InterMat Staff

Boiling Springs, N.C. -- The Gardner-Webb Wrestling Team, in partnership with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, is pleased to announce its First Annual 'GWU Wrestlers Run for the Son' charity fundraising event which will take place on Saturday, October 3 from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. In this special fundraising opportunity open to everyone, each GWU Wrestling team member will run as many laps around the track in Spangler Stadium at Gardner-Webb University as he can in one hour. The GWU Wrestling team is looking for sponsors for each wrestler. These sponsorships can be a specified amount per lap, or simply a one-time donation. The Bulldog Wrestling program will donate half of all proceeds directly to the campus of Fellowship of Christian Athletes organization. All donations are tax deductible and will include the option of a membership into the Bulldog Club for the amount donated. "We are really excited about this event. It is the first time we have done anything like this, and it gives us the opportunity to help out our campus FCA group,” commented Assistant Coach Daniel Elliott. “We will be able to give back to the University in the Christian realm, and also help out our fellow athletes in the FCA. This gives us the opportunity to use our position as a college athletics team to work within the community with something other than wrestling. It should be a very good event for everyone involved." The ‘GWU Wrestlers Run for the Son’ event will take place at the Gardner-Webb Football Center on the morning of Saturday, October 3rd, from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Refreshments and a cookout for all participants and supporters will immediately follow the conclusion of the one-hour run. If you would like to take part in this great opportunity please contact Assistant Coach Daniel Elliott at (704) 406-2139.

Linda Shields

Mike Allen

2006 World Champion Bill Zadick and 2000 Olympic Champion Brandon Slay will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Bill Zadick won four high school state titles in Montana. Zadick was a two-time NCAA All-American and 1996 NCAA champion at 142 pounds for the University of Iowa. He won the gold at the World Championships in 2006 at the age of 33 in the 145.5 pound freestyle division in Guangzhou, China. He also placed 7th in the World in 2001. Zadick recently retired from competition and is currently the Resident Coordinator and Assistant National Coach at USA Wrestling. Brandon Slay won an Olympic gold medal in 2000 in Sydney, Australia at 167 pounds. Slay recorded a stunning defeat of Russian Bouvaisaa Saitiev by a score of 4-3 in overtime in the pool round. Saitiev is considered one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the sport, winning Olympic gold in 1996, 2004, and 2008 and won an amazing six world titles. A native of Amarillo, Texas, Slay was a two-time NCAA runner-up for Pennsylvania University and is now on staff at USA Wrestling as the Resident Freestyle Coach. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show.

Most guys who have only two fights don’t dominate guys with over 20 fights. Most guys who don’t train a ton the last few months due to commitments to amateur wrestling camps and helping his little brother among others at the University of Missouri train in wrestling don’t look good in their third fight. Usually this is a recipe for an eye opening, potential disaster. Then the truth begins to set in; most of us aren’t Ben Askren. Askren dominated Friday night against his more experienced opponent, winning with an impressive north-south choke 1:15 into the first round at the Scott Casber-promoted DM MaxFights “Ballroom Brawl.” We began the night with many questions surrounding Askren’s MMA development, whether he was ready for such a test. I was reminded that nobody that has entered the MMA realm past or present has the background of Ben “Funky” Askren. I saw Ben about an hour before his fight. I walked up introduced myself, and wished him good luck. When I looked in his eyes, I saw a calm fighter, one who looked to have a secret. He knew he was going to circle, be patient and take Delanoit down, and submit him. We all knew that was going to be his game plan, but we didn’t know how easy it would be. Delanoit (13-8) looked to stand and trade punches early, Askren went for a shot, and Delaniot did a good job of sprawling until they clinched in the fence. Keeping double under hooks, Delanoit fended off the Askren inside trip attempt. After a couple knees and some posturing against the cage, Askren dropped levels and used a single leg of sorts to get the fight to the mat. It looked as though Askren may have fallen into a triangle choke with his head in position near Delanoit’s legs, but Askren coolly used his top game to control Delanoit, rotate to gain side control and sink in the choke. In a post fight interview, Askren admitted that his striking needs work, and that when it gets even a “little” better, he would like to stand and strike more. Askren can take anybody down and win in this fashion on any venue; he will need to develop solid combos to work in harmony with his wrestling. These are things he’s aware of ... now it’s not a matter of “if” but “when” Ben Askren is on a big stage. Training with other former collegiate wrestlers at the Arizona Combat gym will further develop his game. If we thought others looked good making the transition from NCAA champion to MMA fighter, we haven’t seen anything yet. Let the Askren hype train begin, Dana White, Scott Coker, you’re on the clock, it’s time for “Funky” on a big stage. Around the cage ... Thoughts from UFC 102: Randy Couture re-signs with UFC for six more fights, loses to a tough Antonio Nougeria ... Jake Rosholt looked impressive with a third-round submission via arm triangle over fan favorite Chris Leben. Rosholt used his takedowns and impressive improved striking to keep Leben off-balance the entire fight. Awesome performance by Rosholt on the main card. It looked every bit as dominant as college teammate Johny Hendricks' win at UFC 101’s main card. Rosholt was also awarded a $60,000 bonus for submission of the night, Team Takedown is on a roll ... Aaron Simpson, a two time All-American at Arizona State, won his UFC debut by beating the popular Ed Herman. Herman, who has six fights in the UFC, was dominated by Simpson in the standup game with great accuracy in his striking and dropped and stunned Herman in the middle of the first round, and ending the round with his powerful takedowns wearing Herman out and leading to a knee injury, Herman could not continue in the second. Simpson is now 6-0 ... Mark Munoz, a 2001 NCAA champion for Oklahoma State, grinded out a controversial three-round split decision to former Rider University and NCAA qualifier Nick Catone. Both fighters fought with grit and determination, both landing takedowns and brutal right hooks. Catone stunned Munoz early, but Munoz had the better ground game, look for a rematch ... Well’s that it for this week. Check out former Michigan state alum Gray Maynard. who is co headlining UFC’s Fight Night on Wednesday, September 16 against former Augsburg wrestler Roger Huerta. Also in action that night are former wrestlers C.B. Dollaway, Mike Pyle, and Mark Piece.

North Carolina State's Darrion Caldwell sent shockwaves through the wrestling world when he defeated Iowa's Brent Metcalf to win the NCAA title at 149 pounds this past season. Caldwell parlayed that performance into making his first U.S. National Freestyle Team by placing third at the 2009 U.S. World Team Trials in Council Bluffs, Iowa. InterMat recently talked to Caldwell about whether he plans to wrestle this season or redshirt, whether pursuing a football career is still a possibility, what his experience was like at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, how he wants to be remembered as a wrestler, and much more. Darrion Caldwell (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)There has been a lot of speculation as to whether you will wrestle this season at North Carolina State or redshirt. What's your plan? Caldwell: Right now my plan is to redshirt. November is two months away. I'm just getting ready for the 2010-2011 season, but also getting ready to train with my teammates and work the incoming freshmen. Why redshirt this season? Caldwell: For me personally, it's the best decision. I have to maintain my grades and make sure I graduate. I'll graduate in December of 2010 or in the spring of 2011. So is football out of the equation right now? Caldwell: Yes, right now football is out of the equation. I'm taking steps toward winning an Olympic gold medal in 2012. Hopefully I can earn a spot on the U.S. World Team at the next couple U.S. World Team Trials. I heard that you once ran a 4.5 40 in the rain. Is that true? Caldwell: Yes, that is true. Actually, it wasn't in the rain, but the rain had just stopped about 30 minutes ago, so it was pretty slippery. You placed third at the 2009 U.S. World Team Trials, losing in the finals of the Challenge Tournament to Jared Frayer. You made your first U.S. National Team, but missed out making the U.S. World Team. Describe your emotions after that tournament? Caldwell: I felt like there was a lot of work that has to be done. I still feel that way. The preparation I have been putting in since May to become a solid freestyle wrestler has helped a lot. I feel like it has also helped my folkstyle game tremendously. Darrion Caldwell defeated 2008 Olympian Doug Schwab en route to placing third at the 2009 U.S. World Team Trials (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)You spent some time training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs this past spring and summer. What was that experience like for you? Caldwell: It was good. I got to work out with the best wrestlers in America and get coached by the best coaches in America. I learned what I need to do to better my game at freestyle from the greats like John Smith, Brandon Slay, Bobby Douglas, and Zeke Jones, just to name a few. It was a tremendous opportunity. I have just been enjoying myself ... enjoying everything that has been coming my way. This is what I love to do. I can honestly say that since I have been out there, I love wrestling that much more. It has become a part of me. When I got out there, I didn't know what to expect, but it has just made me that much more passionate about the sport. Having spent time with members of the U.S. World Team this spring and summer, what are your expectations for the U.S at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark? Caldwell: I'm looking for a strong start and a strong finish from the team. We have great guys on the team from the bottom up. I feel like everyone on the team is capable of winning the gold medal at the tournament or at least placing. It's as simple as that. I don't feel like we have any holes. This past college wrestling season, you lost by technical fall to Brent Metcalf at the NWCA All-Star Classic before beating him in the NCAA finals. What did that loss at the NWCA All-Star Classic to Metcalf to do to you? Caldwell: It basically told me that I had to get mentally tougher and be more under control. I feel like everything changed after that match. I feel like I got that much better after that loss. Darrion Caldwell defeated Iowa's Brent Metcalf, 11-6, to win the NCAA title (Photo/Tech-Fall.com.com)Many people viewed Brent Metcalf unbeatable in college. Was the Metcalf hype overblown? Caldwell: No, I definitely don't believe it was overblown. He's a tremendous wrestler. His credentials basically speak for themselves. There's not much that you can say about his record that is bad. You can look at his films and there is not much that he does wrong. He rarely loses. So I definitely don't feel like it was overblown. Did you thrive on being the underdog in your NCAA finals match against Metcalf? Caldwell: No, I always just feel like the best man should win. That's something that has been instilled in me since I was young. My dad always said the best man should win. And growing up, he put it in my head that I'm the best man out there. Nobody should be able to beat me. There are a lot of very talented wrestlers returning to college wrestling this season, including U.S. World Team members Dustin Schatter and Jake Varner. Brent Metcalf and Jordan Burroughs both return. Who do you view as the best pound-for-pound college wrestler competing this season? Caldwell: That's a very hard question to answer. There's not just one person I can say. There are a lot of great wrestlers, like you said, Schlatter, Varner, Metcalf and Burroughs. I feel like they are the most dominant wrestlers in college. That's just my opinion. Darrion Caldwell (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)You wrestle for a program, North Carolina State, that is not one of the traditional powers in college wrestling. Coming out of high school, what colleges showed interest in you? And why did you decide on North Carolina State? Caldwell: Indiana showed interest. I liked the coaching staff. Reggie Wright was there at the time. Nebraska showed interest. And obviously North Carolina State. Those were the main three that I was interested in ... that showed interest in me. I chose North Carolina State because I thought could excel academically and also do two sports. When your wrestling career is over, how do you want to be remembered? Caldwell: Basically I want to be remembered as a funny guy off the mat ... and on the mat, dangerous and entertaining. I want people to say, 'Man, that guy is good. I would pay twice the admission to see him wrestle.'

Alaska's Nathan Hoffer was pretty much wide open with his college decision ... that is until Ben Askren came to a wrestling camp in Alaska. "I was wrestling around with Ben Askren," said Hoffer, who is ranked as InterMat's No. 74 recruit in the country. "He wanted me to come to Missouri, but then he moved to Arizona and told those guys about me. He really got me interested in Arizona State and about the guys in the program, how it's coming up, how they have the Sunkist Kids. I just felt like it was the best wrestling program for me." Hoffer, a three-time Alaska state champion for East Anchorage High School and a 2009 NHSCA Junior Nationals champion at 140 pounds, told InerMat that he chose Arizona State over Old Dominion, Ohio State, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. Hoffer is the second InterMat top 100 recruit to commit to Arizona State in the past four days. On Friday, Arizona State received a verbal commitment from Louis Trujillo of New Mexico, who is ranked as InterMat's No. 15 recruit in the country. Ironically, Trujillo defeated Hoffer, 4-3, in the semifinals of NHSCA Sophomore Nationals. Hoffer still has wrestling goals he would like to accomplish before he heads to Tempe. "I want to win state for the last time, obviously," said Hoffer. "I want to set the takedown record in Alaska. I'm going to go to Reno this winter and want to win that after taking third last year." Hoffer is expected to compete at 141 pounds in college.

Event: UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira Venue: Rose Garden Arena, Portland, Oregon Date: August 29, 2009 Randy Couture and UFC MonsterIn my opinion, this is the best UFC card ever. At least until Dana White sets the next one … and, this is despite the fact that there is not one title fight on the eleven-fight card! It is the mission of the UFC Monster to study the Las Vegas betting line and the line movement as it relates to mixed martial arts, in order to find opportunities to beat the daylights out of the bookie, and turn passive fans into passionate winners. And, I’m on a roll with four (4) straight winning sessions (UFC #’s 98, 99, 100, 101 for a total net profit of $680) since posting such predictions on InterMatt. Just think, anyone following my predictions would now have earned a lifetime Platinum subscription to this Web site! Not bad. Let’s take a look at these epic battles, starting with the featured event pitting two MMA heavyweight legends, Randy “The Natural” COUTURE (16-9-0) vs. Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” NOGUEIRA (31-5-1). Randy is fighting in his backyard, the question is will he have much left at age 46? Nogueira is also a battered warrior, looking much older than his age of 33. Randy wins this one with a classic lesson on dirty boxing. Nogueira needs just one opportunity to end the fight with a submission, but Randy hasn’t been submitted in seven years and he will make it difficult to get anything but a hometown decision with a convincing clinic. This time Randy’s a favorite at –175. When the opening line came out on light heavyweights Keith “the Dean of Mean” JARDINE (14-6-1) and Thiago SILVA (13-1-0), I couldn’t believe that they made Silva a +185 underdog, so I invested. Over the next few weeks the public joined the parade and now you will be lucky to find Silva at +125. Jardine is a vicious kicker and can make an opponent look bad enough to win a decision. He also has plenty of striking power that often ends the fights with little doubt as to the winner. But Thiago Silva is a beast, whose only loss was to the Dragon Lyota Machida. Silva ends his fights with knockouts, and I see this as a toe-to-toe war with one man soon to drop. Hopefully that man will be the ex-bounty hunter, Keith Jardine. The value lies with the Brazilian. Take Silva at +125 or whatever you can get. I’ll call it a second-round KO. This is my “Fight of the Night.” When middleweights Nate “The Great” MARQUARDT (31-8-2) takes on Demian MAIA (11-0-0), we have a truly great striker and ground expert against one of the world’s elite jiu-jitsu black belts. The winner most likely gets a title shot at Anderson “Spider” Silva. Both make for interesting fights, but this one holds my interest. I agree with Dana that if Maia gets you to the mat, it’s flat-out over. His suffocating submission holds leave no room for escape. He is a reincarnate of the legendary Royce Gracie. And, he’s a juicy ‘dog at +145, but I believe that Marquardt is the far superior striker, and has the takedown defense and jits experience to avoid getting caught by the boa constrictor. Maia’s on a mission to prove that jiu-jitsu leads all mixed martial arts disciplines, but Nate ain’t buying! Take Marquardt and lay the –175. He earns a close decision over a determined Maia. Middleweight Chris “The Crippler” LEBEN (18-5-0) is a fan favorite due to his aggressive, banging style. He throws haymakers and pushes forward, and unless you can get him to the mat, you will soon see stars. His opponent, Jake ROSHOLT (5-1-0) is well known for being a multiple NCAA wrestling champion with Okie State, and someone who likes to take it to the mat. His UFC debut was a disastrous loss to Dan Miller, who choked him out within minutes. Inexperience could again be Rosholt’s Achille’s heal, if he tries to stand and trade punches with Leben. But, I like the value of a great wrestler against a dominant puncher and the +120 on Rosholt puts me in his camp for this one! He wins by decision. … and in the remaining main card event, we have two light heavyweights, Brandon “The Truth” VERA (10-3-0) against a red-hot Krzysztof “The Polish Experiment” SOSZYNSKI (19-9-1). Vera has forever been knocking on the door of contention, but a slump put him back down the long UFC ladder with time running out. His stand-up game, led by aggressive kicking, should hold Soszynski at bay. If Vera can avoid going to the mat and getting submitted, he will win another judge’s decision as a –200 favorite. And, now let’s look at the undercard. Middleweight Ed “Short Fuse” HERMAN (17-6-0) should have enough experience in ground work to submit up-and-comer Aaron “A-Train” SIMPSON (5-0-0). A second-round rear-naked choke ends this one with Herman cashing at a nice price of –120. Gabriel “Napao” GONZAGA (10-4-1) once was considered the heir apparent for the heavyweight crown after crumpling up Mirko Cro Cop’s body with a lethal kick to the head. But Randy soon ended that dream, and now Gonzaga climbs the ladder again. He will take on journeyman Chris “The Crowbar” TUCHSCHERER (17-1-0), who has fought in lesser venues against unknown opponents. His only hope will be to land a “lights out” punch before Gonzaga breaks his arm with a powerful submission. This one lasts less than two minutes with Gonzaga chewing the camera up, and “the Crowbar” sprawled on the mat with a dangling arm. It’s okay to bridge jump at –350 as this one will be easy. I am following a simple strategy in the next two fights. I see two heavyweight fights that should be closer than the bookies make the odds, so I will take BOTH underdogs and hope to at least split, to make a nice profit. If either ‘dog wins, we add to the bankroll. It’s called leverage on your money. Justin “The Nsane1” McCULLY (9-4-2) is a reckless goofball with a puncher’s chance of beating policeman Mike RUSSO (11-1-0), a real life cop. He’s worth the risk at +225. And, big Tim “The Thrashing Machine” HAGUE (10-1-0) will find a way to end Todd DUFFEE’s unbeaten streak (5-0-0). He wins by second-round KO and cashes at +160. Middleweights Mark “The Filipino Wrecking Machine” MUNOZ (5-1-0) and Nick CATRONE (7-1-0) are former collegiate wrestlers (Okie State and Rider) who will take this to the ground to settle. Munoz is the better wrestler and will control this one as a --200 favorite. Mark looked great in yesterday’s weigh-ins, as well. Not an ounce of fat anywhere. In the only lightweight fight on the card Evan DUNHAM (8-0-0) will learn that he is not yet ready for primetime, as Marcus “Maximus” AURELIO (19-7-0) takes him apart before winning a third-round submission by armbar. Aurelio offers great value at –140. So, that’s it. Action on every fight, with seven (7) favorites and four (4) underdogs. Every fighter eventually gets clocked. And, the UFC Monster is due to take a beating. But I’ve learned from Dan Gable that you will NEVER win expecting to lose! So, I’m planning on heading to the winner’s window (again) still unbeaten for InterMat. I hope I’m not alone! Let’s get it on!!! Let’s take a look now at how to distribute our risk over the UFC fight card, using our “fictitious” $1000 bankrol … Main card: Let’s lay $175 to win $100 on Randy “the Natural” Couture. Let’s lay $ 80 to win $100 on Thiago Silva. Let’s lay $ 60 to win $75 on Jake Rosholt. Let’s lay $140 to win $80 on Nate “the Great” Marquardt. Let’s lay $100 to win $50 on Brandon Vera. Undercard: Let’s lay $90 to win $75 on Ed “Short Fuse” Herman. Let’s lay $105 to win $30 on a bridge jump on “Napao” Gonzalez. Let’s lay $40 to win $90 on Justin McCully. Let’s lay $40 to win $64 on Tim Hague. Let’s lay $100 to win $50 on a very fit Mark Munoz. Let’s lay $70 to win $50 on Marcus Aurelio. In total, we are risking $1000 to win $764. Enjoy the fights and don’t forget to support your local youth wrestling programs where future champions are born.

Dave Kemmy

Hello InterMat readers. My name is Tony Nguyen and I'm the newest member of the InterMat family! I was recently hired at InterMat to cover mixed martial arts, specifically focusing in on amateur wrestlers who make the transition to MMA. Wrestling fans often times follow wrestlers from the time they are in high school through their college wrestling careers. Unfortunately, many wrestlers get minimal media coverage when they switch to MMA. Our goal is to highlight successful wrestlers making the transition to MMA. On my first assignment, I will be traveling to Des Moines tonight (August 28) with InterMat senior writer Andrew Hipps. Our colleague and friend, Scott Casber, is promoting a MaxFightsDM event called the “Ballroom Brawl.” It’s also the first all-pro MMA card in Des Moines (www.maxfightsdm.com). One name on this card that may intrigue InterMat readers: Ben Askren. Ben Askren (2-0) vs. Matt Delanoit (13-6) Ben Askren’s wrestling career has been well documented. Two-time NCAA champion. Two-time Dan Hodge Trophy winner. 2008 Olympian. Very few MMA fighters have the past experience and skill set that Askren brings to the table. But the question remains: Can he take the next step? After watching what NCAA champions like Brock Lesnar, Josh Koscheck, Johny Hendricks, and Mark Munoz have accomplished in MMA in a relatively short period of time, one can conclude that Askren has limitless potential. Ben Askren faces his stiffest test against Matt Delanoit (Photo/BenAskren.net)Delanoit is 13-6 professionally. He has great fight experience and comes from a solid camp, Top Gun MMA. He already has a fight booked after the Askren fight. He will be on the main Adrenaline MMA card against Jeremy Lang live on HDNet September 18 in Council Bluffs, Iowa Who will win? The fans ... That's who. Questions will be answered. Askren is making a huge jump in competition. A win here puts him in line to get to a bigger venue like the UFC, Strikeforce, or even the previously mentioned Adrenaline MMA card. A loss will set him back six months of basic training. Askren plans to move to Arizona, where he will be an assistant wrestling coach at Arizona State and train at Arizona Combat Sports, that already has UFC fighters and former amateur wrestlers like Ryan Bader and C.B. Dalloway. I believe that once Askren finds his rhythm, range, and gets the takedowns, he will secure a three-round decision over Delanoit. I want everyone to know that as InterMat readers, you have a voice. Please feel free to contact me with any questions, article suggestions, or wrestlers turned MMA fighters you would like us to research. Or better yet, if you are like me, a former high school wrestler who is training, or has trained, that would like to shed light on what it’s like, shoot me a line. It’s tough with the UFC Monster always picking winners, so I try to stay away from making predictions. Make sure to read his analysis and predictions before UFC events. For all the latest MMA news, rumors, and more, check out my Twitter page at www.twitter.com/tonynguyenmma.

NORMAN, Okla. -- University of Oklahoma head wrestling coach Jack Spates announced the hiring of Michael Lightner as assistant coach Thursday. “It is with great joy that I announce the official hiring of Michael Lightner,” Spates said. “He will make a tremendous addition to our staff. His passion for our great sport, our student-athletes and this university is going to have a great impact on our program. ” Lightner served as volunteer assistant last season with the Sooners and club coach in 2007. His new duties include recruiting for the program, directing the Oklahoma Open and summer camps, as well as training and instructing current Sooner wrestlers. A product of Marlow, Okla., Lightner recorded one of the most impressive wrestling careers in Oklahoma history from 1998-2001. He claimed the national title in 2001 and was four times crowned Big 12 champion at 141 pounds. Lightner became a four-time All-American, an honor only nine others in school history have claimed. He can be found in various school records, including second in career wins with a 144-16 record. His 37-0 record his senior season led him to the national title and he became the 13th Sooner to go undefeated in a season. “I loved my time here at OU and am excited to have a bigger role in the program,” Lightner said. “I am excited to step in and help bring the program back to national prominence. This staff’s goal is to lead OU to its first national title since 1974.” Wrestling at Marlow High School, Lightner recorded a 130-1 overall record, capturing the state title all four years. The four-year letterman also claimed second at Junior Nationals. After his career with the Sooners, Lightner remained at OU as a club coach from 2001-2004 while training for international competition. During that three year stint, Oklahoma won the Big 12 conference title in 2002, claimed seven individual conference champions, 17 All-Americans and three national champions. In 2005 Lightner moved to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colo., to focus on his international wrestling career. In 2005 he was crowned champion at U.S. Nationals and the World Team Trials and was named as a World Team member. The following year he was runner-up at U.S. Nationals and placed second at the U.S. World Team Trials. He is married to his wife of two years, Lindsey.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Alex Clemsen has been named assistant wrestling coach at Virginia, as announced today by UVa head coach Steve Garland. Clemsen, a 2007 Edinboro graduate, served the last two years as Oregon State's Director of Wrestling Operations. "We are very excited to have Alex joining our staff," Garland said. "As a student-athlete he trained in one of the most successful systems in the country at Edinboro and as the director of operations at Oregon State he has worked with some of the best coaches around. He is a very intelligent, passionate and hard-working guy who has a lot to offer our kids." Clemsen boasts an impressive resume. During his time at Oregon State, the Beavers had seven NCAA qualifiers, one All-American and an Academic All-American. At Edinboro, Clemsen was an All-American and four-time NCAA qualifier while posting a 121-35 career record. He was just the 14th wrestler to win four Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference championships, and he also was named an Eastern Wrestling League Champion. He ended his career with the ninth-most wins in Edinboro history. At the international level, Clemsen was a University Nationals All-American and a University World Team Trials runner-up. Clemsen also was a two-time Academic All-American, graduating with the highest GPA of any wrestler in school history. At Moberly Senior High School, Clemsen finished with a 158-7 career record and was an All-American. He twice posted perfect records, while winning the Missouri state championship three times and advancing to the state finals all four years. Clemsen also holds the state record with 27 tournaments won. In addition, he received Academic All-America honors. A native of Moberly, Mo., Clemsen graduated in 2007 from Edinboro with a bachelor's degree in business administration with concentrations in financial services and marketing.

Louis Trujillo of Rio Rancho High School in New Mexico has informed InterMat that he has given a verbal commitment to Arizona State. Trujillo is ranked as InterMat's No. 15 recruit from the Class of 2010. Trujillo is a three-time New Mexico state champion. He is also a three-time NHSCA Nationals champion and a Cadet Nationals champion in freestyle.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion Wrestling program added yet another top-ranked recruit to its already outstanding 2009 recruiting class with the addition of Jake Kemerer (Greensburg, Pa.). Kemerer has officially joined the Nittany Lion program and projects at 157 or 165 this year. Jake Kemerer won two Pennsylvania state titles and is ranked as the nationa's No. 7 recruit from the Class of 2009 by InterMat (Photo/Pennsylvania Wrestling Newsmagazine)Kemerer is a two-time PIAA AAA State Champion, capping off a stellar high school career this March with the Pennsylvania crown at 160. His 48-0 mark this season allowed him to leave Hempfield High School with a 174-21 career record. The Greensburg, Pa., native was ranked as the top 160-pounder in the nation by Intermat this past year and was that outlet's No. 7 overall recruit. Amateur Wrestling News had Kemerer ranked No. 4 overall in the nation as well. Kemerer's addition to the Penn State recruiting class gives head coach Cael Sanderson three of Intermat's top seven recruits as he joins No. 1 David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) and No. 5 Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.). Kemerer was also an ASICS First Team High School All-American, joining Taylor and Ruth to give Penn State three of this year's first team. Like the other members of Sanderson's top-ranked recruiting class, Kemerer will not wrestle in the 2009-10 campaign. Sanderson's Nittany Lions will open up its 2009-10 season with an Intrasquad Scrimmage on Thursday, Nov. 5, at 7 p.m. in Rec Hall (the Intrasquad is free and open to the public). The home season begins with a 12 p.m. dual against Bloomsburg on Sunday, Nov. 15. 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. Current season ticket holders will receive their renewal information shortly. Individuals who have already made deposits on new season tickets will receive their balance due invoices soon. New season ticket applications will be assigned based on Nittany Lion Club point totals and the time/date the deposit/new application was received by Penn State Athletics. Penn State wrestling season tickets are all reserved locations in Rec Hall. In addition, new premium seating will be available for home wrestling match in Rec Hall this year. Details of this package will be announced soon.

How do you introduce a child to the sport of wrestling? Some kids discover the sport through family and friends -- a dad or uncle or sibling who wrestled, or a neighbor who coaches. For others, an interest in wrestling comes from attending wrestling events in person and watching them on TV. Still others have been inspired by the success of a particular wrestler. Now there's another option that's very much "by the book." Wrestling: A Boy's First Book by William Bauer is a book designed for parents to read to their youngsters ages 7-9, to introduce them to amateur wrestling. The book, an illustrated paperback with 8.5 x 11" pages, is published by Palaistis Publishers of Palm Harbor, Florida. Meet the author If anyone were qualified to write Wrestling: A Boy's First Book, it would be William "Doc" Bauer. He's a former wrestler and coach who has been involved in education as a teacher and administrator for most of his life. Bauer's introduction to wrestling didn't come from a book. "I went to North Allegheny High School, which, back in the 1950s, had a great wrestling program," according to the Pennsylvania native. "Back then, my dream was to make the football team. I was 123 pounds soaking wet. As hard as I worked at practice Monday through Friday, I usually found myself on the bench Friday night at the game." Dr. William Bauer reads Wrestling: A Boy's First Book to his son, Ken (Photo/Wrestling: A Boy's First Book)"A friend had suggested I enter an intramural wrestling tournament at my high school, and I won," says Bauer. "After high school, I attended Slippery Rock State Teachers College. They were just starting a wrestling program." "I went out for the team," says Bauer. "Being the lightest guy on the team, I was the first guy to wrestle for the team, first to get a win, and first to score a pin." After graduation, Bauer became a sixth-grade teacher in the North Hills district in the Pittsburgh area, where he was able to attend wrestling matches. Subsequent jobs -- including two years in the Marine Corps at El Toro, California -- took him away from wrestling… but made it possible for him to earn his masters degree and doctorate, and build a long-term career in college administration, culminating as president of the Community College of Beaver County in Pennsylvania. Birth of a book It was at this point of his life that "Doc" Bauer reconnected with wrestling. "I now had a family, and my youngest son seemed to be suited for wrestling, so we pushed the furniture aside in the living room." "When Kenny was 7, we took him to North Allegheny youth program," Bauer continues. "He had confused wrestling with boxing -- he was looking for a roped ring, the heavy bag… His expectations weren't atypical. Many 7-8 year-olds and their parents don't know what wrestling is about. It's not like baseball or football, which are so much a part of culture, everyone knows what they are, even if they never played." "Later on, I thought about how to solve this problem -- with a book that's a primer to wrestling, designed for parents to read to their child, rather than an instructional book aimed directly at the child." That's how Wrestling: A Boy's First Book was born. "The idea (behind the book) was to have the parent and child bond by reading, and, yes, by pushing the furniture aside and doing some hands-on demonstrations," according to Bauer. As it says in the opening paragraph of the foreword of the book … Just as this story is not intended to be read by the child for whom it was written, neither is it meant to be simply read to the child. The concepts, practices, and actions that follow as well as the terms that must be used to properly describe them as far too abstract, complicated and advanced for a child at this early stage of intellectual growth to comprehend, without the help of a favorably inclined grown-up. With that in mind, the book encourages the parent to become an active part of the learning process, by talking about what's in the book, practicing some of the moves, and even visiting a wrestling room and a high school dual meet. A proper introduction to wrestling Wrestling: A Boy's First Book opens with two seven-year-old friends -- Christopher and Michael -- watching professional wrestling on TV. Christopher's older brother Kevin tells the boys, "Those guys aren't wrestlers." As a high school wrestler, Kevin knows the difference between the real thing and the showbiz stuff … and makes it clear to the two youngsters. As Bauer explains, "I thought it was important to start with pro wrestling, 'the dark side,' because that's what so many people think of when they hear the word 'wrestling.'" Bauer anticipates the kinds of questions a 7-9 year-old (and his parents) might have about wrestling, and answers them in his book by taking Christopher and Michael to Kevin's wrestling practice … and to a dual meet for Kevin's team. At the practice session, the boys (and readers) learn about the basic starting positions and scoring moves, what wrestlers wear to practice and at a match, even what a wrestling room smells like. The description of the dual meet provides an equally clear picture of what a new fan could expect in the gym in terms of action, scoring and crowd reaction … along with positive lessons about what makes a good team member, and what the characteristics of a winning wrestler are. Words and pictures Wrestling: A Boy's First Book introduces the sport of amateur wrestling to youngsters and their parents through William Bauer's text, and colorful illustrations by Rachel Mindrup, a noted children's book illustrator. When asked how the format of the book came together, Bauer says, "I wrote the book completely, then realized it needed some illustrations." "There's an organization that brings together writers and artists. You spell out what you're looking for, and artists respond. I was lucky to find Rachel. She sent me the first illustration in the book, and I immediately said, 'This is the one for me.'" That was the beginning of the collaborative process. In the year that it took to produce the book, author and artist talked on the phone only twice; otherwise, they did everything by email. "She would read what I had written and provide recommendations," according to Bauer. "She'd say something like, 'Page 12 seems suitable for this kind of illustration' and would email me a rough version of that illustration." "She knew the sport. She knew what needed to be done." In addition to the full-page color-pencil artwork that visually tells the story of the text, Rachel Mindrup also provided the more realistic, black-and-white line drawings illustrating specific wrestling moves such as an escape and takedown. "We wanted to make the book instructional and appealing at the same time," says Bauer. "My background is education. A critical part of that is understanding issues of human growth and development. I tried to apply that knowledge through the writing, design and production of this book, to make it appropriate for the intended age group." To learn more about Wrestling: A Boy's First Book -- now in its second edition -- visit the Web site www.drwkbauer.com. There's a link on the website for ordering the book via Amazon.com; the book can be ordered directly from the author at Y PHD 77@aol.com, or 727.532.9379.

The Brute adidas studios will be lively this week with the best in sports talk radio, Wrestling Talk! The gang is getting back together again. Join Steve Foster, Chris Arns, Randy Crimmins and I for the best 2 hours in radio Saturdays at 9 AM CST at Takedownradio.com. Our Guests this week include- Steve Garland- Head Coach U of the Cavaliers of Virginia Lee Roy Smith- Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum John Stutzman- Head Coach of the Bloomsburg Huskies Brian Smith- Head Coach of the Tigers of Missouri Greg Randall- Head Coach of the Boise State Broncos Missed an episode of TDR? Now You can get TDR on your PDA or iPhone at Lightsout.tv and at iTunes Please note that Episode 20 of TDRtv is now up on all the top web sites around the country and is available for your viewing. Please join us for the show that started it all, Takedownradio.com. America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show is on Supertalk 1570 in Michigan, AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa and on a radio station near you or on line at many of our broadcast partners around the world including Takedownradio.com. We air 9 AM to 11 AM CST every Saturday morning and look forward to having you listen in.

Head Coach Steve Costanzo announced today, the naming of four captains for the 2009-10 wrestling season at St. Cloud State University. Returning captains will be junior Gabe Suarez (Las Vegas, Nev./Cimarron H.S.) and junior John Sundgren (Blaine, Minn./H.S.). Joining them will be junior Derek Skala (Owatonna, Minn./H.S.) and sophomore Tad Merritt (Canby, Minn./H.S.). Suarez will be a captain for the 3rd time in his career at SCSU. Last season he finished with a 27-11 record while qualifying for the NCAA Division II National Tournament for the second year in a row at 141-pounds. Suarez was crowned champion at the Cobber Open, Menlo Open and the Super Region III Regional Qualifier. He was also named to the NSIC All-Conference Team. “Gabe leads by example. One of the first things you notice about Gabe is his intensity and work ethic,” Costanzo said. Sundgren is serving as a captain for his second straight season. Sundgren is a 2-time national qualifier and returning All-American for the Huskies. Last season he had an impressive 33-9 record with 14 falls at 157-pounds. Sundgren finished first at the Cobber, Dragon and Menlo Invite last season. He is also a 2-time Academic All-American. “John does great things on and off the mat. He is a great leader in the classroom, the community and in the practice room," Costanzo said. Skala will be serving as a captain for the first time in his career at SCSU. Skala finished last season with a 27-9 record at 174-pounds, and he brought home first place honors at the Bison Open and the Menlo Invite. Skala was also named a 2009 All-American after finishing 7th at the 2009 NCAA Division II National Tournament. “Derek is well respected by his peers, he is a great athlete who is a joy to be around. Derek will be an outstanding role model for his teammates,” Costanzo said. Merritt, the Huskies highest returning All-American will be making his first appearance as a captain for the SCSU Wrestling program. Merritt finished last year with a school record 38 wins and a school record 17 pins. Merritt brought home championship honors from the Cobber Open, Husky Open and the Menlo Invite. He was a 2009 All-American finishing in 3rd place at the NCAA championships at 165-pounds. “Tad is a very driven individual. He lives his life according to a standard of excellence and settles for nothing less. He will be a great leader for his teammates to follow.” As a team, the Huskies placed eighth at the 2009 NCAA Division II championships and also placed second at the 2009 NCAA Division regional tournament. Overall, the Huskies posted an 8-5 dual record and a 5-2 record in the always competitive NSIC under the leadership of third-year head coach Steve Costanzo.

Dennis Hall of Stevens Points, Wis. has been named the head coach for USA Wrestling’s Greco-Roman program at the U.S. Olympic Education Center at Northern Michigan University. Hall was one of the greatest Greco-Roman wrestlers in U.S. history, with three career Olympic and World medals. He was a 1995 World champion, only the second American at that time to win a Greco-Roman World title. Hall captured a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta, Ga., and won a World bronze medal in 1994. Dennis Hall“Dennis Hall brought to the mat a fierce competitive spirit,” said USA Wrestling Executive Director Rich Bender. “We are confident he will bring that same spirit to our program at Northern Michigan University, as we strive to continue as one of the most powerful Greco-Roman programs in the world.” Hall competed on three U.S. Olympic teams in Greco-Roman. In addition to the silver medal he won in 1996, Hall was eighth in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and also competed in the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. “What Dennis brings to our team is a tremendous passion for Greco-Roman wrestling,” said National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser. “He brings vast experience as a World champion, Olympic silver medalist and World bronze medalist. Some may argue that he is the most decorated Greco-Roman wrestler in our history. He is a great example of what hard work and dedication is all about. I expect him to be a great leader for the young men in the USOEC program at Northern Michigan University.” He qualified for his first U.S. World Team in 1990 at the age of 19 and made a total of 10 U.S. World or Olympic teams. Hall also won the Pan American Games in 1995 and 1999. Hall was a U.S. Nationals champion for 10 straight years (1992-2001), an amazing streak of consistency. Hall was also second in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and qualified for the U.S. Greco-Roman national team 15 times. He becomes the third coach in the history of the USOEC Greco-Roman team since its inception, following Gordy Morgan and Ivan Ivanov as head coaches for the program. The USOEC program has produced numerous champion athletes for the United States on both the age-group and Senior levels. “My goal for this job is to get guys really excited about Greco-Roman wrestling, and to teach them to beat the best wrestlers in the world by working hard,” said Hall. “I believe we can attain that goal. I seek to produce athletes who can win medals at the University and Junior World Championships and guys who can make U.S. Senior-level World Teams.” Hall is originally from Hartford, Wis., where he won three state high school titles and was a three-time Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion. He attended the Univ. of Wisconsin for one year, then decided to focus full-time on his Greco-Roman career. Since 2000, Hall has owned World Gold Wrestling, LLC, which provides young athletes with quality coaching through wrestling camps and clubs. Among the young wrestlers he has mentored are Ben Provisor and Jesse Thielke, who were U.S. Junior Greco-Roman World Team members and have won numerous age-group national titles. He has also organized the Dennis Hall Summer Team Duals event each year. He was also an assistant wrestling coach for the Univ. of Wisconsin-Stevens Point from 2001-2003. During his time there, the team finished third in the Div. III National Championships. For the last two years, he has been the head wrestling coach at Stevens Point High School, where he has produced state placewinners and qualifiers. Hall and his wife Chrissy have four children: Tyler (13), Brandon (7), Jake (3) and Alyssa (2). “It is huge to get guys who want to be Greco-Roman wrestlers full-time out of high school,” said Hall. “We will be able to win World medals at a younger age because of this program. Coaching Greco-Roman full-time and coaching at this level is exciting to me. I will have a hand in getting athletes to Northern Michigan University who have the ability to become future World and Olympic champions.” The assistant Greco-Roman coach position at the U.S. Olympic Education Center remains open. An announcement on the individual hired for that position is expected in the near future.

USA Wrestling national freestyle coach and 1991 World Champion, Zeke Jones, and 2009 World Team member Jake Herbert will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Zeke Jones was a three-time All-American and NCAA runner-up for Arizona State and helped the Sun Devils win the NCAA team title in 1988. Jones went on to have a fabulous international career where he competed on seven world teams, winning the gold in 1991 and the bronze in 1995 at 114.5 pounds. He was an Olympic silver medallist in 1992 in Barcelona. Jones is currently the national freestyle coach for USA Wrestling and will be leading seven first-time world team members competing in the World Championships in Denmark next month. Jake Herbert completed an undefeated season as a senior for Northwestern University in March by winning his second NCAA title at 184 pounds and the prestigious Dan Hodge Trophy, given annually to the most dominant college wrestler in the nation. Herbert won the US Nationals freestyle division at 185 pounds in April and the World Team Trials in May. A Pennsylvania native, Herbert was a four-time All-American and three-time NCAA finalist. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show.

Jim Giunta

Jeff McCall

LionHeart Professional Management & Promotions is proud to announce that Paul Bradley has signed a multi fight deal with Strikeforce, one of the top MMA organizations in the world. Bradley will make his Strikeforce debut on Sept. 25 in Tulsa, OK. "I am very excited for Paul. He has worked extremely hard over the last two years to become one of the top contenders at 170/185. Paul's focus for the last 18 months has been to improve his stand up and this has made him a very complete and dangerous guy to fight. Most importantly, Paul will finally get a chance to showcase his talents in an organization that has some of the best fighters in the world. Above everything else, this is what Paul has wanted since he started training MMA over four years ago." -- Chad Dubin, owner LionHeart Management "I am very pleased with the opportunity to be fighting in an organization such as Strikeforce. They are signing some of the top guys in the world as of late and I feel honored to be a part of this group of people. I look forward to putting on exciting fights for Strikeforce in the future as well as showing the company they made a good decision signing me." -- Paul Bradley

University of Wyoming Cowboy Wrestling second-year head coach Mark Branch sees no reason why his team should not face the best possible opponents this season as they prepare for the 2010 postseason. In fact, when putting together UW's 2009-10 schedule, Branch took the approach that a high-level of competition was an absolute necessity for his Cowboy squad. As a result, in the 2009-10 season, UW will host six home dual matches, with three of those match-ups coming against teams who finished last year ranked in the top-25 nationally. Other highlights include Wyoming's annual home tournament, the Cowboy Open, a road trip to Lincoln, Neb. to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers who placed fourth at the 2009 NCAA Championships, as well as four high-caliber national preseason tournaments. "Our schedule will be considerably tougher this year and that is what we want," states Branch. "There were really two key elements we considered when putting together our schedule. One, we want to wrestle elite competition, so that when championship time comes around we have confidence knowing we are prepared. Two, we wanted to cater to our fans and provide more opportunities to watch Cowboy Wrestling in Laramie. "We are very excited about our home line-up. We have six quality dual match-ups, which include the most successful wrestling program in history in Oklahoma State, Northern Iowa and several of our other conference rivals." In their first action of 2009-10, the `Pokes will host the 37th Annual Cowboy Open, presented by UniWyo Federal Credit Union, Nov. 14, all day in War Memorial Fieldhouse. Last season over 20 collegiate teams and 450 individuals competed in the event, with an even larger field expected this year. Over the next month of the season Wyoming will travel to three tournaments, the Body Bar Classic, Sprawl & Brawl, and the Las Vegas Invitational, before their first dual match of the season, versus Stanford on Dec. 18 in Palo Alto, Calif. The Reno Tournament of Champions will conclude UW's preseason tournament competition on Dec. 20. The new year will bring the Cowboys home to the UniWyo Sports Complex to host North Carolina State on Jan. 5. The Wolfpack finished last season ranked No. 19 in the country and feature one the most exciting wrestlers in the sport, defending national champion Darrion Caldwell. A road trip to face Oregon State and a home Western Wrestling Conference dual against Northern Colorado will serve as a precursor to Wyoming's match-up with the NU Cornhuskers on Jan. 17 in Lincoln. UW will then host a huge home weekend of duals when the Oklahoma State Cowboys visit on Jan. 29, followed by match-ups with WWC foes Utah Valley and Northern Iowa on Jan. 30. OSU is the most successful program in college wrestling history, having won 34 NCAA championships. Additionally, in an effort to highlight the UW Cowboy versus OSU Cowboy dual, the UW Athletics Department will hold the event in the spacious Arena-Auditorium. UNI was No. 22 after last season and narrowly edged the `Pokes at the 2009 West Regional by one and a half team points for the league crown. Road WWC duals at South Dakota State, North Dakota State and Air Force, as well as a senior-night home contest with Cal State Fullerton will lead Wyoming into the postseason. "Our team has a little more experience this year and I believe they are mature enough to accept the challenges awaiting them during this upcoming season," Branch observes. "We should be well prepared when the postseason rolls around." The Cowboys will have a chance to qualify for the NCAA National Tournament by earning automatic or wild-card bids at the West Regional Tournament and WWC Championship, March 6, 2010 in Brookings, S.D. This year's NCAA Wrestling Championships will be held March 18-20 at the Qwest Center in Omaha, Neb. Wyoming fans are encouraged to purchase tickets for the three-day event through the UW Athletics Ticket Office so that the Cowboy fan contingent can all be seated in the same section. The UW Athletics Ticket Office can be contacted at 800-922-9461. There is the possibility that additional dual matches could be added to the Cowboy schedule prior to the start of the season. If added, those match-ups will be announced at a later date. UW returns 11 letterwinners for the 2009-10 season, four NCAA qualifiers including All-American Joe LeBlanc, and boasts a recruiting class that was recognized by numerous national publications for its potential at the collegiate level. Twelve returning team members saw dual match action last season when the Cowboys grabbed a share of the regular season WWC dual championship with a record of 15-3 overall, 5-0 in the WWC. The 2008-09 UW team also had a runner-up finish at the West Regional/WWC Tournament, four individual champions and automatic NCAA qualifiers, as well as nine of 10 wrestlers placing in the top-three of their weight class. Branch was the league's Coach of the Year and was selected as the Top Rookie Coach in the nation by Amateur Wrestling News.

If you were to plot out a typical wrestler's path to a Division I wrestling scholarship, the path of Northwestern Wildcat freshman Levi Mele has been anything but conventional. Mele's journey has had many ups and downs, but has helped mold him into who he is now and what he likely will become in the future. Mele grew up around wrestling. His grandfather helped start the wrestling program at his high school. His father, Greg, was a state champion in Utah and has been a high school and college referee for years. His oldest brother, Tyson, was a state champion in Wyoming. He started out wrestling around at home with his dad and brother. "Between my brothers and me, I remember on a road trip fighting in the back seat," said Mele. "My dad made us get out and wrestle it out on the side of the road. Definitely (wrestling) is in our blood." Levi Mele in junior highThe family moved back and forth between Wyoming and Utah often as Levi was growing up. As he started out in the youth programs in those two states, Mele didn't remember any extraordinary success. The programs he was in concentrated more on getting kids involved and less on the competitive side of the sport, but as he entered junior high success started to come quickly. "As soon as I joined the junior high team in fifth grade," said Mele, "I remember going to state and getting beat that year. I have always been on the smaller side and that was the year I decided I want to start pushing myself. Sixth, seventh, and eighth grade, I took state." Mele's success was not the main reason he continued to excel in the sport. "I remember in fifth grade I got picked on a lot just because I was small," said Mele. "I really wanted to go out and prove myself. I am one of those people that if someone tells me I can't, I go and show them how I can. I remember keeping track of goals and things that early. Like I would make myself do pushups every time I would leave my bedroom just as a way to work towards taking State the next year. So I really turned it on before sixth grade and really wanted to make something of it." Mele trained and wrestled nearly all year round. He was fueled by his need to show everyone he could prove all of the kids who teased him and put him down. Even with that backdrop as motivation, Mele had even more reason to get everything he could get out of himself -- not only in wrestling -- but also in life. "We had just move to Vernal Utah," said Mele. "My sister Mandi was in her senior year and she got mixed in with the wrong crowd. After a party one night the people she was driving with were intoxicated. They got into a car accident." Levi Mele with his brothers in 2004 Mandi was killed in the accident and made her brother Levi realize what was really important in life. "It made me realize I had to make the most out of the time God's given me ... so since then I have really pushed myself in everything." The dedication to his life on the mat paid off. As he moved into his high school years, he would cement himself as one of the most sought-after recruits in the nation. "In my ninth grade year I was only about 89 pounds wrestling 103. I took regions, qualified for (the Utah state tournament),” said Mele. "Then I took state my sophomore, junior and senior year." Mele tried to describe his wrestling style. "I really adapt to my opponents," said Mele. "Usually a better guy can beat me once or twice, but they will never beat me three times. I am really good about breaking down my opponents and countering what they are doing. I think the biggest thing that describes my wrestling is hard work and continual drive. I don't stop until that whistle is blown and after it's blown the ref might still have to pull me off of my opponent." Levi Mele after winning his third state titleAs a three-time state champion, Mele was one of the most sought after recruits, but wrestling wasn’t his only focus. "I was really involved in the high school quite a bit," said Mele. "From middle school on up I was always in student government. I was the Future Business Leaders of America state president for Utah. So academically, I always put that first. I wanted to find a school that was well know for it's academics as well as its wrestling." After speaking with many recruiters, Mele decided to attend and wrestle for Lehigh. Before he set foot on campus as a student, Mele made a decision that would change his life forever. Mele grew up in a family that belonged to the Church of Latter-day Saints. His mother's family practiced the Mormon faith and Mele's parents raised their children in the Mormon tradition. Mele's faith has always been important to him, but events starting with his sister's death helped him grow in his faith. Mele's father's job kept the family moving back and forth from Utah to Wyoming, but during Mele's junior year he was so involved with the wrestling team -- who at the time was ranked in the top 40 nationally -- and many other groups in school he decided to stay in Utah. With his parents blessing, Mele moved in with a family friend for the school year. He lived with his family in the summer and then during his senior year, he moved back to Utah and in with the local bishop of the area ward. Under the guidance of his bishop, Mele began to learn more about the Mormon faith. Levi Mele"His family was a good influence on me," said Mele. "I started reading the scripture more. I would go to church, but it was more of a social thing for me at that time. I was away from my family, I was away from home, and I started to ask more questions about my life. I started praying and reading my scriptures more -- the Bible and the Book of Mormon -- and going to church." Mission work is encouraged by the church for all males, but Mele didn't really consider it until he was convinced by a man he worked with on the oil fields in southwestern Wyoming. "After I had signed with Lehigh, I moved back home with my parents and was working in the oil fields in southwest Wyoming and the boss that I had was a member of the church as well," recalled Mele. "He served a mission. He would always talk about that and I would talk about all the things I was getting from Lehigh. Financially, it didn't look like Lehigh was going to work for the next year. After listening to him and how much it changed his life to become stronger and more mature. To learn how rewarding it was to be out helping people it just seemed to work out." Mele's brother was just returning from his mission as Levi was planning to start his, so initially his parents were against forgoing school for his mission. They felt their son wouldn't go back to school after the mission. They had hoped he would go on a mission after school and not go back on his previous commitments. Mele had talked with the Lehigh coaches. After just signing one of the top recruiting classes in the country, they knew adding Mele would give them the top in the nation and would set them up for the next three or four years. They had wanted him to wrestle for a year and then go on his mission, but Mele had not signed a letter of intent and was free to go. Even though he was not officially tied to the school, Mele planned on returning after his two-year mission. Levi Mele while on his missionWith his parents and college now supporting his decision, Mele went through the application process and was assigned to a mission in the Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri region. For the next 30 months, Mele said his job was to "make people smile and bring hope to the hopeless." Among other things, he would spread the Mormon message to people across the area, work with chemically dependent people, and work with children in the region. During his entire time on the mission, he kept in touch with the Lehigh staff and despite a coaching change, still was looking forward to joining the team when his commitment to the mission had completed. Also during this time he had regular contact with a woman he had known in passing named Shanna-Lee, who would become his fiance. After completing the mission, he realized financially Lehigh was not a viable option. "My father had a very successful corporate job so financial aid didn't look good," said Mele. "When you are out on a mission, you pay $450 a month to the church. With that money, they help take care of vehicle costs, apartment you are in, and other expenses. So that was about $10,000, plus another $5,000 for other expenses. After all that and getting back, financially it wasn’t going to work." He was in the recruiting game for the second time, but this time he knew what to expect. "I kind of knew what I was doing this time," said Mele. "With Lehigh, I was the fifth recruit of the year in 2005-06, but because I signed so late there wasn't any scholarship money. This time I knew what I was looking for; it was a little bit easier of a process." Levi Mele with his wife, Shanna-Lee"After a while Northwestern called me and I just had a good feeling about them from the beginning. As my fiance and I talked about it she went with me on a couple of recruiting trips and we just fell in love with Northwestern and the city of Chicago. It's all just worked out the way it's needed to." Before joining Northwestern, Levi and Shanna-Lee were married. They will be one of the few husband and wife combinations on campus. They are sure to be even more rare considering one of them is a Division I athlete. Like with most things in life, Mele doesn't care if some people doubt if his situation will work. "She's kind of excited to move out to the big city of Chicago -- see things out there," said Mele. "She has never been around wrestling ever, but she's fallen in love with it. She is very supportive of the Northwestern program and pushing me to go to the Olympics. At first when I went to some of the summer camps with some of the guys, they would wonder if that might be weird to be married and wrestling. After thinking about it, I realized it would be great because I will have someone to cook for me, keep me on my diet, and push me towards my goals." Mele doesn't know what life will hold once his time at Northwestern is complete. He said the Olympics are one goal he has and he also enjoyed working with kids and coaching wrestling while on his mission as well as back home while waiting for school to start. Not unlike many other wrestlers, since it is in his blood, Mele hopes his long term plans include wrestling. If staying involved in the sport he loves is in his post-college plans, Mele's wrestling career will end fairly conventionally. The path he took to get there, however, has been anything but.