InterMat Staff

Wrestling fans Thursday we'll drive down to Stillwater, Ok and be back in our home based Brute adidas studios for the show. Each week Kemin Agrifoods proudly presents America's Wrestling Radio program. This week is special for sure: Joining me in studio: Cyon Williams (ISU) Geoff Murtha (Simpson) and Ryan Freeman (Ok State) Our guests Include: Steve Garland- University of Virginia Head Coach Jim Andrassy- Kent State University Head Coach Tony Robie- Virginia Tech Asst Head Coach John Azevedo- Cal Poly Head Coach Ricky Lundell- University of Grappling Head Coach Jon Moeller- University of Northern Iowa Super Fan Wrestling fans- Episode 60 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!

Mike Mendoza T.J. Kerr

CSUB President Dr. Horace Mitchell announced Tuesday that, thanks to a successful and aggressive fundraising effort, the four Roadrunner sports previously discontinued - wrestling, tennis, men's golf & women's golf -- have been reinstated for the 2010-11 academic year. The teams will need to continue to raise funds necessary to sustain their program beyond the coming academic year. In effect, each of the four reinstated programs will be self-sustaining, with no University dollars used to fund their operations. The full text of President Mitchell's statement follows. Budget Context Like most other agencies, institutions and entities that depend on support from the State of California, there continues to be significant uncertainty about funding for the CSU System and for CSUB for 2010-11 and beyond, as the Governor and legislature must make difficult decisions to close a $20 billion budget gap. Since I announced in February the CSUB plan to address this budget situation, there has been almost no action taken by the State, so the challenges remain (see the Feb. 11, 2010 press release). Last week a delegation of University and community leaders went to Sacramento and met with our local senators and assembly members and their staffs to continue to advocate for their support of the Governor's proposed restoration of $365 million of "one-time" funds taken from the CSU budget as part of an overall $625 million reduction for this year. If we do not receive some of this proposed funding from the State, CSUB will be required to reduce our enrollment for next year by almost 700 students, and layoffs and program reductions will have a negative impact on the quality of our academic programs. Priority-Academic Programs While sports tend to receive more media attention, I want to re-emphasize that our first priority is always our academic programs. I urge all of our supporters to contact your legislators to advocate for their support of the Governor's proposed funding for CSU. CSU produces the highly-skilled graduates workforce that is necessary to fuel California's economic recovery and development. A recent statewide economic impact study shows that state support for CSU is an investment with a return of $5.63 for each dollar invested. Athletics Program Now, let me address our athletics program. When we made the decision to transition to NCAA Division I five years ago, we could not have anticipated the downturn in the state and national economies. The resources available to support our athletics programs have been negatively impacted by (1) reductions in state support; (2) increases in costs due to State University Fee increases which have increased the cost of athletics scholarships; and (3) loss of student fee income due to constraints, and proposed reductions in student enrollment. Fund raising to support all of our athletics programs now and in the future is critical to our success in Division I. We will complete the transition to Division I at the end of this month. Many people have noted that there have been two fundraising efforts going on simultaneously over the past three months. One is the annual Roadrunner Club campaign to raise funds for scholarships. The second is the "Save the Sports" effort to raise funds to support the four sports which I stated last February would be discontinued at the end of this academic year due to inadequate funding: wrestling, men's and women's golf, and women's tennis. The Roadrunner Club campaign has been very successful and has added many new members. I am confident that they will reach their goal of $500,000 with a planned mini campaign in the fall. The "Save the Sports" effort has generated significant community support and also garnered new donors. The great effort and enthusiasm have resulted in total fund raising of just over $700,000 to date toward a goal of $1.4 million. I want to express the University's appreciation to the leaders and supporters of "Save the Sports." In considering where we are now in that effort, there are several options. First, we could extend the fund raising effort until September; however, that would not be the right answer. It would prolong the uncertain status of the four sports for three more months. There must be a decision now that has long-term sustainability. A second option would be to decide that since the goal of $1.4 million was not achieved, the sports should be discontinued. In considering a third option, these are the issues: A. Funds raised to date; B. Whether or not the current momentum is likely to be sustained; C. Prospects for reaching this year's goal; D. Prospects for reaching the annual goal of $700,000 every year beginning next year. At a time when prudence would suggest a risk-avoidance decision, I have given strong consideration to the goodwill and stated commitments of the leaders and supporters of the "Save the Sports" effort. Based on my confidence in their ability to reach their goal this year and in the future, I have decided to "Save the Sports." I believe this is what our community wants the University to do. And it is what we want to do, as well. I want to state clearly the ground rules for the future: 1. No state funding will be available for these sports. They must be self-supporting. 2. In any year in which fundraising does not achieve the goal the annual budgets for the sports will not exceed the amount of funds raised. 3. All future fund raising must be coordinated with the Athletics Department and University Advancement and must follow the University's Prospect Management Plan. In conclusion, I want to thank the leaders and supporters of the Roadrunner Club and the "Save the Sports" effort. In addition, I want to thank all members of the community who provide support for our academic programs. All of these efforts allow us to continue to make progress toward realization of the University's vision in a down economy.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- University of Minnesota wrestler Sonny Yohn was champion in the University World Team Trials Freestyle finals on May 29. The Alamosa, Colo. native, who just completed his sophomore season with the Golden Gophers, beat Micah Burak two matches to one. Yohn won the first bout 1-0, 3-0, but Burak came back for a 0-1, 3-2, 4-1 win to tie the match. Yohn then won with a 3-1, 3-0 performance in the third match to claim champion honors in the 96 kg/211.5 lbs weight class. Alez Ortiz was also crowned a champion at the event, winning the Junior Greco-Roman 74 kg/163 lbs weight class. Ortiz, a Grand Rhonde, Ore. native, defeated Josh Castellano two matches to none, winning 4-0, 3-1 and 4-1, 2-0. Champions in each weight class in the University World Team Trials position themselves for a trip to the University World Championships on Oct. 26-30 in Turin, Italy. Any wrestler who finishes in the top three at next month's U.S. World Team Trials in freestyle, and is eligible for the University division, can challenge the University World Team Trials champion for the spot on the University World Team. The Greco-Roman champions earn a trip to Italy. Champions in each weight class in the Junior World Team Trials advance to the Junior World Championships on July 20-25 in Budapest, Hungary. Yohn already qualified for the World Team Trials when he took fifth at the US Open in late April. He was also champion at University Nationals on Apr. 11. The Gophers' Zach Sanders (Wabasha, Minn.) took second In University Freestyle at 55 kg/121 lbs, falling two matches to none to Angel Escobedo. Joining Ortiz as a Junior Champion was Gopher recruit Tyler Lehman (Fargo, N.D.), who was Junior Freestyle champion at 96 kg/211.5. Lehman was also Junior Greco runner-up at the same weight class. Also earning runner-up honors was Danny Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.) in Junior Freestyle at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. The World Team trials are June 11-12 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

This morning in Bakersfield California, Cal State Bakersfield University President Horace Mitchell announced the reinstatement of wrestling, golf and tennis at the university. The Committee, Save CSUB Wrestling, was able to raise over $900,000. "The great amount of funding was generated from a community which would not allow the wrestling program and its others sports to just go away and die," said former CSUB assistant wrestling coach Larry Morgan. "The catalyst of the committee to Save Wrestling at CSUB was led by team leader, NFL Super Bowl champion, and World champion wrestler Stephen Neal, followed by its great team of patrons like Vernon and Janice Varner, Craig Tobin, and Mike Stricker." To make a donation to the cause, visit SaveBakersfieldWrestling.com. You can also make a $10 donation by texting "WIN" to 25383. TDR TV and InterMat's West Coast correspondent Joey Krebs will continue to follow this story as it develops.

PHILADELPHIA -- Coming off a 2009-10 season where his team stormed to a second-place finish at the EIWA Championships and watched one if its wrestlers climb onto the podium at NCAAs as an All-America for the first time since 2007, Penn wrestling head coach Rob Eiter has put together a recruiting class of eight grapplers set to make their own mark on the storied history of Penn Wrestling. This group, ranked the 19th-best recruiting class by pre-eminent wrestling news source InterMat, has won a combined eight state championships in high school, earning titles in Ohio, Oklahoma, New York, Massachusetts and Alabama. Five of the wrestlers are ranked in the top-30 nationally in their respective weight classes, including one, Kyle Cowan, who is ranked No. 1 at 215 pounds. Cowan finished his high school career 125-0 over three varsity seasons in Oklahoma with three state championships. “We are excited to add these eight quality individuals to our program,” Eiter said. “They have all worked tremendously hard both on the mat and in the classroom to give themselves an opportunity to compete for the University of Pennsylvania. They have all had high levels of success both at the state and national levels. We look forward to them continuing that progression while at Penn.” Projected 174/184 pounder Zach Agostino comes to Penn from Egg Harbor Township, N.J. where he competed at 171 pounds. He is a three-time District 32 champion and the 2009 Region 8 champion for Egg Harbor Township High School. This past season, Agostino finished sixth at the New Jersey State Championships and ended the season ranked 30th at 171 pounds. Trenton, N.J. product Canaan Bethea finished second in New Jersey at 171 pounds this season for Trenton Central and earned a No. 12 ranking at that weight nationally from InterMat. Bethea finished 32-1 in his senior season and 134-14 for his career. Those 134 wins set a record in his county for a public school wrestler. Along the way, Bethea became just the third wrestler in Mercer County history to win four county tournaments. He was a three-time District 25 champion and won the Region 7 title in 2010. Recently, Bethea placed fifth at High School Nationals. Making the trek to Philadelphia from Spain Park High School in Alabama is 2010 Alabama state champion at 135 pounds, Geoffrey Bostany. In 2009, Bostany was runner-up at the state championships. He projects to slot in at 125 for the Quakers after a senior season that saw him finish with a 50-3 record. Kyle Cowan, a Tulsa, Okla. native, was the No. 1-ranked high school wrestler at 215 pounds in the nation this past year according to InterMat, and the 24th-ranked recruit in any weight class. He earned that distinction with his third-consecutive undefeated season at 215 pounds, finishing with a third Oklahoma state title after a 41-0 season for Cascia Hall Prep. His three-year record in varsity competition was 125-0. He is projected to compete at heavyweight for the Quakers. Another upperweight wrestler joining the Quakers is Steven Graziano from Syosset (N.Y.) High SchooL. A district placewinner in the Empire State, Graziano placed sixth at the prestigious Super 32 tournament at 215 pounds, defeating the fifth-ranked wrestler in the country along the way. He is projected to compete at either 197 or heavyweight for the Red and Blue. Throughout his career at Syosset, Graziano had his hand raised at the end of a bout 105 times. Also joining the Quakers in the fall of 2010 will be Buchanon, N.Y. native Andrew Lenzi. The fourth-ranked 135-pounder in the high school ranks at the end of the season (and third senior), Lenzi is the 65th-ranked recruit across all weights according to InterMat. While at Fordham Prep, Lenzi won two state championships, in the process becoming the first Catholic League grappler in New York history to win multiple state championships. This past spring, he claimed his second title with a win over the wrestler who holds New York’s record for most wins in a career. Lenzi finished his high school career with a 167-15 record and projects to start his career at 141 pounds for the Red and Blue. A Needham, Mass. native, Jordan Michelson is another state champion headed to Penn in the fall of 2010. He won the Massachusetts crown at 140 pounds in 2010 with an undefeated 50-0 campaign. He followed that up with a win at the New England Championships and a 4-2 record at Senior Nationals. The Needham High School product had 133 wins over his varsity career. Another state champion making his way to University City is Brad Wukie from Ohio. The University School product won a Division II state championship at 160 pounds this year and projects to 165 pounds when he takes the mats for Penn in the fall. He ended the season ranked 16th in the country at 160 pounds by InterMat. Over his career at the University School, Wukie finished second, fourth and fifth at the state championships to go with his title, and compiled a record of 143-28. In 2009, Wukie finished third in the Freshman/Sophomore bracket at the Michigan State Open, competing against – and defeating – wrestlers already in college.

Full Length Show Interviews Hudson Taylor Bruce Burnett Jack Childs Lennie Zalesky Bill Miller

Full Length Show Interviews Joe Bastardi Jeff Sitler Brent Harvey Mark Cody Troy Steiner

Full Length Show

Full Length Show Interviews Tom Minkel Steve Garland Lee Roy Smith Tim Flynn Cisco Cole

Full Length Show Interviews Lee Roy Smith Tom Borrelli Joan Moore Drew Pariano Kevin Dresser Jack Spates

Event: UFC 114: Rampage vs. Evans Venue: MGM Grand Garden Arena Date: May 29, 2010 Coming off a rare brutal performance in UFC 113, the UFC Monster isn’t too excited about tonight’s mixed martial arts card from a gambler’s point of view. With the exception of the main event, the much awaited hate-fest between Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Rashad “Suga” Evans, there appears to be little betting value with many high-priced favorites and few barking ‘dogs. So, we will keep this short and simple. If you follow my plays tonight, you will be laying an average of $2 for every $1 you want to make. And, you will need to win more than two out of three fights to make any money. If you continue to read this article, you will be risking your hard-earned cash to bet that eight (8) out of the eleven (11) fights listed below will go the way that I predict ... If that it too steep for you, then please move on, and find any Mark Palmer article to read on this Web site. Mark is a great contributor to this Web site. He knows and respects the history of wrestling. You will benefit from his knowledge. Now, on to the fights ... Take Rashad Evans (19-1-1) at –115 to take care of business with Quinton “Rampage” Jackson (30-7). Rashad is the better athlete. Rampage hasn’t fought in 15 months, due to making a movie after a mental meltdown a few months before. Rampage was the early favorite, but public money has moved towards Evans. I like the former Spartan All-American with a decisive decision. Michael “The Count” Bisping (19-3) is an obnoxious Brit who is much the better striker than his opponent Dan Miller (11-3), whose specialty is chokehold submissions. But Bisping’s never been submitted, and I don’t see it happening tonight. Striker beats submission with a third-round stoppage by TKO. Take Bisping. Lay the –160. Heavyweight slugger Todd Duffee is undefeated at 6-0. Mike Russow (12-1) has his hands full. Toe-to-toe slugging will please the fans. Duffee wins by KO and covers the –325. The best bet on the board is that Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (18-3), Minotauro’s twin brother, will submit Jason “Hitman” Brilz (18-2-1). The juice is high, and this is for bridge-jumpers only, but my coin is on the –550 favorite. Nogs sub in the second. Lat time out, Diego “Nightmare” Sanchez (23-3) got his forehead torn open by a blood-eating BJ Penn. Tonight he tries to rebound with a win over the undefeated Brit, John “The Hitman” Hathaway (13-0), who likes to bang and is lightning quick in his wrestling abilities, transitioning into submission holds. But, Sanchez is a face full of knees, and tonight one of them lands on Hathaway’s chin. Nightmare cashes at –200. On the undercard, you will be able to see two (2) fights for FREE on Spike TV. Those are the first two listed below. Young, improving Amir Sodollah (4-1) will have his hands full with still undefeated veteran Dong Hyun Kim (12-0-1 w/1 NC). Sodollah will try to kick his way to victory, while Kim will use his dirty boxing and superior striking to win a judge’s decision. The modest underdog will pay around +110. Efrain Escudero (13-1) will display a superior set of skills against Dan “The Upgrade” Lauzon (12-3), an eccentric brawler looking for a submission. The public is pounding Escudero. Lay the –450. Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard (42-9-3) needs a new nickname. He isn’t “young” anymore. But he is still an obsessed beast on a mission. And, he will steamroll his opponent tonight, Waylon Lowe (8-2), who will get his first octagon experience. It won’t be a good one. Guillard at –300 wins in the very first round with some vicious ground-and-pound beating. Luiz “Bahna” Cane (11-2-1) will get back on the winning track tonight with a 2nd round KO over Cyrille “The Snake” Diabate (16-6-3). This one costs you –355. Aaron Riley (28-12-1) is an unkempt brawler who always puts on a good show. I think his vast octagon experience will carry him to victory by decision over Joe “The South Side Strangler” Brammer (7-1-1). Riley’s a reasonable –185. And, finally, I was hoping to get Jesse Forbes (13-5) as an underdog, and he opened at +120. But the bettors have driven the odds to make him now a –125 favorite (and as much as –160 at some books). He’s bigger, stronger, and will find a way to survive a capable Ryan Jensen (15-5). Forbes by decision. So, lots of favorites. Maybe not enough ‘dogs. Betting UFC fights and laying –200 can be hazardous to your wallets, but that’s what tonight’s card looks like to me. Let’s see if we can squeeze out a profit with the following money management plan: Let’s see what we can do with our “fictitious” $1000 bankroll. Let’s lay $115 to win $100 on Rashad Evans to beat Rampage. Let’s lay $96 to win $60 on Michael Bisping. Let’s lay $130 to win $40 on Todd Duffee’s KO power. Let’s lay $110 to win $20 on a Nogueira bridge-jump. Let’s lay $120 to win $60 on Diego Sanchez to get back on track. Let’s lay $50 to win $55 on Dong Hyun Kim in our only upset. Let’s lay $90 to win $20 on Efrain Escudero to dominate on the ground. Let’s lay $90 to win $30 on Melvin Guillard to overwhelm. Let’s lay $71 to win $20 on Banha Cane to bounty hunt. Let’s lay $74 to win $ 40 on Aaron Riley to prevail in a street brawl. Let’s lay $ 50 to win $ 40 on Jesse Forbes. In all, we are risking $996 to try and win $485. It will be hard work to cash, but hopefully, we have enough winners on our side! Let’s give the extra $4 to our cocktail waitress. And, please don’t forget to share your winnings with your local youth wrestling program, where tomorrow’s champions are born! Enjoy the fights. I know I will.

Ricky Lundell

Nick Mitchell

Heath Eslinger

Dan Waddell

PHILADELPHIA -- Head coach Rob Eiter announced an addition to his coaching staff with the hiring of former NCAA All-American Kyle Cerminara. “We are thrilled to add an elite competitor like Kyle to our coaching staff,” Eiter said. “He has succeeded at both the college and international levels as a wrestler and has coached some of the best collegiate mid and upper-weight wrestlers in the nation the last two years. He will be a valuable asset in the development of our bigger wrestlers.” Cerminara, a 2006 graduate of the University at Buffalo, was an All-America in 2004 at 197 pounds, finishing eighth. With that trip to the podium, Cerminara became Buffalo’s first -- and only -- All-America while competing as a Division I institution. "I am grateful and excited to have the opportunity to coach at Penn,” Cerminara said. “Penn has great tradition and I am excited to assist Coach Eiter in producing NCAA All-Americas and National Champions on a consistent basis, while maintaining academic excellence." Cerminara graduated as Buffalo’s all-time winningest wrestler with 137 career wins, a distinction he still holds today. His All-America season of 2003-04 saw him establish the single-season win mark as well with 41 wins. He twice won MAC championships and was a three-time NCAA Qualifier. Upon graduation, Cerminara has been simultaneously competing in freestyle and commencing his coaching career. From 2008-10, he served as an assistant coach at Edinboro University, guiding the Scots to a sixth-place finish at the NCAA Championships in 2009 and a 16th-place finish last season. Along the way, Cerminara worked extensively with 2009 NCAA champion at 165 pounds Jarrod King and four other wrestlers who earned All-America honors. In both of Cerminara’s seasons assisting at Edinboro, the Scots claimed EWL championships. While coaching at Edinboro, Cerminara also continued his own wrestling career in freestyle. In 2009, he was runner up at the Pan-American Games and at the U.S. Open. In 2008, he was the third-place finisher at the U.S. Open. Twice he has finished as runner-up at the Hargobin International event as well as the Sunkist International event. In addition, Cerminara has claimed third place at the Dave Schultz Memorial Championship and the Alexander Medved Golden Grand Prix.

Bill Farrell

Michigan's Kellen Russell wasted little time making an impact at the college level. A 2007 graduate of Blair Academy in New Jersey, Russell won Big Ten titles in each of his first two seasons in the Wolverine lineup at 141 pounds. He earned All-American honors in 2009 with a seventh-place finish in St. Louis, Missouri. This past season, Russell redshirted and now has two seasons of eligibility remaining. InterMat recently caught up with Russell and talked to him about his decision to redshirt, where he made his biggest gains during his time away from competition, whether he plans to stay at 141 pounds next season or move up a weight class, what kind of impact he thinks Eric Grajales can make at the college level, and much more. Kellen RussellYou redshirted this past season. What went into the decision to take a redshirt season after competing in the lineup the previous two seasons? Russell: I was just trying to give my body a little bit of a rest. I have been wrestling pretty much for six years straight. Four years in high school wrestling all year round ... and then two years wrestling all year round in college. So I just really wanted to give my body a break and work on some stuff that I really haven't had time to work on. Most wrestlers who redshirt compete in open tournaments. You chose not to compete in any open tournaments during your redshirt season. How come? Russell: My body was just kind of beat up and I needed to rest it. I wasn't really ready by the time any of the tournaments came around. Did you attend the NCAAs? And if so, what was that experience like watching it and not competing? Russell: I didn't get to go down there because of school, but I watched most of it online or on TV. It was definitely different having to watch it on TV. It made me wish I was wrestling in it then. But it was good to be able to just sit back and watch it. I haven't really watched an entire NCAA tournament like that before. Kellen Russell (Photo/Tony Rotundo,Tech-Fall.com)When you reflect on this past redshirt season, where do you think you made your biggest gains? Russell: I have been working all stuff on my feet right now, pushing the pace, and not letting others dictate the pace. I worked on my offense instead of my defense. My freshman year I was scoring with a lot of counterattacks ... and I did that my sophomore year too, but now I'm working more on my attacks, pushing the pace, and doing what I want to do. There has been speculation as to whether you will stay at 141 pounds next season or move up to 149 pounds. What weight class do you plan to wrestle next season? Russell: Right now I'm planning on wrestling at 141. I didn't really gain that much weight over the redshirt season, so as of right now I plan on going 141. You came out of Blair Academy and then stepped right into the Michigan lineup as a true freshman and made an immediate impact. What is it about the Blair program that helps wrestlers prepare for college wrestling? Russell: I think it's just that you're wrestling the best kids in high school every weekend and those kids usually end up being some of the best kids in college. You're used to wrestling on a big stage and having lots of people watch you. The workouts are similar to what we do here. It's a lot of hard drilling and situational live go's. It translates well going from Blair to college. Two years after you enrolled at Michigan, another Blair Academy wrestler, Sean Boyle, became a Wolverine. Now Michigan has signed another Blair Academy wrestler in Max Huntley. How does it make you feel knowing that you helped start that pipeline from Blair Academy to Michigan? Russell: It's great. I think Michigan is a great university. I think being able to wrestle in the Big Ten is real important. It's one of the toughest conferences in the country. Blair kids really thrive in the Big Ten. It's a great pipeline. Eric GrajalesEric Grajales was one of the nation's top recruits from the Class of 2009. Having been around him, what kind of impact do you think he can make as a redshirt freshman? Russell: He's going to make a big impact. He's a real gamer. He wrestles real hard in practice. He's a real good scrambler. He can throw people. I think he's going to do real well next season. One of your high school teammates at Blair, Mario Mason, recently made the decision to transfer from Minnesota to Rutgers, where former Blair wrestler Cory Cooperman serves as an assistant coach. Were you surprised when you heard that he was moving back to New Jersey to wrestler for Rutgers? Russell: I was kind of surprised that he was transferring. But once I found out that he was thinking about leaving, I thought that Rutgers would probably be a good place. Cooperman is a great coach. I think that's a good place for him. Kellen Russell (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine)How different is competing at the NCAAs compared to every other wrestling event? Russell: Crazy stuff happens at the NCAAs. Crazy stuff happens at every tournament, but it seems to happen the most at the NCAAs. I think my freshman year I was just kind of awestruck almost at the NCAAs, which doesn't normally happen to me. I thought about it too much. Sophomore year I got caught and pinned. It's a lot of pressure. You have to deal with the pressure. I think now that I'm a little bit older I'll be able to deal with the pressure a little better than I did my freshman and sophomore year. It was certainly a down season for Michigan by program standards. The Wolverines failed to win a conference dual meet and finished 43rd at the NCAAs. Is there reason for Wolverine fans to be worried? Or was this past season just an aberration? Russell: We had a ton of freshmen and sophomores wrestling. We didn't have any starters graduating. A lot of those guys just didn't have enough mat experience yet. They got a lot of experience last season. Hopefully they can carry it over into next season. I think a lot of people are going to make big jumps this summer and early next season. You have had a lot of success in freestyle throughout your wrestling career. Do you plan to pursue a freestyle wrestling career on the senior level? Russell: Yeah ... right now I'm working out with Josh (Churella) a couple times a week. Just working out with him has really pushed me to want to do it. I think I'm going to keep wrestling after I graduate ... at least for a couple years. Bahna Wrestling CenterThere has been a lot of talk around the country about Michigan's state-of-the-art wrestling facility that opened this past season. What has it been like training there? Russell: It's great. We have a lot more room to wrestle. We have three 50 x 50 mats, which is a lot bigger than we used to have. We are off campus a little bit. We have our own training site, our own building, so it's nice. We have our own weight room. We can go in there and lift whenever we want. We have an awesome training room with a hot tub and cold tub, so we have the best rehab and recovery stuff that we can get. I think it's just great being able to have our own building ... and be able to hang out there. It allows a lot more people to come in and get in extra workouts than before when we had to share a weight room. We weren't always allowed in the weight room. You're a two-time Big Ten champion and have been in the mix to win a national title the past two seasons you have been in the lineup. Now that you're heading into your junior season, do you feel a sense of urgency to win the national title? Russell: I don't feel a sense of urgency, but I feel that I have been putting in the time and effort to win a national title. I think all the extra workouts that I got during my redshirt season will really allow me to make that jump to get into the NCAA finals and win a championship.

New Northern Iowa head wrestling coach Doug Schwab to go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, May 26, 2010. "On the Mat" is a presentation of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM CST on AM 1650, The Fan. E-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show. Schwab was recently named the head wrestling coach at the University of Northern Iowa. He was an assistant coach for the University of Iowa prior to his arrival. Schwab was a three-time All-American and 1999 NCAA champion for the Hawkeyes, as well as a 2008 Olympian.

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team headed up to Nashville this week to help with the cleanup from the recent flooding in the area. The Mocs donned the haz-mat suits and got down and dirty with a number of other volunteers in an effort to start rebuilding after the record-breaking floods. UTC spent two days working with the volunteer organization, Hands on Nashville, helping clean up areas throughout the community. On Wednesday, they worked in a trailer park removing rotting trash and damaged items from the 30 or more homes. "The first day was definitely a challenge," stated head coach Heath Eslinger. "It was pretty nasty. Four other groups tried to do but our guys were the only one who could go in there and not get sick." "We removed old appliances and refrigerators that were full of food that had just been sitting there for three weeks with no electricity. When they heard that four other groups had tried and couldn't do it, it was almost like a challenge to the guys to get it done." On Thursday, the team helped to haul off trash and debris from an apartment complex in Antioch. They also helped to strip the interior of a nearby home that was to be rebuilt. "Our kids are back in town training and we believe this is part of training," added Eslinger. "It is a lot more than just lifting weights and wrestling it is about learning how to live your life. This was a good opportunity to be hands on and do that." "I am proud of how our guys are learning how to tackle everyday stuff. It is one thing to work hard when you are getting a reward. It is another thing to work hard when someone else is getting the reward. It is a lot of fun helping people and I think our guys learned that over the last two days." The group of 20+ representing the Mocs was made up of student-athletes, coaches, trainers and alumni. Be sure to check out the photo gallery at the top of the page and a link to a story on the Mocs from Nashville's WKRN TV.

LARAMIE, Wyo. -- Another post-season honor in yet another category was bestowed on Wyoming Cowboy wrestler Joe LeBlanc recently, when the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) awarded UW’s 184-pounder with its annual All-American Strength and Conditioning Athlete of the Year award. Within the last few months, LeBlanc has earned his second All-America honor on the wrestling mat after placing fourth at the 2010 NCAA Championships, has been recognized by the National Wrestling Coaches Association on its annual Division I All-Academic team and has now rounded out his resume with the distinction from the NSCA. The classification awarded to LeBlanc by the NSCA recognizes student-athlete dedication to strength and conditioning training. He was selected for the honor by UW strength and conditioning coach Rob Hartman, CSCS. “Joe LeBlanc is an athlete who has embraced the weight room and is reaping its benefits,” Hartman said. “He began wrestling collegiately at 157 pounds and since that time has worked hard in the weight room throughout both the school year and summer months. Joe has gained both size and strength, which has contributed to his two All-America honors at 184 pounds. He has been awarded the title of a weight room leader, and in our program that is just like being an Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach for us. I look forward to having him around for the next few years and to the energy he brings to the weight room.” LeBlanc (Meeker, Colo.), had a dominant season in 2009-10. In addition to his afore-mentioned finish at nationals, he was the 2010 Western Wrestling Conference Wrestler of the Year. He won his second NCAA West Regional Championship at 184 pounds and led the `Pokes to the 2010 West Regional team title, as well as the 2010 WWC Regular Season Dual team title. LeBlanc’s season record was 39-6 with 28 bonus point margins. Twelve of his wins came by fall, 12 by way of technical fall and four by major decision. He earned a team-best 69 points this past season in 15 duals, an average of 4.6. He was recently named the 2009-10 UW Student-Athlete Advisory Committee’s Male Athlete of the Year, as well as the 2009-10 DICollegeWrestling.net West Region Wrestler of the Year. The NSCA honored a total of 232 collegiate athletes from 106 schools this year. The program is in its 32nd year, and is made possible by a grant from Power Systems, Inc., a Knoxville, Tenn., fitness product leader.

TEMPE -- Ben Ashmore, a member of the Arizona State University wrestling team, has been named the recipient of the 2010 Pac-10 Conference Sportsmanship Award, the Conference announced today. Ashmore, who recently completed his first season with the Sun Devils, joined the Stanford women’s rowing team as this year’s honorees. The Sportsmanship Award is selected by members of the Pac-10 Student-Athlete Advisory Council (SAAC) and is based on good sportsmanship and ethical behavior in participation of intercollegiate athletics, as well as a demonstration of good citizenship outside of the sports-competition setting. Conference award winners are then nominated for the NCAA Division I Sportsmanship Award. A native of Dallas, Texas, Ashmore came to Tempe in time for the 2008-09 season after transferring away from Oklahoma State and worked hard in practice to make the starting line-up in 2009-10. An All-American candidate at 125 pounds heading into this past season, Ashmore voluntarily moved up to 133 pounds in order to keep teammate Anthony Robles in the starting position at 125 pounds where he was an All-American (fourth-place) and national semifinalist one year earlier. Wrestling up one weight class, Ashmore finished fourth at the Pac-10 Championships and earned the league’s final automatic qualifying spot at 133 pounds and advanced to his first NCAA Championships appearance, where he went 1-2 in the event. Along with finding success on the mats, Ashmore has continued to work toward a degree in interdisciplinary studies while also remaining active in the community. During the past season, Ashmore attended several events with his teammates, including the Wilson Community Clean-up in central Phoenix and also participated in a walk for Autism. He also attends local high school wrestling meets and serves as a good role model for younger wrestlers. Ashmore is the second Sun Devil to be selected for the award since it was created in 2004. That year, football player Grayling Love was the recipient.

With wrestling's rich history, and the compelling characters and dramas that the sport annually produces, it seems difficult to believe that 2006-2007 was the first season that a movie director documented from start to finish. Thankfully, however, award-winning filmmaker Todd Hickey -- a former PA high school wrestler himself -- decided to do just that. Now he and producer Kirk Ledger are touring the country, showcasing the fruits of their labor. Takedowns and Falls tells the true story of veteran Coach Jeff Sweigard and his 2006-07 Central Dauphin (PA) High School Rams. It paints a wonderful portrait of the team's personal and athletic trials and tribulations throughout the season, the ups and downs that might befall any high school wrestling team in America. Like any good documentary, every character brings a different quirk or endearing attribute to the table, and it's easy to root for each kid as the drama of the season unfolds. While the movie doesn't focus on the larger community of Harrisburg as much as I had originally anticipated, it does feature a variety of outstanding original music, and the editing and cinematography are first-class, and at times, breathtaking. Afterwards, Hickey was gracious enough to sit down with me and delve a little deeper into a project that has consumed much of his life for the past three years. What was the biggest challenge in making this movie? Hickey: Although we would all like to think of film as a medium of art, it is also a business, so people (investors, producers etc.) want to feel there is a good chance to make their money or sweat equity back. Documentaries are struggling to find funding and audiences, in general, and our film was no different. We spent a lot of time fundraising and pitching the project. I think our belief in the idea of the film was contagious, so we were able to get it off the ground. We started shooting before we had the whole budget, so that presented some tense moments, and we raised money throughout the entire process, a little at a time and kept it going. Outside of funding the film, I'd have to say editing it was the most challenging aspect. We shot a daunting 500 hours of footage. As with many docs, we had several possible films to make that lived in that raw footage. Shaping a film that would appeal to wrestling and non-wrestling fans alike was tricky and taxing. We were editing for 2.5 years, during the course of which we went through three different editors and almost a dozen assistant editors. Docs of this size don't pay as well as many other film or TV jobs, so it is difficult to keep people on board for long durations. In short, I guess there are two answers; getting the film off the ground and then getting it finished. How did you decide on Central Dauphin High School, specifically? I remember you saying that this movie was originally supposed to compare PA wrestling geographically? Hickey: (Producer) Kirk Ledger and I had wrestled for Coach Sweigard at Susquehanna (PA) Township in the late 80's, and when Walter (Peppelman) lost in the '06 PIAA state finals, we decided that maybe this was the time to make the documentary idea that we had been talking about for a decade and a half. Walter PeppelmanWe initially imagined and wrote up the idea as more of a mosaic of PA wrestling, following four or five wrestlers from different areas of PA, chronicling and comparing each of their journeys on the road to a state title. Once we got to PA and started shooting, we quickly realized that we were inspired by many of the personal stories and the "cast" that CD's team provided the film. We thought it was important to build relationships, spending a lot of time with one team would help do that. So, we decided to make the film centered around this team, that is not the champs, but not the worst ... Just your average PA high school wrestling team ... or so we thought. You've made many different documentaries before ... What made this subject material so compelling in your mind? Hickey: For any film to be compelling, you must care about what your characters are going through, and you have to be able to relate, or at least juxtapose, their experiences to your own. Audiences will quickly engage with subjects that they believe are passionate about what they are doing. Wrestling is a very intense world that is not often exposed in film, and sports films in general have great built in arcs and obstacles. Our film also has some health elements that raise the stakes. I feel that the film is compelling because at some point in the film you really start pulling for the cast, that you laugh when they do, and get sad when they are sad. As an audience member (and film maker) I really enjoy the time I spend with the cast during the film, and care about them and the outcome. Spoiler alert* How do you think CD's improbable state title run that year affected your movie? Hickey: It would have been a different film. It would have been more of the mosaic that we talked about earlier. Like I mentioned earlier, although we decided to spend the majority of our time with CD, we did film all over PA and interviewed lots of coaches, wrestlers and CD's opponents. (Some of which is in the DVD extras) We were in the right place at the right time and enabled ourselves to capture, then share this moment in time. What is your personal background with PA wrestling? Hickey: I grew up in Harrisburg and wrestled in middle and high school. I was not very good and an underachiever in the sport. In college I missed wrestling, and realized that instead of trying hard I was always looking for an excuse, or an easy way out. But at that point it was too late to use this new found revelation in wrestling, so I made a promise to myself that I would never half-ass something I loved to do again. This attitude drives me as an adult and as a filmmaker. If you want to be good at something you have to love it, you have to really try, and you can't be afraid to fail. I saw a quote the other day on a wrestling Web site "In wrestling there are no losers. Just winners and learners." I can relate to that. How much did your prior relationship with Coach Sweigard help in the making of this film? Did your impressions of him change as you spent the year around he and his team? Jeff SweigardHickey: It helped us a lot. He enabled this film to happen. Coach told us he would have never let someone that didn't wrestle for him have this sort of access to him and his team. He wanted to be sure that things were not taken out of context, or misunderstood by someone who is not familiar with him or the sport. I think it also helped because once the team realized we had been student-athletes under Coach Sweigard we got some credibility, we had that in common. As always, having a past we had a shorthand and lots of old stories that we could talk about that helped us segue into conversations and have fun during down time. He is a really funny guy, and made us feel comfortable and welcome. That carried over to how other people treated us too, which helped. I would say my impression of him solidified more so than changed. I have always had a lot of respect for him, but now 15-plus years removed from being a high school kid and a coach, we are now both adults and my respect for him progressed to that perspective. Do you have a favorite moment of the film? Hickey: For sure ... It would be hard to pick one. I have several favorite moments. Lots of little smiles and comments. I am still affected by the ups and downs of the season and cast. When Tony Dallago wins in the state semis ranks up there, as does the end of the film. How did making this documentary compare with other ones that you've made or been involved with? Hickey: I served as the cinematographer (director of photography) on the other documentaries I have worked on. This is the first film that I produced, directed and shot. So, this has been the most, top to bottom, intensive experience. This is often referred to as a "passion project." As far as story/subject, all of the docs I have been a part of have been about people who are trying to, in their own way, make the world a better place, either in broad strokes, one on one, by working on oneself or leading by example. In this case a man trying to teach life lessons via the sport of wrestling. How did you think this movie was going to play with non-wrestling fans? And what has the general response been? Hickey: It has been playing very well to non-wrestling fans. After every screening we have had people come up to us and say something along the lines of "I was only here because my boyfriend, but I loved it!" We have been saying for along time, if we can get the girlfriends to like it we will be OK, and break out of the niche and reach mass audiences. Marshall PeppelmanWe are glad that non-wrestling fans are enjoying the team's journey too. It is important to the film's success, and has always been our intention to make a film about the people of the sport, rather than a film about the sport itself. We find that all types of audiences can relate to this inspirational story. Wrestling is the world that it takes place in. That being said, it is also important that wrestling fans enjoy the film too. The wrestling community has been so supportive throughout this whole process. We wanted to make an authentic and honest film that everyone could enjoy. Where are you planning on showing the film in the future? Hickey: We just did a screening in Arizona with Sunkist Kids ... We are looking into screening at Fargo in July ... And we are booking more screenings in LA, New York, the Northwest, a drive-in theater in Virginia. Kirk Ledger and I are planning on doing another theatrical run in the fall to lead up to wrestling season. We are also doing screenings with booster clubs and teams as benefits and stuff like that. We want to bring it to wherever people want to see it. Several screenings have happened because people e-mail us and ask us to bring it to their town. Those screenings tend to very well because of the local support and grass roots-style promo. Takedowns and Falls was produced and directed by award-winning filmmaker Todd Hickey. Todd attended the Radio-Television-Film Department at Temple University in Philadelphia then apprenticed under directors Spike Jonze, Paul Boyd, Billie Woodriff and D.P.'s Daniel Pearl, Roberto Schieffer, Chewy Chaves, and Amy Vincent. His first narrative feature film as a D.P. After Sex, is an ensemble piece staring Mila Kunis, Emmanulle Chriqui, Taryn Manning, Jane Seymour and John Witherspoon. Todd also lensed the award-winning documentary "Freestyle, the art of Rhyme" for director Kevin Fitzgerald and "Sonny Boy," directed by Soleil Moon-Frye. Todd recently penned the story for The Hungry Rabbit Jumps, a script written by Robert Tannen, currently in production and starring Nicolas Cage, January Jones and Guy Pearce. Todd's work has appeared on MTV, MTV2, MTV Europe, VH1, Much Music, and Fuse.