreless opening period, Viterisi took a 1-0 advantage with an escape from his starting bottom position. Monaco quickly matched his escape in the final period before posting the only takedown of the match and going ahead 3-1. Viterisi would escapedonce again but fail to take down Monaco, dropping the match, 3-2. 133 LBS. -- r-Sophomore Matt Ortega vs. r-Freshman Geno Capezio Ortega tallied three takedowns in this contest, one in each period. He also added an escape while Capezio failed to score any offensive points. In the end it was Ortega coming out on top, 7-5. 174 LBS. -- r-Senior Trevor Perry vs. Freshman Bryce Grimes Perry controlled the pace from the get-go against Grimes, taking him down twice in the first period and five times for the match. Add-in an escape and riding time point for Perry, leading to a 12-3 victory for the three-time NCAA Qualifier. 165 LBS. -- r-Junior Paul Young vs. Freshman Ryan LeBlanc LeBlanc gave Young all he could handle in the 165-pound bout. LeBlanc, a top-50 recruit nationally, was the first to light the scoreboard with a first-period takedown on the edge of the mat. Young escaped from LeBlanc's grasp and tallied a takedown of his own, however, before the period came to an end. The two then exchanged escapes in the final two periods, resulting in a 4-3 winner for Young. HEAVYWEIGHT -- Senior Nate Everhart vs. Senior Justin Kuhn Everhart owned a 3-0 edge after two periods. Kuhn chose to start down in the final period and escaped after a long ride by the two-time NCAA Qualifier. Everhart then regained the top position once again and rode Kuhn out for the remainder of the period, grabbing a riding time point as well as the 6-1 win. 125 LBS. -- r-Senior Angel Escobedo vs. Freshman Justin Brooks It was a slow start for the 2008 national champion, taking a 2-0 lead into the second period. He then turned on the jets in period number two, increasing his lead to 10-4. Escobedo continued to add to his lead in the third period, completing the major decision, 15-6 157 LBS. -- r-Junior Kurt Kinser vs. r-Senior Matt Coughlin The marquee contest of the night, matching-up a pair of two-time NCAA qualifiers, began with a stalemate in the 0-0 opening period. The outcome remained very uncertain heading into the third period as Kinser held just a 1-0 advantage. He finally pulled away in the third period, however, snagging a couple of takedowns en route to a 7-1 triumph. The Hoosiers officially begin their 2009-10 campaign on Nov. 15, heading to the Michigan State Open. Indiana is slotted 15th nationally in the preseason coaches' poll.

TEMPE -- The matches have been set for the Arizona State University wrestling program's annual Maroon and Gold Dual, Head Coach Shawn Charles announced today. The event, which serves as the program's wrestle-offs for the starting positions in the upcoming dual season, will begin at 7:30 p.m. on Friday night inside the Riches Wrestling Complex on campus. Head Assistant Coach Bryan Snyder will coach the gold team while Assistant Coach Brian Stith will guide the maroon team in the annual competition. In all, 10 matches have been set which include nine wrestle-offs for the starting position and one featured match as well. That featured match will see Jake Meredith take on volunteer coach Raymond Jordan at 184 pounds. Here is a look at the matches: 125: Anthony Robles vs. Ben Ashmore - perhaps the most anticipated match of the dual will be the first on the mat as two highly skilled competitors face off for the starting job at 125. Robles is coming off a 29-8 season last year that saw him win titles at the Reno Tournament of Champions and Pac-10 Championships before earning his first All-America honor by finishing fourth at the NCAA Championships. Although redshirting during the season, Ashmore still found his way into several competitions as an unattached competitor and met up with Robles in the consolation quarterfinals of the Midlands Championships where Ashmore took a 3-2 decision before placing fifth and Robles seventh. 133: David Prado vs. Jake Hannaford - Prado ended the season as the starter at 133 for the Sun Devils and placed eighth at the Pac-10 Championships while Hannaford is making his return to the roster after not being part of the program for three seasons. 141: Chris Drouin vs. Orlando Jimenez - Drouin will look to retain his starting position for the third year in a row after posting a 29-9 record in 2009 that culminated with his first All-America honor by placing sixth at the NCAA Championships. A pre-season pick for the national Top 4, Drouin also won the Reno tournament last year and was runner-up in both the Las Vegas Invitational and Pac-10 Championships. Jimenez is making the move up to 141 this season after posting a 2-6 overall record last year at 133. 149: Tony Ruiz vs. Vicente Varela - Varela will look to remain the starter once again as the sophomore is coming off a rookie season that saw him finish 10-13 overall and placing seventh at the Pac-10 Championships to finish among the Top 8 first the first time in a collegiate tournament. Ruiz did not compete during last season after transferring in from Cerrittos College. 157: Lucas Mariacher vs. Te Edwards - After initially opening his freshman season as a redshirt last year, Edwards earned a place in the starting line up and went on to finish fifth in the Pac-10 Championships to post a 4-8 overall record in limited action. Mariacher did not compete during the 2009 season. 165: Sal Musto vs. Kyle DeBerry - DeBerry will look to retain the starting nod after recording a 14-14 overall record last year as a redshirt freshman and placing fifth at the Pac-10 Championships. Musto competed in one match last year (also as a redshirt freshman) and dropped a tough 9-7 decision in overtime. 174: Eric Starks vs. Emilio Veramontes - Starks emerged as a strong competitor last year in his true freshman season and posted a 15-11 overall record while earning the No. 2 seed at the Pac-10 Championships and taking second in a 5-2 decision to No. 12 Nate Lee of Boise State. Veramontes did not compete last year as he redshirted his first season with the program. 184: Jake Meredith vs. Raymond Jordan - The featured match will see Meredith taking on a tough competitor in Jordan, who was a two-time All-American at Missouri with one each at 174 pounds and 184 pounds. Meredith, in his true freshman season last year, posted an 11-12 overall record and was 5-4 in duals before placing sixth overall at the Pac-10 Championships. Jordan, who went 123-29 in his collegiate career, recently placed fourth at the Sunkist Kids International Open at 185 pounds. 197: Anthony Pike vs. Michael Hawkins - The 197 match will see a pair of relative newcomers to the program square off for the starting job as Pike will look to make the varsity line up as a true freshman and Hawkins will try for the job after redshirting last season. Pike was a two-time state champion in Arizona, including last year at Sunnyside HS in Tucson, while Hawkins was a two-time state placer in Colorado after winning 94 career matches with 59 coming by fall. 285: Erik Nye vs. Imanibom Etukeren - The heavyweight match will feature the two starters from last year as Nye will look to reclaim the job that he held at the start of the year before being forced out of the line up. Nye was 3-2 in the first month of the season with both of his losses coming one-point decisions while Etukeren posted a 2-11 record and finished eighth in the Pac-10 Championships. 2009 Maroon and Gold Dual 125 - Anthony Robles (M) vs. Ben Ashmore (G) 133 - David Prado (M) vs. Jake Hannaford (G) 141 - Chris Drouin (M) vs. Orlando Jimenez (G) 149 - Tony Ruiz (M) vs. Vicente Varela (G) 157 - Lucas Mariacher (M) vs. Te Edwards (G) 165 - Sal Musto (M) vs. Kyle DeBerry (G) 174 - Eric Starks (M) vs. Emilio Veramontes (G) 184 - Jake Meredith (M) vs. Raymond Jordan (G) 197 - Anthony Pike (M) vs. Michael Hawkins (G) 285 - Erik Nye (M) vs. Imanibom Etukeren (G)

The 2009-10 season could be the start of something big for the Oklahoma State wrestling team. Head coach John Smith has brought a tremendous amount of potential into the Cowboy program, as eight different Fargo champions go at it in the OSU wrestling room on a daily basis. Not counted in that total is two-time All-American and 2008 Big 12 heavyweight champion Jared Rosholt. Perhaps the best word to describe the Pokes this year is “new”. A preseason look at possible lineup combinations would indicate that no more than four of OSU’s 10 weight classes will look the same as last season. Jamal Parks returns at 141 pounds, Neil Erisman at 157 pounds and Rosholt is back at heavyweight. Additionally, Luke Silver returns at 149 pounds but has stiff competition from newcomer Albert White for the starting spot. An additional three returners are debuting at new weight classes, with Chris Notte moving from 133 pounds to 125 pounds, Clayton Foster moving from 197 pounds to 184 pounds and Chris McNeil moving from 184 pounds to 174 pounds. It can be argued that Oklahoma State redshirted its two most dynamic wrestlers last season in 133-pounder Jordan Oliver and 197-pounder Alan Gelogaev, but the redshirts come off this year and those two are part of the optimism surrounding this year’s team. Additionally, 165-pounder Alex Meade also becomes active after redshirting a year ago. A pair of transfers into the OSU program are also expected to provide a boost, with 149-pounder Albert White coming in from Northern Iowa Area CC and 174-pounder Mike Benefiel coming in from Northwestern University. Both were Fargo champions and highly-touted recruits during their junior days. A weight class-by-weight class breakdown: 125 pounds Chris Notte is the clear-cut starter here after moving down from 133 pounds, where he was the 2009 Big 12 runner-up and an NCAA qualifier. The Riverton, N.J., native was 27-9 last season with a 16-2 record in duals. He was a perfect 4-0 in Big 12 duals. Notte began last year as an unknown commodity, but moved into the starting lineup in December and never looked back. He is one of the leaders in the Oklahoma State locker room. Notte is a key figure for OSU this year, as he is the Pokes’ only 125-pounder with varsity experience. Other 125-pounders on the roster include redshirt freshman Drew Partain, who was 12-6 last year in open tournaments, junior Andre Taylor and a crop of true freshmen led by Jon Morrison (2007 Fargo champion from Orland Park, Ill.) and Ladd Rupp (a four-time Oklahoma high school state champion). Look for Morrison and Rupp to redshirt this year. 133 pounds Redshirt freshman Jordan Oliver was a terror in the OSU wrestling room as a true freshman last year and is one of the more intriguing figures in all of college wrestling this year. Oliver took the bronze medal at the FILA junior world championships this past summer and was honored as the outstanding wrestler at the U.S. junior freestyle championships as well. The 2007 Fargo champion is a takedown specialist who has enjoyed a high level of success throughout his career to this point and all indications show that trend continuing as he moves forward. While Oliver will likely get his share of headlines this season, he has steady competition in the wrestling room from senior Tyler Shinn, who has logged 31 dual starts during his OSU career and is a two-time NCAA qualifier. Shinn was the Cowboys’ starter last year before having his season cut short due to injury in December. He is more than capable of starting this year. 141 pounds The clear-cut starter at 141 pounds is sophomore Jamal Parks. While the Tulsa Union HS graduate proved himself to be a solid Big 12 wrestler in his first year as a starter last season, there is still room for improvement. He was 29-10 as a redshirt freshman in 2008-09, including a 16-6 record in duals. His best win came over then-No. 6 Mike Thorn of Minnesota in Minneapolis and he ranked second on the team with 51 takedowns. Redshirt freshman Jake Peck will provide added depth when he cuts from 149 to 141 at the semester break. Sophomore Luke Ashmore is at this weight class as well. 149 pounds Perhaps the most interesting weight class for Oklahoma State this season is 149 pounds, where the starter returns in sophomore Luke Silver, but newcomer Albert White will challenge him immediately for the top position. Silver was 18-15 a year ago with a 6-11 dual match record. White, who may be the strongest Cowboy pound-for-pound, brings very impressive credentials with him to Stillwater. A 2006 Fargo champion, he was 200-4 during his high school career and won a junior college national title as a freshman before redshirting the 2008-09 season to allow himself three years of eligibility at OSU. While Silver and White may get most of the attention, junior Quinten Fuentes is capable of stepping in as well. Fuentes has 15 dual starts under his belt and is perhaps the most proficient Cowboy when it comes to getting pins. 157 pounds Coming off a breakthrough season in 2008-09, junior Neil Erisman is one of the leaders in the Cowboy wrestling room. He was 32-11 last year with 12 dual match wins and is a candidate for All-America honors this year. Erisman went from being a backup to nearly an All-American last year, as he started the year behind senior Newly McSpadden, but was too good of a talent to leave on the bench. He was promoted to the role of starter for the Cowboys’ dual at Minnesota and never relinquished that position. Erisman is joined at the 157-pound weight class by newcomer Alex Munoz, who was 10-11 competing in open tournaments while at the University of Pittsburgh last year. 165 pounds Redshirt freshman Alex Meade is the likely starter for the Cowboys at 165 pounds, but don’t count out senior Kevin Wainscott. A sought-after prospect coming out of the Delaware prep ranks two years ago, Meade went 19-2 as a redshirt last year with 13 of his 19 wins coming with bonus points attached. He won the Missouri Open and the Loper Open and was the runner-up at the Oklahoma Open. Meade beat teammate Neil Erisman in the title bout at the Loper Open. Erisman went on to finish the season ranked in the top 10 nationally, so Meade has shown flashes of being able to wrestle at a very high level. As for Wainscott, he is a veteran who enters his fifth year in the Cowboy program. He has not seen consistent duty as a starter, but has taken the mat for nine dual matches during his career. Other 165-pounders on the roster include talented true freshman Dallas Bailey (a four-time Oklahoma high school state champion), redshirt freshman Joe Ali and freshman Cade Draper. 174 pounds Another interesting weight class for OSU is 174 pounds, where Chris McNeil will get the first crack at being the starter. At the semester break, however, Northwestern transfer Mike Benefiel becomes eligible to compete and he is more than capable of challenging McNeil for that starting spot. McNeil provided Oklahoma State with one of its best storylines last year when he stepped into the starting lineup for the Big 12 Championships and placed fourth in the 184-pound bracket to earn an automatic berth into the NCAA Championships. McNeil wasn’t a starter for the majority of the year, but made the most of the opportunity that he earned. McNeil will need that same kind of resolve to hold off Benefiel, a 2007 Fargo champion who was one of the top recruits in America when he came out of the prep ranks. This past summer, Benefiel showed he remains a threat by winning the 79-kilogram bracket at the ASICS University National Championships. Adding quality depth at 174 pounds is junior Kyle Griffin, who was 10-4 last year and has some dual match experience. Health is a concern for Griffin entering the season, however. 184 pounds A mainstay in the Oklahoma State lineup the last two years at 197 pounds, Clayton Foster moves to 184 pounds for his junior campaign. Foster was 29-7 overall and 20-2 in dual matches in 2008-09 with six wins over ranked opponents. Yet another Fargo champion in the OSU stable, Foster led the Cowboys with 60 takedowns and 19 bonus-point wins last season and is a legitimate All-America candidate this year. Foster is the clear-cut starter at this weight class, but talented true freshman Chris Perry is waiting in the wings. A junior national freestyle champion himself, Perry won four Oklahoma high school state titles during his time at Stillwater HS. Look for Perry to redshirt this season. Rounding out OSU’s group of 184-pounders is redshirt freshman Elliott Hellwege. 197 pounds What is it about Alan Gelogaev that has everyone buzzing about him going into his debut season? Is it his pedigree? A native of Moscow, he trained five years under Russian wrestling legend Buvaisar Saitiev in Siberia before moving to the United States, where he is now mentored by six-time world champion John Smith. Is it that he pinned 2008 U.S. Olympian Andy Hrovat when the two met at the New York Athletic Club Open? Regardless, Gelogaev has been one of the most talked-about figures in college wrestling this preseason and he will be turned loose in 2009-10. Of course, all of his success to date has come in the freestyle ranks and there may be a transition period for him in adjusting to collegiate-style wrestling. Gelogaev is dynamic on the mat and if his performance in the OSU wrestling room is any indication, he will be in the mix for championships during his collegiate career. Though true freshman Zach White is the only other 197-pounder listed on the roster, there are other options at this weight class as 184-pounder Elliott Hellwege is a candidate to move up. 285 pounds Senior Jared Rosholt is on the very short list of NCAA title favorites at 285 pounds going into the season. He was ranked No. 1 nationally for most of last year before placing third at the NCAA Championships. A two-time All-American, Rosholt is without question the most decorated active Cowboy, but missing from his career resume is a national title. Rosholt was 35-5 a year ago and has 91 career victories to his name, including 26 wins over ranked opponents. For Rosholt, the 2009-10 season will be about standing atop the NCAA podium at the end of the year. Redshirt freshman Tyson Yoder (16-9 record in open tournaments last year) is his primary backup, with true freshmen Blake Rosholt and Dalton Salisbury in the Cowboy wrestling room as well. John Smith Breaks Down OSU’s Weight Classes: 125 pounds Likely starter: Chris Notte John Smith says: “Chris Notte is a senior, but he’s moving down to 125 pounds for the first time. There may be an adjustment period for him but he’ll get comfortable once he gets his weight established. One thing for sure is that he’ll feel a lot more powerful at 125 when his weight adjusts. Guys like Andre Taylor and Drew Partain are solid backups at this point. They’ll need to prove a lot more before they move into the starting spot. Jon Morrison and Ladd Rupp will definitely be going into a full redshirt year.” 133 pounds Likely starter: Jordan Oliver or Tyler Shinn John Smith says: “Several people have slotted Jordan Oliver as the starter, but we do have Tyler Shinn here as well. He is a senior this year. Obviously, Jordan had a good redshirt year and a good summer wrestling freestyle. As he becomes disciplined with his weight, he will be a bear at 133. I feel comfortable that we’ll see both guys wrestle for us this season. Tyler Dorrell and Ricky Dellagatta are here as well. J.J. Goblet will definitely redshirt.” 141 pounds Likely starter: Jamal Parks John Smith says: “Jamal Parks comes back after wrestling every match for us last year. He was up-and-down last season and what we’re looking for out of him is consistency. I have seen a much better attitude from him so far and the hope is that wrestling with a year of experience, he places high expectations on himself and makes that a priority. Jake Peck will start at 149 pounds but we hope he will be able to make the move to 141 pounds. He may be caught between weights, but I love his attitude. I love his will and I love his determination.” 149 pounds Likely starter: Luke Silver or Albert White John Smith says: “Luke Silver is our returning starter here. He had a full year, but he struggled. He was so small last year that it was difficult to finish matches. It’s not an excuse, it’s just what happened. He was too small. I have seen him grow and get bigger during the summer. The year of experience that he has will help. Albert White comes in this year from junior college and will make things interesting. We have great depth here. Quinten Fuentes has been a starter for us at times, but needs to reach another level before we consider him as a starter at this point.” 157 pounds Likely starter: Neil Erisman John Smith says: “Neil Erisman is in his junior year now. He had a full year of experience last season. We expect him to challenge anybody and everybody this year. Alex Munoz wrestled as a freshman at the University of Pittsburgh last year. He will likely get a full redshirt here this year.” 165 pounds Likely starter: Alex Meade John Smith says: “Alex Meade is a redshirt freshman and he appears to be the possible starter. He had a pretty good redshirt year and a good summer in freestyle as well. He needs to be more disciplined and balanced before he can be competitive at this weight class. We could see Kevin Wainscott at this weight second semester. He’ll attempt to go at 174 pounds to start and could move down if it doesn’t look like he’ll be in the starting rotation. Dallas Bailey, Cade Draper and Joe Ali are here as well. Bailey and Draper I’m sure will have a full redshirt year.” 174 pounds Likely starter: Chris McNeil or Kevin Wainscott, Mike Benefiel John Smith says: “At the beginning of the season, the only choices we’ll have here are Chris McNeil and Kevin Wainscott. One of those two will be the starter. Mike Benefiel won’t be eligible until the second semester starts. This is a weight class where we hope to be more competitive than we have been recently. Kyle Griffin is injured going into the season and at this point, it doesn’t look like he’ll be completely healthy this year. Darnell Bortz will have a full redshirt year.” 184 pounds Likely starter: Clayton Foster John Smith says: “Clayton Foster moves down from 197 pounds to 184 pounds this year. There will be an adjustment period for him, but he’ll feel like this has always been his true weight as he wrestles more at 184. I’m excited for him and for this season. I think it’s going to be a good year for him. I like Elliott Hellwege. He needs experience and he could become a solid contributor. Chris Perry will definitely redshirt.” 197 pounds Likely starter: Alan Gelogaev John Smith says: “Alan Gelogaev needs to learn the collegiate style of wrestling. He grew up his whole life in freestyle. He will have to adjust and be patient with his development. I’m excited about watching him. I like that he challenges me technically. He likes to learn and focus on his skill, which is very exciting for me as a coach. We’re a little thin at this weight class but Zach White is here as well.” 285 pounds Likely starter: Jared Rosholt John Smith says: “Jared Rosholt is a two-time All-American for us and now he’s a senior. He has had a great career when you consider where he started and where he is now. He came in as a small 215-pounder, but now he’s a healthy 255 pounds. There has been a lot of work on his part. The difference between being an All-American and winning an NCAA title for him will be managing adversity. That will be the key for him this year. I love his work ethic right now and I’m excited about his senior season.”

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- With another season of Lehigh University wrestling set to get underway with the annual wrestle-offs on Friday, Lehigh Athletics has announced its 2009-10 wrestling broadcast schedule. Once again, most dual meets can be heard live in the Lehigh Valley on ESPN Radio 1230 and 1320 or WLVR-FM (91.3), with live coverage, interviews, and more. Lehigh has also teamed up with the Lehigh Valley’s largest cable television provider – Service Electric – to televise a number of home matches on its award-winning 2 Sports outlet. Plans call for four home duals to be shown on Service Electric, the Lehigh Valley’s largest cable provider. In addition, the Big Ten Conference has granted Lehigh permission to produce Lehigh’s dual at Michigan to air live on WFMZ-TV (channel 69) in Allentown, Pa. For the third consecutive season, all eight home matches – including the wrestle-offs – can be seen live and on-demand via the Lehigh web site at Lehighsports.com. “We are thrilled with the depth and breadth of our Lehigh wrestling broadcast coverage this season,” said Jeff Tourial, Lehigh’s Director of Broadcast & Multimedia. “We have one of the most passionate and knowledgeable fan bases in the nation, and our broadcast partners have been extremely supportive in helping us put together one of the most comprehensive wrestling broadcast schedules of any school anywhere.” In addition to the 12 matches that can be heard on the radio, at least five more matches can be heard exclusively on-line as part of the Yahoo! Sports College Broadcast. An industry leader in on-line broadcasts, Lehigh Athletics will stream well over 200 events on its web site in 2009-10. On-line broadcasts of Lehigh wrestling are being underwritten by the Lehigh Athletics Partnership and will be free of charge this season. The Athletics Partnership is the fundraising arm for the department, funding travel, recruiting and more. “We are extremely grateful that the Partnership has stepped up to fund the production costs of our Internet broadcasts,” Tourial explained. “As we increase our video presence on-line, the support of our alumni base and loyal fans will enable us to present more in-depth coverage than ever before.” For the sixth straight season, the broadcast team of Steve Lomangino and Gary Brownell '72 will call the action on the radio. 2 Sports’ Doug Heater and Kyle Berger will team up on each of the televised broadcasts. Three Lehigh wrestling matches will also air nationally on Fox College Sports. Available in over 56 million homes on cable systems around the country, FCS has partnered with Lehigh for the last five years to air a variety of content, including Lehigh wrestling. The 2009-10 Lehigh wrestling broadcast schedule gets underway on Friday night, when Lehighsports.com presents live exclusive coverage of the annual wrestle-offs at 7 p.m. with Steve Lomangino and Lehigh wrestling historian Denny Diehl ’70. That broadcast will feature live video for the fourth consecutive year. For more information on Lehigh’s on-line broadcasts or on the Lehigh Athletics Partnership, please click on the link above.

Simon Kitzis