InterMat Staff

This week we'll be LIVE from our fashionable Brute Adidas Studios at 9:06 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST. Great guests, great topics and wrestling. Join us won't you? Takedownradio.com This week we'll be joined in studio by Boxing promoter Paul Scieszinski and new Van Meter HS Head Wrestling Coach Dustin Wright. Recently the wrestling community got together and raised the funds and the awareness of the need to have wrestling at Van Meter HS west of Des Moines, Iowa. This week on TDR: CD Mock- Tarheel's Head Coach. North Carolina's eight-man wrestling recruiting class has been ranked No. 17 nationally in this year's InterMat Division I recruiting class rankings. Additionally, the Tar Heels were recognized as one of only five programs for making a "notable move" in their recruiting efforts. Dan Wirnsberger-we'll head to Lewisburg, PA to talk with the Bison Head Coach. Bucknell Wrestling Announced Incoming Recruits for 2008-09 Eight Individuals Comprise Wirnsberger's Third Recruiting Class. The Bison will welcome eight newcomers to the squad for the 2008-09 season. This class is comprised of student-athletes from five different states, including three from Pennsylvania, two from New Jersey and one each from New York, Ohio and Virginia. said Wirnsberger. "It is a talented group, but more importantly, these young men are scholar-athletes. They understand the importance of higher education and the commitment needed to reach their individual athletic goals. I look forward to the development process." Kim Couture- Great competitor, mother, business woman and Wife of Legendary Randy "The Natural" Couture makes her return to TDR. We'll talk about relating to a man as driven as Randy. We'll discuss the new book, the expansion of the Xtreme Couture Training and Gym properties and Kim's future as a pro fighter who's record sits at 1-1. What's next for Kim? Eric Guerrero- 3 X NCAA champion, 2004 Olympian Eric Guerrero is in his fifth year on the Oklahoma State wrestling staff. Eric has been a key figure in four of the Cowboys' NCAA team championships and five of OSU's Big 12 team championships. Guerrero joined the staff as a strength and conditioning coach in 2000-01. His contributions helped prepare Oklahoma State for NCAA team championships in 2003 and 2004. Promoted into the position of assistant coach following the 2004 season the Cowboys won their third and fourth consecutive NCAA team titles with Guerrero on board in 2005 and 2006. Guerrero coached 2007 NCAA Coleman Scott, 2006 NCAA champions Johny Hendricks and Jake Rosholt, 2005 NCAA Zack Esposito, Hendricks, Chris Pendleton, Rosholt and Steve Mocco Johnny Thompson and Rosholt and 2004 NCAA individual champion Pendleton. Jared Shaw- EliteXC Vice President and match maker will join us to discuss coming events and what to expect from Kimbo. Jared Hamman needed less than one full round to avenge the only loss of his career -- a disputed 15-second stoppage at the hands of Poai Suganuma four months ago. Hamman weathered Suganuma's quick start in the rematch and made his move midway through the first round, as he stopped the Hawaiian with a series of stout hammer fists in the featured bout on the ShoXC "Elite Challenger Series" Friday at the Table Mountain Casino in Friant, Calif. Mark Branch- The West just got stronger! Head Coach of the Wyoming Cowboys is Mark Branch. Once a Cowboy, always a Cowboy. Same nickname, different state. Mark Branch has packed up the truck, the horses, all the hats and boots, Oh, and his family and headed to Wyoming. As a member of the OSU coaching staff, Branch was named the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004. He helped coach OSU to seven Big XII Championships, four NCAA Championships and three Dual Team Championships. He was named the Associate Head Coach at OSU in 2002. He individually coached 31 All-Americans and nine NCAA Champions. We'll also recap the weeks action from Beijing and count the medals and lost opportunities, salute the ones who wrestled for you and me. Team USA!

Columbia, Mo. -- The 2007 Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year, former Missouri wrestler Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.), has drawn Hungarian Gabor Hatos in the opening round of the men's freestyle 74 kg weight class. Askren is one of 10 grapplers that received a first round match, with 11 individuals earning opening round byes. Missouri's first wrestling National Champion will begin his run at an Olympic gold medal the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 20, in Beijing China, which translates to Tuesday night for Americans hoping to catch a glimpse of the Tiger wrestler. Fans interested in viewing the tournament can watch Askren in the preliminary competition available online at www.nbcolympics.com from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. (CT), TUESDAY, AUGUST 19. (Columbia, Mo., is 13 hours behind Beijing, China). The medal round for the 74 kg weight class can be seen online from 3 a.m. to 5:50 a.m. (CT) or from 4 a.m.-10 a.m. (CT) on MSNBC, Wednesday, Aug. 20. Askren sits on the bottom half of the 74 kg bracket along with two-time gold medalist and six-time world champion Buvaysa Saytiev of Russia. Should both Askren and Saytiev advance in the bracket, the two could meet in the quarterfinals. In addition, if Askren wins his opening round match, he will draw the winner of the match between Si Riguleng of China and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Ivan Fundora of Cuba. "Ben is a wildcard in the mix," said National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson. "He is bringing special skills to the mat that people have not seen before. I expect him to beat these guys. His training has gone fabulous. He listened to what we asked him to do. He followed the plan. He has adopted to what we need him to use against world-level competition. He has accepted the plan. He is going to go out and compete. I expect him to do very well." Hatos, Hungary's 74 kg representative, competed in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece at 66 kg and finished 15th. Twenty-four year old Hatos has never finished higher than seventh in any of his international competitions.

Henry Cejduo (Photo/John Sachs)BEIJING, CHINA -- Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) controlled the action to claim a two-period victory over Tomihiro Matsunaga of Japan in the gold-medal match, 2-2, 3-0 at 55 kg Cejudo becomes the first U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. He is believed to be the youngest wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Cejudo won the first period by scoring the highest point move, a two-point exposure. He won the second period on a three-point high crotch takedown. Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo. He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing. Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Cejudo advances to Olympic finals, Zadick still alive BEIJING, CHINA -- Talented young Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) won three close matches to qualify for the gold medal finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium on Tuesday. To reach the championship finals, Cejudo defeated Namig Sevdimov of Azerbaijan, 3-5, 3-2, 4-3. Cejudo dropped the first period when Sevdimov scored two exposure points to break a 2-2 tie, then scored another counter takedown. In the second period, Cejudo scored the first takedown, and the only other points scored were on a 2-and-2 exchange where both wrestlers scored exposure. The third and deciding period was tied at 3-3 when Cejudo hit a single leg with 24 seconds left for the winning takedown. Sevdimov was a 2006 World Military champion, but did not place in his only World Championships appearance in 2007. Cejudo will face Tomihiro Matsunaga of Japan in the gold-medal match. Matsunaga upset 2007 World champion Besik Kudukhov of Russia in the semifinals. Matsunaga was the 2008 Asian champion and placed fifth in the 2007 World Championships. Cejudo lost the first period of all three of his matches, but came back with excellent technique and conditioning in all three wins. In the quarterfinals, Cejudo came back strong to defeat Besarion Gochashvili of Georgia, 1-3, 3-2, 3-0. Gochashvili scored his first period points on a takedown and a two-point reversal. In the third period, Cejudo quickly took control with a takedown and a two-point gutwrench. In the deciding third period, Cejudo scored two takedowns and an ankle lace turn for his points. Cejudo opened with a tremendous showing, beating 2006 World champion Radolsav Velikov of Bulgaria, 0-1, 3-2, 4-3 in the first round. Velikov won the first period by winning the leg clinch from the offensive position. In the second period, Cejudo quickly took a three-point lead on a takedown and used it to win the period. In the final period, Cejudo fell behind 2-1 when Velikov got a counter exposure. Cejudo stormed back with a takedown, then a takedown with exposure, to reclaim the lead, 4-2. Velikov could only score a last second takedown for the final 4-3 margin. Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo. He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing. Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The other U.S. wrestler competing on Tuesday, Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) lost his first match, but has qualified for the repechage round tonight. Zadick is still eligible to wrestle back for a bronze medal. Zadick lost his opening match to Vasyl Fedoryshyn of Ukraine, 5-0, 6-0. Fedoryshin scored early takedowns in both periods, and was able to turn Zadick with gut wrenches in both periods. Fedoryshyn placed fourth in the 2004 Olympics, fifth in the 2006 World Championships and won the 2008 European Championships. When Fedoryshyn won his semifinal match against Kenichi Yumoto of Japan and qualified for the finals, Zadick was pulled back into the repechage. Only those who lose matches to gold-medal finalists are eligible for the repechage. Zadick will need to win two matches to secure a bronze medal Tuesday night. Zadick will wrestle 2007 World bronze medalist Bazar Bazarguruev of Krygyzstan in the repechage match at the 4:00 p.m. session. If Zadick wins that bout, he will qualify for the bronze-medal match against Kenichi Yumoto of Japan. Zadick was added to the field for the Olympic wrestling competition on Sunday. The U.S. had not qualified to compete at 60 kg. However, after the Bulgarian federation withdrew its entry at 60 kg due to injury, USA Wrestling made a formal request to FILA, the international federation, to add Zadick as the replacement. FILA notified USA Wrestling that Zadick was entered in the wrestling field. A native of Great Falls, Montana, Zadick was a three-time All-American at the Univ. of Iowa. He is currently a member of the Iowa coaching staff. Zadick was a 2006 World silver medalist, and competed on the 2007 U.S. World Team. He won a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games. Zadick's training partner in Beijing is his older brother Bill, who was a 2006 World champion.

Columbia, Mo. -- Two-time NCAA National Champion and current Missouri wrestling volunteer coach Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) will begin his run for an Olympic Gold medal in the men's freestyle 74 kg weight class Wednesday, Aug. 20, in Beijing China. Fans interested in viewing the tournament can watch Askren in the preliminary competition available online at www.nbcolympics.com from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. (CT), TUESDAY, AUGUST 19. (Columbia, Mo., is 13 hours behind Beijing, China). The medal round for the 74 kg weight class can be seen online from 3 a.m. to 5:50 a.m. (CT) or from 4 a.m.-10 a.m. (CT) on MSNBC, Wednesday, Aug. 20. Numerous fans, including Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith, have made the trip to Beijing in support of Askren's first Olympic appearance. Missouri Assistant Coach Shawn Charles was asked by USA Wrestling to serve as one of Askren's coaches throughout the tournament. "I'm very excited about this honor to be a part of Ben's Olympic experience and help him win the gold," Charles said. Brackets for the 74 kg weight class are still being determined and should be released shortly. Askren is one of 21 individuals competing in the 74 kg weight class. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Bouvaisa Saitiev of Russia, 1996 and 2004, returns for his third attempt at a first place finish.

DES MOINES -- A major promotional agreement between two leading organizations related to the world of combat sports was announced today when Xtreme Couture signed to sponsor TakeDown Radio. Xtreme Couture is a market leader in each of its categories, with products and services including apparel, gyms, training, and nutrition products. TakeDown Radio is an 11 year old radio program placing focus on amateur, collegiate, and Olympic wrestling, as well as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The program originates from its flag ship studios at Des Moines Sports Station AM 1460 KXNO, a Fox Sports affiliate station. Xtreme Couture was founded in 2007 by MMA icon, Randy "The Natural" Couture. Couture is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and has held five separate UFC title reigns, spanning two weight classes and ten years. Couture is arguably the most visible, as well as popular, figure in the sport of MMA today. Randy's background with the military, and collegiate and international wrestling lead him to MMA, thus providing the perfect experience for him to become an ambassador for both wrestling and MMA. In addition to a wildly popular clothing line, Xtreme Couture operates seven world class gyms located throughout the country. The fully integrated company was designed as a way to pass on Couture's proven MMA fighting style, conditioning programs, and nutritional philosophy to a new generation of fighters and fans. Today, constant references to "the MMA lifestyle" place Xtreme Couture at its center. The gyms attract a diverse clientele of individuals striving to reach their fitness, self defense, and competitive fighting goals. A broad range of programs, events, and memberships are available, with options beginning at only $100 a month, and elevating to personal training sessions with Couture. Xtreme Couture has assembled a top team of trainers, including Jay Hieron and Mike Pyle. Xtreme Couture provides opportunities for qualified business owners to open their own gyms as the operation continues to rapidly expand. "Extreme Couture represents the absolute melding of wrestling and MMA. In this case, the total is clearly larger than the sum of its parts," commented TakeDown Radio founder and host, Scott Casber. "Randy and his organization have been friends of the program from the start. We were banging the wrestling/MMA drum long before it became generally accepted. As Randy's success went through the roof, he never forgot us. Today's announcement is a testament to his unlimited support of our sports, as well as a personal example of his humility. We are truly grateful." Casber continued. Full details regarding Xtreme Couture can be found at http://www.xtremecouture.tv Business inquiries by phone can be directed to (702) 616-1022 More information on TakeDown Radio can be found at http://www.takedownradio.com

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) Daily Recaps:

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) Daily Recaps:

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) Daily Recaps:

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling staff has added yet another National Champion to the fold as Troy Letters, Lehigh's last national champion, has been named Director of Wrestling Operations. Former director Aaron Anspach has been named an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions. Letters was a three-time All-American for the Mountain Hawks and claimed Lehigh's last national championship as well. He was National Runner-Up at 165 in 2003 as a freshman, won the 2004 NCAA National Championship and placed third in 2005. As a senior in 2006, Letters was hampered by a serious injury that kept him from gaining his fourth All-America nod. "We're very pleased to add Troy Letters to our staff," said head coach Troy Sunderland. "The value added by bringing in one of the most decorated wrestlers in PIAA history as well as one of Lehigh's all-time greats is yet another step this program is taking in its quest to win the national title. Troy has had amazing success on the national level and that experience is vital to his role as director of operations." Letters was an assistant coach at Princeton University during the 2006-07 season and then started and ran his own wrestling club in eastern Pennsylvania last year. He left Lehigh as one of the school's most decorated wrestlers. Beyond the success at Nationals, Letters was a three-time EIWA Champion and collected a superb 115-9 overall record. He posted an amazing 65-2 dual meet record. "I'm very excited to join the Penn State staff, especially at this time," said Letters. "Penn State is in a great place right now and there's an exciting buzz about the program with all these changes and with the talent on this team. This group of guys, from the talent on the staff to the talent in the wrestling room, is poised to win a national title and I'm thrilled to be a part of it." "I really look forward to adding my experiences at Lehigh to the mix here," Letters continued. "I believe my attitude, enthusiasm and love for this sport are a perfect fit here at Penn State and I'm ready to contribute to the team's success in any way I can." Anspach, who served as Director of Wrestling Operations last year, is now an assistant coach. The 2007 NCAA National Runner-Up at HWT is in his second year on the Penn State staff. "Aaron did an outstanding job for us last year as the director of operations," Sunderland said of Anspach. "This opportunity to move from the administrative side of our program to the coaching side is one I'm pleased he's accepted. His work ethic and skills on the mat will be a huge asset to us as we continue our drive to win a national team title. Aaron will be vital in helping our upper-weights continue their progress towards All-America status." Sunderland's staff is now complete with Anspach joining first assistant Matt Dernlan, second assistant Mark Perry and director of operations Troy Letters. Dave Hart helms the Penn State wrestling club while continuing work on his law degree here at Penn State.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Thom Ortiz, the head coach of the Arizona State University wrestling program, announced Thursday his coaching staff for the 2008-09 campaign with Al Fuentes, Brian Stith and Zach Roberson set to work with the Sun Devils as they prepare for their 47th varsity season. Both Fuentes and Stith will serve as assistant coaches while Roberson will continue on as a volunteer assistant coach. "I am excited about the staff we have put together here this year," Ortiz said. "Al will bring a new perspective to the program and will challenge our wrestlers to not only excel on the mats, but also in life. I am pleased to have Stith and Roberson back again this season as both played vital roles in the continued growth of many of the younger wrestlers we had in the line up last year. With all three of these coaches working with me, I am very confident that our student-athletes will continue to grow, both on the mat and off, and bring Arizona State back to the top of the standings." Fuentes joins the program after working locally at a sports/life performance coaching company he began in 2007 and will work with the lower weight classes on the team. A collegiate wrestler at the University of Findlay (Ohio), Fuentes competed at 142 pounds and attained All-America honors in 1997 and 1998 after finishing third and second, respectively. A member of the 1995 NAIA National Championship team that was coached by NAIA Coach of the Year John Jeffre, as well as former Russian champion Miron Kharchilava, Cuban Olympian Alberto Rodriguez and Penn State All-American Shawn Nelson, Fuentes also excelled off the mat as he was a three-time Academic All-American before earning his degree in Environmental Safety and Occupation Health Management in 1998. Following his collegiate career, Fuentes worked as the Coordinator of Sports Marketing at UF while also serving as a volunteer assistant coach. The native of Liberty Center, Ohio, was a two-time state placer at the Ohio high school championships for Liberty Center High School. Returning to the coaching staff this season with former Sun Devil All-American Stith and former Iowa State NCAA Champion Roberson, both entering their second seasons. Stith will replace Eric Larkin as a full-time assistant coach following Larkin's departure to pursue other career and competitive options. "Eric will be missed," Ortiz said. "But, now that the [2008] Olympic Trials are over, I respect his desire to pursue other dreams. This entire program will continue to help him in his new goals in any way we can." Stith, a two-time NCAA All-American and two-time Pac-10 Conference Champion for the Sun Devils, will continue his work with the middle weights this season. The 2006 national runner-up at 157 pounds and 2007 graduate of ASU (B.S. in Tourism), Stith currently ranks 12th on the ASU all-time victories list with a career record of 114-33 while standing eighth all-time in career dual wins with a 55-16 record. A leader on the mat, Stith helped the Sun Devils to a pair of Pac-10 team titles (2005, 2006) while also helping the team to two Top 15 placements at the NCAA Championships (13th in 2005 and sixth in 2006). Roberson, who was recruited to ISU by Ortiz when he was an assistant with the Cyclones, was a three-time All-American and captured the 133-pound national title in 2004, his senior season. A 2004 graduate from ISU (B.S. in Engineering), Roberson is ranked among the top American freestyle wrestlers at 60kg (132 pounds) and recently competed up in weight (66kg) at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials - Wrestling.

EDMOND -- Former two-time All-American Josh LeadingFox has been named assistant coach for Central Oklahoma's powerhouse wrestling program, it was announced Tuesday. LeadingFox served as UCO's graduate assistant last year and takes over for Cole Province, who served the previous two years as the Bronchos' full-time assistant before entering private business in July. "Josh did a great job for us last year as the graduate assistant and I felt he was the right person to step into the position," veteran head coach David James said. "He's passionate about UCO wrestling and brings a lot of character and integrity to our program. Our wrestlers will benefit from him being in a full-time position and Josh is really excited about this opportunity." A multi-sport star at Pawnee who was an undefeated state champion as a senior, the 24-year-old LeadingFox was a four-year starter at heavyweight for the Bronchos and finished with a 100-43 record that ranks 18th on UCO's career win list. He went 14-18 as a true freshman in 2002-03 and redshirted the following year before winning a team-high 35 matches in 2004-05 en route to winning the Midwest Regional title and finishing fifth in the national tournament. LeadingFox was 21-5 in 2005-06 before a broken hand in February ended his season and he came back as a senior the next year to go 30-6 in winning a second regional crown and finishing as national runner-up. Josh, who was also a two-time Academic Scholar-Athlete winner, is married (Lyndsey).

During the weeks of the 2008 Olympic Game we join with all nations to salute and recognize humanity. We do so each and every week of the year Live from our Brute Adidas studios. This week we're joined in studio by Pella Iowa's Central College Head Coach Eric Van Kley. We're pleased to welcome longtime TDR supporter Xtreme Couture as a special sponsor of the show. Randy and his wife Kim, Val and Scott Haney have been a very important part of the success of Takedown Radio and will help propel TDR to the next level. More on that later.... This weeks TDR guests include: 9:05 Rande Stottlemyer- Hd Coach at Pitt. Twenty-eight years at the helm of one of the most history-rich wrestling programs in the East is no small accomplishment. Pitt's head wrestling coach, Rande Stottlemyer, has done it the old-fashioned way: a dedication and commitment to one's principles and beliefs and a good day of hard work. 9:20 Kim Parrish- "the Judge" joins us to discuss his incredible book "Cowboy Up". Parrish's book chronicles a year in the lives of the Cowboys of Oklahoma State d their coach John Smith. This may be the best wrestling book you'll ever read. Hands down. Tune in and find out why. 9:40 Steve Garland- Hd Coach of the Cav's of Virginia. Garland, Former Cavalier All-American is in his second season as head wrestling coach at Virginia. A master motivator and recruiter, Garland has worked diligently to push the Cavaliers among the nation's elite. He has reeled in a top 25 recruiting class for the 3rd straight year. How he do that? LOL Tune in and find out. 9:50 Deanna Gilbert- WWE Sunday night at Billy Joe's Larry Cotlar to host 10:05 Richard Jensen- The reluctant star of a recent ESPN feature, Jensen spent 17 years wrestling with an opponent he seemingly couldn't beat -- until he scored the biggest escape of his life. Jensen, a former methamphetamine addict and ex-convict whose recovery reconnected him to a sport that gave his life stability. He relives his harrowing ordeal with us, where he's at now with his recovery and what he plans to do with his sobriety. An inspirational story indeed. Our thanks to Iowa City Press Citizen Journalist Andy Hamilton, Josh Rhoden and the good folks at Clackamas CC Athletics and to the producers of ESPN: Outside the Lines who saw the much larger picture. thanks guys. This is what wrestling is all about. 10:20 Pete Peterson joins us to take a better look at what it takes to open a new gym and training facility and to invite listeners to join him, his family and friends at their open house at Round Kick Gym in Urbandale, Iowa. 10:40 Harvey Man beck- The President of the Penn State Wrestling Booster Club joins us to discuss 100 Years of Nittany Lion Wrestling, the club and their impressive look back in their new book. 10:50 Amy Williams- Wild Rose Resort and Casino

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Bob Yilek and Ben Peterson. Yilek is the head coach at his alma mater, Belle Plaine High School. He was recently awarded 2008 Class 1A Coach of the Year in Iowa. In 2001, Yilek coached Belle Plaine to State Championships in both the traditional and dual meet tournaments. As an athlete, Yilek placed fifth in the state as a senior at 126lbs in 1980 and went on to win four Midwest Conference titles and a fourth place All-American finish at Division III Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA. After winning an two NCAA Championships at Iowa State University, Ben Peterson won an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling in 1972 in Munich, Germany. Peterson was a silver medalist at the 1976 Olympics and was a member of the 1980 team that did not compete in Moscow due to President Carter's boycott. Along with his Olympic champion brother, John, Ben runs the Camp of Champs in Wisconsin. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on AM 1650, The Fan each Wednesday evening. This week's show will be from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.

University of Minnesota wrestling recruit Jake Deitchler fell in a close match to Armen Vardanyan of Ukraine in the second repechage round of the 66 kg/145.5 lb. weight class at the Olympic Greco Roman competition early Wednesday morning – late Wednesday afternoon in Beijing - and was eliminated from medal contention by a score of 1-1, 1-3, 1-1. Both of his opponents went on to win medals. In the Greco-Roman discipline, rounds are awarded to the wrestler who scores last in any rounds that ends in a tie. This was the case in both the first and third rounds of Deitchler's bout with Vardanyan. Although Deitchler won the second round on the strength of a two-point reversal, Vardanyan clinched the match when he was given the opportunity to defend the bottom last in the third stanza and recorded an escape. Due to chance – a referee pulls one of two colored balls out of a bag to determine which wrestler starts on top – Vardanyan was granted the opportunity to defend last in both the first and third rounds, where he scored escapes to tie Deitchler. Vardanyan went on to win a bronze medal later in the competition. Deitchler was afforded the opportunity to wrestle in the repechage round due to his first round opponent, Kanatbek Begaliev of Kyrgyzstan, advancing to the gold medal match. Begaliev, who went on to capture the silver medal, defeated Deitchler by a 6-0, 3-3 tally in the opening round. The 18-year-old Deitchler will enroll in classes at the Minnesota this fall, where he has committed to wrestle for the Gophers. After graduating from Anoka High School this spring, Deitchler became the first high school wrestler to qualify for the Olympic Greco Roman team in 32 years.

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) Daily Recaps:

University of Minnesota wrestling recruit Jake Deitchler drew a first round bye in the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Greco-Roman wrestling competition at the Beijing Olympics and will wrestle 2006 World silver medalist Kanatbek Begaliev of Kyrgyzstan in the round of 16 at 8:50 (CT) tonight. The match gets underway at 9:30 a.m. Beijing time. Deitchler, the 2008 Anoka High School graduate who became the first wrestler in 32 years to make the Olympic team out of high school with a victory at the U.S. Olympic Trials earlier this summer, drew the No. 1 position in the bracket following his weigh-in and is one of 12 wrestlers in the 20-man class to receive a first-round bye. The winner of the Deitchler-Begaliev matchup will face the winner of the match featuring the reigning world champion and 2004 Olympic gold medalist Farid Mansurov of Azerbaijan, who takes on Armen Vardanyan of Ukraine. The double-elimination bracket will conclude with medal round bouts tomorrow at 4:00 a.m. (CT). MSNBC will carry tape-delayed coverage of the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. Greco-Roman wrestling bracket during its' coverage from 4:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. (CT) Wednesday. For more details on television coverage, visit www.nbcolympics.com. To keep current with Deitchler's progress, or to view the 66 kg/145.5 lbs. bracket, visit www.themat.com.

Adam Frey Cancer Fundraising Event In conjunction with The Great 8 Beach Brawl VII Wrestling Tournament Wrestling Tournament at Franklin Township High School, Franklin, NJ (In Somerset County) Fundraiser Outdoor Tented Event: August 16, 2008 5 p.m. 108 Cortelyous Lane, Somerset, NJ 08873 -- All you can eat and drink -- DJ and live band -- Xbox 360 tournaments -- $200 gift card to winning team -- Free admission for high school & under -- Adults $50 each Door Prizes: 1st Prize: 37" Flat Screen TV 2nd Prize: $250 Gas Card 3rd Prize: Assorted Wine Basket To Purchase Tickets or for more information Contact: Bob 908-239-2826 bob095@aol.com. Can't make it to the event and still want to Help? Make a donation in any amount Today! Please make check payable to: The Adam Frey Fund 108 Cortelyous Lane Somerset, NJ 08873 Free camping for wrestlers, fans, coaches & families at the party site for Friday and Saturday nights. Bring camping equipment, flashlights & bug spray. Remember, wrestling is a family and one of ours is in need. Help all you can!

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) BEIJING, CHINA -- Spenser Mango (St. Louis, Mo./Gator WC) went 1-1 in the morning session at the 55 kg/121 lbs. field in Greco-Roman wrestling and was eliminated from medal contention at the China Agriculture University Gymnasium on Tuesday. Spenser MangoMango lost in the quarterfinals to 2007 World silver medalist Park Eun-Chul of Korea, 2-3, 1-6. Park won the first period with an impressive chest lock turn late in the final par terre position. In the second period, Park scored a takedown and turn from the feet for a quick 2-0 lead, then was able to counter a Mango front headlock for a key two-point reversal to finish it off at 6-1. In the semifinals, Park faced Nazyr Mankiev of Russia, who had defeated three-time World champion Hamid Sourian of Iran in the quarterfinals. When Park was defeated in the semifinals by Mankiev, 1-1, 0-6, 1-2, Mango was eliminated from the competition. Only athletes who lose to a gold-medal finalist are able to enter the repechage matches and are eligible to wrestle back. In the first match, Mango defeated Virgil Munteanu of Romania in his first match, 1-1, 5-2. Neither wrestler scored in the first period, and Mango defended from the bottom last, winning the tiebreaker on last point scored. In the second period, during the first reverse lift position, Munteanu was penalized for jumping the whistle, giving the first point to Mango. When they were on their feet, Mango tossed Munteanu for three points, the key move to the win. Mango and Munteanu split a pair of matches in November when Romania came to the United States for competition. Munteanu won in a dual meet in New Jersey, while Mango won their showdown at the New York AC International. There were two weight classes contested on Tuesday, with 60 kg/132 lbs. also being contested. The U.S. does not have an entry at 60 kg/132 lbs. At 60 kg, two-time Olympic champion Armen Nazarian of Bulgaria won his opening bout against 2007 World champion David Bedinadze of Georgia. However, when Nazarian was beaten in the quarterfinals by Vitali Rahimov of Azerbaijan, Bedinadze was eliminated from medal contention. Rahimov qualified for the finals, so Nazarian is still eligible for the bronze medal. The final matches will feature two athletes from Russia and two athletes from Azerbaijan. The second session begins at 4:00 p.m., with repechage rounds, following immediately by the gold and bronze medal matches.

For wrestlers and wrestling fans, it's the ultimate competition, bringing together the best athletes from all over the world … but only once every four years. It's the Summer Olympics, this year being hosted in Beijing, China. Seventy-six years ago, the 1932 Summer Olympics were held in Los Angeles from July 30 through August 14 … and, for the U.S. wrestling team, it was a blockbuster event with a happy Hollywood ending. Challenging times Like today, times were tough three-quarters of a century ago. In 1932, the world was in the grips of the Great Depression, a time of great economic hardship, high levels of unemployment, bank and corporate failures, and individuals and families struggling to keep a roof over their heads and bread on the table. The Depression affected even an event as significant as the Olympics. Los Angeles was the only city to place a bid to host the Games of the X Olympiad. (The city had put in a bid for the 1928 Olympics, losing to Amsterdam.) Many athletes and nations were unable to afford the trip to California. Fewer than half as many athletes competed at the Los Angeles Olympics as had in 1928. One of the most heartbreaking stories about poverty and sacrifice involved the Olympic athletes from Brazil. Severely impacted by the Depression, the only way Brazil could afford to send its athletes to Los Angeles was to put them on a barge loaded with 25 tons of coffee, with the expectation that profits from selling the coffee at ports along the way would fund the $1 per person head tax to enter the U.S., and the $2 per athlete entry fee for the Olympics. Sadly, they were able to sell only $24 worth of coffee by the time they reached California. The athletes' last hope: the Brazilian consulate in San Francisco, which sent a courier to Los Angeles with a check for $45 U.S. However, in the time the courier was traveling south from San Francisco, Brazil's currency devalued … and the check was worth only $17 when it arrived in Los Angeles. To add insult to injury -- the check bounced. Despite these hardships, approximately 1,400 athletes from thirty-seven nations competed at the 1932 Olympics. By comparison, just over 3,200 athletes from 46 nations participated in the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics … and, approximately 10,500 athletes from 205 nations were expected for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. World premieres The 1932 Los Angeles Olympics were notable for a number of firsts. It was the first to feature the now-familiar three-step victory podium. In addition, the 1932 Games were the first where the national anthem of the gold medal winner's country was played. The Games of the X Olympiad were the first to welcome athletes from Colombia and the Republic of China. What's more, it was also the first modern Olympics to last 16 days. (To this day, modern Olympiads last 15-18 days.) Despite the Great Depression, the 1932 Olympics was a showcase for some then-new technology that we now take for granted today. It was the first Summer Games to feature the precision of electronic timing. What's more, it was the first time that photo-finish technology was used to determine winners of incredibly close races. On a not-so-positive note, the 1932 Los Angeles Games were the first in which the elected head of the host country's government did not attend. U.S. President Herbert Hoover did not make an appearance at the Opening Ceremonies, nor at any of the specific sporting events. While the athletes and fans may have been disappointed that President Hoover chose not to come to the Olympics, Hollywood's brightest stars made appearances at sporting events. Among the celebrities who took their seats at various venues were movie superstars such as Charlie Chaplin, Gary Cooper and Douglas Fairbanks, along with beloved humorist Will Rogers, and early 1900s multiple sports star Jim Thorpe. A number of star athletes participating at the 1932 Olympics experienced fame beyond these games: Mildred "Babe" Didrikson, who won two gold medals in javelin, and in hurdles, and was considered by many to be the greatest woman athlete of the 20th century … Clarence "Buster" Crabbe, who won the gold medal in 400 meter freestyle swimming, and went on to play Tarzan, Buck Rogers and Flash Gordon in movies… and Takeichi Nishi, gold medal winner in equestrian show jumping from Japan, whose involvement in World War II was featured in the Clint Eastwood film "Letters from Iwo Jima." The first Olympic Village One of the most enduring legacies of the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics was that it was the first to feature an Olympic Village, a special community to house the 1,200 male athletes. (The 126 female athletes stayed at the Chapman Park Hotel on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles.) The idea for the Olympic Village sprang from economic hard times brought on by the Great Depression. To increase participation among the athletes of the world, the Los Angeles Olympic Committee (LAOC) agreed to provide food, housing, and local transportation to each athlete for $2 a day. To make this offer economically feasible for the LAOC, it made sense to house the athletes together. Here's how Jack VanBebber, a three-time NCAA champ from Oklahoma State University, described the Olympic Village in his memoir, "A Distant Flame": Representatives of the Los Angeles Olympic Committee met and escorted us to the Olympic Village, located in the Baldwin Hills, just outside the municipal boundary of Los Angeles. As we entered the Village, we saw a picturesque place that covered 250 acres of rolling terrain. The escorts took us directly to the administration building where a committee certified and gave each of us our credentials. Next came the assignments to one of the 500 cottages in the Village. Each cottage had two double rooms with a private entrance for each room. A closet, washstand and cold-water shower separated the rooms. The Village residents, all males, included the employees, administrators, coaches and competitors. As far as possible, the administrators arranged each national group together. Each nationality had a separate dining room and a chef who served food the athletes of that nationality were accustomed to eating. An Olympic official pointed out that the communal arrangement of the Village provided all necessary accommodations. For recreation, a main hall was provided. There one could meet and mingle with international rivals. For contestants' transportation to and from the different events, an Olympic bus was available. In the Village the atmosphere was clean, the weather pleasant, and the overall setting rated as a perfect place for training, as well as providing an inspiring view of Los Angeles, the Pacific Ocean, and the Sierra Madre mountain range. Jack VanBebberIn his memoir, Jack VanBebber talks about doing roadwork on the streets of the Olympic Village, working out on wrestling mats spread out on the grass outside the Village's athletic building … though, apparently, the U.S. wrestling team conducted some of its workouts at the Fremont High School gym. It wasn't all roadwork and workouts for the U.S. Olympic wrestling team. In "A Distant Flame", Jack VanBebber talks about the team being taken on a tour of Hollywood, where they met Will Rogers, who posed for a photo with the team. Later that day, they also had a chance to talk with Jim Thorpe, 1912 Olympics star. (VanBebber, Rogers and Thorpe were all Oklahoma natives.) It's showtime! The Opening Ceremonies were held on Saturday, July 30, 1932 at what was then called Olympic Stadium, but is now known as Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Built in the early 1920s as a memorial to soldiers who died in World War I, the facility was also the site of the Opening and Closing Ceremonies and track and field events for the 1984 Olympics, and is still the home for the University of Southern California Trojans football team. For the Parade of Nations during the Opening Ceremonies, each of the U.S. wrestlers -- and the other American male athletes -- wore a white pullover sweater with the blue American Olympic emblem, white shirt with blue tie, white slacks, white sport shoes … all topped off with a blue beret. As is custom to this day, the first country in the Parade of Nations was Greece (site of the ancient Olympics); the other nations followed, arranged in alphabetical order, with the athletes of the host nation -- the United States -- being last. Normally the leader of the host country welcomed the athletes to the Olympics during the Opening Ceremonies. President Herbert Hoover sent Vice-President Charles Curtis to perform that function. Before taking to the mat … Both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling events were held at the Grand Olympic Auditorium, an arena built in the 1920s. At the time, it was the largest indoor arena in the U.S., seating 15,300. In addition to being the wrestling venue, the Auditorium also hosted boxing and weightlifting for the 1932 Olympics. 1932 Olympic Team (Photo/A Distant Flame)Freestyle wrestling was scheduled for August 1-3, 1932; Greco-Roman competition was held August 4-7. There were a total of fourteen wrestling events -- seven weight classes in each discipline. All the wrestlers were men; women's wrestling first made its appearance at the 2004 Athens Olympics. At the 1932 Games, the United States only competed in freestyle competition. A pre-Olympics newspaper article by sportswriter Chuck Weinstock carried the headline: "Mat Sport to Play Big Part in Olympics." The article said, "The original sport of the ancient Greeks is still a prime favorite of the young manhood today… No less than twenty nations of out a total of forty-seven have entered teams in the wrestling events… In the number of countries entered, wrestling ranks in second place right behind track and field …" Mat medal tally At the end of the wrestling competition, Sweden claimed the most medals, with a total of ten: 6 gold, 1 silver, and 3 bronze. Second was Finland, with eight wrestling medals: 2 gold, 3 silver and 1 bronze. The United States was third in mat medals, with a total of five: 3 gold, 2 silver, and no bronze … all in freestyle competition. Fourth place in the medal count was Germany, with four medals: 1 gold, 2 silver, and 1 bronze … all in Greco-Roman competition For the U.S., the medal count for wrestling surpassed the two (one gold, one silver) won at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics … and tied the tallies for the 1920 and 1924 Olympics, with five wrestling medals at each of those Summer Games. Meet the mat medalists from USA … and their coach By any measure, the U.S. wrestling team had an incredibly successful performance at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. All seven U.S. wrestlers placed fourth or higher in freestyle competition … with five earning medals. 1932 Olympics: Wrestling Medal-Winners Freestyle Bantamweight (56 kg) Gold: Bobby Pearce, USA Silver: Odon Zombori, Hungary Bronze: Aatos Jaskari, Finland Featherweight (61 kg) Gold: Hermanni Pihlajamaki, Finland Silver: Edgar Nemir, USA Bronze: Einar Karlsson, Sweden Lightweight (66 kg) Gold: Charles Pacome, France Silver: Karoly Karpati, Hungary Bronze: Gustaf Karen, Sweden Welterweight (72 kg) Gold: Jack VanBebber, USA Silver: Daniel MacDonald, Canada Bronze: Eino Leino, Finland Middleweight (79 kg) Gold: Ivar Johansson, Sweden Silver: Kyosti Luukko, Finland Bronze, Jozsef Tunyogi, Hungary Light Heavyweight (87 kg) Gold: Peter Mehringer, USA Silver: Thure Sjostedt, Sweden Bronze: Eddie Scarf, Australia Heavyweight (over 87 kg) Gold: Johan Richthoff, Sweden Silver: John (Jack) Riley, USA Bronze: Nikolaus Hirschl, Austria Greco-Roman Bantamweight (56 kg) Gold: Jakob Brendel, Germany Silver: Marcello Nizzola, Italy Bronze: Louis Francois, France Featherweight (61 kg) Gold: Giovanni Gozzi, Italy Silver: Wolfgang Ehrl, Germany Bronze: Lauri Koskela, Finland Lightweight (66 kg) Gold: Eric Malmberg, Sweden Silver: Abraham Kruland, Denmark Bronze: Eduard Sperling, Germany Welterweight (72 kg) Gold: Ivar Johansson, Sweden Silver: Vaino Kajander, Finland Bronze: Ercole Gallegati, Italy Middleweight (79 kg) Gold: Vaino Kokkinen, Finland Silver: Jean Foldeak, Germany Bronze: Axel Cadier, Sweden Light Heavyweight (87 kg) Gold: Rudolf Svensson, Sweden Silver: Onni Pellinen, Finland Bronze: Mario Gruppioni, Italy Heavyweight (over 87 kg) Gold: Carl Westergren, Sweden Silver: Josef Urban, Czechoslovakia Bronze: Nikolaus Hirschl, AustriaBobby Pearce, gold medal at 56 kg/123 lb freestyle: Robert E. Pearce was born in Wyconda, Missouri but moved to Oklahoma as a child. He wrestled at Cushing High, where he was a three-time Oklahoma state champ … and, in fact, was undefeated in three seasons. As a senior in high school, he tried out for the 1928 U.S. Olympic wrestling team, making as far as the semifinals of the Olympic Trials. After graduating from high school, Bobby Pearce went to Oklahoma State in Stillwater, where he wrestled for head coach Ed Gallagher (Click HERE to read about Coach Gallagher) As a Cowboy, Pearce compiled a 19-3-1 record, winning the 126 lb title at the 1931 NCAAs. One year later, he won the freestyle gold medal as a bantamweight at the 1932 Olympics. After college and the Olympics, Pearce was a professional wrestler for five years … then had a long career as a high school and college wrestling coach. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater in 1981. Pearce passed away in 1996. Edgar Nemir, silver medal at 61 kg/134.5 lb freestyle: Edgar Nemir, a native of Kentucky, wrestled at the University of California-Berkeley. As team captain, he led the Bears to undefeated seasons in 1929 and 1930. At the 1932 Olympics, Nemir earned a silver medal in featherweight freestyle competition … with victories over wrestlers from Denmark, Canada and Great Britian; his only loss was to gold medalist Hermanni Pihlajamaki of Finland. After the Olympics, Nemir served as boxing coach at Cal from 1934 to 1969. He was inducted into the school's athletic hall of fame in 1988. Jack VanBebber, gold medal at 72 kg/158 lb freestyle: Jack Francis VanBebber was born on a farm outside Perry, Oklahoma. He suffered a near-fatal accident at age seven, but, in high school, became a two-time Oklahoma state wrestling champ. Jack VanBebber came to Oklahoma State in 1927, where he joined Bobby Pearce on the Cowboy wrestling team. In his three years on the mat, VanBebber built a perfect 22-0 record… winning three straight NCAA titles in 1929-1931. In 1932, he capped off his mat career by winning the gold medal in welterweight freestyle competition at the Los Angeles Games, defeating a three-time Olympic medalist in the finals. Immediately after the Olympics, Jack VanBebber coached wrestling and dabbled in professional wrestling for a couple years … then settled down, got married, and had a long career with Phillips Petroleum. He was a member of the initial class inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1976. A decade later, VanBebber passed away. (To read more about VanBebber, click HERE.) Pete Mehringer, gold medal at 87 kg/192 lbs freestyle: Born in Jetmore, Kansas, Peter Joseph Mehringer is considered to be among the greatest athletes born in the Sunflower State. Legend has it that he learned to wrestle from the famous Farmer Burns' mail order instruction course. Although Kinsley High School did not have wrestling team, Mehringer competed in two Kansas state championships on his own … and won both. Pete MehringerAt the University of Kansas, Mehringer was a two-sport star. On the mat, he was a three-time Missouri Valley Conference heavyweight champ … and, at the 1932 NCAAs, lost to Olympic teammate Jack Riley in the heavyweight title match (but earned All-American mat honors). In addition to wrestling, Mehringer was a two-time All-Conference and All-American defensive tackle for the Jayhawks. In the summer of 1932, Pete Mehringer became the first University of Kansas student to win an Olympic gold medal, taking the ultimate prize in light-heavyweight freestyle competition. After that golden summer, Mehringer returned to KU, where he coached wrestling for a while … but did not graduate because of financial hardships. He played pro football for thirteen seasons in Chicago and Los Angeles, where he also did some professional wrestling, and worked as a Hollywood stuntman. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1983. Mehringer died in 1987. Jack Riley, silver medal at over 87 kg in freestyle: John Horn Riley was born in Wilmette, Illinois in 1910. He attended New Trier High School in suburban Chicago, then completed his prep education at St. John's Military Academy before entering Northwestern University in 1928. While at Northwestern, Jack Riley was a star athlete. On the football team, he earned All-American honors at tackle. In his third year of college, Riley was persuaded to take up wrestling; he soon became the Wildcats' starter at heavyweight. In his junior and senior years, Riley was a two-time Big Ten heavyweight finalist, winning the conference title in 1931 … and a two-time NCAA heavyweight champ in 1931 and 1932. A few months later, he earned a silver medal in heavyweight freestyle competition at the 1932 Olympics. After college and the Olympics, Jack Riley had a rich and varied career that included professional wrestling for two years, pro football for the Boston Redskins, service in the United States Marine Corps in World War II, and nearly a decade as head wrestling coach at Northwestern. In the late 1950s, Riley embarked on a successful business career. He passed away in 1993. Hugo OtopalikCoach Otopalik: Coaching the U.S. Olympic wrestlers was Hugo Otopalik, highly respected head coach at Iowa State. Otopalik wrestled for the University of Nebraska under Dr. Raymond Clapp, winning the 175-pound Western Conference title in 1916 and 1917. (He also played football for the Cornhuskers.) In 1920, he came to Iowa State. Three years later, when Cyclone head coach Charlie Mayser resigned, Otopalik agreed to "handle" the wrestling program until a replacement could be found. He ended up coaching the Cyclones for 29 seasons, amassing a 159-66-5 dual-meet record. Otopalik's coaching career went far beyond Ames, Iowa. In addition to coaching the U.S. wrestling team at the 1932 Olympics, he hosted the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in 1948 and 1952, and served as a vice-president of FILA. Otopalik fell ill after the 1953 NCAAs, and died a few months later. "We Love L.A.!" The U.S. wrestling team's medal success at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics helped to put the host country in the lead in terms of total medals won. Overall, U.S. athletes won 41 gold medals, 32 silver, and 30 bronze medals. In second place in the medal tally was Italy, with 12 gold, 12 silver, and 12 bronze medals. France placed third, with 10 gold, 5 silver and 4 bronze medals. Sweden claimed fourth, with 9 gold, 5 silver, and 9 bronze medals. The 1932 Los Angeles Olympics were considered a success in many ways … even financially. Newspapers of the era reported that Games organizers made a profit of $1,000,000 … a surprise, given the rugged economic conditions of the era. Decades later, the International Olympic Committee decided it was time for The L.A. Olympics: The Sequel. In 1984, Los Angeles again hosted the Summer Olympics, using some of the same venues as in 1932, including the Memorial Coliseum for Opening and Closing Ceremonies, as well as track and field events. For the U.S. wrestling team, the 1984 Olympics were an even bigger Hollywood blockbuster than the 1932 edition. Out of a total of twenty events (ten each in freestyle and Greco-Roman), American wrestlers claimed nine gold medals, three silver medals and one bronze medal, for a total of thirteen medals. But, that's another story… Special thanks to Kristie Stubbs, wrestling writer for Amateur Wrestling News and Wrestling USA magazines, for conducting detailed research for this article.

Former Cardinal assistant coach Jason Borrelli has been named the new Stanford head wrestling coach, as announced by Jaquish & Kenninger Director of Athletics Bob Bowlsby today. "Jason Borrelli is bright, hardworking and very enthusiastic about Stanford Wrestling," said Bowlsby. "We did a national search to find a successor for Kerry McCoy and ultimately one of Kerry's assistants demonstrated he was the right choice. I am looking forward to working with Jason to continue the growth of the Stanford program." Jason Borrelli"I am extremely excited and honored!" said Borrelli. "The opportunity to coach at one of the top institutions in the world is very intriguing. The Stanford wrestling program has made some great strides over the past years and I am thrilled to be a part of its continued success." "I would like to thank Athletic Director Bob Bowlsby and Associate Athletic Director Earl Koberlein for providing me with this opportunity," he said. "I would also like to thank my family and fiancé, Jenna, for their continued support throughout this process; you don't get places on your own. Finally, I would like to thank Tom Borrelli and Kerry McCoy for giving me the opportunity to learn from two of the best college wrestling coaches around." A former Central Michigan standout, Borrelli came to The Farm as an assistant coach in 2007 and quickly helped guide the Cardinal to one of its most successful seasons in school history. Working with the lower weights, Borrelli helped the Cardinal win 13 duals, post its highest Pac-10 finish in school history, its second-highest national finish and send a program-best five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. Under Borrelli's guidance, 125-pounder Tanner Gardner captured his second consecutive Pac-10 title, became the school's first three-time All-American with a fifth-place national finish and broke both Stanford's career and single-season win records. Another lightweight, freshman Lucas Espericueta, qualified for the NCAA Championships and finished his rookie season as one of the five winningest freshmen in school history. As a team, Borrelli and the staff led Stanford to a 19th-place finish nationally, matching the program's second-highest finish in school history and just its third all-time top-20 finish. Owning two of the conference's four All-Americans, the Cardinal's 19th place finish was the best in the Pac-10. Prior to coming to Stanford, Borrelli served as an assistant coach at Central Michigan and ran a youth wrestling club. In his first year on the staff, he helped the Chippewas to their ninth consecutive Mid-American Conference Championship. The squad finished the season ranked fifth in the final dual meet rankings and finished 15th at the NCAA Championships in Detroit, Mich. Borrelli also helped guide three CMU wrestlers to All-American honors during the 2006-07 season. A Mt. Pleasant, Mich. native, Borrelli was a two-time Michigan State Champion in high school before beginning his career at Central Michigan in 2001. A four-year starter at 125 and 133 pounds, he was part of five consecutive team Mid-American Conference (MAC) championships. As a junior in 2005, he captured the 133-pound MAC title. Borrelli qualified for the NCAA Championships at 133 pounds twice, in 2005 and 2006, and captained the Chippewa team as a senior. A four-year NWCA All-Academic selection, Borrelli graduated from Central Michigan in December 2005 with a degree in Business Administration.

In an unprecedented act of support, philanthropist and wrestling enthusiast Ken Honig of Balboa Island, Calif. has pledged to reward any U.S. Olympic wrestler that reaches the Olympic podium during the upcoming competition at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. Honig will substantially increase the monetary reward for any U.S. wrestler that wins a medal. Honig's gift will provide a Gold Medalist with $25,000, a Silver Medalist $17,000 and Bronze Medalist $5,000. Although Honig prefers to give anonymously, he hopes the publication and announcement of his generosity will inspire other philanthropists interested supporting U.S. Olympians during the Games. His pledge is focused on the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team but hopes his gesture will be recognized by supporters for U.S. Olympians across the spectrum of deserving Olympic athletes. "As an athlete and adventurer, I am fully aware of the commitment involved in high-level athletics. The immense sacrifice undertaken by the men and women of USA Wrestling is probably unfathomable to most people. The award money involved in my program is directed towards helping these athletes with their future after the Games, because we all know these Olympians compete for the love of the sport," said Honig. The wrestling community is excited and appreciative of Honig's generosity and commitment to the U.S. team. "Ken Honig is just one of wrestling's alumni that understand the sacrifice our Olympians have made throughout their competitive careers with the dream of representing America at the Olympic Games. On behalf of our athletes I would like to thank him for his thoughtful generosity and although I believe our athletes are primarily motivated by the love of competition and the opportunity to face the challenge of the world's finest athletes, I hope this added bonus will push them even further," said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling's Executive Director.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- With the sport of wrestling growing and overlapping into the world of professional combat sports, the Purdue University wrestling program has made some solid contributions to the international wrestling and mixed martial arts (MMA) world. Widely known names include current head coach Tom Erikson and former Boilermakers Jake O'Brien and Chase Beebe, but currently no Purdue name is hotter in MMA than Jon Fitch. A four-year letterwinner and 2002 team captain in West Lafayette, Fitch has quickly climbed the world MMA welterweight (170 lbs.) and has been granted his chance to vie for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) title on Saturday, Aug. 9. In 24 career MMA fights, Fitch boasts a 21-2 record (one no contest), including 15 straight victories and eight straight wins in the UFC. The Fort Wayne, Ind. native is ranked No. 2 in the world at 170 lbs. (according to sherdog.com), and he will face the only man left ahead of him in those standings in the headline fight of UFC 87: Seek and Destroy, in Minneapolis, Minn. Georges St. Pierre won the UFC Welterweight title in April of this year, and his fight with Fitch will be his first title defense. The Montreal, Quebec native is 16-2 in his career with his only losses coming at the hands of former UFC Champions Matt Hughes and Matt Serra. St. Pierre is regarded as one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in all weight classes and divisions of MMA, and will be Fitch's toughest test of his career. Fitch's wrestling background gave him solid preparation for the sport and has been a foundation for his MMA career. He's joined a large list of MMA standouts with collegiate wrestling backgrounds, including Hughes, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture. However, as Fitch has developed as a professional fighter he's adapted other aspects of the MMA world into his repertoire, including a kickboxing and a black belt in jiu-jitsu. A combination of various forms of martial arts and combat sports, MMA has grown from a savage spectacle which included nearly zero rules and a very small audience on a pay-per-view basis, to a huge sporting attraction which can now be viewed on both cable and network television. Current UFC President Dana White and Zuffa, LLC purchased the UFC organization in 2001, and quickly began transforming it into the giant it is today. The breakout point for the sport was the premier of the reality series The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), on which Fitch was initially supposed to be a cast member. Since it's inception and the seven consecutive running seasons, the UFC has become the highest grossing pay-per-view organization in the world ($222,766,000 in 2006), and the reality series has spawned several superstars in the sport, including Forest Griffin and Diego Sanchez from Season One. While others were cast directly in the spotlight by the reality show, Fitch has been forced to take the long road to the top and build a fan base from victories and reputation, rather than TV cameras and commercials. In his ascent he's managed to knock off a pair of TUF alumni, including Sanchez, the middleweight champion of the inaugural show. For more information on Fitch, visit his website, or for more information on his championship fight visit the UFC homepage. (www.ufc.com).

BLACKSBURG -- The Virginia Tech Athletics Department announced Friday that Nate Yetzer has been named a full-time assistant coach for the Hokie wrestling program. Yetzer served as the program's volunteer assistant coach the past two seasons. He followed Tech associate head coach Tony Robie to Blacksburg from New York, where he was an assistant coach at Binghamton University. Yetzer works with the lower and middleweights while also handling a lot of on-mat training. Yetzer is a 2005 graduate of Edinboro University, where he served as captain for the nationally ranked Fighting Scots. A three-time NCAA qualifier and two-time team MVP, Yetzer was an All-American as a junior, placing eighth at 174 pounds after winning three matches at the national championship. As a senior, he went 36-7 at 165 pounds, including a 14-1 dual match record. Yetzer also successfully defended his titles at the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) and Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) championships. That year, he was named the PSAC Outstanding Wrestler. Yetzer was honored with the program's 4-D Award (Dedication, Desire, Determination, Discipline) and also was a recipient of an athletic and memorial scholarship at Edinboro. For his collegiate career, Yetzer was 103-33 overall. In high school, Yetzer was an Ohio state champion and senior national runner-up for Madison High. He holds school records for career wins, takedowns, technical falls and wins in a season. Yetzer received his bachelor's degree in business administration from Edinboro in May, 2005. He is working toward his Master's degree in health promotions at Virginia Tech. He has worked four years at the Bruce Baumgartner World-Class Wrestling Camps in Edinboro and has also served as a coach for the Ohio Junior National Team.

Event: UFC 87: Seek and Destroy Date: August 9, 2008 Venue: Target Center (Minneapolis, MN) UFC 87 is in the UFC Monster's backyard of Minneapolis. After attending yesterday's press conference at the Mall of America and studying the fighter's records, this card appears to be another full of action and interesting match-ups. The UFC Monster will be breaking down this mixed martial arts card live on Scott Casber's Takedown Radio show (www.takedownradio.com) Saturday morning. Please tune in. As we look at the main event, this welterweight (170 pounds) championship bout features the ever-improving Georges ST.PIERRE (16-2) defending his title against former Purdue wrestler Jon FITCH (17-2), who hasn't lost in almost six years, and is on an astounding 15-match winning streak, that includes victories over Diego Sanchez, Luigi Fioravanti, Thiago Alves, Josh Burkman, and Brock Larson. As Joe Rogan would say, "tough dudes." Why has it taken Fitch so long to get a title shot? And, what chance does he have of beating the awesome GSP? … not much, I'd say. Fitch lacks punching power, is much slower and more methodical than GSP, and is nowhere near the wrestler that his opponent is. This may simply be a better athlete dominating. Fitch works extremely hard in the gym. His endurance and determination are legendary. GSP is far the superior overall fighter, but his Achilles' heal may be his mental frame if the fight goes deep and Fitch proves to be a worthy opponent. The public is betting he isn't. They are pounding the proud Canadian instead. ST. PIERRE (-350) defeats Finch by second round ground-and-pound TKO. Former Minnesota Gopher and NCAA champion Brock LESNAR (1-1) gets a shot at redemption for his Frank Mir submission loss, by getting to perform in front of his large fan base against the tough, and very experienced, Texas cowboy Heath "Crazyhorse"HERRING (28-13). Roger Huerta and Brock LesnarNo man on the planet can get Lesnar off their back, so Herring's only shot will be a high leg kick to the head, or some funky submission move that the relaxed, experienced Texan may use on his more aggressive, and much greener opponent. Lesnar needs a victory badly, as he is being touted as the next great thing in the heavyweight division (can you imagine Brock against Randy or Fedor?). Interesting thought. I see the adrenalin kicking in and Lesnar overwhelming his opponent and slamming him violently through the mat with a double leg takedown. From his full mount position, it will be sledge hammer time until the ref pulls the giant off the bloodied cowboy. LESNAR (-250) wins by first round ground-and-pound TKO. In what many expect to be the fight of the night (or even the fight of the year), local homeboy and former Augsburg wrestler Roger "El Matador" HUERTA (20-1-1) tries to stop the momentum of Kenny FLORIAN (9-3), who has won four straight UFC fights, since losing to Sean Sherk. These two lightweights (155 pounds) will go toe-to-toe until someone takes it to the ground where it will be a match between Ken-Flo's sharp elbows and seasoned jiu-jitsu against Huerta's angry determination to revoke an abusive childhood, and his ability to show relentless ground-and-pound power (10 KOs in 20 wins!) … and he's a lightweight. They generally have no punching power. The winner of this fight will probably get a title shot against BJ Penn. To be the best, you have to beat the best. Neither of these guys will beat BJ. It will be no surprise to me that if Huerta loses this fight, he will soon be gone from the UFC, to reap bigger paychecks from Affliction. HUERTA (+125) pulls the upset and beats Florian by a razor-thin split decision. Demian MAIA (8-0) is an undefeated up-and-comer in the middleweight (185 pounds) division. His opponent is the seasoned Canadian Jason "The Athlete" MacDONALD (20-9), who has won 16 of his fights by submission. This may be the key to beating Maia, who is known as a far superior Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter. Strangely UFC Web site fans who vote for such things in polls, give the +200 underdog MacDonald an overwhelming 2/3 vote to beat his undefeated opponent! I think MacDonald may have enough submission defense to last long enough to unload some serious elbows, and a few mean knees, that lead to a surprising upset KO of the young Brazilian. Athletic Canadian hockey player wins again! MacDONALD (+200) wins by third round KO over a stunned Demian Maia. Short, stocky Manny GAMBURYAN (8-2) will be out to submit Rob EMERSON (7-6), who brings a mediocre fight resume with him. Though he hasn't lost for three years dating back to a split decision loss to Melvin Guillard, Emerson appears to be a bit of a one-dimensional striker to me. Ten of his 13 fights have gone to a decision! Boring. Why is this fight on the main card? I have no clue. GAMBURYAN (-320) proves once again that a takedown with submission will usually beat the hapless puncher. He wins by second round arm-bar submission. On the five bout undercard: UFC president Dana White speaks at the UFC 87 press conference at the Mall of AmericaFormer Olympic heavyweight hammer thrower Dan EVENSON (10-2 @ +350) shocks the world with a second round ground-and-pound TKO over the one-dimensional striker, Cheick Kongo. Welterweight Luke CUMMO (6-5 @ -140) gets a second round KO over a determined Tamdan "The Barn Cat" McCRORY (8-1). The Barn Cat will use his lanky figure to try and trap Cummo into a triangle choke submission. But, Cummo stays inside and on his feet for the knockout. Team Quest member Chris WILSON (13-4 @ -320) defeats UFC new-comer Steve BRUNO (11-3) with a unanimous decision in the welterweight division. Two undefeated 5-0 light-heavyweight (205 pounds) fighters match up with Brazilian Andre GUSMAO trying to take out unknown Jon JONES (+190), who has 4 KO's in his five wins. Jones appears to have enough KO power to warrant a small play as a +200 underdog. … and, middleweight Ben "Berserk" SAUNDERS (5-0-2 @ -260) has his way with Ryan Thomas whose 9-1 record includes 6 submission victories. Saunders wins a judge's decision. That's it. Ten (10) fights in all. Now let's try to win some money with our "fictitious" $1000 bankroll: Let's lay $175 to win $50 on GSP over Fitch. Is this crazy bridge-jumping? Let's lay $250 to win $100 on Brock Lesnar to crush Crazyhorse. Let's lay $100 to win $125 on Roger Huerta to upset Ken-Flo. Let's lay $100 to win $200 on Jason MacDonald to end Maia's unbeaten streak. Let's lay $96 to win $30 on Gamby to stop Emerson. Let's lay $56 to win $40 on Cummo over McCrory. Let's lay $25 to win $87.50 on Evenson to shock Cheick Kongo. Let's lay $25 to win $47.50 on unknown Jon Jones. Let's lay $96 to win $30 on Team Quest's Chris Wilson. Let's lay $78 to win $30 on Ben Saunders. That's $1001 to win $740. Good luck and enjoy the fights! More later. The UFC Monster

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Penn State Nittany Lion head wrestling coach Troy Sunderland quickly filled out his coaching staff today with the hiring of former Iowa Hawkeye National Champion Mark Perry. Perry will fill the second assistant coach position recently vacated by former assistant John Hughes. Mark Perry (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)"We're very excited to add Mark to our coaching staff," Sunderland said. "This is a man who has had great success as both an individual and team at Iowa. We are happy to welcome him to the Penn State wrestling family. I am confident his skills and wrestling knowledge will compliment and enhance our current staff, putting us in a position to achieve our goal of a national team championship." Perry won the last two NCAA National Championships at 165 pounds. The Stillwater, Okla., native was a four-time All-American at Iowa where he helped lead the Hawkeyes to the NCAA team title this season. Perry's 25 points en route to his second individual crown were the most scored by any wrestler at Nationals this year. Perry became Iowa's 14th two-time national champion this year and became a four-time All-American (the 17th Hawkeye to do so). He missed the entire Big Ten dual season with an injury but still posted a 20-3 season record and led the Hawkeyes in pins (12) and fastest pin (21 seconds). As a freshman, he went 27-5 with a 12-2 dual record, took second at Big Tens and second at Nationals. As a sophomore, he went 21-4, 9-1 in duals, took second at Big Tens and third at Nationals. In 2006-07, the junior went 28-4, 16-3 in duals, won the Big Ten title and the NCAA Championship as well. Add last year's Big Ten runner-up finish and second NCAA title and Perry leaves Iowa as one of the school's most decorated and successful wrestlers. "After spending time working at camps and clinics, I discovered that I have a passion for coaching," Perry said. "Once I decided that coaching was the direction I wanted to go in, I had the chance to talk with a lot of prestigious programs about opportunities. Being the son of a former coach, when the Penn State position opened up, I was obviously interested." "Penn State has always been a program that I've recognized as one of the nation's best," Perry continued. "I'm very excited to be a part of the Nittany Lion program. I can develop myself as a coach as well as help this program reach its goals. Pennsylvania is the proving ground for young wrestlers and I don't think I could be in a better situation. I've had the chance to gain knowledge from some of the greatest minds in wrestling and I feel I have a lot to offer. I'm confident that I can help Penn State reach its goal of winning the national title." Penn State will announce its 2008-09 schedule later this month. The season will begin with Wrestle-Offs in early November.