InterMat Staff

After their inaugural season after a 32 year hiatus, the NIACC Trojan wrestling program finished 5-4 in dual meets, placed third at the North Central District and finished fourth at the 2008 NJCAA National Championships with six All-Americans and three national champions officially closed the book on their season on Friday April 4th in the Activity Center on the campus of North Iowa Area Community College by handing out the annual team and individual awards for the season. Earning the Trojan Wrestler of the Year award was sophomore Glenn Rhees who capped off a spectacular season by winning the 174 pound national championship to go along with his North Central District title and his overall 26-3 record. Rhees suffered a broken lower leg ion November 10th, but was able to bounce back from that injury to win his first national championship. Claiming several honors on the evening was freshman sensation Albert White. White was awarded the Captain, 30 Match Winner, Most Falls, Most Takedowns, and the Kaye Young/Champion of Character Awards for his awesome performance on the season. White was 31-3 on the year and claimed the 149 pound national championship. Also bringing home some hardware on the night was freshman T.J. Moen. Moen claimed the Captain, 30 Match Winner, Most Improved and Toughman of the Year awards. Moen finished his freshman season with a 31-11 record and finished with All-American honors claiming 3rd place at 141 pounds. Six Trojan wrestlers finished as All-Americans in the NJCAA, Cody Hogan (seventh at 133), Moen (third at 141), White (first at 149), DaVaughn Perkins (first at 157), Rhees (first at 174) and Beau Tudor (eighth at 285). 2007-08 NIACC Wrestling Awards Presentation Letterman Award 2007-08 Team Roster Captain Award TJ Moen, Albert White and Glenn Rhees Scholar Athlete of the Year Award Freshman— Jason Schweer—3.89 Sophomore- Glenn Rhees—3.67 20 Match Winner Cody Hogan (22) 25 Match Winner Glenn Rhees (26) 30 Match Winner T.J. Moen (31), Albert White (31) and DaVaughn Perkins (39) Most Falls Albert White and DaVaughn Perkins (11) Most Takedowns Albert White (151) Most Improved T.J. Moen Iron Man Tyler Hancock Toughman of the Year T.J. Moen NJCAA All-American Award Cody Hogan, TJ Moen, Albert White, DaVaughn Perkins, Glenn Rhees and Beau Tudor NJCAA Academic All-American Award Glenn Rhees and Jason Schweer Trojan Wrestler of the Year Glenn Rhees Kaye Young-NJCAA Champion of Character Albert White Sportswriter of the Year Dana Becker (Globe-Gazette) Parent Booster of the Year Todd & Heidi Moen Business Booster of the Year Hyvee, Scott Nelson Alumni Booster of the Year Kaye Young Wrestling Appreciation Dan Mason, Dr. Mike Morrison, Dr. Karen Pierson, Mark Vrba, Jenna Graham, Emily Ruehlow, Ken Webber, Joe Nydagger Coaching Appreciation Chad Vance, TJ Sebolt, Mike Billings and Josh Byrnes Wrestling Manager Appreciation Jessica Swenstad, Thea O'Brien and Becky Bowar NIACC Wrestling Hall of Fame Inductee Kaye Young

Mike Grey made a name for himself in high school by becoming the first-ever four-time state champ in New Jersey. In his first year of college competition, the Cornell University 133-pound starter enhanced his reputation even further, becoming a first-year All-American at the 2008 NCAAs, and earning Rev Freshman of the Year honors for 2008. Mike Grey had a stellar freshman season at Cornell, getting a team-high 42 wins and placing sixth at the NCAA Division I Championships at 133 pounds (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Each year, this award is given to the nation's top freshman wrestler across all divisions of college competition, and is determined by a vote of RevWrestling.com writers and executives. Grey joins previous Rev Freshman of the Year honorees Dustin Schlatter of the University of Minnesota in 2006, and Iowa State's Jake Varner in 2007. Mike Grey received three of the seven first-place votes for a total of 53 votes. Cornell teammate Mack Lewnes, who placed fourth at the 2008 NCAAs at 165 pounds and was named EIWA Freshman of the Year, came in second with 49 votes (including three first-place votes). Michigan's 141-pounder Kellen Russell earned third-place honors with 31 votes (including one first-place vote). Kirk Smith, Boise State's 184-pound starter, finished fourth in the voting with eleven votes, while Iowa State's 165-pound Jon Reader rounded out the top five with ten votes. Grey had a stellar freshman season at Cornell, getting a team-high 42 wins and leading the team with victories by major decision (15). He was 13-1 in dual-meet competition. He won the Brute Binghamton Open, and was a finalist at the Body Bar Invitational, Nittany Lion Open, and the Southern Scuffle. Grey placed third in the EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) conference championships, and, two weeks later, garnered All-American status by placing sixth in the 133-pound weight class at the 2008 NCAA Division I Championships. In addition to winning 2008 Rev Freshman of the Year honors, Grey was named Ivy League Rookie of the Year, and earned a place on the All-Ivy First Team. 2008 Rev Freshman of the Year 1st-5th-Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Mike Grey, Cornell: 53 (3) 2. Mack Lewnes, Cornell: 49 (3) 3. Kellen Russell, Michigan: 31 (1) 4. Kirk Smith, Boise State: 11 5. Jon Reader, Iowa State: 10 6. Garrett Scott, Penn State: 7 7. Anthony Robles, Arizona State: 6 8. James Nicholson, Old Dominion: 4 9. Zach Bailey, Oklahoma: 3 10. Keith Sulzer, Northwestern: 1"Great things had been expected of Mike Grey right from the start," said Andrew Hipps, senior writer at InterMat. "He earned a place in the history books by being the first four-time state champion in New Jersey. He's made a smooth transition to collegiate wrestling. With Mike Grey, Mack Lewnes, Troy Nickerson, Jordan Leen, and Steve Anceravage leading the charge, look for Cornell to be in the national title hunt for seasons to come."

We return to the Brute Adidas TDR studios this week in Des Moines for another exciting and informative show. This week we'll take a look at history, what's current and even the future, yes I said the future. On a very bright note, we set a record for the total number of listeners who tuned in the broadcast from St. Louis and the Championships of the NCAAs. We blew away our best numbers from last year with no technical difficulties. Thank goodness. Thanks to ALL of our sponsors and to our valued listeners who have listened and even watched us grow over the years. This is wrestling and we ALL are warriors of this sport. Thanks again! Scheduled on the show this week: Steve Martin, Head Coach of Old Dominion, Steve is credited with the rebound of wrestling at the Monarchs home. Along with his assistants he coached ODU to a good finish. James Nicholson, ODU's newest All-American, wrestled in the 7th place match up against Brandon Precin (Northwestern) on Saturday morning, falling to the Wildcat grappler 5-2. Nicholson comes home with the 8th place finish in the 125-lb weight class at the 2008 NCAA Tournament while the Monarchs posted 10 total team points good for a tie at 35th place. Nicholson and Precin matched up earlier in the season with Precin taking the win 4-2. After winning three bouts in his first NCAA Tournament appearance, Nicholson matched up with the Northwestern wrestler again, and the result was nearly the same. Still, Nicholson's 3-3 tournament was the best ever under head coach Steve Martin and ODU's best since 1995. The last All-American for the Monarchs was Nick Hall at heavyweight 13 years ago. Nicholson became the 22nd All-American in program history as he helped tally 10 team points to finish in a tie for 35th place ahead of perennial powers Oklahoma and UT Chattanooga. Bart Freidenberg, Director of the Ohio Tournament of Champions. Joins us to discuss this years huge event that will be held at the Columbus Convention Center - in Columbus, OH. April 26th. There's still time for kids and coaches to get registered for this the largest 1 day tournament in the world. Check out their web site for more information - Ohiotofc.com next year date change (April 25, 2009) Arthur J. Weiss, Largely known as "The Father of Pennsylvania High School Wrestling" joins us to uncover the history of our sport in the Keystone state. He coaches for over 25 years and enjoyed undefeated seasons 13 of 14 years. A big thank you to Norm Palovcsik for helping to make this happen. Norm is one of the great historians of this sport. Much of what we know today Norm has uncovered and been able to piece back together. Bob Steenlage, Iowa's first four-time time mat champion. Now Iowa's first four-time mat champion is available to Iowa Schools Iowa's first four-time state wrestling champion Bob Steenlage is available to Iowa schools for assemblies and speaking engagements. Steenlage won his four prep titles, wrestling for Britt from 1959 through 1962 and now lives in Wisconsin. He delivers an inspiring message of hope, overcoming personal and imposed hurdles, coping with peer pressure, setting goals, and decision making for audiences of upper elementary through high school. He is the subject of author Mike Chapman's book, "Fighting Back." The book chronicles Steenlage's life including achievements, growing up in Britt, his education at West Point and military service in Vietnam. Chapman notes the trauma of war and its effects and how Steenlage came to grips with ensuing problems that led to his passion for helping today's youth. Call the Wrestling Museum at (319)-233-0745 Limited supply with a few left. He can be reached in writing at W24418 Holcomb Coulee Rd.; Galesville, WI 54630-8411, or calling 608/323-2065. Andrew Hipps, Ace writer and founder of RevWrestling.com joins us to discuss the season, his observations of the NCAAs, and wrestling in general. Andrew is one of the truly good guys in the sport. It's a pleasure to have him back on TDR. He should have some interesting perspectives. Tune in and check him out. Jason Bross, The Wrestling Coach Monsignor Farrell HS (volunteer) on Staten Island, NY. Wrestled for SUNY Albany, NY. at 118 lbs. Also specialized in Greco. His cause, our cause is Pinning Down Autism. He's hosting and Holding the 2nd annual Takedown Tournament and BBQ for Autism. Wrestling this neurological disorder is a daily task and now affects 1 of 150 children born in the USA. Why? Jason's 7 year old son, Dylan has mid level version of Autism. Jason, takes Dylan to practice, to tournaments, trips and has him around wrestling and wrestlers on a frequent basis. Guess who it helps most? The kids. The wrestlers have embraced Dylan and now know more about this disorder. Opening eyes and hearts to the greater good. Visit Pinningdownautism.com Jay Hieron, an IFL champion, and former Hofstra wrestler has enjoyed considerable success in the IFL, combining his exceptional wrestling skills with an ever-improving striking game. He became the IFL's first welterweight champion after defeating Delson Heleno in the finals of the World Grand Prix in December of 2007. A Long Island, N.Y. native, Hieron was a junior college All-American wrestler before deciding to try his hand at MMA. He moved to Las Vegas and began training at Xtreme Couture, where he quickly began down the path to becoming a complete mixed martial artist. Hieron is one of the most athletically gifted fighters in the IFL, and his work ethic has ensured that his conditioning is never in doubt. Alongside other Team Tompkins teammates, he has helped make the gym a destination for fighters everywhere looking to improve their skills. Now a champion in the IFL, he is the man to beat in the 170-pound division.

LAWRENCEVILLE, N.J. -- The Colonial Athletic Association announced today its awards for the 2007-08 wrestling season, including the Coach of the Year, Wrestler of the Year, Rookie of the Year and the All-Rookie Team. George Mason's strong rookie class, which helped the team make the jump from eighth place to a fourth-place finish at the CAA Championships, was recognized with three members making the CAA All-Rookie team. The three All-Rookie selections - Brandon Bucher (149), Frankie McLaughlin IV (157) and Cayle Byers (197) - were the most of any team in the conference. Byers was the most decorated freshman on the team, earning a wild card invitation to the NCAA Championships after a phenomenal rookie campaign in which he finished in third place at the CAA Championships in one of the toughest weight classes in the conference. He was ranked 13th in the final InterMat Poll and 15th in the final Amateur Wrestling News Poll, and was the only freshman in the nation ranked in the Top-20 at 197 pounds in either poll. Byers led the team in wins (37), dual wins (16) and major decisions (7), and was tied for the team lead in conference victories with seven. Wrestling at 157 pounds, McLaughlin had a stellar freshman season for the Patriots. Despite being sidelined for a few weeks due to injury, the Hillsborough, N.J. native finished the season with 21 wins against only nine losses and a 7-3 mark in dual matches. He finished second on the team to Byers with six major decision victories. Bucher showed his versatility by splitting time between 141 and 149 pounds during the season, earning a total of 12 victories between the two weight classes. The native of Dillsburg, Pa. recorded four technical falls, the most on the team, and three major decisions during his rookie season. Joining the trio of Patriots on the CAA All-Rookie Team was Old Dominion's James Nicholson (125), Rider's Mitch Fenton (133), Binghamton's Anwar Goeres (141), Hofstra's Ryan Patrovich (165), Rider's Mike Darling (174), Hofstra's Justin Danz (184) and Old Dominion's Andy Totusek (285). Old Dominion's Steve Martin was named the CAA Coach of the Year, Hofstra's sophomore 141-pounder Charles Griffin was named the Wrestler of the Year and 125-pounder James Nicholson of ODU was named the Rookie of the Year.

RICHMOND, Va. -- Old Dominion University wrestling coach Steve Martin has been selected the Colonial Athletic Association Coach of the Year and red shirt freshman James Nicholson has been honored as the CAA Rookie of the year today as the CAA announced its 2007-08 wrestling awards. Martin was named CAA Coach of the Year for the first time in his four years at ODU, after guiding the Monarchs to the highest national ranking in school history. Nicholson (Des Moines, Iowa) became Old Dominion's first All-American since 1995, winning his first CAA championship and finishing 8th at the NCAA Tournament. Martin coached Old Dominion to a 17-3 overall record, including a 6-1 mark in CAA action. It was the second most wins in school history and the second best record in the modern era. The only losses in the season came to nationally ranked opponents: #3 Iowa, #17 Illinois and #12 Hofstra. ODU closed the gap at the CAA Championship, taking second place for the third straight year and qualifying a school record six individuals to the national tournament. The team was ranked in the national polls for the first time since 1990-91 and reached its highest national ranking in school history at 18th in the country. Nicholson finished with 35 wins in his rookie campaign coupled with just 10 losses. He finished the regular season winning 23 of his last 25 bouts and entered the NCAA Tournament on a 12-match winning streak, improving to a career-high 14 en route to his All-American finish. The Monarch grappler had eight major decisions, five technical falls and two pins on the season and was 6-1 in CAA action. Nicholson led the league in rookie major decisions with eight and in rookie technical falls with five. He also finished tied for second in rookie wins and fifth in the CAA overall with 35. In the final NCAA Rankings of the year, Nicholson was ranked 10th in the nation by InterMat. Old Dominion concluded the 2007-08 season ranked 2nd in the Colonial Athletic Association after the team's third straight runner-up performance at the tournament. With just one senior graduating in 2008, the Monarchs will return nine of ten starters to the lineup in 2008-09.

HEMPSTEAD, NY -- Hofstra senior Charles Griffin has been named the 2008 Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Year, the CAA announced Tuesday. It is the second straight year that Griffin has won the award. Charles GriffinA native of Reading, Pennsylvania, Griffin placed third at 141 pounds and earned All-American honors for the second straight year at the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The three-time CAA champion posted a 5-1 record at the NCAA Championships to close out his senior season with a 37-5 record. Griffin, who was the CAA's 2005 Rookie of the Year, ends his Hofstra career with a 126-25 record. Two Pride freshmen, Ryan Patrovich and Justin Danz, were named to the 2008 CAA All-Rookie team. Patrovich (Bohemia, NY) was a CAA Championship finalist at 165 pounds and made his first NCAA Championship appearance in 2008. He finished the season with a 19-14 record. Danz, a native of Placerville, California, placed third at 184 pounds at the CAA Championships. The CAA also announced the 2008 awards for the conference coach and rookie of the year. Steve Martin, who led Old Dominion University to a top-20 national ranking and a top-35 finish at Nationals, was named the CAA Wrestling Coach of the Year. Freshman James Nicholson of ODU was named the CAA Rookie of the Year, after placing eighth in the nation at 125 pounds to earn All-America honors. Nicholson won three bouts at Nationals, including victories over the seventh and ninth seeds.

Six new legends of wrestling will enter the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame on April 19, 2008. It will be the seventh class to go into the hall. The group includes two men who each won a pair of NCAA championships (Mike Natvig of Army by way of Decorah and Tim Krieger of Iowa State), another NCAA champion who became a mixed martial arts star (Mike Van Arsdale of Iowa State), an NCAA champion who is now a Big Ten coach (Duane Goldman of Iowa) and two of the most respected coaches in Iowa history (Chuck Patten and Dan Mashek, both of UNI). The inductions will be held 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, in the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame inside the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo. It is part of a two-day weekend that includes the Dan Gable Coaching Clinic on Friday and Saturday, with some of the top coaches in the country holding sessions. Mike Natvig won two NCAA championships for the West Point team, capturing titles at 147 pounds in both 1962 and ‘63. He graduated with an overall record of 47-7-1 and is considered the most successful wrestler in the history of West Point. Though never a state champion in high school, Natvig was a star at Decorah High School, placing second in the 1958 state meet at 138 pounds. He retired from the Army in 1991 as a lieutenant colonel and today lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Chuck Patten was the head coach at the University of Northern Iowa for 18 years, compiling a record of 217-87-8 and winning two Division II NCAA team titles. Along the way, he produced 16 national champions and 58 wrestlers who won All-American honors. Patten wrestled at East Waterloo High School, placing fourth in the 1955 state meet, and for Bill Koll at UNI. He was president of both the Division I and Division II coaches associations and was chair of the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee from 1974-1978, the only Division II coach to receive this honor. He also served as a color commentator for Iowa Public Television broadcasts from 1983 to 1986. Today, he lives in Everett, Washington. Dan Mashek did his wrestling at West Waterloo High School (for hall of famer Bob Siddens) and at UNI (for Patten), but earned his greatest fame by far as an Iowa high school coach. In fact, retiring this past season with a record of 519-105-5, he has the most dual meet wins of any coach in Iowa history. He started the program at Don Bosco of Gilbertville in 1970 and quickly made the Dons a perennial power. While there, he claimed four traditional team titles and one dual team title. He saw 20 of his wrestlers win a total of 24 individual state titles. He began coaching at North Scott in 2000 and compiled a record of 93-30. He currently lives in Eldridge. Tim Kreiger was a three-time state champion at Mason City High School who became a four-time All-American at Iowa State University. He claimed two NCAA titles, in 1987 and '89, and won four Big Eight championships at 150 pounds. He was also second in 1988 and fifth in 1986 at the NCAA tournament. His overall record of 116-3-2 is one of the best in the history of Iowa colleges. He lives in Minneapolis, where he works in the financial industry. Duane Goldman was a four-time Big Ten champion and four-time NCAA finalist at the University of Iowa, winning the 190-pound NCAA title in 1986. His overall record of 132-10 ranks tenth on the all-time Hawkeye career win percentage. A two-time state champion in Colorado, Goldman was an assistant coach under Joe McFarland at Indiana University before being named the head coach in 1992. His 2005 Hoosier team placed ninth in the NCAA race, his highest finish as head coach. Mike Van Arsdale placed sixth, third and first at the NCAA meet while wearing the cardinal and gold for Iowa State. His individual title came at 167 pounds in 1988. He made several international freestyle teams and won a gold medal at the 1997 World Cup. He also posted a victory over a young Cyclone star named Cael Sanderson in the 2000 Olympic trials in Dallas. A graduate of West Waterloo High School, he was state champion in 1982. Van Arsdale has earned fame as a mixed martial artist and today runs a kids wrestling program in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information on the 2008 coaches clinic and hall of fame inductions, check the museum's web site at www.wrestlingmuseum.org , or call the museum at 319-233-0745, and ask for Kyle Klingman or Kent Sesker.

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Mike Natvig, Duane Goldman, and Tim Kreiger. All three guests will be inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa on April 19 at the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. "On the Mat" is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday night. This week's broadcast can be heard live from 5-6 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show. Natvig won two NCAA championships for the West Point team, capturing titles at 147 pounds in both 1962 and ‘63. He graduated with an overall record of 47-7-1 and is considered the most successful wrestler in the history of West Point. Though never a state champion in high school, Natvig was a star at Decorah High School, placing second in the 1958 state meet at 138 pounds. He retired from the Army in 1991 as a lieutenant colonel and today lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Goldman was a four-time Big Ten champion and four-time NCAA finalist at the University of Iowa, winning the 190-pound NCAA title in 1986. His overall record of 132-10 ranks tenth on the all-time Hawkeye career win percentage. A two-time state champion in Colorado, Goldman was an assistant coach under Joe McFarland at Indiana University before being named the head coach in 1992. His 2005 Hoosier team placed ninth in the NCAA race, his highest finish as head coach. Kreiger was a three-time state champion at Mason City High School who became a four-time All-American at Iowa State University. He claimed two NCAA titles, in 1987 and '89, and won four Big Eight championships at 150 pounds. He was also second in 1988 and fifth in 1986 at the NCAA tournament. His overall record of 116-3-2 is one of the best in the history of Iowa colleges. He lives in Minneapolis, where he works in the financial industry. "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.

Six new legends of wrestling will enter the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame on April 19, 2008. It will be the seventh class to go into the hall. The group includes two men who each won a pair of NCAA championships (Mike Natvig of Army by way of Decorah and Tim Krieger of Iowa State), another NCAA champion who became a mixed martial arts star (Mike Van Arsdale of Iowa State), an NCAA champion who is now a Big Ten coach (Duane Goldman of Iowa) and two of the most respected coaches in Iowa history (Chuck Patten and Dan Mashek, both of UNI). The inductions will be held 1 p.m. on Saturday, April 19, in the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame inside the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo. It is part of a two-day weekend that includes the Dan Gable Coaching Clinic on Friday and Saturday, with some of the top coaches in the country holding sessions. Mike Natvig won two NCAA championships for the West Point team, capturing titles at 147 pounds in both 1962 and ‘63. He graduated with an overall record of 47-7-1 and is considered the most successful wrestler in the history of West Point. Though never a state champion in high school, Natvig was a star at Decorah High School, placing second in the 1958 state meet at 138 pounds. He retired from the Army in 1991 as a lieutenant colonel and today lives in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. Chuck Patten was the head coach at the University of Northern Iowa for 18 years, compiling a record of 217-87-8 and winning two Division II NCAA team titles. Along the way, he produced 16 national champions and 58 wrestlers who won All-American honors. Patten wrestled at East Waterloo High School, placing fourth in the 1955 state meet, and for Bill Koll at UNI. He was president of both the Division I and Division II coaches associations and was chair of the NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee from 1974-1978, the only Division II coach to receive this honor. He also served as a color commentator for Iowa Public Television broadcasts from 1983 to 1986. Today, he lives in Everett, Washington. Dan Mashek did his wrestling at West Waterloo High School (for hall of famer Bob Siddens) and at UNI (for Patten), but earned his greatest fame by far as an Iowa high school coach. In fact, retiring this past season with a record of 519-105-5, he has the most dual meet wins of any coach in Iowa history. He started the program at Don Bosco of Gilbertville in 1970 and quickly made the Dons a perennial power. While there, he claimed four traditional team titles and one dual team title. He saw 20 of his wrestlers win a total of 24 individual state titles. He began coaching at North Scott in 2000 and compiled a record of 93-30. He currently lives in Eldridge. Tim Kreiger was a three-time state champion at Mason City High School who became a four-time All-American at Iowa State University. He claimed two NCAA titles, in 1987 and '89, and won four Big Eight championships at 150 pounds. He was also second in 1988 and fifth in 1986 at the NCAA tournament. His overall record of 116-3-2 is one of the best in the history of Iowa colleges. He lives in Minneapolis, where he works in the financial industry. Duane Goldman was a four-time Big Ten champion and four-time NCAA finalist at the University of Iowa, winning the 190-pound NCAA title in 1986. His overall record of 132-10 ranks tenth on the all-time Hawkeye career win percentage. A two-time state champion in Colorado, Goldman was an assistant coach under Joe McFarland at Indiana University before being named the head coach in 1992. His 2005 Hoosier team placed ninth in the NCAA race, his highest finish as head coach. Mike Van Arsdale placed sixth, third and first at the NCAA meet while wearing the cardinal and gold for Iowa State. His individual title came at 167 pounds in 1988. He made several international freestyle teams and won a gold medal at the 1997 World Cup. He also posted a victory over a young Cyclone star named Cael Sanderson in the 2000 Olympic trials in Dallas. A graduate of West Waterloo High School, he was state champion in 1982. Van Arsdale has earned fame as a mixed martial artist and today runs a kids wrestling program in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information on the 2008 coaches clinic and hall of fame inductions, check the museum's web site at www.wrestlingmuseum.org, or call the museum at 319-233-0745, and ask for Kyle Klingman or Kent Sesker.

Before Phil Davis, Kerry McCoy, Joe Williams, T.J. Williams, Lee Kemp, Jimmy Jackson, Bobby Douglas, Joe James or Simon Roberts wrestled a single match, there was Harold Henson, who led the way for these men to become wrestling champs simply by stepping out onto the mat at the 1949 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Harold HensonThe 136-pounder from San Diego State University didn't win a national title that year … and, in fact, lost his opening-round match. However, as the first Black wrestler to compete at a national collegiate wrestling championship, Harold Henson made it possible for generations of wrestlers to step up to success in wrestling in high school, college and international competition. First, a bit of a history lesson: The 1949 NCAAs were just two years after Jackie Robinson became the first Black to compete in Major League Baseball … but five years before the Supreme Court ruled that "separate but equal" segregated public schools were unconstitutional … and eight years before Simon Roberts of the University of Iowa became the first Black wrestler to win an individual national collegiate wrestling championship, claiming the 147-pound title at the 1957 NCAAs at the University of Pittsburgh. (Click HERE to read a profile on Simon Roberts.) In fact, until the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma reported Harold Henson's pioneering status in their press materials for Black History Month in February 2008, it was generally assumed that the first college matmen of color made their appearance in the mid 1950s … including Simon Roberts, Ellie Watkins for the Iowa State Cyclones, and Kent State's Clarence McNair. Starting in San Diego In the 1940s and 50s, young black athletes were often dissuaded from competing in contact sports such as football and wrestling. (This fact is borne out by looking at team photos from high school and college yearbooks of the era.) Yet this was not the case with Harold Henson. Born on the Choctaw reservation in Oklahoma (his mother was a Native American) in 1923, Harold Henson and his family first moved to Dixon, Illinois (boyhood home of President Ronald Reagan), then, during the depths of the Great Depression, headed back across the country to San Diego, California. Harold was introduced to organized wrestling at San Diego High School (also the alma mater for two-time NCAA heavyweight champ and 1999 world freestyle super-heavyweight champ, Stephen Neal). "I had been born premature, and had pneumonia when I was young, which made me somewhat scrawny," recalls Harold Henson. "My older brother Al got me interested in wrestling in high school, wrestling for coach Frank Crosby. I weighed just 80 pounds, but it helped to make me stronger, healthier." Harold Henson at 3 years old"When I went to San Diego State, student coach Armando Rodriguez kept me involved in the sport, encouraged Al and me to work out." "Back then, State didn't provide much financial backing to the program, hence our having a fellow student as our coach. Harry Broadbent was later brought on as a full-time coach, and really developed the program." "We participated in tournaments all over the west coast," Harold continues. "I even wrestled at the 1948 U.S. Olympic Trials in Ames, Iowa at Iowa State University." The road to the 1949 NCAAs According to a March 1949 issue of The Daily Aztec, the San Diego State student newspaper, "Aztec grapplers wrenched the CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association) conference wrestling championship from San Jose State's lofty brow…" winning five of eight individual titles, and placing second in two other weight classes in the Aztec's home gym at San Diego State. The story continues, "Aztec Hal Henson recorded the only fall of the tourney by pinning finalist Jesse Martinez in 2:43 for the 136-pound title." In the preview for the trip to the 1949 national championships, the paper reports, "Though the Aztecs are far from favorites in the two-day annual skirmish, by virtue of the terrific competition furnished by Cornell (College) of Iowa (1947 national champ) and Oklahoma A&M (now Oklahoma State), the defending titlist, they are not to be overlooked. Winners of the highly regarded CCAA wrestling crown for three consecutive years, the Aztecs have also captured the UCLA Invitational, the Marine Corps Invitational, and mythical divisional championships for the Olympic tryouts last year." "Heavyweight Don Arnold, Rigo Rodriguez, and Harold Henson are rated as top contenders in their respective weight classes by (student coach) 'Shadow' Rodriguez …" Harold Henson"In one of the toughest weights there is, the Aztecs are represented by 136-pound Harold Henson. The 1946 European Area Army champ, Henson is rated as the best pound-for-pound grappler at State." Armed with the CCAA title, eight of the San Diego State wrestlers headed east on a "two-stop barnstorming tour" (to use the student newspaper's words)… first, for a dual meet at the University of Wyoming in Laramie, then at the 1949 NCAAs held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins on March 25-26. The wrestlers piled into two cars -- a 1949 Ford, and a '49 Mercury -- and made the trip to the Rocky Mountains. "We usually traveled that way," recalls Harold Henson. "We stopped every once in a while along the way," Harold adds. "We'd get out of the car and run for a while. It helped us keep our weight down, avoid being cramped up, and stay in shape." At the 1949 NCAAs According to Jay Hammond's The History of Collegiate Wrestling, the 1949 NCAAs welcomed 118 wrestlers from thirty-four schools. (By comparison, recent NCAAs have featured about 330 athletes.) It was the first nationals to be held in the Rocky Mountain region. There were twelve men in Harold Henson's bracket -- the 136-pound weight class -- at the 1949 NCAAs. The SDSU wrestler was unseeded, while 1947 champ Lowell Lange of Cornell College of Iowa was the top seed, and defending champ Dick Dickenson of Michigan State was seeded second. Don MeekerHarold drew a bye in the first round. In the second, he went up against Oklahoma State's Don Meeker. The fourth-seeded Cowboy got a 7-3 win over the Aztec grappler. Harold's first match at the 1949 NCAAs was also his last. Back then, a wrestler who lost in the second round did not make it into the consolation bracket, so, Henson did not have the opportunity to place. (Sixty years ago, only the top four placers in each weight class earned All-American honors. In the 136-pound finals, Lange shut out Dickenson 6-0 to win his second title.) Harold Henson was in good company; The Daily Aztec reported that none of the San Diego State wrestlers won a match at the 1949 NCAAs. Historical perspective Wrestling fans attending the national championships at Colorado State that year may not have realized the historical significance of the event as the first time a Black wrestler had competed at in the nearly twenty-year history of the NCAAs. At the time, the seemingly most significant match of the 1949 NCAAs was the heavyweight title bout, which, after ending in a tie in regulation, the University of Minnesota's Verne Gagne was awarded the title on a controversial referee's decision over two-time champ Dick Hutton of Oklahoma State, based on a few seconds' riding time advantage. Despite Hutton's loss, the Cowboys still won the team title, and their 128-pounder Charles Hetrick claimed Outstanding Wrestler honors. The question of racism has to come up for the man who was the first Back to wrestle at the collegiate nationals… especially in light of the incident at the 2008 NCAAs when someone in the crowd yelled a racial slur when Penn State's Phil Davis celebrated winning the 197-pound title as the first Black wrestler to win a national collegiate crown since 2005. "There were only two times I experienced racism directly connected to my wrestling career at San Diego," Harold Henson recalls. "Two restaurants refused to serve me and my brother. When this happened, our coach immediately took the team out of the restaurant." "I never ran into any bigotry in all my wrestling experience. I don't recall any opponent forfeiting a match because of my skin color." You're in the Army now … and again Harold Henson's time at San Diego State -- and his college wrestling experience -- was bracketed by military service. Harold Henson met the woman who would become his wife, Ilse, while serving in Germany with the ArmyHe was inducted into the Army in March 1943 -- at the height of World War II. Harold Henson served in Germany … where he met the woman who would become his wife, Ilse. "We married 61 years ago," says Harold. "I had to leave Germany because of an Army circular -- regulations -- that required Army personnel who married Germans to leave the country." "They put me in the U.S. south. I was mistreated there, and wanted out, and, in fact, got out of the Army in July 1947." "I got my degree in education from San Diego State in 1950." "After college, I went back into the Army, served in Korea, and earned a bronze star for doing my job." "I continued wrestling in the Army, winning the All-Army championship in the 136-pound weight class in 1957." "I retired in 1970 as colonel, after twenty-six years of service. When I retired, I earned the Legion of Merit medal. I'm most proud of that -- and the bronze star from Korea." Continuing to serve Upon leaving the Army, Harold Henson didn't hit the shuffleboard court for a relaxed retirement. Instead, he immediately went to work in the Washington, D.C. government, where he worked directly with three mayors in various capacities for twenty-one years, retiring as Deputy Director of Public Works in 1991. Harold Henson was a colonel in the Army and served 26 years. When he retired, he earned the Legion of Merit medal"I was on call twenty-four hours a day," Harold says. "It was a key position." "The city was controlled by Congress. If you needed funding for a specific project, you had to go to the Hill. I had to work in and around Congress. I was able to use my experience in the Army to understand the complex operations of Congress and get things done." 2014 update At the time of the interview, Harold and Ilse were enjoying their golden years in the military retirement community at Fort Belvoir in Virginia, just outside Washington, D.C. "It's great. We don't go by rank here," said Henson in 2008. On Jan. 11, 2014, Harold Henson passed away at the Fairfax Military Officers Retirement Village in Virginia. He was 90. In the seven-plus decades since the 1949 NCAAs, more than 50 African-Americans have won individual NCAA wrestling titles. From Simon Roberts in 1957 up through the latest champs, all owe a debt of gratitude to the man who was the first Black to wrestle at the nationals: Harold Henson. To read more about some of the other Black pioneers of amateur wrestling, Click HERE. Thanks to San Diego State University and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum for providing reference materials for this story.

After a season that saw them go 14-7 in dual meets, place second at the Big Ten Championships and notch their 12th straight top-10 finish at the NCAA Championships, the 2007-08 Golden Gopher wrestling team officially wrapped up its season Sunday night. Minnesota held its team banquet at the Radisson University Hotel on campus and announced team awards for the recently-completed season. Earning the Most Valuable and Most Falls awards was sophomore Jayson Ness. Ness enjoyed an outstanding year for the Gophers, finishing with a 39-2 overall record (21-0 in dual meets) and placing second at both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. At the national tournament, Ness notched two pins to tie Marty Morgan's single-season pins record of 20 and now has 35 falls in his two years of competition for Minnesota. Senior Manuel Rivera was named the team's Most Exciting Wrestler after a season that saw him go 34-9 and place second at the Big Ten Championships. Rivera was also one of four Gophers to become All-Americans at the 2008 NCAA Championships, placing seventh at 141 pounds. Earning Verne Gagne Leadership Awards were seniors Mack Reiter and C.P. Schlatter, while seniors Roger Kish (Fraser Dean Most Courageous), Justin Bronson (Most Dedicated) and Gabe Dretsch (Chris Berglin Most Improved) also were honored. Heavyweight Ben Berhow was named the team's Most Outstanding Freshman of 2007-08 after a year that saw him place sixth at his first-ever Big Ten Championships to qualify for nationals in St. Louis. Four Gophers – Ness (second at 125 pounds), Reiter (fifth at 133), Rivera (seventh at 141) and Dustin Schlatter (seventh at 149) were honored for their All-American finishes at this year's NCAA tournament. 2007-08 Minnesota Gopher Wrestling Team Awards First Year 'M' Club Letterwinners Ben Berhow Scott Glasser Jake Mellmer Luke Mellmer Joe Nord Brandon Sitch Underclassmen Letterwinners- (3rd year winners) Tyler Safratowich Dustin Schlatter Freshman Academic Award Brian Peterson Upperclassmen Academic Award Jeremy Larson Chris McPhail Jayson Ness C.P. Schlatter Jason Waidzulis Most Outstanding Freshman Ben Berhow Most Dedicated Justin Bronson Chris Berglin Most Improved Gabe Dretsch Most Exciting Wrestler Manuel Rivera Fraser Dean Most Courageous Roger Kish Verne Gagne Leadership Award Mack Reiter C.P. Schlatter Most Falls Jayson Ness Most Valuable Wrestler Jayson Ness Senior Awards Justin Bronson Gabe Dretsch Dan Jackson Roger Kish Mitch Kuhlman Jeremy Larson Mack Reiter Manuel Rivera C.P. Schlatter Jason Waidzulis All-American Awards Jayson Ness (125 – 2nd Place) Mack Reiter (133 – 5th Place) Manuel Rivera (141 – 7th Place) Dustin Schlatter (149 – 7th Place)

The annual University of Northern Iowa wrestling awards banquet is scheduled for Sat., April 19, at the McLeod Center Alumni Suite. The banquet will get underway at 4 p.m., with a cost of $15 per person. All Panther wrestling supporters are encouraged to attend this gala event which will feature excellent food and fellowship. Parking is available on the west side of the McLeod Center. Attendees can enter the McLeod Center through the Eldon Miller Plaza area. For more information please contact the UNI wrestling office at 319-273-6341.

EDMOND, Okla. -- Nebraska-Kearney heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev has been named the 2007-08 NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year after an undefeated season capped by a national finals victory that catapulted the Lopers to their first-ever team title. Dlagnev becomes the inaugural winner of the award, sponsored by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association and voted on by eight regional representatives from around the country. Each of the four regions nominated a candidate, with West Region nominee Dlagnev receiving seven first-place votes and finishing with 31 points to beat runner-up Kyle Evans of Central Oklahoma and the Midwest Region. Minnesota State-Mankato's Jason Rhoten was the North Region representative and Dan Scanlan of Limestone the East nominee. Dlagnev, a native of Arlington, Texas, went a perfect 38-0 this season with 16 falls, six major decisions and five technical falls. He captured his second straight national championship with a 4-1 finals win over Central Oklahoma's Dustin Finn that enabled UNK to edge MSU-Mankato by a mere half-point for the team crown. A four-time West Region champion, Dlagnev finished with a school-record 167 wins. He put together a phenomenal 167-19 career record that included 55 falls, 38 major decisions and 10 technical falls and he was 87-1 his last two years. Dlagnev became just the fourth four-time All-American in UNK history with national tournament finishes of sixth-second-first-first. Also a four-time Wrestling Coaches All-Academic pick, Dlagnev was selected for the 2008 NWCA All-Star Classic and will continue his wrestling career on the international level. He was a fourth-place finisher in the Senior Men's Freestyle Division at the U.S. National Championships in 2007 and won the prestigious Sunkist Kids International Open last fall.

NORMAN, Okla.-- The Oklahoma Sooners held their annual banquet to end the season at the Postal Training Service Center in Norman Friday night. Oklahoma ended the 2008 campaign with a 14-5 overall record and a 39th place finish at the NCAA's in St. Louis, Mo. "Although we didn't have a lot of celebrate in terms of how we finished the season, this was still a great night," head coach Jack Spates said. "We celebrated this evening these kids' spirits, dreams and hard work." Senior Joshua Weitzel was honored with the most outstanding wrestler award, ending the season with a 26-5 record at 184 pounds. The Lincoln University, Pa., native ended his Sooner career as a three-time NCAA qualifier and a two-time Big 12 All-Academic team honoree. The Jimmy White award, given to a select wrestler on the basis of athletic ability, team contribution, individual achievement and team spirit went to redshirt freshman Zack Bailey. The Kansas City, Mo., native ended the 2008 season with a 28 victories at 141 pounds, a team high. Joey Fio was awarded the outstanding freshman award after advancing to the NCAA Championships in his first year as a Sooner at 125 pounds. Fio's season highlight included a victory over reigning national champion Paul Danohoe of Nebraska. He ended his opening season in Norman with a 20-10 record. Jeff James from El Reno, Okla., was then handed the most improved wrestler honor. James, wrestling at 174 pounds, won his first 11 matches on the year and garnered an 18-7 overall record before a season-ending injury versus Cal Poly on Feb. 15. Senior Max Dean, a three-time NCAA qualifier, ended the night by receiving the outstanding scholar athlete award. The three-time Academic All-American from Cincinnati, Ohio, ended the year with a 19-11 record at 165 pounds. The Sooner coaching staff also recognized the 2008 lettermen, as well as departing seniors in Weitzel, Dean, Brad Farmer, Blake Allen and two-time All-American Joel Flaggert. 2008 Awards: Outstanding Wrestler of the Year: Joshua Weitzel Jimmy White Award: Zack Bailey Outstanding Freshman: Joey Fio Most Improved: Jeff James Outstanding Scholar Athlete: Max Dean

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Penn State Wrestling Club held its annual awards banquet on Sunday at the Nittany Lion Inn, and senior Phil Davis (Harrisburg, Pa.) was honored as the team's Most Outstanding Wrestler, capping a stellar career that saw the Harrisburg native cement his place in Penn State's history books. A number of Nittany Lions received awards at the annual event. Davis received two awards at the banquet. He took home the William Neidig Award given to the Most Outstanding Wrestler after an outstanding senior year that saw him accomplish so much: Davis went 26-1 and ends his career with a 116-20 career record, ninth all-time at Penn State; he won the 2008 NCAA National Championship at 197 pounds, becoming PSU's 21st NCAA champ and the 18th individual to win a crown; he became only the fourth four-time All-American in Penn State's 100 years of wrestling; his 58 dual meet wins is fourth all-time; his 30 points is sixth all-time; and his 136 career matches is 20th all-time. Davis also won the Charles M. Speidel Award, given to the senior with the most career dual meet wins (58). True freshman Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J) took home the Bill Koll Award, presented to the Outstanding Freshman Wrestler. Molinaro, who redshirted this year, posted an outstanding 17-2 overall record in unattached action primarily at 141 pounds. The talented New Jersey native won three separate Open tournament titles this year. He went 4-0 in points, including one fall in just :40 seconds. He won the Kent State Open title with a perfect 5-0 mark and matched that record to win the Cleveland State Open title, too. Molinaro opened the season by going 6-0 to win the East Stroudsburg Open title back in November as well. Junior Phil Bomberger (Port Royal, Pa.) claimed the Kaye Vinson Award, presented to the Most Improved Wrestler. Bomberger entered the season hoping to keep his spot as Penn State's 184 pounder and ended it with his first ever trip to the NCAA Championships. Bomberger went 19-10 this year, including a 12-5 mark in dual meets and a superb 5-2 record in Big Ten duals. He was ranked among the nation's top 20 all season long and placed fifth at the Big Ten Championships. Senior Tim Haas (Camp Hill, Pa.) was honored with the Larry Reilly Courage Award, for showcasing courage in wrestling to the betterment of his team and teammates. Haas, a co-captain on this year's squad, battled injuries for the third time in five seasons at Penn State. The Camp Hill native injured his knee in Penn State's season-opening dual but battled back to return to action on January 4 in Penn State's centennial win over Cornell. Haas ended the year with a 7-15 record and posted a solid 3-5 mark in Big Ten duals. The fifth-year senior has petitioned the NCAA for a sixth year in light of his numerous injuries. Junior Jack Decker (Roseland, N.J.) was honored with the Eleventh Man Award, given for leadership and dedication to the total team effort. Decker emerged as one of Penn State's main reserves and saw dual meet action at 184 and 197. Decker went 15-7 overall, including claiming the 184 pound title at the Wilkes Open. He upped his career mark at Penn State to 45-37. Sophomore Bubba Jenkins (Virginia Beach, Va.) claimed the Joe Scalzo Award, presented to the Best Freestyle Wrestler. Jenkins gave early indication to what would be a stunning sophomore year at 149 when he claimed the 2007 FILA Junior World Championships in Beijing, China, during the summer leading up to the 2007-08 campaign. Jenkins' prowess in freestyle action translated well to the NCAA season as the Virginia native ended the year as the National Runner-Up at 149 pounds, wrestling in the NCAA finals in March and earning his first All-America honor. Jenkins went 26-6 in his first year at 149, including a 15-3 dual meet record and a 6-2 mark in Big Ten duals. Red-shirt freshman Nathan Andrews (Spring Mills, Pa.) was given the Academic Excellence and Community Service Award. Andrews posted a 2-7 overall record this year, getting one major decision. Andrews sports a 3.90 grade point average in Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering. Senior Eileen Gibbons (Chatham, N.J.) was honored with the Carl A. Winterburn Award, given to the manager who demonstrates year round support of the Penn State wrestling program. Gibbons is a native of Chatham, N.J., and is wrapping up her third year as a manager with the Nittany Lion wrestlers and her fourth year as a member of the Penn State Wrestling Affiliate Club. Gibbons served as Club President this year as well. Two club related awards were given as well. Betty Arnold was given the Ed Sulkowski Award and David A. Becker won the Outstanding Alumnus Award. The banquet served to honor the outstanding season that head coach Troy Sunderland and his team put forth in 2007-08. The Nittany Lions went 14-5 in dual meets and placed third in the regular season standings with a 5-3 Big Ten mark. Penn State ended the year ranked No. 6 in the USA Today/NWCA Coaches Poll for duals. Sunderland's Lions capped off a stellar season by placing third at the 2008 NCAA Championships, crowning four All-Americans, a national champion, a national runner-up and a third and fourth place finisher.

Simpson College Athletic Director John Sirianni has announced he has promoted Clint Manny to head wrestling coach. Manny replaces Ron Peterson who resigned earlier this year. Clint Manny"Clint is ready for the challenge and I'm confident he'll do a great job," Sirianni said. "He grew up in Iowa, was very successful at Simpson, and understands what it takes to succeed at the conference and national level." Peterson also said Manny is ready to lead the program. "Clint is a tremendous coach and has the vision to lead Simpson wrestling to new horizons," Peterson commented. "He was born to be a college wrestling coach. He has the tools to help these student-athletes become champions." Manny moves to head coach after serving as a member of the Simpson staff for the past three years, two of which were as the full-time assistant. Manny was a student assistant for the Storm in 2005-06 as he completed his physical education degree. Manny became the all-time winningest wrestler at Simpson when he won three matches at the 2005 NCAA Division III National Championships. Manny concluded his career with a 148-24 record, breaking the old record of 146 (146-17-1) set by Travis Young (1989-92). A three-time All-American for Simpson at 149 pounds, Manny was the national runner-up at 149 as a junior and as a senior. He spent all of his senior season ranked first in the weight class. Of his five losses as a senior (34-5), two were to wrestlers from NCAA Division I Oklahoma State including then No. 1 Zach Esposito and three were to nationally ranked Division III opponents. Manny was named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the 2004 Division III NWCA Duals. He was chosen Iowa Conference Male Athlete and Wrestler of the Week a total of four times in his career. "I am very excited for the opportunity to represent Simpson College wrestling," Manny said. "I am looking forward to helping build a program that already has a strong tradition. I had a great experience at Simpson and am committed to providing the same opportunities for future student-athletes. I would like to thank Ron for giving me the tools to succeed in the sport of wrestling over the past seven years."

MOUNT PLEASANT -- A pair of wrestlers who will be wearing maroon and gold next season claimed individual titles at the National High School Coaches Association Senior Nationals last weekend. Scotti Sentes (Fort Myers, Fla./Riverdale HS) and Ben Bennett (Rockford, Mich./Rockford HS) won titles at 125 pounds and 171 pounds, respectively. A third CMU signee, Eric Cubberly (Pemberville, Ohio/Eastwood HS) placed third at 160 pounds. Bennett was selected as the tournament's Most Outstanding Wrestler. CMU and Minnesota were the only programs to have two of their signees win individual titles at the tournament. Sentes was a four-time high school state champion and posted a career record of 213-3 with 152 pins at Riverdale High School. He recently was featured in Sports Illustrated's Faces in the Crowd. Bennett was a three-time Michigan state champion at Rockford High School. He matched Sentes with an identical 213-3 career record. Bennett recorded 125 career falls. Fans can log on to flowrestling.com for video of all of the tournament's matches and interviews with selected wrestlers. CMU finished tied for the seventh as a team at the 2008 NCAA Championships. Four Chippewas claimed All-America honors, including 197-pound national runner-up Wynn Michalak. CMU has won 10 consecutive MAC titles and seven straight conference tournament championships.

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. -- Cal Poly senior Chad Mendes has been named Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year, Boise State's Greg Randall garners Pac-10 Coach of the Year honors and Bronco protege Kirk Smith earns Pac-10 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year award, Commissioner Tom Hansen announced today. Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year: Chad Mendes, Cal Poly Mendes, a 141-pound wrestler from Hanford, Calif., will be remembered as one of the all-time greats in Mustang history after becoming the seventh Cal Poly wrestler to reach the NCAA Division I title match and the 39th All-American. His 30-1 record included an undefeated clip of dual matches, the eighth Mustang ever to finish a season unblemished in dual action. His second-place NCAA performance gave Mendes a second All-American recognition of his career. Mendes entered the Pac-10 Tournament as the heavy favorite and did not disappoint, winning the title over Arizona State's Chris Drouin. For his career, Mendes finishes with a 64-14 overall record. Pac-10 Coach of the Year: Greg Randall, Boise State Head coach Greg Randall led Boise State to its fourth Pac-10 Championship in the last eight seasons. His team earned 152.5 points at the Conference championship for the third highest point total in Pac-10 wrestling history. The team went 10-2 in dual matches including a 7-1 record in Pac-10 matches. Under the guidance of Randall, Boise State wrestlers captured two Pac-10 Conference titles (133 and 174-pounds), four second place finishes and three third place finishes. At the NCAA National Championships, Randall guided the first true freshman in Boise State history, Kirk Smith, to NCAA All-American honors. Pac-10 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year: Kirk Smith, Boise State Smith, from Boise, Idaho, became the first true freshman and the first Bronco since 2006 to earn NCAA All-American honors as he captured eighth place at the 2008 NCAA Wrestling Championships. He took second place at 184-pounds at the Pac-10 Championships, falling, 9-7, to Brent Chiswell in an extremely close title match. Was also impressive with first place finishes at the Cowboy Open and the Southern Scuffle. For the season he posted a 28-6 record, including one pin-fall and five major decisions. Past Winners: Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year 1976 Tom Brown, WASH, 158 Greg Gibson, ORE, HWT 1977 Larry Bielenberg, OSU, HWT 1978 Dan Hicks, OSU, 142 1979 Fred Bohna, UCLA, HWT 1980 Howard Harris, OSU, HWT 1981 Marty Ryan, OSU, 150 1982 Bill Nugent, ORE, 142 1983 Gary Bohay, ASU, 126 1984 Jim Baumgardner, OSU, 190 1985 Eddie Urbano, ASU, 150 1986 Adam Cohen, ASU, 150 1987 Mike Davies, ASU, 190 1988 Mike Davies, ASU, 190 1989 Dan St. John, ASU, 158 1990 Dan St. John, ASU, 167 1991 Paul Keysaw, CSUB, 190 1992 Ray Miller, ASU, 158 1993 Ray Miller, ASU, 158 1994 Babak Mohammadi, OSU, 134 1995 Les Gutches, OSU, 177 1996 Les Gutches, OSU, 177 1997 Stephen Neal, CSUB, HWT 1998 Stephen Neal, CSUB, HWT 1999 Stephen Neal, CSUB, HWT 2000 Steve Blackford, ASU, 165 2001 Eric Larkin, ASU, 141 2002 Eric Larkin, ASU, 141 2003 Eric Larkin, ASU, 149 2004 Matt Gentry, STAN , 157 2005 Cain Velasquez, ASU, HWT 2006 Ben Cherrington, BSU, 157 2007 Derek Moore, UCD, 141 2008 Chad Mendes, POLY, 141 Pac-10 Coach of the Year 1976 Dale Thomas, OSU 1977 Dale Thomas, OSU 1978 Darren Sipe, WASH 1979 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1980 Ron Finley, ORE 1981 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1982 Ron Finley, ORE 1983 Dale Thomas, OSU 1984 Dale Thomas, OSU 1985 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1986 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1987 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1988 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1989 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1990 Bobby Douglas, ASU 1991 T.J. Kerr, CSUB 1992 Mark Johnson, OSU 1993 Lee Roy Smith, ASU 1994 Joe Wells, OSU 1995 Joe Wells, OSU 1996 T.J. Kerr, CSUB 1997 T.J. Kerr, CSUB Lee Roy Smith, ASU 1998 Lee Roy Smith, ASU 1999 Mike Young, BSU 2000 Mike Young, BSU 2001 Lee Roy Smith, ASU 2002 Mike Young, BSU 2003 Thom Ortiz, ASU 2004 Steve Buddie, STAN 2005 Thom Ortiz, ASU 2006 Thom Ortiz, ASU 2007 Lennie Zalesky, UCD 2008 Greg Randall, BSU Pac-10 Freshman/Newcomer of the Year 2000 TJ Hill, CSF 2001 Jed Pennell, OSU 2002 Matt Gentry, STAN 2003 Ryan Halsey, CP 2004 Darrell Vasquez, CO 2005 Andrew Hochstrasser, BSU 2006 Tyler Sherfey, BSU 2007 Zack Giesen, STAN Brandon Halsey, CSUB 2008 Kirk Smith, BSU

Beginning in May, USA Wrestling will begin to host a series of 12 qualifiers to determine the field for the 2008 USA Wrestling Grappling World Team Trials. These USA Wrestling sanctioned qualifiers will identify the best Grapplers in the United States, and give them an opportunity to try out for the 2008 U.S. Grappling World Team, which will compete at the Grappling World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland on December 20-21. The USA Wrestling Grappling World Team Trials Qualifying Series will run from May through August, and will be placed in strategic locations around the country. The series has been designed to increase the participation level from last year, and encourage the nation's best athletes to try out for the U.S. Team. USA Wrestling has yet to determine the site and date for the 2008 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials, but it is expected to be held in September 2008. Visit TheMat.com and read the next issue of USA Wrestler for the final details on the date and location for the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials. "USA Wrestling is excited to bring this series of competitive World Team Trials Qualifying events to the Grappling community," said Jason Townsend, USA Wrestling's Manager of Developing Wrestling Styles. "We expect the nation's best Grappling athletes to attend these events, for a chance to make the U.S. World Team. Anybody who has competed in Grappling, wrestling, Jiu-jitsu or other martial arts should attend these outstanding events." In order to qualify for the 2008 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials, which is for Senior-level athletes, men must place in the top four in their weight class and women must place in the top three of their weight class. Returning 2007 U.S. World Team Trials champions automatically qualify for the 2008 U.S. World Team Trials. USA Wrestling started a Grappling program in 2007, after the international wrestling federation FILA recognized the sport as a form of wrestling. A series of qualifiers were held, and the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials were held alongside the wrestling trials events in Las Vegas, Nev. The U.S. World Team, sponsored by No Limits MMA, traveled to Antalya, Turkey and has a historic performance, coming home with all nine gold medals from the 2007 FILA World Wrestling Games. FILA has announced that the Grappling World Championships will be held separately from other styles of wrestling, in a historic event set for Dec. 20-21 in Lucerne, Switzerland. "It is our intention for Grappling to have its own independent World Championships which will spotlight this new style," said Jean-Francois Court, Executive Director of the FILA World Grappling Committee. "Last year, we used the World Wrestling Games as our de facto World Championships because of the time constraints we faced in organizing the event. So, this will be our first World Championships where Grappling is on its own." Several of the nation's top Grappling teams have already committed to taking part in the process of entering the Grappling World Team Trials Qualifying Series. "I look forward to Cobra Kai Jiu-jitsu competing in these events," said Grappling legend Marc Laimon. "We expect to improve on last years' performance and really plan to step up our training to prepare specifically for these events. I want to dominate the World Team Trials and get my guys on the World Team and make the trip to Switzerland and come back with some gold medals." Events will be held in California, Colorado, Maryland, Texas, New York, Virginia, Illinois, Florida, Nevada, Hawaii and Oregon. The first and the final qualifying events will be hosted at No Limits MMA, USA Wrestling's National Training Center for Grappling and Sombo. All athletes must have a USA Wrestling membership and be U.S. citizens to be eligible to compete in the Grappling World Team Trials Qualifying Series as well as the U.S. Grappling World Team Trials. You can purchase a USA Wrestling membership on www.themat.com. Athletes can pre-register and pay their $50 entry fee for these Qualifying events at www.TrackWrestling.com starting April 14th. On-site late registration will cost $75, so all are encouraged to pre-register. For more information on the 2008 World Team Trials Qualifying Series contact Jason Townsend at (719) 598-8181 or jtownsend@usawrestling.org USA Wrestling's Grappling World Team Trials Qualifying Series Saturday, May 10 Southern California Regional Qualifier, No Limits MMA, Irvine, CA Contact: Chris Carlino at (714) 334-9257 E-mail: chriscarlino@mac.com Saturday, May 17 Rocky Mountain Regional Qualifier, Massari Arena, Pueblo, CO Contact: Troy Rutz at (303) 815-2306 E-mail: troy.rutz@dcsdk12.org Sunday, May 18 Mason Dixon Regional Qualifier, Rising Sun High School, North East, MD Contact: Will Townsend at (757)450-7469 E-mail: vausagrappling@yahoo.com Saturday, May 31 Southern Plains Regional Qualifier, Dollamur Sport Surfaces, Fort Worth, TX Contact: Scott Templeton at (888) 628-7655 E-mail: scott@dollamur.com Saturday, May 31 Northeast Regional Qualifier, Phoenix High School, Phoenix, NY Contact: Gene Mills at 315 652-7922 E-mail: pin2win@genemills.com Saturday, June 7 Middle Atlantic Regional Qualifier, Phoebus High School, Hampton, VA Contact: Will Townsend at (757) 450-7469 E-mail: vausagrappling@yahoo.com Saturday, June 21 Midwest Regional Qualifier, Wright College, Chicago, IL Contact: Joe Manzello at (630) 495-9717 E-mail: jmanzello@theolympiancentre.com Saturday, June 28 Southeast Regional Qualifier, River Ridge Middle School, New Port Richey, FL Contact: Russ Schenk at (727) 992-7229 E-mail: rschenk@pasco.k12.fl.us Saturday, June 28 Southwest Regional Qualifier, Throwdown Training Facility, Las Vegas, NV Contact: Scott Bieri at (702) 340-0484 E-mail: scott@ckjj.com Sunday, July 13 Hawaiian Islands Regional Qualifier, Neal S. Blaisdell Center, Honolulu, HI Contact: Bryan Sanders at (808) 688-3962 E-mail: bdshawaii@hotmail.com Saturday, July 19 Northwest Regional Qualifier, Parkrose High School, Portland, OR Contact: Scott McKendry at (503) 661-4134 E-mail: scottm@tqmma.com Saturday, August 23 Last Chance Qualifier, No Limits MMA, Irvine, CA Contact: Chris Carlino at (714) 334-9257 E-mail: chriscarlino@mac.com

Lincoln -- The Big 12 Conference has named Nebraska Head Coach Mark Manning the 2008 Big 12 Coach of the Year, the league office announced today. Manning, in his eighth year at NU, has led the Huskers to new heights, particularly during the 2007-08 season. Manning has accrued a 109-42-2 record in duals, including 14-3 and 3-1 in the Big 12 last season. Under Manning, the Huskers nearly went undefeated in the conference for the first time in their 98-year history. The year's highlights include a second-place finish at the National Duals in January before defeating Oklahoma State for just the third time in school history on Jan. 20. Manning also collected his 100th career dual win at Nebraska against Northern Colorado. Manning balanced that regular season success with an impressive run in the postseason. The Huskers finished second at the 2008 Big 12 Championships, matching their best finish as a team and earning 62.5 points in the process, their most ever. The team capped its season with a fourth-place showing at the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, its highest showing since 1993. The Huskers crowned five All-Americans, the most in a single year at NU for Manning, and the most for Nebraska since 1995. Manning has coached 22 Huskers to All-America status and led NU to four top-10 team finishes. The award is decided by a vote of the conference coaches. This is the first conference honor for Manning.

After not having any Pac-10 All-Academic honorees for the 2006-07 season, the Viking wrestling program had a trio of sophomores earn All-Academic accolades, Monday. Steven Dailey, the 157-pound grappler, was named to the first team, 285-pound wrestler Zack Smith earned second-team honors, and 197-pound Keena Washington nabbed honorable mention accolades. Dailey had an overall record of 1-6 this past season. His win came at the hands of Weston Blasius of South Dakota State, 4-1. Dailey has the highest GPA on the Pac-10 All-Academic roster with a perfect 4.0 (on a 4.0 scale). The Tulsa, Okla. native is majoring in Science. He is the son of Rick and Marilyn Dailey. Smith wrestled in every 285-pound match this past season and tallied a 6-20 record. He has earned a 3.56 GPA, while majoring in Criminology & Criminal Justice. The Graham, Wash. native is the son of Michael Smith and Kim Goddard. Washington managed a 2-10 record in 2008. His two wins came while he was competing at the Cal State-Fullerton Open. He defeated Arizona's Kevin Gressley and Pima CC's Nicholas Richardson. Washington has earned a 3.14 GPA in School Health. Keena is from Lakewood, Wash. and is the son of Crosby and Kyong Washington. To be eligible for the Pac-10 All-Academic selection, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and be either a starter or significant contributor.

With the 2007-08 wrestling season officially at an end, Stanford can look back on one of its most successful years in history. In the course of the season, the Cardinal squad won 13 duals, posted its highest Pac-10 finish in school history, its second-highest national finish and sent a program-best five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Stanford opened its season with an impressive showing in the Midwest, beating Fort Hays State in its first dual meet before having four placers and two champions at the Central Missouri Open. Over the remainder of the preseason, nine more wrestlers placed and senior Tanner Gardner won two more 125-pound titles, including one in a field of ten ranked wrestlers at the Las Vegas Invitational. At the Reno Tournament of Champions, senior Josh Zupancic became the fifth wrestler in school history to reach 100 wins. At the start of the new year, Stanford headed east to compete in five duals in a three-day span. The Cardinal won four of them, and capped the weekend with its first shutout in recorded history, a 52-0 demolition of Wagner at the New York Athletic Club. When the Pac-10 season began in mid-January, Stanford already had six wins and was racing towards one of its best dual records in history. The Cardinal matched its win total from the previous two seasons (8) with an exciting win over Cal State Bakersfield on Jan. 24, and tied its second-highest dual win total in school history (10) the very next day with wins over Menlo College and Portland State. The team continued to run, and capped its regular-season with the program's first-ever win over Arizona State on Feb. 17. The victory boosted Stanford's win total to 13, the most in over three decades, and the second most in school history. On Mar. 2, ten Cardinal wrestlers began competition at the Pac-10 Championships in Eugene, Ore. Nine of the competitors placed, and the team edged defending conference champion Oregon State for the runner-up spot, the highest Pac-10 finish is school history. Gardner pinned two opponents and beat a top-20 wrestler in the title match to become the Cardinal's first back-to-back conference champion in more than two decades. In his second bout, the senior shattered two program records in one fell swoop, pinning Marcos Orozco of UC Davis to best both the school's career win record and single-season pin record. At the conclusion of the tournament, the senior was named the event's Most Outstanding Wrestler. Three Stanford wrestlers earned automatic bids to the NCAA Championships, and two more were awarded a Pac-10 wildcard spot. With five wrestlers earning a spot at NCAAs, Stanford matched the most in program history, a feat the Cardinal has now accomplished four times. A number of other accomplishments followed at the national championships. Luke Feist and Zack Giesen won their first NCAA matches, and Giesen upended the first ranked opponent of his career. Lucas Espericueta ended his rookie season as the fourth winningest freshman in school history with 25 wins. Zupancic topped three consecutive ranked opponents to advance to the national semifinals at 157 pounds. The senior finished sixth nationally to garner his second consecutive All-America honor and become just the third wrestler in school history to earn multiple All-America honors. He finished his career with 120 wins, the third highest total in program history. Gardner took fifth nationally at 125 pounds and became the school's first three-time All-American. He continued to build on his school win record, finishing with a program-best 145 career wins. Gardner also became the first Cardinal wrestler to post more than one 40-win season, and broke his own single-season win record in his final collegiate match (43 wins). As a team, Stanford took 19th nationally, matching its second-highest national finish in school history and just its third all-time top-20 finish. For just the third time in program history and the second time in two years, Stanford produced two All-Americans in the same season. Owning two of the conference's four All-Americans, the Cardinal's 19th place finish was the best in the Pac-10. All in all, Gardner won four titles and placed in every tournament he competed in, leading a combined 28 tournament placers and five tournament champions on the year. As a team, Stanford wrestlers combined to win 289 matches, pin 64 opponents and beat 13 ranked individuals. The squad now bids farewell to two of the best wrestlers in school history, but the landmarks the Cardinal reached this season are merely a starting point for next year. "We had an incredible year," says Head Coach Kerry McCoy. "A lot of records were broken, a lot of standards were raised and we're very happy about that. Although there was some disappointment, when you step back and look at what we accomplished - two All-Americans, finishing second at Pac-10s, nine conference placers, 13 dual wins, five NCAA qualifiers, a top-20 NCAA finish – it's all pretty good. We have a lot of good, young guys coming back, as well as three NCAA qualifiers, which gives us a great mixture of experience and youth. We look forward to having a good summer and will pick up where we left off."

DES MOINES, IA -- The accolades keep coming for the NCAA and Big Ten Champion University of Iowa wrestling team. Iowa Governor Chet Culver will proclaim Thursday (April 3rd), "University of Iowa Wrestling Day" in the state of Iowa. The recognition will come in a ceremony at 4 p.m. that day in the Governor's office at the State Capitol in Des Moines. The entire Hawkeye squad has been invited to participate in the ceremony. Iowa won its 21st NCAA title - the first for Head Coach Tom Brands and the first for the Hawkeyes since 2000 - and crowned two individual champions and seven all-Americans at the 2008 national tournament in St. Louis two weeks ago. Brands was named National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) and Big Ten Coach of the Year this season. Senior 165-pounder Mark Perry won his second national title at the event, becoming Iowa's 14th two-time NCAA champion. He also earned his fourth-all-America honor, becoming Iowa's 17th four-time all-American. Sophomore 149-pounder Brent Metcalf was Iowa's other NCAA champion, earning his first all-America honor and ending the season on a 32-match winning streak. Metcalf earned the Dan Hodge trophy last week, which is annually presented to the nation's top collegiate wrestler. Iowa's lone Big Ten champion, Metcalf was named Outstanding Wrestler at the NCAA and Big Ten Championships, and at the Division I NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals. He was also named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year. The NCAA title capped off a strong season for the Hawkeye wrestling team. The squad won Iowa's 32nd Big Ten title - the first for Brands - at the conference championships in Minneapolis at the beginning of March. The Hawkeyes won the Big Ten regular season title with a perfect 8-0 conference record, while posting a 21-1 overall dual record. Iowa won its last 14 dual matches.

William Penn University Athletics Director Greg Hafner has announced the hiring of Eric Reed as head wrestling coach. Eric ReedReed served as an assistant coach in the program this past year, helping the team to a 3-2 dual record and a 15th-place finish at the NAIA National Tournament. He guided three individuals to All-American status, while two wrestlers claimed Central Regional Tournament crowns. Reed, who came to Penn after being the head coach at Central from 2004 to the summer of 2007, also skippered the Wabash (Ind.) program from 2002 to 2004. At Wabash, he guided one All-American as well as helping the squad finish second at the Midwest Regional Tournament in 2004, the highest team finish in 18 years. He has also been an assistant coach at the high school level. A 1994 graduate of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a degree in biology, Reed extended his education to a graduate program, also at UW-La Crosse, earning his master's in science and sport science-pedagogy in 2000. While at UW-La Crosse, Reed also succeeded on the mat, garnering All-American honors twice. He has also organized and instructed various camps throughout the Midwest and has competed for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club as well.

This week we return to our home based Brute Adidas studios in Des Moines for a fantastic show. We were happy to broadcast the AAU Iowa kids Folk style Tournament with a record number of fans in attendance and a record number of listeners. Wrestling in unbelievable. This week on TDR: Brent Metcalf - U of Iowa,2007/08 NCAA Champion and his father Tom Metcalf (Metcalf Electric) join us to discuss Brent's youth, his HS and Collegiate run and his recent incredible season. He is this years recipient of the coveted Hodge award. Congrats! What lies next for this NCAA Champion? Tune in and find out. Tanner Gardner - Stanford's all-time winningest wrestler and first three-time All-American. After placing eighth and seventh in his previous two trips, the Kansas native placed fifth at 125 pounds for coach Kerry McCoy and the Cardinal. With 145 wins, Gardner has set the standard for excellence at Stanford. Jordan Cronin - This our first Resilite Focus on a High School Athlete Kahlil Gibran stated, "Progress lies not in enhancing what is, but in advancing what will be." Incline Kids Wrestling Club athlete Jordan Cronin certainly continues to progress remarked Incline Kids Wrestling Coach Tony Guerra. "When Jordan steps out onto the mat, he has a plan, he has a purpose. Most importantly though he has the guts to dream big and do the work that it takes to live his dream." Cronin, a 6'4" 260 pound Nevada sophomore and 2008 Nevada Union FS/GR Tourney Champion. Cronin is actively working toward his goal of wrestling in college and tournaments such as the highly competitive Nevada Union Tourney serve to help him prepare for this summers USA Wrestling Freestyle and Greco-Roman National Championships. Held in Fargo North Dakota July 17-26 2008, the tournament is regarded is a showcase of the nations most talented wrestlers. Cronin the 2x defending state champion in the heavyweight division will compete head to head with our nations best and most competitive athletes for all American status and a national title. Cronin, at 16 years old, will likely be one of the youngest athletes to compete in the "Junior Division" which is generally populated by 17 and 18 year olds. Asked how he feels about the opportunity to compete at a higher level, "I feel I've got a lot to give. I feel good about raising the bar." Cronin replied. "We should welcome the chance to challenge ourselves if we want to excel." Cung Le - MMA Sensation. Star of Elite XC, Showtime and CBS TV joins us to discuss his recent victory over legendary MMA star Frank Shamrock. What's in store for this quiet, well spoken very nice young man? Practice, practice and more training. Not many people gave him credit in the fight against Shamrock but Le stayed true to his game and like a spider drew Frank in to his web of high kicks and hard punches. Le has a tremendous wrestling background as most MMA stars do but his ground game is not one to mess with. When GSP was on the show 3 weeks ago he predicted (off air) that Le would win based on leg striking alone. This has not been a good month for the Shamrock brothers with Ken loosing to a relatively unknown fighter only weeks ago. Jordan Leen - Only the second NCAA champion in history from the state of Tennessee, Leen rode an improbable wave to the NCAA championship from the #8 seed. He beat top-seeded Gregor Gillespie of Edinboro, #12 Josh Zupancic of Stanford and #2 Mike Poeta of Illinois to claim the title at 157 pounds. Phil "P-Diddy" Davis - NCAA Champion for Penn State. The senior made two NCAA finals and placed at the tournament four times after a high school career that only found him placing fourth as his highest state accolade. Never a district or state champion, Davis became one of four four-time All-Americans this season. His unorthodox style made him fun to watch and Davis always rose to the occasion for big matches. He can put up points in a hurry. Josh Zupancic - Two-time All-American from wrestling powerhouse Walsh Jesuit High School in Ohio. Zupancic left Big Ten country in the Midwest for a gig at Stanford. Under Kerry McCoy, Zupancic placed twice at the NCAA tournament. Zupancic joins teammate Tanner Gardner and former wrestler Chris Horpel and the program's only two-time All-Americans. Zupancic finished seventh last year.