InterMat Staff

Jake Waste (Apple Valley, MN) Kathleen Hennessy Rehbein (JJ's Mother) Matt Krumrie (The Ultimate Guide to Wrestling Camps) Brad Ewing (Spring, TX)

103: Maolu Woiwor (Apple Valley, MN) dec. Levi Marsh (G8) LCWM, MN), 7-0 103: Dante' Rodriguez (Grand Island, NE) pinned Louie Sanders (Madelia, MN), 0:44 103: Dante' Rodriguez (Grand Island, NE) pinned Maolu Woiwor (Apple Valley, MN), 3:00 103: Tristan Manderfeld (Foley) maj. dec. Dante' Rodriguez (Grand Island, NE), 12-0 103: Jarred Oftedahl (Benilde-St. Margaret's, MN) dec. Josh Alber (Dakota, IA), 4-2 119: Brett Stolarzyk (Stewartville, MN) pinned Aaron Beyer (Nicollet), 1:10 119: Trent Butcher (Chaska/Chan, MN) dec. Shamar Williams (Apple Valley, MN), 8-5 125: Carson Henry (St. Charles, MN) pinned Zack Gawboy (Maple Grove, MN), 2:37 145: Grant Kyllo (Zumbrota-Mazeppa) pinned Dillon Carlson (North St. Paul, MN), 0:39 145: Travis Leiskau (Klein Oak, TX) pinned Reece Kling (Minnetonka, MN), 1:38 145: Travis Johnson (East Buchanan, IA) dec. Ben Rynda (Trinity, MN), 11-8 171: Jake Waste (Apple Valley, MN) maj. dec. Christian DuLaney (Shakopee, MN), 12-2 215: Collin Jensen (Mobridge-Pollock, SD) dec. Ivan Guernsey (Fridley), 4-0 215: Nathan Rose (Sibley East, MN) pinned Harrison Barnes (Kasson-Mantorville), 0:39

103: Tristan Manderfeld (Foley, MN) dec. Jarred Oftedahl (BSM, MN), 5-0 112: Nate Josza (Mount Zion, IL) dec. Andrew Dayland (St. Charles, MN), 4-0 119: Keith Thell (Foley, MN) dec. Brett Stolarzyk (Stewartville, MN), 4-2 125: Derek Scott (Apple Valley, MN) dec. Andy Underhill (Burnsville, MN), 6-0 130: Hayden Rouser (ACGC, MN) dec. Mitchel Lexvold (Kenyon-Wanamingo, MN), 2-0 135: Matt Tlougan (Byron, MN) dec. Andrew Riedy (Grand Island, NE), 2-0 OT 140: Jacob Anderson (River Valley, MN) dec. William Sustercich (Foley, MN), 5-4 145: Travis Leiskau (Klein Oak, TX) dec. Grant Kyllo (Zumbrota-Mazeppa, MN), 8-5 152: Trey Hable (Albert Lea, MN) maj. dec. Daniel Egesdal (Chaska/Chan, MN), 14-6 160: Ben Sullivan (Apple Valley, MN) maj. dec. Cody Anderson (White Bear Lk, MN), 9-1 171: Jake Waste (Apple Valley, MN) dec. Hunter Rud (Byron, MN), 10-3 189: Chad Matthees (Zumbrota-Mazeppa, MN) pinned Aaron Baker (Lakeville, MN), 1:51 215: Coyte Kueffner (Owatonna, MN) pinned Colin Jensen (Mobridge-Pollock, SD), 3:47 285: Sam Stoll (Kasson-Mantorville, MN) dec. Kyle Wiemann (Elk River, MN), 5-3 Exh: Jake Waste (Apple Valley, MN) dec. Chad Matthees (Zumbrota-Mazeppa, MN), 5-2

Photos by Johnnie Johnson

A recent press release promoting the NWCA All-Star Classic wrestling event to be held in Fresno, Calif. on Nov. 21 announced that the competition was being held as a fundraiser to preserve college wrestling in California. A sentence in the release stated that “numerous Division One wrestling programs such as Cal State Bakersfield, Cal Poly, UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton are in danger of being eliminated due to the adverse conditions of California’s economy.” Although it is true that Div. I wrestling teams in California face major challenges at this time, the inclusion of Cal Poly in this list has been misinterpreted and misunderstood. The facts are that the other three programs, Cal State Bakersfield, UC Davis and Cal State Fullerton, announced last year that they were dropping their varsity wrestling programs. Both Cal State Bakersfield and Cal State Fullerton have reinstated their programs after effective fundraising efforts. The efforts to save the UC Davis program have not been successful to date, and there is no varsity program there this season. Another Div I college program at Fresno State was dropped after the 2005-06 season. Cal Poly has not made any official statement concerning its varsity wrestling program which would imply that the program is in danger. In fact, Cal Poly has made recent decisions which indicate a commitment to its varsity wrestling program including: - Reaching a three-year agreement with Mark Perry as its head coach - The addition of two scholarships for the varsity wrestling program - Cal Poly is extremely proud of the successes, both on the mat and in the classroom of our wrestlers. We have enjoyed significant external financial support for our program and we have not considered eliminating our wrestling program." Commented Athletic Director, Alison Cone. Cal Poly is expected to have a successful team this season, and has set high goals for the program in future seasons. If more college wrestling programs, especially on the Div. I level, are eliminated in California, there is no doubt that it will add additional pressure on those programs which remain. Nobody within the wrestling community disputes this assertion. The current economic conditions across the nation have placed many Olympic sports in college campuses in peril. This is not just an issue about wrestling, nor is it just an issue in California. However, the press release concerning the effort to support and protect college wrestling in California was not written to imply that Cal Poly’s wrestling team may be dropped. The NWCA and California USA Wrestling, who are working together to promote the NWCA All-Star Classic, will continue to educate the community about the importance of wrestling on the college level. Both organizations are dedicated to protect and preserve all wrestling opportunities in the state of California.

The first weight class for the 45th annual NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Marines has been announced. Two wrestlers from Pennsylvania colleges will participate at 149 pounds in the All-Star Classic at Selland Arena in Fresno, Calif., on November 21. All-Americans Kevin LeValley of Bucknell and Torsten Gillespie of Edinboro will square off in one of the nation's most competitive weight classes. LeValley, a senior from Hugo, Colo., will be making his first appearance in the All-Star Classic and will be Bucknell's second straight representative in the event. Last year, Andy Rendos became the first Bison wrestler to wrestle in the All-Star Classic competing at 165 pounds. LeValley finished seventh at the 2010 NCAA Championships with a 42-8 record and will represent the U.S. later this month in Tornio, Italy at the University World Championships in freestyle wrestling. Gillespie, a junior from Webster, N.Y., had a stellar run at the 2010 NCAA Championships, reaching the quarterfinals before finishing in sixth place after coming into the tournament unseeded. He finished the 2009-10 campaign with a 32-16 record. Gillespie will be the Fighting Scots' 11th participant it the event all-time and first since 2004 when Matt King wrestled Tyrone Lewis of Oklahoma State at 165 pounds. Gillespie and LeValley have never met in collegiate competition. The 45th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by The Marines will be held at the Selland Arena in Fresno, California on Sunday, November 21, 2010. The doors open at 2:00 p.m. The All-Star Classic follows a weekend of fundraising events. For more information about the tournament, purchasing tickets and the fundraising events, visit the www.nwcaonline.com's event page. To donate to the effort to save collegiate wrestling programs, visit http://nwca.ticketleap.net. 2010 NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by the Marines Rankings by W.I.N. Magazine 125- 133- 141- 149- #4 Torsten Gillespie, Jr. (Edinboro) vs. #5 Kevin LeValley, Sr. (Bucknell) 157- 165- 174- 184- 197- 285- Exhibitions: About California USA Wrestling California USA Wrestling is a non-profit organization committed to the success and health of their athletes and dedicated to the promotion and preservation of collegiate and international styles of amateur wrestling. As the official California affiliate of USA Wrestling, the national governing board for international-style amateur wrestling in the United States, the club is responsible for the organization and execution of sanctioned USA Wrestling events in the state. California USA Wrestling educates the community about the styles of wrestling and the value of being involved in the sport. They strive to provide fun, exciting and well-planned events and improve the quality of California wrestling at the competitive level. For more information, visit www.ca-usaw.org. About NWCA The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to supporting and elevating the sport of amateur wrestling. NWCA provides leadership and guidance primarily to scholastic and collegiate wrestling programs, but is an advocate to all levels of wrestling. The NWCA promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events and serves as a resource for education and information pertaining to the sport of wrestling. Additionally, The NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of any competitive sport. For more information, visit http://www.nwcaonline.com.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Defending National Champion Notre Dame (Ohio) landed on top of the NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Preseason Top 20 Poll, the NAIA announced Tuesday. The Falcons racked up 160 total team points. Missouri Valley and Campbellsville (Ky.) share the No. 2 spot with 79.5 points. McKendree (Ill.) checks in at No. 4 with 73 points and with 71.5 points, Cumberland (Tenn.) rounds out the top-five teams. The Falcons’ had 11 grapplers garner a ranking in their respective weight class. The only weight class that Notre Dame is not ranked is 141. Campbellsville boasts eight ranked individuals and Missouri Valley has seven. Both have a ranked wrestler in seven weight classes. Notre Dame’s dominance at the 2010 Wrestling National Championships has set the Falcons apart. Reigning National Wrestling Coach of the Year Frank Romano’s arsenal remains intact as all nine wrestlers that advanced to medal matches return for the 2010 – 11 season. Of the nine that wrestled for a spot on the podium, eight came away as All-Americans, including three national champs. Jeffrey Pelton and Thomas Straughn will be eyeing a second title at 149 and 157 pounds, respectively, and 197-pounder Derek Foore will be gunning for back-to-back titles. All three enter this season ranked No. 1 in their respective weight class. The trio of defending national champions from Notre Dame is joined by Campbellsville’s Tommy Pretty as reigning titlists. Pretty took home top-honors at 133 pounds last year, but has bumped up a weight class and is ranked second at 141. Great Falls’ (Mont.) Myles Mazurkiewicz, who finished second to Pretty in the 133-pound finals, also moved up to 141 pounds and starts the season ranked third. A 165-pound semifinalist, Chris Chionuma of Lindenwood (Mo.), made the move up and is listed second at 174. The third returning semifinalist is Notre Dame’s heavyweight Orlando Scales. He enters his campaign ranked No. 1. Three weight classes, 141, 174 and 184, have five returning All-Americans or honorable mentions ranked. The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the groupings. The first regular-season poll will be announced on Nov. 23. RANK SCHOOL TOTAL TEAM POINTS 1 Notre Dame (Ohio) 160 2 Missouri Valley (Mo.) 79.5 2 Campbellsville (Ky.) 79.5 4 McKendree (Ill.) 73 5 Cumberland (Tenn.) 71.5 6 Great Falls (Mont.) 65 7 Dickinson State (N.D.) 58 8 Grand View (Iowa) 54 8 Lindenwood (Mo.) 54 10 Embry-Riddle (Ariz.) 40.5 10 Morningside (Iowa) 40.5 12 Southern Oregon (Ore.) 38 13 Montana State-Northern (Mont.) 32 14 Menlo (Calif.) 29.5 15 Hastings College (Neb.) 26 16 Oklahoma City (Okla.) 24.5 17 Cumberlands (Ky.) 20 18 Missouri Baptist (Mo.) 18 19 California Baptist (Calif.) 15 20 Jamestown (N.D.) 8.5 Others receiving votes: Midland University 8; Shorter College 5.5; Baker (Kan.) 2.5; Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) 1.5; York College (Neb.) 1.5; William Penn (Iowa) 1; Sioux Falls (S.D.) 1; Northwestern (Iowa) 1. Top-Ranked Individuals 125 – Larone Madison, Cumberlands (Ky.) 133 – Wade Lowe, McKendree (Ill.) 141 – Micahel Davis, Cumberland (Tenn.) 149 – Jeffrey Pelton, Notre Dame (Ohio) 157 – Thomas Straughn, Notre Dame (Ohio) 165 – Preston McKinney, Missouri Valley 174 – Cody Butzer, Notre Dame (Ohio) 184 – Michael French, Great Falls (Mont.) 197 – Derek Foore, Notre Dame (Ohio) HWT – Orlando Scales, Notre Dame (Ohio)

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- For a program that has won two of the last three ACC Championships and finished in the top 20 at two straight NCAA Championships, one might expect that losing three All-Americans could change the expectations heading into a new season. But Maryland expects the return of two former ACC Champions plus an influx of talented newcomers will propel them to another outstanding season in 2010-11. Mike Letts, the 2007 and 2008 ACC Champ at 174 pounds, Jon Kohler, the 2008 Champ at 141 pounds, plus 2010 NCAA Qualifiers Josh Asper and Kyle John lead a talented group into Maryland’s first season under head coach Kerry McCoy without an All-American returning. Program stalwarts Steven Bell, Alex Krom and Hudson Taylor combined to earn All-America status six times during their illustrious careers and replacing them promises to be a challenge. But McCoy is confident this group will leave their own mark on the Terrapin wrestling program. “Our expectations never change,” said McCoy. “One of the reasons I came here is that I wanted to be a program that could challenge for a national championship. Winning the ACC is the goal every year and we want to be in the hunt at the NCAA Championships. We have a young team this year and there will be some new guys in the lineup that we have to see what they can do. But without a doubt, we have three or four guys that should get on the podium and help us be in the hunt for a top 20 finish.” Letts, a fifth-year senior who redshirted in 2009 and had his 2010 season cut short due to injury, is healthy this season and looks ready to return to his championship form. His progression will be key to a team that has relied on its veterans heavily in the past. “Mike has the potential to win a national championship,” said McCoy. “He has some monsters in front of him. He’ll wrestle some very highly ranked wrestlers early on between the Oklahoma Gold Classic, the Northeast Duals and the Penn State Open. He could potentially see eight to ten ranked guys in the first semester. Without a doubt he’s a top-five wrestler.” Asper just missed out on All-America status as a freshman at the 2010 NCAA Championships and is ranked as high as fifth in the nation by some wrestling publications. The Parkton, Md., native set the Maryland freshman wins record with 34 last season and solidifies the middle of the lineup for the Terps. With Kyle John, a 2010 ACC runner-up, at 157 pounds, Asper at 165 and Letts at 174, Maryland can compete with almost any team in the nation at the middle weights. Corey Peltier, though perhaps under the radar, has had success in the past and looks for a breakout season at 184 pounds. A junior, Peltier won 21 matches last season, with a 3-1 mark in ACC matches. “Corey has been right there the last few years,” said McCoy. “This year I think he’s looking to turn that corner. I’m really excited for what he’s going to do this year.” A talented group of newcomers led by Spencer Myers, a first team ASICS All-American in high school, will be ready to contribute immediately. Freshman Ben Dorsay is a highly-touted freshman and will compete with redshirt freshman Justin Cash, among others, for the starting position at 149 pounds in a battle McCoy terms the most competitive on the team. The Terps will face plenty of tough competition early in the season, though McCoy designed it so there will be ample time to integrate the newcomers into the demands of college wrestling. “Our schedule is set up where we have enough time to train and to recover between competitions. We have a high enough level of competition that our guys are going to see elite-level competition, but we’re not in a situation that we’ve been in the past where we’re just grinding. So I’m very optimistic about the year.” Maryland will open the season with the Red and Black Wrestle-Offs on Saturday, Oct. 23, an intrasquad exhibition that determines the initial starters at each weight class. Although fans may not see some of the familiar faces they’ve grown accustomed to over the past few years, McCoy’s goals remain unchanged. “We should never be out of the hunt for an ACC title and a top 20 finish at the NCAAs. When everything comes together we can get into the top five and challenge for a national championship. This year we want to get multiple All-Americans, win the conference tournament and be in the top 20 at the NCAA Championships.” 125 With the departure of James Knox, who graduated, junior Pat Strizki is the favorite to win the starting job. Junior Will Sharbaugh, sophomore Brian Marcoux and freshmen Ken Collado, Shane Gentry and Jenkins Monzey will all be in the hunt, however. Strizki won 11 matches last season and was 4-4 in dual competition. 133 Senior Lou Ruland and junior Joey Boone have separated themselves as the top two at 133 pounds. The winner of this job will have big shoes to fill, as Steven Bell won the last three ACC titles and was a two-time All-American at 133. Freshmen Frank Goodwin and Mason Goretsas will also challenge for time here. 141 Senior Jon Kohler returns to the weight where he won the 2008 ACC Championship after spending last season at 149 pounds. He looks to solidify a position that has been a strength for Maryland over the last three seasons – with Alex Krom’s 2009 and 2010 titles, the Terps have won this weight at the ACC Championships the past three seasons. Kohler will be pushed by junior Matt Bogusz, sophomore Brad Molina, redshirt freshman Danny O’Malley and freshman Mark Hartenstine. 149 This could be the most open competition out of the 10 weights, with five challengers vying for the starting position. Dexter Lederer is the lone senior and wrestled in two ACC duals last season, but a talented group of freshmen looks ready to challenge. Justin Cash, Eric Beverly and Danny Orem are all redshirt freshmen who spent last season wrestling in open competition, and true freshman Ben Dorsay comes to Maryland with high accolades. 157 Kyle John returns as the starter at 157 a season after winning 29 matches and qualifying for the NCAA Championships. John was 17-6 in dual meets, including 4-0 in ACC regular season meets, and is ranked in the top 10 at 157 pounds. 165 Sophomore Josh Asper is the returning starter and will look to improve on a season in which he set the school record for wins by a freshman and narrowly missed out on All-America status. Asper was an impressive 23-5 in dual meets last season and 11 wins by major decision. Redshirt freshman Jimmy Sheptock, who went 24-3 last season in open competition, will challenge Asper. 174 Two-time ACC Champ Mike Letts looks to return to form after an injury-shortened 2010 season. Letts won the ACC Championship as a true freshman and sophomore and has never been outside the top 15 in the rankings when healthy. 184 Corey Peltier is the returning starter. Senior Bradley Nielson, redshirt freshman Ty Snook and true freshman Rob Fitzgerald will also compete here. 197 The spot left vacant by Hudson Taylor will likely come down to redshirt freshmen Christian Boley and Dallas Brown. Both are very talented and gained experience wrestling in open competition last season. Senior Tommy Sitar may also compete here, but will likely start the season at heavyweight. 285 Redshirt sophomore Ryan Gray moves up to heavyweight from 197 this year and will compete with true freshman Spencer Myers for the starting job. The Pennsylvania state champ at 215 pounds as a high school senior, Myers went 44-0 in his final season at Selinsgrove High School. Senior Owen Duffy and possibly Sitar will also battle for the starting role.

USA Wrestler, the official magazine of USA Wrestling, is now available to general public as a digital edition. The October 2010 edition of USA Wrestler, which is being delivered in the mail to USA Wrestling members this week, has also been posted and can be viewed online. The October issue is now available in its entirety in this exciting new format. You only have to type in your email address, and you will have free access to the entire issue. Check out the latest edition of USA Wrestler at: http://content.yudu.com/A1pi4m/Oct2010/ The digital edition has many features which will make reading the issue easy and fun. You can view USA Wrestler online, and flip through the publication with a click of your computer mouse. You can zoom in and zoom out, viewing the page as close-up as you choose. You can look at a two-page spread, or look at each individual page by itself. If you click on any URL web address in the publication, either in an advertisement or in the articles, it will take you directly to the webpage. There is also a search function where you can type in a word, and you can go directly to the pages where that word appears in the edition. Fans can download the edition to their personal computers. They can also print off the publication to their own printer. Everybody in wrestling is encouraged to check out the digital edition of USA Wrestler. The digital edition of USA Wrestler is a great benefit of membership with USA Wrestling, but it is also a powerful tool to reach out to new people to build and expand our sport at all levels. You are also encouraged to send this URL link to all your friends and acquaintances with an interest in wrestling, so these people can also enjoy this new digital publication. For more information on USA Wrestling, the nation’s premier wrestling organization, visit: http://www.usawrestling.org

The future is heating up for Ben Sullivan. The 17-year-old Apple Valley High School (Minnesota) junior is the most recent high school wrestler willing to transfer in order to find better competition. While some wrestlers in the past have chosen to abscond allegiances and head to cross-town rivals, and other grapplers have crossed county or state lines, Sullivan has chosen to forgo his final two years of eligibility at Chugiak High School, Alaska and head to the Lower 48. In his crosshairs: better practice partners and a chance at a wrestling scholarship. It's not difficult to imagine the frustration for a competitive wrestler like Sullivan. Ben Sullivan (Photo/Joshua Borough, Mtnboy Media) After suffering a close semifinal loss at the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals in Virginia Beach last spring, he began talking with his father, Rodger, about the prospect of a transfer. "He was determined," said Rodger Sullivan. "He's right there with the kid and if he cleans up a few things he can beat him and go on to the finals. He's putting in the work, but thought he could be just a bit better with tougher guys around him." Sullivan had a few more close losses and those disappointments mounted until he made the decision that a change of venue would be positive for his career. The plan became to find a boarding school in the Northeast, like Blair or Peddie, but Sullivan's father had some apprehension about the cost and whether or not he'd get the proper school experience. "We didn't know if it was a good fit and then we saw that 40K a year price tag," said Rodger Sullivan. "It just seemed like too much. My sister-in-law was there in Minnesota and was willing to let Ben come and stay with the family. I looked into some schools and called some coaches and, man, Jim Jackson is a heck of a nice guy. He didn't know me from Adam and didn't know if my boy was any good, and just told me what I would need to do to make it through the process." The Apple Valley school district doesn't allow transfer students relocating without their parents to compete on varsity in their first season. The policy is meant to deter local talent pools from developing that might skew competitiveness within communities. Rarely would an intra-state transfer draw the ire of competition committees, as they're rarer and usually called upon for reasons of family and work. High-school transfer rules, and athletes like Sullivan who still choose to go ahead and make the move, are often a lightning rod for discussion and draw criticism because opponents claim it removes a layer of amateurism that should innately exist in prep athletics. But the transfer penalty in Minnesota forces Sullivan to abdicate a season of eligibility, which seems an adequate exchange. Sullivan maintains that he wants to win and this sacrifice of family and eligibility was worth it if it means he can be a champion wrestler and make his way into a good wrestling school. Jim Jackson & Bill Demaray (Photo/The Guillotine)"We have good coaches back home, but it was hard to find more than a few guys to roll with who could challenge me on a daily basis," said Ben Sullivan, who won an Alaska state title at 135 pounds last season. "I needed to get into a room where the guys would make me better. Right now I'm trying to steal takedowns in this room, which is a lot different and making me better." The takedowns are more difficult to achieve because Sullivan is facing three InterMat Top 100 recruits inside the Apple Valley wrestling room, including consensus No. 1 recruit Destin McCauley, along with Steven Keogh (160), and Jake Waste (171). Sullivan has reason to be guarded about his expectations for wrestling room success, one of the metrics for determining improvements come time for the season. "I'd love to wrestle varsity, but I knew when I came here that I'd be JV. Right now, I'm looking to do well in the preseason tournaments." (Sullivan is registered for this weekend's InterMat JJ Classic in Rochester, Minnesota.) Hopefully I can do well enough and continue to improve enough to compete at the Junior Nationals at the end of the season, Fargo and beyond." Sullivan packed his bags 45 days ago, and while his father was proud of his son for choosing a direction and following his passion, his mother, who supported the move, now misses her son. Ben Sullivan (Photo/Joshua Borough, Mtnboy Media) "She thought it was pretty easygoing for a few weeks, but we just hosted our tournament and I think it was tough for her to see all the other parents watching their kids," said Rodger Sullivan. "She was like, 'You jerk!' ... but she gets what he's up to." Sullivan has a year to improve, to try to sneak takedowns on McCauley, Keogh, and Waste. His plan is to continue to develop as he prepares for a series of offseason tournaments that will be his introduction for college coaches. For now, Sullivan is realistic about the disappointments he may feel in sitting out this season, but confident in his choice to move to the Lower 48. "I'm sure I'll miss being in the starting lineup during the season, but for right now I couldn't be happier," said Ben Sullivan. "I'm going to keep getting better. I really feel like this was the best decision of my life."

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The dual between the Missouri Tigers, ranked as high as No. 10 in the preseason polls, and the Purdue Boilermakers, ranked as high as No. 13, will be televised, as finalized Tuesday. The potential top-15 matchup, which will be held on Sunday, Dec. 12, in Lafayette, Ind., will air on the Big Ten Network. The meet will air live on the network beginning at 11 a.m. CT. Missouri is looking to avenge last year’s loss at home, a match that Purdue won 19-15 early in the season. More information on the meet will be announced as it becomes available. For Mizzou’s complete 2010-11 schedule, visit here.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana University Head Wrestling Coach Duane Goldman has announced Wed., Oct. 27 as the date for the 2010 Cream and Crimson Intra-Squad Scrimmage. The event will take place in Assembly Hall and begin at 7 p.m. There will be 10 matches on the docket, one for each weight class. Both admission to the competition, and a wrestling clinic from 5:30-6:30 p.m., are free of charge.

The job of an assistant wrestling coach is nearly indefinable. Like the head coach, the assistant coach works as part-time nutritionist, second-string doctor, team psychologist, occasional travel agent, data input manager, and occasionally, if there's time: wrestling technician. Quality assistant coaches need to also work well with their head coaches who themselves are pulled in several directions by generating donations, ensuring NCAA compliance and, oh-by-the-way, winning matches. Finding a partnership that works for both head coach and assistant can mean the difference in a happy wrestling room, and a losing one. The best of the best (there are a few hundred Division I assistant coaches) make champions despite the myriad ancillary jobs they're responsible to perform. Their paycheck, like the head coach's, is dependent on wins and losses; if the techniques are sound, the advice correct (Think: Sonny in Godfather) and the work ethic in place, these assistants will have the opportunity to make their own assistants miserable with work someday. The five coaches on the list have each defined themselves as worthy of recognition. While some may aspire to be a head coach, others will continue on as assistants, comfortable in helping to create champions. But right now they are each having an impact. Leading the Pack Sammie Henson (Photo/Morgan Hennessy)1. Sammie "The Bull" Henson (Oklahoma)The former two-time NCAA champion has arguably been more successful as a college coach than he was a college competitor. Yes, he's been floating from program to program like a thieve on the lam for the past dozen years, but in all those miles he racked up an impressive list of lightweight champions: Chad Mendes, Michael Lightner, Sam Hazewinkel, Josh and Scott Moore, Paul Donahoe, et. al. Henson's intensity is legendary and seemingly always transferred to his grapplers. There is nothing coincidental about his arrival in Norman and the Sooners impressive 2009-2010 turnaround. 2. Chris Owens (Boise State) Somebody is responsible for Boise's success. While Greg Randall deserves the largest chunk of Blue-hued praise, Owens has been his assistant for 15 seasons and has earned recognition. (If you are Googling "Chris Owens Boise State" don't feel bad. Half the college wrestling community couldn't pick him out of a two-man lineup.) Owens has been there for it all: he was on board for Kirk White, he was on the payroll for Ben Cherrington, and he is currently coaching a very large and intimidating Kirk Smith. I don't know how to define his role more than to point and tell you to pay attention this season as the Broncos compete for an NCAA team title. Donny Pritzlaff (Photo/Tony Rotundo, Tech-Fall.com)3. Donny Pritzlaff (Wisconsin)The easiest connection to Pritzlaff's coaching success is Andrew Howe's recent NCAA title, but the 2006 World bronze medalist and two-time NCAA champion has been an assistant coach since graduating as a Badger in 2002. He spent three years on Long Island where he and Tom Ryan paired up to produce a slew of All-Americans and CAA championships. The New Jersey native is proving to be an excellent recruiter across the country, helping to pull big ticket names like Tyler Graff and Ben Jordan. And if we are to believe the rumors, he may have a chance to secure the nation's No. 1 recruit, Destin McCauley. Maybe head coach Barry Davis saw the impact Pritzlaff was having on the program and named him associate head coach in the summer of 2009. 4. Carl Perry (Illinois) The man who beat Schwab. Remember? That was 10.5 years ago, but that same fight can be seen in his wrestlers. He's well-respected enough to have survived the recent coaching change in Urbana-Champagne. Perry guided Poeta to two NCAA finals and you can see that same gritty style in current Illini star Jimmy Kennedy. He'll be mentioned for future head coaching positions because his resume is filling up fast. 5. Josh Moore (Kent State) From recruiting to budgeting to technique, Moore has been at the tip of the spear for the newly emergent Golden Flash. Working alongside head coach Jim Andrassy, the team has matured from an epic All-American drought (23 years) into a squad capable of besting perennial class of the MAC, Central Michigan. The past few seasons have seen All-American titles coming back to Kent State, many of them at the lighter weights. There's no doubt he'll get a crack at a head coaching position sometime in the next two seasons. Others Brad Dillon (Lehigh) He's been at Santoro's side at Maryland and now in Lehigh. He's disciplined, successful and well-respected by his athletes. Mark DiSalvo (Central Michigan) Talented and hard-working Central Michigan alumnus has been crucial in helping head coach Tom Borelli create a championship caliber team every season. Casey Cunningham (Penn State) Coach Cael brought him to Happy Valley, which should make Nittany Lion fans, well, happy.

The United States Military Academy has long been considered one of the top colleges in the United States. Few schools can match the quality of their education, the character of their student body, or the accomplishments of their alumni. With the verbal commitment of Iowa senior Travis Mallo the future of the wrestling program got a new face and another impact recruit. “I really believe in the tradition of the Academy. You get a great education, you have an opportunity to serve your country, and the opportunities after you graduate are hard to beat,” stated Travis Mallo over the phone on Sunday night. “It is a prestigious place; an amazing opportunity; and I am really excited about making the most of the experience. It really is a place that I feel I can succeed on the wrestling mat and it will best prepare me for life after school.” A senior at Mason City High School, Mallo is a two-time state place winner for the Mohawks, an accomplished freestyle wrestler, and a recruit on the rise with an off-season of national and international success. Travis MalloWith a 93-23 high school record, Travis is a three year letterman going 23-7 at 125 pounds as a freshman, 33-10 at 152 as a sophomore, and 39-6 as a junior. Moving up in weight every year he was a district qualifier in 2008, placed eighth at state in 2009, and finished fourth in 2010. Taking his folkstyle national after the high school season ended this year, the future cadet finished fifth at the inaugural FloNationals in Ohio and less than a week later he took seventh at the 2010 Asics Folkstyle Nationals in Cedar Falls at 171 pounds. “Wrestling is a tough sport that takes a lot to be good, and even more to be great. You work your butt off in the room so you want to get out on the mat at compete,” offered Travis when asked about wrestling year round. “I love the sport and I like to have fun when I wrestle; by traveling you can see how you can do against the best, you see what works, and what needs work.” Freestyle has enabled Mallo the opportunity to travel throughout the country and internationally to Brazil. After jumping onto the national stage in 2009 with a third place finish at 171 pounds in Fargo at Cadet Nationals, that success carried over into 2010 with a third place finish in April at the 2010 FILA Cadet Nationals in Akron. Instead of going to Fargo with Team Iowa in July, Mallo made the Cadet National Team and won a Gold medal at the Pan-American Game in Manaus, Brazil. He has also competed for Team Iowa at the 2009 and 2010 Cadet Duals. With a 3.5 GPA in the classroom and a wrestling resume that improved every year; Mallo chose Army over Missouri and Northern Illinois amongst several others that were recruiting him. Having a good idea of where he wanted to go before he took his official visits, the trip to West Point solidified his decision while giving him a glimpse of his future. “The visit was an eye opener but it gave me a preview of what it would be like at the Academy. I stayed in the barracks and got to see life as a cadet. I got up with them in the morning, went to class, ate with them, and was there for Taps. There was a lot to it but I really just got a chance to walk in their shoes,” responded Mallo when asked about this visit. As the service academies are able to contact recruits during their junior year because of the extensive application process Mallo had considered wrestling for the Black Knights for some time. Assistant coaches Ryan Wilman and Rafael Vega reached out to Mallo under former coach Chuck Barbee and his recruitment continued when Joe Heskett became head coach in July and into the fall. With the change in head coaches Travis saw the transition from Barbee to Heskett as a great opportunity that became even more enticing. “I was considering Army before Coach Heskett took over but he really put them over the top. Wrestling at Iowa State and accomplishing all that he has done has earned him a great reputation. Getting to know him and the other coaches made me confident in my decision,” offered Mallo. With his college decision made Travis can now turn his attention to his last season of high school football and his last year of wrestling in Iowa. “I really wanted to make a choice before wrestling season started because I didn’t want any distractions. I had been thinking about it for awhile and after I took my official visit to West Point last weekend, and I knew that was where I wanted to go,” said Travis who will be back at 171 pounds. “The goal this year is to win the state championship; I have been working for it for a long time and this is my last chance to get it done. I’ll probably keep wrestling after that but that is what I focusing on right now.” At the same time Mallo was just as excited about his future at Army. “With the team they have, the coaching staff with Joe Heskett, the recruits that are coming in, and the energy that is there; I think that Army wrestling is going to improve every year and we can accomplish a lot while I am there,” said Mallo. Travis Mallo joins Conor Youtsey in head coach Joe Heskett’s first recruiting class at West Point. Both wrestlers are expected to attend the United States Military Prep School their first year on campus and each is expected to compete for a spot in the starting lineup the following year. Mallo projects as a 174 for the Black Knights while Youtsey, the 55th ranked recruit in the InterMat Top 100, expects to be at 125 for most of his career. InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from BuckeyeWrestling.com. http://www.buckeyewrestling.com/index.php?q=node/37588

Minnesota native Jake Clark has been one of the nation's top Greco-Roman wrestlers on the senior level for over a decade. Clark, who turned 30 earlier this year, made his second U.S. World Team this year at 84 kg and competed at the 2010 World Championships in Moscow, Russia last month. Now he has his sights on wrestling in the London Olympic Games in 2012. InterMat recently caught up with Clark and talked to him about the World Championships, this season, training, goals, MMA, and much more. Jake Clark (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Let's start with the World Championships last month in Moscow, Russia. You got off to a fast start, beating the Moldovan and the Greek to advance to the quarterfinals. You were able to score with some offensive attacks and also in par terre. Did you feel as great as you looked in those first two matches? Clark: I felt amazing in my first two matches. My weight cut went great. I completely changed my approach to warming up, and I was on the attack in my matches. My confidence was there, and I really felt things were coming together at the right time. In my match against the Moldovan, that's how I want to wrestle every time! I believe the first period was slow, but I was able to get in my groove in the second period. In the quarterfinals, you were paired with Damian Janikowski of Poland, a wrestler you had beaten 3-0, 1-0 at the Pytlasinski International in Poland in late July. What was going through your head as you prepared to wrestle Janikowski again? Clark: I felt ready for my quarterfinal match and I was definitely excited about having someone I recently beat standing in my way. I don't feel I was overconfident, and I knew he was going to be more well prepared than our match in Poland the month prior. You ended up losing in two periods to Janikowski, 0-1, 0-2, which ultimately eliminated you from the competition after he lost in the semifinals. What was the difference in that meeting with Janikowski compared to your previous meeting with him? Clark: In the match with Janikowski I had about three attempts that I didn't finish. He scored on his gut wrench, but if I could have finished my moves the results would've been different. I've seen some photos that were taken of that match and I can't believe I didn't finish on a few of my attempts. Leading up to the Worlds I was really working on this area of my wrestling, but it's something I need to continue to improve on ... and I will. Jake Clark (Photo/Tony Rotundo, Tech-Fall.com)How would you describe your overall experience in Moscow, Russia? Clark: Initially I was upset, as most people are after losing. However, the more I thought about it, the more I was pleased with how I did. It was a great building block for what is to come. I know I am right up there with the top guys in the world, and as long as I continue in the direction I'm heading, I will be on the podium. I didn't bring a medal home, but I definitely brought some experience and confidence for the upcoming season. It's important to live and learn. Coming into this year, you had wrestled in just two tournaments over the last three years. You have stated that your goal wasn't to make the U.S. World Team this year, but things fell into place. What was your goal heading into the year? Clark: I had taken a lot of time off from competitive wrestling from the beginning of 2008 to the beginning of 2010. During those years off I was doing more coaching, and working with MMA fighters. Now, in 2010 I found myself back on the mat, ready to compete, and committed like never before. I try to be very realistic with everything, and I know that to be at one hundred percent I need to be on the mat a lot more than I was. I shouldn't expect to be back a few months, and to be right back in the mix of things. Everyone I'm wrestling against has been going at it while I took this time off, and I needed to put the work in as well. In 2010, I was hoping to get back on the mat, stay healthy, and just get the ball rolling for 2012. My goal is 2012, and everything I do from now until then is to prepare for that. While I was warming up for my first match at the Trials I had a conversation with God. I was stretching out and I said, 'God, I am trying to do the right things and understand I haven't put in all the hard work yet. I'm going to, but I still need more time. It would be too much to ask that I win this tournament, so please just give me what I deserve.' I'm a competitor and I wanted to win, but did I truly think I would be on the 2010 World Team? No. I felt great at Worlds, but should I expect to be on the podium with only being back to the mat for six months? Again, my answer is no. Things have happened very quickly and I'm extremely grateful for that. My 2010 season was not only a surprise to the coaches and fans, but for me as well. I feel I'm taking the proper steps, and I'm going to surprise more people in the next few years. After you made the U.S. World Team this past June, you said that you never fully committed yourself to the sport until this year. You have talked about lifestyle changes you have made this year. What caused you to make these changes? Clark: I've wrestled my entire life. It's all I've ever done. I sacrificed many things while I was younger, and feel I was very committed at times. However, I feel like I'm putting a puzzle together now. At the World Championships I believe I was at eighty percent of my potential. I'm adding new pieces to this puzzle, and am hoping that by 2012 they all come together to make the best picture ever. It's going to take time, and I definitely need help finding a few pieces, but I am committed to this puzzle and am going to do everything possible to complete it. In the end of 2009, while I was helping to build the sport of wrestling in the Federated States of Micronesia, I had a great chat (on Facebook) with Olympic champion Rulon Gardner. Everything he said made complete sense, and I'm forever in debt for the insight he provided. To have one of our country's greatest wrestlers take the time and help put things into perspective means the world to me. I'm not sure I'm comfortable sharing what was said, as I feel it was between him and I. However, I saved our conversation and go back and look at it every so often as a reminder. Let's just say what he said really hit me upside the head. Not only that, but the timing was right. Not only was I ready for the changes, but I had the support of THE Rulon Gardner! Jake Clark (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)You started your career with the U.S. Marines and then moved to the U.S. Air Force. You're currently living in Colorado Springs. How is your current training situation? Clark: I'm currently living at the Olympic Training Center, but am no longer wrestling for the Air Force. I had planned on transferring from the Marines to the Army, but in the midst of doing my paperwork, I was contacted by Air Force wrestling coach and 2008 Olympic coach Rich Estrella. He mentioned that I might want to look into what he can offer, and set me up with the job of heading to Micronesia. I felt the Air Force would be more of a fit for me, and in February of 2010 I joined their wrestling camp in Mountain Home, Idaho. At this time I joined the Air Force Reserves and had put my paperwork in for the Air Force's World Class Athlete Program. I was told that the process would be quick, but here I am over seven months later, and I'm still not accepted into their WCAP. It's been very stressful and I feel there is no light at the end of this tunnel with them. I'm now currently pursuing another avenue in which I'm not able to talk about at the moment. I promise it will soon be public knowledge, though! You have been wrestling since you were 5 years old and been competing on the senior level for over a decade. Are you enjoying the sport now as much as you ever have? Clark: I've always enjoyed this sport and am very grateful for all that it has done for me. The people I've met, the friends I've made, and the adventures I've been on. To me, those things are priceless. I like to think I've become a lot wiser than I was 10 years ago. I might be losing my hair, but in return I'm gaining more and more appreciation for our sport. It's crazy for me to think that this is my 25th year of wrestling. Wow! The 2012 Olympic Games are less than two years away. You have wrestled in three previous U.S. Olympic Team Trials, but have yet to make a U.S. Olympic Team. How much does that drive you? Clark: I'm definitely driven to make this Olympic Team. I wish things would have worked out earlier, but everything happens for a reason. I've had this dream of representing the U.S. at the Olympics since I was 6 years old, and it's something I want sooooo badly. I am now in a position to live out a childhood dream and am going to do everything in my power to make it happen. In order to get to where you want to be in 2012, what areas of your wrestling do you feel that you need to improve upon the most? Jake Clark (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Clark: I am concentrating on improving every aspect of my wrestling ... on and off the mat. Technically, when I'm on my feet I need to push the pace more. I'm confident that no one can take me down, but I need to make sure I can score on everyone. I am also putting a lot of emphasis on my par terre defense. It's definitely not an easy task, but I am confident in my abilities and potential. I have a plan, and I truly believe in it. Not only that, but I have coaches and mentors I believe in too. It's time! You turned 30 years old earlier this year. Have you put a timetable on how much longer you plan to compete? Or is it something you will reevaluate after 2012? Clark: I will compete as long as my body and mind allow me to. I know several people that wish they could still be competing, but due to injuries they can no longer chase their dream. Because of this, I must take advantage of what has been put in front of me, and give it my everything. You have competed primarily in Greco-Roman throughout your career on the senior level. But last year you competed in freestyle at the Northern Plains Regional and took a period from 2010 U.S. World Team member J.D. Bergman. Do you ever wonder how your career might have turned out if you would have chosen freestyle over Greco-Roman? Clark: Of course I wonder how things could have worked for me on the freestyle and folkstyle side of things. I honestly believe that if I concentrated solely on freestyle I would be in the mix as well. I've wrestled in a few freestyle tournaments over the last handful of years and have wins over some of the top guys ... Clint Wattenberg and Willie Parks to name a few. I remember in 2004 leading up to the Olympics I had randomly joined a few freestyle practices. At the end of my Greco practice, Cael Sanderson and Kevin Jackson were on the side going over a few things. Kevin asked me if I could go for a little bit with Cael and I agreed. We were doing some live goes and I scored the first takedown. I'm sure Cael and Kevin were a bit surprised, but to be honest, I wasn't. I have always done well with freestyle. However, I've still been considered a "Greco guy." Cael and I wrestled for about four minutes, in which my back was completely worn out three minutes into it. The conditioning and styles are too difficult on the senior level to just jump back and forth like that. If my memory is correct, I had two takedowns to his four. A month or two later he was the Olympic champion. Greco-Roman is very popular all across the world. However, in the United States, there seems to be less interest in Greco-Roman compared to freestyle and folkstyle. Why do you think that is the case? Clark: I'm not sure. I can't say I have an honest answer to this. However, I know that in recent years Greco is getting more and more attention here. It could be due to the change in rules and that there is more scoring now. Obviously, with storylines like (Jake) Deitchler in 2008, having wrestlers like (Spenser) Mango and (Harry) Lester, those things definitely help. Jake Clark, B.J. Penn, Joey ClarkWhat some people might not know is that you have served as a training partner for UFC fighters B.J. Penn and Kendall Grove. How did those opportunities come about? And what have your experiences training with UFC fighters been like? Clark: I've actually worked with a wide variety of well-known fighters, including B.J. Penn, Kendall Grove, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt, Mo Lawal, Bobby Lashley, Brett Rogers, Joe Warren, and many others. Just last week I had an offer to go back to Hawaii and work with B.J. before his upcoming fight with Matt Hughes in November. My coaches here at the OTC are against me doing this, but it's a great chance to make some money and network for the future. My brother has been a training partner for B.J. for around seven years or so, and that's how I got linked up with B.J. My first time working with him was only supposed to be for three weeks, but when it was time to leave, they asked if I could stay longer. I ended up staying for three months, which led to my working with Kendall Grove. After I left Hawaii, about two weeks later, I got a call from Kendall and he wanted me to help him train in Maui. I ended up staying there for a month and a half. I'm so honored to have these guys calling me. But not only that, I get paid, and get to do so in Hawaii! Your older brother, Joey, has been a successful MMA fighter. Wrestlers, specifically Greco-Roman wrestlers, have done very well in MMA. Obviously your focus is on wrestling right now and making the U.S. Olympic Team, but would you ever consider competing in MMA? Clark: Of course I've thought about it, but I'm really not sure if I'd actually go through with it. I've never been in a fight in my entire life. I've never punched anyone, and no one's ever punched me ... thankfully! Haha. There is so much money and fame in this sport, I'd hate to look back when I'm 50 and say, 'I should have done that.' Right now, my priority is the Olympics and I am concentrating on that. On occasion I like to mix my training up and work jiu-jitsu and grappling. It helps change the pace up. If I do decide to become a mixed martial artist, I've done a great job of networking and will be able to learn from some of the greatest fighters around! Is there anything else you would like to add? Clark: I'd really like to thank my sponsors: Cage Fighter Wrestling, AmbitionTrainingAcademy.com, InterMatWrestle.com, TheGuillotine.com, WrestlingGear.com, KuttingWeight.com, StrombergAuctioneering.com, BlueChipWrestling.com, and DracsPub.com for all of their help and support. With the help of my sponsors, along with my family and friends, we were able to raise enough money to get my mom and brother over to Moscow for the World Championships! I can never thank anyone enough for how much that meant to me. To my fellow wrestlers, PLEASE support those who support us! On a final note, I've recently put a team of Olympic Training Center wrestlers together and we are currently working on a business plan that has some great potential. I can't wait to go public with this, and am hoping we will be doing so in the very near future. If anything, add me on Facebook and I will keep you posted. Also, feel free to ask me any questions you might have about wrestling or life in general. I like to help whenever I have the chance! Search for "Jake Clark."

Comedian and former University of Missouri All-American Greg Warren will be the radio show guest this week. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Warren grew up in St. Louis, Missouri and attended Kirkwood High School. He was an All-American wrestler for Missouri in 1991, placing 7th at the NCAA tournament at 158 pounds. Warren has been a full-time comedian for several years and continues to gain prominence on a national level. He will be performing in Burlington, Iowa on October 22 and Rock Island, Illinois on October 23 as part of the Bob & Tom Comedy All-Star Tour.

California Community College updated rankings released. 125 1. Steven Cabanas, Cerritos 2. Alex Perez, West Hills 3. David Sok, Delta 4. Chris Padilla, Fresno City 5. Curtis Hulstine, Bakersfield 6. Jake Harrison, Cerritos 7. Marc Collier, Bakersfield 8. Janik Santana, Chabot HM Chris Diaz, Cuesta HM Isaac Taz Pilgram, Santa Rosa HM Jordan Saunders, Cuesta HM Sergio Martinez, Fresno City 133 1. Jason Arreola, Santa Ana 2. Marty Rubalcaba, Fresno City 3. Chad Thornack, Cerritos 4. AJ Jaramillo, West Hills 5. Pierce Lowry, Mt. San Antonio 6. Jonathon Gay, Cuesta 7. Adam Blank, Sac City 8. Archie Tovar, Fresno City HM Justin Lee, Lassen HM Kent Tran, Cerritos HM Mario DiBenedetto, Sac City 141 1. Kevin Rojas, Fresno City 2. Kyle Chene, Santa Ana 3. Tillman Tran, Cerritos 4. Jaime Jimenez, MSAC 5. Josh Van Hatter, Fresno City 6. Eric Orozco, West Hills 7. Alex Rodriguez, Sierra 8. Tyler Diamond, Sac City HM Charlie Saeng, Delta HM Terry Mathews, Shasta HM Audrie DeCastro, Palomar HM Wesley Young, Santa Rosa 149 1. Conrad Rangel, Fresno City 2. Spencer Hill, Fresno City 3. Tyler Johnson, Sierra 4. Jesse Ponce, Cerritos 5. Anthony Harris, Sac City 6. RJ Pilkington, Sierra 7. Hector Ruelas, Cuesta 8. Abel Avila, Rio Hondo HM Anthony Vega, Sac City HM Steven Ackley, Modesto 157 1. Eric Lopez, Victor Valley 2. Cody Bollinger, Cerritos 3. Spencer Anderson, Cuesta 4. Jake Shilling, Fresno City 5. Marcail Rodriguez, Lassen 6. Chris Abeyta, Mt. San Antonio 7. Craig Simmons, Shasta 8. Tyler Brown, Sac City HM Russell Williams, Sac City HM Marques Ford, Sierra HM Josh Lujan, West Hills HM Jose Maroquin , ELA 165 1. Tigran Adzhemyan, Fresno City 2. Eric Sauvageau, Cerritos 3. Vlad Dombrovsky, Sierra 4. Dustin Rocha, West Hills 5. Joe Madison, Lassen 6. Jacob Hoxsey, Mt. San Antonio 7. Chris Heath, Fresno City 8. Taylor Sare, Mt. San Antonio HM Sergio Guerrero, Mt. San Antoinio HM Ramon Estrada, Cerritos HM Craig Sherman ,Chabot HM Ben Martinez, Fresno City 174 1. Sam Temko, Skyline 2. Martin Fabian, Fresno City 3. Jordan Williams, Sierra 4. Nick Rohrer, Sac City 5. Alfredo Torres, MSAC 6. Travis Shaffer, Modesto 7. Thomas Estrada, Cerritos 8. Tyler Edwards, Sac City HM Matt Cox, Fresno City HM Kyle Pivaroff, Cerritos HM Brent Pfitzer, West Hills HM Chase Mirrasau, Rio Hondo HM Taylor Hodel, Sac City 184 1. Fito Juarez, Fresno City 2. Jesse Hellinger, Sac City 3Tyler Ceremello, Fresno City 4. Nick Gill, Sierra 5. Milo Anderson, Chabot 6. Santino Delfino, Bakersfield 7. Ryan Collins, Cerritos 8. Marco Orozco, Sac City HM Adam Charles, Skyline HM Matt Lewiston, Palomar HM Charlie Galvez, Cuesta 197 1. Oscar Navarette, MSAC 2. Sean Dougherty, Cuesta 3. Mario Delgado, Cerritos 4. Colin Hart, Santa Rosa 5. Lucas Keene, Fresno City 6. Jesse Green, Sac City 7. Dan Colbert, Cuesta 8. Matt Granillo, East Los Angeles HM Gio Castinon, Cerritos HM Kevin Keisler, Sac City HM Nick Brantley, Fresno City 285 1. Jose Lopez, Cerritos 2. Brad Carls, Bakersfield 3. Trevor Gwin, Palomar 4. Cheyne Cook, Victor Valley 5. Luis Contreras, Fresno City 6. Marco Delgado, Modesto 7. Quinn Moore, Bakersfield 8. Mike Perez, West Hills HM Lance Gordon, Shasta HM Sam Gomez, Chabot HM Ben Davis, Sac City HM Anthony Chu, Delta HM Dakota Smith, West Hills HM John Parker, Fresno City HM Carl Stokes, MSAC 1. Fresno City 2. Cerritos 3. Mt. San Antonio Sac City 5. Sierra 6. Cuesta West Hills 8. Bakersfield 9. Santa Ana 10. Victor Valley 11. Chabot 12. Skyline 13. Lassen 14. Modesto 15. Palomar Santa Rosa 17. Delta 18. Rio Hondo 19. East Los Angeles 20. Shasta

Eight InterMat Top 100 recruits committed to colleges last week, including No. 8 Austin Ormsbee (Blair Academy, NJ), who gave a verbal commitment to John Smith and the Oklahoma State Cowboys. InterMat caught up with six of the eight InterMat Top 100 recruits to commit last week and talked to them about their college decisions, goals, and much more. No. 8 Austin Ormsbee (Blair Academy, NJ) College Choice: Oklahoma State Projected College Weight Class: 133 Oklahoma state landed its third InterMat Top 100 recruit this season with the addition of Ormsbee, a three-time National Prep champion, Junior Nationals freestyle champion, and Beast of the champion. No. 12 Kenny Courts (Central Dauphin, PA) College Choice: Ohio State Projected College Weight Class: 184 Ohio State is putting together a monster recruiting class. Courts is the fourth InterMat Top 25 recruit from the Class of 2011 the Buckeyes have landed, plus the addition of 2010 graduate Derek Garcia, who will also enroll next year. Courts is 96-4 in three years of varsity competition. He is a two-time Beast of the East champion. Kenny CourtsCourts on his decision to commit to Ohio State: "It was a tough but good decision, I believe, and at the end of day I hope I still think that." Courts on Ohio State's 2011 recruiting class: "A ridiculous amount of talent is coming in the room next year. Also a group of kids that will keep each other on the right track." Courts on his goals prior to arriving at Ohio State: "Repeat on my past year's accomplishments and honestly to just keep getting better and improving in different positions." Courts on Central Dauphin coach Jeff Sweigard: "Coach Swags is a great guy. I like him because he tells me how it is. If I suck, then he tells me I suck. He never lets me feel sorry for myself. Also he's a great inspiration to those who know his story." Courts on the documentary Takedowns & Falls: "Great movie. To a wrestling fan and wrestler, it never gets old. I encourage anyone to buy it, especially someone that is unfamiliar with wrestling because it shows all aspects of our sport and the emotions that come with it. Also the film crew put a lot of work into it, so check it out." No. 32 Pete Baldwin (Osceola, FL) College Choice: Old Dominion Projected College Weight Class: 149/157 Baldwin brings a career record of 271-20 with 197 pins into his senior season. He is a state champion, three-time state finalist, as well as a runner-up at both POWERade and FloNationals. Pete BaldwinBaldwin on his decision to commit to Old Dominion: I chose ODU because the wrestling program, academics, and the environment suited me the best. ODU has a great internship program and a great engineering program. I wanted to be at a college where wrestling and academics were a priority. The campus was new and modern. It really impressed me. ODU wrestling program is like a family. Osceola High School Wrestling has been my family since I was 8 years old. I feel the same kind of an environment at ODU. Baldwin on Old Dominion coach Steve Martin: Coach Martin is hard working and goal oriented. His energy is infectious. Coach Martin is straightforward and determined. That is why I believe in him and his goals of making me a multiple-time national champion and taking ODU all the way. Baldwin on his wrestling style: I am very adaptive. My style will fit into college wrestling. I ride top well and the rules fit the way I wrestle. I am an aggressive and physical wrestler. Baldwin on what drives him: I am motivated by my God, my family, and I am self-motivated to go beyond my limits. At Old Dominion I will be surrounded by a team that is driven to be successful. Baldwin on his biggest influences in his wrestling career: Javier Maldonado was a big influence early in my wrestling career. He set the bar for Osceola Wrestling. I watched Javi when I first started and I set my goals around his achievements on and off the mat. Coach Jim Bird has been my coach since I started wrestling. He has helped me become who I am on and off the mat. I also have been blessed by a very supportive mom and dad. Osceola wresting has a great wrestling family. I have always been supported by Mama and Papa Bird, the Todds, and all of the fans and parents. I have had great friends and practice partners like Alex Eggers, Joe Locksmith, Gabriel Bird. I have had other supporters like my Uncle Al, Uncle James, and Aunt Juanita, Coach Tribit, Mr. Preisser and so many others I cannot list them all." No. 38 Codey Combs (Sussex Central, DE) College Choice: Arizona State Projected College Weight Class: 157/165 Combs is a three-time state champion, three-time Mount Mat Madness champion, and Beast of the East runner-up. He has a record of 129-9 over the past three seasons. Codey CombsCombs on his decision to commit to Arizona State: "I am very happy with my decision to commit to Arizona State and it is a great fit for me. The coaches and the group of guys out there are great." Combs on having to move from the East Coast to the West Cost: "Moving from the East Coast to the West Coast is not really a big deal for me. I don't mind being away from home and I think it will be a great experience for me." Combs on the recruiting process: "The recruiting process was a pretty smooth process that I would do over and over again because it was good getting all that attention and getting to go on all the recruiting trips." Combs on what it would mean to become a four-time state champion: "It would be great to become a four-time state champ because no one at my school has ever done it and it would be a great accomplishment. And not only winning four, but not having a point scored on me in the state tournaments so far is also a goal in the upcoming season." Combs on his post-high school wrestling goals: "My post-high school wrestling goals are to go out to Arizona State and hopefully win a couple national titles and help build Arizona State into a national powerhouse." No. 68 Kris Klapprodt (Stevens, SD) College Choice: Iowa Projected College Weight Class: 174 Iowa landed its first InterMat Top 100 recruit this recruiting season with the addition of Klapprodt, a two-time state champion and five-time state finalist. He is also a two-time NHSCA Nationals finalist, winning a title as a sophomore in 2009. Kris KlapprodtKlapprodt on his decision to commit to Iowa: I went through the entire process, but in the end it was my previous experience with Coach Brands and the Hawkeyes program that made the difference and made it clear Iowa was the place I was meant to be. My familiarity with Coach Brands his coaches and my understanding of what it means to be a Hawkeye have combined to let me know that I have made the right decision. The reasons that led to the Hawkeye decision was Coach Brands and his coaches, "The Room," wrestlers past and present, and their commitment to me. Klapprodt on the recruiting process: When the first letters and e-mails begin to arrive it was very exciting. Meeting and talking with coaches that are legends is something that I will never forget. The difficult part is letting coaches know that you are not going to their programs, not because their program isn't great but just because I can only choose one place. Klapprodt on Iowa coach Tom Brands: "Coach Brands is a fierce competitor and is successful at every level. I have spent a lot of quality time with Coach Brands and I am certain that his program is where I need to be and belong. He has a real understanding of what it takes to be a champion both individually and as a team." Klapprodt on being in the same college conference and weight class as Logan Storley: "Logan and I are friends yet I look forward to competing against him in the Big Ten." Klapprodt on getting noticed in South Dakota: "South Dakota has had some outstanding wrestlers, like former Hawkeyes Randy Lewis and Lincoln McIlravy, along with many others, and that helps. However, for me it really started with a tremendous youth wrestling club, great high school coaches, former collegiate wrestlers, summer coaches, and work ethic in the offseason to train and prepare myself to compete and win national tournaments. If all those things happen, the college coaches will find you and they are not afraid to travel to South Dakota to recruit." No. 70 Lucas Sheridan (De La Salle, CA) College Choice: Indiana Projected College Weight Class: 184 Sheridan is a Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion, fourth-place finisher at Youth Olympic Games, two-time FILA Cadet Nationals All-American, state third-place finisher, and two-time Cadet Nationals All-American. Lucas Sheridan (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Sheridan on his decision to commit to Indiana: "Indiana just felt like the perfect fit for me. I fell in love with the campus, the guys on the team are amazing and I really connected with them. Also I felt really comfortable around the coaching staff and I truly believe that they will help me accomplish all my goals. My brother always told me that on one of my trips I would say to myself, 'Man, this is for me,' and that's exactly what happened." Sheridan on California wrestling: "It saddens me that California wrestling is slowly dropping off. We have so many amazing wrestlers in our state, but it's hard to trust any college program in California. I hope that one day kids feel comfortable staying in California to continue their wrestling careers." Sheridan on the importance of winning a state title as a senior: "Winning a state title to me is the No. 1 thing in my life right now. I have two goals this high school season: commit to a college and win a state title. One is already done and the second one is going to be a lot harder because I have one of the best wrestlers in the nation at my weight, but that just makes me want it more." Sheridan on his favorite wrestling style (folkstyle, freestyle, or Greco-Roman): "I have to say my favorite wrestling style is Greco. When I was training for the FILA Cadet Pan American Games in Mexico is when I really fell in love with it. I just enjoy it so much and it's really easy for me to continue my growth as a Greco wrestler with my amazing coaching staff, including Mark Halverson, Kenneth Cook, and Steve Gee." Sheridan on his experience at the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore: "My experience in Singapore was amazing. It was my third time wrestling internationally and that experience is priceless. Not only was is great to wrestle in such a high level of competition, but also watching all the technique that the other countries do was awesome. Although I was very disappointed in taking fourth place, I would never change the experience because it was a crucial step in my growing as a wrestler." No. 71 Cody Caldwell (Waverly-Shell Rock, IA) College Choice: Wisconsin Projected College Weight Class: 157 Caldwell joins No. 5 recruit Jesse Thielke (Germantown, WI) as part of Wisconsin's 2011 recruiting class. He is a two-time state champion and three-time state placewinner. He has compiled a record of 68-1 over the last two seasons. Cody CaldwellCaldwell on his decision to commit to Wisconsin: "I fell in love with the University of Wisconsin when I went on my visit. The coaches all have wrestled at high levels and know how to win. Also the guys on the team took me in and treated me as one of their teammates. I feel like Wisconsin is the place for me to be to reach my goals as a wrestler. I am excited to get to Madison and start my career as a college wrestler." Caldwell on Wisconsin coach Barry Davis: "I really got to know Coach Davis through the recruiting process. He's a great competitor and is very passionate about his team. I am excited to have the opportunity to work with him and his staff." Caldwell on having his father (Rick) as his high school wrestling coach: "It's great having my dad as my coach. He is a great coach and is very knowledgeable. My dad puts a lot of time into the sport and really cares about me and the team. I know he would do anything for us, and he's always trying to find ways to make me and the team better." Caldwell on Waverly-Shell Rock's team: "We will have a solid team this year. Our team has won the last three titles in the traditional and duals state tournament. In Iowa this year, there are a few very tough teams. Our team and coaching staff is training hard trying to bring the title back to Waverly again." Caldwell on his area of academic interest: "I am going into something in business. I don't know specifically what I want to major in." No. 74 Vincent Waldhauer (Oak Ridge, CA) College Choice: Virginia Projected College Weight Class: 165 Virginia adds to an already strong and deep recruiting class with the addition of Waldhauser, a state runner-up and NHSCA Nationals All-American.

Event: UFC 120: Bisping vs. Akiyama Venue: O2 Arena, London, England Date: October 16, 2010 After a long winning streak, I got nicked a bit on the UFC 119 card. But history shows quick rebounds for the UFC Monster, and tonight’s challenge will be to find winner’s on one of the lamest fight cards in UFC history! Maybe that’s why tonight’s (tape delay) show is FREE on Spike TV at 7 pm CST? Anytime Michael Bisping headlines the card, you are in trouble, unless you are in England, but that’s just where we are tonight! In the main event, Brits once again get to see their hero, light-weight, Michael Bisping, take on veteran Yoshihiro Akiyama, in what should be a relatively easy win for “the Count." Bisping is only popular inside his homeland, but there is no denying that his skills have progressed nicely over his modestly successful UFC career. Some early fireworks will lead to an eventual second round TKO thru ground-and-pound, and Bisping will send the crowd home in glee covering the –200 price tag. In my “fight of the night” at 2:1 Carlos “Natural Born Killer” Conduit will trade shots and submission attempts with powerful Brit Dan Hardy, who once had a shot to beat Georges St. Pierre for the welterweight championship. The blood-thirsty Conduit will force the pace, but it will be Hardy’s striking that makes the difference. A victories over Marcus Davis and convinced me that Hardy’s the real deal. A close judge’s decision will validate the –170 risk. And, two-to-one on the F-O-N will be frosting on the cake! Undefeated (14-0) John “Hitman” Hathaway is perhaps the best England has to offer. He has rolled through his opponents, including his last impressive win over Diego Sanchez! And, he has shown no indication that that will change tonight. Mike Pyle is dangerously good. He has shown guts, courage and determination, as well as a full palate of mixed martial arts skills. That won’t be enough, however, to de-rail the Hitman. And the British crowd will once again be treated to some world-class fighting. Hathaway is the biggest favorite on the card tonight. But, a small bridge-jump at –500 is in order here. A first round KO wins this one. I love watching heavyweight Cheick Kongo fight. He’s a beast that makes Godzilla look puny. And he can fire bombs!!! And, his atrocious ground game has improved. And, as long as he’s not fighting a submission guru like Frank Mir, he will always have a chance to win. Less experienced, but still undefeated (10-0 w/8 KOs), 6’7” Travis Browne is coming off a debut UFC win over James McSweeney (see elsewhere on this card). Browne has a puncher’s chance in my opinion, but this one looks like another “W” for Kongo to me. A brutal second round TKO will stop this affair. Another TUF show fighter, James Wilks is currently on the fringe of the UFC. He desperately needs to win to keep on rolling, another loss and he may soon be looking for another venue to show his wares. His opponent, Claude Patrick, has only one loss to Drew McFedries, and that was 8 1/2 years ago! In a fight that has me wondering why it is even on the main card, I see only modest interest in investing either way. But Patrick’s submission skills will be the difference, and a rear-naked choke ends this midway through the fight. Lay the –165 on Patrick. Now let’s take a brief look at the undercard. Former WEC light-heavyweight champion Steve Cantwell suffered a knee injury a few days ago and is out for his fight with Stanislav Nedkov. There was not enough time to find a substitute, so Nedkov claims his “Show” money, and Cantwell slides down the food chain. I’ll pass on the heavyweight slugfest between Fabio Maldonado and James McSweeney. The UFC always puts a couple of lead-fisted swingers into a the Octagon for crowd pleasing results. The Brazilian may show off some jui-jitsu skills, but McSweeney will swing for the fences and with a losing record there is not enough hope to warrant the +200 offering. I think Maldonado wins this one, but I won’t be betting on it any time soon! With a name like Vinicius Kappke de Quieroz you better know how to fight (and spell). Superior submission skills will provide a winning wager for me here. The ref will pull Quieroz off the body of his victim, Rob Broughton, late in the first round. I’ll be standing at the winner’s window with my –170 ticket. Quieroz by TKO. Undefeated (10-0) Paul Sass is another local British hero, who has submitted nine of his 10 opponents. Maybe this should be “the fastest submission” prop bet for the night? Laying just –180 looks like FREE money to me. His opponent, Mark Holst is inexperienced, but hopeful. What am I missing here? I’ll call this submission victory 10 for Sass as he advances his UFC career. Alexander Gustafsson has shown some serious and precise boxing skills in the UFC. He is quick and well-rounded, and is a slight favorite to defeat Frenchman, Cyrille Diabate. I like the even-money ‘dog here, and I’m hoping for a triangle choke to end this one somewhere before the bell sounds. A mild upset. Spencer “The King” Fisher is a fan favorite. He gives everything he has and relentlessly stalks his opponents with a repertoire of striking and wrestling skills. His ground game is grossly under-rated. Very few fighters have had has many fights or successes in the Octagon. But, the end is near. Fisher is showing his age and wear. Will he have enough left in the tank to take out debuting Kurt Warburton? I’m betting on it! Fisher is my play at –205. Well, that’s it for another hopefully exciting night of mixed martial arts fights. And, it’s all FREE tonight on Spike! Now, let’s see if we can do the math and make some fun money with smart money management skills with our “fictitious” $1000 bankroll ... Let’s lay $150 to win $75 on Michael Bisping. Let’s lay $85 to win $50 on Dan Hardy. Let’s lay $150 to win $30 on a Hathaway bridge jump. Let’s lay $111 to win $60 on Cheik Kongo’s KO power. Let’s lay $99 to win $60 on Patrick’s jits. Let’s lay $108 to win $60 on Sass’ submission streak. Let’s lay $85 to win $50 on de Quieroz. Let’s lay $60 to win $60 on Cyrille Diabate. Let’s lay $102 to win $50 on Spencer Fisher’s career to stay alive. Let’s pass on McSweeney vs. Maldonado. Better safe than sorry in a slugfest! So, in total we are risking $1000 to try and win $520. Let’s not forget to take some of our profits and support your local youth wrestling programs, where tomorrow’s champions are born! Enjoy the fights. I know I will.

The head coach of a college wrestling program is always receiving critiques. For most coaches that negative attention probably seems out of balance, like the 72 hours of work they accomplish every week goes unnoticed. This article only magnifies that attention deficit. As a former college wrestling coach and athlete, I understand that each of these men have worked hard to provide the best for their program, and could very well prove that they are anything but in trouble. Yet, others might very well be on their way on to another successful career. In wrestling there is always a replenishing of talent, both on the mat and in the coaches corner. As we saw last year, with new head coaches at Army, Northern Iowa, and Campbell, we should always expect some turnover, the following three coaches are just three top programs with coaches, and programs, in limbo. Under a Watchful Eye Joe McFarland (Michigan) Joe McFarland (Photo, Tony Rotundo, Tech-Fall.com)Michigan's runner-up finish (2005) must've felt like a century ago after the team finished 43rd in 2010. This season is promising with the addition of Eric Grajales to a lineup that includes 2009 All-American and two-time Big Ten champion Kellen Russell. However, McFarland, who recently helped raise the money for and plan the massive stand-alone Bahna Wrestling Center in Ann Arbor, is likely on a short leash if he doesn't improve the team's showing at Big Tens and the NCAAs (Remember: Nebraska is coming in 2011-2012). The addition of Brian Dolph as volunteer assistant and the designation as a Regional Training Center could help with recruiting and year-round practice partners. However, outside of Anthony Biondo, Justin Zeerip, and those previously mentioned, the Wolverines are thin on impact talent. C.D. Mock (North Carolina) A former NCAA champion for the Tar Heels, Mock came to Chapel Hill in 2002 after the resignation of longtime UNC head man Bill Lam. Mock has an excellent reputation in Pennsylvania where he led Council Rock High School to several successful seasons. However, his time in Chapel Hill has been shaky, with only one All-American wrestler in Evan Sola, and two ACC team titles (2005, 2006). Working in his favor are some extremely talented individuals in Jon Burns and Thomas Scotton, as well as a stellar 2011 recruiting class that already includes four InterMat Top 100 recruits. He also recently re-hired Cary Kolat and renovated the team's practice facility. Working against Mock is the recent success of the rest of the ACC (Maryland, U.Va., and Va. Tech), and a possibly emergent Duke Blue Devil team with a vastly improved coaching staff. Their gains have made his slightly less visible, which is a problem on a campus known for athletic excellence. Rande Stottlemyer (Pittsburgh) The EWL Coach of the Year and member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. His name is on the list because of tenure (31 years) and location. There is no area of America with more folkstyle wrestling talent than Western Pennsylvania and Rande Stottlemyer is responsible for holding onto that talent. Tom Ryan's success at Ohio State has in large part been a result of holding onto local talent, both in wrestlers and now with young coaches. Stottlemyer is a consistent performer, producing an All-American in 20 of his last 27 seasons, but increasingly, that consistency isn't compelling enough to resist change. Unfortunate for Pitt, Cael Sanderson and Penn State will continue to gorge on local talent and if Pitt doesn't figure a way to intercept some top names, they'll be forced to recruit from Western Maryland. Look for head assistant Jason Peters to get a look at the top job, should a change be made. Here are some coaches with programs moving up in the NCAA rankings. On the Rise Pat Popolizio (Binghamton) Pat Popolizio (Photo/Tony Rotundo, Tech-Fall.com)The list of recent achievements for Popolizio is impressive: two consecutive seasons with at least one All-American, CAA title in 2010, CAA Coach of the Year, and the highest national finish for the bearcats (21st). Popolizio isn't just recruiting big talent to his program, with the help of his brother Frank, they are turning northern New York into a hotbed to be respected not just for Greco-Roman wrestlers, but pure folkstyle talent. Justin Lister, Josh Patterson and Donnie Vinson all had an impact on the program in 2010, but don't be surprised if in the next few years, Popolizio is tapped to lead a big ticket program. While this change may be unfortunate for Binghamton it would be a logical progression for Popolizio ... He's certainly earned the opportunity Mark Branch (Wyoming) Does anyone else get the impression Branch may never leave Wyoming? The third-year coach is not only recruiting top talent, he's morphing hard-nosed wrestlers with standard athleticism into All-American contenders (See: Joe LeBlanc, Michael Martinez, Shane Onufer). Branch has more than 15 freshman coming into his program this year, and as they become part of his program there are certain to be several more West Regional championships for the 'Pokes. Jason Borrelli (Stanford) Borrelli was a risky hire for the Cardinal in 2008. The former Central Michigan wrestler had only been an assistant coach for two seasons and when he earned the job he instantly became the youngest coach in Division I. However, whatever he lacked in experience, he's compensated with ingenuity. The first meet of the 2010-2011 season will take place on the Farm when Stanford plays host to Northwestern in an outside dual meet, meant to promote the sport on campus. While he's getting a hang of how to promote his sport in California, he's also churning out quality wrestlers. Last year Borrelli coached sophomore 165-pounder Nick Amuchastegui to a fourth-place finish, and in the offseason picked up a few nice recruits. He also solidified his coaching staff by adding California-native, and former NCAA runner-up Alex Tirapelle. Expect more improvement to come from Palo Alto. Lifetime Exemptions Rob Koll (Cornell) Rob Koll: Standard-setting facility and a top-ranked program ... coming from the Ivy League. He's kind of the man right now. Tom Brands (Iowa) No one embodies the Hawkeye ideal more than the three-time NCAA champion wrestler and three-time NCAA champion coach. If they change coaches in the next 30 years they'd be changing the face of wrestling. J. Robinson (Minnesota) Innovator and championship coach has brought fame to a campus known for hockey and not much else. He'll be certain to leave on his own terms.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue wrestling team is set to open its season on Saturday with the first practice of the season. The Boilermakers are set for their best season in recent history, returning seven NCAA Championship qualifiers and seeking their first top-10 national finish since 1991. Leading the way for the Old Gold and Black is fourth-year head coach Scott Hinkel, who last year became the first coach in school history to post a winning dual record in each of his first three seasons at the helm. He guided the Boilermakers to their third straight top-30 team placement at the 2010 national championships and coached a Purdue wrestler to All-America status for the second straight year. With this year’s strong senior class, Hinkel has his sights set on nothing but outstanding results. “We have the talent, drive and work ethic to make this year something special,” said Hinkel. “These guys have worked incredibly hard, on the mat, in the classroom and in the community, and we’re all ready to see it pay off.” The Boilermakers have earned lots of national respect from potential opponents and the various national polls, including No. 13 rankings from WIN Magazine, TheOpenMat.com and Amateur Wrestling News, a No. 17 ranking from D1CollegeWrestling.net, a No. 20 ranking from WrestlingReport.com and an invitation to the NWCA National Duals. Purdue officially starts its season Saturday, Oct. 16, with an open practice at 10 a.m. in the Blake Wrestling Center in Lambert Fieldhouse. The homecoming football crowd and general public are invited to join the Boilermakers for a meet and greet, and then hang out to watch the first practice of the year. “We’re very excited about this season, and we want Purdue and the surrounding community to be excited too,” said Hinkel. 125 Pounds The Boilermakers have an incredible luxury at 125 pounds with the return of 2010 All-American Cashé Quiroga to the lineup. Quiroga became just the third true freshman in school history to earn national honors, taking sixth place at the NCAA Championships, and finishing 28-15 on the year. He’s also the first freshman at Purdue to crack the 100-takedown mark, racking up a team-best 124 takedowns, which is good for the sixth-highest single-season total in Boilermaker history. Quiroga is receiving a wealth of preseason attention from the various polls, including a No. 4 national ranking from WIN Magazine. Quiroga will get a wealth of support and challenge for his spot in the lineup as redshirt freshman Camden Eppert is roaring to go after sitting out his first year at Purdue. Eppert was the 2009 Indiana State Champion at 119 pounds, knocking off heralded recruit Brandon Wright in the state finals, and was tabbed the nation’s No. 63 recruit coming out of high school by InterMat. Also joining the ranks is Quiroga’s former high school teammate, Brandon Nelsen, who comes to Purdue after winning the 2010 Indiana State Championship at 119 pounds. Nelsen was 187-27 in his high school career, including a 51-1 mark as a senior and 50-4 mark as a junior. 133 Pounds Purdue’s 133-pound group is stocked with talent, highlighted by 2010 NCAA qualifier Akif Eren and junior Jake Fleckenstein. Eren set a series of career bests last year, including his 24-15 record and sixth-place finish at the Big Ten Championships, while Fleckenstein looks to cut down from 141 pounds last season, where he was 15-6 before a season-ending injury. Fleckenstein racked up an impressive 91 takedowns in his 21 matches, including seven major decisions and a trio of technical falls. Eren has been named the nation’s No. 27 wrestler at 133 pounds by WrestlingReport.com. Bolstering the effort at 133 are juniors Matt Fields and Bill Putman, who have come on strong over the last year. Fields is 27-18 over the last two years, varying between 125 and 133 pounds. He’s been a stud on top, sticking 10 opponents and rolling up 102 career back points. Putman was 14-11 last season in action at 133 and 141 pounds, including fifth-place efforts at the Cleveland State and Missouri Opens and a third-place finish at the Indianapolis Greyhound Open. Also certifying at 133 pounds is freshman Nick Lawrence, who was a two-time runner up at 125 pounds in Ohio before missing his senior year due to injury. 141 Pounds Senior Juan Archuleta represents another of the Boilermakers’ returning national qualifiers, going 28-14 last season with a fourth-place effort at the Big Ten Championships and a 2-2 mark at the NCAA Championships. Ranked 13th in the country in a pair of preseason polls, Archuleta nearly cracked the 100-takedown mark, totaling 96 to tie for 20th on the Purdue single-season record list. He had several impressive matches and wins last season topping Big Ten Champion Mike Thorn of Minnesota, Missouri’s Todd Schavrien, Elijah Nacita of Cal State Bakersfield and Ivan Lopouchanski of UNC Greensboro. With Archuleta scheduled to miss the first semester of competition, look for Eren or Fleckenstein to bump up and cover the 141 pounds slot until January. Archuleta leads a very young, but talented weight class for Purdue, which features freshman standout Brock Norton, who was an unblemished 39-0 last season en route to the Indiana state title at 135 pounds. 149 Pounds The starting job at 149 pounds for the Boilermakers comes down to redshirt senior Sam Patacsil and redshirt sophomore Tommy Churchard. Patacsil is the front-runner after being granted a medical hardship and sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA, and posting a 38-22 record over the last few seasons. With a wealth of varsity action at 149 and 157 pounds in 2009-10, Patacsil built an impressive 18-11 mark, including wins over nationally heralded James Fleming of Clarion and Collin Palmer of Ohio State. He amassed 79 back points on the year, good for the No. 12 single-season mark at Purdue, and built his career total to 141, which is tied for ninth in school history. Churchard is primed for the move to 149 after wrestling most of his freshman season at 141 pounds. His 7-5 record included a 4-0 championship performance at the Indianapolis Greyhound Open, which featured two pins and two major decisions. Freshmen Frankie Porras, Josh Martin, Travis Rohde and Dustin Schultz support the ranks at 149, projecting to redshirt their initial season. Porras was one of the nation’s best at 145 pounds last season, earning mention from InterMat and D1CollegeWrestling.net, after winning Indiana state titles in 2009 and 2010, while Martin is the younger brother of former Boilermaker Jason Martin and was an Indiana state championship qualifier in 2010. Rohde and Schultz both qualified for their respective state tournaments their senior years as well. 157 Pounds Senior Colton Salazar puts the Boilermakers’ 157-pound slot in good hands, heading into the season with a trio of NCAA qualifications and Big Ten Championships placings under his belt. Salazar posted his first career 30-win season in 2009-10, finishing 30-13 on the year and rolling up a career- best 81 takedowns, and had his best-ever showing at the conference championships, taking second place. Salazar has already received some solid early-season attention, being tabbed No. 13 in the country by WIN Magazine and 15th in the nation by WrestlingReport.com. Salazar has a parade of freshman lined up behind him at 157, featuring Austin Kunze, Pat Robinson, Ryan Stahl and Alex Surma. Each member of the group were state qualifiers their final years in high school, while Robinson, Stahl and Surma were state placewinners in Indiana as Robinson was third at 145 pounds, Stahl was fourth at 152 pounds and Surma was fourth at 145 pounds. 165 Pounds With the graduation of Jason Martin, the Boilermakers will see a fresh face at 165 pounds this season, and could be any one of four young grapplers. Freshmen Kyle Mosier, Ethan Smith, Patrick Kissel and Cameron Vlahos all have their hats in the ring, each boasting a set of solid credentials. Mosier is the lone redshirt of the group, sitting out last year and gaining valuable experience. He had 173 career high school wins, including 119 pins, and placed at the Indiana state championships three times. Smith comes back to the Boilermakers after spending the last two years on a religious mission in Chile, signing with Purdue out of Wasatch High School in Utah, the same as current teammate Colton Salazar. A nationally-ranked recruit in 2008, Smith was a two-time state champion and took fourth-place at senior nationals in 2008 at 160 pounds. Kissel hopes to follow in the footsteps his older brother, A.J., who had an outstanding rookie campaign for the Boilermakers in 2007-08 as a true freshman. Patrick Kissel won a pair of Wisconsin state high school titles at Oostburg High School, finishing with a 158-9 career record and more than 70 career pins. Vlahos looks to be a hometown hero for the Boilermakers, hailing from Harrison High School in West Lafayette, where he was a two-time state championship qualifier. He took fourth place at the state meet last season at 160 pounds, and set several school records, including a season-best record of 56-4, 136 career wins and 69 career pins. 174 Pounds Senior Luke Manuel looks to finish off an outstanding career this season and is set to go down as one of the top wrestlers in school history. Manuel broke the Boilermakers’ single-season win record in 2009-10, earning 41 victories, and his 96 career wins rank him 15th in school history as he will become the 15th wrestler in school history to crack the 100-win plateau. He’s 38 wins shy of the Boilermakers’ career record (136 by Ryan Lange, 2001-04), and his 76.2% career win percentage is 10th-best in school history. Manuel was also one of three Boilermakers to surpass 100 takedowns last season en route to 217 for his career, good for 15th all-time at Purdue. Last season, Manuel made his third-straight trip to the NCAA Championships after a fifth-place showing at the conference tournament. His 41-6 mark was the 10th-best individual season in Purdue’s history, while he relinquished just 14 takedowns in 47 matches. With preseason rankings as high as ninth in the country at 174, Manuel has his sights set on a Big Ten Championship and All-America honors in his final season. Rookie Andy Wiseman looks to gain valuable experience this season under Manuel, joining the Boilermakers from Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind., where he was a state qualifier last season. 184 Pounds Purdue and the rest of the wrestling world has anxiously awaited the return of fall maestro A.J. Kissel and after redshirting the 2009-10 season, he’ll jump back into the Boilermaker lineup this year. In his first two seasons with the Boilermakers, Kissel tormented opponents, amassing 19 pins as a freshman and 17 as a sophomore, good for the top-two single-season totals in school history. His 36 falls are already good for third all-time at Purdue as he aims to take over the top spot from current Purdue head coach Scott Hinkel in 2010-11. Kissel qualified for the national championships in each of his first two seasons at 184 pounds, nearly earning All-America status as a sophomore with a Round of 12 finish. He’s slotted to be one of the top-two grapplers in the Big Ten Conference this season, earning preseason rankings as high as seventh in the country from the various polls. Freshman standout Braden Atwood looks to cut his teeth under Kissel, coming to Purdue with exceptional high school credentials. Atwood is the most highly touted of the Boilermakers’ freshman class, receiving national recognition from D1CollegeWrestling.net among other polls. The local product from Delphi High School was a three-time Indiana state championship placewinner, including a second-place effort last season, and won 182 career matches. 197 Pounds The top half of the Boilermakers’ 2010-11 lineup seems to roll out one nationally-elite wrestler after another, and senior Logan Brown is no exception. Like Luke Manuel, Brown is closing in on the 100-career win mark, heading into the season with an 87-44 career mark, including a 33-13 record last season. His 240 career takedowns are good for 13th in school history as he matched Manuel with 101 last year, tying for the No. 15 single-season mark at Purdue. Brown’s junior season included his third-consecutive trip to the NCAA Championships, a fourth-place Big Ten Championship finish and placewinning efforts at the Midlands Championships, Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and a pair of open tournaments. He had nine wins over ranked opponents last season, and opens this year ranked as high as seventh in the national polls. Brown will have support from veteran classmate David Pisarcik, who has had a solid Purdue career to date, competing from 184 pounds to heavyweight, including a few outstanding performances at heavyweight last season. His win at Illinois led the Boilermakers to their first win over the Fighting Illini in more than 10 years, while he displayed a very gutsy performance at the Big Ten Championships, despite giving up a considerable weight advantage to his opponents. 285 Pounds The Boilermakers are anxious for the return of senior Roger Vukobratovich to the tail end of the lineup as he assumes the Purdue heavyweight slot after missing 2009-10 with an injury. He had a promising start to last season, topping Michigan’s Ben Apland (D 10-6) and nearly beating highly-ranked Chris Birchler of Edinboro (D 5-7) at the Eastern Michigan Open, but had to forgo the remainder of the year. Vukobratovich was very good in open competition in 2008-09, going 10-4 with five falls, and four years of work with Boilermaker assistant coach Tom Erikson should pay dividends as he aims to be the Boilermakers’ first heavyweight NCAA qualifier since Israel Blevins in 2004. A young supporting cast sits behind Vukobratovich, including sophomore Adam Walls and freshmen Alex White and Gage Boyd. Walls filled in for the injured Vukobratovich for most of last season, compiling an 11-24 mark with four falls, including a Big Ten win at Northwestern. White and Boyd both are hungry for their first taste of action, each with solid high school credentials. Schedule The Boilermakers’ preseason hype warranted a solid 2010-11 schedule, and the Purdue coaches stepped up to the challenge, filling this year’s schedule with a list of worthy opponents and events. The coaching staff’s main priority for the season was filling their schedule with quality instead of quantity as the Boilermakers’ seven NCAA Championship qualifiers finished the season with an average of 43 matches per wrestler and felt worn out by the end of the season. Purdue opens the season with a pair of dual matches at Edinboro University on Nov. 6, where the Boilermakers will face the host Fighting Scots as well as Hofstra Unviersity. Edinboro garnered preseason rankings as high as 24th in the country, while Hofstra was ranked as high as 16th. The Boilermakers will follow up with preparation stops at the Michigan State Open and a dual with Calumet College of St. Joseph before heading west for the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational for competition against some of the nation’s best, including highly-ranked Cornell, Boise State and Oklahoma as well as Big Ten rivals Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio State and Wisconsin. The competition doesn’t slow down upon a return home from the desert as Purdue is scheduled to host perennial Big 12 power Missouri on Dec. 12 in the Boilermakers’ home opener, followed by a Big Ten Dual opener at Illinois before the holiday break. The Old Gold and Black will forgo their trip to the Midlands Championships this season, but replace it with a prestigious trip to the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals on Jan. 8-9 in Cedar Falls, Iowa, marking their first return to the event since 1993. The Big Ten Duals remain as tough as ever as the Boilermakers head to Michigan for their second conference bout, followed by a non-conference stop at the annual Wendy’s Classic, where Purdue is scheduled to square off with Gardner-Webb, Kent State and host Ashland. The remainder of the conference schedule features road contests at Northwestern and Wisconsin, while the Boilermakers are set to play host to Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan State and archrival Indiana. Purdue’s contest with the Hawkeyes will be held at Penn High School in Mishawaka, Ind., while the regular-season finale against the Hoosiers will carry with it a point in the coveted Crimson and Gold Cup standings between Purdue and Indiana. Originally scheduled to host the conference tournament this season, Purdue was forced to forgo its hosting responsibilities due to the construction project on Mackey Arena and the athletic facilities. The 2011 Big Ten Championships were therefore moved to Northwestern, where the Wildcats will host in Welsh-Ryan Arena. From there the Boilermakers look to take another strong contingent to the NCAA Championships, set for the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Missouri wrestling program released their 2010-11 schedule on Thursday as announced by Tiger head coach Brian Smith. The 65th season of Missouri wrestling will kick off on Saturday, Oct. 30 with the annual Black and Gold meet at the Hearnes Center. Missouri will host five events and will face off against five of the top-25 teams ranked in Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine’s (WIN) preseason NCAA Division I Tournament Power Index. The season gets underway officially on Nov. 12 with a dual meet against Illinois in Edwardsville, Ill. The Fighting Illini were ranked No. 9 in WIN’s preseason rankings. A week later, the Tigers open up their home schedule with a quad-meet as they play host to Lindenwood, Hofstra and Oregon State at Hearnes Center on Nov. 21. On Nov. 27, Mizzou will head out to Albany, N.Y. for the Journeymen/Asics Northeast Collegiate Duals, where the Tigers will face off against American, Rutgers, No. 19 Lehigh and Maryland. On Dec. 5 the Tigers take on No. 25 Kent State at home, and the following week they will face the Purdue Boilermakers, who are tied for 13th in the early polls, in a dual that is scheduled to be televised on the Big Ten Network in Lafayette, Ind. Missouri returns to Indiana a week later to face the Indiana Hoosiers and Eastern Michigan on Dec. 19. The Tigers will compete in the Midlands Invitational in Evanston, Ill. on Dec. 29-30 and at the NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls, Iowa, on Jan. 8-9. Mizzou comes back to the Hearnes Center to open up the 2011 portion of their schedule with a tri-meet against Tennessee Chattanooga and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville on Jan. 15. The dual with UTC will also be apart of the annual Beauty and the Beast event, with the Missouri gymnastics squad taking on SEMO on the same floor. The conference season opens on Jan. 30 when the Tigers host Nebraska, ranked No. 24. From there, they have back-to-back road duals with No. 3 Oklahoma State and No. 7 Oklahoma on Feb. 4-5. The regular season closes with a home meet against Iowa State on Feb. 13. This year’s Big 12 Championship is in Ames, Iowa on March 5, while the NCAA Championship is in Philadelphia, Pa. and will take place on March 17-19. Stay tuned to mutigers.com for more information.

Lawrenceville, N.J. -- James Nicholson and Grant Chapman are ranked No. 1 in their respective weight classes in the CAA preseason rankings and Old Dominion is picked third as a team, the CAA announced on Wednesday. Nicholson, a three-time CAA champion and All-American in 2008, was picked to win at 125 pounds. Nicholson has garnered accolades from several publications so far this year, being ranked in the top-11 of three national polls. The Des Moines, Iowa native is ranked No. 10 by Amateur Wrestling News and DIcollegewrestling.net. Chapman was picked first at 285 pounds. The ODU sophomore went 14-23 last season. Senior Kyle Hutter was ranked second at 133 pounds. Hutter, a two-time NCAA qualifier, redshirted last season, going 25-1 wrestling unattached. Also announced was the preseason CAA all-Freshman team, which for the second-straight year ODU led the squad with three members. Jerome Robinson, a two-time Ohio state champion and the No. 2 recruit at his weight class, earned all-freshman honors at 125. Cade Blair, a Valley Center, Kan. native, represented ODU at 157 pounds. He won three Kansas state championships and finished sixth at the NHSCA national tournament, earning All-American honors. Jacob Henderson earned the all-freshman honor at 197 pounds. The Toledo, Ohio native was ranked No. 24 in the nation at his weight class and was Ohio state runner-up twice. The Monarchs begin the year with its annual Blue/Silver match on Sunday, Oct. 24 at 2 p.m. before beginning the regular season Nov. 7 at the Hokie Open.

Wrestling Fans its almost here. The season! We return to the Brute Adidas studios for this weeks show brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods. Join Scott Casber, Geoff Murtha (Simpson) and Ryan Freeman (Ok State) and Randy Crimmins. Geoff Murtha joins us courtesy of Mass Mutual Financial Services, Ryan Freeman courtesy of ATT. This week we have a special guest host, Chad Wiltsey of theWrestlingtalk.com will join us for 2 hours. Our Guests Include: (All times Central) 9:01 Rob Koll- Head Coach of Cornell University 9:20 Paul Deamer- World Wide Sport Supply will be presenting the 2nd Annual Coaching Clinic and NYSPHSAA October 30th and 31st. This is FREE to attend and have some top-notch clinicians. 9:40 Trent Goodale- Head Coach Limestone College. Trent was named head coach of the Saints program in the spring of 2009. He became the interim head coach during the 2008-09 season and served as an assistant coach for Limestone from 2006-08. Limestone has had much success under Goodale’s direction since his arrival. The team has been nationally-ranked and sent several wrestlers to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. 9:50 Amy Williams- Wildrose Resort 10:01 Shawn Charles- Head Coach Arizona State University- Looking for a record year, Charles has some good returning athletes and a talented roster of recruits too. 10:20 Jordan Leen- Assist. Coach at Duke University- Jordan joined the Duke program in September. A NCAA Champion in 2008, Leen will assist head coach Clar Anderson and assistant coach Glen Lanham and will work closely with the middle weight classes 10:40 Joel Sharrett- Head Coach US Airforce Academy- Flying high as always, Sharrett looks to the brand and to raise awareness of the program. Wrestling fans- Episode 79 of TDR TV wrestling news is now on. Check your TV Guide for listings. How to watch and listen- TDR and TDR TV. It's appointment Radio and TV! 4.5 MILLION HOMES AND GROWING! TDR on Radio: LIVE Saturday at 9:00 AM CST on 1460 KXNO in Iowa. Saturday nights at 7:00 PM Eastern on Supertalk 1570 in Michigan, TDR TV: Mediacom Cable Ch. 22. IA, MO, AK, NE, MN, IL Tues. 5 PM, Sat. 10 AM Time Warner Cable NY Ch. 813 (Check Local Listings) Comcast Cable Tennessee Ch. 96 Fridays 5 PM CATV- CCN, Pennsylvania Ch. 8 Fridays 5 PM Western Reserve Ohio Cable Ch. 9 Fridays at 5:30 (Premiered October 15th) Call your local cable operator and ask them to carry TDR TV TDR on Internet: You can join us 9 to 11 AM Saturday mornings at Takedownradio.com TDR TV On Internet: 32 various web sites now carry your favorite wrestling news show Thanks to our affiliates, our media partners and friends at Livesportsvideo.com. Thanks for watching and listening!

Wednesday was a big day for Pennsylvania state champion Kenny Courts, it was college decision time. After narrowing his list of schools to three and taking official visits to Ohio State, Maryland, and Arizona State the choice was not easy but looking back the signs were there all along. Kenny Courts"I am going to be a Buckeye next year," responded Courts over the phone on Wednesday night. "When I was growing up, I always was an Ohio State fan so the chance for me to wrestle at OSU was too hard to turn down. From the coaches to the team, the school and the city; everything came together to create the environment that is right for me." A two-time state place winner for Central Dauphin High School, Courts is 96-4 in three years of varsity competition. He exploded on to the national wrestling scene as a freshman by reaching the finals of the Super 32 and winning a Beast of the East title at 135 pounds before a knee injury and surgery ended his year. As a sophomore Kenny moved up to 160 and went 43-4 placing sixth at the Beast and second at state and as a junior he has undefeated at 42-0 winning his second Beast of the East title and his first state championship at 171 pounds. "I really like the way that the Ohio State coaches work together. Tom Ryan is a great head coach; Lou Rosselli stays on everyone all year round to bring out their best: and J Jaggers can get on the mat with anyone and put them through a workout," offered Courts when speaking of his decision. "It was very, very hard to tell Coach McCoy I wasn't going to Maryland but sometimes the best decisions are the hardest to make." Kenny Courts is currently the 12th-ranked recruit in his senior class by InterMat after finishing last season ranked sixth nationally at 171 pounds. He is expected to move up to 189 for his senior year and anticipates wrestling at 184 pounds for the Buckeyes. "I wanted to make this decision now so I could focus on my senior year. It is a big commitment to wrestle in college and there is a lot of pressure in making your decision. Making a choice now … takes the weight off my shoulders," stated Kenny. "I am going to have a lot of hard matches this year and I need to spend my time getting in shape and ready to go instead of taking visits and looking too far ahead." Ohio State fans can thank the pilot that flew Courts back from his recent visit to Arizona State for giving him a sign. Flying to Baltimore from Phoenix the plane stopped in Columbus and the crew and the passengers erupted into an "OH" -- "IO" chant over the PA and throughout the cabin. "Both my mom and I were in awe of the Buckeye Nation on my flight home," described Courts. "No one knew who I was or anything about me, but when the captain said "OH" and we all said "IO" it was something special. I don't want to say I was looking for help making a choice but that was something else. It may or may not have been a sign, but it truly was a wow moment." With his college decision made the goals for his senior year are simple. "I want to work hard, have fun, get better, and win. I only have one year of high school left and I want to enjoy it," responded Courts. "When it comes to wrestling I want to keep pushing the pace and get in the best shape I can. I want to work on my technique, spend time on the bottom, and keeping improving my strengths on my feet. No matter how good you are or how good you think you are, there are always things that you can do that will help you get better." Kenny Courts is the fifth verbal commitment for Ohio State joining seniors Hunter Stieber, Cam Tessari, and Johnni DiJulius as well as 2010 graduate Derek Garcia. All five wrestlers are expected to sign their National Letter(s) of Intent during the November signing period and each is ranked in the top twenty-five of their senior classes. "I don't think you can ignore the success the Buckeyes have had the last few years. With the talent they have coming back and the potential we have coming in next year, we believe that we can compete for individual success and team success. We can win as individuals and we can win as a team," stated Courts. "We have the potential to do great things and I think we are going to be a tough team to beat." InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from BuckeyeWrestling.com. http://www.buckeyewrestling.com/index.php?q=node/37587