InterMat Staff

After 17 seasons at the helm of Illinois Wrestling and 19 as a collegiate head coach, Mark Johnson announced his retirement from coaching Monday (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- After 17 seasons at the helm of Illinois Wrestling and 19 as a collegiate head coach, Mark Johnson announced his retirement from coaching Monday. Johnson finishes his career as the most successful wrestling coach in Illinois history and one of the best nationally. "I would like to thank Ron Guenther and the entire athletic department for giving me the great opportunity to fulfill my dream of leading the Fighting Illini," Johnson said. "I couldn't have asked for a better athletic director than Ron. I want to thank him for how he treated my program and me over my 17 years here. I really enjoyed the relationships with my athletes and staff, and I think this program is in great shape for the future." Johnson led the Fighting Illini to an eighth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships, which finished on March 21, with Mike Poeta, Jimmy Kennedy and John Wise bringing Johnson's total of All-Americans at Illinois to 45. He finishes his coaching career with seven individual national champions, 10 Top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships in the last 15 years and took a total of 120 wrestlers to 17 NCAA Championships during his time at Illinois. "Mark's decision to resign as head wrestling coach did not necessarily come as a surprise to me," Guenther said. "Mark has done an exceptional job in leading our wrestling program, however, over the past few years, he has expressed a desire to explore other opportunities. I am pleased for Mark that an opportunity came up to hold him in our community and I wish him much success." Johnson's career is unmatched at Illinois, as he finishes with the most wins, NCAA Champions, All-Americans and NCAA qualifiers of any coach in Illini history. He was named the National Coach of the Year in 1995 and 30 of his 45 All-Americans have come in the last 10 years. He led the Orange and Blue to a team title at the 2005 Big Ten Championships, Illinois' first Big Ten crown in 53 years, and a pair of Big Ten dual titles in 2005 and 2006. He also guided the Illini to a No. 1 national ranking in 2004. The Rock Island, Ill., native won his 200th career dual meet earlier this season at Wisconsin when the Illini took down the Badgers, 24-16, and finished the season with the second-best winning percentage among active college wrestling coaches. He also ranked 12th in career wins among active coaches. Johnson finishes his career with more than twice as many wins as any other coach in Illinois history. Illinois' highest finish at the NCAA Championships under Johnson came in 2001, when the Illini placed fifth on the backs of NCAA Champions Adam Tirapelle and John Lockhart and All-Americans Matt Lackey and Pat Quirk. Johnson-led teams hold the Illinois records for most dual wins, pins, dual winning percentage and points scored at both the NCAA and Big Ten Championships. Johnson also guided Illinois wrestlers to success off the mat, as four of his student-athletes earned the Big Ten Medal of Honor and 18 were named Academic All-Americans. Illinois also has 77 Academic All-Big Ten selections under Johnson. A member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, Johnson was a two-time All-American in 1976-77. He was a two-time National Wrestling Champion and was a member of the USA Wrestling team. He was an assistant coach for the 1988 USA Olympic team and was the head coach for the Olympic Sports Festival in 1991 and 1996. Johnson and his wife, Linda, reside in Champaign. They have two grown daughters, Tricia and Mackey.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Four Virginia wrestlers have earned 2009 All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors, as announced Friday by the conference. Rocco Caponi (Sr., Uniontown, Ohio), Chris Henrich (So., Lansdale, Pa.), Brent Jones (Jr., Burke, Va.) and Mike Sewell (Sr., Bothell, Wash.) all nabbed league honors by virtue of their top-two finishes at the league championships. The honor is the third for Caponi, who won his third-consecutive ACC crown at 184 pounds. Henrich nabbed All-ACC honors at 174 pounds for the second year in a row after winning the league title. It is the first All-ACC honor for Jones, who won the ACC 197-pound title and then was deemed the ACC Championships Most Outstanding Wrestler. Sewell also won All-ACC honors for the first time in the 165-pound class. Henrich won All-America honors this year, becoming the 10th All-American in Virginia history after going 4-2 at the NCAA Championships. He finished the year with a 40-3 record – the fourth-most wins in a single season in Virginia history and the most victories ever by a UVa sophomore. Caponi went 17-7 this year and competed at the NCAA Championships for the fourth year in a row. He finished his career with a 111-33 career record and three ACC titles. Jones posted a 29-8 mark this season and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career. He earned a team-high 12 pins and tied the program record for career falls with 34. Sewell battled injuries to earn a 13-8 record in 2008-09. He won his first two bouts at the ACC Championships before losing a close match to North Carolina's Keegan Mueller in the championship match.

For the second year in a row, the Ohio State wrestling program placed second in the team standings at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. And, for the second straight year, the Buckeyes' head coach, Tom Ryan, has earned Rev Coach of the Year honors. This award is presented each year to the nation's top coach across all divisions of college wrestling, and is determined in balloting by RevWrestling.com writers and executives. Tom Ryan becomes the first two-time Rev Coach of the Year, having won the award back-to-back in 2008 and 2009. Other honorees include Oklahoma State head coach John Smith, who received the award in 2006, and 2007 winner Cael Sanderson of Iowa State. Tom Ryan becomes the first two-time Rev Coach of the Year (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)This year, Rev Coach of the Year balloting was even closer than the team title race at the 2009 NCAAs. In that battle, the University of Iowa edged Ohio State by just 4.5 points. In the Rev Coach of the Year vote, Iowa's Tom Brands and Tom Ryan each received 52 votes, requiring use of the tiebreaker: the number of first-place votes received. Ryan garnered four first-place votes to Brands' two. Edinboro's Tim Flynn placed third with 23 votes; Luke Moffitt of Iowa Central was right behind with 21 votes, including two first-place votes. Rounding out the top six vote-getters: Cornell University's Rob Koll with 16 votes, and Iowa State's Sanderson, with 15. 2009 Rev Coach of the Year 1st-5th-Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Tom Ryan, Ohio State: 52 (4) 2. Tom Brands, Iowa: 52 (2) 3. Tim Flynn, Edinboro: 23 4. Luke Moffitt, Iowa Central: 21 (2) 5. Rob Koll, Cornell: 16 6. Cael Sanderson, Iowa State: 15 7. Mark Manning, Nebraska: 9 8. Jim Miller, Wartburg: 5 T9. Barry Davis, Wisconsin: 3 T9. Mike Denney, Neb. Omaha: 3 11. Jim Andrassy, Kent State: 1If there's any doubt about how far and how fast the Ohio State wrestling program has come since Tom Ryan took the helm, consider this: Before his arrival, the Buckeyes placed 45th in the team standings at the 2006 NCAAs. In this, his third year as the head coach at Ohio State, Ryan led the Buckeyes to a 16-2 season record, a sixth-place finish in the Big Ten tournament, and a runner-up finish at the 2009 NCAAs. His team nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the national championship. "With an uncanny ability to dissect technique, Ryan is able to use Ohio State's grueling schedule to his advantage," according to Tom Franck, staff writer at RevWrestling.com. "For the second straight year, he's been able to have his wrestlers not only make adjustments from the regular season, but employ supreme tactics on the biggest stage." Rev Coach of the Year Winners 2009: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2008: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2007: Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2006: John Smith, Oklahoma State"Things will only get better for him," Franck continues. "Because Ohio is such a juggernaut for high school wrestling, Ryan is giving stellar recruits zero temptation to leave the state. With the direction he's taking the program, it's difficult not to imagine Ohio State winning many recruiting wars, and his runner-up finishes turning into championships."

Jake Herbert is arguably the most accomplished wrestler in the long history of Northwestern University. He completed his college career with a 66-match win streak, a 2009 Big Ten title and conference Wrestler of the Year honors, and the 184-pound championship at the 2009 NCAAs -- his second national crown as a Wildcat. Now add to this impressive resume: 2009 Rev Wrestler of the Year. Northwestern's Jake Herbert won his second NCAA title at 184 pounds (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)This award is presented each year to the nation's best college wrestler across all divisions, and is based on a vote of RevWrestling.com writers and executives. With this award, Jake Herbert joins previous Rev Wrestler of the Year honorees Brent Metcalf of Iowa (2008), and Missouri's Ben Askren (2006 and 2007). Herbert garnered 60 votes, including five first-place votes, to land the 2009 Rev Wrestler of the Year award. Coming in a close second was 149-pound NCAA champ Darrion Caldwell of North Carolina State, with 58 votes, including three first-place votes. Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska's 157-pound national champ, was third with 34 votes, while 174-pound NCAA titlewinner Steve Luke of Michigan placed fourth with 15 votes. Rounding out the top five vote-getters: Arizona State's 125-pounder Anthony Robles, the first Division I wrestler to earn All-American honors wrestling with one leg. "Jake Herbert proved all season long that he was the dominant force in college wrestling," said Andrew Hipps, senior writer at RevWrestling.com. "He possesses all the necessary ingredients one needs to be special in the sport. You would be hard-pressed to find a more intense, driven wrestler than Jake Herbert. He has a passion for the sport that is unmatched." 2009 Rev Wrestler of the Year 1st-5th-Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Jake Herbert, N'western: 60 (5) 2. Darrion Caldwell, NC State: 58 (3) 3. Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska: 34 4. Steve Luke, Michigan: 15 5. Anthony Robles, Arizona State: 8 6. Brent Metcalf, Iowa: 7 7. Aaron Wernimont, Wartburg: 5 8. Franklin Gomez, Michigan State: 4 T9. Todd Meneely, Neb. Omaha: 3 T9. Troy Nickerson, Cornell: 3 11. J Jaggers, Ohio State: 2 12. Billy Murphy, Iowa Central: 1Jacob John Herbert, a native of Wexford, Pennsylvania, launched his wrestling career in fourth grade. In high school, he built a 141-18 record, and was a four-time placewinner at the Pennsylvania state tournament, winning the state title as a senior in 2003. At Northwestern, Herbert compiled a 135-4 record, winning three Big Ten titles and three Midlands championships. He is Northwestern's second four-time All-American, and only the second two-time NCAA champ for the Wildcats (the first being Jack Riley, NCAA heavyweight champ for Northwestern in 1931 and 1932).

The mobile Brute Adidas Studios of TDR will be on the road again this weekend as we bring to you 2 day coverage and LIVE streaming of the Iowa AAU Kids State Folkstyle Championships Live from Vets Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa. Join Steve Foster and me for 2 days of fun in our 6th consecutive year of covering this AAU Tradition. Joining us LIVE on Saturday's broadcast for play by play after 11:00 AM will be ISU Wrestling stars Jonathon Reader (AA) and Tyler Clark, Chad Wiltsey of theWrestlingTalk.com, Darin Williams of the Hawkeye Newsletter Fame among others. TDR- This week from 9 to 11 AM Troy Nickerson- Cornell Universities 2009 NCAA Champion and EIWA Wrestler of the Year at 125 pounds Three time All-American Troy Nickerson won the 2009 NCAA championship at 125 pounds last Saturday night with a 2-1 tie breaker win over Paul Donahoe of Edinboro. Nickerson previously placed third and second in 2007 and 2006 respectively. The Big Red finished in fifth place as a team. He's also a really good broadcaster. We were pleased to have Troy's team mate Adam Frey join our team in St. Louis, Mo. Darrian Caldwell- a junior from Rahway, N.J., won NC State's fifth individual national championship in wrestling Saturday night in St. Louis, with a dramatic upset of No. 1 seeded Brent Metcalf of Iowa. He was also named the NCAA Championship's Most Outstanding Wrestler, giving him the claim to the title as America' top amateur wrestler. He will spend the year away from NCAA competition by participating in open and international tournaments, which will help him prepare for the 2012 Olympics in London. Caldwell would also like to give football another try. That's the reason he considered leaving NC State last spring to transfer to his hometown Rutgers. He did spend some time working out with the NC State football team as a walk-on, and would like to give it another try. How important was Former Clemson national champion Noel Loban to Caldwell's success? Loban, who went unbeaten in dual matches for three years for the Tigers, won the national championship at 190 pounds in 1980, was named Clemson's Outstanding Athlete of the Year for 1980, and later was inducted into the school's athletics hall of fame. Iowa Head Coach Tom Brands joins us to discuss the season. The Margin of victory was the closest since 1999 as the Hawkeye Wrestlers repeat and earn the 2009 NCAA Championship, their 22nd. 2009 Big Ten winter Academic all-Conference team was greatly enhanced by Hawkeye wrestlers. The nine Hawkeye wrestlers break the previous school record of seven honorees. They are: Jay Borschel, Nick Kolegraff, J.J. Krustinger, Dan LeClere T.H. Leet, Brent Metcalf, Joe Moore, Blake Rasing, Ethan Sebert Jeff Murphy, Bob Selby will help us wrap up the NCAA Season and we'll talk with Twin Cities MMA promoter Nick Gambst about his coming Brutaal MMA Event at Hilton Coliseum on April 11th. Join us for our first 2 hours from 9 AM to 11 AM Saturday and then stay the day for the balance of the broadcast for AAU wrestling Live from Vets auditorium for 2 big days. Takedownradio.com America's Wrestling Radio Show- Now in its 12th year.

Much like the story of David and Goliath, Christian Schuler took on some giant challenges, emerging the victor. The 18 year old, 145 lb. Bentonville, Arkansas high school senior achieved second place in State Finals during his junior year, with less than three years wrestling experience, and with a series of physical setbacks. Suffering a severe hearing loss and diagnosed with ADHD, his parents, coaches, and teachers credit wrestling for much of the incredible improvement and success Christian has attained. On the mat, Christian wrestled nearly his entire Junior year on an undiagnosed torn ACL. Finally diagnosed, and only one week before State Finals, doctors allowed him to continue. During the second round of competition, the ACL severed completely, and despite pain doctors described as " off the charts", Christian finished the match to win, and went on to the finals where he took second in the state. Christian also finished second in the Diamond Missouri Tournament, with his only loss coming at the hands of a national runner-up. Soon after, Christian suffered an additional injury during the Mudville Duals in Oklahoma that required arthroscopic surgery. Again, he would not quit. As quickly after surgery as doctors would allow, he wrestled in the Fayettville Classic where based on an Officials call, he was forced to forfeit due to injury and lost his starting slot for the State Finals in his senior year. Despite sitting out the finals, and based on his undeniable drive and determination, college coaches continued to follow Christian's progression both athletically and academically. Christian's hard work and sacrifice paid off as he was recruited to go on to college and wrestle for Bacone College in Muskogee, Oklahoma. Off the mat, although directly related to wrestling, Christian contributed greatly to wrestling becoming a sanctioned high school sport in Arkansas. Christian recalls the times prior to wrestling, and as a football player, when members of the wrestling club were not allowed in the weight room due to wrestling being unsanctioned. Carrying over the incredible strength he built in the weight room as a football player to wrestling, he brought his might to organize and influence as well. He was contacted by Greg Hatcher, one of the key people accredited for the state becoming sanctioned, and was asked to address the Arkansas Activities Association as an ambassador and on behalf of wrestling, He also engaged in extensive fund raising activities to support the drive to officially recognize wrestling in the state. Christian is a dedicated member of his church, where he serves as an Assistant to the Priest and participates in several church youth groups, including at the national level. Additionally, he volunteers his time to coach a youth wrestling club, where he is dearly loved and valued. Coach Bill Desler lead Christian's team, the Bentonville High School Tigers, to their first sanctioned championship this season, as well as the two prior years when the states teams met in unsanctioned tournaments. TakeDown Radio was present and reported from this years first sanctioned State Championship and witnessed first hand the coaching that contributed so greatly to his progress. Christian is really part of a trilogy of success, that being personal, team, and state. It's what's called a winning combination. Another thing that's certain. Knock Christian Schuler down, he gets up. Repeat the process as many times as you like, the result will come up the same. TakeDown Radio would like to thank the sponsors of the High School Wrestler of the Month Award, now it it's seventh month. Without Resilite, W.I.N. Magazine, Brute adidas, Intermat, and Sunflower Wrestling Supply, the award would not be possible, nor would the lives of these wrestlers be as rich as they are today.

IOWA CITY, IA -- The University of Iowa wrestling team won its 22nd national title last week at the NCAA championships in St. Louis, MO. Junior Brent Metcalf was the only Hawkeye wrestler in a national title match. Metcalf was criticized by many for his actions near the end of his 149-pound title match. The 2008 national champion lost a hard-fought match to Darrion Caldwell of North Carolina State. An action by Metcalf near the end of the match caused the Iowa team to lose a team point. The following are statements by Metcalf and Iowa Athletic Director Gary Barta regarding the matter. Brent Metcalf's statement: "I would like to extend an apology to Darrion Caldwell, his family, the NCAA and the wrestling community for my actions in the NCAA title match. I certainly had no malicious intent. With five seconds left in the match, I was attempting to finish to the end, as I've always been trained to do. In a split second after the whistle, my momentum carried me into Darrion's celebratory back flip. My reaction was a result of self defense and partly, frustration. I want to extend my congratulations to Darrion for his championship." Gary Barta's statement: "Brent has taken this situation seriously from the beginning. I'm satisfied with the manner and sincerity with which he's handled it. He is a tremendous student-athlete and has been a terrific role model on the mat, in the classroom and in the community. I look forward to his 2009-10 season and his quest to earn another national championship."

CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- University of Northern Iowa head wrestling coach Brad Penrith has accepted a three-year contract extension, UNI director of athletics Troy Dannen announced today. Penrith's new deal runs through June 2012. Brad Penrith accepted a three-year contract extension as Northern Iowa's head coach. His new deal runs through June 2012 (Photo/Northern Iowa Sports Information)"It was clear during our meetings this week, Brad is anxious to take the program forward to achieve the goals we all share for Panther wrestling," Dannen said. "This extension gives him the opportunity to build upon our competitive successes, and continue to enhance the development of the students in our program." "I am extremely excited for the Panther wrestling program because it shows a level of commitment from our administration to me and my coaching staff that they think we can get this done," Penrith said. "I love the idea that we have been given the challenge of taking Panther wrestling to the next level. Working together with the administration, we can make this happen." The Panthers placed 22nd at the 2009 NCAA Championships, which was the seventh top-25 finish for Penrith during his nine-year reign. This past season also saw senior Moza Fay earn All-America honors at 165 pounds. Penrith has coached 13 All-Americans and 68 national qualifiers during his nine-year stay as Panther head coach. The Panthers have tallied an 80-63-4 dual mark under Penrith and recently won the school's 24th straight regional team title. Penrith's wrestlers have earned 17 National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic team honors since 2001. The Windsor, N.Y., native has been affiliated with the UNI wrestling program since 1997 when he began his stay in Cedar Falls as an assistant coach. Penrith has been instrumental in securing six top-25 recruiting classes, including his 2003 class (No. 4) and 2007 class (No. 9), which ranked among the best in the nation. A 1988 graduate of the University of Iowa Iowa, Penrith was crowned the NCAA 126-pound champion as a sophomore in 1986. Penrith also garnered national runner-up honors in 1987 and 1988 for the Hawkeyes. Penrith also made his mark at the international level before retiring in 1996. He captured a Silver Medal at the 1991 World Championships, was the Gold Medalist at the Pan American Games in 1991 and won the title at the Pan American Games Championship in 1989. Penrith has many accomplishments internationally, including placing third at the 1994 Goodwill Games, becoming a two-time Sunkist Open champion, taking the Roger Coulon title in France in 1992 and '96, being a member of the 1989 U.S. World Team, and taking third at the World Cup in 1990 and 1991. Closer to home, he placed third at the 1996 Olympic Team Trials, won the U.S. Nationals three times--1989, '91 and '93 - and was second at the '92 final Olympic wrestle-off.

Bucknell head wrestling coach Dan Wirnsberger and Jordan Burroughs, 2009 NCAA champion from Nebraska, will be the featured guests on Wrestling 411 Radio on Thursday, March 26. This Thursday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 7 p.m. CST. The show can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv and clicking on the "Listen Live" link. An archive of the broadcast will be available immediately following the show. Wirnsberger recently completed his fourth season as the head wrestling coach at Bucknell University. At the 2009 NCAA tournament Andy Rendos became the first wrestling All-American in Bucknell program history. In 1995, Wirnsberger was a Big Ten champion and an NCAA runner-up at 158 pounds. Burroughs, a two-time All-American, recently finished his junior year with an NCAA title at 157 pounds. Burroughs became the first wrestler in Nebraska Wrestling history to complete a season undefeated. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association presented four of wrestling's largest supporters with the Meritorious Award this past weekend at the 2009 NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis, Missouri. The Meritorious Award is the highest honor that the NWCA can bestow. The four gentlemen selected for the award this year have made remarkable contributions to the promotion, support, and growth of wrestling. This year's Meritorious Award recipients are: Bob Feldmeier Sr. Bob Feldmeier Sr. is the CEO of Feldmeier Equipment in Syracuse, NY, was the founder of LiveSportsVideo, and was also a wrestler for Princeton University. Feldmeier was honored for the considerable amount of resources that he has dedicated to the NWCA's Program Entrenchment efforts and for the tremendous work he has done in the promotion of wrestling. Along with Feldmeier's direct efforts to support wrestling, his company LiveSportsVideo has provided coverage of some the biggest events in wrestling including: The NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals, The Midlands, The Beast of the East, and the U.S. World Teams Trials. In addition to wrestling, LSV delivers over 10,000 live and archived events a year in a wide variety of sports. Mark Mestemacher Mark Mestemacher has dedicated countless hours to growing youth wrestling in southern Illinois and Greater St. Louis regions. Mestemacher recently funded the development of a 23,000 square foot facility in the Edwardsville School District that will be used exclusively to help young aspiring wrestlers in southern Illinois pursue their wrestling dreams. Mestemacher has also been a very generous contributor to the NWCA College Coaches Academy. Arno Neimand Arno Neimand is the CEO of BodyBar and a former Cornell Wrestler. Neimand is being honored for the immense dedication that he has shown in the promotion of women's wrestling across the United States. Irv Naylor Irv Naylor is the CEO of SnowTime Inc. and a tireless supporter of various NWCA Coaching Development and Program Entrenchment initiatives. Naylor has also been very generous in his support of international wrestling through USA Wrestling. "On behalf of the NWCA, I would like to extend my deepest thanks and appreciation to all of this year's Meritorious Award recipients. They all have made a significant mark on the sport and their contributions have done immeasurable good for the wrestling community," NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer said. The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events, and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.

2009 Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa inductees Vic Marcucci and Jim Craig will be radio show guests tonight. Marcucci prepped in Illinois and was a three-time All American at Iowa State University. He was the NCAA champion at 160 pounds as a senior in 1967. Marcucci also won a national freestyle title and coached for several years. He lives in Waterloo and will be offering his thoughts on last weekend's NCAA Championships in St. Louis. Jim Craig is originally from Davenport, Iowa, and won Big Ten and NCAA titles as a senior at the University of Iowa at 177 pounds in 1959. He was also third in the NCAA as a junior. He began his coaching career at Britt (IA) High School, winning the team title in 1962 and coaching Bob Steenlage to the last of his four state titles. Craig also coached at Oak Park, Illinois, for many years and was an accomplished referee as well. Marcucci and Craig are two of six new members who, on April 18, will be inducted into the Class of 2009 Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa, which is located inside the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. The other inductees are Leon (Champ) Martin, Franc Freeman, Eric Voelker and Mike Chapman. "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.

PITTSBURGH -- Redshirt freshman Tyler Nauman has been named the Eastern Wrestling League's Freshman Wrestler of the Year announced the conference office today, March 24th. A Middletown, Pa. native, Nauman posted a season record of 29-9 during his first season in the Pitt starting lineup. Of his 29 wins this season, 11 were by fall, the seventh most for a single season in Pitt history. In his career, the 141-pounder has totaled 18 falls, ranking him 14th on the all-time list. Nauman took second place at both the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational and the Keystone Classic this season before winning the 141-pound championship at the year-ending EWL Tournament. He posted a dual record of 11-1, with his only loss coming to No. 11 ranked Drew Lashaway of Kent State, 6-4. In his first NCAA Tournament, Nauman defeated Justin Accordino (Hofstra) in the opening round before falling to eventual two-time national champion, J Jaggers (Ohio State) and Frank Molinero (Penn State). Nauman joins Coach of the Year Tim Flynn and Wrestler of the Year Jarrod King, as post-season EWL honorees. Coach Tim Flynn led the Edinboro Fighting Scots to a second-place finish at the Oklahoma Gold Classic, a PSAC Tournament Championship, second-place finish at the Reno Tournament of Champions, runner-up finish at the Southern Scuffle, a dual-meet record of 14-4-1, and a first-place finish at the EWL Tournament. In addition, under Coach Flynn's guidance, Edinboro University grabbed sixth place at the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Tournament, held in St. Louis. King, the EWL Wrestler of the Year, hails from Connellsville, Pennsylvania, and is a senior at Edinboro University. Competing at 165 pounds, King had an excellent 2009 season, winning the Oklahoma Gold Classic, the PSAC Tournament, the Reno Tournament of Champions, the EWL Tournament, and the 2009 NCAA Tournament. King completed his senior year with a record of 32-5.

EDINBORO, Pa. -- The Eastern Wrestling League today announced that Edinboro's Jarrod King has been named the EWL Wrestler of the Year and head coach Tim Flynn has been selected as the EWL Coach of the Year. Pittsburgh's Tyler Nauman was chosen the EWL Freshman of the Year. Jarrod KingKing capped an incredible year by winning the national championship at 165 lbs. after arriving in St. Louis as the 12th seed. The senior proceeded to win all five of his matches, upsetting three higher seeds along the way. The first was a 12-5 decision over fourth-seeded Moza Fay of Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he won a grueling 6-6 two tiebreaker match against Iowa State's Jonathan Reader, the eighth seed. He prevailed thanks to an 11-second advantage in riding time. That left King in the finals against second-seeded Andrew Howe of Wisconsin. He parlayed a body lock in the third period for the bout's lone takedown, snapping a 1-1 tie to win 3-2. King became Edinboro's fourth Division I national champion, joining Sean O'Day, Josh Koscheck and current teammate Gregor Gillespie. King ended a rollercoaster year with a 32-5 record. He ran off 12 straight wins to start the season, winning the Oklahoma Gold Classic and the PSAC Championships. Following a 4-1 loss to sixth-ranked Colt Sponseller of Ohio State, King won eight more matches in a row. That included a win in the title match of the Reno Tournament. The eight-match win streak came to an end thanks to a 3-2 loss to top-ranked Mack Lewnes of Cornell in the championship match of the Southern Scuffle. Less than two weeks later King had to be pulled from the lineup in the Virginia Duals due to a knee injury. It turned out he had a staph infection in his knee. Following a stay in the hospital and over a month out of the lineup, King returned with a week of practice under his belt to compete in Edinboro's final four dual meets. King struggled somewhat upon his return, losing two of three matches, including a 5-3 decision to Donnie Jones of West Virginia in the final dual of the season. He looked like a different wrestler two weeks later, pinning Jones in 23 seconds in the EWL title match for his second straight EWL crown. Tim Flynn and Jarrod King embrace (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)King spent three injury-filled seasons at Oklahoma before transferring to Edinboro a year ago. He went 32-9 a year ago, qualifying for Nationals and going 2-2 in his first trip. He joined his brother Matt as a All-American. Matt King also competed for the Fighting Scots at 165 lbs. and earned third and fourth place finishes. With King playing a major factor, Flynn led Edinboro to a sixth place finish, tying the highest finish ever at the NCAA Division I National Championships. Edinboro finished in the top ten for the third time in the last four years, and had three All-Americans for the third time in four years, as well. In addition to King's title, Paul Donahoe was second at 125 lbs. and Gregor Gillespie placed fourth at 157 lbs. Flynn guided Edinboro to its 11th EWL Tournament title in the last 12 years, and tenth PSAC title in that same period. Edinboro also won the EWL regular season crown for the fourth straight year. Edinboro owns a non-losing streak of 26 straight EWL matches, and is 24-0-2 during that period. Flynn led Edinboro to a 14-4-1 record, with the losses to Penn State, Ohio State, Lehigh and Oklahoma State. He broke the school record for career wins late this year, and now has a record of 136-39-4 after 12 seasons as the head coach of the Fighting Scots. He has now been recognized as the EWL Coach of the Year five times.

Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands and J Jaggers, a two-time NCAA champion from Ohio State, will be the featured guests on Wrestling 411 Radio on Tuesday, March 24. This Tuesday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 7 p.m. CST. The show can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv and clicking on the "Listen Live" link. An archive of the broadcast will be available immediately following the show. Brands just completed his third year as the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. He recently led the Hawkeyes to its second consecutive NCAA team title. Iowa finished its season with a 24-0 dual meet record and first place finishes at the Midlands, NWCA National Duals, Big Ten tournament, and NCAA tournament. Jaggers, a three-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion for Ohio State, recently finished his collegiate wrestling career with an individual NCAA title at 141 pounds. His performance led the Buckeyes to a second place finish at the 2009 NCAA tournament. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com.

ST. LOUIS -- The University of Maryland wrestling team capped the 2008-09 season with a bang Saturday, finishing in 10th place at NCAA Championships at Scottrade Center in St. Louis. It is the second-best NCAA finish in program history. Maryland finished with 47.5 points, finishing ahead of the likes of traditional powerhouses Michigan, Northwestern, Minnesota, Oklahoma State and Penn State, among others. Iowa won its second straight team championship with 96.5 points. Although Hudson Taylor (197 pounds), Alex Krom (141 pounds) and Steven Bell (133 pounds) all clinched all-American status Friday, the trio wrestled for final placement Saturday. Taylor matched last season's third-place finish, winning a pair of matches against two of the nation's best wrestlers. Krom went 1-1 on the day to finish fifth and Bell lost two matches, but still finished sixth. It is the third time in program history that Maryland has produced three all-Americans in one season and the first time since 1987. "This was a great weekend for our program," Maryland head coach Kerry McCoy said. "I am very proud of the way we finished. This year has been full of ups and downs, but it all came together in the end. This would not be possible without the tremendous support of our administration, fans and family." Taylor completed his impressive run through the wrestleback bracket with a pair of victories against top-five wrestlers Saturday morning. In his first match, Taylor dominated the No. 6 seed, Max Askren of Missouri. Taylor dropped a 9-4 decision to Askren earlier this season, but didn't allow a single point in the rematch. After a scoreless first period, Taylor netted a three-point near fall and a two-point near fall in the second. A reversal and the riding-time bonus in the final period gave Taylor an 8-0 major decision. Taylor topped the No. 4 seed, Tyrel Todd of Michigan, in the third-place match, 11-4. A pair of takedowns in the opening period gave Taylor an early 4-1 advantage. Two escapes and a takedown gave Taylor another four points in the second period and he headed into the final frame with an 8-3 lead plus riding time advantage in his favor. Todd could only manage an escape in the third period. After losing his second-round matchup Thursday, Taylor won six straight matches in the consolation bracket. Taylor registered three pins in the tournament, tied for the most by any wrestler during the competition. Taylor won the award for most pins in the least amount of time, getting his three pins in a cumulative total of 5 minutes, 38 seconds. Taylor won the same award earlier this season at the Midlands Championships. Taylor clinched all-American status Friday, becoming only the fourth repeat all-American in Maryland history and the first since David Land finished seventh and eighth at 118 pounds in 1992 and 1993, respectively. Following Friday night's semifinal loss to Ryan Williams, Krom lost a 5-1 decision to No. 6 seed Nick Gallick of Iowa State. However, Krom rebounded in the fifth-place match, beating seventh-seeded Chris Drouin of Arizona State, 4-0. Bell dropped both his matches on the final day to finish sixth at 133 pounds. For the second time of the tournament and third time this season, Bell was defeated by Boise State's Andrew Hochstrasser, the No. 5 seed. This time, Bell lost a 7-3 decision. In the fifth-place match, Bell was technical falled by the No. 3 seed, Jimmy Kennedy of Illinois. Kennedy won 17-0 in 5:13.

A number of champions were crowned during last weeks NCAA Wrestling Finals. While much of the action was found on the mats, another exciting announcement regards a man that has spent as much time around mats as nearly anyone. For 30 years, Steve Foster has been driven by his passion for wrestling. Foster, the co-host of TakeDown Wrestling Radio was recognized by a panel of his peers as the National Wrestling Media Association Broadcaster of the Year. Foster has been a contributor on the program for eight of the nearly twelve years it has existed. During that time, he's seen the number of listeners grow exponentially, and has experienced numerous technological advances, including the addition of web streaming, pod casting, and video. Foster originally came to the show as a fan when he called to win a trivia contest. As his incredible knowledge of the sport became immediately evident, TakeDown Radio founder and host Scott Casber invited him to attend the show. As they say, the rest is history. Foster's own wrestling history began as a child living in Boone, IA where his father regularly took him to see Iowa State Cyclone home meets. Fast forward many years, and Foster has not missed a single home meet in over ten years. A wrestler himself, an injury sidelined him after eight years of competition. Since then, he has tirelessly dedicated much of his personal time to reporting on a subject that only follows his faith and family in terms of personal priorities. Foster has logged hundreds of thousands of miles, has covered every conceivable type of wrestling event, and has forged strong and long lasting relationships with essentially every top personality in the sport. Known for his relaxed, conversational, and professional reporting style, he regularly provides questions that draw on individual personality to provide perspective that is not found anywhere else. " I truly appreciate winning this award and the respect that comes with it. Truly, it's my respect for what I consider the hardest working, and best conditioned athletes in the world that make this possible for me. I'm just glad I have a way to give back," commented the eternally humble Foster. Foster joins a list of well known commentators who have won the award including fellow TDR host Scott Casber, Tim Johnson, Jeff Byers, Ken Chertow, J. Carl Guymon, Dan Gable, and others.

ITHACA, N.Y. -- Cornell wrestling's Troy Nickerson and Cam Simaz swept the EIWA end of season awards it was announced on Monday. Nickerson was named the EIWA Wrestler of the Year after winning the NCAA title at 125 pounds, while Simaz was named EIWA Freshman of the Year. Simaz earned All-America honors at 197 pounds after placing eighth. Nickerson finished the season with a perfect 25-0 record. He opened his NCAA tournament by pinning Michigan's Mike Watts in 5:51. Nickerson won by an 11-0 major decision over Hofstra's Steve Bonanno, 11-0, to advance to the quarterfinals where he pinned No. 7 Joey Fio (Oklahoma) in 14 seconds. In the semifinals, the three-time All-American won by a 2-1 decision over No. 3 Angel Escobedo of Indiana. Nickerson won the NCAA title with a 2-1 tiebreaker win over No. 1 Paul Donahoe of Edinboro. Nickerson is a three-time first-team All-Ivy honoree, and he won the EIWA title for the second time this season. He was a runner-up at the NCAA tournament as a freshman (2006) and placed third in 2007 as a sophomore. Nickerson missed the 2008 season due to injury. Simaz went 4-3 at the NCAA tournament to place eighth and become an All-American at 197 pounds. The rookie won the EIWA championships to qualify for the NCAAs. He entered the tournament unseeded and opened with a 5-3 win over No. 11 Andrew Anderson of Northern Iowa. Simaz lost to No. 6 Max Askren, but rallied to win three-straight matches to earn All-America status. Leading the team in wins, the freshman ends his season with a 37-11 record. Wrestling

ST. LOUIS -- Top-ranked and second-seeded Mike Poeta came up just short in a battle of unbeaten wrestlers in the 157-pound championship, falling to top-seeded and second-ranked Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska), 5-1. Poeta takes second at the NCAA Championships for the second-straight year. As a team, Illinois finished eighth with 55 points, the best team finish since taking sixth in 2005 and head coach Mark Johnson's 10th top-10 finish in the Orange and Blue. The 55 points are the fifth-most ever scored by an Illini team at the NCAA tournament. And Poeta, Jimmy Kennedy (4th, 133) and John Wise (7th, HWT) give Illinois its most All-Americans since 2005. "Mike Poeta had a great career, it's just disappointing that he couldn't finish it with a national championship," Johnson said. "He as great of a young man as I've coached. It's a disappointing way to finish what has been a good weekend for us." In the first shot by either wrestler, Poeta got in on a single with 1:25 left but Burroughs fought him off and the pair went out of bounds. Burroughs got in on a leg near the edge and finished the takedown with one second left in the first to go up 2-0 after three minutes. Burroughs started down in the second and earned a caution for a false start. After Poeta was given a caution for a false start, the pair finally got a clean start and Burroughs got out in eight seconds to go up 3-0. The two had a short scramble that yielded nothing except a restart. Burroughs shot near the edge and Poeta fended him off to bring another restart with nine seconds left and the period ended with the Husker leading 3-0. Poeta started down in the third and got out off the whistle to make it 3-1. Poeta shot near the edge and looked to have a leg but the pair went out of bounds. Burroughs shot and Poeta slapped him away with 1:18 left in the bout and Poeta took another shot, looked to have a leg, but Burroughs spun back around and nearly got the takedown before a stalemate was called. Burroughs took a shot that Poeta fended off and tried to turn the corner, but the Husker wouldn't let him and the two went out of bounds. Poeta took another shot that Burroughs fought off and after a final neutral restart, Poeta missed on a shot and Burroughs passed him through to get the winning takedown with one second left and win, 5-1. Poeta finished second for the second-straight year and ends his career as a three-time All-American, also taking third in 2007. His 105 career wins rank 17th in school history and his career winning percentage of .882 ranks second in the Illinois record books. Poeta is only the 10th three-time All-American in school history, and his 2008 campaign ranks eighth in single-season winning percentage and ninth in single-season wins.

Jayson Ness won twice on Saturday to place third at the NCAA wrestling championships and lead a trio of Minnesota All-Americans in St. Louis. Zach Sanders also placed sixth at 125 pounds and Tyler Safratowich was eighth at 157 pounds on the final day for the Gophers, who placed 14th overall with 35 team points. Iowa won its second straight national championship with 96.5 points, holding off Ohio State by 4.5 points as the Buckeyes had two of their three finalists lose in their title match. Ness has finished in the top five at nationals in each of his three seasons at Minnesota, placing runner-up last year and fifth as a freshman at 125 pounds. He moved up to 133 pounds this season and finished the year 38-8 overall while seeded sixth at nationals. Ness opened the day by avenging a loss to third-seeded Jimmy Kennedy of Illinois from the Big Ten championships. Ness beat Kennedy by the same score in which he lost two weeks ago with an 8-2 decision. He followed with a 7-3 win over Boise State's Andrew Hochstrasser in the third-place match. Sanders lost both of his matches on Saturday, dropping his opener to Anthony Robles of Arizona State 19-10. Robles, seeded 12th and well-known for his wrestling success with just one leg, built an 11-1 lead through the first period with three near falls in the opening three minutes. Sanders lost in the fifth place match to third-seeded Angel Escobedo of Indiana 8-0. It was the second straight day he lost to the defending national champion after Escobedo posted an 8-1 victory in the quarterfinals on Friday. Sanders finished the season with a 39-10 record. Safratowich lost in his only match on Saturday in overtime with a 4-2 setback against Chase Pemi of Cal Poly. Pemi recorded a takedown in the extra time to earn the sudden victory and drop Safratowich's season record to 32-15.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Missouri crowned its second-ever wrestling national champion upon the completion of junior heavyweight Mark Ellis' 3-2 overtime victory over fifth-ranked Konrad Dudziak of Duke. The second tie breaker bout of the night, Ellis managed a reversal with 10 seconds remaining in the second 30 second overtime period to capture his first career All-American honor and national title. The first Missouri wrestler to accomplish the feat was two-time National Champion Ben Askren at 174 pounds in 2006 and 2007. Ellis is Missouri's first-ever heavyweight All-American. As a team, the Tigers finished the 79th annual Division I Wrestling Championships in seventh with 70 points. Iowa captured its second consecutive team title with 96.5 points, while Ohio State took second (92 points) and Iowa State third (84.5 points). The top-15 finish is Missouri's sixth straight, dating back to the 2004 NCAA Championships, and highest finish since taking third in 2007. Since the start of the program in 1928, the Tigers have managed three top-10 team finishes, the first coming in 1984 at 10th. Two of the three top-10 finishes have come under current Tiger Head Coach Brian Smith. "At the start of the year, Mark was fighting for a spot in the lineup," Smith said. "He's battled and continued to work and improve in every position on the mat. He's tough. I'm so glad that he got the title. He put so much time into the season. You don't get to the Championship round if you're not a good wrestler, and Mark's a talented competitor." Ellis and Dudziak were scoreless in the first period, although the Duke Blue Devil was hit with stalling early in the bout. Ellis chose down to start the second and escaped in 1:05, while Dudziak opted to start down in the third and escaped in 20 seconds. The two heavyweights pushed through the one minute sudden victory period and scrambled on the edge of the mat for the first 30 second tie breaker. The second 30 second period in which Ellis chose down proved the difference in the match and marked Ellis' third win of the season in overtime. "I've been blessed by God to have the people I do around me," Ellis said. "I can't thank Coach Smith enough for his faith in me. I also have to thank Ben (Askren) for pushing me and working with me and encouraging me along the way. Also, Dom Bradley. He's another heavyweight in our room and he's tough. I don't look at him as being second string. He definitely helped me get where I am today. I promise you, he's going to win a National Title." In addition to Ellis, Raymond Jordan, Michael Chandler, Maxwell Askren and Nicholas Marable all earned All-America honors by finishing among the top seven of their respective weight class. Missouri tied with national champion Iowa for the most All-Americans of the tournament, five. Jordan, a senior, collected his second career trophy by finishing third at 174 pounds. The fourth Missouri wrestler to earn All-America honors in more than one weight class, today's third place showing was an improvement over last year's fifth-place finish at 184 pounds. Chandler and Askren both finished the day in fifth place at 157 pounds and 197 pounds, respectively. The first career All-America honor for Chandler, the Tiger grappler wrapped up his collegiate career by earning his 100th win in his 2-1 decision over Matt Moberly of Bloomsburg. Wrestling at 165 pounds, Marable was one of three Missouri wrestlers to earn their second All-America accolade, finishing seventh with a 6-4 win over Tyler Sherfey of Boise State. The highest attended NCAA Championships in history, a total of 97,111 fans were at the annual event, including 17,385 at the title finals. St. Louis has now hosted four of the five highest attended NCAA Championships of all time.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Iowa State's Jake Varner came out on top in the finals of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships Saturday at the Scottrade Center. The Cyclone beat Craig Brester of Nebraska 2-1 in the 197-pound final to secure the 65th individual NCAA title in the Cyclones' storied wrestling history. The junior three-time All-American, who Friday became the 12th three-time NCAA finalist in Iowa State history, won his title after finishing second at 184 pounds as a freshman and a sophomore. Varner's victory secured a third-place NCAA Championships team finish for Iowa State. Iowa was first with 96.5 points, followed by Ohio State (88), ISU (80.5), Nebraska (74.5) and Cornell (69.5). Varner, a native of Bakersfield, Calif., finishes his junior campaign with a 31-2 record. He currently stands at 91-10 in his career. Varner credited Iowa State head coach Cael Sanderson for his success. "It is great to have coach in the room working with you on a day-to-day basis," Varner. "He has taught me so much, just rolling around with him in practice. Sometimes we talk about things and other times you just learn by wrestling him. You can't do better than him for a workout partner." Varner wasn't going to let Brester bide his time. After letting a decision go to the Husker by a 4-3 score in the finals of the Big 12 Championship, the No. 2-seeded Cyclone had to score the "upset" against the top-seeded Nebraska wrestler for ISU to get the third-place trophy. After a scoreless first period, Varner escaped eight seconds into the second period for a point and pressured Brester around the mat until a stalling warning was issued against the Husker. "The main thing is to stay calm out there," Varner said. "I've been to the finals three times so I know not to panic if you get behind and just keep working." Getting behind would not be a problem Saturday night. Heading into the third period, Varner continued to ride Brester, which turned out to be the difference as Varner earned a point from a riding-time advantage of 1:19. Varner cut Brester loose with 34 seconds left in the match but the Husker 197-pounder didn't get a late takedown. Iowa State finished with four All-Americans in Varner, Nick Gallick (133 – 3rd), Jon Reader (165 – 4th) and David Zabriskie (HWT – 5th). Their individual performance marked the highest NCAA placing for each member of the ISU quartet. Gallick and Reader were knocked out of the championship bracket by the eventual champions of their respective weights. All four Cyclone All-Americans return next season. "It was great to finish with Jake winning a title," Sanderson said. "While we didn't do what we had hoped for as a team, we still had guys come through with key performances that were a credit to their season. Our next opportunity will be next season. We don't have a senior on the entire team so I know we will be a very hungry group."

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Just as he did in March of 2007, Northwestern senior Jake Herbert completed an undefeated season with a 184-pound national title at the NCAA Championships Saturday in St. Louis. NU's four-time All-American held off last year's NCAA champ, Mike Pucillo of Ohio State, by a 6-3 decision to become just the second two-time national title-winner in school history and the first since 1932. "They say college is the best four to six years of your life and I think I'm proof of that," said Herbert, who has already earned his degree after taking a redshirt year in 2007-08 to train for the Olympics in Beijing. "College wrestling is an awesome lifestyle. I just have to thank (head coach) Tim Cysewski because I wouldn't have done any of this without him. I wouldn't have wanted to wrestle for anybody else and it's a special kind of guy that can handle me for six years." With Herbert's win, Northwestern separated itself as the only wrestling program in the country to have had an individual national champion in each of the past three seasons. Herbert, who ends his college career on a 66-match winning streak, won his first title in 2007 while Dustin Fox brought home the heavyweight title in March of last year. "We knew Jake was going to be special when we recruited him and every year Jake has just continued to up the ante for us as coaches," Cysewski said. As a team, the 'Cats came in 13th for the second straight season (46.0 points) to record their fifth consecutive top-15 national finish. Iowa repeated as the team champions with 96.5 points. Herbert (34-0), the 2009 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year, used the NCAA Championships to put the finishing touches on a four-year varsity career in which he posted a 138-4 record, good for the fifth-best winning percentage (.972) among all Division I wrestlers since the 1974-75 season. Saturday's title bout marked the first time Herbert squared off against Pucillo, who moved up a weight class to 197 in NU's regular season dual match versus the Buckeyes and who lost in the Big Ten Championships before he could meet Herbert. Nevertheless, Herbert dismissed the possibility of there being any feeling-out period by diving at and grabbing a hold of Pucillo's right leg just nine seconds into the match. After one restart, Herbert tilted the Buckeye and was on the verge of collecting back points when Pucillo managed to roll off onto his stomach. Following an escape by Pucillo, Herbert distanced himself with a second takedown but Pucillo continued to hold strong, pulling to within 4-3 in the second on another escape. With Herbert leading 5-3 in the third, Pucillo got a great hold of Herbert's left leg with 30 seconds remaining but was unable to finish the move as Herbert completed his season without surrendering a takedown. His 1:53 of riding time brought his final winning margin at Northwestern to 6-3, setting off a celebration among NU's coaches and contingent of fans in the stands at the Scottrade Center. "I thought it went well," Herbert said of the much-anticipated matchup against Pucillo. "I did what I needed to do but he made me work for it. He wasn't going to hand it to me and he wasn't going to roll over. I didn't give up a takedown which was good but I think Mike's a great wrestler and I can see him winning another national title." Herbert concludes his career as one of the most decorated Wildcat wrestlers in NU history. He is the program's only four-time All-American, three-time Big Ten champion and three-time Midlands titlist and ranks second all-time in wins with 149 (including his redshirt season).

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -- Fifth-year senior Steve Luke (Massillon, Ohio/Perry HS) closed out his stellar University of Michigan wrestling career by capturing the 174-pound national title at the NCAA Championships on Saturday (March 21) in front of 17,385 fans at the Scottrade Center. With fifth-year senior Tyrel Todd (Bozeman, Mont./Bozeman HS) and sophomore Kellen Russell (High Bridge, N.J./Blair Academy) joining Luke as All-Americans, the Wolverines placed 11th in the team standings with 47 points, just a half point shy of their ninth straight top-10 finish. Luke completed his perfect season in decisive fashion, using three takedowns to secure an 8-4 decision over Central Michigan's seventh-seeded Mike Miller in the championship bout to improve to 32-0. The Wolverine captain wraps his collegiate career with a career mark of 113-24 and becomes the 14th different U-M wrestler to capture an NCAA individual title, upping the Michigan program's total to 20 trophies. The Wolverine captain, who held the nation's No. 1 ranking at 174 pounds for the entirety of the season, struck quickly, converting on a low blast double off an early restart to gain control. When Luke tried for a suck back moments later, Miller used a switch to wrap up his leg but could not bring it in, settling for an escape as Luke stalemated the position. Luke shot in on another double, wrapped up the single leg and finished double on the mat to pad his lead and add to his riding-time advantage. Miller escaped late in the frame and again early in the second, but not before Luke pushed his time advantage over a minute. The Central Michigan wrestler went on the offensive midway through the period, taking a weak single shot, which Luke countered, came around and limp-armed out to score again. A quick Luke escape provided the only points in the third before the Wolverine used his 1:14 riding-time advantage to tack on another at match's end. Todd posted a 1-1 mark on the day to claim fourth place in his final appearance at the NCAA event, falling 11-4 to Maryland's Hudson Taylor in the placing bout. Todd scored on a single leg early in the second to keep the bout close midway through, but the Terp wrestler scored on four takedowns of his own, including one in the waning moments to ice the match. Todd used a big second period to rally back to an 8-3 decision over Boise State's third-seeded Brent Chriswell in the consolation semifinals. Chriswell gained the initial lead when both wrestlers attempted throws out of a lockup early in the first; the Bronco won the position, dumping Todd to the mat. The Wolverine captain evened the score with a pair of escapes and, soon after squaring off after the second, shot in on a single leg to get Chriswell's leg up high. Todd dumped him to the mat but did not get the call as the two quickly went back to their feet and locked up chest to chest. It was Todd who scored off the position the second time around, using an inside trip to take Chriswell to his back for five points. The Wolverine rode out the period and was in control long enough in the third to net his 1:01 in time advantage and add another point at match's end. Russell wrapped up his weekend with a solid win over a familiar opponent, rallying from an early deficit to knock off Penn State's Frank Molinaro, 7-4, for seventh place. Molinaro got in on Russell's legs with several double legs and converted his second shot early in the first to take the initial lead. Russell tried to kick out, but Molinaro lifted his leg high and took him back to the mat, where the Wolverine wrestler scrambled to put him to his back. After a brief referee conference, Russell was awarded two points for the reversal and two for the near fall, giving him a two-point edge after the opening period. The wrestlers continued to flurry in the final two periods with both striking deep on scoring opportunities, but only Russell added offensive points, sprawling hard on a Molinaro double shot before turning the corner and converting the takedown on the edge of the mat to seal up the decision.

ST. LOUIS, Mo. -– Jarrod King was not the Edinboro wrestler predicted to win the school's fourth national championship. He did come in as the 12th seed at 165 lbs., but more highly-acclaimed teammates Paul Donahoe and Gregor Gillespie were expected to stand at the top of the awards stand before the senior from Connellsville, PA. But King didn't listen to the oddsmakers, and on Saturday night at the Scottrade Center he became Edinboro's fourth national champion. King handed Wisconsin's Andrew Howe, the number two seed, a 3-2 defeat.

LINCOLN -- Jordan Burroughs became the 10th national champion in Husker history by capturing the 157-pound title during Session VI to lead Nebraska to a fourth-place team finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships. With a fourth-place finish last season also, NU has claimed back-to-back top-five finishes in consecutive years for the first time. For the second season in a row, Iowa captured the team title with 96.5 points while Ohio State finished second (92) and Iowa State claimed third (84.5). "It feels great to be a national champion," Burroughs said. "It took three years, but I finally got it done. I'm just happy to be here and happy that my teammates and my family are able to be here and watch me." A junior from Sicklerville, N.J., Burroughs topped second-seeded Michael Poeta of Illinois in the final, 5-1. As usual, Burroughs was the aggressor in the first period, and earned a critical takedown with just two seconds left in the period. Burroughs escaped 10 seconds into the second to go up 3-0, but neither wrestler could score the rest of the period. Poeta escaped with 1:57 left in the third and turned up the intensity looking for an equalizing takedown, nearly catching Burroughs on several occasions in the final period. Another Burroughs' takedown with two seconds left sealed the bout. He went 35-0 during 2008-09 to become the first Husker national champion ever to complete a season undefeated. Poeta finished as runner up for a second consecutive season with a 17-1 record. "Every time I shot a double leg he would jump back knowing I was going to shoot from my knees," Burroughs said. "I finally found an opening at the end of the first period and got two and it kind of set the pace for the match. I knew he had to come after me. That's when I'm best is when people are chasing me." Nebraska's Craig Brester also advanced to the finals, but lost to second-seeded Jake Varner of Iowa State, 2-1, at 197 pounds. Brester, a junior from Howells, Neb., was hard pressed to generate offense against the three-time NCAA finalist Varner. Neither wrestler scored in the first period, and Varner earned an escape eight seconds in the second. Brester chose down in the third in an attempt to escape and tie the match at one, but Varner earned riding-time advantage to take the win before Brester escaped. Brester went 33-4 in 2008-09 with three of his losses on the season coming to Varner. Head Coach Mark Manning has coached 27 Huskers to All-America honors during his nine seasons at Nebraska. He has also led NU to nine five top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. NU's 78.5 points are the second most it has ever scored at the tournament, trailing only a 79.5-point performance in 1993. "We would have liked to have won both of those matches, but this is a very tough stage to compete on," Manning said. "Jordan did a great job against a great competitor who was in the finals last year. Jordan has really made himself a complete wrestler and has put the work in. Craig has done the same thing."