InterMat Staff

Last fall, I wrote an article for InterMat and The Guillotine titled "Whatever happened to UMD Wrestling?" about the demise of the University of Minnesota-Duluth wrestling program. At the very beginning of that story I wrote that I had no idea when I started looking into the story that two years later UMD wrestling would still be such a big part of my life. Here I stand almost three years later and I am still talking about something that happened fifteen years ago. Normally I wouldn't revisit the same subject so quickly, but out of such a bad ending some remarkable things have taken place. The story of the UMD wrestling program continues. The college students The response I received after the story was published was overwhelming. Thank you to everyone who responded so positively after the story came out. One of the people who contacted me was Matt Jennissen, who at the time was starting his sophomore year at UMD. He wrestled in high school for his dad at Cambridge-Isanti. "When I got up to school (at UMD), "I saw there wasn't any wrestling at the high school level or even a club team at any of the colleges," said Jennissen. "I wanted to change that because I was missing it from high school." He didn't start his freshman year until the second semester last year so the club took some time to get rolling. He was able to get a handful of guys interested and went to the area of the school administration that was in charge of student associations. "They didn't have any space for us or any mats so we got in touch with Nate Bipes, who runs the North Shore Wrestling Club, which is a youth program. We would go in three days a week after (the youth program) finished. We had ten guys at the start and by the end had about four guys come to the practices." With the word out a little, and because they were able to start right away in 2009, the attendance at practices went up. At the top end they had twenty four kids interested in the program and would usually have six to ten guys at the practices. As more people have gotten involved, the club will try to expand. They are going to try to do some fundraising after this season to try to do some open tournaments next year. They have taken baby steps despite not received any help from UMD. "We are registered as a student organization," said Jennissen. "At first I asked them about an extra auxiliary gym that is not really in use. If we could come up with the mats, I asked them if we could store the mats there and use it when it wasn't in use. They said that wasn't OK. When I tried to get us registered (as a club sport) through the Recreational Sports and Outdoors Program they didn't really give me a reason (why they couldn't). They never got back to me." Jennissen is hopeful for the future. "With it going to be our third year and with this being Kathryn Martin's last year as Chancellor here, we are optimistic we will get some more support. We are basically plugging away at the lowest level we can." A grass roots crusade The help Jennissen and his club have received from Bipes comes from one man's crusade to get wrestling going at the youth level in the Duluth area. Bipes wrestled for McLeod West in the mid-nineties and was a two-time state entrant there. His competitive wrestling career was over, but after college he knew he still wanted to be involved in the sport. After his family re-located to the Duluth area he started to volunteer with Superior (WI)'s high school program. "I got my son involved when he was in kindergarten with their youth program," said Bipes. "That is when I ran into a couple of other guys I knew (Luther Darby and Brian Carle) and the three of us got together. I have always been a Minnesota guy at heart and we started to try to get something going for the area up here." They started looking for a mat and for a place to hold practices. Ironically, the mat they use is the old UMD mat that Bipes got from the youth program in Cloquet, Minnesota. "They (the Cloquet booster club and program) have been a big help and a support though out the whole process. They send kids our way and we have been working together to expand wrestling in the area." At first it took him contacting everyone in the area he could think of for help, but it took a year for Bipes to even find a school that would let him use a room for his club. He finally found a spot in an elementary school about fifteen minutes outside of town. With a place to go, the club had an abbreviated season and about thirty kids in year one. They just finished their third season and have about twelve kids who have been with the club since its start. Bipes found out about Jennissen and his guys through The Guillotine. They met and have benefited each other. Bipes gives the college guys mat time after the North Shore Club has finished and the college guys -- specifically Cullen Berg from Simley and Kyle Larson from Chaska helped the club get a freestyle and Greco-Roman program going. "Right now things couldn't look better for us," said Bipes. "We've got kids in the program that are coming back. We've got a great core of younger kids. We had 42 kids and fifteen that stayed for freestyle and Greco. If they stick together and we can keep this progressing we are not going to be just another program. We are running our program longer every year. We had guys wrestling at the freestyle and Greco state tournament. We qualified seven kids for the MN/USA folkstyle qualifier. We've got some good parent support, some good coaches and we've got some people who are buying into the program." Bipes was able to secure a grant through MN/USA Wrestling that they give to help groups that are trying to get wrestling in an area that doesn't have it. With that money and money he hopes to get through fundraising, Bipes hopes to outfit the kids with better equipment and take the next step toward a junior varsity-type program. The Proctor/Hermantown/Duluth Marshal co-op is where Bipes would like to end up. "We are just trying to keep our nose clean, don't ruffle any feathers along the way and show the community this is something the kids need," said Bipes. "This is a sport we understand (people in the area) might not be familiar with, but if you give it a try we know you are going to like it." The schools have been supportive and helped the club continue. Right now the club has kids from Proctor, Hermantown and Duluth. Bipes' goal is to be an official program with the co-op within four years. "We need to go to that school board with all of our ducks in a row. We took a lot of notes from what Cloquet was able to do (going from a club team to a varsity team). We have to have all our financial backing ready so when you go to that school board and they say 'we can't afford to run another program', we can say we will run the program, we will pay for it, just let us have it." Building bridges and righting a wrong Unbelievably, less than a year after the first UMD article was published, the Minnesota-Duluth program is nearly at the same spot. Ever since the program was killed, the wrestling alumni have wanted to bring the program back. When former head coach Neil Ladsten was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame the alumni started to contact each other through Facebook -- the social networking Web site -- to get the word out on Ladsten's day. As more people got involved, the wheels started to turn. Conversations turned to bringing the program back. The plan is ambitious. Not only do the alumni want to get UMD's program running again, they see the program as a beacon for the whole area and something that can give the youth in the area something to shoot for. UMD wrestling camps, putting together a Midlands-style tournament at the DECC in Duluth, and support for schools who want to get programs going in the future would all be things the alumni would want to someday see in place. The athletes are in the area and more importantly in the state. There are coaches who have said they would want to be a part of the program. But in order to get there, three major hurdles stand in the way. One big one has been cleared. Jerry Hoy wrestled for Apple Valley in the late 70s. For years he was the only wrestling inductee into the Bulldog Hall of Fame. He sat down with a friend of his. "I was at (the donor's) house, "said Hoy, " and (the donor) came up to me and said 'I read article (the UMD article from earlier in the year) and said 'you go ahead and get that program going and don't worry about the money. Just get it going.' Normally you would just look at someone and tell them 'you don't know how much this costs', but if you knew this person you wouldn't even question it." Hoy said the mystery donor is committed to getting the program started and supporting it early on, but would expect with fundraising to be slowly weaned off of being the major contributor to the program. Unlike the first time around -- when raising enough money was not going to work -- this time it would be more feasible. The alumni are all established in their careers and are in a better place to generate the money needed to slowly take over the expenses. "We would really have to be aggressive with fundraising," said former UMD wrestler Jim Paddock. "We have over three hundred alumni. We are all connected on Facebook now. I think they are committed. Most of these guys are in their fifties. Yhey have careers and they have means. These are things we didn't have twenty years ago. I know we could do it financially. "(The donor) is not the kind of person to just give out money," said Hoy. "We are going to have to work for it. There is no set time limit, but (the donor) is going to want us to set up a steady flow of donations to wean (the donor) off of it or at least get it down to half or something." The second major hurdle to cross will be to keep UMD in Title IX compliance. In order to add a men's program -- even one that is funded entirely outside of the University -- UMD would have to reduce the number of men's athletes or add a women's program. With the recent rise of the football program to national prominence and the success of the men's hockey team the last five years, it would be unlikely that the administration would want to take away spots from the men. "We need a women's program to piggyback with us," said Hoy. "We need a women's coach to come in and lobby. If anybody knows of a passionate coach who wants to bring in a women's program, that would really help out. Ideally if a women's coach would approach the athletic director about getting a women's program going and plant that seed, then we can come along and say we would like to get the wrestling program back and we can pay for it ourselves. Then maybe (UMD) would say, 'Maybe this would work.' "The one objection that we can't do a whole lot with is, 'We don't want you here. If there is still some bad blood up there, then we are dead in the water." Hoy and Paddock are hopeful that the bad feelings that were generated the first time around will be gone with the exit of Martin. "There is no one left up there from when it all went down," said Paddock. "They are all gone." The time might be right. Although not a friend of wrestling, Martin and others in the administration have done a lot of good at the university. My family and I have been visiting our old school once a year for about five years ... and what the administration has done to the campus is impressive. To the naked eye it was sort of a drab campus fifteen years ago. Now improvements have been made all over campus. It is a campus to be proud of. Although they might have been forced to do it, the UMD administration cleaned out everyone in the athletic department that was part of the corruption up there. Eventually almost all the programs have had success -- many at the national level. Included in those success stories are the two big revenue generating programs and the one the wrestlers helped create. When the wrestling team was cut, the two biggest programs at the school were not doing well. The football team had its first losing season in years. After the program was cut, the football program quickly fell to the bottom of the conference. After a few coaching changes, athletic director Bob Neilson became the head coach. His program won the Division II national championship in 2008 and qualified for the tournament again last year. They made renovations to the football stadium to make it one of the best DII fields in the area. The men's hockey team was in the bottom half of the WCHA standings regularly in the late-nineties. Since Scott Sandlin was hired the team has had its ups and downs, but has been in the NCAA tournament twice in the last five years and came within one or two wins last season of making it again. Next season they will be opening a new area on the waterfront. The women's hockey team has won numerous championships and much of the credit for all the programs has to go to the people who are in charge now. They have turned the entire athletic department around. In doing that, the climate for bringing the program back is better than it has ever been. The current UMD administration has proven they can turn around and run successful programs. In order to get wrestling back at UMD (and the area in general) people in the right places may just need a little push. If you want to help at any level, the people leading the charge gave us the following ways to get involved. To contact the North Shore Wrestling Club or the students running the UMD club team, go to North Shore's Web site: www.north shorewrestlingclub.com. If you know of any old wrestling gear -- shoes, head gear, or even something like mat tape lying around, Bipes would love to take it off of your hands. If someone has a used wrestling mat you would like to sell or simply get it out of storage -- instead of throwing it away, Bipes would love to hear from you. To contact the people involved in bringing the Minnesota-Duluth program back the best way to get involved is to join Facebook, look up and join the page originally set up by Jennissen, "Bring wrestling back to Duluth." It is free and a great way to get involved in the movement. Hoy and Paddock will be meeting with administrators at UMD later this summer. The administration needs to know Minnesota is ready to have the program back. Listed at the end of this article is the contact information for the UMD athletic director and the members of the U of M Board of Regents. A great way to help would be to contact these people and let them know you support bringing the program back. The more positive feedback supporters of wrestling can give to the decision makers at the university, the easier it will make it for the movement. "We just want to right a wrong, "said Paddock. "If UMD lets us do it, we get a program back and after a few years it is not working, then let it die. We can live with that. We just can't live with the way it was murdered." UMD Athletic Director/Head Football Coach Bob Nielson: rnielson@d.umn.edu Members of the Board of Regents Clyde E. Allen, Jr: allen190@umn.edu Dallas Bohnsack: bohnsack@umn.edu Linda A. Cohen: lacohen@umn.edu David M. Larson: dmlarson@umn.edu Anthony R. Baraga: no email listed John Frobenius: froben@umn.edu Steven D. Hunter: sdhunter@umn.edu Maureen Ramirez: ramir015@umn.edu Richard B. Beeson: rbeeson@umn.edu Venora M. Hung: hung0025@umn.edu Dean E. Johnson: djohns@umn.edu Patricia S. Simmons: simmons@umn.edu The Regent's Web site asks that any correspondence is sent also to the Executive Director and Corporate Secretary Ann D. Cieslak at cieslak@umn.edu.

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State assistant wrestling coach Chris Bono announced Wednesday that he is resigning his position to pursue opportunities inside and outside the wrestling community. “I have been in wrestling a long time,” Bono said. “I am looking at options and considering what is best for my family. They are my first priority.” Bono just completed the first season of his second stint as an assistant coach for the Iowa State wrestling team. He had been head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga for three previous seasons (2006-09). “Chris Bono will always be a part of the Cyclone family and has been a valuable member of my staff,” Iowa State head coach Kevin Jackson said. “He has made significant contributions as a student-athlete and as a coach at ISU. Chris will be hard to replace but we are going to seek a worthy successor.” Bono worked for former Cyclone head coach Bobby Douglas as an assistant coach and was the Cyclones' head assistant coach for the his final three years (2002-2005) in Ames. Bono was a three-time All-American at Iowa State, winning the NCAA 150-pound championship in 1996.

Former professional wrestling star Rene Goulet and journalist J. Michael Kenyon will be radio show guests this week. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum and can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Rene Goulet was a professional wrestler for 30 years. He will be receiving the Lou Thesz Award on July 10 in Waterloo, Iowa, at the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame inductions ceremony. J. Michael Kenyon is a former journalist and broadcaster who lives in Oregon. He has covered many sports over the years including professional wrestling. He will receive the Jim Melby Award for excellence in journalism.

Air Force wrestling head coach Joel Sharratt announced today the arrival of the Class of 2014. This year’s incoming freshman class features 24 wrestlers, including seven entries from the Academy Prep School. Featured in the group are 10 high school state champions and three NCWA All-Americans. “The team and staff are excited about this year’s class, and the talent and depth it will add to the program,” said Sharratt. “Personally, I am proud of the effort the team and coaches gave to attract such a great group of young men to the Academy. These guys offer the Academy tremendous depth in all aspects of our mission and hold great promise as future leaders.” Following is a listing of this year’s newcomers, along with a brief summary of their previous athletic accomplishments: - Carter Adams, Coon Rapids, Minn. – Attended the Academy Prep School … four-time state placer in high school … All-American at NCWA Nationals in 2010, finishing third … captured title at 2010 NWCA Southwest Regional … posted a 25-10 overall record at the Prep School. - Dan Barringer, Monument, Colo. – Third-place state finisher in 2009 … state champion in 2010 … compiled a perfect record (45-0) as a senior … academic all-state honoree. - Daniel Baucke, Bartlett, Tenn. – Three-time state champion … three-time state placer … Fargo Cadet All-American. - Jared Broussard, Maurice, La. – State champion in 2009. - Jonsen Crandall, Oakley, Utah – Two-time state champion … two-time state runner-up. - Cody Davis, The Woodlands, Texas - Two-time state champion … placed third in 2008 … fifth-place at 2008 Cadet Greco Nationals. - Brook Gosch, Orwigsburg, Pa. - Eighth place at NHSCA Junior Nationals … state qualifier in 2010. - Evan Gros, Lake Orion, Mich. – Attended the Academy Prep School … three-time state placer in high school … two-time state runner-up. - Devin Hightower, Colorado Springs, Colo. – Attended the Academy Prep School … finished sixth in the state in high school … NWCA Southwest Regional runner-up in 2010. - Jarret Hoeppner, Apple Valley, Minn. – Attended the Academy Prep School … three-time state placer in high school … All-American at NCWA Nationals in 2010, finishing seventh … finished first at 2010 NWCA Southwest Regional … posted a record of 22-9 at the Prep School, including 15 falls. - Colby Kluesner, Denver, Colo. – Placed fifth in state in 2009 … finished third in 2010. - Joshua Kreimier, Fort Collins, Colo. – Attended the Academy Prep School … academic all-state in 2008 … two-time state runner-up in high school … state champion in 2008 … ranked 13th nationally by W.I.N. Magazine in 2008 … Fila Cadet National Greco runner-up … four-time Cadet Asics All-American … All-American at NCWA Nationals in 2010, placing third … finished first at 2010 NWCA Southwest Regional, earning Outstanding Wrestler honors … compiled a 36-8 record at Prep School. - Garrett Manley, Holland, Ohio – Fourth place state finisher in 2008. - Blake Mabry, Mesa, Ariz. – Attended the Academy Prep School … state placewinner and state champion in high school … state freestyle champion … runner-up at NWCA Southwest Regional in 2010. - Justin Martinez, Henderson, Nev. – Attended the Academy Prep School … Prep School national champion and two-time Prep School All-American in high school … two-time state runner-up. - Chris Morales, Rio Rancho, N.M. – Third-place state finisher as a sophomore … state champion in junior year … member of New Mexico Dream Team in 2009. - Michael Osborne, Union, Ky. – Finished fourth in state in 2009 … state champion in 2010. - Greg Rinker, Bath, Pa. – State qualifier … two-time NHSCA All-American. - Jared Tonder, Parachute, Colo. – Four-time state placewinner … state champion in 2010. - Jesse Stafford, Loomis, Calif. – Placed fourth in state in 2009 … state runner-up in 2010.

Stephen Neal

DES MOINES, Iowa -- The NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee announced Friday, June 25 that Iowa State University has been selected to host the 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, Iowa. The NCAA Committee also awarded the 2014 Wrestling Championship to Oklahoma City, Okla. The Des Moines Local Organizing Committee (LOC) spent nearly two years working through the bid process, with input from the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau (GDMCVB), Des Moines Area Sports Commission, Iowa State University, the Big 12 Conference, Global Spectrum and Polk County. "Booking this event was truly a collaborative effort and one that the whole community can now celebrate," said Greg Edwards, President/CEO of the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau (GDMCVB). "We're proud to continue bringing quality events into Greater Des Moines to benefit the local economy." "We are thrilled that the NCAA Championship is coming back to Central Iowa and to Wells Fargo Arena for the first time," Iowa State athletics director Jamie Pollard said. "This was a joint effort between Iowa State, Polk County, the Big 12, the Greater Des Moines Convention and Visitors Bureau, the Des Moines Area Sports Commission and Global Spectrum to bring this great event back to our state for the first time since 2001. Iowa State hosted the first NCAA Championship in Ames in 1928 and this will be the eighth time that ISU has hosted the event. Iowa State wrestling fans and our Cyclone wrestling student-athletes and fans of the sport throughout our state are the biggest winners in this successful NCAA bid." While this will be the first time NCAA Champions are crowned inside Wells Fargo Arena, it's not the first time the NCAA has held successful events in Des Moines. In 2008, the Division I Women's Basketball first and second rounds were hosted at Wells Fargo Arena, and the 2008 NCAA Division I Track and Field Championships was hosted at Drake Stadium, with return trips scheduled for 2011 and 2012. "This is another example of a major event again putting Des Moines on the map with sports enthusiasts," said Al Lorenzen, Vice President of Sports and Development with the Des Moines Area Sports Commission, an organization under the GDMCVB umbrella. "This showcases our community's commitment to health and wellness." Des Moines has become a city known for executing high level sporting events in previous years, including the AAU Junior Olympics, Drake Relays, USA Track and Field Championships, High School State Wrestling Championships and the World Disc Golf Championships. When Polk County officials made the decision to build Wells Fargo Arena, events like this were on the list of those they hoped to attract. "Showcasing the NCAA Wrestling Tournament at Wells Fargo Arena is exactly the type of national event that was envisioned for the Iowa Events Center since it was first conceived. This event will provide a huge economic development impact and allow us to share with thousands more all that Des Moines and Polk County have to offer," stated Polk County Supervisor Angela Connolly. "This is a tremendous accomplishment for everyone in the State of Iowa," said Global Spectrum's Matt Homan, General Manager of Wells Fargo Arena. "We look forward to exceeding the NCAA's expectations for the 2013 Wrestling Championships and providing a first-class facility and city for wrestling fans to enjoy."

Two recent NU All-Americans will add further experience and knowledge to the Husker wrestling coaching staff as Nebraska has announced the additions of volunteer assistant Brandon Browne and administrative assistant Craig Brester. Along with recently-hired assistant coach Bryan Snyder, the three new hires combined to win 87 percent of their matches and earn eight All-America honors during their Husker careers. Browne will be in his second year with the Huskers after serving as the team's club coach last year. A native of Plattsmouth, Neb., Browne won back-to-back Big 12 championships at 174 pounds in 2008 and 2009. He placed fourth at the NCAA Championships as a junior and senior to finish his career as a two-time All-American with a 79-15 record. His .840 winning percentage ranks seventh on the school's all-time win list after enjoying his best seasons in 2007-08 and 2008-09 with a combined 65-9 mark. The team's Most Improved Wrestler during the 2007-08 season, Browne earned a psychology degree from Nebraska in August 2009. His younger brother, Cameron, will be a senior on the Nebraska wrestling team in 2010-11. Brester will be the most recent face on the NU staff and serve the role of administrative assistant. The Howells, Neb., native finished his career this past March with his second-straight NCAA runner-up finish at 197 pounds. Through four years, Brester produced a 109-21 record and ranks with the eight-best winning percentage (.838) in school history. He was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2009 Big 12 Championships following his individual title that lifted the Huskers to a share of the team championship. Brester graduated with a mechanized systems management degree and was named Nebraska's Male Student-Athlete of the Year for excellent achievements on the mat, in the classroom and in the community. The additions of Browne and Brester complete Nebraska's coaching staff for the 2010-11 season. Earlier this month, the Huskers announced the return and addition of Snyder, a four-time All-American, to give the NU coaching staff three members of Nebraska's 100-win club (Snyder, Brester and NU strength and conditioning coach Jason Powell). They will join 11th-year head coach Mark Manning and fifth-year assistant coach Tony Ersland to form a knowledgeable and loyal staff that has spent a combined 40 years with the NU wrestling program as either a student-athlete or coach.

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Takedown Wrestling Media and Time Warner Sports have established a relationship that will bring the popular TDR TV amateur wrestling program to over 700,000 homes in the eastern United States. The first broadcast of TDR TV on Time Warner Cable NY will be Saturday, July 3, on Channel 813 throughout the CNY Division. (Check your local listings for availability on additional channels.) TDR TV is a 30-minute weekly TV show that covers all aspects of amateur wrestling in the U.S. Host Scott Casber updates viewers on the latest developments in high school, college and international wrestling, conducts insightful interviews with the sport’s top wrestlers and coaches, and shares his passion for the “oldest and greatest sport” in a fun, fast-paced show. TDR TV is already available on the Mediacom cable TV system serving six Midwestern states, and can be viewed online at www.TakedownRadio.com and at over thirty other affiliated amateur wrestling websites. “Central New York is a hotbed for championship wrestling on both the high school and collegiate levels,” said Time Warner Cable Sports Director Doug Logan. “We are pleased to be adding Takedown Wrestling Media’s news program, TDR TV, for all of our subscribers who appreciate this outstanding and demanding sport.” Casber, founder of Takedown Wrestling Media, said, “This is an important step forward for the athletes, coaches and fans of wrestling across the country. Time Warner Sports is a respected name around the country. They understand wrestling fans and the need for promotion of the sport in order to continue its positive growth. This is a special opportunity to partner with Time Warner Cable in the distribution of TDR TV. We understand the responsibility we have in this undertaking and will do our best to present wrestling in a positive manner.” “Time Warner Sports will present our weekly TV program throughout the prime wrestling hotbeds in the eastern U.S., where collegiate wrestling got its start more than a century ago, and is home to a number of great programs at Cornell, Buffalo and Binghamton,” said Casber. “In addition, we’ll be now seen in the part of the country that features some of the best high school wrestling programs in the nation.”

Wrestling Fans, this week we return to the Brute Adidas studios of TDR for this weeks show brought to you by Kemin Agrifoods. Lots going on for sure. Great show lined up for you again this week. Join me, 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. Our guests Include: 9:01 Andrew Pariano- Head Coach Northwestern University 9:20 Scott Goodale- Head Coach of Rutgers University 9:40 Cael Sanderson- Head Coach of Penn State University 10:01 Robbie Waller- Head Coach of Lock Haven University 10:20 John Azevedo- Cal Poly Head Coach 10:40 Ricky Lundell- Head Coach University of Grappling in Utah Wrestling fans- Episode 63 of TDR TV wrestling news is now on. Check TV Guide for listings. TDR and TDR TV. Now It's appointment Radio and TV! TDR on Internet: You can join us Saturday mornings at Takedownradio.com TDR on Radio: LIVE Saturday at 9:00 AM CST on 1460 KXNO in Iowa. Delayed Saturday nights at 7:00 PM Eastern on Supertalk 1570 in Michigan, TDR TV: Mediacom Cable Systems Channel 22 in 6 Midwestern states. TDR TV On Internet: Over 30 Different 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!

California USA Wrestling Inc. announced today that they have joined forces with the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) to help financially support the fight to reinstate the University of California, Davis wrestling program. The California USA Wrestling Board of Directors recently donated $20,000 to the cause. Duane Morgan, State Chair for California USA Wrestling, had this to say, "Wrestling programs throughout the State of California have taken a big hit over the past six months. Due to the elimination of the UC Davis wrestling program, the student-athletes are essentially left with no options to stay within the state and wrestle at the Division 1 level. We chose to partner with the NWCA in an effort to help formulate a plan that not only translates into the reinstatement of the wresting program at UC Davis, but that also serves as a long term solution for the remaining college wrestling programs in California." In April, UC Davis abruptly announced that they were eliminating the wrestling program, and three other intercollegiate sports programs, effective July 1, 2010. The $20,000 donation made to the NWCA, by the California USA Wrestling Board of Directors is an effort to help sustain an ongoing attempt to reinstate the UC Davis Wrestling program, and to help maintain existing Division 1 wrestling programs in the state of California. UC Davis head wrestling coach, Lennie Zalesky, issued a public statement within hours of the announcement stating that the wrestling program had been eliminated. According to Zalesky, in the fall of 2009, he was informed by personnel at the University, that no matter what may come to be, football and wrestling were safe at UC Davis, yet the wrestling program was cut without any notice to the student body, student- athletes, coaching staff or coach Zalesky. Further, UC students were not allowed to attend the press conference announcing the elimination of the programs. According to Chancellor Linda Katehi, dropping athletics teams and losing opportunities for student-athletes is regrettable but necessary. However, neither Chancellor Katehi nor Athletic Director Greg Warzecka ever discussed the prospect of eliminating the sports programs with the students, student-athletes or the coaching staff, despite the fact that the sports programs are largely funded from self-imposed student fees. Mike Moyer, the president of the NWCA, feels that despite the financial situation California continually finds itself in, solutions may be better found with the active involvement of all parties. Moyer stated, "To purposely ignore the student body, student-athletes and the coaching staff, and to ignore the student initiative, in which the student body agreed to a self imposed fee for sports programs, are disrespectful and irresponsible." Moyer also expressed his gratitude to California USA Wrestling, "The NWCA would like to personally thank Duane Morgan and the entire California USA Wrestling Board of Directors for their support. Their financial contribution is a testament to their continuous resolve to protect the interests of the wrestling community in California." The UC Davis wrestling program had the second highest fund-raising numbers (behind football) over the last three years (averaging $65,000/year), the highest alumni/donor support, and one of the most profitable per contest gates of any sport at UC Davis. This specific criterion was supposed to be examined when determining which programs to retain. The elimination of the UC Davis sports programs, which includes wrestling, as well as men’s and women’s swimming, currently effects 73 female and 80 male student-athletes. About California USA Wrestling Inc. California USA Wrestling, Inc., (CA-USAW) is a non-profit corporation that promotes amateur wrestling in many forms to Californians of all ages. California Wrestling is an affiliate of USA Wrestling in Colorado Springs, the national governing body for international-style amateur wrestling in the United States. They are the designated representatives for USA Wrestling in the State of California. CA-USAW educates the California public in both collegiate and international wrestling styles. In addition, the organization conducts and sponsors well-planned wrestling activities, including wrestling camps, clinics and tournaments, and other related programs in order to improve the quality of California wrestling at all competitive levels. About The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate wrestling programs. The membership embraces all people who are interested in amateur wrestling. The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognition achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.

Brent Metcalf

The drive to find the best. The drive to be the best. InterMat Top 10 Recruits (2011) 1. Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, MN) 2. Morgan McIntosh (Calv. Chapel, CA) 3. Chris Phillips (Monroeville, OH) 4. Andrew Campolattano (Bd. Brook, NJ) 5. Jesse Thielke (Germantown, WI) 6. Nico Megaludis (Franklin Reg., PA) 7. Cam Tessari (Monroeville, OH) 8. Mason Beckman (Reynolds, PA) 9. Hunter Stieber (Monroeville, OH) 10. Evan Silver (Blair Academy, NJ)These two statements epitomize what the InterMat grade level rankings represent. These rankings started out being done only for the incoming senior class in late June, right before Division I wrestling coaches could make their initial official contact with prospective student-athletes. However, in order to satisfy the desires of our readership and customers, the rankings have expanded in scope. They now cover all four grades of high school as well as junior high, and are updated at least three other times on a yearly basis. While there are obviously many different perspectives on what rankings actually accomplish, and their relative significance, most can reasonably agree that a primary purpose of them is identify and recognize those wrestlers that have separated themselves as among the nation's elite. From the perspective of wrestlers across the country, each one aspires to perform to the best of their ability. Five individuals are being recognized as the best in their respective graduating class. These wrestlers have all risen to the top of their class based on hard work, a strong drive and determination, and the willingness to compete. Destin McCauley (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)Destin McCauley (Apple Valley, MN) rises to the No. 1 position in the Class of 2011. Headed into his senior year of high school, McCauley is the lynchpin of a squad that is among the nation's best -- and will seek to win that elusive unanimous national championship this coming season. A member of the varsity lineup since his seventh grade year, McCauley will be after a fifth state championship in six varsity seasons with only a runner-up finish as a high school sophomore blemishing his state tournament record. Last summer, he finished in third place at 145 pounds in freestyle at the Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. Already this offseason, McCauley finished third at 145.5 pounds at the FILA Junior Nationals (freestyle) in a weight bracket dominated by graduates of the Class of 2010 and wrestlers with college experience. Taylor Massa (Photo/MichiganGrappler.com)Remaining atop the Class of 2012 is Taylor Massa (St. John's, MI). Massa burst on to the scene for followers of high school wrestling when he reached the semifinals of the preseason Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2007, when he was in eighth grade. Additionally, Massa had but one loss in approximately 70 matches at the Cadet Duals and Cadet Nationals on the way to sweeping the Cadet National Greco-Roman and freestyle titles each of the last two years. In addition to a two-season high school record of 120-0, Massa is also a two-time Super 32 Challenge runner-up, 2010 FloNationals champion, and also won the FILA Junior Nationals in freestyle at 154 pounds this past April. Therefore, despite the constraints placed on his in-season scholastic schedule by the MHSAA, Massa has tested himself in many major platforms -- passing those examinations with flying colors. Bo Jordan (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)Bo Jordan (Graham Local, OH) moves up to the top spot in the Class of 2013 after winning the state championship with a 39-1 record during his freshman season; the lone loss in the ultimate tiebreaker of the finals of a mid-January tournament was avenged in the state semifinals. The son of Graham head coach Jeff Jordan has assuredly practiced and competed against many of the nation's finest both in his school's practice room, as well as through Jeff Jordan's State Champ Camps. Prior to high school, he was also a multiple-time Roller World of Wrestling event champion. Chance MarstellerAmong incoming freshmen in the Class of 2014, Keystone State native Chance Marstellar moves up to the No. 1 position in the rankings for this group. Just last week, he finished 19-0 in contested matches at the Cadet National Duals between the Greco-Roman and freestyle competitions. Over the Memorial Day holiday weekend, Marstellar only lost one out of approximately ten matches at the NHSCA National Duals; among the victories were wins over FloNationals champion Travis Shaffer (Derry, PA), state placer Nick Heilmann (South Plainfield, NJ), and state runner-up Tyler Scotton (Willingboro, NJ). This past fall, Marstellar competed at the Penn State Open as well as the Super 32 Challenge. Mark HallFinally the top spot for wrestlers in junior high this coming fall, slated to graduate in 2015 or later, goes to Mark Hall -- a Michigan native who competed for Ryle High School in Kentucky this past season. As a seventh grader, Hall was a state runner-up, losing 6-2 in the final against defending state champion Myron Bradbury -- a senior from Trinity. Since the end of the season, Hall was champion of the USA Schoolboy Folkstyle Nationals; defeated Cadet National freestyle All-American Stephen Myers (Moeller, OH) at the Grand River Rumble in mid-May; and then defeated both state finalist Kyle Casaletto (Southern Regional, NJ) and two-time state champion Alex Cisneros (Selma, CA) at the America's Cup Duals in early June. Along with these individuals, there are a total of 235 wrestlers recognized with rankings in this update; 100 from the incoming seniors (Class of 2011); 50 each from the Classes of 2012 and 2013; 25 from the Class of 2014; and 15 among junior high wrestlers. Summary of ranked prospects by state: Class of 2011: 13 for PA; 11 for CA; 8 each for OH, NJ, and IL; 6 for IA; 5 for MN; 4 for WI and MI; 3 each for NY and MO; 2 each for OK, ID, CO, SD, FL, MT, VA, KS, MD, and IN; 1 each for DE, OR, AZ, KY, TN, NC, and AL Class of 2012: 6 each for PA, OH, and IL; 5 for MI; 3 each for NJ, CA, IA, and FL; 2 each for IN, MN, NY, OK, and OR; 1 each for WI, WA, VA, MD, and NE Class of 2013: 8 for PA; 6 for OH; 3 each for VA, IL, NJ, CA, MN, GA, and MO; 2 each for IA, TX, MI, and OR; 1 each for FL, IN, KS, NY, NV, OK, and WA Class of 2014: 4 for PA; 3 for NJ; 2 each for IL, OK, CA, OH, MO, and MD; 1 each for NY, IN, MN, GA, IA, and KS Junior High: 2 each for OH, FL, IL, and PA; 1 each for KY, CA, MO, IA, WA, VA, and MN View InterMat Grade Level Rankings (InterMat Platinum)

MINNEAPOLIS -- Jim Moulsoff, who has served the Augsburg College wrestling program as an assistant coach for the last three seasons, has been promoted to a full-time assistant coach position for the Auggies, the athletic department has announced. Moulsoff replaces Jared Evans, who is leaving Augsburg to pursue other opportunities. Moulsoff will also have other duties within the Augsburg athletic department, which have yet to be announced. "I'm very honored and appreciate the opportunity to be working with such an established wrestling program, and look forward to our continued success, continuing the pursuit of excellence that has been the hallmark of this program," Moulsoff said. Moulsoff has spent more than 20 years as a wrestling coach at the high school, amateur and collegiate levels. Prior to joining the Augsburg staff in 2007, Moulsoff spent 15 years as head coach of the Minnehaha Academy High School program. He spent three years as an assistant coach in Whapeton, N.D., before moving to Minnehaha Academy. He also serves as the cadet director for Minnesota/USA Wrestling. Earlier this month, the Minnesota cadets won the national titles in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the USA Wrestling Cadet National Duals in Rochester, Minn. "I am very excited to have Jim on staff full-time. His experience and knowledge in the sport of wrestling will uphold the tradition of excellence in this program," said Augsburg head coach Mark Matzek. "Jim is a technician and an avid student of the sport. In 2010, Jim has been an integral part of winning four national championships. He won the NWCA National Duals and the Division III national championship with Augsburg and has just come off winning the Cadet duals national championship in both Greco-Roman and freestyle as cadet director of Minnesota/USA Wrestling. Jim and I will be a great team, and I am looking forward to the years to come." Augsburg won its record-11th NCAA Division III national championship in 2010, claiming eight All-Americans and three national runner-up individuals. Augsburg extended its streak of “trophy finishes” – finishing in the top four in the team race – to 22 straight years, the longest active streak of any NCAA wrestling program, regardless of division. The Auggies went 12-0 in dual meets and claimed the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III National Duals title in the 2009-10 season. In Moulsoff's three seasons, the Auggies have had national team finishes of third, second and first, while claiming 20 All-Americans and going 33-4 in dual meets.

Terry Funk, one of this year’s George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame inductees, and Michael Talbott, a former wrestler who acted in the 1980s show Miami Vice, will go “On the Mat” this Wednesday, June 23. “On the Mat" is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:05 - 6:00 PM CST on AM 1650, The Fan. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Terry Funk has a long and distinguished professional wrestling career that spans six decades. He will be inducted into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame on July 10 at the Dan Gable Museum in Waterloo. Funk’s father, Dory Funk, Sr., wrestled for the legendary Billy Thom at Indiana University. Michael Talbott, best-known for his role as Det. Stanley Switek on the 1980s television show Miami Vice, has had roles in several major films. Talbott will be at the Dan Gable Museum celebrity golf outing on July 9 in Waterloo, Iowa.

Jake Herbert

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Jackson is adding immediate experience to his Cyclone lineup with the announcement that former All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier Chris Drouin is transferring to Iowa State for his senior campaign in 2010-11. “Anytime you add an All-American to your team it is going to make you stronger,” Jackson said. “Chris was an All-American two years ago, but did not reach his goals this year with a new coaching staff. I have known Chris for a few years and have had a chance to get to know and coach him when I was with the Sunkist Wrestling Club. I think he adds a positive attitude and he brings the experience of what it takes to become an All-American. Anytime you add someone like that to the program it is exciting and can only help us get better and accomplish our goals.” As a sophomore competing for Arizona State in the 2009 NCAA Championships, Drouin earned All-America status with a sixth-place finish at 141 pounds. He wrestled his way to a 29-9 record and a second-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships. As a freshman, Drouin saw immediate success on the mat. He compiled a 21-16 record en route to a second-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships and his first-ever trip to the NCAA Championships, where he fell just one match short of All-America status. During his junior year Chris battled his way to a 21-13 record and qualified for the 2010 NCAA Championships for the third successive year, going 1-2 in 141-pound competition. “I didn't wrestle up to my goals this past season,” Drouin said. “My goals are to be standing on top of that podium and that's what I'm coming to ISU to achieve. I know I’ll have the fans’ support here. The coaches told me about the crowds and that is the sort of thing to give me an extra boost in energy.” Drouin is familiar with ISU’s coaching staff of Jackson, along with assistants Chris Bono and Yero Washington. “I've known the coaching staff at Iowa State for a while and they know me,” Drouin said. “I'm coming here to compete and I have a good relationship with this coaching staff. When it comes to match preparation, that all comes down to having good communication with the coaches. Being able to communicate with the coaches about everything is important, and I think I'll be able to do that at Iowa State and accomplish my goals.” Already a talent on the mat, Drouin has found success in the classroom as well. In his first two years at ASU, he was named All-Academic Pac-10 second team, and in 2010 he was included on the All-Academic Pac-10 first-team list. “Academics come first,” Drouin said. “They are a top priority. I'm graduating over the summer and will take more coursework at ISU. The plan is to then make the jump to law school.” His effort in the classroom has also been noticed by coaches around the country, as he’s been named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic team twice in his career.

Ben Askren

Chris Drouin

The University of Central Missouri hired from within as former assistant Justin Ensign will remain and take over as the interim head wrestling coach for the 2010-11 season. “I think Justin is the right man for the job, he held together the wrestling program this spring after Robin’s (Ersland) departure.” UCM Athletic Director Jerry Hughes said. “This will make it a smooth transition as he already knows the student-athletes, staff, school and community.” Ensign served the past two years as a graduate assistant coach under Robin Ersland, who left UCM for the head position at Minot State (N.D.) following the season. During the past two campaigns the Mules have compiled a 14-16 dual record, while finishing in the top 25 at the National Championships both seasons (18th in 2009, 22nd in 2010). Ensign also helped guide the Mules to five individual All-American performances. "I am very thankful and excited for this opportunity given to me by Athletic Director Jerry Hughes and the administration.” Ensign said. “Central Missouri is a great academic institution with rich wrestling tradition. We have had some legendary head coaches in Roger Denker, Mike Hagerty, and one of my mentors, Robin Ersland. I hope to continue their legacy of the Mules wrestling program into the future. We have a good group of guys returning and I can’t wait to get to work." Ensign came to UCM from Division I Wagner University in Staten Island, N.Y., where he coached for one season after a four-year career for the Seahawks. During his career there, he was named team MVP two times. He spent two seasons ranked in the top 5 in the CAA and was a two-year team captain, and two-time Iron Man award winner. He was a four-year starter, twice at 141 and two at 149 pounds. He was coached his first two years by Joe Ryan and spent his last two under current Tiffin University head coach Doug Jesse. As a coach, Ensign spent the 2007-08 season as the lone assistant, helping the team finish fourth at the Virginia Duals. He also had two NCAA-I East Region third place winners. The Cherry Hill, N.J. native earned his bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education and Sociology from Wagner in 2007 and is working on his master’s in Sport Administration at UCM.

IOWA CITY, IA -- Former Hawkeye wrestler Mike Zadick has been promoted to interim assistant coach for the University of Iowa wrestling program. The announcement was made today by Head Coach Tom Brands. Zadick is no stranger to the Hawkeye wrestling team, serving on staff for seven seasons in various capacities and earning three all-America honors at Iowa. He recently earned a spot on the 2010 U.S. Men's Freestyle World Championships team with his win at last weekend's U.S. World Team Trials in Council Bluffs "I look forward to blowing the doors off this position in terms of developing our student-athletes to the highest level on and off the mat," said Zadick. "I want to represent this staff, this program and the University of Iowa with the highest of standards." A 2008 Olympian, Zadick served as Iowa's volunteer assistant coach for four seasons (2004-06, 2009-10) and as the team's strength training coach for three seasons (2006-08). He won the 2008 U.S. Freestyle Olympic Team Trials at 132 pounds (60 kg), and earned a spot in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. "Mike has been here a long time," said Brands. "This is something he wants to do. He is fired up about it and we are fired up about it. It is a good move for our program." During his tenure, Zadick has helped the Hawkeyes to three NCAA and Big Ten team titles. Since 2005, Iowa has crowned six NCAA champions, six Big Ten champions, 32 all-Americans and 33 academic all-Big Ten honorees. The Hawkeyes have posted a 103-18 dual record - including perfect seasons in 2008-09 (24-0) and 2009-10 (23-0). Iowa enters the 2010-11 season on a 61-dual match winning streak that dates back to 2007-08. Iowa's 38-10 record in Big Ten duals the last five seasons includes three straight 8-0 campaigns, which led to Big Ten regular season titles. Zadick was a three-time all-American (2000-02) at Iowa, winning the 149-pound Big Ten title in 2002. He won the 2009 U.S. Senior Nationals freestyle title at 60kg/132 pounds. In 2007, he was the U.S. World Team Trials champion and won a silver medal at the Pan American Games in Rio de Janerio, Brazil. Zadick's other international accomplishments include a silver medal at the 2006 World Championships in Guangzhou, China, and runner-up finishes at the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team trials and U.S. Nationals, and the 2005 World Team Trials challenge tournament. Mike and his older brother, Bill, are part of Iowa's tradition of brothers competing for the Hawkeyes. Bill was the 2006 World Champion at 145.5 pounds (66kg) and a two-time all-American for the Hawkeyes, winning a Big Ten and NCAA title at 142 pounds in 1996. Bill also served as Iowa's volunteer assistant coach for the 2003 and 2004 seasons. A native of Great Falls, MT, Zadick earned a bachelor's degree in sports studies from the University of Iowa in 2004.

LINCOLN -- The Nebraska wrestling team has announced the return and addition of one of the most decorated student-athletes in program history, as Bryan Snyder has been named an assistant coach for the Huskers. The only four-time All-American and four-time conference champion in school history, Snyder comes back to the Husker wrestling program in its 100th anniversary season (2010-11). The Easton, Pa., native spent last year as the head assistant coach at Arizona State and helped guide five Sun Devils to the 2010 NCAA Championships in Omaha. Snyder began his coaching experience as an assistant at Harvard in 2002-03, while returning to the Husker wrestling program as a graduate assistant coach for two seasons (2003-04 and 2004-05), as NU went 38-5-1 in duals and finished fifth at the 2004 NCAA Championships. As a wrestler, Snyder ranks No. 1 on Nebraska’s all-time winning percentage chart (.925), compiling a 136-11 record from 1999-2002. He claimed All-America accolades and a Big 12 championship all four years, while finishing as the NCAA runner-up at 157 pounds in 2001 and 2002. He amassed over 30 wins per season three times, including his 43-3 record as a sophomore that stands as the second-best single-season mark in school history. A four-time NWCA All-Academic selection, Snyder was named the 2002 Nebraska Male Student-Athlete of the Year and graduated with a double major in Sociology and Communication Studies. Snyder is one of 18 members in Nebraska’s 100-win club. Current NU wrestling strength and conditioning coach Jason Powell is also a part of that impressive group with a 109-24 record. Snyder and Powell were varsity teammates for two seasons (2000-01; 2001-02) and led the Huskers to eighth-place finishes at the NCAA Championships both years. Prior to Nebraska, Snyder was a three-time state place-winner and a 1997 state champion at Easton (Pa.) High School. He finished with a 112-12 record and was one of the nation's most highly-regarded recruits. Snyder and Powell join head coach Mark Manning and assistant coach Tony Ersland to form the nucleus of the NU coaching staff for the 2010-11 season. Manning, the 2009 Dan Gable Coach of the Year, enters his 11th season, while assistant coach Tony Ersland will begin his fifth year.

IOWA CITY, IA -- Former Iowa State University wrestler Kurt Backes has joined the University of Iowa wrestling program as a volunteer assistant coach. The announcement was made today by Hawkeye Head Coach Tom Brands. "I am excited to get to Iowa City as soon as possible, and starting working alongside the coaching staff and student-athletes to attain yet another NCAA Championship and Big Ten title," said Backes. Backes served as the volunteer assistant coach at Virginia Tech University during the 2009-10 season, and the assistant strength and conditioning wrestling coach at the University of Missouri in 2008-09. "With his collegiate and international experience, Kurt will make a strong addition to our staff," said Brands. "He understands how important collegiate wrestling is in the state of Iowa. We are excited to have him join our staff." During his collegiate career, Backes was a two-time all-American and Big 12 champion at 184 and 197 pounds for Iowa State (2003-07). He collected 109 wins while competing for the Cyclones, where he was a three-time co-captain (2005-07). A 2008 men's freestyle Olympic Trials finalist and World Cup team member, Backes won the 2007 U.S. Men's Freestyle title while competing for the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club. He traveled to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing as a workout partner and alternate competitor. Backes placed third at the U.S. Open in 2007 and fourth in 2008. He was a member of the 2003 Junior World team, placing fifth at the Junior World Championships. He also served on the USA Wrestling finance committee in 2008-09. A native of Neshanic Station, NJ, Backes was a three-time national prep and New Jersey state champion for Blair Academy. He graduated from Iowa State in 2007 with a degree in business finance. His wife's name is Amanda.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has announced that four-time NCAA finalist and 2008 U.S. Olympian Steve Mocco has joined the Mountain Hawks’ coaching staff as a volunteer assistant for the 2010-11 season. Mocco will work as a coach with the Lehigh Valley Athletic Club, a position that allows him to assist Lehigh on a volunteer basis. He will bring his many years of national team experience to a Mountain Hawks program that features All-American Zach Rey and NCAA qualifier Joe Kennedy at the upper weights. “Any time you can to bring an Olympian onto the staff it helps the program,” explained Santoro, who enters his third season as head coach. “Steve comes to Lehigh with great credentials and we feel like that this move helps him and helps us. Santoro continues, “We needed a big body in our room. Steve is a local kid with New Jersey ties. He’s a good coach and we’re pleased to have him here at Lehigh. We’re looking forward to having him work with Zach and Joe and the rest of our upper weights.” One of America’s most accomplished heavyweights at both the folkstyle and freestyle level, Mocco was a five-time finalist at the U.S. Open from 2004-09, winning a national freestyle title in 2009. In 2008, Mocco won the U.S. Olympic Trials and the right to compete at the Beijing Olympics, where he placed seventh in the 120 kg/264.5 lb. weight class. Following the Olympics, Mocco continued his string of successes in 2009, winning the championship at the prestigious Ivan Yarygin Memorial in Russia, just the tenth U.S. wrestler to triumph in the event and the first since 2005. Mocco also won his U.S. Open title in 2009 and added wins at the Alexander Medved International Championships in Belarus plus the Pan American Championships. This past February, Mocco picked up another title at the Cerra Pelado International tournament in Cuba. A native of North Bergen, N.J., Mocco was a four time National Prep Champion, winning two titles for St. Benedict’s and two for Blair Academy. One of the nation’s most sought-after recruits coming out of high school, Mocco began his college career at Iowa, where he placed second nationally as a true freshman and won a national title as a sophomore. Mocco sat out the 2003-04 season after transferring to Oklahoma State, where he helped lead the Cowboys to NCAA team titles in his final two seasons. In 2004-05, Mocco went 36-0 and captured his second national title. Mocco had an 85-match win streak come to an end in 2006, but he still managed to place second nationally, finishing as a four-time NCAA finalist with a 137-6 record and 56 falls. “Steve comes to Lehigh with great credentials,” said Santoro. “His accomplishments have been based on hard work and fundamental skill and he has many of the qualities we were looking for in a volunteer assistant. He is someone I have known personally for a long time. He’s a good fit for Lehigh and I’m glad he’s decided to come back east.” Santoro’s coaching staff for the upcoming season consists of assistant coaches Brad Dillon and John Hughes, plus Mocco. Volunteer assistant coach Jason Kutz will remain close to the team, but will have more time to focus on his role as head coach of the LVAC. Also the owner of a national title in judo, Mocco earned his degree from Oklahoma State in 2006. He and his wife Katie have two sons.

The U.S. World and Olympic Team Trials are the creme de la creme wrestling events in the U.S. for senior level wrestlers. The nation's best freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestlers battle for two days every summer for the opportunity to represent the U.S. at the World Championships or Olympic Games. All-Americans and NCAA champions are a dime a dozen. For every Trials champion crowned, another eight to ten wrestlers leave with broken hearts. R.C. Johnson (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)In 2009, R.C. Johnson, a Minnesota native who attended Northern Michigan before eventually settling in Colorado, finally broke through to win the Trials and make his first U.S. World Team in Greco-Roman at 96 kg after nearly decade of dedicating his life to the sport. That was last season. This season has been frustrating to say the least for the 27-year-old Johnson. After competing at the 2009 World Championships in September in Herning Denmark, where he lost in the opening round, Johnson took a couple weeks off, and then had surgery on his left shoulder to repair a torn labrum, bicep, and bicep tendons. Shortly after surgery, as soon as the doctor allowed, he had surgery on his right shoulder. The surgeries forced him to miss the entire season of competition. It wasn't until three weeks before this year's U.S. World Team Trials that Johnson was cleared to get back on the mat. With limited training, which mostly involved rehabbing and cutting weight, Johnson entered the U.S. World Team Trials June 11-12 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. He cruised to the finals before losing to Justin Ruiz, a 2005 World bronze medalist who retired after falling short of making the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Ruiz sat out last season (when Johnson made the U.S. World Team), but made the decision to come out of retirement this season. Johnson is now winless in five attempts against Ruiz. So what went though Johnson's head when he heard that Ruiz had come out of retirement? "I thought nothing of it," said Johnson. "It doesn't bother me at all. The way I see it ... I'm the No. 1 guy. All year I was the No. 1 guy, wrestling or not wrestling. I don't care who comes back. I don't care if the past 10 Olympians come back. They've got to take my spot. He took it this year, so OK ... I had three weeks of training ... It happens. Next year it's mine." R.C. Johnson (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)It's hard to doubt someone who has risen from a nobody in the sport in the eyes of many to a U.S. World Team member. Johnson started wrestling in high school and never placed in the state tournament. After graduating from Robinsdale Armstrong High School in 2000, Johnson was set to attend Augsburg College, where he planned to wrestle and play football. That summer, Johnson was encouraged by Minnesota's Greco-Roman coaches to wrestle at the Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota. Johnson, who had never competed in a national event, ended up placing eighth in Fargo and soon Northern Michigan's USOEC Greco-Roman program came calling. Johnson was offered a full-ride scholarship and spending money to attend Northern Michigan and join the USOEC Greco-Roman program. "I got a call on Tuesday and I was there on Saturday," recalled Johnson. "I packed up all my stuff in three days. It's kind of funny ... I cancelled my Augsburg classes from Northern Michigan. Augsburg sent me a bill and I was like, 'Yeah, I'm not going there.'" Minnesota native Gordy Morgan, a former Gopher and 1996 Olympian in Greco-Roman, served as the head coach of the USOEC Greco-Roman program in Northern Michigan when Johnson arrived on campus in the fall of 2000. "It worked really well because Gordy Morgan has that Minnesota mentality," said Johnson. "It's just tough, hard-nosed wrestling. It was good for me. It fit my style. About a year and a half later, Ivan Ivanov came ... and he has that really technical style. That was kind of cool because I got the best of both worlds. From there on out, I really started picking up on the wrestling game." Johnson steadily climbed the U.S. ladder in Greco-Roman. By 2005, he had established himself as one of the top five wrestlers in the country at 96 kg. He placed third at the Trials in 2006, 2007, and 2008 before eventually winning the Trials in 2009. R.C. Johnson made the U.S. World Team in 2009 (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)"It was an 'about time' type of thing," said Johnson of making his first U.S. World Team in 2009. "I had been knocking on the door for a while. I had a really good year of training. It was time. I didn't feel like it was a big shock or surprise to me or anything. It was just another tournament, I won it, and I'm moving on to the Worlds." Even though Johnson was one and done at the 2009 World Championships, he is grateful for the experience. "The experience was great," said Johnson. "It's one of those things that very few people get to experience. Obviously, I didn't wrestle very well because I didn't win. Wrestling is fickle like that. If you win, you wrestled well. If you didn't win, you didn't wrestle well." Johnson graduated with a computer science degree from Northern Michigan in 2004. After graduation, he made the decision to move to Colorado to continue his education and pursue his wrestling goals while training at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. "Honestly, I wanted to stay in Michigan," said Johnson. "I think the training was a better fit for me at the time. But there wasn't a Ph.D program or even a master's program for me to get into. So I said, 'OK, since I'm going to Colorado, I'll apply to schools in the area that have Ph.D programs' ... I got accepted, so I was in Colorado." He has been there ever since. Johnson is currently working on his dissertation in computer science, which he says he hopes to have completed by next year. "Wrestling really slows that down as far as the time I can actually spend on writing the paper and doing the research," said Johnson, who lists solving complex equations as one of his hobbies. "The professor I work with is really understanding and willing to work with me, so it's great." He's not yet sure what career path he wants to take after he finishes his dissertation. He's thinking of possibly doing research or maybe even teaching. "It's open ended ... I'm young," said Johnson. Justin Ruiz defeated R.C. Johnson to make the 2010 U.S. World Team (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)As for his wrestling career, Johnson plans to compete through 2012. He says that he has no desire to wrestle after that. He has his sights set on making the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. Chances are the road to the 2012 Olympic Games in London will run through five-time U.S. World Team member Justin Ruiz. Ruiz knows that Johnson is very formidable opponent and someone he can never look past. Said Ruiz of Johnson, "He's strong. He's athletic. He has a really good grip. He's good at hand fighting. He's pretty good at slowing people down and controlling some of those positions on the feet, which makes it harder for some people to score." Johnson's focus, however, is not on Ruiz. "I don't think it's necessarily about getting past Justin Ruiz or getting over the hump," said Johnson. "I've just got to win the tournament. Who knows ... He may get knocked off and then I've got to beat whoever else they put out in front of me. I don't see him as an obstacle at all for me." This story also appears in the June 18 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering amateur wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. 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ANNAPOLIS, Md.-- Navy's all-time winningest wrestling coach, Ed Peery, passed away on Tuesday at the age of 75. Peery, who was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1980, compiled a career record of 311-90-14 in his 27 years at the Naval Academy and won eight EIWA Championships. He was named the NCAA Coach of the Year in 1968 and the Eastern Coach of the Year in 1986. He had a career record of 22-2-3 against rival Army. Ed Peery (right) became a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1980 (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Peery coach 48 EIWA individual champions and 28 All-Americans, including Dan Muthler, who was the National Champion at 142 pounds in 1973, and John Reich, who is the only three-time All-American in school history (1980-82-83). Peery also had a wrestler in the Olympics as Lloyd Keaser (149.5) won a silver medal in the 1976 Olympic Games in Montreal. Tom Shuler was an alternate that same year at 125.5 pounds. Peery's best squad at Navy might have been his 1968 team, which finished fifth at the NCAA Championship. John Kent finished second that year at 152 pounds, while Pete Vanderlofske finished third at 137 pounds. After retiring as a coach at the end of the 1987 season, Peery remained at the Naval Academy serving as a long-time professor in the Physical Education Department. He retired in 1999 after 40 years of service. A native of Stillwater, Okla., Peery attended Shaler High School in Pittsburgh, where his father, Rex, was the head coach at the University of Pittsburgh. He lettered in both football and wrestling, winning two Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association titles in wrestling. The Peery brothers with wrestling photographer Johnnie Johnson at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Induction Weekend in 2009 Under his father at Pitt, Peery developed into one of the greatest wrestlers in Panther history. Like his dad and brother, Hugh, Peery was a three-time NCAA Champion, won EIWA crowns at 123 and 130 pounds and was voted Outstanding Wrestler an the Eastern Tournament in 1957. He finished his career at Pitt with a record of 51-1 and was an alternate on the 1956 Olympic team. Following his graduation from Pitt in 1958 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering, Peery served for two seasons as freshman coach at his alma mater. He came to the Navy staff as an assistant to Ray Swartz in 1959 and, one year later, took over the head coaching duties when Swartz retired. Peery is survived by his wife, Gretchen, daughter Martie and son Greg. Want to learn more about Ed Peery? Read Mark Palmer's InterMat Rewind profile on Ed Peery. UPDATED SERVICE INFORMATION There will be a service at Grace Presbyterian Church in West River, Maryland on Sunday evening June 20 at 7:00 p.m. This is the church that Ed and Gretchen belong to. The service at the United States Naval Academy Chapel will be on Monday, June 21st, at 2:00 p.m. Additional specific information will be posted when received. Addresses to send cards to family members: Wife: Mrs. Edwin Peery 780 Crandell Rd. West River, MD 20778 Brother: Mr. Hugh Peery 4529 Hermitage Ct. Allison Park, PA 15101 Sister: Mrs. Ann Peery Ritter 2204 Battenkill Ln Gibsonia, PA 15044 Ed Peery Hall of Fame Biography Ed Peery, Distinguished Member, Class Of 1980 His goals as a collegiate wrestler were clear-cut and offered no alternatives. All Ed Peery had to do to keep pace with his father and brother was to win three national championships. Although he won 51 of 52 matches at the University of Pittsburgh, under the coaching of his father, Rex, the championships did not come easily. In all three of his NCAA finals, Ed came from behind to win. The most difficult was his third-and the family's ninth-in his senior year of 1957. He trailed Harmon Leslie of Oklahoma State, 7-4, in the last minute of the finals, only to rally with a takedown and time advantage to send the match into overtime. When the extensions ended in a 2-2 draw, Ed Peery was voted national champion by the judges and wrestling owned a family legend without precedent in the world of sport. Ed Peery was born a few hours before Rex won his third NCAA title for Oklahoma State. He was named for his father's great coach, Ed Gallagher. After a 48-1 career and two state championships at Shaler High School in Glenshaw, Pa., he followed brother Hugh into the Pittsburgh lineup. For six straight years, coach Rex could find an NCAA champion at his own dinner table, Hugh in 1952-53-54, Ed in 1955-56-57. Adding a few open tournaments, Ed's over-all career numbered more than 100 victories. For two decades, Ed was coach at the U.S. Naval Academy, guiding five Eastern team champions, a host of individual winners and nearly 200 dual meet victories. He was national coach of the year in 1969. He was a member of USA Wrestling's national teaching staff. In recognition of his outstanding achievements as an athlete and coach, Edwin Clark Peery is honored as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.