InterMat Staff

Eric Grajales has been linked to David Taylor for several years. The two wrestlers have dominated age-group national events for close to a decade. Eric GrajalesGrajales, who wrestled for Brandon High School in Brandon, Florida, and Taylor, who competed for Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio, are widely considered to be the top two high school wrestlers in the U.S. from the Class of 2009. Grajales finished his high school career with a perfect 218-0 record and won four state titles in Florida. Taylor finished his high school career with a record of 180-2 and claimed four Ohio state titles. The two competed in the same weight class (103) as freshmen before Grajales hit a growth spurt and moved into higher weight classes for his sophomore and junior seasons. Taylor never got above 112 pounds until senior season. Then Taylor had his growth spurt, which caused him to move up four weight classes and into the 135-pound weight class, which included Grajales. Even though Grajales and Taylor were the consensus top two high school wrestlers in the U.S. from the Class of 2009, there was no consensus as to which wrestler was No. 1 and which wrestler was No. 2. InterMat and Amateur Wrestling News both have Taylor No. 1 and Grajales No. 2, while WIN Magazine has Grajales No. 1 and Taylor No. 2. The two wrestled a few times when they were younger. Both have beaten each other. But the two have not met since junior high. Since the two were not scheduled to face each other during the high school wrestling season, the debate as to who is No. 1 raged on. In late January, Taylor bumped up from 135 pounds to 140 pounds and defeated Ohio State-bound Collin Palmer, a four-time state champion from St. Edward in Ohio. After the match, Taylor made it clear that he wanted to face Grajales. “I want to wrestle that match,” Taylor told Flowrestling.com. “First things first, I want to win my fourth state title. After that, I got picked to go to the Dream Team against Oklahoma. The Dapper Dan Team is undecided. I want to wrestle Grajales. Senior Nationals, I'll go if he goes.” The dream matchup never materialized. Eric Grajales won his second Junior Nationals Greco-Roman title in Fargo last summer (Photo/Dave Jedlicka)For the Dapper Dan, a postseason all-star event, both Taylor and Grajales were placed on the team. Taylor was the 135-pounder, while Grajales was the 140-pounder. Taylor was given the nod for the USA Dream Team at 135 pounds that competed against an all-star team comprised of Oklahoma seniors. At the Dapper Dan, Grajales pinned three-time state champion Dane Johnson of Shady Side Academy, Pennsylvania in 3:28. He was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the event. After that, Grajales was ready to move on with his high school wrestling career. “I definitely wanted to wrestle David Taylor just as much as he wanted to wrestle me,” said Grajales. “He's a great wrestler. Everybody knows that. I know that. He knows I'm a good wrestler. It would have been great for the sport of wrestling. I would have loved to have had the opportunity. But it was never able to happen. It would have been too hard to figure out. After the Dapper Dan, I was ready to move on. Senior Nationals was not where I felt like I wanted to be. I wanted to be out in Vegas (competing in Greco-Roman). After that, I was done with high school wrestling. I had nothing left to prove at Senior Nationals.” Grajales was recruited by all the nation's top wrestling programs. His older brother, Cesar, is a two-time NCAA qualifier for Penn. Grajales visited Penn, as well as two other Ivy League schools, Cornell and Columbia, but eventually decided on Michigan. “Between my teammates, coaches, and the area, it was just the perfect package at Michigan,” said Grajales, who ranked in the top 10 percent of his graduating class. “All the other schools I visited were great schools. I pretty much knew that I needed to be at a place where I could not only fulfill my athletic goals, but also my academic goals. I want to come out of college with a great degree. Michigan was my first visit and I knew right after it that it was going to be really tough for any other school to beat. I got along really well with the wrestlers. I loved the coaches. Other than the cold, of course, Ann Arbor reminded me of my hometown.” Grajales plans to study business at Michigan and hopes to get accepted into the Roth School of Business at Michigan in two years, although he admits that he's not one-hundred percent sure that's what he wants to do. But that's his initial plan. Grajales plans to compete collegiately for Michigan at 133 pounds, but he's not yet certain if he will compete in the lineup next season for the Wolverines or redshirt. “I'm going to go in there and see how I feel in the wrestling room,” said Grajales. “I might need a year to get acclimated to the college scene. But I might not. We'll see.” As for collegiate wrestling goals? “I definitely have very high expectations for myself,” said Grajales. “I have never been one to think that I'll just let it go how it goes. I have always set out a plan and had goals. I don't always achieve them. But in mind, if you don't have those goals, you can't really judge your success. As long as everything goes well, barring any major injuries, by the end of my career, I want to be able to say that I had won at least one NCAA title. I know that with a lot of hard work and the proper training, I can achieve my goals.” Eric Grajales has his sights set on making the 2012 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman team (Photo/Dave Jedlicka)Grajales has won major national events in all three styles of wrestling -- folkstyle, freestyle, and Greco-Roman -- but he favors Greco-Roman. “I will definitely try to pursue my goals in Greco,” said Grajales, who was one of only two wrestlers with high school eligibility remaining to compete at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman. “I don't know if I will ever wrestle freestyle again. I think I'm at a point where I need to concentrate on one or the other Olympic styles. I have had some success in freestyle. But that's just not where my heart was at. I've never really liked it very much. I feel like between Greco and folkstyle, I'll have my hands full.” And so will his opponents.

Yero Washington

June, Florida, and wrestling. One might think it mixes together as well as oil and water. However, now in its thirteenth year, the AAU Scholastic Duals (aka Disney Duals) have broken that paradigm. Held in Orlando, Florida -- hosted at Disney's Wide World of Sports Complex -- many of the top wrestlers from across the nation have assembled for a week of intense competition in conjunction with the laid back atmosphere inherent of being at Disney World. Approximately 30 of those earning medals at the Disney Duals in 2008 ended the 2008-09 school year ranked in the top 20 nationally at their respective weight class according to InterMat, while another 15 were graduating seniors and in the year-end rankings for 2007-08. Starting June 22, approximately 100 teams will converge upon the Milk House and Jostens Center to battle it out for team and individual honors in at least three different divisions. They include the District All-Star Division, Community Division 1, Community Division 2, and possibly a District Reserve Division. District teams can come from any number of schools, but all the competitors have to reside within an AAU district. Community teams come from primarily one school, while at most three team members can attend another high school. Competition in the Community divisions commences on the opening day, and ends with championship matches on Thursday. District division competition starts on Tuesday, June 23, and ends with championship matches on Friday, June 26. In each division, the competition will start with preliminary pools. The top few teams will advance to championship bracket competition, while the other teams will compete in consolation rounds. Team awards will be given to those finishing in the top 8 as well as for best sportsmanship. Individual awards will go to the Most Outstanding Wrestler and the Most Technical Wrestler. For the fifth consecutive summer an open invitation has been extended by the AAU for college coaches to join them for this event. Many programs have capitalized on this opportunity, including some of the nation's foremost Division I wrestling programs. For further information, check out the information on http://www.aauwrestling.net. A Look Back at 2008 District All-Star: Championship Match: Ohio Samsons defeated Michigan Red, 30-18, for the championship to end the four-year reign for teams coming from the Mid-Atlantic Wrestling Association (MAWA). They also were champions in 2003, the year before the recent run of titles by MAWA. Third-Place Match: PA Steel Gold defeated Michigan Blue, 31-27. Fifth-Place Match: Team Diesel (PA) defeated Michigan Freeze by walkover. Seventh-Place Match: (PA) Premium Select defeated MAWA Blue, 30-27. Awards: Jacob Burge earned Outstanding Wrestler, while Eric Cubberly was named Technically Superior. Community Division 1: Championship Match: Troy Christian (OH), after a third place finish in 2007, avenged their only loss from that year's tournament with a 35-26 victory in the championship final over Bronco Wrestling Club (Montini Catholic IL). Third-Place Match: In their Disney Duals debut, Collins Hill (GA) defeated 2007 tournament runners-up Palmetto Ridge (FL), 32-24, to earn a third-place finish. Fifth-Place Match: Springfield Delco (PA) defeated Perry Meridian (IN) Falcons Blue, 43-28. Seventh-Place Match: Moeller (OH) defeated Oregon Clay (OH), 31-27. Awards: Troy Christian swept the individual honors with Zach Toal earning Outstanding Wrestler and Ben Sergent winning the Technically Superior award. Community Division 2: Championship Match: Yorktown (IN) Tigers won the championship available for schools with a smaller enrollment in a 28-21 victory over Fuzzy Hat (IL). This was the first year of a split in the Community Division. Third-Place Match: Maumee (OH) defeated Spring Hill (FL), 48-22. Awards: Kyle Moser was the Outstanding Wrestler, while Yohe Rojas was named Technically Superior. Looking Forward to 2009 While official team lineups are not yet known, the published team lists indicate that most of the usual suspects are back to compete in the 13th edition of the Disney Duals. District All-Star: Ohio Samsons will seek to defend its title from last summer, and should yet again have a strong and capable squad ready for the many capable challengers present among the field. Foremost among the challengers is MAWA Blue, which is a perennial power in this event. Two other traditionally strong squads from the Keystone State of Pennsylvania are Diesel and Premium Select, while a new entry from Quest could be a squad to watch. Entries from the state of Michigan are always dangerous, and headlined by last year's event runners-up Michigan Red. Also present will be Michigan Blue and Michigan Storm. Looking to finally make a break into the championship bracket will be Ohio Dragons, which has finished third in its preliminary pool that last two years, but then steamrolled its way through the consolation bracket back to ninth place finishes. Community Division 1: Neither of the finalists -- Bronco Wrestling Club (Montini IL) nor Troy Christian (OH) -- from the 2008 tournament is listed for a return appearance this year, which means there will be new blood on top of this division. The team most likely to capitalize on this opportunity would be Collins Hill (GA), which ended the year ranked in the Amateur Wrestling News Top 40. However, at least three Ohio entries will be nipping on their heels -- Moeller, Oak Harbor, and Ohio Lightning (CVCA). Also to watch are Perry Meridian, team state runner-up in Indiana; and Hartland, team state semifinalists in Michigan's big-school division. Community Division 2: Yorktown (IN) will seek to defend its title, as over 20 other teams seek to dethrone.

The Badger wrestling team has added seven more recruits for the 2009-10 season, head coach Barry Davis announced today. The group of signees has some of the top wrestlers from the state of Wisconsin and one from New York. The new recruits include Dan Arnell (Oyster Bay, N.Y.), Jack Duerst (Boyceville, Wis.), Jackson Hein (Wausau, Wis.), Scott Liegel (Spring Green, Wis.), Shawn Perry (Wausau, Wis.), Cole Tobin (Hudson, Wis.) and Eric Vanevenhoven (Kaukauna, Wis.). These seven join Brendan Ard (Watchung Hills, N.J.), Derrick Borlie (Winchester, Va.), Kalvin York (Belleville, Wis.) and John Prezzia (Clinton, Pa.), who all signed National Letters of Intent in the fall. “I think we definitely have a top 10 recruiting class coming in,” Davis said of his 15th recruiting class at Wisconsin. “We have a wide variety of weight classes coming in and we've got a lot of kids from different states coming into the program. We cover five different states with this group and that's good because it will help us with recruiting down the road.”

PHILADELPHIA -- The University of Pennsylvania wrestling coach, Rob Eiter, has announced his wrestling recruiting class. Six grapplers will comprise the program's Class of 2013. The group includes wrestlers from six different states encompassing the entire United States. One hails from as close as Newton, N.J. with another residing in Honolulu, Hawaii. The group is an accomplished one, with two state champions, multiple state placewinners, a National Prep finalist and a freestyle All-America all slated to don the Red and Blue this fall. Micah Burak, a native of Colorado Springs, Colo., will wrestle for Penn this fall, continuing the tradition of brothers suiting up for the Red and Blue. He will join his older brother, Gabriel, who wrestled at 157 for Penn this year and is entering his junior season. Micah spent the past two years training at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado, but captured a state championship before moving on to the OTC. He finished seventh at the 2009 U.S. Senior Open, becoming a freestyle All-America. He competed unattached at the 2009 Shorty Hitchcock Classic hosted by Millersville University, and won the 197-pound championship by defeating five collegiate wrestlers. He is slated to compete at 197 for the Quakers in the fall. “Micah, after two years at the training center, will be ready to go right away,” Eiter said. “He really solidifies our upper weights and has already proven he is capable of competing with collegiate wrestlers.” Joining Burak in University City next season will be Harrison Cook. A native of Mount Kisco, N.Y., Cook graduated from Fox Lane School before completing a postgraduate year at Blair Academy. At Fox Lane, he was a Section 1 champion and finished his senior year with a 41-2 record. Cook will look to enter the lineup at 184 pounds. “With Harrison, anytime you are able to land a wrestler from Blair, you know you will have a hard-working kid,” said Eiter. “Not only that, but his high school career saw him wrestle in New York, one of the most competitive states there is. We expect him to compete from day one in the room and push for match time immediately.” Troy Hernandez is from Newton, N.J., and Kittatinny High School. If that sounds familiar to Penn wrestling fans, that is because Matt Valenti, two-time NCAA champion and 2007 Penn graduate and his younger brother Andy, a 2009 Penn grad, also competed at Kittatinny. Hernandez won more than 100 matches in high school and was a New Jersey state finalist. He placed three times at the New Jersey state meet, with finishes of fifth, third and second. He could wrestle at either 141 or 149 pounds this fall. “We are really excited about Troy,” Eiter said. “He was one of the top recruits in New Jersey this year and he will jump right into the mix with us.” Shane Millam recently graduated from The McDonogh School in Maryland and resides in Sparrows Point, Md. He was a National Prep finalist this year and compiled 172 wins over his high school career. His second-place finish this year gave him three places at the National Prep meet. He also finished sixth at the NHSCA Senior National Tournament. He will compete at 165 or 174 pounds for the Red and Blue. “Shane adds immediate depth to the middle weights, but there is no reason he can't compete right away,” said Eiter. “He comes from a good program and we are excited to have him join the Penn family.” Reid Oshiro will make the longest trip to University City in the fall, coming all the way from Honolulu, Hawaii. He is a three-time state champion from the Punahou School, and was honored as the 2009 Dave Schultz Award winner from Hawaii. The winner is chosen by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum based on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service. In addition to his wrestling skills, Oshiro is a two-time Hawaii state champion in judo. He will wrestle at 125 pounds for Penn. “Reid's ability to mesh wrestling and judo makes him a very dangerous opponent,” Eiter said. “He has proven that he can take an opponent to his back from almost any situation.” Michael Steltenkamp completed his high school career at Seaholm High School in Michigan with more than 100 wins. He was a district champion and two-time state qualifier, and one of 13 athletes in the state of Michigan to receive an MHSAA Scholar-Athlete Award. A native of Bloomfield Hills, Mich., he will join the lineup at 165 pounds this fall. “Michael is an extremely hard worker in the room,” Eiter said. “Michigan is a good state for high school wrestling and he has trained well. He has loads of potential and his best years are ahead of him.” Eiter can't wait for these six wrestlers to join his current crop as the Quakers begin their march toward another successful season next fall. “We did a good job adding talent across all the weight classes,” he said. “We also have set up solid competition in the room. We are all excited for these guys to arrive on campus and for the season to start.”

We return to our home based Brute Adidas studios for 2 hours of America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show. Oh, BTW, the new episode (9) of TDR TV is complete and ready for you to enjoy. Find it at theMat.com, theWrestlingTalk.com or at IntermatWrestle.com. Check IntermatWrestle.com for fresh new stand alone interviews each and every day of the week. Next week we'll have some exciting news on the TDR TV show. Recently legendary TV station WHO TV 13 added TDR TV to its web offerings. If you know of a station that would be interested in adding TDR TV let us know. Now back to the show- This week on TDR: Grandview Coach Nick Mitchell and wrestling purist "Bullet" Bob Selby will join me in studio as we welcome guests- Scott Hinkel- Head Coach of Purdue Scott Goodale- Head Coach at Rutgers Mike Denney- Legendary Head Coach at University of Nebraska Omaha Mark Branch- Head Coach of the Cowboys of Wyoming Mike Reilly- Head MMA Coach at Ambition MMA Training Academy and Ambition MMA in Eagan, MN BTW- check out a great interview with USA Wrestling's National Teams Director Mitch Hull on the various web site partners. Mitch is just one of the good guys. Tune in LIVE Saturday Mornings 9 to 11 AM for the show that started it all, Takedown Wrestling Radio. TakedownRadio.com We enjoy hearing from each of you. Please feel free to write to us: Svideoman@aol.com

Jake Herbert

RALEIGH, N.C. -- Steve Anceravage, a two-time All-America wrestler for Cornell, has joined the NC State coaching staff as an assistant coach. A four-time NCAA qualifier, Anceravage capped off his stellar collegiate career this past March by with a fifth-place finish at 174 pounds at the NCAA Championships. He finished sixth at 174 in 2008. Anceravage finished his career with a 119-28 overall record, including a 35-3 mark as a senior in 2009. “Steve Anceravage was an outstanding college wrestler and is an excellent addition to our coaching staff,” Wolfpack hed coach Carter Jordan said. “He comes from a college program in Cornell that has had a great deal of success, a program that stresses academics as much as athletics. In addition to being an excellent wrestler, Steve is smart and ambitious, and he’s ready to hit the ground running. He has a great work ethic and is very excited about joining our program. He’ll be a difference-maker, both on and off the mat.” Anceravage, a Bloomsburg, Pa., native, was a four-time EIWA finalist and a four-time All-Ivy League honoree. In 2009, he earned the EIWA’s Fletcher Award, given annually to the wrestler who earned the most points for his team over his career at the EIWA Tournament. He broke the Cornell school record for falls in a season by pinning 17 opponents during his junior campaign. He also holds the Cornell record for career pins with 37, after notching nine more than Travis Lee, an NCAA champion for the Big Red in 2003 and 2005. Anceravage completed his time at Cornell ranked fifth in career wins with 119 and was just the 11th Cornell wrestler to finish with more than 100 career wins. Prior to Cornell, Anceravage enjoyed a highly successful career at Bloomsburg High School by capturing the state title at 152 pounds as a senior after helping his team win the Class AA state dual championship. He was a state runner-up as a junior and earned fourth- and sixth-place finishes at the 2003 junior nationals in Greco-Roman and freestyle, respectively.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling program, under the guidance of head coach Cael Sanderson, received more outstanding news today as high school All-American David Taylor (St. Paris, Ohio) committed to Penn State. Taylor is considered by many to be the top wrestling recruit in the nation. He signed a financial aid letter today and will join the Nittany Lions this fall for the 2009-10 campaign. Taylor had signed a national letter of intent to attend Iowa State but was given a release from that NLI earlier this spring when Sanderson made the move to Happy Valley to take over the reins of the Nittany Lion program. Since an athlete may only sign one NLI, Taylor's acceptance of the financial aid agreement solidifies his status as Penn State's newest Nittany Lion grappler. "We're very pleased to welcome David to Penn State," Sanderson said. "He is an outstanding young man from an outstanding family and his addition to our program is great news for every Penn State wrestling fan. David is a special talent whose character will allow him to excel at the collegiate level and it is an honor to have him join our program." Taylor, the son of David and Kathy Taylor, recently concluded an outstanding high school career at St. Paris Graham High School in St. Paris, Ohio. Under the guidance of head coach Jeff Jordan, the Falcons have reeled off a stunning nine consecutive Ohio State Division II state titles and have claimed the 2008 DII National Championship as well. Taylor has had a major influence on St. Paris-Graham's fortunes. This past year, Taylor received the prestigious Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award. The award is given in honor of the former Olympic and World Champion and is given to the nation's top wrestler, evaluated on excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service. Taylor posted an amazing 180-2 overall record in four years and won four consecutive Ohio State Championships. As a high school freshman and sophomore, Taylor claimed the 103 pound title and as a junior he won the 112 pound crown. This past year, Taylor moved up to 135 for his senior season and rolled to his fourth straight championship. David was named the 2009 Ohio State Wrestling Tournament's Outstanding Wrestler and was named the Ohio Wrestler of the Year in each of the past two seasons. Not just garnering Ohio laurels, Taylor is a two-time Asics First Team All-American and has claimed the Beast of the East crown and won the Ironman title an unprecedented four times. He is the only wrestler in that tournament's long and storied history to win four titles. He also won three Cadet and two Junior National titles in both freestyle and Greco-Roman competition. Taylor was a member of the 2007 FILA Junior World team as well. "David Taylor is the kind of athlete any coach would be proud to work with," Sanderson continued. "We are welcoming an outstanding young man to our program that is as committed to academic excellence and his community as he is to succeeding on the mat. He is an impressive person and I am confident that our fans will enjoy watching David's career unfold." Taylor's off-the-mat achievements are as impressive as his work for the Falcon wrestlers. He is a member and officer of the 4-H Club and is ranked in the top 10 of his class, carrying a 4.0 GPA into his final days at St. Paris-Graham. As an Asics All-America first teamer, Taylor joins fellow first teamer and Nittany Lion signee Ed Ruth (Harrisburg, Pa.), who was also an Asics All-America first team selection after his title-winning run at the Blair Academy this past season, and Luke Macchiaroli (Tempe, Ariz.) in this year's recruiting class. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 season can be reserved now. To make a $20 deposit on the best Rec Hall locations, fans should call 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Current wrestling season ticket holders do not need to make a new deposit and will simply go through the coming renewal process. Penn State wrestling season tickets are all reserved locations in Rec Hall. The exact seat assignments for new commitments will not be available until the renewal cycle is complete, but new season ticket commitments made now will be assigned locations based on Nittany Lion Club point totals and the time/date the deposit was received by Penn State Athletics. Season ticket pricing for the 2009-10 season will be finalized and announced by July 1, 2009.

2009 Greco-Roman World Team Trials champions Harry Lester and Spenser Mango will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Ohio native Harry Lester recently earned the right to participate in his fourth World Championship tournament by winning the 163-pound Greco-Roman division at the World Team Trials on May 30. Lester won bronze medals at the World Championships in 2006 and 2007 at 145.5 pounds. As a prep, Lester won four state championships for Cuyahoga Falls Valley Christian Academy in Ohio then went to Iowa State University for one year before moving on to Northern Michigan University to be a member of the U.S. Olympic Education Center. One of the most exciting and explosive wrestlers anywhere, Lester helped the United States win its first ever Greco-Roman team title at the 2007 World Championships. 2008 Olympian Spenser Mango won the 121-pound Greco-Roman division at the World Team Trials. He was two-time high school state champion in Missouri for Christian Brothers College High School before enrolling at the USOEC at Northern Michigan University. Mango was a World University champion in 2006. Only 22 years old, Mango has extensive international experience, competing at the senior level since 2004. Mango and Lester will both be seeking gold medals at the 2009 World Championships in Denmark in late September. “On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show.

SUPPLEMENT NO. 11 DI Champs/Sports Mgmt Cabinet 6/09 REPORT OF THE NCAA DIVISION I WRESTLING COMMITTEE INFORMATIONAL ITEMS: 1. Championships Date Formula. The committee has expressed interest in conducting fur-ther study surrounding the possibility of moving the championships date formula, effective with the 2013 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, such that the championships would take place the weekend after the NCAA Men’s Final Four. This would mean the event could take place during the same weekend as the NCAA Frozen Four. The NCAA Wrestling Committee has developed an internal strategic planning subcommittee, and would like permission to survey the membership if so desired. In addition, the committee also would like permission to survey the general public at the 2010 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on various issues surrounding this topic. The earliest a recom-mendation would be submitted would be in time for the June, 2010 Cabinet meeting. 2. Misconduct. The committee issued two misconducts in conjunction with the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The first misconduct was a public reprimand of Brent Metcalf of the University of Iowa regarding Mr. Metcalf’s aggressive post-match ac-tions that could have jeopardized the opposing student-athlete’s safety. The University of Iowa did not appeal this finding. In addition, the second misconduct involved a private reprimand of a head coach at the championships for comments about the officiating on a live broadcast on ESPNU. As stated in the general section of the championships handbook, members of the coaching staff of participating institutions shall not make public statements critical of officiating in any NCAA championship event. The institution also did not appeal this finding. Committee Chair: Brad Traviolia, Big Ten Conference Championship Manager(s): Randy L. Buhr, Championships Marcus Blossom, Championships

Muhlenberg has hired Mike Kocsis, a former ranked Division I wrestler and one of the top natural bodybuilders in the world, as its new head wrestling coach. He replaces Tom Schleicher, who retired in March after 13 seasons at Muhlenberg. Kocsis is a 1993 graduate of Central Connecticut State, where he was a Mike Kocsis four-year starter and two-time East Coast Conference champion. He qualified for the NCAA Division I Championships three times and was ranked as high as 12th in the nation. Kocsis also enjoyed a stellar scholastic career for a Phillipsburg High School wrestling team that won four group state titles and was voted the No. 1 team in New Jersey three times. He finished his career with a record of 90-11 and was a three-time district champion, placing third in the state meet as a senior. After graduating college, Kocsis spent one year as an assistant coach at Central Connecticut, one at Franklin (N.J.) High School and three at Phillipsburg High School. Since 2000, Kocsis has been owner and director of Unlimited Changes Personal Fitness and Performance Center in Easton, Pa. Among the wrestlers he mentored there are Kellen Russell, a two-time Big Ten champion at the University of Michigan, and Jon Gregory, a 2008 Division III All-American at Ithaca College. Kocsis has also enjoyed great success as a natural bodybuilder. In his first professional competition, he placed fourth in the 2002 World Natural Bodybuilding Federation Pro Natural Mr. Universe contest, and he finished second the following year. He won the World Natural Sports Organization Mr. Natural USA title and placed in the top six at the world championships three straight years from 2005 to 2007. A certified personal fitness trainer, Kocsis has had articles published nationally and performs speaking engagements, seminars and camps and clinics for groups all over the country. He was the cover model for FAME Fitness Lifestyle Magazine in February 2007. Kocsis takes over a Muhlenberg program that has produced a Division III All-American in six of the last nine years.

Anna Cummings

IOWA CITY, IA -- Hawkeye junior Brent Metcalf has earned a spot on the 2009 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I all-academic team. He is one of eight NCAA finalists, 17 all-Americans and 51 NCAA qualifiers honored on the national team. “Brent Metcalf is a leader on our team – both academically and athletically," said University of Iowa Head Wrestling Coach Tom Brands. "Earning a spot on this team is one more example of his commitment to the University of Iowa and our wrestling team.” To be considered for the NWCA all-academic team, a wrestler must have at least a 3.2 cumulative grade-point average, have been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule when he competed in at least 60 percent of said schedule. Wrestlers can also earn a spot on the all-academic team if they were an NCAA all-American and posted a 3.0 cumulative grade-point average. Metcalf, who has been named to the NWCA all-academic team for the second straight season, earned his second all-America honor and Big Ten title at 149 pounds in 2009. He was named Big Ten Championships Outstanding Wrestler for the second time, becoming the first wrestler in conference history to earn the honor in consecutive seasons. He posted a 37-1 season record in 2008-09, going 24-0 in dual matches and 8-0 in Big Ten duals. He pinned 20 opponents, which ranks fourth all-time at Iowa. The two-time academic all-Big Ten honoree led the team in eight statistical categories in 2008-09. Metcalf and the Hawkeyes are set to open the 2009-10 season November 20 with the Iowa City Duals.

When Billy Murphy casually walked off the mat at the Regional Recreation Sports Center in Rochester, Minnesota on the night of February 28 after putting a 17-1 beatdown on his opponent in the NJCAA finals at 133 pounds, the wrestling world was eagerly anticipating his next move. Billy MurphyWhy so much buzz? Because anyone who has seen the 21-year old California native compete will tell you that he has all the tools to accomplish great things in the sport. In high school, Murphy went 168-3, won two California state titles, and an NHSCA Nationals title. During the recruiting process, Murphy fell in love with Tom Brands and the style of wrestling he preached. Murphy originally committed to Virginia Tech when Brands was there. But in the spring of Murphy's senior year, Brands was hired to take over at Iowa, so Murphy chose to be a Hawkeye. "Once Tom came out to my house and I met him, I canceled all my other visits," said Murphy. "I was convinced I wanted to wrestle for him." As a redshirt at Iowa, Murphy went a perfect 15-0. But academic and financial hardships forced him to leave the school and wrestling program during the spring semester of his first year in Iowa City. After Murphy left the Iowa program, he began working and competing in local mixed martial arts (MMA) events in Iowa, before making the decision to enroll at Iowa Central Community College during the spring semester in 2008. He focused on his schoolwork and practiced with the team his first year at Iowa Central. Billy Murphy dominated the 133-pound weight class at the 2009 NJCAA Championships and won the Outstanding Wrestler award (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)Iowa Central assistant coach Troy Bennett mapped out a plan for Murphy to stay in the program for a year and a half and then transfer to a Division I school. The plan was in place. As long as Murphy could get his academics in order, everything else would take care of itself, because wrestling was the easy part for Murphy. As he puts it, "Wrestling is second nature." This past season, Murphy stepped into the lineup at Iowa Central and looked like a man among boys competing at the NJCAA level. The only blemish on his record was a close loss to Division I All-American Daniel Dennis of Iowa. At the 2009 NJCAA Championships, Murphy won by pin or technical fall in every one of his matches and picked up the Most Outstanding Wrestler award in the process. He was one of five NJCAA champions for Iowa Central, who won the NJCAA team title for the fourth consecutive season and broke the all-time NJCAA tournament scoring record. "It was kind of the same as it was my junior and senior years of high school," said Murphy, who went 107-0 in his final two years of high school. "I don't want to say it was getting boring, but it was getting pretty slow as far as having good competition. But I think the guys around me, the wrestlers and coaches, made it a lot more enjoyable. We had a good practice room. It was real hard, real tough. But at the same time, we were pretty laid back. We knew what we had to do. We had a lot of confidence as team. I had a good experience at Iowa Central. The coaches really looked after me and helped me out." In high school, Billy Murphy went 168-3, won two California state titles, and was an NHSCA Nationals champion (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)But Murphy was never able to get on track academically. "I've been struggling for the last two years," said Murphy. "Being out of my element, I think, is the way to put it. I wasn't too motivated as far as academics and going to class. I could never put my finger on it. But I was just out of my element." Not only was Murphy struggling academically and financially, but aside from his coaches at Iowa Central, he didn't know who trust. "It was frustrating in the sense that I was getting told so many different things about what I needed to do," said Murphy. "After a while, I started figuring out that I was just being told what I wanted to hear. I started talking to other people and they would tell me that these classes weren't transferrable. I was basically getting used. I think it was honestly because they didn't think I was going to succeed anyway and they just needed me then and there. But I mean, that's neither here nor there. I don't really care. I'm responsible for myself." Shortly after Murphy won the NJCAA title, he pretty much gave up on school and came to the realization that transferring to another college was not in the cards. "I think once I came into my own and realized I wasn't motivated and school is not for me at this point, I had to make that choice about what I needed most," said Murphy. "I don't have anything financially. I wasn't going to get enough at any Division I school due to my grades. Once I put it all together, it was kind of sad that I had to leave." Murphy has done some MMA fighting on the side since 2007. He has fought at small, local venues in Iowa, compiling a 5-0 record with three knockouts and two unanimous decisions. However, because his focus has been primarily on wrestling, Murphy's MMA training has been almost nonexistent. He has rolled around with Iowa Central assistant coach Troy Bennett a few times. But that's pretty much the extent of his MMA training. Billy Murphy was one of five NJCAA champions for Iowa Central this past season (Photo/Johnnie Johnson)With his future uncertain, Murphy made a call to former Iowa Central wrestler Joe Soto, a rising MMA star who he has known since he was young, growing up in California. Soto is part of the Nor Cal Fighting Alliance, an MMA academy located in Santa Rosa, California. This past Friday, Soto became the champion in the Bellator promotion and collected a $100,000 bonus check. Soto, who has built a record of 7-0, has earned $175,000 for his three-fight stint in Bellator. "Joe put in a good word to his manager for me," said Murphy, whose MMA nickname is Mighty Mouse. "He said, 'Come on out. We're inviting you.' Joe and I are going to live in an apartment in Santa, Rosa, California. So I'm going to start training and go from there." Murphy's short-term MMA goal is simple: Get in shape and improve in all aspects of MMA. He admits that he's mostly just a wrestler competing in MMA at this point. Murphy's long-term goal is to be the WEC champion at 135 pounds. Even though MMA is Murphy's focus now, he's not ready to give up on his wrestling career. He admits that he loves freestyle wrestling and still has goals he wants to accomplish in wrestling, like making the U.S. Olympic team in 2012. But for now, it's strictly MMA. "I have to be completely dedicated to fighting," said Murphy. "I want to get to the top." To read a November 2008 profile story on Billy Murphy for InterMat, click HERE.

Archie Randall

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State head wrestling coach Cael Sanderson has finalized his new staff as two of his assistants at Iowa State will join three members of the former staff to complete the new wrestling brain trust. Cody Sanderson, Cael's brother, has been named associate head coach while Casey Cunningham has been tabbed head assistant coach. The positions mirror the twosome's positions at ISU. The duo assisted Sanderson at Iowa State during the new Lion mentor's successful run at the helm of the Cyclones. In addition to the two new hires, Sanderson has announced that former staffers Matt Dernlan, Troy Letters and Aaron Anspach will all remain at Penn State with each assuming new duties. The moves finalize Penn State's new wrestling staff as Sanderson embarks upon his first year at the helm of the Nittany Lion program. Over the past three seasons, the Sanderson brothers and Cunningham have led Iowa State to second, fifth and third place finishes at the NCAA Championships and have qualified all 30 of their wrestlers for nationals. A total of 15 Iowa State wrestlers earned All-America status during the last three campaigns. Cody Sanderson served as associate head coach at Iowa State during brother Cael's three-year run as mentor of the Cyclones. Prior to joining Cael in Ames, Cody was the head coach at Utah Valley State (now Utah Valley University), where he started the school's wrestling program from scratch in 2003. Sanderson's efforts helped create the nation's first Division I wrestling program started from scratch in 30 years. Prior to beginning the program at UVSC, Cody served as administrative assistant at Iowa State from 2001 to 2003. As an athlete, Sanderson was a two-time national finalist at 133 pounds, advancing to the NCAA title bout in 1999 in the Bryce Jordan Center and in 2000 in St. Louis. He ended his stellar Cyclone career with a 116-33 record, including a 33-3 mark his senior year. He also claimed the Big 12 title as a senior and helped spur ISU to a National Runner-Up finish at the NCAA Championships in 2000. Sanderson graduated from Iowa State in 2000 with a bachelor's degree in pre-medicine. He wife, Sarah, was a standout Gymnast at Iowa State and the couple has three children (sons Kade and Mason and daughter Tylar Ann). Cunningham served as Cael Sanderson's assistant head coach last season at Iowa State. Prior to his one year stint in Ames, he was an assistant coach at Central Michigan for seven years (2001-2008). During his tenure at CMU, he helped lead 18 Chippewas to All-American honors and 35 Mid-American titles. During Cunningham's last season as an assistant, Central Michigan finished seventh at the 2008 NCAA Championships. CMU dominated the MAC during Cunningham's time with the Chippewas, winning the last 10 regular season championships (including all seven during his run as an assistant). As a wrestler, Cunningham is among Central Michigan's all-time greats. He capped off his collegiate career in 1999 by winning the 157-pound title in the Bryce Jordan Center, earning the school's first Division I national title and only the second individual title in school history in any sport. The two-time All-American (he was national runner-up in 1998) won three MAC championships (1996, 1997 and 1999) and was twice named MAC Wrestler of the Year (1998 and 1999). Cunningham finished his Chippewa career with a 134-19 record. An accomplished international competitor, Cunningham won the 2008 Pan American Games silver medal and retired from international competition in 2008. Cunningham earned his bachelor's degree in sociology with an emphasis in criminal justice from CMU in 1999. His wife, Tara (Nott), is an Olympic champion, having won the gold medal in weightlifting at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. The couple has three sons, Hayden, Asher and Ryder. Three members of the former coaching staff will remain at Penn State, but each in a new position. Dernlan will now serve as the program's Director of Wrestling Operations, Letters has moved to the assistant coach position (volunteer) and Anspach will now slide over to work and coach with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. In addition, Tiffany Clark, the former office manager, has assumed the title of Administrative Assistant for Wrestling. Cael Sanderson was named the 12th head coach in Penn State's long wrestling history on April 17, 2009, and officially welcomed to the Penn State family at a public introduction and press conference on April 20. Penn State Wrestling season tickets for the 2009-10 seasons can be reserved now. To make a $20 deposit on the best Rec Hall locations, fans should call 1.800.NITTANY between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. on weekdays. Current wrestling season ticket holders do not need to make a new deposit and will simply go through the coming renewal process. Penn State wrestling season tickets are all reserved locations in Rec Hall. The exact seat assignments for new commitments will not be available until the renewal cycle is complete, but new season ticket commitments made now will be assigned locations based on Nittany Lion Club point totals and the time/date the deposit was received by Penn State Athletics. Season ticket pricing for the 2009-10 season will be finalized and announced by July 1, 2009.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Two-time national champion and former IU grappler, Joe Dubuque, is returning to Bloomington for the 2009-10 season as an assistant coach for the Hoosier wrestling program. Dubuque spent the last three years as an assistant at Hofstra University. “We are very excited to have Joe rejoin us at IU,” said Head Coach Duane Goldman. “He is the one of the most decorated athletes to ever represent IU. To have him here as a coach is tremendous for our staff, as well as our student-athletes. Joe brought so much to us as an athlete; I am looking forward to him being in the coaching seat.” This past season, Dubuque helped Hofstra to a 27th-place showing at the NCAA Championships. Now back at IU, he joins his former teammate Pat DeGain as Indiana’s two assistant coaches. While a Hoosier, Dubuque was a three-time NCAA All-American who captured national titles at 125 pounds in 2005 and 2006, posted an overall record of 114-18, including a 69-6 dual mark and a 19-6 Big Ten record in four years at Indiana University. As a senior during the 2005-06 season he recorded a 28-1 mark, including a 7-1 record against ranked opponents, and defeated three ranked opponents at the NCAA Championships en route to the 125-pound crown. Dubuque became just the second Hoosier in Indiana history to capture two national titles and the first Hoosier to register back-to-back NCAA crowns. In 2004-05 Dubuque placed third in the Big 10 Championships and then defeated three ranked opponents on his march to claim the 125-pound title at the national championships. He became the first Hoosier to appear in a NCAA final since Roger Chandler did so in 1997, and the first IU grappler to claim a national championship since Brian Dolph captured the 150-pound title in 1990. He finished the year with a 29-3 overall record, an 18-1 slate in duals, a 6-1 mark in the Big Ten and a 12-2 mark against ranked opponents. A year earlier Dubuque qualified for his first NCAA appearance with a fourth-place finish at the Big 10 Championships and then went on to earn All-America honors with an eighth-place showing at the NCAA Championships. He finished the year with a 34-9 overall record, a 21-2 dual mark and captured the 125-pound title at the Northern Iowa Open. Dubuque, a native of Bloomfield, New Jersey, was a scholastic national champion as a senior and a two-time state champion at Glenn Ridge High School. After redshirting the 2001-02 season, he tallied a 23-5 overall record and a 15-3 mark in dual meets, and ranked as high as 12th as a freshman, but missed the Big 10 Championships due to an injury. Dubuque earned a bachelor's degree in recreation sports management from Indiana. He and his wife, Jaime, have a son named Chase.

Hello again wrestling fans. It's another special week in wrestling as Johnnie Johnson and I head to Stillwater, Oklahoma and the Inductions and Honors Weekend at the Hall of Fame. Saturday June 6 we take the Brute Adidas studios of TDR back on the road and we'll air LIVE from the Hall of Fame Library. From 9 to 11 AM CST we'll do our best to present to you what this special weekend is all about. Our scheduled Guests include: Steve Garland of Virginia Chris Ayres of Princeton BJ Thomas of Undefeated Sports Nutrition and many many more Thanks for listening to America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show. Takedown Wrestling Radio. Tune in to Takedownradio.com from 9 to 11 AM CST on a computer near you or a radio station near you. You can also order the podcast of TDR on Itunes.

AMES, Iowa -- Iowa State head wrestling coach Kevin Jackson has announced that former Cyclone assistant coach and NCAA champion Chris Bono and former Columbia head assistant wrestling coach Yero (yah-ROO) Washington are joining the ISU wrestling staff as assistant coaches. Bono has been head coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga the past three seasons, where his teams won a trio of Southern Conference titles and he was the league’s coach of the year three times. Washington was a club and volunteer wrestling coach at Columbia for the 2008-09 season. He has coached at Columbia for a decade, including a stint as head assistant wrestling coach from 2004-07. “Both Chris and Yero have been world-class wrestlers who have had a successful run of 10 years of coaching,” Jackson said. “Both understand exactly what it takes to be an NCAA champion and a successful international competitor and will guide our wrestlers to their goals. Yero will work with our lighter weights, Chris with the middle weights and I will work considerably with the upper weights. They both have administrative experience as NCAA coaches and that will be of great assistance to me as well.” Bono joined the UTC staff in 2005 after serving nine years as a wrestling assistant coach at Iowa State, where he graduated in 1997 with a bachelor’s degree in exercise and sport science. He then worked for former Cyclone head coach Bobby Douglas as an assistant coach and was the Cyclones’ head assistant coach for the his final three years (2002-2005) in Ames. Bono was named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year in 2002 for his role in ISU’s success that season. The Cyclones compiled a 17-5 dual match record and were NCAA runners-up with five wrestlers earning All-America status. “First and foremost, I am coming back to the school I love, my alma mater,” Bono said. “I know Kevin well, have worked with him in the past and believe in his vision for Iowa State wrestling.” Bono was a three-time All-American at Iowa State, winning 130 matches from 1994-97, including the NCAA 150-pound championship in 1996. He ranks fifth on the ISU’s all-time wins list. A four-time NCAA participant, he placed fifth at the national meet as a sophomore and second as a senior. Bono won the Big Eight Conference title as a junior and was named the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the inaugural Big 12 Conference Championship in 1997. “Chris has a great passion for Iowa State University,” Jackson said. “He wants to be here. His experience will ease my transition to collegiate coaching.” Bono has had a distinguished post-collegiate freestyle wrestling career. He was a U.S. World Championships team member in 2001, 2002 and 2005. He won U.S. national titles in 2003 and 2005. “I have known Yero for many years and he is extremely skilled, has coaching experience and will be a great teacher for our wrestlers, especially in the lighter weights,” Jackson said. “He has trained under me and knows what we want to do here.” Washington first joined the Columbia staff in 2002, as a graduate assistant. After a year as a resident athlete at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, pursuing a berth on the United States Olympic Wrestling Team, Washington returned to Columbia in 2004. “The primary reason I’m headed to Iowa State is Kevin Jackson,” Washington said. “Kevin is an extraordinary leader. The fact that Iowa State is a collegiate wrestling powerhouse was also a factor in my decision.” Washington also participated in the Olympic Trials for the 2000 Games after winning the Northwest Regional Qualifier. The 1998 Sunkist International Tournament champion, he has been a member of the U.S. National team, America’s World Cup team and America’s Nations Cup teams. Born in Berkeley, Calif., Washington was a California state champion in high school in Porterville. A two-time junior college All-American at Fresno City (Calif.) College, Washington won the California State Junior College Championships. Transferring to Fresno State, he twice made All-American, in 1996, when he finished sixth in the nation at 134 pounds, and 1997, when he was third in the nation. He served as chief assistant wrestling coach at Fresno City College from 1997 to 1999, and was on the 1999-2000 Fresno State staff, working closely with Stephen Abas, a three-time NCAA champion, along with Stan Greene, a two-time NCAA All-American. Washington earned his bachelor of science degree from Fresno State in 1999.

Matt Pell

Jack Spates

The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) has announced its annual Division I All-Academic Top 30 Team and the NWCA Individual All-Academic wrestling team for the 2008-09 season. For the second straight year, American University took home top team honors while five NCAA Division I Champions highlighted the individual team. Mark Cody’s American University Eagles led the Division I teams with GPA of 3.2839 after tying with Duke University in 2008. American was closely followed by Harvard University which had their highest team finish under head coach Jay Weiss. Rounding out the top five teams are Stanford University, Duke University, and Davidson College. All eleven conferences were represented in the top 30 teams with the EIWA leading the way with six teams. For teams to be eligible for consideration, the team GPA is comprised of 12 student athletes, including the 10 wrestlers that were the entries in the NCAA tournament conference qualifier. If teams had less than 10 entries for their respective qualifier, they may fill those spots with wrestlers that competed in at least one varsity dual during the season. “We are finding that year in and year out, coaches strive to have their team’s listed as an All-Academic Team. This is another measure of success for these programs,” said Executive Director Mike Moyer. “There is so much more to wrestling than what is done on the mat and we see just one part of that here with the All-Academic Team.” The 2008-09 All-Academic individual team is highlighted by a total of 51 NCAA Qualifiers, 17 NCAA All-Americans, 8 NCAA Finalist and 5 NCAA Champions. In total 73 individuals representing 45 schools are being honored this year on the All-Academic Team. The five NCAA Champions earning a spot on the individual team are: Jarrod King of Edinboro University (3.78) a Health and Physical Education –Human Performance major, Stephen Luke of the University of Michigan (3.35) a Biology major, Jake Herbert of Northwestern University (3.179) a Communication Major, Fraklin Gomez of Michigan State (3.098) majoring in Human Resources, and J. Jaggers of the Ohio State University (3.02) in Communications. Sitting at the top of the All-Academic Team is NCAA Qualifier Nicholas Amuchastegui of Stanford University who holds a 3.928 in Mechanical Engineering. Rounding out the top five individuals were Liberty’s Christian Smith (3.92), Tucker Lane (3.919) of Nebraska, Jeffrey Newby (3.82) of Utah Valley, and Jarrod King (3.78) of Edinboro University. Individually, wrestlers must have at least a 3.2 cumulative GPA, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule – and must have competed in at least 60 percent of said schedule. The other way to qualify for the All-Academic team is have a 3.0 cumulative and been an NCAA All-American. “The student-athletes on this All-Academic Team exemplify what we are looking for in the sport of wrestling. You see teams and individuals from the largest institutions that sponsor wrestling to the smaller colleges listed. There is diversity here that you do not always get to see when it comes to compiling these type of teams,” said Jim Beichner NWCA President. Utah Valley State led all schools with four wrestlers earning All-Academic accolades followed by The United State Military Academy (ARMY), Old Dominion University, and Northwestern University with three individuals named to the All-Academic Team. “As a coaches association, we look forward to recognizing the accomplishments of our coaches and wrestlers each year. This is just another way to showcase our sport’s close alignment with educational values,” said Moyer.

Danny Felix

Sammie Henson