InterMat Staff

Columbia, Mo. -- The sixth-ranked Missouri wrestling team held its annual Black and Gold wrestle-off's in the Hearnes Center, with Gold topping Black, 30-14. Led by Head Coach Brian Smith, the Gold team earned 18 of its points through falls with junior Marcus Hoehn (Farmington, Mo.) sophomore Nicholas Marable (Collierville, Tenn.) and junior Raymond Jordan (New Bern, N.C.) all pinning their opponents. After completing six wrestle-in bouts, the 10-man lineup for both teams was set. Assistant coach Lee Pritts led the Black team effort with three of his grapplers combining for 13 points. Opening at 125 pounds, redshirt freshman Tony Pescaglia (Columbia, Mo.) earned the Gold team's first win of the afternoon, besting sophomore John Olanowski (Virginia Beach, Va.), 3-2. Olanowski took the early lead, but Pescaglia managed two escapes to tie the match and was credited with 1:38 of riding time for the one-point advantage. Senior 133 pound All-American Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) proved dominant in his bout with redshirt freshman Nick Velliquette (Nixa, Mo.), winning the seven-minute match by a score of 10-7. McCormick recorded three takedowns in the first period, a reversal in the second, and was awarded one point after Velliquette was hit with stalling and one point for 2:09 of riding time. Hoehn continued the Gold team's win streak by pinning redshirt freshman opponent Willie Saxton (Rayland, Ohio) in 6:15. Prior to the fall, Saxton led the match, 6-2, nearly pinning Hoehn in the first period. The 149 pound win was awarded to sophomore Ashtin Primus (South Connelsville, Pa.) after senior Josh Wagner (Milton, Wis.) was forced out by injury. A native of Cahokia, Ill., junior Emanuel Brooks earned a one-point win over junior Michael Chandler (High Ridge, Mo.), 2-1. Wrestling for the Gold team, Brooks earned his first point off of a technical violation by Chandler, scoring his second point off of a third period escape 17 seconds into the period. Pinning freshman Patrick Wright in 4:27, Marable added six points to the Gold team's score, with senior James Williamson (Blue Springs, Mo.) and Jordan winning the squads final points of the day. Williamson, won a hard fought 5-2 decision against sophomore Ryan Sonderegger (Overland Park, Kan.) at 174 pounds, with Jordan pinning redshirt freshman Josh Skurnik (Kirkland, Wash.) at 184 pounds in 1:36. The Black team won at 197 pounds and heavyweight. Sophomore Big 12 Champion Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) won the only major decision victory of the dual, 15-6, over freshman Trever Collins (Nixa, Mo.) at 197 pounds. Askren recorded three takedowns in the first period alone, choosing down to start the second period, escaping in seven seconds and taking down Collins for a fourth time at with 1:39 left on the clock. Following the takedown with a three-point nearfall, Collins escape but was quickly taken down again before the end of the second period. Collins managed an escape in the third, but with Askren's 3:27 of riding time, the sophomore came out ahead. One of two overtime bouts on the day, freshman Dominique Bradley (Blue Springs, Mo.) outscored sophomore Tyler Perry (Hannibal, Mo.), 3-2, with a takedown 12 seconds into the one minute overtime period. Bradley and Perry were scoreless through the first period, but Bradley escaped in the second after choosing down. Perry also escaped in the third to tie the bout and send it into overtime. Missouri's first dual of the season is set for Friday, Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. (CT) against No. 27 Rider in Lawrenceville, N.J. The Tigers will continue their swing through the Northeast with a 6 p.m. (CT) dual with Hofstra on Saturday, Nov. 10. Fans will have their first chance to see Missouri's squad in action Sunday, Nov. 18 at the annual Missouri Open held in the Hearnes Center Fieldhouse.

PITTSBURGH -- The University of Pittsburgh wrestling team got it's first taste of competition tonight as they rolled out the mats at Fitzgerald Field House for their annual intrasquad wrestle-offs. Coach Rande Stottlemyer and his staff looked on as their squad battled each other for eight of the team's starting positions. The event took place in a tournament-style format, with each needing to win two out of three bouts in the finals to earn the starting nod. The evening began with a burst of excitement in the 149 pound bracket as both of the opening matches ended with falls in the first period. Mark Generalovich (Pittsburgh, Pa./Thomas Jefferson) made quick work of teammate Christian Fagan (North Easton, Mass./Oliver Ames) by pinning him 35 seconds into the bout on the blue mat. Jeff Warusz (Langhorne, Pa./Neshaminy), a transfer from Elizabethtown, won his match over freshman Kyle Patton (Johnstown, Pa./Westmont Hilltop) soon after on the gold mat. Both of those first round victors could not advance any farther, however, as Generalovich was defeated by Joe Cimapoli (Altoona, Pa./Altoona) and Warusz fell at the hands of the bracket's eventual champion Joey Ecklof (Northampton, Pa./Northampton). Pitt's two returning All-Americans from last season Keith Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) and Matt Kocher (State College, Pa./State College) appeared to have picked up where they left off last season by locking up their starting spots in only two matches. Kocher squared off against Adam Counterman (Nazareth, Pa./Nazareth) in the two-man 157 pound bracket and pinned the freshman with just over a minute gone in the first period. Gavin followed suit by earning a fall against freshman Ethan Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg) with less than five minutes gone in the first finals match of the 174 pound division. The Panthers' other returning All-America honoree, Drew Headlee (Waynesburg, Pa./Waynesburg), had a more difficult time in his 141 pound finals match up with highly touted freshman Tyler Nauman (Middletown, Pa./Middletown). Headlee looked to be in a bit of bind as Nauman pulled out to 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series, but the 2005 NCAA All-American found his form and took the next two bouts from the impressive newcomer by scores of 6-4 and 8-5, respectively. Another absolute battle occurred in the 125 pound class, where redshirt sophomore Ryan Bosso (Pequea, Pa./Penn Manor) and former NCAA qualifier Brad Gentzle (Easton, Pa./Easton) took part in two of the harder fought matches of the evening. Gentzle began his night with a major decision over freshman Eric Rosencranz (Quakertown, Pa./Quakertown) and prevailed in both squabbles with Bosso by scores of 3-1 and 5-2 en route to claiming the team's starting spot. Redshirt junior Sean Richmond (Emmaus, Pa./Easton) entered the night as one of five wrestlers eyeing the starting slot in the 165 pound division. After getting past A.J. Brentzel (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) in his first match 3-2, Richmond matched up against Dave Kapetanovich (Pittsburgh, Pa./CCAC-North) and grabbed the starting job with scores of 7-5 and 3-1. Dave Sullivan (Dingmans Ferry, Pa./East Stroudsburg), a transfer from East Stroudsburg swept his two skirmishes with Matt Darnell (Lyndhurst, Ohio/Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy) by scores of 4-0 and 8-0, respectively. In the heavyweight division, Zach Sheaffer (Carlisle, Pa./Cumberland Valley) and Ryan Tomei (Irwin, Pa./Penn-Trafford) split a pair of matches before an injury prevented the third bout from coming to fruition. Sheaffer took the first duel by the score of 3-2 and Tomei returned the favor in the second match by the same score. The Panthers will take to the mats again for their first regular season contest at Lehigh on Sunday, Nov. 11. The match is scheduled to begin at 1 p.m. They open up their home slate at Fitzgerald Field House on Wednesday, Dec. 19 at 7:00 p.m. against the Missouri Tigers, who are ranked in the top 10 nationally.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -– Led by two pins from freshman Nikko Triggas and sophomore Lance Palmer, team Scarlet prevailed 18-11 over the Gray squad at the 2007 Ohio State Scarlet and Gray wrestle offs Thursday evening in St. John Arena. Triggas put six points on the board for the Scarlet team after pinning fellow freshman Pat Harrington in 2:15 at 125 pounds. The Gray squad cut its deficit in half at 133 pounds when sophomore Reece Humphrey scored an 8-2 decision over classmate Will Livingston. It was at 149 pounds, Palmer increased Scarlet's lead to 12-3 on a pin in 2:05 over freshman Tyler Meek. However, the Gray team held strong courtesy of a technical fall (17-0) by freshman Sean Nemec over fellow first-year Brendan Beucler. The second half of the wrestle offs at 165 pounds highlighted two freshmen in Robel Campbell and Ross Ambrose. Campbell recorded an 8-2 win to increase the Scarlet lead to 15-8. At 174 pounds, senior Alex Picazo notched a 4-2 decision over another Buckeye senior in Tommy Priestley and with that win team Scarlet increased its margin to 18-8. A pair of underclassmen took the mat at 197 pounds with freshman John Weakley edging sophomore Zack Weinrich, 10-8, to give the Gray squad three points. Finally, at heavyweight, junior Corey Morrison was a medical default winner over senior J.D. Bergman. The 141 and 184 weight classes were not contested. Ohio State begins its season at 2 p.m. Nov. 4 when it meets Notre Dame College in Cleveland, Ohio, at Maple Heights High School. The Buckeyes open their home schedule in St. John Arena at 7 p.m. Nov. 26.

COLUMBUS, Ohio –- Joe Ryan has been added to the Ohio State wrestling support staff as the director of operations, head coach Tom Ryan announced Thursday. Joe Ryan primarily will serve as the team's video coordinator, managing all aspects of the day-to-day video operation. In addition, he will be in charge of managing the recruiting, alumni and development databases. Ryan comes to Ohio State after serving as the head assistant wrestling coach at Rutgers in Piscataway, N.J. During his two-year stint with the Scarlet Knights (2005-2007), one of Ryan's duties was serving as the video coordinator and overseeing the wrestling video department. Prior to his time at Rutgers, Ryan coached at Wagner College in Staten Island, N.Y., from 2001-2005 and was the head coach at Seton Hall in South Orange, N.J., from 1998-2001 after serving as an assistant for the Pirates for two seasons (1997-1998). Ryan is the founder of Outstanding Sports Videos, a web site dedicated to featuring on-demand video of national high school and collegiate competitions, as well as interviews exclusive to regional markets. Ryan received his bachelor's degree in health and physical education from Lock Haven University in 1984. He also is a member of the New Jersey Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame.

The Augustana wrestling team opens the 2007-08 season with an intrasqaud dual on Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Elmen Center. Admission for the dual is free. The Vikings return 5 starters from last year's team that finished 9th at the NCAA Division II National Championships. It was the Vikings' fourth-straight top 10 national finish. Augustana's roster will feature a lot of young wrestlers. A total of 19 of the 29 team members are true freshmen or redshirt freshmen. Head Coach Jason Reitmeier's squad officially opens the season at the Daktronics Open in Brookings, S.D., on Saturday, November 3.

Madison, Wis. -- The Wisconsin wrestling team kicked off the 2007-08 season Thursday night in front of 647 fans at the UW Field House for the team's annual Wrestle-Offs. The Badgers used ten matches to determine their starting lineup for the season. "I liked how we wrestled overall as a team, I thought they looked good," Wisconsin head coach Barry Davis said. "As a coach, what we look for is how the guys compete with each other and the tendencies of certain guys. I look for how we wrestle overall as a team, how we get to the mat, how they work in riding situations, that's mainly what we're looking for right now and we can find areas where each guy can improve." Things got started with a match at 125 lbs. featuring last season's starter Collin Cudd (River Falls, Wis.) and sophomore Drew Hammen (Random Lake, Wis.). Cudd got out to a 2-0 start in the first period and Hammen tallied just two escapes in the whole match. Cudd, a three-time NCAA qualifier captured the match, 7-2. At 133 lbs., junior Zach Tanelli (Short Hills, N.J.) tallied two takedowns and two near falls in the first period to go up on sophomore Eric Senescu, 9-1 in the first. Tanelli controlled the rest of the match, and returns as Wisconsin's starter at 133 lbs. with a 16-2 win over Senescu. Badger co-captain, sophomore Kyle Ruschell (Crittendon, Ky.) faced junior Dan Sneider (Northbrook, Ill.) at 141 lbs. Ruschell stormed out to a 12-0 lead in the first period and finished with a tech fall, just 3:09 into the match to regain his starting spot. With the departure of former All-American Tyler Turner, Wisconsin has a large gap to fill at 149 lbs. Two freshmen earned their way into the final match tonight as both won preliminary matches earlier in the week. Kendall Vogel (Westfield, Wis.) scored first with a takedown in the first frame but Weldon Rogers (Oak Park, Ill.) was the next to score with a one-point escape in the second period. With the score close at 2-1 heading into the third, Vogel tallied four points in the final frame to earn the match and the starting spot with a 6-1 score. "Being a freshman, I thought Kendall Vogel used the mat really well, he knew where he was the whole time," Davis said. "For a young kid doing that right away, I thought that was impressive." NCAA runner-up and another Badger co-captain, Craig Henning (Chippewa Falls, Wis.), faced off against redshirt freshman Gabe Stoppelmoor at 157 lbs. Henning held Stoppelmoor scoreless in the match and captured a 12-0 decision. Stoppelmoor will compete at 149 lbs. this season but moved up for tonight's match against Henning. The bout at 165 lbs. was one of the closest of the night and featured senior Jake Donar (Cuba City, Wis.) and junior Mike Felling (Hutchinson, Minn.). Donar wrestled the most for Wisconsin at 165 lbs. last season and Felling moves down a weight class this year after wrestling at 174 lbs. in 2006-07. In Thursday's match, Donar had a 3-0 advantage over Felling after a scoreless first period. Felling would score two points in the final frame, but Donar held on for the 3-2 win. At 174 lbs., senior Matt Maciag (Sussex, N.J.) matched up against junior Justin Peterson (Comstock, Wis.). Peterson is another Badger moving down weight classes this season after he wrestled at 184 lbs. last year. In the match, Maciag defeated Peterson 9-1 to regain his starting position. Badger fans got a first look at another freshman, Gage Szablewski. The Lake Park, Ill., native took on redshirt freshman Eric Bugenhagen at 184 lbs. Bugenhagen scored first with a takedown in the first period but Szablewski got on the board with an escape in the second. In the third, Bugenhagen tallied two more points to finish the match, 4-1. Wisconsin's final co-captain, Dallas Herbst (Winneconne, Wis.) faced redshirt freshman Calyn Hull (Colorado Springs, Colo.) at 197 lbs. The score remained close at 2-1 in the first but Herbst would score the final five points to earn his starting spot back with a 7-1 win. Finally, the heavyweight match had the least scoring of the night. Junior Kyle Massey (Champlin, Minn.) took on sophomore Jordan Hein and after a scoreless first, Massey was the only one to get on the board with a one-point escape. Massey also regained his spot in the starting lineup with a 1-0 decision. Wisconsin continues the 2007-08 campaign Friday, Nov. 2, in Green Bay when they take on UW-Oshkosh and Dubuque at the KI Convention Center. Stay tuned to uwbadgers.com throughout the season wrestling updates and scores.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- The Purdue University wrestling team will open the doors to the Blake Wrestling Center for the second time in a week this Saturday at 9 a.m. for their annual wrestle-off competition. The starting job at eight of the Boilermakers' 10 weight classes will be on the line in a variety of formats. "This is a great way to prepare the guys for the season," said Purdue Head Coach Scott Hinkel. "It gives us all a starting point and gets the competitive juices flowing." The Boilermakers are permitted a four-pound weight allowance on Saturday from their established classes and will weigh-in an hour before the matches begin (8 a.m.). The first of the 15 rounds of competition will begin at 9 a.m. with a combination of exhibition and varsity wrestle-off matches. The Boilers will wrestle a standard match, including a three-minute first period, and two-minute second and third, with NCAA sudden victory and tie breaking procedures in effect if applicable. The job at 125 pounds will be up for grabs between redshirt freshman Akif Eren and first-year Boilermaker George Petrov. Eren has a year in the Purdue wrestling room under his belt, but Petrov comes from a very successful high school program and was his team's most valuable wrestler last season. Senior tri-captain Sean Schmaltz defends his starting position at 133 pounds against redshirt freshman Matt Hemry. Schmaltz started all of last year's Big Ten season for the Boilermakers, earning his first career conference victory over Minnesota's Mike Thorn. Hemry finished fourth at the Indiana high school state championships in 2006, winning his sectional, regional and semi-state titles on the way. Highly competitive duels are set at 141 and 149 pounds, with redshirt sophomore Matt Redmond and redshirt freshman Kevin Lipp ready to go head-to-head at 141, and junior tri-captains Jake Patacsil and Mark Powell facing off at 149. Redmond drops down a weight class after a very successful campaign at 149 pounds last season. He posted an 11-7 mark, including a sixth-place showing at the Midlands Championships, where he toppled a pair of nationally ranked opponents. Lipp enters his first season of varsity competition after piling up a 152-16 record over four years of high school. He won two Ohio high school state championships, and claimed a pair of state bronze medals as well. Patacsil enters the season ranked as high as eighth in the nation in the preseason polls at 149 pounds after a record-setting 2006-07. He rewrote the Purdue back-points record books on his way to team most valuable wrestler honors and a 34-12 overall mark, including a 5-3 conference record and a trip to the 2007 NCAA Tournament. His 190 back points shattered the previous single-season mark by 40 points, and he stands fourth all-time at Purdue with 284 back points in his first two seasons. Powell has an impressive resume of his own, notching a 17-5 record in 2006-07 before bowing out of contention for the starting job due to injury. He finished fifth at the Eastern Michigan Open and had winning records at both the Reno Tournament of Champions and the Midlands Championships. The 157-pound position should prove the most highly coveted as the Boilermakers flaunt five grapplers that will vie for the starting job in a tournament format. Headlining the group is returning starter and NCAA qualifier Jake Murphy. A redshirt junior, Murphy posted a 16-14 record last year, including a 3-4 mark in conference. Throwing their names in the hat are redshirt junior Nick Spohn, redshirt sophomores Nick Bertucci and Sam Patacsil and redshirt freshman Kevin Clem. Spohn captured the Midwest Open crown last year, topping Sam Patacsil in the finals of the tournament, while Bertucci was the Boilermakers' starter at 141 pounds. Clem enters his first season of varsity competition after a successful high school campaign. The battle at 165 pounds features multiple contenders as well, including 2006-07 starters Justin Fraga and Jason Martin. Both redshirt sophomores, Fraga turned in 27 wins, a fourth-place Big Ten Tournament showing and a NCAA Championship appearance at 165 pounds last year, while Martin bumped up a class to take on the starting 174-pound job for the Old Gold and Black. Completing the trio of contenders is redshirt freshman Luke Manuel, who was the 2006 California high school state runner-up and a high school All-American. The three will compete in set of round-robin matches with the best record taking the starting job. Junior Nick Corpe and redshirt junior Aaron Goebel will via for the 174-pound starting spot as the pair both look to rebound from injury-shortened seasons last winter. Corpe was the Boilermakers' starter at 174 as a freshman and sophomore, before cutting his second season short with an injury at the Midlands Championships. Goebel suffered a similar fate in each of his collegiate seasons so far, but looks to straighten that out this year. The spot at heavyweight stands between redshirt sophomore Chris Kasten and redshirt freshman Roger Vukobratovich. Kasten posted a record of 16-6 over the first half of his rookie campaign, while Vukobratovich was his high school MVP his senior year and put in valuable work on the mat last season. The rest of the Boilermakers' starting spots are pretty much set on the shoulders of 184-pound sophomore David Pisarcik and 197-pound redshirt freshman Logan Brown. The pair will compete in a series of exhibition matches to ready themselves for the season-opening tournament. Several of Purdue's true freshman and redshirt wrestlers will be in exhibition action as well, including 2005 NCAA qualifier Colton Salazar, three-time Wisconsin high school state champion A.J. Kissel and 2007 Indiana high school state champion Matt Fields. The Blake Wrestling Center is located within Lambert Fieldhouse, on the south side of the indoor track. Alumni, media and fans are encouraged to attend and get a glimpse of the Boilermakers' first action of the season. Match Schedule Round 1: 157(A) - Kevin Clem vs. Sam Patacsil 165 - Justin Fraga vs. Luke Manuel Round 2: 125 - Matt Fields vs. Bill Putman 125 - Akif Eren vs. George Petrov Round 3: 141 - Kevin Lipp vs. Matt Redmond 133/141 - Jake Fleckenstein vs. David Zimmer Round 4: 133 - Matt Hemry vs. Sean Schmaltz 149 - Jake Patacsil vs. Mark Powell Round 5: 285 - Chris Kasten vs. Roger Vukobratovich 157(B) - Nick Spohn vs. Nick Bertucci Round 6: 157(C) - Jake Murphy vs. 157(A) winner 165 - Luke Manuel vs. Jason Martin Round 7: 165/157 - John Doyle vs. Colton Salazar 184 - A.J. Kissel vs. David Pisarcik Round 8: 174 - Nick Corpe vs. Aaron Goebel 125 - Bill Putman vs. George Petrov Round 9: 125 - Akif Eren vs. Matt Fields 133 - Sean Schmaltz vs. Jake Fleckenstein Round 10: 157(D) - 157(C) winner vs. 157 (B) winner 165 - Jason Martin vs. Justin Fraga Round 11: 149/157 - Jordan Nettuno vs. Colton Salazar 157(E) - 157(A) loser vs. 157(B) loser Round 12: 141/149 - Kevin Lipp vs. Mark Powell 197/184 - Logan Brown vs. David Pisarcik Round 13: 133 - Jake Fleckenstein vs. Matt Hemry 141 - David Zimmer vs. Matt Redmond Round 14: 149 - Jake Patacsil vs. Jordan Nettuno 184/174 - A.J. Kissel vs. Nick Corpe Round 15: 197/285 - Logan Brown vs. Chris Kasten 157(F) - 157(E) winner vs. 157(D) loser

Luke Becker, a four-time All-American and an NCAA Division I national champion at 157-pounds in 2002, will be the guest clinician at the 2007 St. Cloud State University Husky Fall Wrestling Clinic, which will take place on Saturday, Oct. 27, in the Halenbeck Hall Fieldhouse. There are still openings available for this clinic, and participants may register on the day of the event. This informative all-day clinic will start with check-in between 8 a.m. and 9 a.m., and it is open to all individuals from first grade to 12th grade. The final session of the day will conclude at 3:15 p.m. The cost of the clinic is $45, and the fee includes three sessions of expert instruction, a clinic t-shirt and lunch. The clinic will feature Becker as its guest clinician. As a member of the University of Minnesota wrestling team, Becker helped the Gophers win national team titles in 2001 and 2002. He gained NCAA All-America honors four times during his collegiate career with fourth place finishes at 157-pounds in 2001 and 2003, and a sixth place finish at 157-pounds in 2000. Becker won two individual Big Ten Conference titles, and he was a three-time Minnesota State High School state champion at Cambridge-Isanti High School. Becker currently serves as an assistant coach at the Unversity of Minnesota under head coach J Robinson. For more information about registering for the 2007 SCSU Husky Fall Wrestling Clinic, please call SCSU wrestling coach Steve Costanzo at 320-308-2996 or e-mail him at sscostanzo@stcloudstate.edu

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Three Northwestern wrestlers have received bids for the 2007 NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 19 in Eugene, Ore. Heavyweight Dustin Fox (Galion, Ohio/Galion), Ryan Lang (North Royalton, Ohio/Lakewood St. Edward) at 141 lbs. and Mike Tamillow (Oak Park, Ill./Fenwick) at 197 lbs. make up the trio for Northwestern, which was one of just two schools to receive as many bids to the Classic. "Having three invitees is a noteworthy accomplishment and NU is honored to have our top individuals recognized," coach Tim Cysewski said. "This is a testament to the hard work that these wrestlers have put in and it is no secret that we expect to have multiple wrestlers at the All-Star Classic every year." Fox is set to take on Tervel Dlagnev of Nebraska-Kearney, who is the NCAA D-II National Champion. The two have only faced each other once before when Dlagnev defeated Fox at Midlands last year. "Dustin has a chance to challenge a competitor that defeated him last year, not an easy task but one that Dustin is ready to take on," Cysewski said. Tamillow's match comes against Phil Davis of Penn State, who he has faced twice in his career. During last year's regular season, Davis defeated Tamillow, but Tamillow has a victory over Davis at the University Nationals (Freestyle) en route to the 211 lb. Championship, where he was named the Most Valuable Wrestler. At the Big Ten Championships last year, Tamillow also placed above Davis in the 197 weight class. "Tamillow and Phil know each others styles very well, it is always an interesting match-up," Cysewski said. Lang will not be competing at the All-Star Classic, though. It is early in the year and he is focusing hard on his match preparation." Last year, Northwestern was the only school to win two matches at the All-Star Classic with Lang defeating Nathan Morgan of Oklahoma State, 4-3, and Jake Herbert's 10-2 victory over Roger Kish of Minnesota. NU has been victorious in each of the last two NWCA All-Star Classics.

EDMOND -- All-American Heath Jolley's first-period fall capped a five-match winning streak that carried the Blue team to 29-19 victory over the Bronze in Central Oklahoma's annual intrasquad wrestling dual Wednesday night at Hamilton Field House. Jolley, a fifth-place national finisher at 197 pounds last year who is dropping to 184 this season, piled up a 7-1 lead before pinning Scott Cayton in 2:29 as the Blue used the late rally to overcome a 16-8 deficit. The defending national champion Bronchos, ranked No. 1 in the preseason NCAA Division II poll that came out Tuesday, showcased the 2007-08 team with 12 matches. UCO will have another intrasquad dual Nov. 1 in Norman and officially opens the season Nov. 11 at the Central Missouri Open. "I saw a lot of good things, but it's obviously early and we've got a long road ahead of us," said 26th-year head coach David James. "Our conditioning wasn't as good as I'd like it to be and there were some places where we weren't aggressive enough, but overall it was a pretty good outing and I liked what I saw." Three of UCO's four returning All-Americans were in action and neither was tested. In addition to Jolley's fall, returning national champion Kyle Evans at 141 and Tyler Zukerman at 125 – both ranked No. 1 in the preseason – rolled to easy wins. Evans had four near-falls and two takedowns in a 15-0 shutout that ended early in the second period and Zukerman racked up four takedowns and two near-falls in a 16-3 rout. The Blue team also got major decisions from brothers Jarrett and Jordan Edison, with freshman Jordan a 10-1 winner at 141 and redshirt freshman Jarrett a 10-2 victor at 197. The Bronze led 16-8 after Brent Sarette's 10-7 win over Luke Elmore at 149, but the Blue won the next five matches to pull out the win. Kelly Henderson started the rally with an 8-6 victory at 157, Alvin Metcalf and Zach Sikes won back-to-back matches at 165 and Tommy McCarty prevailed at 174 before Jolley ended the streak with his fall. 125: Tyler Zukerman, Bronze, major dec. Nick Rice, 16-3. 141: Jordan Edison, Blue, major dec. Zack McClure, 10-1. 141: Kyle Evans, Bronze, tech. fall Dale McClure, 15-0 (3:19). 149: Colby Robinson, Bronze, major dec. Corby Ray, 11-3. 149: Brent Sarette, Bronze, dec. Luke Elmore, 10-7. 157: Kelly Henderson, Blue, dec. Conner Robinson, 8-6. 165: Alvin Metcalf, Blue, dec. Cody Rowell, 10-5. 165: Zach Sikes, Blue, pinned Kelson Phillips, 6:31. 174: Tommy McCarty, Blue, dec. Kenny Meredith, 3-0. 184: Heath Jolley, Blue, pinned Scotty Cayton, 2:29. 197: Jarrett Edison, Blue, major dec. Jon Wechter, 10-2. 285: Reggie Douglas, Bronze, dec. Braden Land, 4-1.

PITTSBURGH -- University of Pittsburgh 2007 NCAA All-American and national runner-up Keith Gavin will join 19 of the nation's elite wrestlers and showcase his talents at the 42nd annual NWCA All-Star Classic on Monday, Nov. 19 at McArthur Court in Eugene, Ore. Two competitors from each of the 10 weight classes were invited to take part in this national event that in years past has featured wrestling greats such as Cael Sanderson and Dan Gable. Gavin (Factoryville, Pa./Lackawanna Trail) will represent the 174-pound class and square off against Matt Stolpinski of Navy. Gavin's invitation makes him the third Panther wrestler in the program's storied history to garner such an honor and the first since 1996 when J.J. Fasnacht traveled to Iowa City, Iowa. Two-time national champion Pat Santoro was the other Pitt wrestler to take part in the Classic, as he competed three times in his career from 1987-89.

The Stanford wrestling team will hold its season-opening intrasquad meet on Saturday at 2 p.m. in Burnham Pavilion. The matches will determine the team's starting line-up for its first competition of 2007-08, a dual with Fort Hays State in Tecumseh, Kans. on Nov. 9. "I'm excited to officially get the season started," said Head Coach Kerry McCoy. "Although we'll be competing against ourselves, it gives us a chance to see how our guys compete outside the wrestling room and who our starting line-up will be." Wrestle-offs will be followed by the season kickoff dinner and auction, which is set for 6 p.m at the Schwab Center on campus. Tickets to the dinner are $60 per person. Those interested in attending can contact McCoy at kmccoy@stanford.edu. The top two wrestlers in each weight class will be determined this week at practice, and will square off in the final bout on Saturday. In addition, Saturday's events will feature a number of exhibition matches. Those competing this week for the starting spot in each weight class are as follows: 125 - Tanner Gardner, Blair Matsuura, Austin Quarles 133 - Justin Paulsen, Porfirio Madrigal, Steve Scheele 141 - Matt Kim, Cameron Teitelman, Max Rosefigura 149 - Lucas Espericueta, Eric Minnick, Kenny White, Marcus Henderson, Trevor Stevens 157 - Josh Zupancic, Nick Amuchastegui, Murdoch Miller 165 - Bobby Pease, Peter Miller, Kyle Barrett, Max Hawes 174 - Luke Fiest, Kyle Anderson, Alex Muller 184 - No match 197 - Jake Johnson, Matt Winterbourne HWT - Phillip Doerner, Mark Shughart If you are interested in a 2007-08 Stanford wrestling media guide, please respond with your mailing address. Thanks!

EDMOND, Okla. -- Defending national champion Central Oklahoma and Nebraska-Kearney will enter the 2007-08 NCAA Division II wrestling season as co-No. 1s, according to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association preseason poll released Tuesday. The Bronchos captured their seventh Division II title last season by 16 points over the runner-up Antelopes and each team finished with four first-place votes and 155 points in balloting of coaches from around the country to share the No. 1 ranking. Minnesota State-Mankato was a solid third-place choice with 143 points while Adams State (Colo.) was fourth with 134 and Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) fifth with 122. Rounding out the top 10 is Upper Iowa, Nebraska-Omaha, Western State (Colo.), Wisconsin-Parkside and Chadron State (Neb.). UCO has four All-Americans back from last year's team, paced by undefeated national champion Kyle Evans. He enters the season ranked No. 1 at 141 pounds along with teammate Tyler Zukerman at 125. UNK has seven national placers returning, with defending champion and top-rated Tervel Dlagnev (285) leading the way along with 2006 champion and No. 1-ranked Brett Allgood (133). Chadron State also has two top-ranked individuals in Brett Hunter (165) and Josh Majerus (197). The 2008 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships will be hosted by Upper Iowa on March 14-15 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. The NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association Top 20 poll, with points and last year's national tournament finish: Rank School (State) Points Last Year's Finish T1. Central Oklahoma 155 1st T1. Nebraska-Kearney 155 2nd 3. Minnesota State-Mankato 143 4th 4. Adams State (Colo.) 134 5th 5. Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 122 7th 6. Upper Iowa 119 8th 7. Nebraska-Omaha 112 3rd 8. Western State (Colo.) 109 10th 9. Wisconsin-Parkside 88 20th 10. Chadron State (Neb.) 80 6th 11. Indianapolis (Ind.) 77 11th 12. Ashland (Ohio) 74 19th 13. Newberry (S.C.) 62 25th 14. Mercyhurst (Pa.) 43 15th 15. Minnesota State-Moorhead 38 18th 16. Findlay (Ohio) 37 12th 17. Limestone (S.C.) 33 T28th 18. Fort Hays State (Kan.) 24 14th 19. Northern State (S.D.) 23 T28th 20. Truman State (Mo.) 17 22nd Others receiving votes: Augustana (S.D.), Carson-Newman (Tenn.), Central Missouri, Gannon (Pa.), Shippensburg (Pa.), West Liberty State (W. Va.). Individual Rankings 125 Pounds 1. Tyler Zukerman, Central Oklahoma 2. Arsenia Barksdale, Adams State (Colo.) 3. Eddie Lopez, Western State (Colo.) 4. Chris Neidermeier, Belmont-Abbey (N.C.) 5. Derrek Bosso, Pittburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 6. Tyler Mumbulo, Upper Iowa 7. Nick Smith, Minnesota State-Mankato 8. Devlon Webb, Chadron State (Neb.) 133 Pounds 1. Brett Allgood, Nebraska-Kearney 2. Shane Perkey, Indianapolis (Ind.) 3. Brandon Reasy, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 4. Marques Bravo, Western State (Colo.) 5. Craig DeGreef, Wisconsin-Parkside 6. Matt Mossor, West Liberty State (W. Va.) 7. Raymond Dunning, Adams State (Colo.) 8. Andrew Young, Newberry (S.C.) 141 Pounds 1. Kyle Evans, Central Oklahoma 2. Steven Fittery, Shippensburg (Pa.) 3. Doug Surra, West Liberty State (W. Va.) 4. Jeff Rutledge, Nebraska-Kearney 5. Joey Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.) 6. Yasiim Bribieseca, Nebraska-Omaha 7. Shane Valko, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 8. Ross Mountour, New Mexico Highlands 149 Pounds 1. Mike Rogers, Carson-Newman (Tenn.) 2. Jason Rhoten, Minnesota State-Mankato 3. Don Cummings, Mercyhurst (Pa.) 4. Camille DuPont, Western State (Colo.) 5. Chris Chambers, Kutztown (Pa.) 6. Tee Adams, Upper Iowa 7. Latra Collick, Newberry (S.C.) 8. Marcus Gordon, Ashland (Ohio) 157 Pounds 1. Tony Guerra, Findlay (Ohio) 2. Jason Leavitt, Central Oklahoma 3. Joe Ellenberger, Nebraska-Kearney 4. Andy Lamancusa, Mercyhurst (Pa.) 5. Travis Eggers, Upper Iowa 6. Danny Grater, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 7. Michael Horton, Indianapolis (Ind.) 8. Michael Gallegos, Adams State (Colo.) 165 Pounds 1. Brett Hunter, Chadron State (Neb.) 2. Andy Pickar, Minnesota State-Mankato 3. Blake Peterson, Truman State (Mo.) 4. Zach Lee, Western State (Colo.) 5. Evan Copeland, Adams State (Colo.) 6. Taylor May, Nebraska-Kearney 7. Ross Taplin, Nebraska-Omaha 8. Mitch Norton, Upper Iowa 174 Pounds 1. Larry Wilbanks, Western State (Colo.) 2. Chris Gibbs, West Liberty State (W. Va.) 3. Andy Sinclair, Northern State (S.D.) 4. Tim Matheson, Minnesota State-Mankato 5. Tommy McCarty, Central Oklahoma 6. Jarrett Hall, Minnesota State-Moorhead 7. Albert Miles, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 8. Brady Hakeman, Upper Iowa 184 Pounds 1. Jared Deaguero, Adams State (Colo.) 2. Austin Boehm, Nebraska-Omaha 3. Mike Corcetti, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 4. Matt Farrell, Nebraska-Kearney 5. Heath Jolley, Central Oklahoma 6. Charlie Pipher, Western State (Colo.) 7. Pino Scavella, Gannon (Pa.) 8. Jeremy Hudson, Central Missouri 197 Pounds 1. Josh Majerus, Chadron State (Neb.) 2. Kelsey Empting, Nebraska-Kearney 3. Jon Treml, Wisconsin-Parkside 4. Tyler Gonzales, Fort Hays State (Kan.) 5. Kelly Anundson, Newberry (S.C) 6. Jacob Marrs, Nebraska-Omaha 7. Josh Ohl, Ashland (Ohio) 8. Todd Naasz, Northern State (S.D.) 285 Pounds 1. Tervel Dlagnev, Nebraska-Kearney 2. Travis Clark, Findlay (Ohio) 3. Brady Wilson, Minnesota State-Mankato 4. Dan Goodson, Upper Iowa 5. Chris Dempsey, Pittsburgh-Johnstown (Pa.) 6. Trey Moss, Limestone (S.C.) 7. Cy Wainwright, Newberry (S.C.) 8. Jesse Laber, Mary (N.D.)

The traveling mic's of TDR will hit the road as we've been invited in for a special 2 hour in-depth look at the Iowa Hawkeye wrestling program. The Hawkeye's will hold their annual coaches clinic October 26-27 at the Dan Gable Wrestling Complex in Carver-Hawkeye Arena in Iowa City. Some 18 months ago Coach Tom Brands said that the Hawkeye's would replenish the depth in their room and make an effort to do so with the state's best talents. They are doing just that. This season Coach Brands will turn loose the VT 5 and those that are challenging for the various weight classes. What a difference a year can make. Hawkeyesports.com Recently Mark Ballweg, a state champion from Waverly-Shell Rock and one of the state's top college prospects, verbally committed to the Hawkeye's. He'll join a roster that includes his older brother, Matt, a redshirt freshman at Iowa. Osage, IA, native, Three-time all-American and former Hawkeye wrestler Doug Schwab has been named interim assistant wrestling coach at the University of Iowa. Schwab replaces Assistant Coach Dan Gable, who returned to his role as special assistant to the director of athletics earlier this month. Recently Schwab went 3-2 in his first World Championships effort. He dropped a 4-1, 1-0 decision to Georgia's Otar Tushishvili in the bronze-medal match. Tushivili lost to American and former Hawkeye Bill Zadick in the finals of the 2006 World Championships. We'll start this broadcast at 3:30 PM Friday. Our Guests will Include: Hawkeye Head Coach Tom Brands, Assistants Doug Schwab, Wes Hand, Dan Gable. Possible guests include Hawkeye Wrestlers and Clinic speakers: Bucknell University Assistant Coach Dave Hoffman and former Hawkeye wrestler John Oostendorp, who is the head wrestling coach at Coe College in Cedar Rapids. Join us for this special broadcast from 3:30 to 5:30 PM at Takedownradio.com, KXNO.com, Matchannel.com, Mat-magazine.com. Wrestlers and MMA competitors join us each and every week. You should too! TDR is available LIVE, Archived and Pod Cast as well. Visit Takedownradio.com for more details. Thanks for listening!

FAIRFIELD, CT -- Sacred Heart University athletic director Don Cook announced today that Casey Brewster has been appointed as head wrestling coach for the Pioneers, at the conclusion of a national search. "We think Casey will be a dedicated, high-energy coach who will help our student-athletes forge a solid work ethic that leads to excellence both in the classroom and on the mat," says Cook. "We are very excited to have him join our athletic family and we look forward to watching how he helps our program progress." A graduate of the University of West Virginia holds a degree in athletic coaching education. As a competitor while at WV, Brewster was a runner-up at the 2004 Eastern Wrestling League at 125 pounds, qualifying for the NCAA Championships. He was named an All-American after the 2004-05 season. He finished his collegiate career at Cumberland in Tennessee, where he was an NAIA All-American at 133 pounds in 2005. While training with the Mountaineers, Brewster had the opportunity to train with high-caliber mentors including Zeke Jones (Penn), Lou Rosselli (Ohio State) and Craig Turnbull (WVU). While living in Morgantown, Brewster was a member of the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club and finished his collegiate career with a record of 66-28. A Nashville, TN native, Brewster served as a graduate assistant coach at his alma mater for the 2005 winter season. He moved on to Belmont Abbey College in North Carolina in December, and worked there until November when he was hired at Rutgers. Brewster has worked at several wrestling camps throughout Pennsylvania and West Virginia, starting as an undergraduate student. He also coached in California at the camp of his college wrestling coach at WV, Zeke Jones. Brewster takes over the Pioneer program from Andy Seras, who guided the team for five years and resigned to pursue other opportunities.

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Arno Niemand and Dan Gable. Niemand is the owner and chairman of Body Bar Systems. This organization has been a major supporter of wrestling and a leader in promoting women's wrestling. Niemand is also a wrestling historian who has done considerable research on the 1947 NCAA championship won by tiny Cornell College. He recently gave presentations at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater as well as a homecoming presentation in Mount Vernon. Gable was the head wrestling coach at the University of Iowa from 1977-1997. During his tenure he established a record of domination that has become legendary in sport. In 21 years as head coach, Gable led his teams to 15 NCAA titles, 21 Big Ten titles, and a 355-21-5 record. As a wrestler, Gable won two NCAA titles for Iowa State and compiled a 183-1 record throughout high school and college. At the 1972 Olympics he won a gold medal at 149.5 pounds without surrendering a single point. "On the Mat" is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday night. This week's broadcast can be heard live from 6-7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.

In our continuing efforts to join the boundaries of the wrestling and mixed martial arts worlds we take our mobile Brute Adidas Studios on the road for 2 new episodes of Takedown Radio as we come to LIVE from Schaumburg, Illinois Saturday October 27th. Takedown Radio is now broadcast on the following internet outlets: Takedownradio.com, KXNO.com, Matchannel.com, Mat-magazine.com. Please be sure to join our live broadcast each and every Saturday as we talk to the worlds greatest athletes. TDR is available LIVE, Archived and Pod Cast. Visit Takedownradio.com for more details. This week our first show will be complete with news and interviews about wrestling and the collegiate scene along with the management and stars of the IFL and the wrestling worlds. October 27th, 2007 TDR Show # 1 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM CST October 27th, 2007 TDR Show # 2 11:30 AM to 5:00 PM CST Special IFL Program 100's of mixed martial athletes residing in many U.S. states – hailing from at least 10 other countries – will join us in Schaumburg, Illinois looking for spots on International Fight League teams at the IFL 2008 Draft. These top level athletes will exhibit all phases of their arsenals looking for a coveted spot among the pool of talented competitors selected by the coaches. The IFL is a team based competition much like wrestling. Scheduled guests to include: Founder of KUBED Fight Gear Kelvin Thompson, IFL Co-founder and Commissioner Kurt Otto, "IFL Battleground" host Bas Rutten, IFL man in the know Jerry Milani Join us for this special broadcast from 9 to 11 AM at Takedownradio.com, KXNO.com, Matchannel.com, Mat-magazine.com. Wrestlers and MMA competitors join us each and every week. You should too! TDR is available LIVE, Archived and Pod Cast as well. Visit Takedownradio.com for more details. Thanks for listening!

COLUMBUS, Ohio –- With the Ohio State wrestling team's season beginning in less than a month, the squad held preliminary wrestle offs Thursday in the Steelwood Athletic Training Facility to narrow down potential starters for the 2007-08 season. The winners from the wrestle offs Thursday will compete in the finals at 8 p.m. Oct. 25 in St. John Arena. Nine of the 10 weight classes will be featured next Thursday, as 141 will not be contested. At 125 pounds, freshman Nikko Triggas will match up against classmate Pat Harrington. Will Livingston, who moved up a weight class after starting at 125 pounds his freshman year, will face junior Reece Humphrey. All-American sophomore Lance Palmer and freshman Tyler Meek will headline the 149-pound weight class, while St. Edward product and freshman Sean Nemec will meet fellow freshman Brendan Beucler at 157 pounds. The second half of weight classes will highlight Colt Sponseller, the 2007 NHSCA High School Wrestler of the Year, and Ross Ambrose at 165 pounds. After redshirting in 2006-07, Alex Picazo returns to meet Tommy Priestley at 174 pounds. Up next will be All-American Mike Pucillo wrestling Wes Bergman at 184 pounds, while John Weakley and Zack Weinrich will contest for the 197-pound class. Finally, at heavyweight, two-time All-American J.D. Bergman will face either Corey Morrison or Eric DiAgosta, who will wrestle for a spot in the finals this Saturday. The finals will follow the first day of the 2007 Ohio State Coaches Clinic. Those attending the coaches clinic will be admitted into the event for free. Tickets for the general public are $5. Ohio State Wrestle Offs Thursday, Oct. 25, 8 p.m. St. John Arena 125 – Nikko Triggas vs. Pat Harrington 133 – Will Livingston vs. Reece Humphrey 141 – No wrestle off 149 – Lance Palmer vs. Tyler Meek 157 – Sean Nemec vs. Brendan Beucler 165 – Colt Sponseller vs. Ross Ambrose 174 – Alex Picazo vs. Tommy Priestley 184 – Mike Pucillo vs. Wes Bergman 197 – John Weakley vs. Zack Weinrich HWT – J.D. Bergman vs. Corey Morrison/Eric DiAgosta

Stanford, Calif. -- The Stanford wrestling program has named its 2007-08 captains announced Head Coach Kerry McCoy today. Senior Tanner Gardner, senior Josh Zupancic, senior Phillip Doerner and junior Luke Feist have been voted by their teammates to lead the Cardinal for the upcoming season. Gardner, one of three fifth year seniors on the 2007-08 squad, begins his third season as a Cardinal captain. The 125-pounder from Berryton, Kans. earned his second All-America honor with a seventh place finish at the NCAA Championships last season, and will look to become Stanford's first three-time All-American this year. Gardner, the defending Pac-10 Champion, also set a school record with 42 wins last year and became just the fourth wrestler in program history to join the 100-career-win club. Zupancic, who also returns for his fifth year, will captain the squad for the first time this season. Last year, he claimed second place in the Pac-10 at 157 pounds, qualified for his first NCAA Championship and upended three seeded opponents on his way to a seventh place national finish and his first All-America honor. Doerner, Stanford's third fifth year senior, will return to his role as the team's starting heavyweight this season and begin his first year as a captain. The Oklahoma City native gained valuable experience last season with a tough schedule that included six ranked opponents, and finished the season on a high note, winning his last two conference dual matches and three of his last five bouts. Feist, a redshirt junior, will captain the squad for the first time this year. As a sophomore last season, Feist won a personal-best 25 matches, placed fourth in the Pac-10 and qualified for his first NCAA Championship. "This group of guys has done a great job of leading by example the last few years," said McCoy on the team's selections. "I think they'll really be able to lead in a more active way this year and help us to achieve our goals as a team." Stanford kicks off the 2007-08 season next Saturday, Oct. 27 with the squad's annual Wrestle-offs set for 2 p.m.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State University wrestling team will hold its annual Maroon and Gold Wrestle-Off on Saturday, November 3, starting at 11 a.m. inside the Riches Wrestling Complex in Tempe. The event, which will be used to help determine the team's starting line up for its season-opening duals at UC Davis and Portland State the following weekend, will feature a dual meet format with 15 bouts scheduled. Admission is free for the event and will follow a coaches and wrestlers clinic which starts at 9 a.m. The maroon team will be led by senior captains Rick Renzi (174) and Jason Trulson (197) with former Sun Devil All-American CB Dollaway serving as the alumni coach. The gold squad will be led by senior captain and two-time Pac-10 champion Patrick Pitsch (165) with two-time All-American Ryan Bader serving as the alumni coach. Here are the bouts that are scheduled for the event: 125 - Anthony Robles (M) vs. Angel Alegre (G) 125 - David Prado (M) vs. Ryan Taylor (G) 133 - Orlando Jimenez (M) vs. Todd Schavrien (G) 133 - Tyler Bowles (M) vs. Danny Galvan (G) 141 - Chris Drouin (M) vs. Robert Galvan (G) 149 - Preston Pruett (M) vs. Lucas Mariacher (G) 149 - Vicente Varela (M) vs. Jerrad Trulson (G) 157 - Jalonn Wilkins (M) vs. Cameron Smith (G) 165 - Cory Nelson (M) vs. Patrick Pitsch (G) 165 - Kyle DeBerry (M) vs. Michael Swigart (G) 174 - Rick Renzi (M) vs. Jeff Cappellini (G) 184 - Jake Cranford (M) vs. Brent Chriswell (G) 197 - Jason Trulson (M) vs. Thor Moen (G) 285 - Quinton Pruett (M) vs. Kenny Lester (G) 285 - Nick Williams (M) vs. Imanibom Etukeren (G)

RevWrestling.com has released the 2007-08 Preseason Rev College Rankings! Four NCAA champions return from last season, including Paul Donahoe of Nebraska, who captured the title at 125 as the No. 6 seed. With Edinboro's Gregor Gillespie moving up to 157, 2006 NCAA champion Dustin Schlatter of Minnesota assumes the No. 1-ranking at 149 pounds (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)

Please Note: RevWrestling.com is dedicated to covering and promoting amateur wrestling on all levels. However, on occasion, RevWrestling.com will look at mixed martial arts (MMA) as it relates to amateur wrestling. Event: UFC 77: Hostile Territory Date: October 20, 2007 Location: Cincinnati, Ohio (US Bank Arena) Revenge is often sweet in sports. It is especially rewarding if the revenge occurs in front of hometown fans. That is what this main event is all about. It was just a year ago when Anderson "Spider" SILVA (19-4) upset middleweight champion, Rich "Ace" FRANKLIN (22-2) with some vicious Mua Thay kicking that left the invincible Franklin crumpled in a pile on the mat. The MMA world was shocked. Ace had looked unstoppable until the Anderson Silva carnage. Tonight, Franklin gets his much awaited chance at revenge, and Dana White has placed in the event in Franklin's backyard, Cincinnati. Advantage Franklin. Plus, can you imagine the focus that Rich will have for this fight? He can't lose! … and yet, he's the underdog. I see value there. TAKE FRANKLIN @ +165 over the Spider in a hometown split decision. Tim "the Maniac" SILVIA has an impressive 23-3 record with an astounding 16 KO's, while Brandon "the Truth" VERA is 8-0 with 6 KO's. Despite being the much larger fighter at 265 lbs to Vera's 225 pounds, Silvia is the underdog. Perhaps, because he is so one-dimensional and slow compared to the much quicker Vera. I see Vera as a fighter on the rise against an ex-champion on the decline. Couture had his way with Silvia. So will Vera. If Vera can avoid the Maniac's haymaker, he will get the job done on the mat tonight. I see a rear-naked choke ending this one with "the Truth" standing tall midway through the second round. TAKE VERA @ �150 to position himself for a title shot. Yushin OKAMI (20-4) has beaten some of the best fighters out there (undefeated Mike Swick, Anderson Silva!, Kalib Starnes, and Nick "the Goat" Thompson). Tonight he faces a dangerous Canadian, Jason MACDONALD (19-8) who has won 7 of his last 8 fights, losing only to Rich Franklin. Sixteen out of MacDonald's 19 wins have come by submission. But, Okami has only been submitted once in 24 fights! Okami is a versatile bully, who likes to go after you with his impressive stand-up game, only to use his submission skills to dominate on the ground. TAKE OKAMI @ -225 to defeat MacDonald by second round ground-and-pound TKO. Stephan BONNAR (10-4) is back. He fights Eric "Red" Schafer (7-2-2) in what should be a victory on his way up ladder in the deep light-heavyweight (205 lbs) class. Bonnar was good enough to beat Keith Jardine, who recently defeated Chick "the Iceman" Liddell. His only losses have been to the amazing Forrest Griffin (twice), undefeated Ryoto Machida, and undefeated Rashad Evans. Not bad. I think of Bonnar as a puncher, but his record shows only one KO, with seven submission victories on his resume. But, tonight it will be "lights out" for Schafer. I see Bonnar getting a crowd-pleasing KO in the second round. TAKE BONNAR and lay the �325. Kalib STARNES (8-1-1) is a middleweight up-and-comer from Canada, who is coming off a victory over Chris Leben. His opponent, Alan BELCHER (10-3) will be coming in looking for a KO. Both fighters have lost to Yushin Okami. Starnes has been working on his punching skills and may choose to go toe-to-toe in this one. UFC website fans polled have a 2/3 preference for Starnes in this one, yet the betting line is only Starnes a slight favorite @ -125. I see some value here. TAKE STARNES @ -125 over Belcher with a third round submission by armbar. Josh BURKMAN (8-4) is known as the "people's champion". Why? Tonight he fights journeyman Forrest "the Meat Cleaver" PETZ (13-4), who back in early '05 choked out Charles "Crazyhorse" Bennett in King of the Cage Payback. Despite his mediocre record, bookmakers have made Burkman the �315 favorite. This is because of the level of competition he has fought, losing to Karo Parisyan, Jon Fitch, and Jeremy Horn. Burkman is a strong wrestler from Salt Lake City, while Petz will be the hometown boy from nearby Cleveland. TAKE BURKMAN @ -315 to crush the Meat Cleaver with a resounding left hook in the second round. Burkman by KO. In other fights on the undercard: Take Alvin "the Kid" ROBINSON (8-2) @ +130 to upset Jorge Gurgel (11-2) with an armbar submission in the third round. Robinson's 8 wins have all been by submission. Take Ryan JENSEN (11-2) @ +170 as a big underdog to end Demian Maia's undefeated streak (5-0). Interestingly enough, 74% of UFC website fans support the underdog here! Jensen wins with shocking triangle choke in the second round. Take Jason BLACK (21-3-1) @ -340 to handle Donald "the Wolverine" Grice (8-1), a wrestler from Norman, Oklahoma. Black wins by rear-naked choke in the first round. The UFC Monster has 6 favorites and 3 underdogs on tonight's card. Let's hope for the best. Enjoy the fights! More later. The UFC Monster

Mason City -- Head wrestling coach Richard Fergola announced today his four team captains for their inaugural season of 2007-08. The four captains will consist of two freshman and two sophomores. The team captains are freshman Albert White (Harvey, IL), T.J. Moen (Des Moines, IA) and sophomores Jordan Graham (Mason City, IA) and Glenn Rhees (Atascedero, CA). The Trojans are preparing for their first competition in which they host the Kaye Young/NIACC Open on November 3rd. White, a freshman from Harvey, IL via Chicago-St. Rita High School was the number one rated wrestler in 2007 at 152 pounds claiming four Illinois state titles as well as a Junior Freestyle national championship in 2006. Moen, a local product out of Saydel High School in Des Moines was the No. 10 rated wrestler in the country winning two state titles and placing four times. Moen also claimed a national championship in Greco as a Cadet. Graham is originally from Mason City High School. Started out at Wartburg College in Division III, but has transferred back to his home town at NIACC. "Graham has shown great leadership skills so far this year," stated head coach Richard Fergola. Rhees started out his career at Dana College as a freshman when current NIACC wrestling coach Richard Fergola was in his first season as an assistant at Dana. Rhees was a state placer in California for Atascedero High School placing 4th and was a three-time Junior All-American. "I am very excited about these four young men leading our first team. You couldn't ask for a group of better leaders to lead our program," stated Fergola. NIACC had a rich wrestling tradition under previous head coach Kaye Young, ranking among the nation's best junior colleges from 1967 until the program was disbanded in 1976. The Trojans won the National Junior College Athletic Association national championship in 1973 and a number of wrestlers earned individual titles during NIACC's initial decade as a program.

Climb into the Wayback Machine and take a trip back in time… back to a college wrestling event in the 1920s or 30s. The sport you know and love will have some new wrinkles in its old-school form. Sitting in the stands, you'd probably find yourself blurting out immediate reactions such as, "Why are those guys dressed like professional wrestlers?" "What's with the boxing ring?" and "Did you see what that guy did to his opponent -- and he wasn't disqualified or penalized? The ref didn't even say anything!" In the more than a century of intercollegiate wrestling -- and nearly 80 years of NCAA-sanctioned competition -- the sport has undergone significant changes. Not just in the fine points of how matches were scored, but also in "big picture" aspects like what wrestlers wore into competition … the wrestling surface itself … what now-banned holds were once legal … and how wrestlers trained and got into "fighting shape." WRESTLER WEAR Uniform standards Today's one-piece singlets have been standard equipment in amateur wrestling events for over thirty years … so it's difficult for many wrestlers or fans to imagine any other type of wrestling gear. Yet, before the early 1970s, there were no singlets in high school and college wrestling … and, in fact, in much of the country, before the mid 1960s, it was common for wrestlers to compete bare-chested. In the late 1930's Stan Hansen of Oklahoma State wears wool trunks in wrestling ringIn the 1920s and 30s, most amateur wrestlers in the US wore full-length tights, often with what was called an outside supporter (also referred to as a "black Tom") worn OVER the tights. Shirts were optional. A bit later -- the mid 1930s up to World War II -- most schools replaced the outside supporter with close-fitting trunks over the tights. Some programs such as Oklahoma State and Kent State wrestled in wool trunks -- styled very much like those we associate with professional wrestling -- without tights, and without shirts. The idea of amateur wrestlers competing without shirts is very surprising to many fans too young to have seen it for themselves. There was some geography to the whole shirt-or-no-shirt thing: Schools in the eastern US usually had their wrestlers wear sleeveless jerseys, while most schools in the Midwest and west wrestled stripped to the waist. For example, if you were transported back in time to a Lehigh vs. Penn State dual, the wrestlers would be wearing shirts; however, if you found yourself in Gallagher Hall for an Oklahoma State-Oklahoma Bedlam Series dual any time from the 1920s up to the early 1960s, the Cowboys and the Sooners would most likely be shirtless. Shirts and skins There were NCAA rules governing shirts vs. skins, which can be basically boiled down to this: It was up to the host school to determine the uniform requirements, to a point. For example, if Penn State hosted a dual meet or a tournament, they could require all wrestlers to wear shirts … even teams like Iowa, Iowa State or Oklahoma State that normally wrestled shirtless. However, if Oklahoma State hosted an event, they could not require the Nittany Lions or other eastern wrestlers to strip off their jerseys. To prevent any surprises, the NCAA rules at the time dictated that home teams notify visiting teams of the shirt requirements at least ten days in advance of the event. The 1970 NCAA 142-pound finals match shows Washington's Larry Owings (left) in one-piece singlet, while Iowa State's Dan Gable wears the separate shirt and trunks uniform. Both are wearing tights.As for the sleeveless shirts … wrestlers usually didn't wear "wife-beaters" from their underwear drawer onto the mat. There were special jerseys that had long tails that extended below the waist; the front and back tails snapped together at the crotch, covered by the wrestlers' trunks and tights, to stay in place in the heat of battle. The trunks-and-tights, shirt-or-no-shirt "costume" (the word used by the NCAA in its rules until the early 1970s) prevailed in collegiate competition well into the 1960s, with minor exceptions. However, by 1966, the NCAA required a three-piece uniform for all college wrestlers: trunks, tights, and shirt … putting an official end to shirtless wrestling in collegiate dual-meet and tournament competition. Singlet sensation Ad Sand Knit 3-piece Uniform Even well into the 1960s, the one-piece singlet of today was still an unfamiliar sight on wrestling mats in high school and college gyms. In fact, according to the NCAA rules published in the 1963 edition of the Official Collegiate-Scholastic Wrestling Guide, "The one-piece uniform is illegal for interscholastic, intercollegiate and NCAA competition." However, around 1970, the one-piece singlet -- which had been in use in international competition since about the time of the 1960 Rome Olympics -- started to make its appearance in college wrestling. By the late 1970s, the tide had turned; singlets became the standard uniform. A decade or so later, tights pretty much disappeared from sight. Over the years, some schools issued some exceptions to the standard-issue uniforms. For instance, in the mid 1950s, the University of Illinois wore jerseys with side cutaways. In the late 1950s and early 60s, the Iowa Hawkeyes took to the mats sometimes wearing jerseys that revealed more of the chest and back, much like those worn in international competition at the time. More recently, some colleges have worn two-piece, body-hugging uniforms perhaps best known by the brand name DoubleSport. Headgear to footwear Protective headgear (referred to as "earguards" in current NCAA rules) is mandatory for scholastic and collegiate competition in the US … but it hasn't always been so. Headgear was a very rare sight up into the 1950s and early 60s, though it was "highly recommended" in the 1963 Wrestling Guide. Headgear started to make headway as wrestlers and their families became more concerned about cauliflower ears and other injuries. By the early 1970s, headgear became required equipment for amateur wrestlers. Shoes have undergone tremendous changes over the years, in terms of design, construction, features … and price. However, the rules have remained pretty much the same -- wrestling shoes must be light in weight, heelless in design, cover the ankles, and not have any metal eyelets or other sharp parts to potentially injure an opponent. A few years ago, NCAA rules were implemented to require shoelaces to be taped before the start of a match, to prevent potential injury from tripping on an untied shoelace, yes… but, more likely, to prevent unnecessary match delays from wrestlers hoping to catch a break -- and their breath -- with a "my shoe's untied' time-outs. WHERE TO WRESTLE Mat's all, folks! Today's foam-core mats with a bonded, non-porous cover first made their appearance about fifty years ago … and were a giant leap forward in terms of wrestler health and safety. The foam-core construction absorbed shock better than previous materials, reducing wrestler injuries … while the smooth, bonded surface helped prevent mat burns, and could be easily cleaned with disinfectant, reducing rashes and mat-borne infections that were all too common in the "good old days." Before the mid-1950s, mats usually had a canvas surface, sometimes covered with plastic or rubber, but oftentimes with a fabric such as moleskin or canton flannel which could not be easily wiped clean, and, in fact, might be washed only a couple times a year. As to what was underneath the surface … anything from horsehair to shredded newspapers to straw to wood shavings was the stuff inside mats of the past. These materials did not provide the level of shock absorption -- and safety to wrestlers -- that today's foam-filled mats do. The dimensions of the wrestling area have also changed over the years. In the 1920s and 30s, the standard mat size was 20-feet square. The NCAA rules published in the 1947 edition of The Official Wrestling Guide stated, "The area of the mat shall not be less than 20 feet by 20 feet, and a 24-foot by 24-foot mat shall be considered standard." Fifteen years later, the 1963 edition of The Official Wrestling Guide had illustrations of minimum mat sizes, including a 34-foot square mat with a 24-foot square wrestling surface marked on it, as well as a round mat with a circular wrestling area of 28 feet in diameter, with a five-foot safety zone extending beyond that. The latest rules mandate a clearly-marked circular wrestling surface of 32-42 feet in diameter, with a minimum of five feet of mat beyond the wrestling surface. The ring's the thing Walk into a wrestling meet at Oklahoma State, University of Iowa, University of Northern Iowa, Northwestern or some other colleges back in the 1920s or 30s, and, most likely, at the center of the gym you'd find a roped-off wrestling ring. At some schools -- most notably Oklahoma State -- the ring was raised up off the gym floor, much like we associate with professional wrestling or boxing events today. Wrestling ring at the University of Northern Iowa (Called Iowa State Teachers College at the time)The wrestling area inside the ring was the same as on the open mats of other colleges -- 20 feet square, with an apron at the edge of the mat. Rules dictated that there be no less than three parallel ropes on each side of the ring, and that the ring posts be padded and set back from the edge of the corners. Unlike professional wrestling, the ropes could not be used in any way during the match; a wrestler could not gain leverage from the ropes, "rebound" off them, or duck through them to take a break. According to Cowboys Ride Again! -- Bob and Doris Dellinger's book on the history Oklahoma State's wrestling program -- ropes and rings became illegal in 1942, the last full season of college wrestling before a three-year hiatus for World War II. In the 1947 Official Wrestling Guide, in the rules section titled "Mats, Ropes and Costumes" it states in large, bold type: "Ropes and Raised Platforms are Illegal." HISTORY OF WRESTLING RULES 101 To chart every rule change that has occurred over the three-quarters century of NCAA competition would require a book. This presentation is intended merely to show the major highlights (and lowlights) of rule changes affecting scoring of individual matches over the years … and provide some perspective on how things were done in the past compared to today. How to win a match In the early days of NCAA-sanctioned competition, there was no point scoring system like we have today. The outcome of a match was determined one of two ways: by a pin, or by what was called time advantage. Each wrestler had a timekeeper assigned to him to record the length of time that particular wrestler was in control -- akin to today's riding time. The wrestler who had accumulated the most time was awarded the match, reported in results as "Smith 1:10 time advantage over Jones." In 1938, the "time advantage" scoring method to determine a winner was thrown out; outcomes of all matches that did not end in a fall were now in the hands of the officials -- a "referee's decision." This potentially partisan way didn't last too long; by 1941, a point system was introduced for the first time, with a takedown or reversal each worth two points, one point for an escape, and four points for a near fall. A wrestler scored one point for each minute of time advantage, up to two points. (The following season, the near-fall lost half its value, becoming worth two points.) For a time in the early 1960s, takedowns lost some of their value … perhaps in response to Oklahoma State's "take 'em down and let 'em up" aggressive takedown scoring style that helped make the Cowboys the dominant college program in the late 1950s and early 60s. According to the rules installed in 1962, the first takedown in a match was still worth two points, but each subsequent one was worth only one point. By 1966, every takedown was restored to its full two-point value. Even the rules regarding falls have been fiddled with over the years. Until 1931, to score a fall, the opponent's shoulders had to be on the mat for three full seconds. From 1931 to 1964, it took two seconds to score a pin. Now it's just one second. How do you untie a tie score? Once a point system was in place, it was inevitable that matches would end with a tie score. Over the years, there have been various ways to settle a tie. One of the most surprising attempts to solve tied matches arrived in 1949: Overtime periods were abandoned in favor of having the referee determine the winner in a match that ended in regulation knotted up. The "referee decision" rule lasted well into the 1950s; for the 1957 NCAAs, overtime was reinstated, with two two-minute periods, each wrestler starting one period on top. Nearly two decades later (1976), the rules regarding overtime changed again, with a list of criteria being used to determine the winner of match that was still tied even after overtime. That wasn't the end of the overtime dilemma. In 1991, sudden-death overtime was introduced for tournaments, with one two-minute overtime period. The first wrestler to score won the match; if no one scored, the winner was determined in an additional 30-second ride-out period. This procedure was tweaked in 2001 to reduce the overtime period to one minute. In 2004, the present system for handling tie bouts was introduced (and the phrase "sudden death" was killed): first wrestler to score in sudden-victory overtime won the match. If no points were scored, then there were two 30-second periods with each wrestler taking top once. Still tied up? Repeat the overtime sequence, starting with the one-minute sudden-victory period. Match length As you sit in the stands having been transported to that old-school college dual, hope you brought a cushion: In the 1920s and through most of the 1930s, each individual college wrestling bout lasted ten minutes, with two three-minute overtime periods if no winner was determined in regulation. If no takedowns were scored in the first two minutes, the ten-minute match was wrestled non-stop; if there was a takedown, the time remaining after the initial two minutes would be divided into two four-minute periods, with each man having the opportunity to start the period in the top position. In 1938, matches were shortened to nine minutes, with three three-minute periods. In 1967, bout length went down to eight minutes, with the first period being two minutes, followed by two three-minute periods. Today's seven-minute matches debuted in 1982. That year, matches got one minute shorter, with the first period lasting three minutes, followed by two two-minute periods. Weight-y matters At the very first NCAA championships in 1928, there were seven weight classes: 115, 125, 135, 145, 158. 175, and unlimited (heavyweight). The following year, a new weight class was added -- 165 -- and 158 became 155, for a total of eight weights. For the 1932, 1936 and 1948 NCAAs, Olympic weight classes were used; the years immediately after those Olympic qualifier/college championship events, the NCAA reverted back to the pre-Olympic weight classes. Chris TaylorThe weight-class situation remained pretty much the same from the late 1930s through the 1960s, with some additions and adjustments along the way. In 1970, ten weight classes became the norm for the NCAAs and all college duals. The ten weight classes currently in use in college -- 125, 133, 141, 149, 157, 165, 177, 184, 197, and 285 -- were implemented in 1999. In 1987, one huge change was made: After 50 years, the "unlimited" weight class was limited to wrestlers 275 lbs and under. (The top weight limit has since been raised to 285.). If this rule had always been in place before 1987, at least four NCAA heavyweight champs would have been to too hefty to compete. Ohio State's George Bollas (1946), Iowa State's Chris Taylor (1971-72), Oklahoma State's Jimmy Jackson (1976-78), and North Carolina State's Tab Thacker (1984) each tipped the scales at more than 300 pounds. If it's "dangerous", ban it! Wrestling has always been a rugged, demanding sport … but today's fans might be surprised to see just how tough it was in the past, with legal use of some submission-style holds and punishing moves. Over the years, the rules have been modified to ban some dangerous holds or moves, all with an eye to making the sport safer and reduce the potential for broken bones and other serious injuries. In the early 1930s, two-time NCAA heavyweight champ Jack Riley of the Northwestern Wildcats ruled the mats with his double wristlock. This painful hold -- also known as the keylock or hammerlock -- used leverage to force opponents onto their backs for the pin, or got them to submit in agony. Not long after Riley graduated, rules were implemented to prevent forcing the opponent's arm above a right angle to his back, or twisting his arm away from his body. Another rule that's often tied to a specific wrestler is what some call the "Koll rule." Bill Koll, a three-time NCAA middleweight champ for Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) was a tough wrestler known for lifting opponents up over his head and slamming them to the mat. On one occasion, one of Koll's opponents was knocked out cold, according to college teammate Bob Siddens, a long-time referee and high school coach (now retired). Both Siddens and Koll have said that the present-day rule requiring a wrestler to go down to one knee before bringing an opponent held over the shoulder or above the head to the mat was implemented after Koll's last NCAA appearance in 1948, where he body-slammed a number of opponents. (To read more about Bill Koll and his son Rob, head coach at Cornell University, Click Here.) OTHER OLD-SCHOOL SURPRISES Put down those weights! College wrestlers have always been among the best-built, best-conditioned athletes of any sport. However, up until about 35-40 years ago, the weight room was NOT part of most college mat men's workouts. Generally, most college and high school wrestling coaches believed that weightlifting -- or even working out with light weights -- would make their wrestlers "muscle-bound." In addition to wrestling drill sessions and practice matches, most wrestling workouts included activities such as calisthenics, running, stair climbing, rope climbing, and pull-ups/chin-ups. Myron RoderickAccording to legendary Oklahoma State wrestler and coach Myron Roderick, quoted in the book Cowboys Ride Again!, attitudes about weight training started to change in the mid-1950s. "The 1956 Olympic team -- mainly divers and track and field -- were the first to really get into weightlifting. Wrestlers didn't do any of it." "We started a little bit when I was coaching, probably '58 or '59. Went through a phase of all kinds of things, isometrics, free weights. Then the machines came in. The philosophy when I was wrestling that if you lifted weights, you'd be muscle-bound, couldn't move." "During my time, a lot more kids came off farms," Roderick continued. "They'd worked and were naturally stronger than a lot of kids today. I never did weights, but I threw a lot of bales. It's just a different form of exercise." Tommy Chesbro, who wrestled for Roderick at Oklahoma State in the late 1950s and then became head coach of the Cowboys after Roderick retired, told Cowboys Ride Again! "The machines and weights… it must have been the mid-70s before we saw them." Joe JamesTo provide further perspective, two other Cowboys of coach Roderick's era weighed in with comments regarding their weight-less workout routines. In a 2007 interview for RevWrestling.com, Oklahoma State All-American -- and 1960 Olympic gold medallist -- Shelby Wilson said, "I lived on the chinning bar … During the summer in high school I did 200 chin-ups each day on my mom's clothesline pole. My arms would never tire out during a match." (To read the Shelby Wilson profile, click here.) According to Cowboys Ride Again!, 1964 NCAA heavyweight champ -- and physical specimen -- Joe James was interviewed by ABC-TV after winning his title. When asked if he lifted weights to get his impressive physique, the Chicago native said, "I just do push-ups and one-hand chin-ups." Asked how many, James replied, "Just 50-100 to get loosened up." On-the-job workouts These days, most top-shelf amateur wrestlers compete pretty much year-around in their sport. When it's not wrestling season at their school, they're competing in freestyle or Greco-Roman events, or independent folkstyle tournaments. However, 30+ years ago, most wrestlers competed only during the "traditional" season, and were free to participate in other activities in the off-season. For some, this meant competing in other sports, such as football or baseball, which provided all-year conditioning. For others, when not on the mats, they were on the job. For instance, Stanley Henson, a three-time NCAA middleweight champ for Oklahoma State in the late 1930s, worked summers building oil derricks. "It was very difficult work… Putting this steel together, up high, walking on scaffolds with all the steel you could carry," Henson is quoted in Mike Chapman's 2007 book Legends of the Mat. "This, I think, gave me the strength, which was much more than people thought I had." 1960 Olympic gold medallist and two-time NCAA champ for the University of Iowa, Terry McCann, worked in at an oil refinery. (Click Here to learn more about Terry McCann and his brother Fran.) Oklahoma State's 191-pound NCAA champ in 1965, Jack Brisco, held a variety of demanding summer jobs, once working in a mine. Countless others who lived on farms built up muscle and strength by hoisting hay bales and feed sacks, herding cattle, and doing other demanding chores. Shake hands and … do-si-do? Today's mat aficionados taking in college wrestling event of 50+ years ago would be taken aback by the ritual at the beginning of each match. The two wrestlers stood at opposite sides of the mat, with the referee standing in the middle. The ref signaled to the scorers' table to make sure they were ready, then directed the wrestlers to shake hands, pass by each other to the other side of the mat (in what almost looked like a something from a square dance), then turn around to face each other, and be ready to wrestle when he blew his whistle. Now, in today's hurry-up world, "shake hands and wrestle" is the rule, with no square dance moves before coming to grips. Calm conclusions Modern-day fans traveling back in time to an old-time college wrestling event would probably find the level of combat intensity during each match to be pretty much like they enjoy today. But they might be thrown by the high level of sportsmanship usually on display at the end of each match. The reactions of the winners tended to be much more muted. No fists raised defiantly into the air. No double-bicep poses. No gymnastic back-flips. Instead, there were genuine handshakes between the wrestlers, and sometimes, warm embraces. Wrestlers who had been pinned were helped to their corner by the winner. While during the match it might have been all-out war, the end of the bout seemed to be a "kinder, gentler" time. Hope you enjoyed this trip back in time to see an "old-school" college wrestling event. You might not want to wrestle a ten-minute match… or trade in your high-tech fabric singlet for wool trunks … or say goodbye to wrestling on Resilite mats. However, you now have a sense of college wrestling as it once was … and, hopefully, have gained a new appreciation for generations of wrestlers who wrestled this way every day. Now that wrestling season is about to start again, this is our last InterMat Rewind feature for a while. We hope you've enjoyed this look back at the sport as it once was and the legends who have contributed so much to its history. Watch for more InterMat Rewind "old-school" articles from time-to-time.

America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show is heard around the world. From our Brute Adidas Studios, TDR is now broadcast on the following internet outlets: Takedownradio.com, KXNO.com, Matchannel.com, Mat-magazine.com. Please be sure to join our live broadcast each and every Saturday as we talk to the worlds greatest athletes. Wrestlers and MMA competitors alike join us each week. TDR is available LIVE, Archived and Pod Cast as well. Check out Takedownradio.com for more details This week we take our mobile Brute Adidas Studios out on the road to West Des Moines, Iowa. Billy Joe's Pitcher Show, a long time sponsor of TDR and promoter of wrestling is hosting their annual Chili Cook-off and is celebrating their 20th Anniversary of raising money for the Variety Club with this event. Our guests on air include: 9:05 Chris Ayers- Princeton Head Coach recently announced the hiring of a new assistant coach. Andy Lausier, the head wrestling coach at Stevens Institute of Technology for the past four seasons and a former All-America at Lycoming College, has been named an assistant wrestling coach at Princeton University. Lausier replaces Troy Letters, who left Princeton to pursue a career in commercial real estate. We'll also take a look at the season to come and his roster. 9:20 Jack Childs- Long Time Drexel Dragons Head Coach is also The winningest Coach in D1. Childs recently named Nate Wachter as assistant coach. Wachter served under Childs as a graduate assistant and part-time assistant the past four seasons. Drexel's Ryan Hluschak was announced as the recipient of the Colonial Athletic Association's Scholar-Athlete Award in wrestling. Hluschak, a junior, compiled a 33-10 record at 157-pounds last season and became the second Drexel wrestler to earn All-America status after placing eighth at the NCAA Championships. He is a business administration major. 9:40 Dave Malacek- University of Wisconsin at La Cross. Coach Malecek completed his first season as UW-La Crosse's head wrestling coach in 2006-07. He led the Eagles to a third-place finish at the 2007 National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division III Championships and was named the NCAA Rookie Coach of the Year. Malecek also guided UW-L to its 10th straight Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) title in 2007 and was selected the Mertz Mortorelli WIAC Coach of the Year. The Eagles finished 13-1 in duals in 2006-07. Malecek served as the head assistant coach at Wartburg College (Iowa) since 2000, helping lead the Knights to three NCAA Division III Championships (2003, 2004, 2006). He was selected the NCAA Division III Assistant Coach of the Year in 2006. Wartburg also won Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (IIAC) titles every season since his arrival on campus. 10:05 Koy Kosek- Former Heavy Weight for Wisconsin, Koy now publishes "2007-08 Wisconsin Wrestling Digest" and is available on wiwrestling.com and wrestlingadvantage.com. It will hopefully become available on amazon.com as well, while supplies last. We'll discuss the essence of the best part of the wrestling mind set. 10:20 Frank Popolizio- is The founder of Journeymen Wrestling in America's Great NE. Let's discuss the Journeymen/ Brute Northeast Duals (Nov. 24th) and how it has come to be so important to the wrestling fabric of the country. A side note- Frank has been a driving force for wrestling. Brute's John Purnell calls Popolizio "One of the greatest Volunteer leaders on the American Wrestling Scene. All he does is for the love of the sport". 10:40 Pat Smith- this 4 NCAA Champion for Oklahoma State Cowboys. Pat is committed to the advancement of Arkansas HS Wrestling and has along with Greg Hatcher has Arkansas Wrestling headed in the right direction. Recently they announced the formation of around 50 HS programs. Unbelievable! Arkansas has no idea how lucky they are to have Hatcher and Smith. Join us for this special broadcast from 9 to 11 AM at Takedownradio.com, KXNO.com, Matchannel.com, Mat-magazine.com. Wrestlers and MMA competitors join us each and every week. You should too! TDR is available LIVE, Archived and Pod Cast as well. Check out Takedownradio.com for more details. Thanks for listening!