InterMat Staff

TEMPE, Ariz. -– Roye Oliver, a former member of the Arizona State University wrestling program and inductee into the ASU Sports Hall of Fame, was recently named TheMat.com Wrestler of the Week (July 31-August 6) after winning a gold medal at the 2007 Veterans Freestyle World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. The three-time All-American and two-time Western Athletic Conference (WAC) individual champion won the 85kg weight class in Division D (51-55 years old), making him one of only two Americans to secure gold in the world event. Oliver won his opening bout to reach the semifinals where he defeated 10-time world champion Rahim Abofi of Iran. In the gold-medal bout, Oliver defeated Turkey's Bekir Sahinal for his world title at 187.25 pounds. During his time in Tempe, Oliver captured a pair of WAC individual titles, taking gold at 150 pounds in both 1976 and 1977 with his first crown helping the Sun Devils to just their second team conference title in program history. On the national level, Oliver placed fifth at 150 pounds in the 1976 and 1977 NCAA Championships. He captured his third national accolade by finishing eighth at 158 pounds during the 1979 season to become the program's first three-time honoree. A 1981 inductee into the ASU Sports Hall of Fame, Oliver finished his career with an 81-21-1 overall record.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -– The final spot on the 2007 U.S. World Team in freestyle wrestling will be determined Thursday afternoon. That's when Nate Gallick and Mike Zadick are scheduled to meet in a best-of-3 series at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Gallick beat Zadick in the finals of April's U.S. Nationals at 60 kg/132 lbs., but suffered a foot injury and was unable to wrestle in June's U.S. World Team Trials. Gallick (Ames, Iowa/Sunkist Kids) requested and received permission to take part in the Special Wrestle-Off at a later date because of his injury. He was permitted to do so by virtue of winning U.S. Nationals and having already clinched a berth in the finals of the U.S. World Team Trials. Weigh-ins for the Gallick-Zadick series are scheduled for 3 p.m. on Wednesday. The first match of the series is set for 12:30 p.m. on Thursday with the second match to follow at 1:30 p.m. A third match, if necessary, is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. The event will be held in the upstairs gymnasium at the Sports Center II, above the OTC wrestling room. Video of the matches will be posted on TheMat.com. The event is open to the public and admission is free. The winner of the Special Wrestle-Off will qualify for the World Championships on Sept. 17-23 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Zadick, a 2006 World silver medalist, won the U.S. World Team Trials on June 9 in Las Vegas to earn another shot at Gallick. Zadick, an assistant coach at Iowa, won a silver medal at the Pan American Games late last month in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Gallick, a past World University champion, has won the last three meetings against Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC). Gallick was an NCAA champion for Iowa State and Zadick was an NCAA All-American for Iowa. Gallick, recently hired as an assistant coach at Tennessee-Chattanooga, is trying to make his first World Team on the Senior level. The Special Wrestle-Off will take place during the U.S. World Team freestyle camp, which started Aug. 5 and is scheduled to conclude Saturday in Colorado Springs.

Former Wisconsin wrestler, Kevin Black, a River Falls, Wis. native, was named as one of two coaches for the 2007 USA Women's World Wrestling Team. Also chosen was Troy Steiner of Corvallis, Ore. The team will compete in the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan, Sept. 17-23 Black, a four-year letterwinner, took third at the 2002 Big Ten Championships and fourth at the NCAA championship that same year. He then sustained an injury in 2003 and was unable to participate at the Big Ten or NCAA championships. Black has been coaching ever since. The World Team Coaches were chosen by the Women's Coach Selection Committee and approved by USA Wrestling's Executive Committee. Black has coached a number of USA Wrestling age-group women's teams overseas, and has been active as a coach and leader with women's wrestling programs in Wisconsin. He has coached on the college and high school levels, and currently operates the Victory School of Wrestling. He was a NCAA Div. I All-American at the Univ. of Wisconsin, and competed in international freestyle wrestling for a number of years. Steiner is the head assistant coach at Oregon State Univ., and has had assistant coaching positions at the Univ. of Iowa, the Univ. of Wisconsin and Oregon State. He has coached a number of U.S. women's teams overseas and was a finalist for the U.S. Olympic Team women's coaching position in 2004. Steiner was a 1992 World Cup champion in freestyle wrestling and won the 1996 Pan American Championships. He was a NCAA Div. I champion at the Univ. of Iowa, and a four-time All-American. Complete biographies of the U.S. World Team Coaches follow, as well as quotes from each of the coaches. Kevin Black, River Falls, Wis. Black has coached USA Wrestling age-group women's teams for the last two years, taking the U.S. University women's team to compete in El Salvador in 2007 and the U.S. Cadet women's team to China in 2006. He has participated as a coach in a number of Women's Team USA training camps in recent seasons. Black serves as the Women's Director for the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation. He has coached the Wisconsin Junior Nationals Women's team since 200e and has coached Wisconsin athletes at the USGWA Nationals for the last two years. Black has started a new women's wrestling club program at the Univ. of Wisconsin-River Falls. Black has coached and operated the Victory School of Wrestling in River Falls, Wis. He served as an assistant coach for the Univ. of Wisconsin from 2003-05, working with the Div. I program there. He was a wrestling coach at Lodi High School from 2005-06. He has been the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation State Coach from 2004-06, and coached the state's Cadet Freestyle National Team from 2002-06. He conducted the Black Brothers Wrestling Camps from 2000-06. Black was a NCAA Div. I All-American for the Univ. of Wisconsin, where he was a NCAA qualifier three times and served as the team captain three times. Black won four Wisconsin state titles for River Falls High School, with a 160-0 career record. He competed on the Senior level in freestyle, competing in a number of major international tournaments. Troy Steiner, Corvallis, Ore. Steiner enters his second season as an assistant wrestling coach at Oregon State Univ., where he helped head coach Jim Zalesky lead the Beavers to the Pac-10 title in their first year there. Steiner worked the two previous seasons as an assistant coach under Zalesky at the Univ. of Iowa. He also served as an assistant coach at Wisconsin from 1997-2001 and Minnesota in 1996-97 and at Oregon State under Joe Wills for the 1995-96 season. Steiner also owned and operated the ADVANCE School of Wrestling in Madison, Wis., for four years. Steiner has coached a number of U.S. teams in international competition and has participated in Women's Team USA training camps. He was selected as a finalist for the U.S. Olympic Team women's wrestling coaching position in 2004. He is the twin brother of USA Wrestling National Women's Coach Terry Steiner. Steiner was a four-time all-American at Iowa from 1990-93 and a NCAA champion in 1992. He won three Big Ten titles at Iowa, compiling a 148-13 career record at 134 and 142 pounds. He was part of three national and four Big Ten championship teams. Steiner shares Iowa's school record for best season winning percentage for the 42-0 record he compiled during his junior season. He was a top freestyle wrestler, winning gold medals at the 1992 World Cup and the 1996 Pan American Championships. He was third in the 1992 and 1996 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, and fifth in the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. A native of Bismarck, N.D., Steiner was inducted into the North Dakota Hall of Fame in 1998. QUOTES FROM THE WOMEN'S WORLD TEAM COACHES Kevin Black, River Falls, Wis. "I think this is a great opportunity. Since I have been involved in women's wrestling, I have found that I enjoy coaching women very much. Their personalities, the way women communicate, I really enjoy that side of coaching. This is the highest assignment I can have as a coach. We need people who have been around wrestling at all levels to step up for the women's program. Having coaches who stay involved and stay consistent is important to the program. We need more good wrestling people to be involved with women's wrestling. Overall, our entire team, all seven athletes, will be very competitive. The goal is to win the overall World team title in all three styles, and winning is our goal for the women's team." Troy Steiner, Corvallis, Ore. "Right now, we are looking at Japan, China and Russia as some of the teams we have to beat. There may be some things we have to change as a team. I hope to add to what Terry is doing, and help the women in any way they need. I hope to bring a different perspective to help them reach their goals. We have a good core group of athletes. They have the ability to be near the top of the world again." National Women's Coach Terry Steiner of Colorado Springs, Colo. (about Kevin Black) "Kevin brings some new energy to the team and to the program. He is very excited. Kevin is a wrestling junkie. He grew up with wrestling and loves wrestling people. He has been involved as an athlete, a coach and an administrator. He truly knows USA Wrestling, which is good for the organization. He has the right personality to coach our women. They can trust him immediately. The most important thing about Kevin as an athlete is he can find the good in every situation. He finds a way to learn from every experience and walk away with a smile. That attitude is contagious, and I think he will bring that to our program." (about Troy Steiner) "We have talked about having more team unity in the program. The comfort for me with having Troy in this position is that we will be on the same page. Having the same message and philosophy is important. Troy has a good rapport with the women. They believe in him and trust him. We need to get back on track as a team where we are respected in the world as a power. We have the same people from when we were second in the world and won the World Cup. I expect to be back to that, where we are in position to win the team title and individual titles."

Jeff Murphy and our resident nutritionist Ryan Irwin join us in the Brute Adidas studio to start the talk of the season to come. All clubs around the country, this is your time to start marketing the team, the school, the coaches. Lets get down and get to work. Our athletes deserve the best. You have an event coming up and want to get the word out? Email me and we'll do our best to get you on air asap. Svideoman@aol.com This week on TDR: Jack Childs, the venerable Head Coach of the Drexel Dragons Joins us to discuss the summer, the upcoming season and what it feels like to be the winning est coach in D1. Oh, he's also a great Guy! His program, at a very prestigious school has constantly knocked on the door of some of the best in wrestling. Rocky Bonomo, Head Coach at Lock Haven, one of the EWL teams that are on the move. Rock generally likes to let actions and results speak for him but this is one time we've lured him out of "the haven" to talk with us fans. Should be interesting as he, Coach Rogers and the Crimson and White had a tremendous year last season. TJ Sebolt, The new assist at NIACC joins us. What must the pressure been like for this young man being the the winning est wrestler in Iowa history. He joined Iowa State and decided he wanted to take off some time. We'll answer some of the questions that up till now have not been answered. Cary Kolat, this Alabaster, Alabama native, Lock Haven University/ Penn State Graduate joins us to discuss his career as one of the best free style wrestlers in the modern era. His record speaks for itself- Career Highlights -Two-Time NCAA Champion (1996-97) -Four Time NCAA All-American (1993,94,96,97) -Eastern Wrestling champion (1996-97) -PSAC Champion (1996,97) -Big Ten Champion ('93) -Big Ten Runner-Up ('92) -Career NCAA Record: 111-7 (94.1) 53 Falls (45%) -Named "Outstanding Wrestler" at the 1996-97 EWL Championships -Named Big Ten "Wrestler of the Year" 1994 2001 World Cup Silver Medalist -2000 Olympic games 9th (Sydney, Australia) -2000 Pan American Gold Medalist (Columbia) -1999 World Championships 4th (Ankara, Turkey) -1999 Cerro Pelado Champion "Outstanding Wrestler" (Cuba) -1999 Pan American Games Gold Medalist (Winnipeg, Canada) -1998, 1999, 2000 World Cup Gold Medalist -1998 World Championships Bronze Medalist (Tehran, Iran) -1998 Yasar Dogu Tournament Champion -1998 Good Will Games Gold Medalist (New York) -1997 World Championships Silver Medalist (Russia) -1995 Sunkist International Champion -1989 Cadet World Champion "Outstanding Wrestler" -2000 Olympic Team Trials Champion -2000 U.S. Open Champion -1999 World Team Trials Champion -1999 U.S Open Champion -1998 World Team Trials Champion -1997 World Team Trials Champion -1997 U.S. Open Champion -1995 University National Freestyle Champion -1989 Cadet National champion -1988 Cadet National Champion -7 Time U.S. National Team Member Ok, that's not everything but it gives you an idea of how good this guy really was and is. Carykolat.com Matt Lindland, Olympic Silver Medalist will join us for a little grappling talk, the future of wrestling as a combat sport and what he feels we can do to improve our position on the world stage. Team Quest is pleased to bring us this interview. Andrew Nostvick, Iowa MMA Report. Whats going on in MMA in our own back yard and how are wrestlers participating? Tune in and we'll find out more. Join us on America's Wrestling radio talk show as we go coast to coast, border to border and now throughout Europe on Mattv.com and Mat-Magazine.com. Don't forget we air LIVE from 9:06 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST. You can write to us at Takedownradio.com or call in the show at 1-866-333-5966. We're on the air for all of you. Let your voice be heard! Thanks for listening!

Des Moines, IA -- Takedown Radio, a ten year old radio program originating from the U.S. announced a strategic agreement today with UK based on-line publication, Mat Magazine (Martial Arts Television – magazine). Through the new agreement, Mat Magazine adds significant reporting and content regarding wrestling and combat sports in the United States. At the same time, Mat Magazines reach outside the U.S. will increase TakeDown Radio's listener base on a global scale. "We believe this is a natural progression for our publication as well as the radio program" commented Jeroen Winters, Mat Magazines founder. "The ways readers and listeners interests parallel each other are amazing. The growing popularity of mixed martial arts (MMA) in Europe and other countries has developed a strong interest in wrestling, particularly wrestling in the United States. TakeDown Radio's provocative reporting will serve to educate a willing audience." Jeroen Winters, Mat Magazines founder, added. Mat Magazine, a seven year old company, with offices in Los Angeles, London(UK) and the Netherlands, owns matchannel.com, an internet video provider. As part of the strategic agreement, all web sites owned and managed by both companies provide links to audio and video streaming, archived programming, pod casting, up to the minute news, action, and interviews. "We've anticipated the day our relationships with kindred spirits would combine with technology, allowing us to expand our message and mission on a global scale. With Mat Magazine, we've realized our goal and have gone even further to reach the people in those markets that care most" offered TakeDown Radio founder Scott Casber. " TDR has always believed the strongest, most balanced, and successful MMA competitors have a broad understanding of wrestling. We're confident our partnership with Mat Magazine will contribute to enriching the overall experience for all involved." Casber concluded. TakeDown Radio provides over 600 hours of live programming per year, including live broadcasts from major collegiate wrestling events, as well as national and international competitions. Mat Magazine provides free reporting on several combat sports including MMA, kickboxing, and Muay Thai. Matchannel.com provides video programming, including considerable archives of key competitions. Video programming on matchannel.com is available for free and at a charge. More information on TakeDown Radio can be found at http://www.takedownradio.com. More information on Mat Magazine can be found at http://www.mat-magazine.com.

GETTYSBURG, Pa. –- Director of Athletics David Wright has announced the hiring of former Messiah College wrestling standout Andrew Vogel as the 17th head wrestling coach at Gettysburg College. Vogel assumes the position vacated by Troy Dell, who was named the athletic director at Frostburg State University in May. "We are excited to have Andrew Vogel joining our staff as our new Head Wrestling Coach and look forward to many successful seasons in the years to come," said Wright. "Gettysburg College has a long tradition of success in wrestling and I believe Andrew will help our student-athletes build on that tradition." "Andrew was a highly successful wrestler at the collegiate level," he added, "and he will bring a strong work ethic and winning attitude to our program." Vogel, a 2003 graduate of Messiah, was a three-time All-American at 149 lbs., finishing as the NCAA Division III national runner-up in 2001 and earning seventh-place in 2002 and 2003. A three-time Middle Atlantic Conference (MAC) Champion, he posted a school-record 157 wins over his tenure with the Falcons and was named both the school's Senior Athlete of the Year and the Senior Male Sportsmanship Award recipient. "When I saw Gettysburg had an opening, I thought it would be an ideal situation to come back to central Pennsylvania and be part of the team," said Vogel. "I'm hoping to translate my experience as a wrestler and coach into building the best team possible at Gettysburg." Vogel spent the last two seasons as an assistant coach at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, planning practices and conditioning sessions for its NCAA Division III wrestling program. He was also involved in the recruiting process and handled administrative duties as assigned. Aside from his collegiate activities, Vogel has been active in the wrestling community for many years, including founding a website completely devoted to NCAA Division III wrestling (www.d3wrestle.com). He has served as a teacher and instructor at various wrestling camps at his undergraduate alma mater as well as the Ken Chertow Gold Medal Training Camp in Lincolnwood, Ill. An outstanding student, Vogel graduated from Messiah with a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering before earning a master's in the same subject area at North Carolina State University. He was a member of Messiah's Honors Program and was tabbed a NCAA Academic All-American in each of his final three seasons at the school. In addition, Vogel was named the MAC Winter Male Scholar Athlete of the Year and received a postgraduate scholarship from the NCAA in 2003. "Not only is Andrew a great young wrestling coach, he is very bright and articulate. As a NCAA post-graduate scholarship winner, he fits well into an academically rigorous institution like Gettysburg," said Wright. The 74th season of Bullet wrestling begins on Nov. 3 at the Ithaca Invitational Tournament. Gettysburg returns 11 letterwinners from last season's 3-12-1 team that finished seventh at the conference championships, including national qualifiers and CC champions Andrew Goldstein and Matt Shank. "My hope is to influence their technique and their mind-set so their expectation of winning is at a high level," said Vogel. "I want to draw as many wrestlers from the surrounding area as possible and put them together to have a team that is able to compete for championships in the Centennial Conference and make it to the NCAA Tournament."

Oskaloosa -- One of the Oskaloosa community's favorite sons returns as Eric Reed comes to William Penn as the assistant wrestling coach. Reed, who most recently was the head coach at Central from 2004 to earlier this summer, also skippered the Wabash (Ind.) program from 2002 to 2004, guiding one All-American and as well as helping the squad finish second at the Midwest Regional Tournament in 2004, the highest team finish in 18 years. He has also been an assistant coach at both the high school and college levels. A 1994 graduate of Wisconsin-La Crosse with a degree in biology, Reed extended his education to a graduate program, also at UW-La Crosse, earning his master's in science and sport science-pedagogy in 2000. While at UW-La Crosse, Reed also succeeded on the mat, garnering All-American honors twice. He has also organized and instructed various camps through the Midwest and has competed for the Hawkeye Wrestling Club as well. Reed has extensive teaching experience over the past several years and will be asked to continue those responsibilities as well as work some security detail at the University. Reed begins work August 1.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association has announced Bob Bowlsby will be the keynote luncheon speaker at the association's annual convention August 16-19 at the Horizon Casino Resort at Lake Tahoe, Nev. Bowlsby, currently the Jaquish and Kenninger Director of Athletics at Stanford University in California, will speak on a number of topics, specifically the state of athletics on the collegiate level. Now starting his second year at Stanford, Bowlsby previously served as the Athletics Director at the University of Iowa for 15 years. In his time in Iowa City, Bowlsby served as chair for the NCAA wrestling committee and additionally served on association committees in the areas of Financial Aid and Amateurism, the Special Committee to Review Amateurism Issues and the Special Committee to Review Financial Conditions in Athletics. "We're pleased to have one of our nation's most respected athletic directors, Bob Bowlsby speaking on our sport's behalf at the NWCA Convention," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "He is one of wrestling's most influential ambassadors. He's been in environments where wrestling is a revenue sport and wrestling is a big part of the athletics landscape." "Bob Bowlsby represents the best professional and personal values when it comes to student-athletes," said Stanford University Provost John Etchemendy in a press release announcing Bowlsby's hiring last year. "He understands that the success of an athletics program is not simply measured in wins and losses, but in the academic achievements and character of the young women and men who work so hard on the field and in the classroom." Bowlsby's main emphasis at this year's convention is on the changing landscape of intercollegiate athletics and what wrestling coaches need to do in order to adapt. One necessity that Bowlsby is expected to touch upon is the topic of coaches today need to strengthen their "small business CEO skills." Because the focus of some athletic departments is business-minded, wrestling coaches need to be the same. Business is tied in with another one of Bowlsby's points – understanding the new intercollegiate economic model. "What Bob Bowlsby can do is spell things out and explain to coaches in our sport how to survive and run their operation in a business-like fashion. The primary goal is to graduate our student athletes and send them off into the world prepared, but we can't ignore how the landscape of college sports has changed," said Moyer. "The coach is the single most important person in our efforts to improve recruitment and retention of wrestlers at all levels." Bowlsby will also touch on public relations-style topics like how to strengthen wrestling's alignment with educational values and heightening a wrestling team's visibility on campus and the surrounding community. "What Bob Bowlsby brings to our convention is the ability to explain things from the standpoint of an Athletics Director to our member coaches and how to further understand entrenching wrestling programs," said NWCA President Ron Mirikitani. "Mr. Bowlsby has been an integral part of running athletic departments for a long time. He's been a friend to wrestling and will be an asset to those attending the convention this year." The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a professional organization dedicated to serve and provide leadership for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with primary emphasis on scholastic and collegiate programs. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The NWCA, through its organizational structure, promotes communication, recognizes achievement, recommends rules and regulations, sponsors events, and serves as an educational and informational source. Additionally, the NWCA strives to foster the sportsmanship and integrity that are the cornerstones of athletic competition.

Putting partisan fan feelings aside, Oklahoma State can stake a claim to being the most dominant program in college wrestling history. Since the first NCAA championships in 1928, the school in Stillwater claimed 33 national team titles, 130 individual national champions, and more than 400 All-Americans. Oklahoma State also reigns supreme in terms of the number of NCAA heavyweight champs, with ten Cowboy big guys winning the title. Let's take a look at the accomplishments of each of these great Oklahoma State heavyweight champs, from "Moose" to "the Bear." (Note about the photos of the wrestlers: Many of these champions competed in the era before today's singlets. Up until the 1960s, Oklahoma State wrestlers wore trunks and/or tights, usually without shirts.) Coach Ed Gallagher's Era (1928-1940) Ed Gallagher coached what was then called the Oklahoma A&M (Agricultural & Mechanical) College from 1917 to 1940. During that long and incredibly successful career, Gallagher's Cowboys won eleven NCAA team titles -- a record unmatched by any Oklahoma State coach since -- with a 138-5-4 record and a stunning .952 winning percentage. Among the twenty-three NCAA champs during the Gallagher era, three were heavyweight champs. Earl McCready (1928-30) There's some disagreement as to how Earl McCready earned the nickname "Moose"; some sources attribute it to the fact he was from Canada, while others say it's because he was as big as a moose, standing 5'11" and weighing in at 238 lbs in his prime. (In a profile of McCready in the 2006 book "The History of Collegiate Wrestling", Mike Gerald and Jay Hammond claim its because he ran like a moose in the snow.) However, there's not much disagreement that Earl Gray McCready was one of the greatest heavyweights to come out of Oklahoma State in the more than 75 years of NCAA competition. Born in June 1908 in Landsdowne, Ontario, McCready grew up in the province of Saskatchewan. Legend has it that McCready learned the sport from a book; records indicate his formal introduction to wrestling was at the YMCA in Regina. It was at a 1926 Canadian tournament that McCready caught the eye of Oklahoma State, having defeated their heavyweight in the finals. The Cowboy contingent managed to convince McCready to come to Stillwater … where he played tackle for the Oklahoma State football team, and had an incredible college mat career. Earl McCreadyEarl McCready was undefeated in his three years as the Oklahoma State heavyweight; in fact, he won all but three of his matches by pin. At the very first NCAA championships in 1928, McCready pinned Ralph Freese of the University of Kansas in just nineteen seconds -- still the fastest pins in an NCAA finals bout. The next year, the Cowboy big guy won his second title by fall -- this time, his victim was Ohio State's Russ Fairall, pinned at 1:25. In the heavyweight finals at the 1930 NCAAs, different opponent, same outcome: Illinois' Lloyd Burdick had his shoulders put to the mat at 2:17, making McCready the first three-time NCAA champ from any school, at any weight. (In addition, McCready is one of only two three-time champs to win all three finals bouts by pin; the other is Dan Hodge, 177-pound champ for University of Oklahoma 1955-57.) While at Oklahoma State, Earl McCready represented Canada in international competition. He was the flagbearer for his native country at the 1928 Olympics and wrestled heavyweight, but did not place. Two years later, he won the freestyle heavyweight title at the British Empire Games (now called the Commonwealth Games). Not long after graduating from Oklahoma State, Earl McCready entered the world of professional wrestling, where he had a nearly thirty-year career He died of a heart attack at age 75 in 1983. McCready is enshrined in numerous halls of fame, including the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater. Lloyd Ricks (1937) Lloyd RicksLloyd Ricks was a two-time Oklahoma high school state champion (165 lbs in 1931, heavyweight in 1933) from Stillwater. For his college career, Ricks stayed in town, competing at Oklahoma State in the mid 1930s in two weight classes -- 175 pounds, and at heavyweight. At the 1935 NCAAs, the 175 lb sophomore lost in the semifinals to eventual champ Ralph Silverstein of the University of Illinois. Two years later, having gained a few more pounds and more experience, heavyweight senior Lloyd Ricks defeated opponents from Kent State, Illinois and Indiana to find himself in the finals against 1937 Big Ten heavyweight wrestling (and boxing) champ Clifton Gustafson of the University of Minnesota. The Cowboy beat the Golden Gopher big man with a 1:35 time advantage to win the 1937 NCAA heavyweight title. Ricks was one of four national collegiate champs for Oklahoma State that year. Johnny Harrell (1939) Johnny HarrellOriginally from Ardmore, Oklahoma -- where he won the 1935 Oklahoma high school state championship at 185 pounds -- long-and-lean Johnny Harrell was the primary Cowboy heavyweight at the end of the 1930s. At the 1939 NCAAs, Harrell was one of fourteen heavyweights vying for the national title. The Cowboy got a decision over Kent State's Falcone, pinned Ohio University's Adams, then earned a decision over Pickett of Yale to advance to the finals, where he faced John Sikich of the University of Illinois. In the battle of the Big Johns, Johnny Harrell pinned the Illini Sikich at 4:25 to claim the 1939 NCAA heavyweight crown. After winning the title, Harrell transferred to the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, where he was undefeated. Harrell was instrumental in the establishment of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum in Stillwater, and was inducted into the Ardmore Hall of Fame in 2002. Coach Art Griffith's Era (1940-1956) Edward Gallagher died of pneumonia in the spring of 1940. Just before his passing, he witnessed the dedication of what was called the 4-H Club and Student Activity Building, now known (with substantial upgrades) as Gallagher-Iba Arena. His successor at Oklahoma State was Art Griffith, a 1924 graduate of Oklahoma State, and long-time coach at high school mat powerhouse Tulsa Central. During his thirteen years as Cowboy head coach, Griffith built a 78-4-4 record (a .899 winning percentage), with fifteen individuals winning NCAA titles … including three heavyweights. Loyd Arms (1942) Loyd ArmsLoyd "Pig" Arms won two Oklahoma state heavyweight titles at Sulphur High School (1938 and 1939). His career at Oklahoma State spanned both sides of World War II. (Most collegiate programs – including Oklahoma State -- did not compete during the war; the NCAAs were not held in 1943-1945.) At the 1941 NCAAs, the hirsute Cowboy sophomore was pinned in the semifinals by Yale's Larry Pickett, but earned All-American honors by placing third. The following year was Arms' championship season: He got decisive wins over Ohio University's Fred "Superman" Schleicher and Navy's Shuford Swift before going up against rugged multi-sport star Walt Porowski of Kent State in the title bout. The Cowboy got a 7-5 decision over the Golden Flash to become Oklahoma State's fourth individual to win a heavyweight title. After a three-year hiatus for the war, the NCAA championships resumed, hosted by Oklahoma State. Defending heavyweight champ and hometown hero Loyd Arms was knocked out of title contention in the 1946 NCAA semifinals by the eventual champ, 300+ lb George Bollas of Ohio State. Arms eventually placed fourth, becoming a three-time All-American. Dick Hutton (1947-48, 1950) Long before Pat Smith or Cael Sanderson were even born, Dick Hutton nearly became the first four-time NCAA champion at any weight… but was denied that place in history by one man's decision. Richard Heron Avis Hutton was born in Amarillo, Texas in 1923, but moved to Red Fork, Oklahoma as a kid. He took up wrestling in junior high after being cut from the basketball team. After high school at Tulsa Webster (where he was a state runner-up), Hutton served in the US Army for five years, then enrolled at Oklahoma State where he was the heavyweight starter all four years at Stillwater. A big bear of a man -- standing 5'10" and weighing in at about 245 pounds -- Hutton lost only one match and was tied once in his college career. At the 1947 NCAAs, the top-seeded Cowboy freshman drew a bye in the first round, got a 3-0 decision over Colorado's Glenn Blagg in the quarterfinals, and edged Minnesota's Verne Gagne in the semifinals. In the title match, Hutton took on unseeded Ray Gunkel of Purdue, and got a 5-3 victory in overtime to win his first NCAA heavyweight title. The following year, the NCAAs were a qualifying event for the 1948 Olympics, using Olympic wrestling rules and bracketing. Hutton claimed his second title, and went to London as the favorite to win a gold medal, but an ankle injury during a match denied that dream, and the Cowboy big man placed fifth in heavyweight competition. Dick Hutton was the top seed -- and favorite -- to earn his third title at the 1949 NCAAs. In his opening-round match, the defending champ pinned Moroni Schwab of Utah State at 4:45... then, in the quarterfinals, got the fall at 4:35 over Georgia Tech's Clay Matthews… and, in the semifinals, secured a 5-2 win over Bob Maldegan of Michigan State. In the finals, Hutton faced familiar foe Verne Gagne of Minnesota. At the very end of the match, with the score tied 1-1, the Cowboy got a takedown … or did he? The officials determined that it was scored after the final whistle. In 1949, the rules did not allow for overtime to break a tie, so the outcome was in the hands of the referee, Finn Erikson, who awarded the victory -- and the title -- to Gagne because of his small advantage in riding time. It was Hutton's only loss in college, and eliminated any chance of being the first four-time NCAA champ. Dick HuttonSenior year, Dick Hutton was again the odds-on favorite to win the heavyweight title. The top-seeded Cowboy had only one point scored upon him in his first two matches against Wyoming and Lock Haven wrestlers... then shut out Richard Simmons (no, not the diet-and-exercise guru) of Wheaton College 3-0 in the semifinals. In his fourth heavyweight finals, Hutton went up against Fred Stoeker of the host school Iowa State Teachers College (now Northern Iowa) … and must have felt a sinking feeling of déjà vu when the match ended in regulation with a 1-1 tie. This time the referee raised the hand of Hutton, awarding the Cowboy his third heavyweight title. After graduation from Oklahoma State, Dick Hutton entered the professional wrestling ring, following in the successful footsteps of other college heavyweights of his era like Verne Gagne and Ray Gunkel. The former Cowboy had a pro career that lasted more than a decade, culminating in a world championship in the late 1950s. Hutton was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1995. He passed away in Tulsa in November 2003 at age 80. Gene Nicks (1952, 1954) On the heels of Dick Hutton came Gene Nicks, Oklahoma State's next great heavyweight champ in the early 1950s. A two-time Oklahoma high school state champion (1948, 1950) at heavyweight from Ponca City, Gene Nicks was also a football star in high school. For college, Nicks stayed in the northern part of the state by enrolling at Oklahoma State. The 228-pound, broad-shouldered, boyish-faced Cowboy quickly earned the nicknamed "Ninety-Second Nicks" because so many of his college bouts ended quickly with the opponents' shoulders to the mat. By the early 1950s, the rule prohibiting freshmen from competing as varsity team members had been reinstated (after a break following World War II), so Gene Nicks first made his splash as a sophomore. Top-seeded Nicks drew a bye in the first round of the 1952 NCAAs, then, beat Waynesburg's Ed Valtoney 6-1 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Gene defeated Wyoming's Bob Schildgen 4-2 to advance to the finals, where he faced unseeded Oregon State grappler/gridiron star John Witte, who had upset the No. 2 and No. 3 seeds on his way to the finals. However, "Ninety-Second Nicks" was true to his nickname … though it took 4:19 to pin Witte. With that fall, Gene Nicks became the sixth Cowboy to win an NCAA title. At the 1953 NCAAs at Penn State, Gene Nicks was the favorite to win a second straight championship…and pretty much sailed through the bracket. However, in the finals, Dan McNair -- 6'2" and 210 pounds -- managed to take the title by referee decision. After the match ended tied in regulation, the official awarded the lanky Auburn wrestler the title because he had ridden -- and nearly turned -- Nicks in the third period. Gene NicksGene Nicks' senior year ended on a much brighter note. At the 1954 NCAAs, the top-seeded Cowboy drew a bye in the first round, then pinned Michigan State's Larry Fowler at 7:00 in the quarterfinals. In the semis, Nicks shut out Nebraska's Max Ketzelman 6-0. Nicks found himself in his third straight finals, this time against Big Ten heavyweight champ Bob Konovsky of the University of Wisconsin. The Cowboy held the big Badger scoreless, winning the 1954 NCAA heavyweight title 7-0. After graduating from Oklahoma State, Gene Nicks had a long career as a chemist at Conoco. He died of a heart attack in 1985. Coach Myron Roderick's Era (1956-1969) When Art Griffith announced his retirement at the end of the 1955-56 season, no one seemed to be more surprised to be offered the head coaching position at Oklahoma State than Myron Roderick, who had just graduated from the school. At age 21, the three-time NCAA champ (1954 at 137 pounds; 1955 and 1956 at 130) took control of the Cowboys. (It was about this time that Oklahoma A&M became Oklahoma State, and joined what is now the Big Twelve conference.) In his thirteen years as head wrestling coach, Roderick compiled a 140-10-7 record, translating to a .914 winning percentage, with fifteen individuals winning at least one NCAA title … two of them being heavyweights. Ted Ellis (1959) Originally from Blackwell -- another wrestling powerhouse within the state of Oklahoma -- Ted Ellis won back-to-back Oklahoma high school heavyweight state titles in 1956 and 1957. Ted EllisEllis' sophomore season was arguably his brightest. He won the 1959 Big Eight conference heavyweight championship by getting the fall over Iowa State's Jan Schwitters at 2:15. At the 1959 NCAAs, the top-seeded Cowboy pinned his way through his first four bouts in the heavyweight bracket … making it into the finals where he faced off against Ithaca College's 300+ pounder, Bob Marella. After the match ended in regulation tied 1-1, in overtime Ellis shut out the man who would later become professional wrestler Gorilla Monsoon 2-0 to claim the heavyweight championship. Ted Ellis' next appearance at the NCAAs was in 1961, where he was seeded second to his cross-state nemesis, Dale Lewis of Oklahoma, who was the defending champ. Ellis pinned two of his opponents and shut out ISU's Schwitters to face off against familiar foe Lewis for the title. The two had wrestled each other numerous times in their college careers, most recently at the 1961 Big Eight heavyweight finals, where the Sooner got an overtime victory over the Cowboy. Ellis may have had revenge on his mind … but Dale Lewis got the 3-2 victory to deny the Oklahoma State heavyweight a second national title. Joe James (1964) Joe James was the first African-American to wrestle varsity at any weight for the Oklahoma State Cowboys. History aside, ask wrestling fans of the early 1960s what was most memorable about James, and they'd probably mention his muscular physique. Joe JamesJames was among the last college wrestlers to usually compete stripped to the waist (shirts were required by the NCAA in 1965)… so fans and opponents had plenty of opportunity to see his ripped torso. At the 1964 NCAAs – the first to be nationally televised -- ABC reportedly asked each champ to put on his warm-ups before going in front of the camera for his post-match interview. However, the story goes, ABC asked the 6'3", 220-pound James to take off his warm-ups, so the folks at home could see his championship form. James was asked on-camera if he lifted weights. "No, I just do push-ups and one-hand chin-ups." A graduate of Chicago's Tilden Tech, James placed third as heavyweight at the 1960 Illinois high school state tournament. In his first season of varsity competition (1961-62), James competed in the 191-pound weight class, losing only one regular-season bout -- to Iowa State's Keith Johnstone. At the 1962 NCAAs at Stillwater, the cut Cowboy wrestled his way to the finals, where he lost 2-1 to cross-state rival Wayne Baughman of the Oklahoma Sooners. The following year, Joe James moved up to heavyweight, and claimed his first Big Eight conference title. At Kent State for the 1963 NCAAs, the Cowboy big guy was seeded first, and pinned his first opponent, Ed Scharer of Rutgers … but lost on a referee's decision to fourth-seeded Larry Kristoff of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale in the semifinals, and eventually placed fourth, earning his second All-American honors. The 1963-64 season was Joe James' year. He won another Big Eight title, but was seeded third in the heavyweight bracket at the 1964 NCAAs at Cornell University, behind defending champ Jim Nance of Syracuse, and SIU's Kristoff. In his first match, after a 1-1 tie at the end of overtime, James was awarded a referee's decision over Tim Stein of Miami University (Ohio). Next, he shut out Penn's Bruce Jacobsohn 5-0; in the quarterfinals, James defeated No. 6 Ed Scharer of Rutgers 9-5. The Cowboy scored a 5-4 decision over Purdue's Bob Hopp in the semifinals to propel himself into the finals, where he defeated unseeded Bob Billberg of Moorhead State (Minnesota) 4-2 to win the heavyweight title. Coach Tommy Chesbro's Era (1970-1984 Just like Myron Roderick before him, Tommy Chesbro was an Oklahoma State wrestler who became head coach of the Cowboys. In his fifteen years in the driver's seat, Chesbro built up a 227-26-0 record for a .897 winning percentage. Thirteen individual Cowboys lassoed at least one NCAA trophy … with one of them -- Jimmy Jackson -- becoming a three-time heavyweight champ. Jimmy Jackson (1976-78) There's a story in the book "Cowboys Ride Again!" by Bob and Doris Dellinger that paints a picture of Jimmy Jackson's size, agility and determination: As he was changing planes at Chicago O'Hare -- returning to Stillwater after spending Christmas at home in Michigan -- his wallet was lifted from his back pocket. The 6'6", 370-pound Cowboy big man chased and tackled the pickpocket. Police swooped in, guns drawn, handcuffing Jackson … until they learned he was the victim. Jimmy JacksonWhile still in high school, Jimmy Jackson won the 1973 U.S. Wrestling Federation's Junior National freestyle heavyweight title, as well as the 1974 Michigan high school heavyweight title for Grand Rapids Ottawa Hills High … signs of big things to come in his college career. And big is the word. Jackson was one of the "supersized" heavyweights who competed in the era when the weight class was accurately called "unlimited," when heavyweight champs like 400+ lb Chris Taylor and Tab Thacker didn't have to worry about getting down to 285. As an Oklahoma State sophomore, Jackson won the 1976 Big Eight heavyweight title by defeating Iowa State's Bob Fouts 2-1 in the finals. At the 1976 NCAAs, the fifth-seeded Cowboy pinned his first two opponents, topped Clarion's fourth-ranked Chuck Coryea 7-4 in the quarterfinals, and, in the semifinals, upset the defending heavyweight champ Larry Bielenberg of Oregon State 9-2. In the finals, Jackson got a 5-3 victory over the significantly smaller Greg Gibson of Oregon, winning his first national title. Junior year was much the same, with Jimmy Jackson claimed his second Big Eight title. Despite being the defending champ, he was seeded third at the 1977 NCAAs… but he had the last laugh by defeating the two men ranked ahead of him. In the semifinals, Jackson got an 8-5 win over second-seeded Harold Smith of Kentucky … and, in the finals, got a referee's decision over top-ranked Larry Bielenberg in overtime, based on a four-second riding time advantage. Jimmy Jackson's senior season was a sweet conclusion to his college career. His third Big Eight title win was perhaps the easiest, pinning Iowa State's Tom Waldon in just 22 seconds! At the 1978 NCAAs, the top-seeded Jackson dispatched a couple famous-name opponents -- future Olympic gold medallist and wrestling commentator Jeff Blatnick of Springfield College, and future NFL star Bob Golic, wrestling for Notre Dame. In the finals, Jackson took on sixth-seeded John Sefter of Princeton, who, about a minute into the match, attempted a takedown… and was pinned for his troubles. Jimmy Jackson concluded his college career with an 88-9-2 record, joining Earl McCready and Dick Hutton as Oklahoma State's only three-time NCAA heavyweight champs. Fast-forward nearly three decades: in spring 2007, Jimmy Jackson was one of five Cowboy athletes to be inducted into the Oklahoma State Athletics Hall of Honor. Sadly, just one year later, Jackson died in East Lansing, Michigan of complications caused by heart disease and diabetes. He was just 51 years old. Coach John Smith's Era John Smith -- arguably the most accomplished wrestler ever to come out of the Oklahoma State program, with two NCAA championships, four world freestyle titles and two Olympic gold medals – took sole control of the Cowboy wrestling program in 1992. In his fourteen seasons as Oklahoma State's head coach, thirteen individuals have brought home at least one NCAA title … with one of them -- Steve Mocco -- being a heavyweight. Steve Mocco (2005) One look at Steve Mocco -- in action or at rest -- and it's easy to see how he earned the nickname "the Bear." Built like a bear at 6' and 285 pounds, Mocco was also known for his relentless, hard-charging style of attack and heavy hands that "feel like they weigh 100 pounds" according to Ohio State college rival Tommy Rowlands. Steve MoccoSteve Mocco was born in December 1981 in New Jersey, where he ruled the mats at Blair Academy, earning four state prep titles and four national prep championships, and winning three Junior National titles. Colleges battled to have the top high school recruit in the nation on their team, but the North Bergen native chose the University of Iowa, where, in two years, he compiled a 71-3 record, winning the 2003 Big Ten and 2003 NCAA heavyweight titles. After taking an Olympic redshirt year his 2003-2004 season, Steve Mocco decided it was time for a change, and transferred to Oklahoma State for his last two years of college wrestling eligibility His first season in Stillwater was stellar; the new Cowboy big guy was 37-0, with 17 of those wins by pin. He defeated Iowa State's Scott Coleman to win the 2005 Big 12 heavyweight title. Two weeks later, at the 2005 NCAAs in St. Louis, the top-seeded Mocco dominated American's Adam LoPiccolo 14-3, pinned Eastern Illinois' Peter Ziminski at 1:13, shut out his successor at Iowa, the muscular Matt Fields, 4-0 in the quarterfinals, and got the same score over Indiana's fourth-seeded Pat DeGain in the semis. The title match was a thriller, with Steve Mocco using his "patented" footsweep to bring down second-seeded Cole Konrad of Minnesota 3-1 in overtime. Not only did Mocco win his second NCAA title, but a few weeks later, was also awarded the Dan Hodge trophy as best collegiate wrestler of the year. Steve Mocco's senior season did not get off to an encouraging start. At the 2005 NWCA All-Star event held at Gallagher-Iba Arena at Oklahoma State, Cole Konrad got a 4-1 victory over the home-crowd favorite Mocco. Although the All-Star results did not count on a wrestler's record, they may have been a portent of more troubles for the Cowboy heavyweight. In January 2006, Mocco met up with his Minnesota mat rival at the National Duals finals … and, at 5:22 of the match, Cole Konrad secured a bodylock, threw Mocco to the mat, and got the pin. It was the first time Mocco had been pinned since high school. Despite the loss, Mocco made short work of the rest of his regular-season opponents, and won his second Big Twelve heavyweight title. At the 2006 NCAAs held in Oklahoma City, second-seeded Steve Mocco pinned his first two opponents, got a 9-3 victory over Oklahoma's Jake Hager, and, in the semifinals, edged third-seeded Greg Wagner of the University of Michigan 2-1. In the finals, the defending champ faced top-seeded Cole Konrad yet again. It was an epic-length match that was tied in regulation and still knotted at the end of the two sudden victory periods. In the first 30-second tiebreaker, Mocco was unable to escape from bottom; in the second, Konrad escaped, then took down the champ to win the match -- and the title -- 5-2 TB. Although his college wrestling eligibility was finished, in the fall of 2006, Steve Mocco went out for the Oklahoma State football team, where he played five games as a defensive lineman. He continues to compete in freestyle. After having been runner-up at the U.S. World Team Trials for three straight years (2005-2007), in June 2008 Mocco defeated defending U.S. Nationals champ Tommy Rowlands to win the heavyweight slot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team. Want to see more about these Cowboy champs? For more information and photos on Oklahoma State heavyweight titlewinners from Earl McCready through Jimmy Jackson, check out the Yahoo group NCAA Heavyweight Champs that covers the best of the big men in college wrestling in the 20th century: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/NCAA_Heavyweight_Champs/ For photos and features on Steve Mocco, visit the NCAA Heavyweight Champs 2 Yahoo group: http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/NCAA_Heavyweight_Champs_2/

In a sense, Jason Bryant introduced wrestling, the world's oldest sport, to the 21st century … and all the latest forms of journalistic technology. Jason BryantFor beginning in 1997, two years after Bryant fell in love with wrestling -- "It was a Wednesday night in January of 1995 when after I saw a pin at 145 pounds that I told a buddy, 'Hey, I like this sport,' " recalled this native of Poquoson, Va. -- that he started becoming a voice of wrestling by posting his thoughts on the internet. "With the web, it was like the scene in the movie, "Gremlins," where the guy throws the creature in the water and everything multiplies and explodes," said Bryant, who soon found himself sharing opinions with other wrestling fans in this modern medium. But unlike other internet posters, who use screen names like "OUcat" and "tightwaist," Bryant can easily be found because he simply goes by "Jason Bryant." "Initially, it was to get my name out," admitted Byrant, who did not mind people know his opinions or identity. "TheMat.com message boards got to a point where people wanted to know what this Jason Bryant had to say and I was only about 18 years old at the time." Nearly a decade later, the 27-year-old Bryant can still be found on the internet, but in a much more professional on-line setting: InterMat, which was purchased in 2005 by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, which hired Bryant to make the website an integral part of every wrestling fan's life. And at a time when college wrestling continues to be threatened by universities cutting the sport for Title IX (Fresno State and Oregon) and APR (Eastern Illinois) reasons, it is Bryant who is out there exposing the fallacies of these decisions when most national media outlets ignore the crisis. And it is Bryant's reporting of wrestling and ability to offer his opinion, which have garnered him W.I.N. Magazine's Journalist of the Year award for 2007. "I like being in the spotlight a little bit, but if I can help wrestling by creating better coverage and writing hard-hitting stories I like that," said Bryant, who moved to Lancaster, Pa., when he took the job, "I can reach more people because of the internet, because anyone can get on the internet." By keyboarding the letters, "intermatwrestle.com," wrestling fans can keep up with Bryant, who has taken many university presidents and athletic directors to task for their decisions. That included Fresno State AD Thomas Boeh, who announced in 2006 that he was cutting the Bulldog program, which began in 1962. "Tom Boeh at Fresno State was one of the most unprofessional interviews that I ever had," recalled Bryant. "He ducked my questions, would not return my phone calls and when he returned my email, he did not answer the questions that I wanted." But Bryant also has found success in his comments. "It's a good feeling when you know you have impacted someone," said Bryant. "The Wagner College coach told me my story got their program back. After I wrote a commentary, 48 hours they got their team back." Jason BryantBryant, who also holds the title, "Director of Media Relations," for the NWCA, knows that he is more than a journalist. "I am privy to a lot of information that people do not know, but am not at liberty to discuss it," Bryant said. "There is some information that could alienate some coaches in the association. It's a fine line to cross. I like to do things, but let it develop further and if something passes, I can be ready to go with it. "When I touch on issues like Oregon and EIU, I have to explain this is my opinion. The organization has its opinion on things. They do things a little more diplomatically. I am a very emotional type of guy. When a school drops a program and I see a scum-bag AD's response, it annoys me." Bryant's need to express his opinion stems from his fifth-grade hopes of becoming a broadcaster, which led to him becoming a public address announcer for at least eight sports, including wrestling, which he took up as an athlete his final two years of high school. He soon took on other media forms, including writing for the Newport News Daily Press through his college years at Old Dominion. He also created a radio show, Mat Talk, which covered all aspects of wrestling in Virginia and eventually led to the creation of www.mattalkonline.com. "I've covered just about everything and everyone in college knew that I had an extended run in college," laughed Bryant. Bryant has taken his share of shots that came with his position and positions. "I was worried about criticism," admitted Bryant. "It's a fragile thing when you are young and starting out. It was because it was so early in the internet age and you didn't have sites popping up every year. I was one of the early ones with Mat Talk On-Line. "I don't know if I was the first (to make a national impact) because I was too worried about where I was. The internet was still on dial-up back then. Now I read 50-60 message boards a day. Back then, I was worried about 50-60 hits a day." Bryant believes he has a purpose. "Every time I write a story about a kid, they light up," Bryant said. "Wrestling is called the oldest and greatest sport and I believe that." (You can also read this article by subscribing to W.I.N. Magazine. Either contact our office at 1-888-305-0606 or subscribe through this website by selecting the "Subscribe" section on our front page at www.win-magazine.com)

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Jim Gruenwald and Douglas Wilson. A 2004 Olympian, Gruenwald is currently the assistant Greco-Roman coach at the United States Olympic Education Center located on the campus of Northern Michigan University. In 2003 USA Wrestling named Gruenwald Greco-Roman Wrestler of the Year. Douglas Wilson is the co-director of the Lincoln Studies Center at Knox College. He has been awarded the Lincoln Prize, one of the most prestigious awards in the field of American history, for two of his books: "Honor's Voice" and "Lincoln's Sword: The Presidency and the Power of Words." In his book "Honor's Voice" Wilson devotes an entire chapter to the legendary wrestling match between Abraham Lincoln and Jack Armstrong in New Salem, Ill., in 1831. Wilson will be discussing Lincoln's wrestling career and the historical significance of the match with Armstrong. "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.

FARGO, N.D. -- Mike Benefiel (Aurora, Ill./Montini) returned to the top of the podium at the Asics Tiger Junior Nationals, which was held from July 21-26. Benefiel won the 171-pound weight class, which included 94 competitors from 41 different states. He went 10-0 in the tournament and only surrendered two points throughout the entire competition. In addition, Benefiel earned five technical falls and three pins (17 seconds, 20 seconds and 2:37) during the competition, including a decisive technical fall in his championship match. Benefiel was a Cadet National Champion in 2004 and was a Junior All-American last year. He competed for Team Illinois in the national event and trains at the Overtime School of Wrestling. "Mike's tournament performance is indicative of his training regiment," top assistant coach Drew Pariano said. "He dominated all of his opponents and that is why we believe he is one of if not the top recruit in the country." This past season, Benefiel received the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award. This annual award is bestowed upon high school seniors who demonstrate excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, character, citizenship and community service. Benefiel completed his high school career as a four-time state champion from Montini with a career record of 200-4. Robert Kellogg (Sioux City, Iowa/Sioux City North) also earned All-American accolades by placing fourth in the Junior Greco-Roman competition. Kellogg won six matches and won five additional matches in the freestyle competition, missing All-American status by just one match. Kellogg's resume has a 2006 Junior National Greco-Roman title attached to it, as well as a 2007 high school state championship for Sioux City North High School in Iowa. "Robert is a true competitor. He wrestled 16 matches in four days, became an All-American and nearly missed becoming a two-time All-American by just one match," Pariano said. Frank Battaglia (Hinsdale, Ill./Hinsdale Central) had an impressive tournament earning six victories in the 160-pound freestyle bracket. Both of Battaglia's losses were to eventual All-Americans. Battaglia competed for Team Illinois in the event and also trains at the Overtime School of Wrestling. Ben Kuhar (Mentor, Ohio/St. Edward) competed in the 285-pound freestyle bracket. Kuhar began the competition by reeling off three-straight victories before losing to the eventual seventh place finisher, as well as the two-time defending Junior National Champion. "Frank and Ben both had a great tournament," Pariano said. "Ben will benefit from current All-American Dustin Fox once we get both of these men in the wrestling room and Frank is a completely different wrestler than he was just three months ago. He is gaining confidence with each and every win." John Schoen (Homer Glen, Ill./Marist) competed in the 215-pound freestyle bracket. In his first Junior Nationals appearance, Schoen was victorious in his second bout of the day and then bowed out to the eventual Junior National Champion at his weight class. Pariano though, believes this experience will be very helpful to his future. "John gained valuable experience and competed against an elite athlete in this tournament. His athleticism will enable him to have a great deal of success in college." All five signees will compete for the Wildcats next fall.

The National Wrestling Coaches Association is proud to announce the upcoming NWCA Coaches Convention will be held at the Horizon Casino Resort in Lake Tahoe, Nev., August 17-19. Presented by Resilite Sports Products, Inc., Cliff Keen Athletic, Asics and Crayhon Research, the NWCA Convention is a yearly meeting of wrestling heads of state, conference and association aimed at identifying and solving issues within the sport of wrestling at the collegiate and high school level. Highlighting this year's convention are techique sessions offered by Oklahoma State head coach John Smith, Oregon State head coach Jim Zalesky and 2007 NCAA Champion Derek Moore of UC Davis. "There are numerous things we discuss yearly at the convention," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Some years, there's a heavy emphasis on weight management, others, the emphasis is on program entrenchment." "It's a place where we can hammer out our plans for the sport and see if we can make a positive change where change needs to be made," said Moyer. From the Pac-10, Zalesky just finished his first season at Oregon State and was the recipient of the Conference Coach of the Year. Smith, a two-time Olympic Gold Medalist and former NCAA Coach of the Year, will also present. "We've got two of the best wrestling minds in the nation as clinicians, that's pretty hard to beat," said Mirikitani. UC Davis crowned its first All-American and NCAA champion in 2007 as Derek Moore dominated the 141-pound weight class en route to the title. He was also named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler. Moore will be the third technique clinician at this year's event. "Derek's a California native and thrived at UC Davis under coach Lennie Zalesky," said Moyer. "He stayed home and won a title, and was dominant in doing so. We're really proud to have him on board this year." As with past NWCA Conventions, seminars have been set up to help educate coaches and create a dialog with some of the sport's most concerning issues. The cornerstone of the 2007 convention will be the development of a strategic plan for wrestling. The plan will take into account the following: Legislative issues, championship qualifier allocation models, increasing competition dates and adjusting schedules, understanding the Academic Progress Rate (APR), change of season, NATA skin disease seminar, presentations by the U.S. Marine Corps, weight management, information regarding recruiting and scholarships and rules discussions from the NFHS and NCAA. "There's really something for every coach," said NWCA President Ron Mirikitani. "If I'm a high school coach that's new to the weight management, I can understand it here. If I'm a college coach with APR concerns at the NCAA level, I can get more info here." "Plus, it's a way to bring the wife and kids along on a wrestling trip and let them have some fun in a beautiful setting," added Moyer. In addition to the technique sessions, NCAA Rules Committee Chair Brad Traviola and NCAA Rules Editor Bob Bubb will present. On the scholastic side of things, NFHS Assistant Director Bob Colgate will again join the convention to discuss issues, rule changes and directives. Neil Turner, Director of Coaching Education Development for the NWCA, will also be presenting a seminar on initiatives that are crucial for the scholastic coach to understand and implement into their respective programs. There will also be an informational seminar on skin diseases, prevention and management for the scholastic level. Registration is $225 per person for collegiate coaches, which includes technique sessions, convention notebook, two social tickets, two lunch tickets and a convention gift. The rate for high school coaches is $150 and includes technique sessions, conveniton notebook, two social tickets, one lunch ticket and a convention gift. Information about the event, hotel room rates & lodging info, event schedules, online registration and things to do around Tahoe are available at: http://www.nwcaonline.com/convention.cfm

Des Moines, IA -- Defense Soap, a natural preventative and remedy product for various skin ailments, signed an agreement with TakeDown Wrestling Radio (TDR) today to sponsor the show for a minimum of one year. Defense is particularly popular throughout the combat sports community, given skin contact in wrestling, mixed martial arts (MMA), and boxing is the most aggressive way to transfer bacterial or fungal infection. "We're absolutely pleased when a sponsor not only helps us promote these sports, but goes beyond to protect our participants and competitors. Defense contributes to reducing down time from injuries, thus keeping them in the game. It's a product that can benefit one and all and essentially our sports as a whole" commented TDR's Scott Casber. Defense Soap offers a variety of products for sale through distributors as well as their website. The product mix includes bar soap, gel, essential oils, and even travel kits. "Defense soap is a potent, completely natural antibacterial and antifungal product. The synergistic effect of the essential oils contained in Defense Soap have been clinically proven to be effective in the treatment and prevention of ringworm, staph, herpes, and countless other skin infections" stated Erhardt Bell M.T., Clinical Microbiologist and President of Pet Labs Diagnostic. Defense prides itself in the endorsements it has received from athletes using their products. Tommy Rowlands, two time NCCA champion wrestler, Richard Bonacci, wrestling coach for 36 years at Cleveland State University, and internationally known superstar Chuck Norris are among those providing endorsements. The new TDR agreement places Defense Soap in close proximity to top sports personalities as they are regularly featured on the show. TDR recently announced a Presenting Sponsorship from Brute adidas, a company providing a complete line of top quality wrestling products to sporting goods dealers, amateur and professional athletic clubs and teams, and is the exclusive distributor of adidas wrestling products for North and South America. The Defense Soap sponsorship is considered to be complimentary by all close to the subject. "The synergistic relationship between our program, listeners, and sponsors continues to grow. The sense of community builds each time a meaningful contributor is added to the program. That's certainly the case with our most recent announcements. The community has welcomed Defense Soap with open arms and new relationships are formed every day" added TDR's Casber.

MASON CITY -- The North Iowa Area Community College Trojan wrestling team is celebrating the rebirth of their once prominent wrestling program after 32 years with six home dates and a rigorous schedule that will include competitions with numerous larger four-year institutions, said head coach Richard Fergola. The Trojans will have 15 regularly scheduled dual meets after hosting the Blue & Gold Grapple on October 27, the team's wrestle-offs that will help Fergola name his initial starting lineup. NIACC's first official meet on November 3 will be a special one, the Kaye Young/NIACC Open, named for the coach that guided the Trojans during NIACC's first period of wrestling, 1967-76. The meet will be held at the NIACC Gymnasium. A week later, Fergola's squad heads to Ames for the Harold Nichols Open at Iowa State on November 10, giving the Trojans an opportunity to face competitors from the nationally-rated Division I host school and other top small and large-school programs. NIACC will also compete at the Kaufman-Brand Open in Omaha, NE on November 17. The Kaufman-Brand Open is considered the largest, toughest one day college open in the nation. All the top programs from Division I through NAIA will be present. Last year, this open had all five team national champions present. The University of Northern Iowa Open on December 2 and the Dick Walker Invitational at Wartburg College on December 8, all before Christmas break. NIACC will host their home dual meet opener against Ridgewater Community College of Minnesota at 7 p.m. November 14. This will be considered Alumni Night. The Warriors claimed the NJCAA D-III (non-scholarship) national championship in 2005. Continuing dual action will take place December 5th at 7:00 pm when the Trojans travel to Rochester, MN to take on the Yellow Jackets of Rochester CC in regional competition. On December 7th, NIACC will host Neosho County Community College of Kansas at 7:00 p.m. on "Pack the House Night." Neosho County, previously won the 2000 NJCAA wrestling title. Rounding out the month of December will be yet another home dual against in state rival Ellsworth Community College on December 14 at 6:00 pm. This will be "Prep Night" where all kids clubs, Middle School and High School wrestling teams are invited to come and watch the Trojans free of charge. The Trojans return from Christmas break with a stellar test, the Colby Tournament of Champions in Colby, KS, on January 4-5, 2008. The TOC is a junior college invitational only and will invite many of the nation's top junior college programs. NIACC will host Minnesota West from Worthington, MN in a dual meet on January 11th at 7 p.m. and face the 2005 NJCAA Division I (scholarship) national champions, the Labette Community College Cardinals at 6 p.m. on January 14. In between the Minnesota West and Labette duals, the Trojans will travel to Pella, IA for the Central College Open on January 12th. The Trojans will make another trip to Minnesota on January 19th to Grand Rapids, MN for some dual action against Itasca Community College, NAIA Jamestown College and NCAA Division II Minnesota State-Moorhead. On January 23 at 7 p.m. the Trojans will travel to Fort Dodge to battle the two-time defending NJCAA Division I (scholarship) national champions, Iowa Central Community College. On Saturday January 26th, Division III St. Olaf College will host the NIACC wrestling program in a dual slated for 2:00 pm. Second year program Pratt Community College in Pratt, KS will mix it up with the Trojans of NIACC in a neutral setting on the campus of Baker University in Baldwin City, KS on Tuesday January 29th at 6:30 pm. The Trojan's inaugural season will end with a meet at perennial NJCAA standout Harper Community College in Palatine, IL on February 2, followed by the NJCAA Region VIII Championships held at Ridgewater Community College in Willmar, MN on February 10th. This is the national qualifying tournament for the 2008 NJCAA National Championships held at Rochester Community College in Rochester, MN on February 22-23. "I am very excited and pleased with our first wrestling schedule," Fergola stated. "We have developed a schedule that will allow our athletes to prepare for our region and national championships. I feel that we are in one of the toughest regions in the NJCAA and for sure in one of the toughest areas of the country for college wrestling competition. "We are fortunate to have some of the nation's best programs right here in the state of Iowa to compete against," Fergola continued. "With the addition of duals against national championship programs like Labette, Iowa Central, Harper, Ridgewater, Neosho County and meets that include NCAA D-I, D-II, D-III and NAIA teams, we will have great schedule strength to prepare us for the national tournament." NIACC's first recruiting class in 32 years includes 35 wrestlers, including numerous high school state champions and three that received All-America mention.

PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers Director of Athletics Bob Mulcahy announced the hiring of three-time New Jersey "Coach of the Year" Scott Goodale as head coach of the Scarlet Knights' wrestling program today. "I look forward to working for the State University," Goodale said. "I have such a passion for New Jersey wrestling and it's going to be a challenge. I'm up for the challenge and we're going to try and take this team to the next level." Scott GoodaleGoodale will follow in the footsteps of Rutgers winningest coach in wrestling history, John Sacchi. Sacchi retired in May following 17 seasons at the head of the Scarlet Knight program, and 40 years as a wrestling coach. Sacchi compiled a 167-102-5 record at Rutgers. "We certainly want to move the program forward," Goodale said. "We want to place very high in the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) and send wrestlers to the NCAA Championships. The ultimate goal is to win a national title. I'd be making a mistake if I was getting into this without having the goal of being a national championship team. It was my goal at Jackson to be the number one team in New Jersey and it took a while, but we did it. Now that I'm at Rutgers, my goal is to win a national title." The Jackson, N.J. native will take over the Rutgers program following an impressive seven-year stint as head coach at his alma mater, Jackson Memorial High School. Over seven seasons, Goodale compiled an overall record of 155-16, leading his squad to the top ranking in the state in 2006 and 2007. "I'm really excited to have Scott join the Rutgers athletics family. We are very impressed with Scott's enthusiasm and dedication to the sport of wrestling, and his desire to ensure the young men in our program will succeed academically and athletically," Mulcahy said. "He is a proven winner as a coach, and is a 'Jersey' guy who is very familiar with the youth and high school programs throughout the state. Scott is the ideal person to lead our wrestling program at this time." Goodale was named the New Jersey State Coach of the Year three times, while also earning District 21 and Region VI Coach of the Year accolades three times during his time with the Jaguars. Goodale has coached four New Jersey State Champions and five New Jersey State runner-ups along with 16 additional state placewinners. In total, he has coached a total of 41 District 21 Champions and 10 Region VI Champions. Goodale led his teams to two Group IV State Championships, as well as four Central Jersey Group IV Sectional titles. Each season Goodale spent with Jackson Memorial, the Jaguars were crowned District 21 Team Champions, as well as winning four Class A-South Shore Conference titles. During the 2005-06 season, the Jaguars finished ranked No. 10 in the country. The following year, Goodale and the Jaguars bettered that performance, finishing the year ranked seventh nationally. In every year Goodale was at Jackson Memorial, he led his team to a top 10 finish in the New Jersey wrestling polls. Prior to being named head coach at Jackson Memorial, Goodale served as a top assistant for the wrestling program, while also working as the offensive coordinator for the football team. During his time with the Jaguars football squad, he was a part of three state championship teams. On a national level, he has spent the last 11 years as the Junior and Cadet State Team Coach for national wrestling tournaments held in Fargo, N.D. Following the 2005-06 season, he served as the head coach for Team New Jersey at the Junior National Duals. Goodale wrestled for Lock Haven University in Pennsylvania, earning his bachelor's degree in Health and Physical education in 1995. He then went to New Jersey City University where he earned a certification in Special Education in 1997. As a collegiate wrestler, Goodale made three trips to the NCAA Championships, as well as placing second at the Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) tournament twice in his career. During his time with the Bald Eagles, the team was ranked as high as ninth in the country. Goodale finished with 99 wins at Lock Haven. Goodale, and his wife Lisa, are the parents of Shelby and Zachary, and reside in Toms River.

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Mike Finn and Ron Finley Finn is currently the editor of Wrestling International Newsmagazine. He was awarded the National Wrestling Media Association's Journalist of the Year for 2006. Finn will be providing a live update of the Junior Nationals, which are being held in Fargo, ND. Finley was the head wrestling coach at the University of Oregon for 27 years before retiring in 1998. As a wrestler he competed on the 1964 Olympic team and was an NCAA runner-up in 1963. University of Oregon Athletic Department announced on July 13 2007, the addition of Varsity Baseball and Competitive Cheerleading program, and the discontinuation of the Wrestling program. Finley is currently the Save Oregon Wrestling Director. "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.

SANTA ANA, CA –- Nine student-athletes from the Santa Ana College wrestling team will continue their academic and athletic careers at four-year universities. Freshmen Ivan Sanchez (125; Santiago HS) and Devin Velasquez (157; Tascosa HS) have both committed to Cal State Fullerton. CSUF competes in the Pac 10 Conference in the NCAA Division I. Sophomore Matt Mungo (165; Mission Viejo HS) has committed to San Francisco State. SFSU competes in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference in NCAA Division II. Sophomores Jose Hernandez (125; Santa Ana HS), Jesse Ruiz (285; Santa Ana Valley HS), and Sabas Cruz (149; Santiago HS) have all committed to Menlo College. Menlo is located in Atherton, Calif., and competes in the West Region in the NAIA. Sophomore Eddie Sanchez (165; Santiago HS) has committed to Cumberland University. Cumberland is located in Lebanon, Tenn., and competes in the East Region in the NAIA. Sophomore Tom Eaton (174; Jefferson HS) has committed to Northwestern College. Northwestern is located in Orange City, Iowa and competes in the Great Plains Athletic Conference in the NAIA. Freshman Nicholas Reale (157; Canyon HS) has committed to Lindenwood University. Lindenwood is located in St. Charles, Mo., and competes in the East Region in the NAIA. The Santa Ana College wrestling team has established one of the highest transfer rates to four-year universities in the nation amongst all community college and junior college wrestling teams with a combined total of 15 Santa Ana College wrestlers who have transferred onto four-year universities over the past two years.

Fargo, ND -- NIACC wrestling recruit DaVaughn Perkins of Omaha, NE brought home the bronze medal at the 2007 Junior Greco National Championships recently held at the Fargodome in Fargo, ND. Perkins competed in the 145 pound weight class against many of the nation's top high school juniors and seniors. Perkins finished in third place defeating Luke Mellmer of North Dakota in the bronze medal match 6-0, 2-3, and 7-0. Perkins lone loss was to eventual national champion Jake Deitchler of Minnesota. The bronze medal was Perkins' third All-American honor in Fargo after claiming a Cadet National Championship in Greco-Roman and sixth place in Cadet Freestyle. Perkins was also a three-time undefeated state champion in Nebraska completing his high school career 86-0. Other NIACC recruits competing in Fargo were T.J. Moen (Saydel, IA) and Albert White (Harvey, IL). Both wrestlers have previously won national championships in Fargo, but fell short of placing in 2007. "I am very excited about all three of these dynamic young men and their abilities," stated Head Coach Richard Fergola. I am very happy for DaVaughn as well as TJ and Albert as they now prepare for doing great things at the college level. NIACC will be starting its first wrestling season since cutting the program in 1976. Coach Fergola's Trojans kick off their competitive schedule at home on November 3 with the Kaye Young/NIACC Open.

Portland- Portland State's head wrestling coach Mike Haluska announced the signing of freshman Alan Dickey and junior Henry Kofa to a national letter of intent for the 2007-08 season. Dickey had an extensive career at Willamina High School under PSU alum and 1993 All-American wrestler Ariah Fasana. Dickey qualified for the Oregon high school state tournament four times. He accumulated two championships and two third-place finishes. Recently, Dickey placed eighth at the 2007 Junior Greco National Tournament. He is the son of Vane and Denise Dickey of Sheridan, Ore. Kofa is coming to PSU as a transfer from Lassen Community College in Susanville, Calif., where he was a two time All-American. Kofa placed fifth as a freshman and second as a sophmore at the national tournament. Kofa graduated from Denver East High School where he won the 2004 Colorado high school state championships and was selected into the Denver East High School's Hall of Fame. He is the son of Rose Dunn and Randy Gallegos of Denver, Colo.

COLUMBUS, Ohio –- Ohio State wrestling assistant coaches and first-time U.S. World Team members Tommy Rowlands and Joe Heskett each won silver medals at the 2007 Pan American Games at the Riocentro Sports Complex in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Heskett and Rowlands competed in the two-day freestyle event that ran from July 27-28. Up next for the duo is the 2007 World Wrestling Championships Sept. 17-23 in Baku, Azerbaijan. Rowlands competed first Friday at 120 kg/264.5 pounds and defeated Gustavo Gattareo of Argentina, 7-0, 7-0, and Arjan Bhullar of Canada, 1-0, 1-0, to advance to the finals. It was in the championship match Rowlands faced past world champion Alexis Rodriguez of Cuba and dropped a 2-1, 3-0, decision. En route to the finals Saturday, Heskett, the OSU volunteer assistant coach, beat Maximo Blanco of Venezuela, 1-0, 2-0, and Matt Gentry of Canada, 1-3, 3-0, 2-0. In the championship bout, Heskett met Cuba's Ivan Fundora, a 2004 Olympic bronze medalist, and lost, 5-0, 3-1. Overall, the U.S. Wrestling Team finished with 17 medals in both the men and women's freestyle and Greco-Roman competitions. The U.S. medaled in every weight class entered at the Pan American Games.

Perhaps more than any other sport, wrestling seems to be a family affair. Usually when one youngster takes up the sport, the younger siblings follow big brother onto the mat. Terry and Fran McCannThat was the case with Terry and Francis McCann, two brothers whose contributions to wrestling extend far beyond their years as wrestlers in the 1950s and early 60s. The McCanns grew up on the northwest side of Chicago, "very much a working-class background" as Fran McCann describes it. Terry was the oldest of six siblings; Fran was six years younger. "Terry very much set the tone for the family, even later in life," recalls Fran. "We younger ones weren't afraid to ask him for advice. He really seemed to enjoy that." "He was more like a dad than a big brother to me." Terry and Fran were both competitive by nature, but rather small in stature. They both loved to play sports with the neighborhood boys … but found the sport they came to love for the rest of their lives, thanks to a wrestling program conducted on the local playground. Meet Terry McCann In a 2006 interview published in Mike Chapman's "Legends of the Mat", Terry McCann described the moment when he saw a photo in a magazine, and realized that he could excel at wrestling: "I was at a candy store and saw a picture of this little guy, Allie Morrison, getting a gold medal for wrestling. (Morrison won the gold at the 1928 Amsterdam Olympics.) I was very impressed. I thought he was just a little guy, and that if he could do something so special in sports, so could I. That was the start. I had a vision." Terry McCann realized that vision. He became an Illinois high school state champion, a two-time NCAA champion as a wrestler at the University of Iowa, and won the gold medal in freestyle competition at the 1960 Olympics in Rome. Both Terry and Fran went to Carl Schurz High School in Chicago. "They didn't have the greatest coaches, but they always got us great competition," recalls Fran. Allie MorrisonTerry became a three-time Chicago city champion, and qualified for the 1952 Illinois high school state tournament his senior year. According to a story from the book "Little Men of the Mat" by Larry Fox, McCann came out for the 112-pound finals with a huge rip in his wrestling tights. It didn't affect his wrestling ability; Terry McCann pinned Louis Fatta of Maywood Proviso in just 37 seconds -- up to that time, the quickest finals match in Illinois state championship history. "I guess I had to win in a hurry, before my pants ripped any worse," Terry McCann was quoted as saying. Hawkeye hero While wrestling seemed to come easy for Terry McCann in high school, good grades had not. He realized his dream of being accepted to the University of Iowa … however, it was on a probationary basis. Terry worked hard to prove himself worthy academically. In his first year at Iowa City, Terry attacked the books with the same determination as he showed on the mat, and, as a freshman, earned a B average. Back in Terry's time, NCAA rules prohibited freshmen from varsity competition. When McCann became a sophomore, he qualified for the varsity team … and for the right to compete at the 1954 NCAAs in the 115-pound weight class. McCann's title hopes were dashed when he lost to eventual three-time college champ Hugh Peery of Pittsburgh in the semifinals 6-5. All was not lost; McCann earned All-American honors by placing third. According to "Legends of the Mat", it was early in Terry's career at Iowa that he met one of his childhood mat heroes, Bill Koll -- a three-time NCAA champ in the 1940s at what is now Northern Iowa, known for his fierce wrestling style, including punishing body slams. (Iowa coach Dave McCuskey had been Bill Koll's coach in college … one of the reasons Terry became a Hawkeye.) After one of McCann's matches, Koll came right to the point: "Quit dancing around out there. You go all out, attack every second you're on the mat. Attack, attack!" Terry McCann took the advice of the legendary wrestler and coach to heart -- and to the mat. His junior year, he won his first Big Ten title … only to top that achievement a couple weeks later with his first NCAA title, defeating Oklahoma State's Dave Bowlin in the 115-pound finals at the 1955 NCAAs at Cornell University. Senior year, Terry earned another Big Ten title, and his second 115-pound 1956 NCAA championship … this time, beating Bill Hulings of Pittsburgh in the finals. Just as impressive, in his last two years at Iowa, McCann never lost a match. The Midas touch After graduating from the University of Iowa with a degree in commerce -- maintaining that B average he built right from the start -- Terry's wife Lucille urged him to realize that Olympic dream first kindled as a kid in a candy store, seeing the magazine photo of Allie Morrison with his gold medal. Because Terry thought the wrestling training opportunities were best in Oklahoma, the McCanns -- who had two children at the time -- moved from Chicago to Tulsa, where Terry took a job in an oil refinery. Terry McCannJust before the 1960 Olympic Trials, Terry injured his knee, and was unable to wrestle at the qualifier event. The Olympic Committee ruled that Terry could have another chance, so he went up against two-time NCAA champ Dave Auble from Cornell University. After winning their first match, Terry had another potential setback before the final match -- he collapsed from the heat, and was hospitalized. He came out of the hospital to win a place on the 1960 US Olympic team. At the 1960 Olympics in Rome, Terry McCann won his first three matches (the third by pin), but, in the fourth round, lost to Finland's Tauno Jaskari. However, the next day, he bounced back to pin Russia's Michail Shakov (who he had tied two years earlier) and got decisions in his last two bouts to win the gold medal in freestyle at 125 pounds. Golden … then, the toughest match yet After the Olympics, Terry McCann enjoyed a golden life. He continued to serve the sport he loved, as a volunteer coach in Chicago and for the Olympics, and as one of the founders of what is now USA Wrestling. In addition, he became an avid surfer and an executive in various organizations in that sport. Terry demonstrated his leadership skills away from the sports world, too. For more than a quarter-century, Terry served as executive director of Toastmasters International, which, under his leadership, experienced tremendous growth in terms of number of clubs and individual members. He and Lucille had a total of seven children and 18 grandchildren, and lived an active life in southern California. Then, in April 2005, Terry McCann was diagnosed with mesothelioma, a lung disease caused by asbestos, which the wrestler was exposed to in that refinery job in Oklahoma while training for the Olympics. He put up a tough fight, even filming a commercial to urge citizens to contact Congress about proposed legislation that would have prevented individuals like him from suing asbestos manufacturers, but passed away on June 7, 2006 at age 72. Lee Roy Smith, executive director for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma, said of Terry McCann, "Although his stature was small, his attitude, confidence, courage and leadership while representing the sport both nationally and internationally was that of a giant." A fellow Olympic wrestler and coach (and a 1950s NCAA champ for the University of Illinois), Werner Holzer, said, "During my 50 years in the sport of wrestling, as an athlete, coach and administrator, I have seen all the great wrestlers … Terry had it all; he was the most complete wrestler, the one who excelled the most in every aspect of the sport." Meet Fran McCann Francis J. McCann may be Terry's younger brother, but his career as wrestler and coach is uniquely rich with many accomplishments of his own. Fran was a four-time qualifier for the Illinois high school state tournament, and a four-time Chicago city wrestling champion. He earned a scholarship to Oklahoma State, the top college wrestling program in the country at the time, crafting his skills under the young-but-already accomplished head coach, Myron Roderick, who Fran describes as "the greatest at teaching technique." While with the Cowboys, Fran placed second in the Big Eight conference tournament. But Stillwater was a long way from Chicago, and, after two years, "I considered dropping out," Fran discloses, "but I decided to transfer to Iowa." Fran McCann, Tom Huff, and Shewyn Thorson in 1962While at the University of Iowa -- his brother Terry's alma mater -- Fran made a name for himself by earning All-American honors at the 1962 NCAAs held at Oklahoma State, placing fourth in the 115-pound weight class. "I gave Gray Simons his toughest match in the tournament," says Fran. (Lock Haven's Simons went on to win his third title.) Fran had thought he'd have two years of eligibility at Iowa, but the NCAA said he had only one year. According to the younger McCann, "At that time, in the Big Ten, you couldn't redshirt … I was really disappointed." Back to the Cowboy way It was at this point that Fran McCann decided to go back to Oklahoma State … not as a wrestler, but as an assistant to coach Myron Roderick. "I learned so much from Roderick," discloses Fran. "His mind was incredible. He was so advanced in his thinking … He wanted you to buy into his philosophy that technique was critically important to a wrestler's success." Fran McCannWhile in Stillwater the second time, Fran worked out with Oklahoma State wrestling sensation Yojiro Uetake -- a three-time NCAA champ for the Cowboys in the mid 1960s originally from Japan -– as he prepared for the 1964 Olympics in Tokyo. Fran also decided he wanted to be a college wrestling coach, so he soaked up knowledge from Cowboy coach Roderick, and earned his bachelor's degree from Oklahoma State. After graduating, big brother Terry -- by then, the owner of an Olympic gold medal -- suggested that Fran continue his education to fulfill his dream of being a coach. Fran earned his master's degree at St. Cloud State in Minnesota, then, staying in the Land of 10,000 Lakes, was hired by Winona State. Call him Coach McCann Fran McCann spent eight years at Winona State, where he coached wrestling and taught physical education. "It was a tough league -- Mankato, Bemidji, St Cloud," according to Fran. "We experienced a lot of success, despite having no scholarships, a $25 recruiting budget, and a $3,500 budget for the entire wrestling program. But we had men who truly loved the sport." While at the school in southeast Minnesota, Fran coached 25 NAIA All-Americans; his 1969-70 team was undefeated, and another team placed third in the NAIA championships. In 1976, Fran McCann moved up to Division I competition by heading south … to Indiana State University in Terre Haute, a school perhaps best-known as the alma mater of basketball superstar Larry Bird. In his decade as head coach, the McCann-led Sycamores accomplished great things … but the McCann era at ISU might be best known for the wrestling superstar he coached, Bruce Baumgartner, the only US wrestler to earn four Olympic medals. "He never won a New Jersey high school state title," says Fran. "(But) when he came here for his recruitment visit, I said, 'We've got to get this guy.' He was that impressive." Baumgartner did not qualify for the NCAAs his freshman year. McCann describes his heavyweight's sophomore year as being a "great season -- the year his confidence really grew." The Sycamore big man made it into the 1980 NCAA finals, where he met up with Oregon State's Howard Harris, who had pinned every one of his opponents up to the finals. Despite getting a takedown on Harris -- the first scored against him in two years -- Baumgartner was pinned in the third period. (Harris is the last wrestler to pin his way through the NCAAs.) Junior year, Bruce Baumgartner racked up an incredible 42-1 record, but met the same fate at the 1981 NCAA heavyweight finals as the previous year, this time, suffering the fall at the hands of Iowa's Lou Banach. However, under coach McCann's guidance, Baumgartner had a perfect 44-0 senior season, capped off by defeating Oklahoma's Steve "Dr. Death" Williams in the finals to win the 1982 NCAA heavyweight title … the first national wrestling title for Indiana State. Notre Dame years Fran McCann recalls the day when the assistant athletic director from the University of Notre Dame came to Indiana State, asking for recommendations for possible wrestling coaches. After Fran offered some names, the visitor said, "What about you?" Within weeks, the McCann family was moving from Terre Haute up to South Bend. Fran served as head coach of the Notre Dame wrestling team for eight seasons, where the Fighting Irish compiled a 50-53-1 record, taking on the top teams in the country. Fran McCannThen, the shocking news: Notre Dame announced it was eliminating wrestling as a sport. "I went to the AD about another matter, and he told me ‘We're dropping the program,'" remembers Fran. "It was a total surprise, no warning." "I had to tell the wrestlers. I will never forget the shock and hurt on their faces." In a quote from a 1993 article from the "Notre Dame Observer", junior wrestler Emil Soehnien said, "He really didn't have to say much. His tears said about it all." "The person who had endowed the [wrestling] program had died," recalls Fran in an interview for this article. "The school redistributed the funds. The family was very upset -- felt the school had gone against their loved one's wishes." "What made it especially sad was all that had been accomplished – we had placed the highest in Notre Dame's history -- and what was to come … I was fully expecting us to have our best-ever year the following season." At the time of the announcement, Fran McCann was offered -- and accepted -- a teaching position at Notre Dame, where he still teaches physical education to incoming freshmen. He is also a volunteer wrestling coach at a high school in the South Bend area. "There is an effort to revive the program," reports the former Fighting Irish wrestling coach. "There was a big reunion last year, very influential alumni. They're having an alumni outing next week." Looking back on his coaching career, Francis McCann can be proud of the lives he shaped, and the honors awarded. He earned NAIA Wrestling Coach of the Year honors in 1970, and was inducted into the NAIA Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1986. In April 2007, Fran received a lifetime of service award from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at a dinner hosted by the Minnesota chapter. In September, he will be inducted into the Winona State Athletic Hall of Fame. Memories of Terry Fran McCann has a wide range of powerful memories about his late brother, Terry. Fran and Terry McCann"His quote, 'If you're ever satisfied, you don't progress' reflected the way he lived his life," says Fran. "The gold medal was his life goal. Becoming a CEO was another life goal. He kept reflecting that idea to me –- to keep striving. That's a belief that I still hold." "He was so tenacious. He had to work hard for everything … He had an incredible work ethic." "Pound for pound, probably the strongest guy I ever knew," recalls Fran. "He didn't lift weights but did a lot of rope climbing." "I think he may have been the toughest guy of his era," says Fran. "I've the scars to prove it." And a great story to back up those scars: "When Terry was preparing for the 1960 Olympics, we worked out together at the Tulsa Y. We were the only two in the room. It was the summer, incredibly hot. We were really battling. It was especially intense because we knew each other moves so well, we could anticipate the other guy … At one point, Terry said, 'Go get cleaned up.' I was a bloody, sweaty mess. I looked like I had been beaten up. As we got up to leave the room, we discovered that a father and his two kids had been watching us. They had these shocked looks on their faces." With their involvement in wrestling, both Terry and Fran McCann left so much on the mat … and made the sport much richer for it.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- Purdue University wrestling head coach Scott Hinkel announced the hiring of assistant coach Glen Lanham on Monday. Lanham comes to Purdue after four years at the University of North Carolina, where he worked primarily with the middle to upper weight classes and coordinated the Tarheels' recruiting efforts. "Glen brings outstanding credentials and a wealth of coaching experience to our program," said Hinkel. "He fills a great need in the assistance he will bring to our middle weight classes, and we're very excited to have as a part of the Purdue wrestling team." In his time in Chapel Hill, Lanham tutored four Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Champions and nine NCAA Championships qualifiers. He also went to great lengths to improve the Tarheels' program, bringing in an Intermat Wrestling Top-25 recruiting class in 2006-07. Prior to UNC, Lanham worked as a high school teacher and wrestling coach in Oklahoma from 1991-2003. He was at Midwest City High School for seven years, where he mentored several state champions and sent them on to prestigious college programs. While at Midwest City, he was also volunteering his time at Oklahoma University with several All-Americans. Lanham served as a graduate assistant at Oklahoma State University (OSU) from 1988-1991, helping the Cowboys to a pair of NCAA Championships. As a college competitor, he garnered All-American honors at both OSU and the University of Tennessee, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts degree in human service with an emphasis in juvenile counseling in August of 1988. He competed internationally post-college as a member of the Sunkist Kids team and was freestyle wrestling All-American. "I'm very excited about my opportunities at Purdue," said Lanham. "It will be great to reunite with my former teammate Tom Erikson and work with Scott Hinkel. It's an honor to work within a premier conference like the Big Ten and I'm looking forward to recruiting against the other teams in the region. I'm proud to be a part of the direction that Purdue wrestling is heading." A native of Lindenhurst, New York, Lanham and his wife Melanie will join the Boilermakers in West Lafayette in August.

WEST POINT, N.Y. –- Army wrestling coach Chuck Barbee announced today that Ryan Wilman has been named an assistant coach for the Black Knights. The former West Virginia team captain joins the staff after spending last season as an assistant coach at James Madison in Harrisonburg, Virginia. "I am very excited to have Ryan join the Army wrestling staff," said Barbee. "He is a super motivated coach and is anxious to start making a difference in all facets of our program. His experience competing and coaching will give our upper weight classes a huge boost, while his passion for wrestling and coaching will surely help our young men realize their goals on the mat." Wilman totaled over 80 wins during his four-year career at West Virginia, competing in the 184-lb. weight class his first two years, before moving down to 174 for his junior and senior campaigns. An Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) Academic All-American in 2003, he was also a member of the Athletic Director's Honor Roll during all four years as a Mountaineer. Wilman was a member of three EWL Championship teams and ranked in the top-20 nationally all four years at WVU. Voted team captain for his final two seasons, he graduated with Bachelor of Arts in history with a minor in communications in 2005. Wilman was also a two-time Georgia State High School Champion, compiling a 172-14 record, while garnering All-America and Academic All-America honors at Harrison H.S. Wilman spent one year as a special education teacher and assistant wrestling coach at McEachern High School in his home town of Powder Springs, Georgia. He guided a trio of Class 5A State Champions, and four more state runners-up on his way to being named the 2005-06 Georgia State High School Athletic Association Assistant Wrestling Coach of the Year. Wilman was named an assistant coach at James Madison in the fall of 2006, shortly before the Dukes announced that 10 sports were to be dropped from the department, including the wrestling program, the following year. Before his departure, he was responsible for helping with all facets of the team including technique sessions, travel coordination, recruiting and scouting Wilman is also a veteran camp clinician, serving as a senior counselor and technician at the WVU Wrestling Camp for four years, while also instructing at the Mike Mason All-America Camp. He additionally served as the social chairperson for the Mountaineer Student Athlete Advisory Committee for two years as well. "It is a great honor to have the opportunity to work at West Point," said Wilman. "From the first day I stepped foot on post, I could feel how special this place was. I am thrilled to be working with such a great coaching staff as well as the cadet-athletes. They possess the same unique character traits that not only produce national champions and All-Americans, but Army officers a well."

NORMAN, Okla. -- The University of Oklahoma, thanks in large part to former wrestler Rodney Thornton, is set to launch a $2.4 million project at the McCasland Field House. The bulk of the construction will include a $1.3 million addition to the Port Robertson Wrestling Center. The facility serves as the practice venue for the Sooner wrestling team. Ground will be broken on the project, which will also address the existing structure, later this month. Construction should be concluded in August 2008. The lead gift for the project was made by Thornton, a former Sooner wrestler, who contributed $1 million. The Norman businessman wrestled under Stan Abel and attended OU from 1987-91. "The university is grateful to Rodney Thornton for his generous gift and to others who joined with him to make this improvement possible," said OU President David L. Boren. OU Vice President for Athletics Program and Director of Athletics Joe Castiglione appreciates the involvement of a former Sooner athlete. "Few things are more rewarding than those times when former student-athletes involve themselves in our programs the way Rodney Thornton has on this project," he said. "This is a testimony to the tremendous educational and athletic experience at Oklahoma. We are proud of Rodney's accomplishments and are grateful for his support." Current Sooner wrestling coach Jack Spates is thrilled with the addition to his team's practice facility. "The greatness of Sooner wrestling is due to the talents of many wrestlers and the faithful generosity of others," he said. "This gift from Rod Thornton is a demonstration of his incredible success and loyalty to the program he devoted himself to - first as a student-athlete and now as a successful businessman." Plans include an expansion and renovation of the Port Robertson Wrestling Facility. The 9,600 square-foot addition will be built on the north side of the existing facility. It will house three official size practice mats, practice observation area and open area for weight training. There also will be renovation in the existing wrestling facility to provide a new team room, separate club team practice area and team training room for both wrestling and volleyball. The renovation will include minor demolition of existing partitions and finishes, placement of new walls, doors and finishes as well as revised mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems as required. The project will also include renovation of approximately 2,450 gross square feet of existing space in the McCasland Field House. That work includes construction of three visiting team locker rooms and ground floor public restrooms & concessions.