InterMat Staff

Thirty-four NCAA team titles. 133 individual NCAA champs. Over 400 NCAA All-Americans. By any measure, Oklahoma State has built a wrestling legacy unmatched by any other college wrestling program over many decades. And the man who laid the strong foundation for that legacy is Ed Gallagher, Cowboys wrestling coach from 1916 through 1940. Ed Gallagher (Photo/Redskin Yearbook)As head coach, Gallagher's Cowboys racked up a 138-5-4 overall record for an incredible .952 winning percentage. During his 24 seasons at the reins, Gallagher's teams had nineteen undefeated seasons, winning eleven NCAA team titles. Gallagher coached 22 wrestlers to earn 37 individual national championships; seventeen of his Cowboys wrestled in Olympic competition, with three winning gold medals. Because of these accomplishments, Ed Gallagher's name adorns the arena at Oklahoma State… and he was named one of three "Best Wrestling Coaches" in an online poll of wrestling fans for the NCAA 75th Anniversary Team honors in 2005. (The other two coaches: Iowa State's Harold Nichols, and University of Iowa's Dan Gable.) The versatile athlete who never wrestled Born September 5, 1887 in Perth, Kansas, Edward Clark Gallagher was a natural athlete, running track and playing football in high school. As a student at Oklahoma State -- then called Oklahoma Agricultural and Mechanical College -- Gallagher set 100-yard dash and hurdle records that stood for thirty years. In 1908, he ran 99 yards for a touchdown against Kansas State, which still stands as an Oklahoma State record for longest run from scrimmage. After graduating from Oklahoma State in 1909 with an engineering degree, Ed Gallagher stayed in Stillwater as the school's track coach. In 1913, he was lured away to Baker College in Baldwin City, Kansas, where he coached all sports … however, two years later, he was back at Oklahoma State, serving as athletic director. During the 1914-1915 school year, Oklahoma State launched its wrestling program, with A.M. Colville as coach. That first season, the Cowboys wrestled only one dual meet – held in conjunction with a gymnastics event -- and were trounced by the University of Texas. The following year, Ed Gallagher took the helm of the wrestling program … despite never having wrestled in an organized program in high school or college. Ed Gallagher's lack of mat experience may seem stunning these days, considering today's top college wrestling coaches have resumes loaded with high school state and national wrestling titles, NCAA championships and even international mat honors. Yet, when Gallagher was in school, organized wrestling programs were rare, outside those at YMCAs and men's clubs, or at eastern colleges … so opportunities to compete on the mat were very limited for someone from the Great Plains such as Gallagher. The lack of on-the-mat experience ultimately didn't hurt Ed Gallagher and his Oklahoma State wrestlers. Admittedly, Gallagher's first season as head coach (1915-16) was a losing one; the Cowboys again had just one dual meet, again losing to Texas, this time by an even more lopsided 22.5-2.5 score. However, in his second year, Gallagher's matmen wrestled three duals, winning two (against Emporia State and Texas), and tying with Arkansas. That winning momentum was sidelined after the 1916-17 season; because of World War I, there was no wrestling team at Oklahoma State, as most of the male students were serving in the military or reserves. However, when the program resumed in the 1919-20 school year, the Gallagher dynasty began its long, successful run as the dominant college wrestling program throughout the 1920s and 30s. Engineering success on the mat As an engineer, Ed Gallagher employed a systematic approach to the sport of wrestling … starting with how he selected young men to wrestle for Oklahoma State. He looked at their families, picking sons of "upstanding" parents … and favoring "only boys who cannot go out in society." In other words, those who might be considered economically disadvantaged, and would view wrestling as a springboard for success in life beyond the mat. Ed GallagherGallagher also expected his wrestlers to live clean -- no smoking, no drinking, and, perhaps most startling nowadays, no dating. "The best woman in the world can do you no good," claimed the Cowboy coach. (No, Gallagher was not a confirmed bachelor; he married right out of college, and together, Ed and the former Mary Austella Taylor had a total of six children -- three boys, and three girls.) Along with clean living off the mat, Gallagher stressed clean behavior on the mat. He wanted his men to wrestle tough, with determination … but with character, and good sportsmanship. In selecting wrestlers for his program, Gallagher also favored a specific type of physique. He sought "lean plainsmen" -- tall, slim, strong men, rather than compact, muscular types who were typical in college wrestling even 80-90 years ago. Ideally, these long, lean wrestlers must have quick reactions, according to the coach's criteria. Ed Gallagher's engineering background also guided his primary focus -- the study of leverage, and how it applied to wrestling. Using a human skeleton and rubber bands, he spent hours figuring out holds and counters -- one report saying he spent at least two hours a day in his office on this task. The Cowboy coach developed, by his own count, 400-500 holds and variations; he expected each of his men to know at least 200 of those. Perhaps most surprising, Ed Gallagher was open about sharing his scientific approach to wrestling. His teams often put on wrestling demonstrations before or after a dual meet in an opponent's gym. In 1939, he and his Cowboys were featured in a three-page "how-to-wrestle" feature for the popular photo-magazine, "Life." In addition, he wrote two very popular instructional books, titled simply "Amateur Wrestling" and "Wrestling." Break it down Here's a specific example of how the engineer in Ed Gallagher guided his instruction of his wrestlers: He told them to think of an opponent on all fours as a table. To succeed, his wrestlers need to "break" at least one leg of the table. If the opponent's arms were weak, that was the point of attack; if the arms were strong, go for the legs. Another way to "break" an opponent, according to Gallagher: Make more than one attempt or counter. Continue a string of attacks until you have opponent under control. In other words, never give up. Not all of Ed Gallagher's ideas came from his own engineering mind. According to the book about the history of the Oklahoma State wrestling program, "Cowboys Ride Again!" Gallagher picked up a tip from 1920s professional wrestling champ Ed "Strangler" Lewis: If possible, "take two deep breaths and immediately pitch back viciously. To do this correctly, break out of the predicament first, and, step back and draw the breaths. Now, he (the opponent) will see this and either follow suit or at least temporarily relax, and you can catch him somewhat relaxed." Eat to win Coach Gallagher made a science of studying the diet of his wrestlers. He generally allowed his wrestlers to eat what they wanted, as long as it what was what they typically consumed, in reasonable quantities. However, he discouraged his wrestlers from consuming cold drinks. He focused on glycogen, the form in which sugar is used in the body, turning one-third of that into carbon dioxide, and the remaining two-thirds to water and lactic acid -- the cause of oxygen debt, leading to hard breathing during exertion in workouts and during a wrestling match. After weigh-ins, instead of chowing down with a big meal as most wrestlers did in the 1920s and 30s, Gallagher's wrestlers usually contented themselves with hot tea, sweetened with brown sugar, honey or Karo syrup. He wanted his men to be "properly sugared" especially when trying to make weight. Your great-grandfather's Cowboys College wrestling of the Ed Gallagher era differs significantly in a number of ways from the sport we know today. For starters, the Cowboys wrestled just 5-8 dual meets in a typical season in the 1920s and 30s. Each regulation match lasted ten minutes. There was no point scoring system; matches were won by a pin (back then, shoulders had to be on the mat for a full three seconds), or by "time advantage" -- essentially, whoever had the most riding time. In 1938 -- towards the end of Gallagher's coaching career -- this system was replaced, with the referee making the decision as to who won. The referee decision system didn't last; in 1941, the beginnings of today's point system made their appearance in college wrestling. Perhaps the most startling difference for today's fans: For home meets, the Oklahoma State wrestlers competed in a roped-off ring, like those for boxing or professional wrestling. The actual wrestling area was the same as on-the-floor mats in other college events. In reviewing "NCAA Wrestling Guides" of the era -- the annual rules-and-results publication for high school and college wrestling -- there are diagrams governing ring size, number of ropes, what the ropes should be made of, and how they should be secured… but nothing about rules governing how the ring could be used. The only hint: In "Cowboys Ride Again!" there's a description of a match in which an angry Oklahoma State wrestler threw an opponent over the top rope, which apparently was against the rules… but the Cowboy wasn't disqualified, and the match resumed. (The Cowboys weren't alone in wrestling in roped-off rings. According to college yearbook photos, teams at Indiana University, University of Iowa, Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa), and Northwestern University also had rings for home meets 70-80 years ago. (The NCAA banned wrestling rings in the early 1940s.) The gear Ed Gallagher's men wore to wrestle was radically different, too. No one-piece black-and-orange, synthetic-fabric singlets for the Cowboys back then. During the more than two decades Gallagher coached at Oklahoma State, his wrestlers wore a variety of uniforms. Through much of the 1920s, his wrestlers wore full-length wool tights. There was a time where the Cowboys wore tights with what was called a black Tom -- also known as an outside supporter -- on top of the tights. Towards the late 1930s, Gallagher's wrestlers usually wore wool trunks, much like we associate with pro wrestling, with no tights. Despite these variations in what the Cowboys wore below the waist, throughout the 1920s and 30s they usually wrestled bare-chested at home meets and at events at colleges in the Midwest and southwest. However, when wrestling in the east, Gallagher's wrestlers would often be required to put on sleeveless shirts, at the request of the school hosting the event. (An NCAA rule change in the mid 1960s prohibited shirtless wrestling.) Going all the way to the top … headgear was not required as it is now, and a very rare sight in the Gallagher era. When not wrestling, the Oklahoma State wrestlers often traveled in gear appropriate to their team name. Outfitted in Stetson hats, colorful flannel shirts, and cowboy boots, team members made an incredible impression wherever they traveled. Adding to the Cowboy mystique, some team members performed rope tricks in opponents' gyms before some dual meets. The Cowboy way of winning No matter what they wore -- or whether they wrestled in a ring or mats on the floor -- Ed Gallagher's Oklahoma State Cowboys dominated the college wrestling scene for more than two decades. In the years after World War I, the Cowboys never had a losing season. In fact, in the eleven-year period from the 1919-20 through the 1930-31 seasons, the Cowboys never lost a dual meet. That's 70 consecutive wins! Among the Cowboys' opponents during the Roaring Twenties: University of Oklahoma, University of Kansas, Kansas State, Texas, Iowa State, Cornell College of Iowa … as well as farther-flung teams such as West Virginia, the U.S. Naval Academy, and the Philadelphia Athletic Club. Who broke the eleven-year, 70-match winning streak? Cross-state rivals Oklahoma. The Sooners beat the Cowboys by one point in the last dual meet of the 1931-32 season. During the rest of the decade, the Cowboys had only one other loss (at Southwestern Oklahoma State in the 1936-37 season) … and three ties. Most victories were by a substantial margin. 1928 Oklahoma State teamIn 1928, the NCAA launched a national wrestling championship to conclude the dual-meet season. At the very first NCAAs -- held at the Armory at Iowa State -- Oklahoma State claimed four individual titles out of a total of seven weight classes. That was no fluke; in the thirteen years of NCAA competition, the men coached by Ed Gallagher ruled the national championships each year. The leanest year for Cowboys was 1936, when just one wrestler -- Harley "Doc" Strong -- won a title. However, in a typical year, at least three Cowboys brought home an individual championship. During the Gallagher era, 22 individual wrestlers won a total of 37 NCAA titles. Among the Cowboys who won three championships (back when freshmen were not eligible for NCAA/varsity competition): Earl McCready (the very first three-time college champ), Jack VanBebber, Conrad Caldwell, Rex Peery, Ross Flood, Joe McDaniel, and Stanley Henson. Ed Gallagher with 1937 NCAA champion Lloyd Ricks (Photo/Redskin Yearbook)Ed Gallagher's men did incredibly well on the ultimate international stage, too. From 1924 through 1936, Oklahoma State had fifteen wrestlers qualify for the U.S. Olympic wrestling teams … along with Earl McCready wrestling for his native Canada at the 1928 Olympics, and Canadian big man George Chiga competing for his home team at the 1936 Olympics. Of these Cowboy Olympians, four earned medals in freestyle competition. At the 1932 Olympics in Los Angeles, Bobby Pearce won gold at 123 pounds, while Jack VanBebber claimed gold at 158.5. In the 1936 Berlin Olympics, Ross Flood brought home a silver medal at 123 pounds, and Frank Lewis won gold at 158.5. Coach Gallagher's toughest battle For years, Ed Gallagher dealt with the challenges of Parkinson's, the same disease afflicting legendary boxing champ Muhammad Ali and actor Michael J. Fox today. In 1936, Oklahoma State and the entire Stillwater community put on a fundraising event at the school's Lewis Field football stadium so that coach Gallagher could travel with his wrestlers to the Berlin Olympics … then take a side trip to Vienna to be tested by physicians there, at the request of his son Clarence, a doctor. To help lighten his load, in 1938, Ed Gallagher retired as director of physical education at Oklahoma State, but continued on as wrestling coach. It was about this time that construction began on a new, $500,000 arena on the Oklahoma State campus that would serve as home for the Cowboy basketball and wrestling programs. Completed in 1939, what was originally called the 4-H Club and Student Activity Building was state-of-the-art for the time, featuring an air-cooling system … and over 5,000 theater-type seats, as well as collapsible bleachers for wrestling events, bringing total seating capacity to nearly 9,000 fans. Ed Gallagher's last Oklahoma State team in 1940 (Photo/Redskin Yearbook)February 3, 1939 was declared "Gallagher Day" in Stillwater, in honor of the beloved wrestling coach. It was that day that the new arena -- nicknamed "the Madison Square Garden of the Midwest" -- was officially dedicated. That night, the facility hosted its first event, a dual meet with Indiana University, one of the top programs of the era. The Cowboys defeated the Hoosiers 18-9. At the end of the 1939-40 season, outdoorsman and hunter Ed Gallagher went to the Rocky Mountains for an extended vacation. While in Colorado, he collapsed and died on August 28, 1940 … just a week shy of his 54th birthday. His funeral was held at the new arena that had been named in his honor (and is still home to the wrestling Cowboys, now called Gallagher-Iba Arena, having been substantially upgraded and expanded in 2001.) Thousands came for the funeral for the man referred to in obituaries as "the Dean of Collegiate Wrestling" and "the Knute Rockne of the Mats" (referring to the legendary Notre Dame football coach killed in a plane crash a few years' earlier). Reading the text of the 1939 "Gallagher Day" souvenir program and the 1940 Redskin yearbook -- the last featuring Ed Gallagher as coach -- has added poignancy now. Even though he had been battling Parkinson's for years, there was optimism in the words in these publications produced in the last year of his life. In the "Gallagher Day" program, long-time friend and sportswriter Randle Perdue began his profile of the coach with this positive paragraph: "The big news about Ed Gallagher is that he is improving in health! In recent weeks he has found a new medicine, the result of long search by his son, Dr. Clarence Gallagher, and evidently it is effective. Ed has gained nearly twenty pounds in weight. He is more cheerful, more hopeful. He is optimistic about the future. In fact, he has made a date to go quail hunting next fall. It will be his first time in about five years. When Ed gets back to quail hunting, he will be the Ed Gallagher of old." In the 1940 Redskin yearbook, the last line of text in the description of the Cowboys' 1939-40 season closes with "With two intercollegiate champions and several intercollegiate runners-up returning, Coach Gallagher should have little trouble turning out another national championship for Oklahoma A. and M. College in 1940-1941." (Art Griffith became the Oklahoma State head wrestling coach upon Gallagher's passing in 1940. The Cowboys were 6-0 for the 1940-41 season, winning four individual titles and the team title at the 1941 NCAAs.) The Gallagher legacy In tallying up the accomplishments of the Ed Gallagher era, the stats are impressive: 19 undefeated seasons out of 23 … only two losses in the last nine seasons … six AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) team titles … ten outright NCAA team titles (tied for first for an eleventh)… 73 NCAA and AAU individual champs … and three Olympic gold medallists. Ed Gallagher's legacy goes far beyond those stats. He coached a number of wrestlers who went on to become high school and college wrestling coaches themselves. Among the Cowboys turned coaches: Cliff Keen at the University of Michigan … Paul Keen at Oklahoma … Buell Patterson, who coached at Kent State, Nebraska and Illinois… Rex Peery at Pittsburgh … Fendley Collins at Michigan State … Joe McDaniel at Syracuse and Wyoming … and Orion Stuteville at Northwestern. Buell Patterson weighed in with his thoughts on coach Gallagher: "A reason that the men who have worked under Ed like him so well is that if he lost a match, they never received a bawling out. And believe me, it is a lot of satisfaction to give all one has for a man and know that what one gives will be satisfactory with him, even if one makes mistakes." Another one of his coaching protégés, Carl "Dutch" Voyles (who coached at Duke, and William & Mary), said of his mentor: "No one ever said an unkind word about him. That must have been because Ed was so full of kindness himself … there are all too few men like Gallagher in this world of ours." Ed Gallagher with three-time NCAA champion Stanley Henson (Photo/Redskin Yearbook)In his article about Ed Gallagher for the 1939 "Gallagher Day" program, Randle Perdue said of the man he had known since 1911: "Applicable adjectives, on which Ed's friends all agree as describing him, include honest, fair, clean, square, quiet, unassuming, uncomplaining, canny, crafty, foxy, firm, shrewd, fearless, modest, sincere, stubborn, determined, and uncompromising – altogether friendly and possessing a fine sense of humor…" "Gallagher has never been cocky, or disagreeably boastful. He has taken his victories graciously. He has never complained about a referee's decision -- at least not publicly." The legacy of Ed Gallagher lives on in so many ways, beyond having his name on an arena … or the annual award that bears his name, given to an Oklahoma State wrestling alumnus. (Among the past honorees: Bobby Douglas, Doug Blubaugh, John Smith, Pat Smith, and Kenny Monday.) His analytical, engineering-based approach to amateur wrestling revolutionized the sport. The success of his Cowboys helped launch high school wrestling programs throughout the state of Oklahoma, making the Sooner State a leading hotbed for wrestling to this day. What's more, the foundation of success laid by Ed Gallagher and his wrestlers has been built upon over the decades to the point where today, the Oklahoma State Cowboys still claim the most individual and team titles in NCAA wrestling. To read more about one of Ed Gallagher's champions, Jack VanBebber -- winner of three NCAA titles and an Olympic gold medal, click HERE. Gallagher produced three NCAA heavyweight champs -- Earl McCready, Lloyd Ricks, and Johnny Harrell. To read more about them -- and the seven other Cowboy big men who won NCAA titles, click HERE. Winning percentages of some legendary, long-time college coaches Ed Gallagher, Oklahoma State (1916-1940) .952 Dan Gable, University of Iowa (1977-1997) .940 Myron Roderick, Oklahoma State (1956-1969) .914 Art Griffith, Oklahoma State (1940-1956) .898 Tommy Chesbro, Oklahoma State (1970-1984) .897 John Smith, Oklahoma State (1992-present) .889 Bill Koll, Penn State (1965-1978) .852 Harold Nichols, Iowa State (1954-1985) .851 Cliff Keen, University of Michigan (1926-1942, 1946-1970) .744

Can you feel it? The breath of past Olympians in making its way down the muscled backs of our USA team members as they prepare for Beijing and the 2008 Summer Games. God Bless Team USA. We'll be LIVE from our Brute Adidas studios this Saturday for another 2 hours of wrestling talk starting at 9:06 AM CST. Join us for a lively discussion on wrestling. The Olympics are days away and the best America has to offer will be showcasing their talent in Beijing, China. The results of their hard work, determination, and dedication will be evident. We should all take a moment and give thanks and offer a silent prayer to our Team. This week New NIACC Coach Mark Schwab sits in Steve's chair on TDR when our guests include: Russ Camilleri- Olympian and 13 X US National Champion. Russ competed for San Jose State, Air Force in the late 50's and early 60's. He was voted OW an amazing 6 different times. We'll catch up with Russ and find out what prep is like for the Olympics. Tim Flynn- Head Coach of the Fighting Scots of Edinboro- While the faces change, some move on and others stay to improve their game, Tim Flynn remains the rock at Edinboro. We'll discuss his incoming class of freshmen and the season that beckons. Jason Loukides- Head Coach of the Spartans of the University of North Carolina at Greensboro. In his first season Jason lead his squad to its 100th dual win and 200th dual match since its inception in 1993. Much is expected of the mighty Spartans and we'll see who will be expected to step up and show their metal this fall. Frankie "The Answer" Edgar- Asst. Coach of Rutgers- this Toms River joins us to discuss his recent fight. Edgar is no stranger to college wrestling, as he was a four time national qualifier at Clarion University from 2001-05. He won the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Championship in 2005, reaching the round of 12 in the NCAA Tournament. He was a freestyle All-American in 2004, and he had a career record of 120-29 Jared Shaw- Match Maker for Elite XC will join us to discuss his coming CBS event and the blurring lines between MMA and wrestling. A scheduled three-hour production from the Stockton Arena, starting at 8 p.m. ET with an hour on Showtime followed by two hours live on CBS, is more designed to turn fighters into stars, with the goal of a pay-per-view spectacular by early 2009. It's set to take place on Oct. 4 in Fort Lauderdale, Fla at the Bank Atlantic Center. Bas Rutten- Former World Champion and Co-host of the popular HDNet program Inside MMA. Bas will give us his unique insight in to the world of MMA. Never afraid to express himself, Bas is endearing and effusive when making a point. Tune in to see what this TDR regular has to say. Join us Saturdays from 9 AM to 11 AM CST for America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show. Now in our 11th year At Takedownradio.com It's all about the competition!

With backgrounds varying from active competition, technology, coaching and administration, the three recipients of the National Wrestling Coaches Association's Dan Gable "American Needs Wrestling" Award cross the entire spectrum of wrestling. The work done by the 2008 award winners – Danielle Hobeika of Naperville, Ill., Jim Root of Saratoga, Calif., and Rex Jones of Chadron, Neb., in support and promotion of wrestling are applauded with this award. "We have three individuals who rightly deserve this award with vastly different backgrounds," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "It goes to show you don't always have to be one type of individual to do wonders for the sport of wrestling. This award is to recognize those individuals who have given significant time and effort to the sport of wrestling. Those efforts must have had significant impact on the preservation or promotion of the sport, through contributions that are financial, service and/or leadership in nature. Hobeika, a former member of the U.S. Women's National Team and a graduate of Harvard, has long been the driving force behind wrestling's presence on the internet. After starting wrestling late in her high school career, Hobeika competed at Harvard before dotting the country with coaching stints at Menlo College, Pacific, and Princeton. But her impact has been made in her quick efforts to help athletes launch web sites and for causes like Beat the Streets, Save Fresno State Wrestling, Save Oregon Wrestling and the NWCA's Program Entrenchment initiative. Hobeika has also been active in the promotion of women's wrestling, launching The Women's Mat, a web site exclusively for women's wrestling. She's also been spearheading the research in trying to elevate women's wrestling as a recognized emerging sport by the NCAA. "Danielle has been one of those people within the sport of wrestling who has really used her talents to not only promote, but to engage the wrestling community," said NWCA President Ron Mirikitani. "When something happens in wrestling, and a web site needs to be developed quickly, Danielle never waits around. She jumps right in and steps up." "She's one of the most dedicated individuals wrestling has, we're honored to announce her as a recipient," said Mirikitani. Jim Root has spent more than four decades as a wrestling coach, teacher and educator in California. Having coached at West Valley College in the California Community College system, Root doesn't coach for the money. That's not a motto, it's a fact. "When Jim Root stepped away from coaching, the school tried to drop the program and that wasn't going to happen with a guy like him," said Moyer. "In a selfless act, Coach Root gave up his coaching stipend, retired from teaching and coaches at West Valley College, not for the financial aspect, but to keep wrestling going at the college." Root represents the California Community College programs at the state Commission on Athletics (COA) meetings, the governing body for the community college athletics programs within the state. His guise with the sport of wrestling goes beyond just coaching in California as Root has long attended NCAA Championships and NWCA conventions. "It's hard to find a more ardent supporter when it comes to wrestling," said Mirikitani. Root, a native Californian, wrestled for Hayward High School before moving on to Cal Poly. After Cal Poly, he received his Masters Degree from San Francisco State. While at West Valley, he coached nine State Junior College Champions and has placed in the Top 10 at the state meet 11 times. Most importantly, though, Root was the co-founder of the California State high School Wrestling Championships. The final recipient of the 2008 award will be Rex Jones of Nebraska. Jones doesn't have the wrestling background as a competitor like Hobeika, nor the coaching background of Root, but what Jones has done in Nebraska for the sport of wrestling as an administrator is extremely worthy. Inducted into the Nebraska Scholastic Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame in 2003, Jones' contributions to the sport of wrestling span 26 years as the Associate Director of the Nebraska School Activities Association have been sizeable. When he took hold of wrestling in Nebraska in 1975, attendance at the state meet was 29,000. His last season as Associate Director in 2001 saw the figure reach 45,000 (all sessions). Jones' operation of the Nebraska state tournament relied heavily on getting the member schools to participate as volunteers, assistants, tappers, and made it an event for the state's schools to attend. "The state tournament in Nebraska became something all teams involved would look forward to," said Moyer. "Not just the athletes competing, but all the schools and Rex Jones played a major role in facilitating the prestige of the tournament." Jones has also served on the National Federation of High School State Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee for 12 years. "Rex Jones is the type of administrator who took interest in a sport without having the extreme wrestling background," said Mirikitani. "If it was his responsibility, he was going to be the guy that got it done. In 26 years, Rex became a wrestling person and we're honored to present him this award." Last year, the NWCA recognized Arkansas' Greg Hatcher, Virginia's John Licata and Texas' Steve Silver as the recipients of the prestigious award. The 2008 recipients will be presented their awards at the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis. 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.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern head coach Tim Cysewski was named USA Wrestling FILA Junior/University Person of the Year. The award goes to a leader who works with athletes and programs on the FILA Junior (ages 17-20) and University (18-24) levels. USA Wrestling Release Tim Cysewski of Lincolnshire, Ill. was named USA Wrestling FILA Junior/University Person of the Year. This award goes to a leader(s) who works with athletes and programs on the FILA Junior (ages 17-20) and University (ages 18-24) levels. Cysewski has served 18 years as head coach at Northwestern, where he has coached numerous athletes to Big Ten and NCAA Championships medalists, including two individual national champions. Cysewski has been a leader within USA Wrestling, helping to develop and build the successful University National Championships. For 14 years, Northwestern hosted the University Nationals under Cysewski's direction (1992-2006). He also helped develop the FILA Cadet National Championships, which were held alongside the University Nationals during those years. "We grew the University Nationals, and showed you can put on a good event year after year," said Cysewski. "The University Nationals went from an idea and took off. The rest is history." Cysewski has encouraged athletes from Northwestern to compete in the international styles through his coaching and management of the Wildcat Wresstling Club. He has also had a close relationship with the nearby Overtime Wrestling Club, which has also helped develop successful wrestlers in a number of age levels. "We have a great working, cooperative relationship," said Cysewski. He has coached a number of U.S. team on international tours, including assignments at the Pan American Games, the World Cup, the Espoir World Cup among others. Cysewski has a commitment to building the U.S. program in freestyle and Greco-Roman. Hotel Orrington "They need to continue to wrestle international styles," said Cysewski. "If kids want to wrestle in college, they need to compete. When I am recruiting kids, I want them to wrestle in the spring and summer. It shows they are consistent, and are always trying to get better. With the rule changes, we need to continue to work with these kids, so when it is their turn to represent the United States, they are ready." Cysewski took over as the Wildcats' head coach after serving eight seasons as an assistant under Tom Jarman. During that time, the Jarman-Cysewski tandem compiled a 108-79-1 record and produced seven All-Americans in eight years. Prior to that, Cysewski was an assistant coach for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club. He served six years on the National Wrestling Coaches Association Board of Directors, as well as four years on the NCAA Rules Committee. As a freestyle wrestler, Cysewski captured many titles, including the World Cup Championship, the Pan Am Games, the New Zealand Games, the U.S. Wrestling Federation Championship and the AAU Championship. Cysewski is a member of the Illinois Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Midlands Hall of Fame. He placed third in the 1976 NCAA Championships for the Univ. of Iowa. He won two Big Ten silver medals and one bronze medal for the Hawkeyes. Cysewski also captured five Midlands titles during his career.

PITTSBURGH -- The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team welcomes a new coach to its staff, as recent graduate and 2008 NCAA Champion Keith Gavin joins the program as an assistant for the upcoming 2008-09 season, announced head coach Rande Stottlemyer. Gavin posted a perfect 27-0 record and was Pitt's first national champion since Pat Santoro won back-to-back championships in 1988 and 1989. A runner-up in the 2007 NCAA Championship, Gavin maintained his No. 1 preseason ranking in the 174 lbs. weight class throughout the year. "We are obviously excited to keep Keith," said Stottlemyer. "He epitomizes what you're looking for in a division one athlete. He displays a great example of hard work, commitment and dedication, and that is why he was the only undefeated division one guy in the nation." In addition to being a two-time All-America selection and a three-time NCAA qualifier, Gavin has found success on the international level. Most recently, he brought home the bronze medal in the 74 kilo (163 pound) division at the 2008 World University Wrestling Championships, held July 9-13 in Thessaloniki, Greece. He earned his seed at the World Championships by claiming the top spot at the University Freestyle Nationals, held in Akron, Ohio, April 10-13. Gavin also took part in the USA Olympic Trials, held June 12-15, in Las Vegas, Nev. He posted a 2-2 record, picking up wins over Eric Luedke (0-1, 6-0, 3-1) and Casey Cunningham (1-0, 1-2, 2-0), while suffering setbacks to Travis Paulson (1-0, 5-3) and Tyrone Lewis (1-1, 1-0, 1-0). Currently, Gavin is training in Colorado Springs, Col., helping to prepare members of the United States Olympic Team for the Beijing games. The Panthers concluded the 2008 season with a 16th-place finish at Nationals, their best since the 1988-89 squad took 13th.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Colt Sponseller, a rising sophomore on the Ohio State wrestling team, was named to the National Wrestling Coaches Association Division I True-Freshman All-Academic Team the NWCA announced Monday. Sponseller, a native of Glenmont, Ohio, is one of just five freshmen named to the list. "Colt epitomizes the Ohio State way," Tom Ryan, Ohio State head coach, said. "He excels on the mat, in the classroom and gives his time in the community. Ohio State is proud of his commitment." It is the first time the NWCA has compiled a freshman all-academic team list and recipients must meet the same criteria required for the Divisions I, II, III and NAIA All-Academic Teams. In order to qualify, freshmen must have at least a 3.2 cumulative grade point average, been an NCAA qualifier or won 60 percent of his total schedule, competing in at least 60 percent of the team's schedule. Wrestlers who have a 3.0 cumulative GPA and are an NCAA All-American also are eligible. Sponseller is joined by Torsten Gillespie of Edinboro, Trevor Hall of Cal State-Bakersfield, A.J. Kissel of Purdue and Ethan Headlee of Pittsburgh.

ITHACA, N.Y. -– Former Rutgers wrestling head coach John Sacchi was elected to the Ithaca College Athletic Hall of Fame, the school announced Monday. Sacchi, an Ithaca, N.Y. native who graduated from Ithaca in 1966, will be inducted on Sept. 20, along with seven others, as part of Ithaca's Homecoming Weekend. For more information, log on to http://bombers.ithaca.edu/index.aspx. A 40-year coach, Sacchi compiled a collegiate record of 447-162-9 at Middlesex County College and Rutgers before retiring in 2007. He finished his career in Piscataway with a record of 167-102-5, a winning percentage of .619. Sacchi coached the winning freestyle team at the 1982 Junior Pan-Am Games and served as vice-president of the National Wrestling Coaches Association. In September of 2007 he was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.

NORMAN, Okla. -- Former University of Oklahoma wrestling national champion Michael Lightner has been named the program's volunteer assistant coach, head coach Jack Spates announced Monday. Michael Lightner (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Lightner claimed the national title in 2001 for the Sooners and was crowned Big 12 champion four times at 141 pounds. The four year letterman also helped guide the Sooners to their 23rd conference title in 2001. The Marlow, Okla., native became a four-time All-American, an honor only nine others in school history have claimed. Since leaving OU, Lightner has continued his wrestling career. He was an All-World team member in 2005 and recently competed at the U.S. Olympic trials. "Michael is one of the great Sooner wrestlers in the history of this program," Spates said. "His passion for OU and his dedication to our current team will make him a tremendous addition to our staff." Lightner can be found in various OU records, including second in career wins with a 144-16 record. His 37-0 record his senior season led him to the national title and he became the 13th Sooner to go undefeated in a season. "I am excited to help out in any way I can," Lightner said. "The OU program helped me achieve a lot of goals and I am excited to give back and help the current team achieve theirs."

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Mike Finn and Terry Steiner. "On the Mat" is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday night. This week's broadcast can be heard live from 6-7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show. W.I.N. Magazine editor Mike Finn will be on the program to discuss the recent Junior Nationals event in Fargo, North Dakota, and the upcoming Olympic Games. Finn was named wrestling journalist of the year by the National Wrestling Media Association in 2006. Steiner was named USA Wrestling's full-time National Women's Coach in April 2002, the first in USA Wrestling history. He is responsible for the training of America's elite women freestyle wrestlers, as well as coaching women wrestlers who are involved in the U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete program. As a wrestler, Steiner was an NCAA champion and a three-time All-American for the University of Iowa. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.

BALDWIN CITY, KS -- A veteran Missouri and Nevada wrestling coach has been named to head Baker University's first wrestling program in the school's 150-year history. Jimmy May of Las Vegas, Nev., was selected following a national search, according to Athletic Director Dan Harris. May will be responsible for developing the Wrestling program for Baker which is slated to begin competition in 2009. "I believe Coach May is the right person to help us develop a solid and respected wrestling program from its inception," said President Pat Long. "Jimmy May comes to us with legendary status and a level of energy that could turn our program into a contender quickly," Harris said. "He has a passion for the sport that is contagious and he creates an environment of success using a sound coaching philosophy." Jimmy May has served the Clark County School District from 1977 to 2008 as Athletic Director, Dean, teacher and coach. He has been coaching in the Nevada high school system for 32 years, along with a two-year stint as an assistant wrestling coach at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. As a head wrestling coach at Eldorado High School, May's teams won 18 (4A) Regional Championships and 12 (4A) Nevada State Championships. During his tenure he coached an impressive 63 individual state champions and 19 high school All-Americans. His historic run of state championships has been highlighted as the "Dynasty in the Desert" and the wrestling facility at Eldorado High School is named in his honor. Because of these accomplishments, he received the Distinguished Service Award from the National Wrestling Coaches Association. May said that being the founding coach of a new program is a great opportunity. "It has been a lifelong goal to be a college head wrestling coach and I want to make Baldwin City my new home. There are many new chapters left to write about my life and this opportunity will be one of the most exciting for me," he said. May is a cum laude graduate from the University of Central Missouri and earned his master's degree from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. While competing in wrestling at UCM, he was a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler and a member of the UCM Wrestling Hall-of-Fame.

Three incoming freshmen on the University of Wisconsin wrestling team competed at the ASICS/Vaughan Junior Greco-Roman National Championships in Fargo, N.D, which concluded Tuesday night. All three wrestlers placed but two in particular stood out above the rest of the competition as they finished first in their respective weight classes. Cole Schmitt (New Glarus, Wis.) finished first in the 140 lbs. weight class while Travis Rutt (New Prague, Minn.) also took home top honors at 160 lbs. Tom Kelliher (Burnsville, Minn.) wrestled at 125 lbs. and finished seventh. Schmitt went 10-0 to earn a spot in the finals against Andrew Alton from Pennsylvania. Before the finals, Schmitt pinned one of his opponents and had four tech falls. In the finals, Schmitt knocked off Alton in a 4-1, 4-2 decision. Schmitt is no stranger to placing at Junior Nationals as he finished third last year. Rutt also went 10-0 before reaching the finals. He met Alec Ortiz from Oregon and dominated with a 5-0, 7-0 tech fall. It was Rutt's third tech fall victory of the tournament and he also had three pins leading up to the finals. Last year, Rutt placed fifth at Junior Nationals. Kelliher finished the tournament 7-2 and won the seventh place match with a 7-0, 4-0 decision over Nick Wilcox from New York. Schmitt, Rutt and Kelliher are just three of the nine incoming freshmen on this year's Wisconsin wrestling team. The group was recently ranked No. 2 in the country by InterMat and also received a No. 4 ranking earlier in the summer by W.I.N. Magazine. Competition continues for some incoming freshmen in Fargo with the Junior Freestyle National Championships, which begin Thursday and run through Saturday. Be sure to check back to uwbadgers.com for updates on the incoming freshmen and the rest of the UW wrestling team.

NEW YORK -– Today the Beat the Streets Wrestling Program announced it will sponsor 42 New York City high school students to fly to Oregon to participate in the prestigious J Robinson Intensive Training Camp, which begins July 27 and concludes August 9, 2008. Beat the Streets will be the largest organized group to ever attend a J Robinson Camp. During the program the students will develop their skills in a disciplined and focused environment directed by National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Champion Coaches, Olympic Medalist and All-American Wrestlers. Beat the Streets identified 42 public school students, who hail from all five boroughs to be sent to the camp. Beat the Streets helped raise money to completely cover all costs associated with attending the program. The J Robinson Camp is just one of a series of opportunities Beat the Streets has offered New York City students in the summer, allowing them to participate in training camps before they resume their regular wrestling programs when school is in session in the fall. "The J Robinson Intensive Training Camp is one of the most prestigious places a young athlete can go to develop their potential to become a premiere wrestler. The camp helps prepare the athletes mentally and physically to train at the highest level of intensity, this will help our kids learn what it takes to truly be the best," said Michael E. Novogratz, Beat the Streets' Chairman of the Board. "We are so proud of all the students who participate in the Beat the Streets program in the summer and throughout the school year. The students are dedicated to learning about wrestling and its core values, through determination and hard work in wrestling they will learn skills that can greatly enhance their everyday lives." Founded in 2004, Beat the Streets' mission is to expand wrestling in the New York City Metropolitan area from beginner to the Olympic level. Approximately 3,500 boys and girls from New York City Schools currently participate in Beat the Streets after-school programs. Beat the Streets recently helped raise more than $2 million, the largest contribution to any school sport in the history of New York City's public schools. The organization works closely with a wide range of partners including coaches, school administrators, and current and former professional athletes to provide opportunities for children of diverse backgrounds to participate in opportunities beyond its own programs, including wrestling clinics, tournaments and summer camps. Since 1978, J Robinson and his staff have provided an unparalleled training experience for thousands of wrestlers across the nation each summer. J Robinson hosts a number of camps throughout the year and Beat the Streets will be participating in the program being held at Southern Oregon University in Ashland, Oregon. The camps provide athlete's quality training facilities and a skilled staff featuring current and former college and professional athletes along with experienced high school coaches. All the students participating in the camp are in high school. The schools taking part in the program are: Manhattan: A. Philip Randolph, Baruch and Stuyvesant Brooklyn: Abraham Lincoln, Automotive, Brooklyn Tech, Canarsie, Franklin D. Roosevelt, Grand Street Campus, James Madison, Midwood and Wingate Bronx: Bronx Science, Harry S. Truman and Lehman Queens: Aviation, Bryant, Flushing and Springfield Gardens Staten Island: Farrell, Petrides and Wagner Please visit www.beat-the-streets.org for more information on the Beat the Streets Wrestling Program.

The University of Minnesota welcomed the Navy SEAL Leap Frogs, an elite parachute jumping core, to Bierman Field on Tuesday morning. The Leap Frogs were hosted by the J Robinson Intensive Wrestling Camp, which comes to a close on Friday, July 25 after 28 days. The camp is hosted annually by the University of Minnesota wrestling coaching staff as a part of J Robinson wrestling camps. Since 1978, J Robinson and his staff have hosted their unique wrestling training experience for thousands of wrestlers from across the country. J Robinson wrestling camps' welcoming of the Leap Frogs began Monday evening as about 200 of the more than 500 campers participated in the Trident Challenge. The Navy SEALs promote the challenge to promote fitness and to introduce young people to the value of physical wellness. Each year, Minnesota wrestling concludes their intensive camp with a poignant event meant to promote Robinson and his staff's vision of community service, achievement and physical wellness. For more information on J Robinson wrestling camps, log on to jrobinsonwrestlingcamps.com or call the University of Minnesota wrestling office at 612-625-1013. To learn more about the Navy SEAL Leap Frogs, visit www.leapfrogs.navy.mil.

The University of Wisconsin wrestling team will open the 2008-09 home dual season a little bit differently than in years past. Instead of hitting the mat at their usual home inside the UW Field House, the Badgers will host their first dual of the season on Friday, Nov. 21 just down the road at the Kohl Center. Iowa State comes to town for the dual which begins at 7 p.m. The Kohl Center has hosted the WIAA state high school wrestling meet in years past, but this will be the first time the Badger grapplers take to the mat inside the building. Wisconsin officially opens the competition season Saturday, Nov. 15 at the Big Ten/ACC Duals in Chapel Hill, N.C., but the Iowa State dual is the first of six home duals on schedule for the 2008-09 season. The Badgers will return to the UW Field House (Sunday, Nov. 30) to host Oregon State and then four Big Ten foes (Illinois, Minnesota, Purdue and Ohio State) will travel to Madison in February. To see the complete 2008-09 wrestling schedule, click here.

State College, Pa. -- LionHeart MMA continued its successful entrance into the world of professional mixed martial arts with fighters accumulating an impressive 3-1 record over the weekend. Former University of Iowa wrestler Paul Bradley led the LionHeart charge by capturing the 185 lb. Destiny Fight Championship Belt with a victory over formerly undefeated professional, Dimarco Harris. Bradley used a punishing ground and pound attack to win a unanimous decision and improve his record to 7-0. At The Battlefield Fighting Championships in Fredericksburg, Va., LionHeart fighters went 2-1. NCAA Champion, Phil Davis, won by submission in the second round over previously unbeaten Casey Miller at 205 lbs. Davis' college teammate, Aaron Anspach won his MMA debut with a unanimous decision over James Johnson at 265 lbs. and Lou Armezanni lost in the 185 lb. Battlefield Fighting Championship Title bout to Kris McCray by TKO. LionHeart Founder, Chad Dubin, was impressed with the performance of his fighters over the weekend. "I've been real happy with the improvement in all our fighters over the past couple months. At this point, it looks like we're right on target with the fighter development and training methods we've implemented here at LionHeart." For more information on LionHeart MMA visit www.lionheartfighters.com or call Chad Dubin at 814.280.1982.

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Ben Askren and T.C. Dantzler. Askren will represent the United States at the Olympics in men's freestyle wrestling at 163 pounds. Askren wrestled for the University of Missouri, reaching the finals of the NCAA tournament all four years and winning two titles. He also received the Dan Hodge Trophy twice, an award given to the nation's most dominant college wrestler. Dantzler will represent the United States at the Olympics in Greco-Roman wrestling at 163 pounds. At 37 years of age, Dantzler will be the second oldest U.S. Olympic wrestler. Dantzler has represented the United States at the Greco-Roman world championships at 163 pounds every year since 2002. "On the Mat" is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday night. This week's broadcast can be heard live from 6-7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.

The University of Minnesota will welcome the Navy SEAL Leap Frogs, an elite parachute jumping core, to Bierman Field to wrap up the 2008 J Robinson Intensive Wrestling Camp on Tuesday, July 22 at 11:00 a.m. The camp, hosted annually by the University of Minnesota wrestling coaching staff as a part of J Robinson wrestling camps, comes to an end Tuesday, July 22 after 28 days. Since 1978, J Robinson and his staff have hosted their unique wrestling training experience for thousands of wrestlers from across the country. J Robinson wrestling camps' welcoming of the Leap Frogs begins tonight as about 200 of the more than 500 campers will participate in the Trident Challenge. The Navy SEALs promote the challenge to promote fitness and to introduce young people to the value of physical wellness. The Trident Challenge includes a combination of timed swimming, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups and running. Each year, Minnesota wrestling concludes their intensive camp with a poignant event meant to promote Robinson and his staff's vision of community service and physical wellness. For more information on J Robinson wrestling camps, log on to jrobinsonwrestlingcamps.com or call the University of Minnesota wrestling office at 612-625-1013. For more information on the Navy SEAL Leap Frogs, visit www.leapfrogs.navy.mil.

Shane Roller, Jake Rosholt, Johny Hendricks were all collegiate wrestling standouts for the Oklahoma State Cowboys who have made smooth transitions to mixed martial arts (MMA). Now all three are joining World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC), the sister promotion to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Roller, Rosholt, and Hendricks, and who are managed by Team Takedown, signed five-fight contracts with the WEC. Roller will make his WEC debut on August 3 in a lightweight bout against Todd Moore at The Joint in Las Vegas. The 29-year-old Roller, who was a three-time All-American at Oklahoma State, sports a 3-1 record and is coming off an impressive TKO victory over Yoshihiro Kitaoka on an Xtreme Fighting League (XFL) card on March 15. Moore, who fights out of Houston, Texas, boasts an impressive 9-1 record, but is coming off the lone loss of his career, to John Alessio, at WEC 31 on December 12. Rosholt, who was three-time NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Oklahoma State, is set to make his WEC debut on September 10 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Hollywood, Florida. The WEC card will also feature the organization's biggest star, Urijah Faber, who will be defending his 145-pound title against Mike Thomas Brown. Jake RosholtRosholt has compiled an unblemished 4-0 MMA record and is steadily climbing the MMA ranks and is catching the attention of many in the process, including UFC president Dana White, who said, "He's the real deal." Rosholt, who fights at 185 pounds and trains at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, was asked by the UFC to join the reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter, but turned down the opportunity because he would have been forced to move up to 205 pounds. He has already been profiled in Sports Illustrated and ESPN The Magazine. Rosholt is set to make his WEC debut on September 11 at WEC 36 against Brazilian veteran Danilo Villefort, who owns an 8-2 record. Both Rosholt and Villefort have looked very impressive in recent fights. Rosholt has hardly been tested in going undefeated in four fights. Villefort has won his last four fights, with his latest victory coming by way of submission (kneebar) over Mike Massenzio at an IFL event in May 16. Hendricks, like Rosholt, will make his WEC debut on the September 10 card. The two-time NCAA champion, who owns a perfect 3-0 MMA record, will take on Alex Serdyukov in a 170-pound bout. Johny Hendricks and Shane RollerAnother former Oklahoma State standout, Mark Munoz, is already fighting in the WEC. Munoz, who won an NCAA title at 197 pounds in 2001, made his WEC debut on June 1 in Sacramento, California and won by TKO over Chuck Grigsby in a light heavyweight bout. Rosholt and Hendricks will be featured on the reality TV show TapouT, which will be broadcast on Versus on August 20.

Columbia, Mo. -- Missouri wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith was named president-elect of the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA), as announced today. Smith, entering his 11th season with the Tiger squad, will begin his two-year term as president-elect on September 1 and will take on the roll of president in 2010. "We're elated to have someone like Brian Smith be in line to be our next association president," NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer said. "What he has done, not only with the wrestling program at Missouri, but with his student-athletes, is what leadership is about." Current president-elect Jim Beichner of the University of Buffalo will ascend into the President position in the fall once current NWCA President Ron Mirikitani's term expires. "I'm very honored to have been chosen to take on a leadership position with a sport that I have dedicated my life to," Smith said. I have a true passion for wrestling and I'm looking forward to working with the NWCA in the years to come." The NWCA, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serving and providing leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. Smith, the 2007 Dan Gable Coach of the Year, owns a 119-60-2 record in 10 years as the Head Coach of the Tigers and stands at 121-68-3 overall (11 years). Since joining the Missouri staff in 1998, Smith has coached 10 Tigers to 17 All-America honors, including current Freestyle Olympian Ben Askren who earned the program's first-ever National Title in 2006 and repeated the feat in 2007.

Highlighted by accomplished high school wrestlers such as Greco-Roman Olympian Jake Deitchler (Anoka, Minn.), Matt Mincey (Apple Valley, Minn.) and Mario Mason (Blairstown, NJ), the 2008 Gopher wrestling recruiting class has been ranked the best in the country. Heralded wrestling website InterMatWrestle.com joined the list of online publications hailing Minnesota's class as tops in the country. The Gophers' class was ranked just ahead of Big Ten rivals Wisconsin (2nd) and Iowa (5th). InterMat utilizes a complex ranking system that includes a calculation of factors such as depth of class, quality of recruits, recruits' potential impact on the 2008-09 season and impact on the future. Other Big Ten programs with classes ranked in InterMat's top 30 include Michigan (7th), Illinois (9th), Northwestern (15th), Ohio State (18th), Indiana (24th), and Purdue (26th). In addition to Deitchler, Mincey and Mason, the Gophers' 2008 class also includes Atticus Disney (Topeka, Kan.), Cody Yohn (Alamosa, Colo.), Thane Antczak (Chetek/Prairie Farm, Wis.), Zach Loppnow (Lake City, Minn.), and Wesley Richard (Dillingham, Alaska). The Gophers' regular season begins with the Bison Open in Fargo, ND on Sat., Nov. 15. Minnesota's home opener is a New Year's Day tilt with Oklahoma State at the Sports Pavilion.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Perennial national powers Penn State and Oklahoma State highlight a loaded 2008-09 Virginia wrestling schedule, announced Tuesday by UVa head coach Steve Garland. The Nittany Lions and Cowboys placed third and fifth, respectively at the 2008 NCAA Championships and are joined by Big Ten powers Illinois and Wisconsin and in-state foe Old Dominion on the 2008-09 non-conference slate. The rapidly-improving ACC schedule then looms in January and February. "My staff and I really made a point to get the best competition possible," Garland said. "Every team wants to wrestle the best in the country. If you look at our early schedule, we wrestle four of the top 20 teams in the country and all on the road. That is testament to our administration, which is willing to support us and send us all over country." "The most common questions I get from people outside the program are ‘who do you wrestle' and ‘what is your schedule like.'" "We are wrestling some incredible teams this year. Penn State and Oklahoma State were among the top five teams in the country last year. Illinois and Wisconsin are perennially among the best programs in the country. Old Dominion has a great team coming back and Rutgers brought in a top-20 class this year. Our conference rivals will be even tougher this year, with Maryland and NC State both coming back after top 25 showings at NCAAs last year." Virginia opens the 2008 portion of its schedule with five straight road trips and will wrestle all but five of their 2008-09 matches on the road. After starting the year Nov. 8 at the Michigan State Open, the Cavaliers will battle Illinois and Wisconsin at the Big Ten/ACC Challenge Nov. 15 in Chapel Hill, N.C. The Fighting Illini and Badgers finished 14th and 17th, respectively, the 2008 NCAA Championships. The following week, the Cavaliers get another stern test at the Sprawl and Brawl, taking on Penn State and AIC in Binghamton, N.Y. It gets no easier as the Cavaliers finish November in Albany, N.Y., at the Northeast Duals with the program's first-ever match against 34-time national champion Oklahoma State, as well as Bucknell and Harvard. UVa then wraps up 2008 at one of the top national tournaments, the Southern Scuffle, in Greensboro, N.C., Dec. 29-30. The new year will not provide a break, as UVa opens at the Virginia Duals Jan. 9-10 in Hampton, Va. The Cavaliers' opponents will not be announced until just prior to the competition, but the field is loaded with strong programs such as Boise State, Edinboro, Illinois, Lehigh, Old Dominion and Penn. UVa opens its home schedule Jan. 17 with a double dual against UNC Greensboro and Rutgers at Memorial Gymnasium. The Cavaliers wrestle Appalachian State the following day at 1 p.m. Virginia starts ACC competition Jan. 23 at North Carolina and then visits Campbell the following afternoon for a 1 p.m. dual. UVa stays on the road the next weekend with two neutral-site matches – Jan. 30 vs. George Mason in Hopewell, Va., and Jan. 31 vs. Virginia Tech in the annual ‘Rumble on the River' in Richmond, Va. The Cavaliers then wrap up their road swing Feb. 5 with a dual match at defending CAA champion Old Dominion. Virginia returns home the next weekend for its final two home duals, battling NC State Feb. 14 and Duke Feb. 15. UVa concludes the regular season Feb. 22 at defending ACC champion Maryland, which defeated the Cavaliers by a point in the regular-season finale last season and then by just two points for the ACC Championship two weeks later. The Terrapins finished 21st at the 2008 NCAA Championships. The ACC Championships will be contested March 7 at Virginia Tech, while the NCAA Championships will be March 19-21 at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. Virginia finished 18-5 overall and 3-2 in duals last season and took 40th place at the NCAA Championships. The Cavaliers return starters at eight of 10 weight classes from last year and will welcome in another stellar freshman class.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has announced the addition of John Hughes to the Mountain Hawks' coaching staff for the 2008-09 season. Hughes, a three-time All-American and former NCAA Champion at Penn State, comes to Lehigh after spending the last five seasons as an assistant coach at his alma mater. He will work alongside Santoro and former Lehigh All-American Brad Dillon, who joined the staff last month. "We're really excited to have a coach of John's caliber on board," said Santoro. "He is someone I have known for 15 years and with the work he puts in year-in and year-out we could not have brought in a better coach to help our program going forward." Hughes is regarded as one of the toughest wrestlers in Penn State history. He won an NCAA Championship at 142 in 1995 and added All-American honors with a seventh place finish in 1994 and a runner-up finish in 1996. Hughes ranks eighth in Nittany Lion annals with 121 career victories. In addition to his national title, Hughes was the 1995 Big Ten Champion and also won a gold medal at the 1994 Pan-Am Games and a University National Freestyle Championship. "The opportunity to come to Lehigh was something I became very interested in," said Hughes. "I've gotten to know Lehigh University very well, and I'm excited to be part of such a great institution with a rich wrestling tradition. It was not an easy decision to leave Penn State, but I feel like Lehigh can be a great fit for me and I'm looking forward to the opportunity to help take this program to another level." In five seasons on the coaching staff at Penn State, Hughes made a profound and immediate impact in the training room. Working predominantly with the Nittany Lion middleweights, Hughes helped guide Bubba Jenkins and Dan Vallimont to All-American honors, while as a team, Penn State crowned four All-Americans and finished third in the team standings, the program's best finish since 1994. Hughes also played a major role in Penn State's recruiting efforts which have produced recruiting classes that were among the nation's best over the last several years. A native of Stillwater, Pennsylvania, Hughes won four PIAA state championships wrestling for Benton High School. He earned his bachelor's degree in landscape contracting from Penn State in 2002. Prior to joining the Penn State coaching staff on a full time basis, Hughes served as head coach for the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. He also enjoyed a stint as an assistant coach for the Pittsburgh Wrestling Club and worked as an environmental technician for Groundwater and Environmental Services, Inc. Hughes and his wife Melissa have one child, Riley.

LINCOLN -- Husker fans will have plenty of chances to catch their favorite NU wrestlers in action this winter as twelve home duals and hosting the Big 12 Championship highlight the 2008-09 Nebraska wrestling schedule. The Huskers return eight starters from a squad that exceeded expectations last season with a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships, but Nebraska will once again be tested by one of the hardest schedules in the nation. After having just four home duals last season, the Huskers welcome 12 opponents to the NU Coliseum before hosting the Big 12 Championship in Lincoln for just the second time. "We have a lot of marquee matchups," Head Coach Mark Manning said. "We have a lot of teams that are vying for a national championship coming here to Lincoln." Several programs with a history of wrestling excellence will visit the confines of the Coliseum, as the season features many matchups with nationally ranked programs. The Huskers open on Nov. 20 against Tennessee-Chattanooga, which finished last season No. 18 in the dual rankings, before hosting Kent State and Minnesota on Dec. 20 and 21. The Golden Flashes earned the No. 21 spot in last year's rankings, while Minnesota finished No. 8. The Gophers topped the Huskers last December, but NU rebounded to defeat them at the National Duals. The Husker's final two home duals promise to be passion-filled affairs with Big 12 rivals Oklahoma State and Iowa State coming to Lincoln on Feb. 6 and 22, respectively. Nebraska defeated the Cowboys for just the third time in school history last year, while the Cyclones burst the Huskers' chance at an undefeated record in conference action in the last dual of the season. "Obviously, Oklahoma State and Iowa State coming here are both big," Manning said. "Iowa State won the Big 12 Championship the last two years, Oklahoma State is historically a very strong program and with Minnesota coming to town, we have a lot of great dual meets. It should be great for our fans and for wrestling people in general." ISU finished last season ranked No. 3, while OSU was No. 5 in the dual rankings. The two teams tied for fifth place at the NCAA Championships. The Big 12 Championship comes to Lincoln on March 7 for the first time since 2000. The Huskers finished second as a team last year with three individual champions. NU racked up its most points ever (62.5), thanks in part to Jordan Burroughs, who was named the Outstanding Wrestler of the Meet after two bonus-point victories. With several tough tournaments, like the Las Vegas Invitational and Nationals Duals, sprinkled in with challenging road duals to Missouri and Oklahoma, the 2008-09 schedule will test the Huskers. All of Nebraska's competitions are in preparation for one goal, though, the 2009 NCAA Championships, which return to the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., again this year. Nebraska welcomes back five All-Americans this fall, including two-time All-American Paul Donahoe at 125 pounds. Donahoe and the seven other starters who return will look to build on a 14-3 dual record from last season and a final dual ranking of fourth. For a complete look at the Husker's 2008-09 wrestling schedule, click on the link above.

Osage native and former state high school champion wrestler Mark Schwab has been named head wrestling coach at North Iowa Area Community College. Mark Schwab"I look at this as an overall good opportunity, not just a wrestling opportunity, but an opportunity to teach and to further my formal education as well. NIACC brings three important things together in my life. Wrestling has been my whole life. The classroom, which I resisted at first, I've found that I enjoy because coaching and teaching are the same idea in different arenas. I also plan to work on another MA in sports psychology through UNI. I bring a lot of experience at different levels of the sport. I've been blessed to be around a lot of good people. Now, I get to share my experiences with the athletes and students at NIACC," Schwab said. During the 2007-08 season, three NIACC wrestlers won national titles individually and the Trojans finished fourth as a team. "Coach Schwab's addition to the NIACC wrestling program signifies the rich athletic tradition to NIACC and the region. We are exceptionally pleased to have attracted Coach Schwab with his standing and reputation in wrestling as well as his strong North Iowa ties and his commitment to athletic and academic excellence," Dr. Debra Derr, NIACC president, said. Wrestling's comeback to NIACC this past year marked the addition of a sport with a tradition of excellence at the College. NIACC's wrestling program won the national title in 1973. The wrestling team, which began in 1967, had a record of 126-18-2 before the program was dropped in 1976. "The selection of Mark Schwab as the head wrestling coach is the culmination of great work by our search committee and administration," Dan Mason, NIACC athletic director, said. "With the historical and current success NIACC wrestling, it became apparent that the position would be considered a tremendous opportunity within the wrestling community. Because of that, we were able to attract a pool of excellent candidates." Schwab served as head coach at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake for the past four seasons, with consistently improving results up to the NCAA qualifier this past season. Schwab was named Iowa Conference Coach of the Year in 2007. The Beavers tied for 2nd in the Iowa Conference duals this past season. Schwab also coached the first 4-time NCAA All-American in the 30 year history of BVU wrestling in Jestin Hulegaard. Prior to BVU, Schwab spent nine years as assistant coach at the University of Minnesota, helping the program to seven top-three finishes and two NCAA championships. Schwab also served as an assistant coach at Purdue University in Lafayette, IN (1991-93), and at the University of Northern Iowa, his college alma mater (1990-91), after compiling a 115-18 collegiate mark and earning All-American honors twice for the Panthers. He graduated from UNI with a degree in Criminology. In 2003, Schwab earned a Masters degree in Education while at the University of Minnesota. While competing at UNI, Schwab posted a 49-9 record in his initial season, the most wins by a true freshman in NCAA history, and placed fifth in the 1986 NCAA Division I championships. In 1987, he won the bronze medal in what was called the World's Toughest Tournament in Tiblissi, Russia. He trained for the 1988 U.S. Olympic team during his redshirt year at UNI as well and won a bronze medal for the U.S. team at the World Cup event in Ulan Bator, Mongolia. A knee injury and a staph infection combined to keep Schwab off the mats for more than a year, but Schwab finished his career with the Panthers on a positive note as a senior, placing sixth nationally in 1990 after winning the 118-pound title at the NCAA West Regionals and earning Most Outstanding Wrestler honors. Schwab's prep wrestling career was nearly flawless as he won 106 of 107 matches and earned four state titles for Osage High while earning three Junior National Freestyle titles and a national championship in the Greco-Roman category. Schwab was inducted into the Iowa High School Athletic Association Hall of Fame, the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Glen Brand Hall of Fame. Brothers Mike and Doug have achieved plenty of success on the wrestling mat at well. They also captured state titles as prep wrestlers, with Mike eventually earning All-American honors at UNI and Doug winning a title at the 1999 NCAA Division I 141-pound finals while wrestling for the University of Iowa. Doug has since gone on to become an assistant coach at Iowa and he earned a berth on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Wrestling team in June by winning the 145.5-pound classification at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas.

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