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The participants for the 44th NWCA All-Star Classic Presented by the Wrestling Alumni – College of William & Mary are selected and ready to compete November 22, 2009 at Titan Gym on the campus of California State Fullerton. William & Mary had their first and only ever All-Star participant in 1975, when Mark Belknap defeated Jim Miller of Northern Iowa. This year they are pledging their support to help other Universities like California State Fullerton keep the dream alive and allow young athletes to keep competing well into the future. Notably joining the ranks in 2009 with their first ever NWCA All-Star participants are: Kyle Borschoff (149) of American University, Andrew Rendos (165) of Bucknell University, and Josh Patterson (184) of Binghamton University. These three programs are no strangers to adversity, both Bucknell and Binghamton were both programs that were dropped and due to diligence of alumni were reinstated. American also fell on some tough times as the program was being evaluated with the potential to be eliminated. Over the past few years these three programs have been on the rise with National Champions, All-Americans, All-Academic Team Members and more importantly support behind their programs. In the numbers game Oklahoma State has had the most participants in the forty-four year history of the event with 81. Iowa comes in closely behind with 74 and Iowa State with 69. Matt Moley of Bloomsburg will join other Huskies of the past as the seventh Bloomsburg wrestler to compete in the event, the last being Dave Morgan in 1989. Chris Henrich, will be the third University of Virginia wrestler in the event. He is preceded by his current coaches, Steve Garland (2000) and Scott Moore (2004). At 197 pounds there is a rematch from the 2009 NCAA Finals between returning National Champion Jake Varner of Iowa State and Craig Brester of Nebraska. Joining Varner as returning National Champions this year are Nebraska's Jordan Burroughs (157) and Missouri's Mark Ellis (285). As the 2009 NWCA All-Star Classic travels to Fullerton, California, it is with one greater goal in mind to support collegiate wrestling at every level in every state. Cal State Fullerton must raise $200,000 in funds by April 2010 and $200,000 in pledges by August 2010 to survive. From past experiences Kirk Hankla, wrestling alumni from William & Mary knows that, "It is much harder to start or re-start a wrestling program than to save one that is still in existence. When wrestling was dropped at William & Mary, a knife of sorts was driven in to the cores of our souls; it twists each time another wrestling program is dropped. Given what wrestling has meant to us, we have resolved that we will do what we can to see that the mistake which was perpetrated by the College of William & Mary is not repeated again and again. We hope that you will join us, a group of former collegiate wrestlers that attended a university on the other side of the country, to save wrestling at Cal State Fullerton." This year's featured bouts will have representatives from other California Universities including: Cal State Bakersfield, Cal Baptist University (NAIA), Cal State Fullerton, and Stanford. 2009 NWCA All-Star Classic Competitors 125: No. 2 Anthony Robles (Arizona State) vs. No. 4 Zach Sanders (Minnesota) 133: No. 4 Steve Bell (Maryland) vs. No. 5 Daniel Dennis (Iowa) 141: No. 2 Nick Gallick (Iowa State) vs. No. 3 Alex Krom (Maryland) 149: No. 2 Lance Palmer (Ohio State) vs. No. 5 Kyle Borshoff (American) 157: No. 1 Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) vs. No. 2 Matt Moley (Bloomsburg) 165 :No. 4 Jonathan Reader (Iowa State) vs. No. 6 Andrew Rendos (Bucknell) 174: No. 2 Chris Henrich (Virginia) vs. No. 7 Stephen Dwyer (Nebraska) 184: No. 4 Max Askren (Missouri) vs. No. 5 Josh Patterson (Binghamton) 197: No. 1 Jake Varner (Iowa State) vs. No. 2 Craig Brester (Nebraska) 285: No. 1 Mark Ellis (Missouri) vs. No. 5 David Zabriskie (Iowa State) Featured Bouts: 141: Adin Duenas (Cal State Fullerton) vs. Elijah Nacita (Cal State Bakersfield) 184: Zach Giesen (Stanford) vs. Enoch Francois (Cal Baptist University) 197: John Drake (Cal State Fullerton) vs. Riley Orozco (Cal State Bakersfield) The 44th Annual NWCA All-Star Classic will take place on Sunday, November 22, 2009, at 2 p.m. on the campus of California State Fullerton in Titan Gym. Tickets can be purchased through TicketLeap: http://savefullertonwrestling.ticketleap.com.

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- The University of Northern Iowa opened the 2009-10 wrestling season with the annual intrasquad wrestle-offs Saturday in the West Gym. "We wrestled very well today," UNI head coach Brad Penrith said. "This is our first time competing this year and I'm very happy with our guy's performance. They were very aggressive and competitive. Our freshmen wrestled very well. They are a group of guys that compete. Those guys aren't afraid to wrestle, and we definitely saw that today." Caleb Flores won a 13-6 decision over Grant Sutter at the 125-pound weight class. "Caleb really performed well today," Penrith said. "He was attacking late into the third period which I was very happy to see." Freshman Joey Lazor topped Jake Demmon 9-3 and then came back to pin sophomore Steven Fitzgerald in 6:41 at the 133-pound weight class. Jamal Lawrence topped Aaron Senzee 8-2 and then returned to the mat to top Charlie Ettelson 15-13 in an action-packed match at the 149-pound class. "Jamal also had a very good day," Penrith said. "He kept wrestling and didn't stop moving. Charlie came back at him and gave him a big challenge but he came out of it and then came out with the win." True freshman Brice Wolf topped senior Scott Hazen 9-5, but later fell to Jarion Beets 11-6 at 165 pounds. Trent Washington scored an 11-5 decision over Alec Hoffman at 141 pounds. "Trent scored 10 points in two periods," Penrith said. "We need him to wrestle like that. He attacked and was very aggressive, which is what I like to see." Another true freshman, Ryan Loder, scored a big win over an upperclassman as Loder topped Andy O'Loughlin 7-2 at 184 pounds. At the heavyweight slot, Christian Brantley topped Blayne Beale 9-5. "Christian continued to attack throughout the match," Penrith said. "That was good to see." "Overall I'm very pleased with our performance," Penrith said. "We still need to work on some things and stay concentrated and keep doing the right things. We're just excited to get rolling." The Panthers will open the regular season Nov. 14 at the Northwestern Duals. The Panthers will face Eastern Michigan, Purdue and Stanford. UNI Intra-Squad Wrestle-Off Results: 125 Sutter dec. Jauch, 7-0 133 Lazor dec. Demmon, 9-3 149 Ettelson dec. Zempel, 8-2 149 Lawrence dec. Senzee, 8-2 174 Wolf dec. Hazen, 9-5 174 Beets dec. Simon, 9-5 141 Washington dec. Hoffman, 11-5 157 Reiner dec. Robbins, 8-6 184 Loder dec. O'Loughlin, 7-2 285 Brantley dec. Beale, 9-5 125 Flores dec. Sutter, 13-6 133 Lazor pinned Fitzgerald, 6:41 149 Lawrence dec. Ettelson 15-13 165 Beets dec. Wolf 11-6

NORFOLK, Va. -- Brothers James and John Nicholson led the way with a pair of major decisions at the annual Blue/Silver Intersquad Sunday evening, kicking off the 2009-10 wrestling season. Junior James Nicholson (Des Moines, Iowa), a two-time CAA Champion at 125-pounds, defeated freshman Eric Dunnet (Pine Hill, N.J.), 18-6. Dunnet had beaten redshirt freshman Joshua Gillis earlier in the evening, 3-0. Freshman John Nicholson (Des Moines, Iowa) put together an impressive performance, topping redshirt freshman Louis Johnson, 22-8, at 149-pounds. "Overall the team looked pretty good considering it's so early in the year," said Monarch head coach Steve Martin. "The kids wrestled hard and never backed down. The freshmen really pushed our seniors and that competition within our own team will only help us in the long run." Another impressive performance came from sophomore Joseph Budi (Appleton, Wis.) at 184-pounds. Budi, who picked up a pair of victories at the CAA Tournament last year, topped freshman Billy Curling 7-2 and ended the bout with a 4:22 advantage in riding time. Senior Kyle Hutter (Mokena, Ill.) also looked good at 133-pounts, topping one of ODU's top recruits, Justin LaValle. Hutter, a two-time NCAA qualifier, won the bout 8-2. Junior Dan Rivera (Winter Springs, Fla.) was the only other upperclassmen to pick up a win, upending redshirt junior Derek Gallagher, 4-2. Redshirt freshmen Craig Wilson and Michael Chapman both won their matches, while true freshmen Victor Njomo, Chad Lowman and Joey Sheridan all won bouts. The wrestling Monarchs will next compete at the Hokie Open on Sunday, Nov. 8. Final Results: Match 1 (125) Dunnet dec Gillis, 3-0 Match 2 (HWT) Njomo dec Burbank, 2-1 Match 3 (133) Hutter dec LaValle, 8-2 Match 4 (141) Wilson dec Brumley, 7-2 Match 5 (149) Jo. Nicholson maj dec Johnson, 22-8 Match 6 (149) Lowman dec Watkins, 4-0 Match 7 (157) Sheridan dec Brunke, 9-2 Match 8 (157) Rivera dec Gallagher, 4-2 Match 9 (184) Budi dec Curling, 7-2 Match 10 (125) Ja. Nicholson maj dec Dunnet, 18-6 Match 11 (HWT) Chapman dec Njomo, 4-0

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- The University of Maryland wrestling team opened the 2009-10 season Sunday at the Buffalo Open, with four Terps taking home individual titles. While no team scores were kept, seven Terps reached the finals of their respective weight divisions, with James Knox (125), No. 4 Steven Bell (133), Kyle John (157) and No. 4 Mike Letts (174) winning titles. "It was a good weekend," said head coach Kerry McCoy. "We saw some areas we need to continue to work on, so we'll give these guys a few days of rest before getting back to the drawing board and beginning preparations for our next matches." Knox ran through the competition at 125 pounds, winning five straight decisions to claim the title. Bell, wrestling unattached, picked up major decisions in the quarter and semifinals before earning a 7-2 decision over Kevin Smith of Buffalo in the championship match at 133 pounds. Mookie Golden went 4-2 on the day, including a 16-0 tech fall 4:13 into his opening match, to finish fifth at 133. At 141, Matt Bogusz took home third place. Bogusz won his first match by pin 2:20 in, rebounding to win two matches after a semifinal loss to Dane Johnson of Pittsburgh. Jon Kohler won four straight matches before falling 10-7 to Desmond Green of Buffalo in the finals at 149. The Terps got their third title of the day at 157 pounds, as sophomore Kyle John went 4-0 with a 7-2 decision over Andy Lamancusa of Merchurst in the championship match. Maryland took home second and third place in the 165 pound division. Josh Asper went 4-1 with two major decisions to take second place, and freshman Jimmy Sheptock won his first three matches before falling in the semifinals and eventually taking third. At 174, Letts opened with a pin in 3:07, and then won four more matches to earn the title. Bradley Nielson and Christian Boley finished fourth at 184 and 197 pounds, respectively, for the Terps. At heavyweight, Patrick Gilmore opened with an 11-2 major decision before earning a 19-3 tech fall in 6:58 in the second round. Gilmore won two more matches before falling 9-2 in the final to earn second place. Other Maryland competitors included: Tommy Sitar, Owen Duffy, Danny O'Malley, Joey Boone, Brian Osorio, Domenic DeRobertis, Danny Orem, Justin Cash, Andrik Cruz, Steven Gamble, Owen Smith, Dallas Brown, Ty Snook, and Ryan Gray. The Terps return to College Park for their home opener, with dual matches scheduled against Drexel at 2:00 p.m. and York at 4:00 p.m. on Nov. 7.

Columbia, Mo. -- For the fourth straight year, the Gold Team walked away with the win, 21-12, at the annual preseason Black and Gold Wrestle-Offs held in the Hearnes Center. Seven wrestlers donning gold singlets earned victories in their matches, while three, including 2009 heavyweight national champion Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.), won while representing the Black Team. “Our wrestlers looked good and aggressive today,” Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith said. “I’m pleased with how they competed. We’ll go back to the practice room and work on certain areas that need improvement and begin focusing on our first dual opponent, Illinois.” The afternoon opened with an exhibition match featuring true freshman Kyle Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo.) and redshirt freshman Cody Farinella (Maryland Heights, Mo.) at 141 pounds. Wisdom came out strong, earning a win by major decision, 14-2. True freshman Brad Wisdom (Farmington, Mo.) took a 5-2 win over sophomore Troy Dolan (Blairsville, Pa.) at 125 pounds, giving the Gold Team its first points of the day. The two Tiger grapplers were scoreless through the first period and Wisdom chose down to start the second, escaping in 43 seconds. Wisdom managed two takedowns in the third period to hold off Dolan for the win. Competing at 141 pounds, junior Todd Schavrien (Poway, Calif.) won his match against Nicholas Hucke (Pewaukee, Wis.) by way of 7-1 decision. Schavrien got off to a fast start, scoring two takedowns and allowing Hucke only one escape in the first three minutes of action. Choosing down to start the second, Schavrien escaped and took down Hucke adding to his pint total and holding on for the win. The Black Team received its first points of the dual on Patrick Wright’s (Grand Ledge, Mich.) 2-0 shutout of teammate Nick Gregoris (Mebane, N.C.). After a scoreless first period, Wright was cautioned twice in the second for false starts. Wright rode out (1:57) Gregoris and escaped in the third for the two point decision. In one of three matches featuring true freshmen, two-time All-American Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) bested Zach Toal (Sidney, Ohio), 8-2, at 165 pounds. Toal entered the meet after claiming the Lindenwood Open title Friday evening. 2009 NCAA qualifier Dorian Henderson (Columbus, Ga.) added points for the Gold Team with his 3-2 win over Todd Porter (House Springs, Mo.). The match was one of five on the day decided by two or fewer points. Two-time All-American Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) made his first appearance of the season at 184 pounds. Battling with true freshman Weston Keleher (Moberly, Mo.), Askren tallied 11 points through one takedown and three nearfalls, before pinning Keleher. The match ended in 2:30. The heavyweight battle paired Ellis against Junior World Champion Dominique Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo.). A back-and-forth match, Ellis claimed the 2-0 win, scoring first on an escape in the second period and adding one point for 1:54 of riding time. Missouri will open its season Thursday, Nov. 12, at 6:30 p.m. (CT) against border opponent Illinois. The home match is one of five duals that will be held in the Hearnes Center this season. Exhibition Match 141 Kyle Bradley (Gold) major decision Cody Farinella (Black): 14-2 Wt. Wrestler vs. Wrestler Black Gold 125 Brad Wisdom (Gold) decision Troy Dolan (Black): 5-2 0 3 133 Nathan McCormick (Gold) decision Taylor Crane (Black): 3-1 0 6 141 Todd Schavrien (Gold) decision Nick Hucke (Black): 7-1 0 9 149 Brandon Wiest (Gold) decision Scott O’Donnell (Black): 3-1 OT 0 12 157 Patrick Wright (Black) decision Nick Gregoris (Gold): 2-0 3 12 165 Nicholas Marable (Gold) decision Zach Toal (Black): 8-2 3 15 174 Dorian Henderson (Gold) decision Todd Porter (Black): 3-2 3 18 184 Maxwell Askren (Black) fall Weston Keleher (Gold): 2:30 9 18 197 Brent Haynes (Gold) decision Jake Glore (Black): 9-2 9 21 HWT Mark Ellis (Black) decision Dominique Bradley (Gold): 2-0 12 21

Four-time Colorado state wrestling champion Tyler Graff is preparing for his first official season with the Wisconsin Badgers in 2009-10. Last season he took a redshirt year to fine-tune his wrestling and prepare for the next four years. Graff has had success nationally and internationally and is prepared for his indoctrination into Big Ten wrestling. After compiling a 162-1 record in high school, Graff, who will compete at 133 pounds, is one of those guys who relishes everything about the sport and if past experience shows the wrestling world anything, will continue to thrive and enjoy every moment -- as long as Graff can. Tyler GraffGraff's wrestling career started largely because his parents wanted him to be involved in sports and knew he needed an outlet for his childhood energies. "My dad brought me to a wrestling room when I was seven years old," said Graff. "I guess I was always an aggressive kid and I liked it right away just because I was able to grab people and wrestle people. The coaches just taught me from there." Even if he couldn't foresee the success he was going to have, Graff knew right away wrestling was something he was going to enjoy for as long as he could. "I enjoyed it a lot," said Graff. "I enjoyed going to practice and wrestling and competing and stuff. It was fun right from the start." Before long Graff got involved in national tournaments and started to have success at that level. "When I was 10 or 11, I entered some of the little kid competitions and national competitions," recalled Graff. "I was doing well in those and it improved my confidence. The coaches I was around, some of them were Olympic gold medalists. Hearing their stories got me thinking 'I'd like to be like that.'" In order to be like that, he had to enjoy the grind. He continued to grow in all aspects of the sport and found that he enjoyed the less glamorous aspects of wrestling. That desire to get better had to come from within, but it was fueled by some of his early coaches. Tyler Graff (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)"Hearing some of my coaches talk about some of the prices you have to pay to win," said Graff, "like do your best, it is not always fun -- a better word would be it's not always comfortable -- but you should enjoy it because you've got to think of it as an adventure or as a way to accomplish your goals." Partially because of how much he enjoyed it, he took to the coaching he received completely and in turn developed a style that is hard to pin down. "I couldn't necessarily say I am good at any one thing," said Graff. "I like to think I am good everywhere." Unable to come up with a portion of his wrestling style that he would consider a strength, he commented on a part of wrestling that, although he might not say it, can only lead to success. "I just enjoy the challenge," said Graff. "I like everything about it. Whether it is training, preparation, weight management, performing, everything. I enjoy it all and it is never a duty or something I feel I have to do. It is a privilege." His preparation and his approach on the mat are two of the reasons he has been so tough to beat. "I feel I can't really force anything," said Graff. "If I really had to push to put pressure on a guy I feel like I would have to get a really good setup, get him off balance and make them come to me in some way. I find ways to get my offense off -- you can't really force anything. I see what is there and I take it." He developed that style of wrestling over time. "I wasn't always like that," said Graff. "At some points I was one dimensional in some areas, but I think just as the years have gone on and being around a lot of different coaches and learning from other people I have just been able to absorb their styles and taking what is good for me and what works." Tyler Graff defeated NCAA champion Franklin Gomez of Michigan State at the 2009 U.S. Nationals (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)That approach helped him to one of the most successful high school careers in Colorado. His one loss came during his freshman year. The expectations and pressure that might have come with such a long winning streak might have worn down Graff, but instead he thrived on it. "I didn't feel any pressure whatsoever," said InterMat's No. 10-ranked 133-pounder. "I thought of every day and every match as an opportunity and that is the main goal, improvement, the bigger picture and taking it one day at a time." Before he wrestled at the collegiate level, he was able to compete internationally. He placed second in the 2007 Junior Pan-American Games and was a two-time member of the Junior World Team (2007 and 2008). "Those experiences were really good and they really motivated me," said Graff. "Even though they didn't quite go the way I wanted them to. I was disappointed, but I came away with things to work on, things I can improve on. I was more hungry after I left." After his experiences internationally and after doing everything he could possibly do as a Loveland Colorado high school wrestler, he was one of the most sought after wrestlers in the 2008 recruiting class. "I was looking at a few schools," said Graff. "Wisconsin was always one I would keep in mind because a buddy of mine, Tommy Clum, came here. He was a two-time All-American and he was one of the guys I looked up to when I was in the Excel wrestling program (in Colorado). He would be at the camps and he kind of told me one time that he thought Coach (Barry) Davis and I would get along and thought alike. I believed him, but it was a lot different when I actually met Barry for the first time. When I first got here I met the coaches, saw the (wrestling) room, saw the guys and I was pretty much sold right there." "His work ethic was perfect for the sport of wrestling," said Davis. "There are not a lot of kids that you know about that know the history of wrestling. He knows guys back in the 80's. He is a historian in that way and I think that really caught my eyes as well." Graff and Coach Davis elaborated on what they had in common. Barry Davis"We both had a relentless mentality," said Graff. "Like a dictating mentality that they've got. I agree with it 100 percent. I believe in dominating on and off the mat, in practice -- everything. That personality alone got my attention." "It's all about work ethic and what you have to do to be a good wrestler," said Davis. "Spending the time in the (wrestling) room to not only get better in the sport, but figuring it out your opponents, watching them on film and ways to attack. Finding ways to not only beat your opponent physically, but how to beat them mentally. Right away we connected with Ty. When we talk, we talk at a high level at a real in-depth place about the sport. With him knowing so much about wrestling and being an historian we can talk about that stuff." Last season Graff took a redshirt year and compiled a record of 18-2 as a redshirt. This year he will be in the mix from day one, but he used last year to fine-tune his entire game. "Most of it was done in the (wrestling) room," said Graff. "A lot of it was technical and mental. Basically I matured as a wrestler -- not making mistakes I made in high school or being more composed in situations and knowing how to wrestle in all areas." Graff made sure he put in plenty of time in the wrestling room -- a fact his coaches noticed during his first year. Coach Davis said that Graff is the kind of guy who is always taking notes and is always the last guy out of the wrestling room. This year Coach Davis has a clear vision for Graff -- and all his wrestlers. Tyler Graff (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)"My thing is in every match you lay it on the line and that makes inroads to get better come March," said Davis. "Don't worry about going undefeated. Just worry about wrestling ... and winning and losing will take care of itself. If you go out and compete like that, you will make bigger strides than worrying about winning and losing and saying 'this is my goal, if I just win I will keep my goal'. No, you achieve your goal by going on the mat, competing, letting it loose on the mat and that will show you were you are at. Throughout the season it will make you better because you are not afraid to make mistakes. You will build much quicker that way." This season Graff dives into the grind of a Big Ten season and will be facing some of the best wrestlers in the nation right off the bat. Regardless of how his freshman season shapes up, with his love for the preparation and Coach Davis' vision to build toward March, Graff will get better and better during his freshman campaign and throughout his time in Madison. Taking into account his desire to continue to wrestle internationally after his time as a Badger is up, Graff will continue to compete, train and enjoy every moment -- as long as he can.

Ryan Bader's wrestling credentials are impressive. He was a two-time state champion, three-time Pac-10 champion, and a three-time All-American at Arizona State. After college, Bader took a desk job ... but that didn't last long. He began his mixed martial arts career in 2007 training at Arizona Combat Sports in Tempe, Arizona under Trevor and Todd Lally. Ryan BaderAfter winning his first seven fights in smaller venues, Bader got the call to participate on the UFC's reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter for its eighth season. He was selected on Team Nogueira as the No. 1 overall pick ... and did not disappoint. He won three consecutive fights en route to the TV show's finale, where he beat Brazilian Ju-Jitsu black belt Vinny Magalhaes to earn instant superstardom status among UFC fans and a six-figure UFC contract. Bader fought Carmelo Marrero last April as a featured fight in UFC's Fight Night 18 in Nashville, Tennessee. He won a three-round battle using his wrestling to control and dominate in a unanimous three-round decision. In that fight, Bader tore his PCL and MCL, which put him out of action for six months. He competed last weekend in Los Angeles at UFC 104, beating Eric Schafer in another dominating three-round decision. UFC rising star Ryan "Darth" Bader, who is now sporting an 11-0 MMA record, talks to InterMat about his MMA career, camp, Arizona State, and more. It looked like two or three times you were going to finish Eric Schafer in the first round and he just seemed to take a beating and survive. Were you surprised at how tough his chin was? Bader: I knew he was tough going into this fight. He was on a four-fight win streak and I had just watched the Houston Alexander fight and Schafer took some huge shots and kept coming after him and eventually tapped him. So I knew he would not give up one bit. Ryan BaderHow is your knee after the Schafer fight, and in general after injuring it in the Carmelo Marrero fight? Bader: My knee is one hundred percent. It feels good and I am completely healthy after this fight. My knee was a non-issue in this fight. You are now 3-0 in the UFC and 11-0 overall. Who would you like to fight next? How far away are you from Lyoto Machida and/or a title shot? Bader: I have no idea who I will fight next. Whoever the UFC puts in front of me. I need a lot of experience before I ever start thinking about fighting Machida. I need to put in more work and keep developing my skills. When I fight for the title I want to be the best fighter I can be. You showed great power and great wrestling in your last fight. What areas do you want to improve upon? Bader: I want to be more technical and not always put so much power behind my punches. I need to relax sometimes and not swing for the fences every single time. I also need to throw straighter punches, but those overhands were working so I kept throwing them. What are you better than C.B. Dollaway and Aaron Simpson at? What are they better than you at? Bader: I feel we are all around the same level ... and we kick each other's butt day in and day out, so I couldn't tell you. What do you want people who don't know about Arizona Combat Sports to be aware of? Bader: We are a tight-knit group and this is just the beginning. I feel we could have a couple UFC champs out of Arizona Combat Sports. Also, for every guy that is in the UFC at ACS, there are five others that are just as good. Ryan BaderHow deep was the gogoplata attempt by Schafer? Was your shoulder in danger at all? Bader: Never once did I feel in danger in this fight. Sensors went off in my head telling me to get out of it but there was no pain or threat for me tapping. Why is wrestling considered by many as the best MMA base to have? Bader: I feel it is the best base because a wrestler can dictate the fight. I didn't want to be on the ground with Schafer, so I used my wrestling to keep it on my feet. If I am fighting a pretty good striker I might take it to the ground. So wrestlers have that going for them, and also they have been competing their entire life in a hard-nosed sport that accepts nothing less than hard work and sacrifice. Wrestlers are not afraid of hard work and know how to train to be successful. What advice would you give a wrestler going into MMA? Bader: Get in the gym. Honestly, there's no easy way. You have to learn all the components of MMA or you will look like a fish out of water. Put forth the effort you gave in wrestling and you should be successful in MMA. How far will Arizona State go this season under new coach Shawn Charles? Bader: I have been in the room and they look great! I feel they could be top five at nationals. They have a new energy about them probably due to the change in coaching staff. Look for them to do real well this year. For more information about Ryan Bader, visit www.ryanbader.com. For all things MMA, follow Tony Nguyen on Twitter at www.twitter.com/tonynguyenmma.

SANTA MONICA -- Author John Irving and actor Billy Baldwin will join Olympic wrestling legend Dan Gable at a luncheon on Monday, Nov. 2, in support of the California Needs Wrestling initiative. The three will speak to the need for supporters of the sport to mount an effort to sustain college wrestling programs in California, where the state budget crisis has left many collegiate programs in dire need of funding. Irving, a University of Pittsburgh wrestler, and Baldwin, a Binghamton University Wrestler, who was instrumental in bringing wrestling back at Binghamton University after the sport was dropped, will speak to the role of the sport in helping to shape their lives. Irving, whose novels include The World According to Garp and Cider House Rules, was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1992. He is currently touring to promote his new book, Last Night in Twisted River. Baldwin joined the crusade to restore wrestling at his alma mater after the university announced it was dropping the sport in 2003. With the help of Friends of Binghamton Wrestling and New York’s then-Gov. George Pataki, the program was restored the following year. Last March, Baldwin was on hand to applaud Binghamton’s first Division I All-American, Josh Patterson. Gable has devoted his life to the sport as an athlete, coach and advocate. A 1972 Olympic freestyle wrestling champion, he went on to coach the University of Iowa to an unprecedented 15 NCAA team championships and is now Iowa’s assistant athletic director. “Wrestling in California needs our help,” said Gable. “There are approximately 27,000 high school wrestlers in the state of California and only eight four-year college wrestling programs to support the exploding interest at the high school level. These programs are fighting to survive as California has already lost 85 college programs.” The luncheon is being held to: -Provide head college wrestling coaches in California with an opportunity to cultivate some of their most important alumni/donors and or key decision-making university administrators. This is particularly important in light of the current state budget crisis in the state of California. -Help college administrators recognize the educational value of wrestling through the testimonials of highly successful wrestling aficionados. -Promote the “NWCA All Star Classic, Presented by the Wrestling Alumni of the College of William and Mary,” scheduled for Sunday, Nov. 22, at 2 p.m. at Cal State Fullerton. The event is a fundraiser for the Cal State Fullerton wrestling program. The wrestling alumni from William and Mary have established the non-profit Society for the Preservation of Traditional Sport (SPOTS). Its mission is to help save wrestling and other traditional Olympic sport programs before such programs are cut.

AMES, Iowa -- The Iowa State wrestling team showed off what it learned thus far from new head coach Kevin Jackson at the Cardinal and Gold Intrasquad dual on the floor of the Lied Recreation Center on ISU’s campus Friday evening. Over 500 fans came out, forcing a standing-room-only environment for the first intrasquad event of the Jackson era. Jackson was pleased with what he saw from both the Cardinal and Gold divisions of the ISU squad. “We were glad to showcase our athletes to our fans tonight,” Jackson said. “We simulated a real dual experience for the wrestlers tonight, and I think they came out with a lot of intensity.” The ISU leader thought the dual was a great start in the process of building a championship squad. “We are trying to be the best in March,” Jackson said. “We saw our guys get after it and that is exactly what we were looking for tonight.” In one of the most exciting ISU matchups of the event, senior Joe Curran went head-to-head with returning NCAA qualifier Jerome Ward at 184 pounds. Curran, a native of Elk Point, S.D., defeated sophomore Billy Lewis by technical fall (16-0, 6:33) earlier in the evening for the right to face Ward. The match was knotted at 5-5 at the end of the third period, forcing the bout into sudden victory. Curran scored the win after finishing a takedown at the 0:38 mark. Cyclone junior Nate Carr Jr. fought off sophomore teammate Andrew Sorenson with a 5-4 decision. Sorenson pressured Carr Jr. into consecutive stalling warnings for two points late in the third period to narrow the final score. ISU true freshman Trent Weatherman gave senior Mitch Mueller all he could handle at 149 pounds. Mueller, a three-time NCAA qualifier, turned away Weatherman by decision, with a point for riding time, 5-4. The event began with redshirt freshman heavyweight Eric Thompson matching up with sophomore 197-pounder Kyle Simonson. Although giving up over 40 pounds to Thompson, Simonson put up a fight. Thompson thwarted his opponent’s efforts to win by a close decision, 10-9. Two-time All-American Cyclone Jon Reader notched 10 takedowns and over four minutes of riding time en route to a 23-9 major decision of ISU sophomore Mike Finch. True freshmen Iowa Staters Ben Cash and Tyler Grask gave Cyclone wrestling faithful a glimpse of the future in their bout at 133 pounds. Cash used two takedowns in the second period to power his way to a 5-2 decision over Grask. Another match between true freshmen pitted Cole Shafer and Tyler Christensen against each other at 184 pounds. Christensen, who hails from Middleton, Wisc., was victorious with a 4-3 decision. At 174 pounds, senior Iowa Stater Duke Burk turned away redshirt freshman Chris Spangler by a score of 3-2. ISU redshirt freshman Trevor Dearden tallied the only pin of the night when he stuck true freshman Dallas Collier in 1:55 at 125 pounds. To cap the evening, three-time NCAA finalist and U.S. World Team member Jake Varner was matched against Cyclone heavyweight Eric Thompson. Varner muscled his way to an 8-4 win by decision. The Cardinal and Gold teams were coached by assistant coaches Yero Washington and Chris Bono, respectively. ISU begins its 2009-10 dual schedule at 7 p.m. Nov. 12 against South Dakota State in Hilton Coliseum. MATCHES 197 pounds – Eric Thompson (RFr.) dec. Kyle Simonson (So.), 10-9 184 pounds – Joe Curran (Sr.) tech. fall Billy Lewis (So.), 16-0 (6:33) 184 pounds – Tyler Christensen (Fr.) dec. Cole Shafer (Fr. ), 4-3 125 pounds – Trevor Dearden (RFr.) pinned Dallas Collier (Fr.), 1:55 133 pounds – Ben Cash (Fr.) dec. Tyler Crask (Fr.), 5-2 149 pounds – Mitch Mueller (Sr.) dec. Trent Weatherman (Fr.), 5-4 157 pounds – Nate Carr Jr. (Jr.) dec. Andrew Sorenson (So.), 5-4 174 pounds – Jon Reader (Jr.) major dec. Mike Finch (So.), 23-9 174 pounds – Duke Burk (Sr.) dec. Chris Spangler (RFr.), 3-2 184 pounds – Joe Curran (Sr.) dec. Jerome Ward (So.), 7-5 (SV) 197 pounds – Jake Varner (Sr.) dec. Eric Thompson (RFr.), 8-4

Early this afternoon, journalists from The Open Mat broke the news that two-time defending NYS DI champion Nick Arujau had contacted the coaching staff at Hofstra University to inform them that he would be retracting the verbal commitment that he gave to the Hempstead, NY based school back in May. LHW contacted the No. 46 recruit and was able to get the validity of this story confirmed. The news comes approximately one week after Arujau put forth an incredibly solid showing at the Super 32 Challenge, finishing third in an extremely deep 125-pound weight class. While the loss of Arujau, the Pride’s most highly regarded recruit from the class of 2010, is certainly a disappointment to those of us who bleed the HU Blue and Gold, the truth is that even without the much heralded Syosset High School product, Hofstra should enjoy significant depth at the lower weights. Coach Tom Shifflet and company still have former state champions in the persons of Steve Bonanno, Jamie Franco, Cody Ruggirello, Luke Vaith, and Justin Accordino who should make for a more than sufficient 1-2-3-4 punch from 125-149. In speaking with Lighthouse Wrestling, Arujau was quite open about what the future might bring for him. At this point, the three-time NYS finalist, who was named as the No. 2 senior in the Empire State in an InterMat story, indicated that it is now highly likely that he will continue his academic and athletic career in the nation’s capital, wrestling for head coach, Mark Cody at American University. If you remember, the Eagles were one of the finalists on Arujau’s short list prior to his committing to HU. Once finalized, Arujau will become the first wrestler from the class of 2010 to formally commit to AU. The week long early signing period is set to commence on November 11. With the departure of Arujau, the Pride’s expected 2010 class instantly becomes a talented trio consisting of Ruggirello, Nick Terdick, and Matt Loew. It is unknown whether the HU coaching staff will use the scholarship formerly offered to Arujau to lock up another recruit from this senior class, or if they will elect instead to save it until 2011. Arujau becomes the fourth member of this truly peculiar/hard-to-predict senior class to renege on previously given verbal commitment. Already, the nation has stood witness as Josh Dziewa switched from Rutgers to the University of Iowa, Joe Duca from Rutgers to Indiana University, and most recently Max Huntley from the University of Missouri to the University of Michigan. While I express the sentiments of all Pride alums/enthusiasts in saying that we will miss seeing young Mr. Arujau do great things while donning the Blue and Gold, I also wish him the very best of luck on what should be an incredibly bright and success filled future on the collegiate level. InterMat was granted permission to republish this article from LighthouseWrestling.com. http://lighthousewrestling.com/lhw/2009/10/30/lion-king-no-more-46-recruit-nick-arujau-decommits-from-hu

Eric Guerrero

MADISON, Wis. -- The No. 10 Wisconsin wrestling team hosted its annual intra-squad scrimmage in front of 535 fans at the UW Field House Thursday night. The red team took on the white team and hung on for the 20-14 victory. The match began with two semifinal bouts at 157 lbs., which were not included in the team scoring, and then nine matches at various weight classes. If you were unable to make it out to tonight's match, you can re-live all the action with the archived Web stream and the Wrestling Blog. A PDF of the scoresheet can also be found below. In the first semifinal match, freshman Eric Vanevenhoven took on junior Greg Burke. Burke jumped out to a 7-0 lead in the first period and held on to win the match 9-3. In the second seminal match, redshirt freshman Brad Nardick faced off against freshman Kalvin York. Going into the third period, Nardick led 4-3, but a takedown by York with 20 seconds left gave him the edge, winning the match 6-5 and earning a spot in the finals at 157 lbs, which was the final event of the evening. After the semifinal bouts, senior Drew Hammen battled freshman Danny Arnel at 125 lbs. Hammen scored the first points of the match, scoring a takedown with 1:32 left on the clock in the first period. Hammen continued to build upon his lead by scoring a reversal and added riding time in the third period, resulting in a 5-0 victory and early 3-0 lead for the white team. No. 10 redshirt freshman Tyler Graff took on sophomore Tom Kelliher in a high scoring 133 lbs. match. Graff jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the first period and scored seven more second period points before ending the match with a tech fall. Graff had four takedowns, a reversal and eight nearfall points giving the red team a 5-3 lead. Redshirt freshmen Cole Schmitt and Trey Bertram then met at 141 lbs. Schmitt scored a takedown in the first period with 1:55 left on the clock and never looked back, winning the match 5-2 and extending the red team's lead to 8-3. No. 2 senior Kyle Ruschell battled it out with freshman Shawn Perry at 149 lbs. Ruschell compiled two takedowns in the match and scored two nearfall points. Ruschell won the match by major decision 8-0, narrowing the red team's lead to 8-7. The 165 lbs. match featured No. 3 Andrew Howe and fellow sophomore Ben Jordan. Howe jumped out to an 8-3 lead at the end of the second period and held on the win the match by major decision 13-4,putting the white team back in the lead 11-8. Freshman Brendan Ard took on redshirt freshman Jimmy Duffy in an overtime match at 174 lbs. At the end of regulation, the score was tied 1-1, both scoring off of escapes. No points were scored in sudden victory, but an escape and a caution point awarded to Ard resulted in a 3-2 victory for the freshman and an overall tie at 11-11. At 184 lbs., freshman Derrick Borlie took on sophomore Travis Rutt. Rutt got out to a 3-1 lead before taking an injury timeout. No decision was called in the match but white was awarded the points to take the 17-11 lead. The heavyweight match featured junior Eric Bugenhagen, who is moving up to heavyweight this year after starting at 184 lbs. last year, and freshman Cole Tobin. Bugenhagen led 5-2 at the end of the second period, scoring a takedown in both the first and second period. He then held onto the lead, winning the match 6-3 and put the white team within three points at 17-14. In the final bout of the night, Burke took on York at 157 lbs. Burke registered two first period takedowns to take the 4-2 lead. York managed two escapes in the second to pull within two points at 6-4, but Burke added three more points with an escape and takedown to win 9-4 and cement the red team's victory, 20-14. The Badgers can next be seen when they host the season-opening meet against Old Dominion on Friday, Nov. 13 at the UW Field House.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue wrestling team is set for its first live action of the season as they'll have their annual preseason team wrestle-offs this Saturday in the Blake Wrestling Center in Lambert Fieldhouse. The Boilermakers will conduct upwards of 25 matches on the afternoon, giving some of their young wrestlers their first collegiate action and deciding several starting jobs in the process. "Wrestle-offs are exciting for everyone because they mark the start of our season," said Purdue junior 141-pounder Juan Archuleta. "It's our first opportunity to see the results of the off-season's hard work and see how much we've all improved." The team will weigh-in approximately one hour before wrestling begins, getting a three-pound allowance from their coaches. The team will have two matches going at all times, starting at noon, and they'll have two/three certified officials in attendance to preside over competition. The matches are open to the public and can be viewed free of charge, but in the case of high attendance the Blake Wrestling Center's fire code will be observed. Among the several highly competitive battles scheduled for the room on Saturday will be decisive positional battles at 125 and 149 pounds. With junior Akif Eren bumping up to 133 pounds, the starting nod at 125 pounds is up for grabs between sophomore Matt Fields and true freshmen Cashé Quiroga and Camden Eppert. With Eppert scheduled to redshirt his inaugural season, the action will most likely boil down to Fields and Quiroga as Saturday will be the first of several deciding factors in that slot. The positional order at 149 pounds will be hotly contested as well with a trio of redshirt seniors lined up for matches. Matt Redmond is the team's lone returner at 149, while classmates Nick Bertucci and Sam Patacsil have dropped from 157 to vie for starting action. All three have impressive credentials, have started for the Boilermakers at one point in their careers and should have success throughout the year, regardless of the depth chart. "This is a great problem to have," said assistant coach Glen Lanham. "We're going into the season with three guys who we all know can do a great job at this weight and will be very competitive. These three will battle all season and should have a lot of success in the starting lineup and open tournaments." Other highlights of Saturday will include the debut of several Boilermakers at new weights. Eren is set for his first season at 133 pounds, while sophomore Jake Fleckenstein has bumped up to 141 pounds, junior Luke Manuel jumped to 174 pounds, and senior Nick Corpe and junior David Pisarcik both moved to 184 pounds with Corpe moving up from 174 and Pisarcik dropping from 197. A full recap and results of Saturday's action will be posted on PurdueSports.com after the conclusion of all the matches.

Columbia, Mo. – Missouri Wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith released the lineup for Sunday's, Nov. 1, Black and Gold wrestle-off's set to begin at 1 p.m. (CT) in the Hearnes Center. This year's event features 11 matches, including one exhibition bout. The afternoon dual is free and open to the public. “We're kicking off the season with the Black and Gold wrestle-off's,” Smith said. “This is always an intense competition for our wrestlers. Each grappler is fighting for a spot in our starting lineup. For the fans, it's a great experience. They'll have the opportunity to see some of the nation's top-ranked wrestlers in action as well as watch some of our younger guys on the mat.” Opening competition at 125 pounds, sophomore Troy Dolan (Blairsville, Pa.) will don the black singlet while newcomer Bradley Wisdom (Farmington, Mo.) will represent the Gold Team. Wisdom is one of three true freshmen competing in the Sunday event. 2009 NCAA qualifier Todd Schavrien (Poway, Calif.) will move up one weight class and represent the Gold Team in the 141 pound bout. Schavrien will pair with redshirt freshman Nicholas Hucke (Pewaukee, Wis.) in the third match of the day. The 11-match lineup features four newcomers including recent transfer Scott O'Donnell (Kansas City, Mo). O'Donnell will compete for the Black Team and challenge sophomore Brandon Wiest (O'Fallon, Mo.) at 149 pounds. This year's Black Team features two-time All-American Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) at 184 pounds and 2009 NCAA Champion Mark Ellis (Peculiar, Mo.) at heavyweight. The Gold Team is made up of two NCAA qualifiers in Schavrien and 174 pounder Dorian Henderson (Columbus, Ga.) as well as two-time All-American Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) at 165 pounds. Additionally, the Gold Team heavyweight representative is none other than Junior World Champion Dominique Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo.). The final bout of the day, an exhibition match, will feature redshirt freshman Cody Farinella (Maryland Heights, Mo.) against true freshman Kyle Bradley (St. Peters, Mo.) at 141 pounds. Missouri will begin its season Thursday, Nov. 12, with a 6:30 p.m. (CT) dual against border opponent Illinois.

Nick Purler

Jerome Robinson

When news surfaced in September that Ryland Geiger was leaving the University of Minnesota, it was more than just a small blip on the radar for the Gopher faithful. Ryland Geiger (Photo/Tracy Swisher/Clackamas CC)The 19-year-old Geiger, who was one of the nation's top recruits from the Class of 2008, was expected to make an immediate impact at 197 pounds for a young and talented Gopher team looking to get back to the top of the college wrestling world after coming off its worst NCAA finish (14th) since 1996. Great expectations had been placed on the broad shoulders of Geiger after a prep career that saw him capture two Oregon (OSAA) state titles and win titles at prestigious high school events such as NHSCA Nationals, Cadet Nationals, and Junior Nationals. He was ranked No. 1 in the country at 189 pounds by InterMat. Last season, as a redshirt for the Gophers, Geiger compiled a 19-3 record while competing in open tournaments. In the spring, Geiger won both the FILA Junior Nationals and FILA World Team Trials in freestyle to earn a spot on the Junior World Team. Geiger, though, chose not to compete at the Junior World Championships in Ankara, Turkey in August, and instead opted to stay in Minneapolis and focus on his summer term courses at Minnesota. Toward the end of summer, Geiger made the decision to leave Minnesota and head back home to wrestle at Clackamas Community College in Oregon. He says it was "a little bit of everything" that caused him to leave Minnesota, but "mostly academics." Ryland Geiger (far right) along with childhood friends Jayk Cobbs and Jared King of Great Bridge Middle School after the three won titles at the 2002 Virginia Challenge Summer Sizzler. Cobbs currently wrestles for Duquesne, King at Notre Dame College, and Geiger at Clackamas (Photo/Jason Bryant)"Everybody is going to be a little bitter that I left Minnesota," said Geiger. "I'm bitter. They're bitter. It sucks that I had to leave, but I'm pretty sure we ended things on a good note." Geiger's journey over the past 10 years could be best described as nomadic. His father, David, is in the military. Geiger grew up in Virginia, moved to Korea in middle school, spent his freshman year in the Philippines, moved back to the U.S. for his sophomore year and attended Blair Academy in New Jersey, and then moved to Oregon for his final two years of high school. In high school, Geiger was recruited by many of the nation's top college wrestling programs. He chose Minnesota over Lehigh, Arizona State, and Oregon State because of the combination of coaches, workout partners, facilities, and the fact that his best friend from his days at Blair Academy, Mario Mason, was also going to be wrestling for the Gophers. Then-Minnesota head assistant coach Marty Morgan played a key role in recruiting Geiger to Minnesota. Geiger expected Morgan to not only be one of his coaches, but also serve as a key training partner throughout his college wrestling career. But shortly before the college wrestling season began, Morgan resigned as the head assistant coach of the Gophers to train current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. "I was pretty shocked," said Geiger of Morgan's resignation. "We all had no idea that he was leaving. It was our understanding that he was going to be the coach. It was kind of terrible because he left and he has all that knowledge. It's good for him. I can't be mad at the guy. He's helping out probably the baddest man alive right now." Ryland Geiger pinned Brandon Jackson at in the Clackamas intrasquad on Thursday night (Photo/Tracy Swisher/Clackamas CC)Geiger, who roomed with Mason while at Minnesota, says it's a difficult transition going from high school wrestling to Division I college wrestling. "It's tough," said Geiger. "It's hard on your body, hard on your mind. It's a lot longer season than you expect it to be. You really have to be mentally tough to be able to get through every day." Last February, Geiger made the 90-mile trek from Minneapolis to Rochester, Minnesota to watch one of his best friends from Oregon, Tyrell Fortune, compete at the NJCAA Championships for Clackamas. Geiger and Fourtune, who became friends after their sophomore year of high school, were two of the nation's top upperweights from Oregon's Class of 2008. With Geiger in attendance, Fortune did not disappoint. He went 5-0 with five pins en route to winning the NJCAA title at heavyweight. He also won the Traphagen Award for the most falls in the least amount of time. Tyrell Fortune pinned Northwest's Landon Harris to win the 2009 NJCAA title at heavyweight. Fortune will redshirt this season (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Moments after winning the NJCAA title, Fortune talked about his relationship with Geiger. "Me and Ryland are like best friends," said Fortune. "We're like brothers. Ever since he came to Oregon he has been my training partner, best friend, and part of my family." While in Rochester watching Fortune compete, Geiger also spent time with the Clackamas wrestling team and connected with Clackamas coach Josh Rhoden. Ultimately, it was the combination of reuniting with Fortune, coming back home to Oregon, and wrestling for Rhoden that made Clackamas the best fit after leaving Minnesota. Geiger began summer workouts at Clackamas in August and fall classes in September. "He's doing well," said Rhoden, who will be entering his fourth season as head coach at Clackamas. "It has been a little bit hectic for him just making the transition from being enrolled and ready to go to school at a different place and then jumping in and getting him some credits that are going to apply towards his associate degree so that he can get out of here as soon as possible. As far as academics go, he's a really intelligent kid. He's going to do well here, I think." Josh RhodenClackamas is coming off a third-place finish at the NJCAA Championships, which is the program's highest finish since 1989. Rhoden has All-Americans returning at 184 pounds and 197 pounds, but both wrestlers, Caleb Kociemba and Brett Sanchez, plan to drop down to 174 pounds and 184 pounds respectively, while Geiger is expected to slide in the Cougar lineup at 197 pounds. Fortune will redshirt this season, but will serve as a key training partner for Geiger. Geiger hovers around 205-210 pounds, while Fortune weighs around 230-240 pounds. So what are Rhoden's expectations for Geiger this season? "To be realistic for him, at the very least, it has to be to place high at the national championships," said Rhoden, who has coached 14 All-Americans, two finalists, and a national champion in just three seasons. "I know he mentioned that he wants to win a national championship. For him, let's be honest, it's a step down. He's a much more talented kid than most of the guys in our room besides maybe Tyrell and another kid or two. One of the things he said to me when we met early on was, 'I've just never really had to get in that great of shape.' So we put a priority on conditioning. I think it's more about how can we better his future both academically and wrestling-wise so that he can get back to Division I. Because that's where he needs to be." Geiger's transcripts are in the process of being evaluated. Because of the fact that Geiger enrolled in summer courses the past two years, Rhoden believes there is a very good possibility that he could have his associate degree after next summer's term and be ready to enroll at a four-year school in the fall of 2010. Ryland Geiger (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)While Geiger's stay at Clackamas may be brief, there is so shortage of things he hopes to achieve before he moves on. "I want to get better in every aspect," said Geiger. "I want to be more mentally strong. I want to be in better shape. I want to be better technically. I want to be able to break people. I want to get better and then make everybody on our team better. Hopefully win the national title as a team, too." As for where he wants to go after Clackamas, he's not sure at this point. He would even consider a return to Minnesota if the door is still open. "I would consider going back," said Geiger. "I haven't really thought about it too much. I mean, I would like to go back. It's pretty much up to them, I guess." "It was a tough decision to leave Minnesota. I put myself in a little bit of a hole there. I'm not taking anything away from either program, but you have to go back a little bit to keep going forward."