InterMat Staff

On Monday, Hofsta added to an already solid 2010 recruiting by receiving a verbal commitment from Matthew Loew of Wantagh, New York. Matthew LoewLoew was a runner-up at the 2009 NYSPHSAA (Division I) State Championships at 189 pounds competing for Wantagh High School. He is a two-time NHSCA Nationals All-American, finishing runner-up in 2008 and sixth in 2009 at 189 pounds. Loew was a Cadet Nationals All-American in freestyle last summer in Fargo, placing fourth at 189 pounds. This past April, Loew won a FILA Cadet Nationals title in freestyle and placed third in Greco-Roman. "Hofstra is good school," Loew told InterMat when asked why he chose the school. "It's really close to where I live. I'm going to enjoy being close to my family while I go to school. I'm really excited to be on the team and see where the program goes. I kind of wanted to make the decision before the wrestling season started. I kind of always knew that I wanted to go to Hofsta, so it was an easy decision to make." Hofstra has already received verbal commitments from New York Class of 2010 wrestlers Nick Arujau and Cody Ruggirello, which excites Loew. "I think it's great," said Loew, who expects to compete collegiately at 197 pounds. "It's a good recruiting class for Hofstra. I think the team is going to be great in a few years." Loew is preparing to compete at the Junior Nationals Championships in Fargo, which get underway this weekend. He plans to compete in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at 189 pounds. "There are a couple good guys at my weight," said Loew. "Last year I was an All-American. I'm looking to come back and be an All-American again."

Jackson Morse of Lowell, Michigan has given a verbal commitment to Illinois. Jackson MorseMorse, who is ranked as the No. 21 senior recruit in the country by InterMat, chose Illinois over Big Ten schools Michigan and Northwestern. He is expected to compete at 157 or 165 pounds in college. �I felt like I fit in well with the Illinois program,� Morse told InterMat. "I really connected with the coaches." Morse said he has developed a close relationship with Illinois assistant coach Carl Perry. He also said he wanted make the decision early so that he could focus on his senior year. "It�s pretty stressful," said Morse of the recruiting process. "So I just kind of wanted to get the decision out of the way." Jackson MorseMorse, who competes for Lowell High School in Michigan, is a three-time state finalist and a two-time state champion in Division 2. As a freshman, Morse went 42-5 and was a state runner-up at 125 pounds. He compiled a 37-2 record as a sophomore and won the state title at 140 pounds. This past season, Morse went 43-1 en route to winning the state title at 152 pounds. He also won the 2008 Super 32 Challenge at 145 pounds. As for college wrestling goals at Illinois? "I would like to win multiple national titles and win a national title as a team," said Morse.

Upper Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Heath Grimm announced today that Nick Shandri has signed an athletic scholarship to complete his wrestling and academic career as a Peacock. Shandri, a native of Urbandale, Iowa, competed for Wartburg College last season at 197 pounds and fell just one match short of earning All-American honors at last season's NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. Wartburg went on to win the NCAA's Division III title last season. A graduate of Southeast Polk High School, Shandri avenged a third-place finish at state in 2005 by winning a state title in 2006. The grappler compiled a 122-18 record as a Ram. He is the son of Ken and Barb Shandri and plans to continue pursuing a degree in communications at Upper Iowa.

Despite what was a tough late winter and early spring for Fargo, North Dakota, the middle of summer will have the same feel as it has had since 1996. For the fourteenth straight year, the ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet National Championships return to the Fargodome from July 18 through July 25. The competition in Greco-Roman and Freestyle represents the largest wrestling tournament in the world, and also the greatest assemblage of elite scholastic wrestlers in the United States. Over the years, this event has had many an NCAA finalist and United States Olympian come through its wings. So what is in store for this year? Here's a touchdown worth of insights. 1. Break-out performances Every year in Fargo it seems there are some freshmen-to-be that make an opening statement to their high school careers with a Cadet National title. Last year it was Nick Roberts (North Star, PA), Mark Grey (Blair Academy, NJ), and Taylor Massa (St John's, MI) earning titles in both the Greco-Roman and Freestyle competitions. Massa is the nation's top wrestler in the Class of 2012 per InterMat, and Grey is ranked seventh. All three of these young men will be seeking repeat as double Cadet National champions in the coming weeks. Going back to 2007, Hunter Stieber (Monroeville, OH) and Chris Phillips (Monroeville, OH) earned titles in the Freestyle competition, while Jesse Thielke (Germantown, WI) and Andrew Campolattano (Bound Brook, NJ) were winners in Greco-Roman. Phillips and Campolattano are the top two wrestlers in the Class of 2011, while Thielke and Stieber rank sixth and tenth respectively. In the summer of 2006, when the current group of seniors-to-be was incoming freshmen, three wrestlers took home titles in the Cadet National Freestyle tournament; Logan Stieber (Monroeville, OH), Andrew Alton (Central Mountain, PA), and Jamie Clark (St Edward, OH). Stieber, Alton, and Clark rank first, second, and sixth respectively according to InterMat in the Class of 2010. Four members of the graduating senior class had Fargo titles as part of their scrapbooks from their summer before ninth grade. In another juxtaposition for this pair of wrestlers, David Taylor (Graham, OH/Penn State) and Eric Grajales (Brandon, FL/Michigan) -- InterMat's top two wrestlers for this class -- earned championships at Fargo in 2005. Also with titles were Alec Ortiz (Newberg, OR/Minnesota) and Tyler Cox (Campbell County, WY/Wyoming). Some wrestlers to eye on this summer include: Brandon Jeske (Virginia) Ranked third by InterMat -- FILA Cadet Greco-Roman champion at 110, competing at 112 pounds Kevin Norstrem (Florida) Ranked fourth by InterMat -- FILA Cadet Greco-Roman All-American at 119, projected to compete at 119 pounds Ben Whitford (Michigan) Ranked fifth by InterMat, projected to compete at 112 pounds Brandon Sorensen (Iowa) Ranked sixth by InterMat, projected to compete at 119 pounds Brad Perkins (Missouri) Ranked eighth by InterMat -- FILA Cadet Freestyle champion at 92.5, projected to compete at either 91 or 98 pounds Joey Dance (Virginia) Ranked 11th by InterMat -- FILA Cadet Freestyle champion at 110, competing at 105 pounds 2. Making the proverbial "leap" The Junior National Championships offer a venue for wrestlers to make a couple types of "leaps." There are the seniors-to-be that are seeking to impress the mass of college coaches that attend these championships. In addition to identifying talent and ability, these championships have a unique way in revealing the true character of a wrestler. How does a wrestler respond to facing truly elite competition? How does the wrestler face the adversity that is associated with tight matches? How does a wrestler battle through multiple elimination matches? After two years of competing as cadets, it is time for a number of wrestlers to make that progression to the junior level. This includes four wrestlers that won double championships (Greco-Roman and freestyle) last summer at the Cadet Nationals -- Hayden Zilmer (Crosby-Ironton, MN), Cody Brewer (Oak Park, MO), Dylan Ness (Bloomington Kennedy, MN), and Andrew Campoloattano (Bound Brook, NJ). Jahwon Akui (St. Rita, IL) also was a double champion last summer, but is not slated to compete in Fargo this summer. A two-time double champion at the Cadet level, Zillmer would have to be considered an early favorite at the 105 pound weight class. Campolattano is very likely to make an immediate impact as part of the Junior 189 pound weight class. On the other hand, both Brewer and Ness are likely to find the junior level much more challenging. Look for Brewer to be competing in either the 119 or 125-pound weight class, and expect Ness to compete at 140 pounds. 3. Grappling with change in Greco-Roman With the rule changes that went into effect internationally after the 2004 Athens Olympics, and were then implemented in Fargo competition starting with 2006, there had been a proliferation of 1-1 periods in Greco-Roman. This meant there was no scoring in the first 60 seconds of wrestling from the neutral position ... and then in the :30-:30 in which each wrestler had the reverse lift position, neither was able to score. The winner of the period would be the wrestler that locked first because they scored in the back half of the :30-:30 for not being turned. However, this is no longer, as USA Wrestling implemented the changes in Greco-Roman established by FILA for this season -- the first after the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Each period in Greco-Roman now begins with wrestlers in neutral for 90 seconds and then there is one ordered hold for 30 seconds. This ordered hold can either be the par terre position or the reverse lift position. It should be interesting to see what the implications of this rule change are on the Greco-Roman competition in Fargo, which commences on Saturday and continues through next Tuesday (7/18 to 7/20 cadets, and 7/19 to 7/21 juniors). 4. International Phenom In just over three months, a high school junior-to-be immigrant from the Ukraine has made a major bolt onto the radar of the wrestling cognoscenti. In four major competitions, Nazar Kulchytskyy (Prarie du Chien, WI) has yet to lose a match. Kulchytskyy was a junior freestyle state champion in Wisconsin at 140 pounds, champion of the Northern Plains Junior Regional in freestyle at 140 pounds, and went 13-0 over the Junior National Duals in Greco-Roman and freestyle at 145 pounds. Most notable among the wins in his portfolio are the one at the Northern Plains Regional over Ness (5-3, 3-0), and then a 3-0, 1-0 victory over Chris Villalonga (Blair Academy, NJ) in the Junior Freestyle Duals. Look for Kulchytskyy to compete at either 140 or 145 pounds in Fargo in at least the freestyle competition, and possibly in Greco-Roman as well. Will he be the next Sidd Finch; or is he instead a real, true superstar in the Olympic styles? 5. The graduates among us One of the more intriguing stories over the past few years in Fargo has been a seeming erosion of graduated seniors from the competition pool in the Junior National Championships. The trend seems to be that more and more of these wrestlers are transitioning to their respective college campuses during the summer term. These wrestlers therefore get an early acclamation of what the collegiate wrestling experience is like, and some even get a head start academically by taking a class or two during the summer term. Already it is expected that the top-ranked graduated senior David Taylor will not appear in Fargo. On the other hand, there are collegiate programs that want their incoming freshmen to partake in the process necessary to compete in Fargo (training, etc.), and then to compete in the championships. 6. Learn vertical pairing rules There is a change in the tiebreaker procedure should wrestlers be tied for either third or fourth place in a pool, presuming each has already lost two times. In previous years, classification points took precedence, even if there was a head-to-head match between the two competitors. This year, a head-to-head match would take precedence over classification points. On average, this influences a small amount of the 64 weight classes contested in Fargo. One example of a two-way tie for third in the pool that would have changed under this year's rule came in Pool B of the 171-pound junior freestyle weight class. Kyle Cuthbertson (Alabama) beats Ryan Loder (California). However, with both wrestlers eliminated in the same round, points were the first tiebreaker. Loder had 26 to Cuthbertson's 21, and thereby was awarded the higher place in the pool. One example of a two-way tie for fourth in the pool, which means that one wrestler earns All-American honors while the other does not, that would have changed under this year's rule occurred in Pool B of the 189-pound junior freestyle weight class. Cody Magrum (Ohio) beat Justin Rau (Iowa). However, both wrestlers were eliminated in the same round, and points were the first tiebreaker. Rau had 18 to Magrum's 16, and as a result earned the All-American spot despite losing the head-to-head match. For those unfamiliar with classification points, they are awarded as follows: 5 points -- Win by pin, disqualification, forfeit, etc. 4 points -- Win by technical fall 3 points -- Win by decision 1 point -- Scoring a point in a loss when the opponent does not score 5 classification points 0 points -- Failing to score within a match or during a loss in which the opponent scores 5 points 7. Will the notion of "Fargo" soon be obsolete? In recent years, the Junior & Cadet National Championships came to be known as "Fargo" in the wrestling vernacular in deference to the host city for the event over these last fourteen years. However, starting in 2011, this vernacular may no longer be applicable from multiple fronts. First, USA Wrestling has opened the right to host the Junior & Cadet National Championships to bid. This means that other cities could express interest in hosting the event, and move them from Fargo. Second, there is also the possibility that the Junior & Cadet National Championships will no longer be held as a combined event. There are a variety of rumors as to how USA Wrestling plans to structure these two events, along with the Kids National Championships event. Further details should come out of the State Leaders' Summit, which will be held in conjunction with the Junior & Cadet National Championships. Schedule of Events Saturday, July 18 Cadet Greco-Roman commences, two sessions; 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Sunday, July 19 Junior Greco-Roman commences, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; combined cadet and junior session, 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Monday, July 20 Combined cadet and junior session, 9 a.m. to noon; junior women's freestyle commences 9a.m. to 2p.m., finals from 3p.m. to 5 p.m.; Cadet Greco-Roman finals from 5:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 21 Junior Greco-Roman continues, 9 a.m. to noon; junior women's duals, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.; junior Greco-Roman finals from 3 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 22 Cadet freestyle commences, two sessions; 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m., 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 23 Junior freestyle commences, 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.; combined cadet and junior session, 3:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Friday, July 24 Combined cadet and junior session, 9 a.m. to noon; cadet freestyle finals from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m.; junior freestyle continues, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. Saturday, July 25 Junior freestyle finals from 9 a.m. to noon Fargo Coverage InterMat will continue its coverage of the upcoming ASICS/Vaughan Junior & Cadet National Championships with a mailbag column written by high school analyst Josh Lowe to be published on Thursday. While questions are welcomed about any subject related to high school wrestling, those about "Fargo" will be of higher priority. If you want to e-mail a question for use in the column, please e-mail josh@intermatwrestle.com with the word 'MAILBAG' in the subject line (name and home town/state would be appreciated as well). InterMat senior writer Andrew Hipps will be providing coverage from Fargo, North Dakota throughout the course of the event. In addition, Josh Lowe will be providing daily thoughts and perspective on the happenings in Fargo. For yet another year, Track Wrestling (http://www.trackwrestling.com) will be providing updated results throughout the championships. Finally, for further coverage throughout the championships, check out http://www.themat.com.

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling is THE premier program in the region and has the tradition and following that is comparable to any other in the country. The Mocs dominate the Southern Conference year after year, winning 24 titles in the last 32 seasons. Chattanooga is currently riding a string of five consecutive SoCon Championships and coming off a 12-10 season in 2008-09. UTC looks to return nine of 10 starters to its line-up that includes one former All-American and SoCon Wrestler of the Year, the SoCon Freshman of the Year, five NCAA qualifiers and four All-SoCon wrestlers. When the head coaching position became available in June, following Chris Bono's resignation, UTC's Director of Athletics Rick Hart knew that all of the aforementioned accolades would attract attention from top-quality candidates from all over the country. When the position was officially opened, applications poured in from everywhere. Hart and his search committee patiently and painstakingly sifted through the pile of resumes, vitae and letters of recommendations of some very qualified candidates. “Because we have such a strong tradition of comprehensive excellence in our wrestling program at UTC, we knew that this was going to be a coaching search conducted on a national scale,” stated Hart. “We knew that the position would attract some top candidates, but we owed it to our student-athletes, alumni and wrestling supporters to make sure that no stone was left unturned when looking for the right person to guide our program.” After the intensive national search was finished, it was clear to Hart that the man for the job was right here in the Mocs' backyard. Saturday, Hart introduced UTC alumni and former wrestler Heath Eslinger as the 11th head coach of the Chattanooga Mocs Wrestling program. The announcement was made in the McKenzie Arena's Hall of Fame Room in front of more than 60 alumni, fans, supporters and media. “This is a great opportunity for me and my family,” stated Eslinger. “The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga means a lot to me and the Mocs wrestling program means a lot to me. I am very thankful for the opportunity to lead this program and get it going in the right direction.” Eslinger, a 2000 graduate of UTC with a degree in Exercise Science, Health and Leisure Studies, brings over seven years of coaching experience at both the collegiate and high school levels. He spent the last three years building Cleveland High School Wrestling in nearby Cleveland, Tenn., into one of the top programs in the state. He also spent two years as an assistant coach at Bradley Central High School in Cleveland, helping that program to state titles both seasons. A three-time SoCon Champion and the 2000 SoCon Wrestler of the Year, Eslinger left UTC as the all-time leader in wins with a career record of 120-18. His 120 victories still rank second on the Mocs all-time list. This is not Eslinger's first return to the collegiate coaching ranks at his alma mater. He served as an assistant coach for the Mocs for two seasons under Terry Brands from 2002-04. Eslinger is now the third former Moc to return to UTC as a current head coach. Both football coach Russ Huesman and men's golf coach Mark Guhne are graduates of UTC. Eslinger's proven track record as a wrestling coach, ties to the community, first-hand knowledge of the passion and tradition involved with UTC wrestling alumni and his desire to bring excellence to the Mocs' are all reason why he is the perfect fit to lead the program for years to come. Heath Eslinger – Chattanooga Mocs Head Wrestling Coach Biography Heath Eslinger (pronounced ESS-leen-guhr) was named the 11th head coach of the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling program on July 11, 2009. A former Southern Conference Wrestler of the Year and UTC alum, Eslinger brings over seven years of experience in coaching at both the collegiate and high school levels. Eslinger spent the last three seasons building the Cleveland High School wrestling program in Cleveland, Tenn., into one of the premier programs in the state. The Blue Raiders finished in the top-3 in the state duals and traditional standings in each of the last two seasons. Last year, he had Cleveland ranked as high as No. 9 in the southeast region while guiding a school-record six wrestlers to state placings, including three finalists. During his time at Cleveland High School, Eslinger was able to successfully raise money for the program. He also helped build a $250,000 weight training facility for the school. He raised the profile of the wrestling program in the community by more than doubling the size of the roster since his arrival. He was also a well-respected physical education teacher at the high school. Prior to his time at Cleveland High School, Eslinger spent two years as a student pastor at First Baptist Church in Cleveland. His responsibilities dealt with all aspects of a mega-church student ministry. He orchestrated events and camps for over 250 students and organized leaders and curricula for each. Eslinger gained valuable collegiate coaching experience as an assistant at UTC under Terry Brands from 2002-04. There he learned the ins and outs of recruiting, fundraising, budgets and the overall administration of a collegiate athletic program. Fresh out of college, Eslinger returned to his high school alma mater, Bradley Central in Cleveland, for his first coaching experience. As an assistant for the Bears, he helped guide Bradley Central to state titles in 2001 and 2002. He also served as an elementary physical education teacher in Bradley County school system. Eslinger won four letters with the Mocs from 1995-2000. He posted a 120-18 all-time record, winning three Southern Conference titles and qualifying for the NCAA Championships three times. His 120 wins broke the school's all-time record and is still the second highest win total in UTC history. Respected by his teammates, Eslinger was tabbed as team captain all four years of his collegiate career. He was the Southern Conference Wrestler of the Year in 2000 and the SoCon Tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler that same season. His senior year he climbed as high as No. 6 in the nation. Eslinger's prep career was just as impressive and included two state titles at Bradley Central High School. He was captain of the first team to win a state title for the Bears and the 1995 TSSAA Tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Eslinger and his wife, Brandi, have three daughters, Brookelyn (4) and twins, Madelyn and Keelyn (2). He is very involved with the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and won the organization's Jim Slater Leadership Award in 2008. In 2007, he earned the FCA's Gerry Stephens Influence Award. A noted speaker, Eslinger has also been featured at camps and events all across the southeast for the past five years, including groups of up to 2,000 at a time.

Event: UFC 100 Venue: Mandalay Bay Events Center (Las Vegas, Nevada) Date: July 11, 2009 Wow! UFC 100: The best mixed martial card ever (until 101, 102, etc.). Two title fights and a bunch of legendary big name fighters make up this Battle Royal. Tickets for this affair sold out in a few hours, before the public ever got a chance to grab one. I know I tried ... $1000 singles were all that were left. Dana owns a cash cow. The UFC Monster is on a mission to beat the Vegas bookies at mixed martial arts. We have won our previous two cards, with a net profit of $248.50, as posted right here on InterMat. Let’s go for the trifecta, and take a look at tonight’s card for value in the Vegas line. One of the two title fights pits heavyweight Brock Lesnar (3-1) in a revenge match against current champion Frank Mir (12-3). Lesnar, the former NCAA wrestling champion, is a freak of strength and speed. His brute strength and sledgehammer fists, combined with his dominant wrestling skills, make him almost unbeatable. Mir is a rare heavyweight who wins most of his fights by nasty submissions, including breaking Tim Silvia’s arm and taking Brock out with a knee bar. Three years removed from a serious motorcycle accident, Mir is now at the peak of his game. His demolishing of Nogueira is one for the ages. The key to this fight may be Marty Morgan, lifelong University of Minnesota assistant coach, who now serves as Brock’s mentor. If Marty has taught the big man how to defend jiu-jitsu, he wins. If not, Mir will be patient and find a way to win by submission, his only chance. I think Marty did his job, Lesnar at -220 wins this one by TKO in the very first round. Go Gophers!!! The co-main event brings Thiago “Pit Bull” Alves (22-4) into the octagon against Georges St. Pierre (18-2) for the welterweight (170 pounds) title. GSP is recognized as one of the very best fighters in the world. The Canadian’s blend of speed and powerful explosiveness with endless cardio, makes him dominate most fights. Alves is a beast, the biggest welterweight on the planet. His game is hammer-time, knockouts, knockouts, knockouts. Will he be able to catch GSP, or will he spend his evening on his back eating fists? I like the outrageous value the bookies have made on him at +240. You don’t get rich betting against GSP, but I’ll pick my spot with a hungry fighter on a roll. Alves gets his KO early in the second round. Light heavyweight (205 pounds) Dan Henderson (24-7), a former Olympic wrestler and a 12-year veteran of MMA who has never been knocked out, takes on British fighter Michael “The Count” Bisping (18-1). These two were the most recent coaches on The Ultimate Fighter TV show. Bisping’s Brits kicked ass this year! Tonight Hendo gets the revenge. He won’t get KO’d and he has some of the best take-down defense out there. Plus his iron chin and rock hard head make him your worst nightmare. A smart Bisping will dance his way to a decision, but Bruiser catches Twinkle Toes here, and ends this ballet midway through the second period with some ugly ground and pound. Hendo at -220 looks like a steal to me! Welterweight Jon Fitch (22-3) will try to end Paulo Thiago’s undefeated (11-0) streak when they take to the mat. Fitch, the former Purdue wrestler, is better in all phases of fighting than Thiago, except jiu-jitsu, where Fitch has enough defense to avoid getting submitted. Thiago is coming off a surprise KO of Josh Koscheck, who was dominating him until the lucky blow landed. Fitch is the prohibitive -500 favorite, so no value there, but he still takes the Brazilian to school and wins a convincing decision. Middleweight (185 pounds) Yoshihiro Akiyama (12-1-2) makes his much heralded UFC debut against veteran journeyman Alan “The Talent” Belcher (13-4), who is supposed to be the reputable first steppingstone in Akiyama’s UFC journey. But, the last time they threw a well-advertised fighter to open up against Alan, he ended it with a guillotine choke against Denis Kang. Very impressive. Can lighting strike twice? ... at +220 I’ll take my chances on Belcher that it can! A surprise knockout in the second period ends this one. Light heavyweight Mark Coleman (15-9) will someday be in the UFC HOF. He invented ground-and-pound, and once looked invincible. But, those days are long gone. Today he is a weather-beaten shell of his best, a gasser with the huge heart of a former champion. It’s hard not to love former Buckeye wrestler Mark Coleman. His opponent, Stephan Bonnar (14-5) is best known for his epic battles with Forrest Griffin. Bonnar is dangerous and well educated in all phases of MMA, including some Muay-Thai work in Thailand. But he looked bad against Jon Jones and he has been plagued by injuries. Both fighters could use a good performance. I have a feeling that there is a reason that Coleman landed on UFC 100’s card. It is in the history of the sport. Tonight we get to see one last G-n-P show for the ages. It’s Hammer time. Mark “the Hammer” Coleman at +270 to end this before he gasses (second-round TKO). The rest of the undercard looks like this: Lightweight (155 pounds) Mac Danzig pulls an upset against Jim Miller (13-2) with a rear-naked choke submission in the third round. Nice underdog at +160. Light heavyweight Jon “Bones” Jones (8-0) is mowing down his UFC opponents. His unorthodox spinning kicks and strikes with lightning fast attacks have overwhelmed his opponents. His opponent, Jake “Irish” O’Brien (11-2), is an aggressive former Purdue wrestler, whose best chance will be to take it to the mat and smother Bones. I see little value on laying -400, but that’s the side I’d be on. Bones ends it with a second round KO. O’Brien goes back to the drawing board. Welterweight Dong “Stun Gun” Hyun Kim looks to keep his unbeaten (11-0-1) record intact as he does battle with Canadian TJ Grant. A precision striker (Kim) against a good submission artist who always pushes the pace. Will he get an armbar submission before he goes lights out? I don’t think so. A small play on Kim at -250 is in order. He KO’s Grant early in the third. Middleweight CB Dollaway (9-2) is a former Arizona State All-American wrestler, and a product of the TUF show. Dollaway looks better every time out, but he will have his hands full with former Central Florida NCWA national champion Tom “Filthy” Lawlor (5-1-1). Lawlor’s conditioning and wrestling skills will set him up to spring a surprise triangle choke upset over CB in the third round. Lawlor at +200 is too good to pass up. Lightweight Matt Grice (10-2) can brag of being a four-time Oklahoma state wrestling champion, but those credentials won’t impress Shannon Gugerty (11-3) who at -140 will earn a convincing decision and send me to the winner’s window (again). That’s six (6) favorites and five (5) underdogs, a nice balance with some luck. OK, now let’s go for three (3) in a row. With our fictitious $1000 bankroll let’s make the following wagers with your favorite Las Vegas sportsbook: Lay $154 to win $70 on Brock Lesnar to get his revenge over Frank Mir. Lay $100 to win $240 on “Pitbull” Alves to shock the world with a 1st round KO of GSP! Lay $176 to win $80 on Hendo to school Bisping. Lay $100 to win $20 on Fitch to crush Thiago’s unbeaten streak. Lay $60 to win $132 on Belcher to ruin Akiyama’s UFC debut. Lay $60 to win $162 on Mark Coleman to honor his HOF career with a victory in UFC 100. Lay $80 to win $ 20 on Jon “Bones” Jones to stay undefeated. Lay $60 to win $ 96 on Danzig to upset Jim Miller. Lay $60 to win $120 on Tom Lawlor to upset CB Dollaway. Lay $75 to win $25 on “Stun Gun” Kim to put TJ Grant’s lights out. Lay $70 to win $50 on Gugerty to use his good ground game to beat Grice. In total, we are laying $995 to win $1020. Good luck, and please don’t forget to donate some of your winnings to your local youth wrestling program! Enjoy the fights.

Cody Ruggirello of Walden, New York has informed InterMat that he has given a verbal commitment to Hofstra. Ruggirello, the younger brother of current Hofstra wrestler Louie Ruggirello, is a four-time New York state placewinner and a 2007 state champion. This past season, Ruggirello placed third at the NYSPHSAA (Division I) State Championships at 125 pounds. In April, Ruggirello placed fourth at the NHSCA Junior Nationals at 130 pounds. "I decided to give a verbal to Hofstra because I have a lot of confidence in Coach Shifflet and the rest of the coaching staff," Ruggirello told InterMat. "I believe that I can reach all of my academic and athletic goals there. My older brother, Louie, wrestles for Hofstra and it will be awesome to be on the same team as him. Hofstra seems like a perfect fit for me and I'm really excited to be going there." Hofstra has already received a verbal commitment from Nick Arujau, who is ranked as InterMat's No. 42 senior recruit. Ruggirello defeated Arujau to win the 2007 NYSPHSAA (Division I) state title at 103 pounds. Ruggirello is expected to compete at 141 pounds for Hofstra.

The 11th class is comprised of living wrestlers Nick Bockwinkel, longtime world heavyweight champion in the AWA; Ricky Steamboat, a superstar in the WWF, and Fritz Von Goering, who wrestled many of the top stars of the 1950s and '60s, and all five of the other inductees at one point in his long career. Three deceased wrestlers are also being inducted: Bronko Nagurski, Luther Lindsay and Karl Gotch. Bockwinkel was the son of former pro star Warren Bockwinkel and was a top college football prospect at Oklahoma University before injuries put him on the sidelines. He then turned his attention to pro wrestling full time, early in the 1950s. Over the next 30 years, he wrestled every major star in the business and held the AWA world heavyweight title for nearly seven years, as well as dozens of lesser belts. One of the most popular heels in wrestling history, he has been president of the Cauliflower Alley Club (CAC) for the past several years and resides in Las Vegas. A native of Hawaii, Steamboat was an amateur wrestler in Florida before entering the pro ranks in 1976, for Verne Gagne's AWA. He entered the WWF in 1985 and became known as The Dragon and often struck karate poses in the ring, and electrified the crowds with his skills and antics. His title bouts with Ric Flair are among the best matches of the past two decades. Ricky captured the NWA world championship in 1989. He retired 1994 and lives today in Denver, N.C., working for the WWE. Von Goering was a street-tough kid from Chicago when he turned pro in 1950. He learned the business the hard way, traveling around the country to take on the biggest names in the industry and learning all he could. He spent gym time with pure wrestlers like Dick Hutton, Lou Thesz and Luther Lindsay to learn the craft and today is one of the last from his generation. He won numerous regional titles in his 27-year career. He lives in Campbell, California. From northern Minnesota, Bronko Nagurski is one of the greatest football players of all time, and is a member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and the Professional Football Hall of Fame. While starring with the Chicago Bears in the late 1930s, Nagurski approached Lou Thesz about wrestling in the off-season and used his great athletic skills to become a huge draw in wrestling, holding the world NWA title several times in the late 1930s and early 1940s. He died in 1990, at age 82. Lou Thesz was one of many who considered Luther Lindsay the best African-American wrestler of all time. Big, powerful and fast, he played football at Hampton Institute in Norfolk, VA, and later in the Canadian football league. He then turned to pro wrestling and was trained by Stu Hart in the art of hooking. Well known for his skills and athletic abilities in the ring, he was popular outside the ring as well. He died from a heart attack during a match in 1972, at the age of 47. Karl Gotch holds a near mythical spot in the history of wrestling. A native of Belgium, he made the 1948 Olympic team at age 18. He then moved to England, where he trained in the legendary Wigan “Snake Pit,” learning hooking and ripping techniques that made him one of the most feared wrestlers of all time. He was an absolute legend in Japan and all places were shooting ability is revered. He died in 2007 at age 82 in Florida. The official inductions will take place at noon on Saturday in the Gable museum right after our broadcast. For more information, persons can contact Kent Sesker, marketing director, at 319-233-0745. Sure to be a good time. Be sure to join us LIVE for America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show on a radio station near you or on line at many of our broadcast partners including Takedownradio.com. We air 9 AM to 11 AM every Saturday morning and look forward to having you listen in.

Hempstead, NY -- Three-time NCAA Championship qualifier and 2009 All-American Zach Tanelli has been named an assistant coach on the Hofstra Wrestling coaching staff, Pride head coach Tom Shifflet announced Thursday. A University of Wisconsin graduate Tanelli placed fourth at the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Missouri in March. The Short Hills, New Jersey native recorded a 6-2 record, including five straight victories, in the National Championships to earn his first All-America honor. Tanelli, who was the top-ranked wrestler at 141 pounds for eight weeks through the conference tournament, placed second in the Big 10 Championships. The 2008 Midlands champion finished the year with a 31-6 record, including a 15-1 mark in duals and a 7-0 record in the Big 10 and ranked second in the country. Tanelli earned his first NCAA Championship bid in 2007 as a wildcard after placing eighth in the Big Ten Championships. He recorded a 21-10 overall record including a 19-3 mark in dual matches and a 5-3 record in the Big 10. Tanelli also led the Badgers in dual points with 80. As a junior in 2007-08, he earned his second NCAA Championship bid by finishing fifth in the Big 10 Championships. Tanelli posted a 3-2 record at Nationals to finish the season with a 28-12 record including a 13-5 mark in duals and a 5-3 record in conference action. A two-time New Jersey State Championship runner-up out of Millburn High School, Tanelli notched an 8-3 record and captured the Pointer Open title as a red-shirt freshman at Wisconsin in 2005-06. During his four-year career at Wisconsin, Tanelli posted an 88-31 overall record including a 49-10 mark in duals and a 17-6 record in the Big 10. Tanelli holds a bachelor’s degree in sociology from Wisconsin. He replaces Joe Dubuque, who left Hofstra in June to become an assistant at his alma mater, Indiana University.

Jared Frayer

Arno Niemand

Jacob Ballweg, a two-time Iowa Class 3A state champion for Waverly-Shell Rock, has given a verbal commitment to Iowa. Ballweg, who is ranked as the No. 58 senior recruit in the country by InterMat, has two older brothers, Matt and Mark, who are members of the Hawkeye wrestling team. This past season, Ballweg, won the Class 3A state title at 135 pounds and led Waverly Shell-Rock to both the individual and dual team state titles. Ballweg had a successful spring in freestyle. In April, he won a Western Regionals title in Las Vegas at 135 pounds. In May, Ballweg claimed a title at the Northern Plains Regionals in Waterloo, Iowa. Ballweg is projected to wrestle at 141 pounds for the Hawekeyes.

Liberty head wrestling coach Jesse Castro has announced the addition of Joe Pantaleo as an assistant coach to his three-time defending NCAA East Regional champion coaching staff. “We are very excited to have someone of Coach Pantaleo’s background and experience become a part of the Liberty wrestling program,” commented Castro. “He is a former world class wrestler himself, and he coached at the highest level of collegiate wrestling during his time at Iowa and Michigan State. “We expect Coach Pantaleo to help raise the level of intensity in the practice room, and to greatly benefit our wrestlers through his focus on individual workouts. This is an important step in our effort to build a Top 25 wrestling program at Liberty.” Pantaleo brings with him a vast array of top level collegiate experience, including stints at storied wrestling programs like Iowa, Michigan and Michigan State. Pantaleo was a two-time NCAA All-American at Michigan, where the 158-pounder finished second at nationals in 1988 and 1989. As a team, Michigan captured the Big 10 team title during Pantaleo’s junior season (1987-88), while the Wolverines finished fifth at nationals during his senior campaign after a 20-2 season and an unblemished 12-0 mark in conference action. The two-time Big 10 runner-up completed his bachelor of science degree in physical education from Michigan in 1989. After graduation, Pantaleo remained with the Wolverine program as a graduate assistant for two years (1990-91), where he helped Michigan to a pair of Top 30 finishes at the national championship and a Big 10 team title in 1991. Following his days at Michigan, Pantaleo continued his graduate work at Iowa, where he coached under the tutelage of legendary wrestling coach Dan Gable. In 1992, the Hawkeyes finished the year undefeated at 16-0-0 and won their third-straight NCAA team national championship. Pantaleo got his first full-time coaching position at Michigan State, coaching with the Spartans for five years (1992-97). During his time at Michigan State, he helped the program improve from a 63rd-place finish at nationals in 1992 to a fifth-place ranking in 1995. Four out of his five years at the Big 10 school the squad finished in the Top 10 at the national title event. From 1998 to 2006, Pantaleo served as the head wrestling coach at Grosse Pointe High School in Grosse Point, Mich., before returning to Michigan as a volunteer assistant coach, while pursuing other business interests. “I am really excited to be joining Coach Castro's staff and Liberty University,” commented Pantaleo. “This is a young and upcoming program with great support, and I am looking forward to working with this team. I believe that my experience can be used to have a positive impact on the young men on and off the mat.” Pantaleo, who was a 1987 Junior World Champion and two-time Olympic alternate at 149.5 pounds (1992 and 1996), is the uncle of current Flames wrestler Joe Pantaleo. The 125-pounder was 11-7 during his first collegiate season before suffering an injury during mid-January that sidelined him for the remainder of his rookie campaign.

Robbie Waller

Barry Davis

LOCK HAVEN, Pa. -- Lock Haven University has announced Robbie Waller as the new associate head wrestling coach for the Bald Eagle wrestling team. Waller, a Western, Pa. native and former NCAA Division I champion at the University of Oklahoma begins his tenure in Mat Town, U.S.A. after four seasons as the assistant coach at his alma mater. Waller, a 2003 graduate of Oklahoma with a Bachelor of Arts in English has spent the last four seasons as a top assistant for the Sooners, helping the team to a third-place finish at the 2006 NCAA Championships. As an assistant with the Sooners under head coach Jack Spates, Waller assisted in all facets of coaching, including recruiting. Waller, who claimed an individual National Championship in 2003, is very excited about the opportunity to coach at Lock Haven. “I’m very excited to start here at Lock Haven,” Waller said. “Lock Haven has such a great tradition and it’s in the hot bed of scholastic wrestling.” Waller, who is originally from Latrobe, Pa. and is a graduate of Mount Pleasant Area High School, is also very excited to be back to the area, but with his return he brings lofty goals. Waller, who’s worked at some of the nation’s top youth wrestling camps, spent time at the University of Missouri, Columbia, one of the nation’s top wrestling programs before returning to Norman, Okla. Waller was a graduate assistant and assistant at Missouri, where he earned his Master of Education degree in 2007. As a coach, Waller has coached 12 NCAA Division I All-Americans and four NCAA Finalists. In 2006 he helped OU to a third place finish at the National Championships. Waller also helped Missouri to an 11th place showing at the NCAA Championships in 2005 and a 13th place finish in ’04. Waller is no stranger in getting to the elite level. Along with his 2003 National Championship, he was also an All-American in ’02 and was a four-time NCAA qualifier. In 2006 Waller was inducted into the Western Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame. The 1998 Pennsylvania State Champion finished his scholastic career with a remarkable 128-3 record. He was a two-time State Runner-up and FILA Junior Freestyle Champion. Lock Haven head coach Rocky Bonomo (eighth season) is very excited to bring someone of Waller’s caliber to The Haven. “To bring this caliber of a person to Lock Haven, it just goes to show the type of place Lock Haven is when it comes to wrestling,” said Bonomo. ‘He’s been a Pennsylavnia State Champion and a NCAA Champion, so he knows what it takes to win at the highest levels.” “He brings with him great energy, great people skills and he’s proven that he can recruit some of the top athletes in the country,” added Bonomo. Lock Haven Director of Athletics Sharon E. Taylor is also excited about Waller’s hire. “We are all very pleased to have Robbie (Waller) on our wrestling staff at LHU,” Taylor said. “His credentials and experience, as well as his Pennsylvania roots, made him a very attractive candidate and an easy selection for everyone that has met him.” “Coach Bonomo’s respect for and confidence in Robbie is reflected in his role of Associate Head Coach, a designation that we utilize very infrequently,” Taylor added. “He’s a super young man and I look forward to having him in our program.”

Mike Duroe

Dillon Dennis

Troy Larsen

Lars Jensen

Morgan McIntosh

Ed Aliverti

Professional and amateur wrestling legend Jim Raschke and author Mike Chapman will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Jim Raschke won state titles in both football and wrestling for Omaha North High School in the late 1950s. He went on to wrestle for the University of Nebraska where he won a Big 8 title at heavyweight in 1962. He also won national AAU titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman. Raschke won a bronze medal in Greco-Roman at the 1963 World Championships. As a professional, he went by the name of Baron Von Raschke and had a long and successful career. Raschke will be in Waterloo this weekend playing in the 10th Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament on Friday and also attending the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame activities. Raschke was inducted into the Hall in 2002. Author Mike Chapman has written 21 books, 13 of those about wrestling. He is also the founder and executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo. Mike spent 35 years in the newspaper business and has been named Writer of the Year five times by four different wrestling publications. He was inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in April and is the founder of WIN Magazine and the Dan Hodge Trophy. “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.