InterMat Staff

Cory Cooperman has returned to his home state of New Jersey to coach Rutgers (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)PISCATAWAY, N.J. -- Rutgers head wrestling coach Scott Goodale has announced the hiring of Cory Cooperman (Ithaca, N.Y.) as an assistant coach. The former Lehigh standout will start May 1. "I feel we are getting one of the best young technicians and recruiters in the country," said Goodale. "Cory has been a part of a winner and great teams wherever he has been at as a competitor at Blair Academy and Lehigh University and as a coach at Cornell. He is a New Jersey guy who understands how important this sport is to this state. This is another step in the right direction of what we are trying to accomplish at Rutgers and that is to wrestle and compete at a very high level." Cooperman, a former three-time All-American and three-time Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) champion, brings a wealth of wrestling experience to the staff. He has spent the last three seasons as an assistant at Cornell, which has been nationally ranked each season and finished fifth in the nation at the 2009 NCAA Championships last month while holding a No. 2 national ranking for part of the season. Cooperman oversaw the Big Red's recruiting efforts while primarily training the program's light and middle weight wrestlers. With Cooperman on the staff, the program produced three EIWA and Ivy League team titles, 12 All-Americans and two National Champions. He was a standout wrestler at Lehigh, earning All-America honors in 2004, 2005 and 2006 while taking home the 141-pound weight class title at the EIWA Championships in 2003, 2005 and 2006. Cooperman was also crowned the Southern Scuffle champion in 2006 and was an alternate for the 2002 Junior World Team. Scholastically, Cooperman attended wrestling powerhouse Blair Academy in Blairstown, N.J. where he was a four-time Prep National Champion from 1999-2001. He was ranked as the No. 1 high school wrestler in the nation at 125 pounds and captained Blair Academy's national championship team in 2001. Cooperman has also participated as a counselor in several wrestling camps and devoted his time as a volunteer for several inner city youth organizations. Cooperman joins John Leonardis on Goodale's coaching staff for the 2009-10 season. The Scarlet Knights are coming off a record-setting 20-win season that saw three wrestlers earn a berth to the NCAA Championships -- the most since 2004.

Kevin Jackson

AMES, Iowa -- Former Olympic gold medalist and two-time World Champion Kevin Jackson has been named Iowa State's head wrestling coach. Director of Athletics Jamie Pollard will introduce Jackson -- often referred to as one of the greatest freestyle wrestlers in United States history -- at an 11 a.m. news conference Friday in the Jacobson Athletic Building (Hunziker Auditorium). Kevin Jackson (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Jackson captured gold medals at the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, Spain and at the World Championships in both 1991 (Varna, Bulgaria) and 1995 (Atlanta). He is one of just five wrestlers in U.S. history with three career world-level titles. Jackson is a member of the FILA International Wrestling Hall of Fame, the United States National Wrestling Hall of Fame (as a distinguished member) and the Iowa State University Athletics Hall of Fame (2007 inductee). "We are very excited to welcome Kevin back to the Cyclone family," Pollard said. "He was captain of the last Cyclone national championship team and is a member of our Athletics Department's Hall of Fame. His competitive intensity, combined with his technical skills as a coach, will make an immediate impact on our wrestling program. For the last decade, Kevin has coached and trained the best United States wrestlers. He has excelled at the highest levels of international wrestling as both an athlete and coach." Jackson's return to Iowa State brings back fond memories for him. "Winning a national team championship at ISU remains a career highlight and I'm grateful for the opportunity to come back to Ames and lead such a distinguished program," Jackson said. "There is no ceiling to what we can accomplish on and off the mat at Iowa State and I couldn't be more excited to get started. I'm pleased to inherit such an outstanding team and we'll begin immediately to focus on hard work and technique with the goal of competing for the NCAA title. We'll build a wrestling environment at Iowa State in which our student-athletes will flourish in and our fans will respond." Currently head coach of the Sunkist youth development program, Jackson served eight years (2001-08) as the National Freestyle Coach for USA Wrestling. He was the first full-time freestyle wrestling coach for the organization and took two United States' teams to the Olympics. Two of his athletes, Cael Sanderson (2004) and Henry Cejudo (2008), won gold medals. His 2001 freestyle team won the World Cup, the 2003 team placed second and the 2006 squad finished third at that meet. Prior to his appointment as the nation's head freestyle coach, Jackson was freestyle resident coach at the Olympic Training Center and head coach for the U.S. Army team at Fort Carson (1998-2001). During that tenure, he personally trained 2000 Olympic champion Brandon Slay. As a college wrestler, he attended Louisiana State and earned All-America honors three times before the school dropped the sport. He transferred to Iowa State for his senior year and captained the Cyclones' last NCAA championship team (1987), earning another All-America award with a NCAA runner-up finish and registering a 30-3-1 record. After college, Jackson won two Pan American Games titles and was a member of World Championship teams for the United States in both 1993 and 1995. He won three U.S. National Titles and placed second five times. Jackson also became the first American to win the prestigious Takhti Cup (1998) in Tehran, Iran. During his post-collegiate competitive career, Jackson also assisted with the Cyclone Wrestling Club (1989-92) and volunteered with the Arizona State (1997) program. Jackson's success earned him a number of major awards, including the 1995 John Smith Award as National Freestyle Wrestler of the Year, 1992 Amateur Wrestling News Man of the Year and 1991 USA Wrestling and USOC Wrestler of the Year. He earned a bachelor of sports science degree from the U.S. Sports Academy/University of Americas in 2005. The native of Lansing, Mich., won two state high school championships for Eastern High School before becoming a Junior National Greco-Roman champion. Jackson and his wife, Robin (a native of Emmetsburg, Iowa), have five children: Cole, Bailee, Trinity, Brynn and Kira.

The end of the 2008-09 season marks a new era of InterMat. What will not change is a continued commitment to being your one-stop resource for wrestling news, features, and perspectives on the Web. There is new ownership and a new site design. In addition, there is a new commitment to coverage of high school wrestling, and it starts with these year-end rankings. The high school rankings feature the top twenty wrestlers in each weight class for the 2008-09 season, based on the weight that wrestlers competed in their respective 2009 state-level championship. The rankings reflect results and outcomes through the first weekend of April (NHSCA grade-level Nationals, USAW Cadet/Junior Folkstyle Nationals). There are many common trends between this year and those of the past. Leading the way with the most nationally ranked wrestlers is the Keystone State; Pennsylvania has 35 wrestlers in the top twenty of their given weight class. Not too far behind are New Jersey (28) and Ohio (27). These three states also dominate the top spot in each weight class -- as native sons occupy the top spot in ten of the fourteen weight classes (Ohio with 4, Pennsylvania with 3, and New Jersey with 3). While InterMat does not provide national high school team rankings, the team thought to be best in the nation this year -- Blair Academy NJ -- has eight of its starting wrestlers nationally ranked. In fact seven of these wrestlers, half of the lineup, are ranked inside the top five at their respective weight class. A pair of wrestlers -- Chris Villalonga (130) and Ed Ruth (171) -- occupied the top ranking at their weight class. The Bucs won their 29th consecutive National Prep Wrestling Championships title, along with dominant titles at the Walsh Ironman and Beast of the East. Nick Brascetta of Graham (Ohio) was the No. 1 103-pounder in the country this past season (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)After a banner season, which culminated with an Ohio record seven state titles, Graham (runners-up at the Walsh Ironman) was perceived by many as the second-best team nationally. Six of these competitors are ranked inside the nation's top twenty. This includes the top overall senior in David Taylor, who also is tops in the nation at 135 pounds. Taylor won a second Super32 title, became the first to win four Ironman titles, and took home a fourth state title. Fellow Falcon Nick Brascetta (103) also occupied the top spot in the nation at his weight. With a dominant title at The Clash Duals, and yet another sweep in Minnesota's big-school state tournament (dual meet and individual), Apple Valley made a compelling case for being the third-best wrestling squad in the United States this year. They also had five wrestlers appear in the individual rankings. Two teams from the Keystone State had four wrestlers in the individual rankings: Central Dauphin and Wyoming Seminary. For a second straight year, Central Dauphin swept the dual meet and individual big-school state tournament titles. The Rams were champions at Powerade and third at Beast of the East. Wyoming Seminary finished as runners-up at National Preps and Beast of the East to Blair, were champions at Mount Mat Madness, and finished second at Escape the Rock. Another pair of teams -- both happening to be from Ohio -- had four wrestlers in the individual national rankings. However, neither St Edward nor Monroeville was particularly strong behind their respective big four grouping. St Edward lost seven dual meets during this past season, which included a pair to in-state rival Wadsworth. However, the Eagles still won their thirteenth straight big-school state title with all four of these young men making the final (three champions). All four of Monroeville's ranked wrestlers ascended to the top of the podium this year, and remain on pace to be four-time state champions. However, the team finished second in the small-school state tournament. By early March 2011, this program will have 16 state champions; one that prior to 2007 had only a lone state finalist in its history. These two teams represent part of why InterMat does not compile national high school team rankings. Logan Stieber (middle), who is the No. 1 wrestler from the Class of 2010, recently competed on the senior level and finished third at the 2009 U.S. Nationals at 121 pounds (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)Three absolutely elite prospects -- David Taylor (135); Eric Grajales (135), Brandon FL; and Chris Perry (189), Stillwater OK -- top the 2009 class, which many do not consider to be as strong as last year's group or next year's group. A total of seven seniors top their respective weight class in individual national rankings -- Taylor; Ruth; Perry; Trent Weatherman (152), Ballard Huxley IA; Jake Kemerer (160), Hempfield PA; Glenn Carson (215), Southern Regional NJ; and Eloheim Palma (285), Cary NC. More similar to the 2008 class is this year's class of juniors, next year's seniors (Class of 2010). Six of these wrestlers earned top spots in the national rankings -- Villalonga, Devin Carter (112), Christiansburg VA; Jamie Clark (119), St. Edward, OH; Logan Stieber (125), Monroeville, OH; as well as Andrew (140) and Dylan (145) Alton, Central Mountain, PA. Clark, Stieber, Villalonga, and the Alton twins are part of a group of nine potential star prospects. The group also includes Marshall Peppelman (152), Central Dauphin, PA; Anthony Baldosaro (140), Eastern Regional, NJ; Lee Munster (171), Fox Lake Grant, IL; and Josh Kindig (135), Blue Mountain, PA. In the midst of this great group, Stieber is clearly at the top. Three times a state champion, and three times a Fargo freestyle champion, he finished third at 121 pounds at the senior level of the recently-contested U.S. Nationals in Las Vegas. A sophomore group (Class of 2011) that has the potential to be similarly impressive is topped by a quartet of upper-weight stars in Chris Phillips (171), Monroeville, OH; Andrew Campolattano (189), Bound Brook, NJ; Morgan McIntosh (171), Calvary Chapel, CA; and Kenny Courts (160), Central Dauphin, PA. Phillips leads this pack with two Cadet National freestyle championships, as well as two state titles; and has a two-year record of 100-1, only losing 3-2 to Ed Ruth at the December 2008 Walsh Ironman. Topping the freshman class is Taylor Massa (145), St John's MI, a double Cadet National champion this past summer; Massa was also an undefeated state champion this past season, and finished runner-up in the preseason Super32 tournament. Among junior high wrestlers, Pennsylvania native Eric Morris is the top wrestler. In the coming months and years, InterMat looks forward to providing thorough and comprehensive coverage of high school wrestling across the nation.

Manheim, Penn. - The National Wrestling Coaches Association's mission is to preserve, promote and protect college wrestling programs in all collegiate divisions. In recent months, there have been eight intercollegiate programs that have been discontinued after the 2008-09 season, thus eliminating opportunities for young men to participate at these institutions or even to finish their collegiate careers. Leaving a puzzle that needs to be solved, and asking the wrestling community what else can be done to save wrestling? Programs that have been dropped in past months include: Carson Newman, Delaware State University, Lawrence College, MIT, Norwich University, Portland State University, Rose-Hulman and Wagner College. With tough economic times pressing the country from top to bottom, it is also being heavily felt at the institutional level as budgets become more restricted and athletic departments are faced with a choice of what to do to cut cost. What we have seen so far since early 2009 is an alarming trend of the elimination of wrestling programs at all levels. The first step for the wrestling community is awareness that above programs are out there and are in desperate need of support. The NWCA is currently working with these programs and individual groups on what should be done at each individual institution. In the coming months, as talks with these institutions grow, the NWCA will be asking for the help and support of the wrestling community. As it is determined what needs to be done to reinstate wrestling at these schools for future generations. At this time the NWCA would like to let the wrestling community know about the following attempts that are being made to reinstate dropped programs and/or to strengthen our existing teams: * The NWCA has been educating Boards of Trustees on the important role that wrestling can serve in helping small, private enrollment conscious schools maintain or grow their enrollment through this deteriorating economy. Few, if any male sports have a more favorable ratio of high school participants to college opportunities (260,000 high school wrestlers vs. only 260 four year programs). * Several of the discontinued programs have been attributable to poor retention and graduation rates of athletes. The NWCA has retained the consulting services of Mark Gumble, a nationally recognized member of the National Association of Athletic Academic Advisors, a group that is funded by the NCAA to oversee APR improvement strategies. * As part of a longer term strategy, the NWCA is rolling out the first phase of its College Coaching Academy at the August Convention which is designed to help coaches strengthen their CEO skills so they can protect their programs. * The NWCA has identified wrestling's most threatened intercollegiate wrestling programs in each collegiate division and will be assigning each coach (who is willing to participate) to an experienced mentor (high profile athletic administrator, coach, business CEO, etc). * The NWCA is collaborating with the head wrestling coach and alumni group's at all eight institutions to raise money in support of each discontinued program. * The NWCA has solicited the help from top military leaders to inspire the Norwich University (military school) to reconsider it s decision to eliminate wrestling. * The NWCA is collaborating with the Delaware Wrestling Alliance, a group of highly influential business professionals, to work toward an alternative solution that keeps the program intact. * The NWCA is making its best efforts to leverage the work of the New York City "Beat the Streets" organization (they have recently started 42 new high school wrestling programs in NYC) to save the Wagner wrestling program. One of Wagner's most prominent undergraduate degree programs is teacher education. We are doing everything possible to help the administration understand that the newly established Beat the Streets high school teams are not sustainable without quality teacher coaches at each school. * The NWCA is facilitating possible lawsuits in several of the discontinued programs. * The NWCA has provided valuable "program entrenchment" data to the alumni groups connected with each discontinued program. More information on Program Entrenchment, which is the opportunities that are currently available, programs that have been discontinued, and how to prevent the termination of existing programs, can be found on the NWCA website at www.nwcaonline.com. 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.

2009 US Nationals freestyle champions Trent and Travis Paulson will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Trent Paulson recently won the US Nationals freestyle competition at 145.5 pounds by defeating University of Iowa star Brent Metcalf in the finals. Trent was a three-time All-American at Iowa State University where he capped off a great collegiate career with an NCAA title at 157 pounds in 2007. Travis Paulson also won a US Nationals freestyle title in Las Vegas at 163 pounds. Travis was a three-time All-American at Iowa State University. Trent and Travis combined to win five high school state titles at Council Bluffs Lewis Central (IA). The twins will have a strong hometown crowd cheering them on at the World Team Trials on May 30-31 in Council Bluffs. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa each Wednesday from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time on AM 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with any questions or comments about the show.

Andrew Hipps, senior writer and founder of RevWrestling.com, will be the featured Wrestling 411 Radio guest this Thursday, April 30 at 10 a.m. During the spring and summer months, Wrestling 411 Radio will broadcast live shows on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 10 a.m. CDT. Each show will include a featured guest and brief commentary on the recent happenings in wrestling. This Thursday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 10 a.m. CDT. The show can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv and clicking on the "Listen Live" link. An archive of the broadcast will be available immediately following the show. Hipps is a senior writer and founder of RevWrestling.com. The site – one of the premiere wrestling websites in the nation – recently acquired Intermatwrestle.com from the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Hipps will discuss the recent acquisition of InterMat and the college coaching changes occurring across the nation. RevWrestling.com is also a contributor to CollegeWrestlingNetwork.com. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- University of Illinois Director of Athletics Ron Guenther announced the promotion of long-time assistant coach Jim Heffernan to the position of head wrestling coach. Heffernan has been the top assistant under recently retired head coach Mark Johnson for the past 17 years at Illinois and two previous seasons at Oregon State. "I am pleased to announce Jim Heffernan as our head wrestling coach," Guenther said. "Jim has been an assistant in our program for the past 17 years and was an integral part of the program's success. He has displayed exceptional loyalty and has a great understanding of the University of Illinois. Jim had an exceptional career as a collegiate wrestler and is well respected in the wrestling community. I look forward to working with him to advance our program to the next level." Heffernan, 45, takes over for Johnson, who was the Illinois wrestling head coach for the past 17 years. Heffernan was an assistant coach on the Illini staff throughout that entire tenure as well as the two seasons they spent at Oregon State prior to coming to Champaign. Heffernan has helped guide Illinois to 10 Top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships and has helped produce seven national champions, 45 All-Americans and 120 NCAA qualifiers. "I would like to thank Ron Guenther for giving me the opportunity to carry on the tradition Mark Johnson and I had started 17 years ago," Heffernan said. "I feel extremely fortunate to remain at Illinois as the next head wrestling coach, as this is where I want to finish my career. Champaign-Urbana and the University of Illinois have been a great place to live, work and raise my family and we are pleased to be able to continue to call it home as we move forward. I would also like to thank Vince Ille, Tom Porter, Terry Cole, Dana Brenner and Susan Young for their role in the decision making process. They were all extremely helpful and I am grateful to them for their support." Heffernan helped lead the Illini to a Big Ten championship in 2005, three consecutive Midlands titles from 2004-06 and 17 consecutive winning seasons in dual meets. He has twice been named the National Wrestling Coaches Association Assistant Coach of the Year, earning the honor in 1995 and 2001, and he also was named the AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year in 2003. "I'm extremely happy that Jim Heffernan will be the new coach of the Fighting Illini," former head coach Mark Johnson said. "He has paid his dues as a part of a very successful program at the University of Illinois for the past 17 years and he deserves this opportunity. I wish him the best and will be his biggest fan." A 1987 graduate of the University of Iowa, Heffernan was a four-time All-American and the 150-pound NCAA champion in 1986. He earned Iowa's Male Athlete of the Year honor in 1987 and was a four-time Big Ten champion. He also led the Hawkeyes to three NCAA championships and four Big Ten titles during his time in Iowa City. "As I transition into my new role, there will be big shoes to fill," Heffernan said. "Mark Johnson has raised the expectations and standards of the program to an extremely high level. Those expectations and goals are something I will continue to embrace as we continue on to the next chapter in Ilini wrestling. Further, I would like to commend our student-athletes for the way they handled themselves through this difficult situation. There was a lot of uncertainty throughout the last month but they remained positive, motivated and continued to work hard through the resolution of the decision." Heffernan began his coaching career as a graduate assistant at Iowa before becoming an assistant coach at Lehigh in 1988. After a two-year stint in Bethlehem, Pa., Heffernan joined Johnson's staff at Oregon State as an assistant coach in 1990. He also coached the Cadet Wrestling Team at the world championships in Istanbul, Turkey, in 1992, and led the USA World Espoir Team in 1989. Heffernan graduated from national wrestling powerhouse St. Edward High School in Cleveland, Ohio, where he won a pair of state titles. Heffernan and his wife, Rebecca, live in Champaign with their son, Sean, and daughter, Alex. University of Illinois names Jim Heffernan head wrestling coach WHAT THEY'RE SAYING ABOUT HEFFERNAN Dan Gable "Jim and I go back a long time. He was able to step right in as a freshman at Iowa and start on a national championship team, which was pretty impressive. I just knew that he would go on and do a good job coaching. I'm really glad to see that he's able to carry on in the Illinois program. I think the big thing is that now his work is really going to begin. It's going to be his program and whatever he did in the past to make it good, he's going to be the guy who will decide how good it can be. His commitment has always been there and I don't question it, but I know he'll have to go to another level. He'll have to get a lot of people around him to help him and I don't think he'll take a backseat to anyone. I think he'll take that challenge. He knows what to do and has the right attitude to do it." J Robinson "I am extremely happy that Jim Heffernan has been given the opportunity to lead the Illinois wrestling program. He has a great background as a wrestler in high school and at Iowa. He's been an assistant for 20 years and I think it's great that people who are loyal to the university are given a chance. I think Jim will continue to build upon some of the great things that have been done during the last 17 years when he was with Mark Johnson and I'm looking forward to welcoming him as one of the Big Ten's coaches." Steve Marianetti "I'm first relieved and then excited for Jim. After 17 years of being an assistant, Jim deserves a chance to lead the Illini. First off, Jim has always made a huge impression on the alumni. The alumni love him and he's been a huge part of their life. He's had a quiet but powerful influence behind the scenes. Now he has a chance for our state and the country to see his ability to lead. Mark has always been such a good front-man and leader that Jim hasn't had to step into that role as much, but we all know that he has it in him. Being part of the program, we see that every day. We have seen him lead in the room, but not many people have been privy to that view." Adam Tirapelle "Illinois not only has a great wrestling program but also a great tradition of having a strong, ethical, well-respected program where its student-athletes graduate and go on to become productive members of society. Not only does Jim understand that, but he's also been a big part of creating that and I'm sure he'll continue to uphold that same high standard. He's also one of the best technical coaches in the country and I'm sure he'll surround himself with the people who will fill the roles necessary to make a great coaching staff." Alex Tirapelle "Jim brings a real level of professionalism and compassion to the program. It's a one-of-a-kind program because they really care about the kids and they treat them as their own. Jim's a father-figure type of coach. He'll look after the wrestlers and they'll become part of the program's family for the rest of their life. He'll look out for what's best for you and give you sound advice." Mike Polz "I'm really happy and excited that Illinois has chosen to hire Jim. He brings a ton of experience since he's been along for the whole ride with Mark Johnson at Illinois and before that at Oregon State. His credentials say a lot. He's very familiar with the Big Ten over a long period of time and he's a good person. He's a great technician and it'll bring a lot to the program and keep it moving in the direction it was going." THE HEFFERNAN FILE College Coaching Experience • Illinois, assistant coach (1992-present) • Oregon State, assistant coach (1990-92) • Lehigh, assistant coach (1988-89) • Iowa, graduate assistant (1987) Honors • AFLAC Assistant Coach of the Year Award (2003) • NWCA Assistant Coach of the Year (1995 & 2001) • Iowa's Male Athlete of the Year (1987) • NCAA 150-pound Champion (1986) • Four-time All-American, University of Iowa (1984-87) International Coaching Experience • Cadet Wrestling Team, Istanbul, Turkey (1992) • USA World Espoir Team (1989)

Jim Heffernan, the new head wrestling coach at the University of Illinois, will be the featured Wrestling 411 Radio guest this Wednesday, April 29 at 10 a.m. During the spring and summer months, Wrestling 411 Radio will broadcast live shows on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 10 a.m. CDT. Each show will include a featured guest and brief commentary on the recent happenings in wrestling. This Wednesday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 10 a.m. CDT. The show can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv and clicking on the "Listen Live" link. An archive of the broadcast will be available immediately following the show. Heffernan was named the University of Illinois' 14th head coach at a 2 p.m. press conference on April 28. Heffernan, the head assistant at the program for 17 years, will replace Mark Johnson who recently resigned his post. A 1987 graduate of the University of Iowa, Heffernan was a four-time All-American and the 150-pound NCAA champion in 1986. He earned Iowa's Male Athlete of the Year honor in 1987 and was a four-time Big Ten champion. He also led the Hawkeyes to three NCAA championships and four Big Ten titles during his time in Iowa City. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com.

At this point, it would appear that NC State wrestling coach Carter Jordan is accumulating national champions. In addition to having Darrion Caldwell, the 2009 NCAA champion at 149 pounds already on hand, Jordan now has signed a trio of high school national champions who will join the Wolfpack as freshmen in 2009-10 season. The latest high school national champion to sign with the Wolfpack is heavyweight Eloheim Palma of nearby Cary High School. Palma, the younger brother of former Wolfpack standout Jainor Palma, was ranked the No. 1 high school heavyweight in the nation for much of the past school year. He won his third consecutive North Carolina 4-A state championship in February before rolling through through six matches and winning the national championship at the Senior National High School Wrestling Championships in Virginia Beach earlier this month. Palma officially finished his season with a 62-0 record, which does not count the six matches at the national tournament. Palma also won an exhibition match in January when he defeated third-ranked Sean Owen at the Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh, Pa. At the national tournament, he defeated 12th-ranked John Glenn 5-4, fourth-ranked Toby Erickson by first-period fall, and second-ranked Roger McCovey 3-2. Including his earlier victory over Owen at the Dapper Dan Classic, Palma either defeated or finished ahead of seven nationally ranked wrestlers between March 15 and April 5. Palma finished his career at Cary as a three-time state champion with a career won-lost mark of 222-9. He went 62-0 as a senior and 55-0 as a junior. He won 181 of his final 182 high school bouts, again not counting national tournaments and national exhibitions. As stated earlier, Palma is the third high school national champion signed by the Wolfpack for 2009-10. In November, NC State signed 189-pounder Andrew Tumlin of Harrison (Ohio) High School. Tumlin won the national freestyle championship at 189 pounds earlier this month. Two weeks ago, the Pack signed 130-pounder Dale Shull of Fort Lupton High School in Greeley, Col. Shull won the 130-pound bout at the Senior National High School Wrestling Championships in Virginia Beach, the same tournament where Palma was crowned national champ.

Mike Novogratz, Chairman of Beat the Streets Wrestling Program, will be the featured Wrestling 411 Radio guest this Tuesday, April 28 at 10 a.m. During the spring and summer months, Wrestling 411 Radio will broadcast live shows on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday at 10 a.m. CST. Each show will include a featured guest and brief commentary on the recent happenings in wrestling. This Tuesday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 10 a.m. CST. The show can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv and clicking on the "Listen Live" link. An archive of the broadcast will be available immediately following the show. Novogratz is the current chairman of Beat the Streets, an organization designed to expand and develop wrestling from the youth through the Olympic level. In 2007, Novogratz was honored with the Outstanding American Award by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for his philanthropic work with wrestling. On April 30, 2009, Beat the Streets Wrestling Program will host its annual gala fundraiser "Golden Night at Guastavino's" in New York City to help continue the organizations work in providing 3,500 boys and girls wrestling opportunities and safe havens for them to practice. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com.

DOVER, Del. -– Delaware State University's Department of Athletics has announced that it will discontinue its wrestling program effective the 2009-10 academic year, reducing the number of sports offered from 18 to 17. "Dropping the wrestling program was a very difficult decision influenced by several factors," said acting DSU President Claibourne D. Smith. "Like a number of programs around the nation being discontinued in these economic times, it is with regret that the University can no longer field a wrestling program adequate to University and NCAA expectations." Student-athletes presently receiving athletic scholarships in the wrestling program will continue to receive the same dollar amount, AD Young-Sanders said, provided they maintain good academic standing for 2009-10 school year. She added further that the reason for making the announcement now was to give full support to any wrestler wishing to transfer to another institution. A review of the program took place due to ongoing concerns of financial viability, academic deficiencies and the lack of improvement with the Academic Progress Rate (APR) at the NCAA Division I level, said acting Director of Athletics Candy Young-Sanders. "With the tough economic times, including budget cuts state-wide, the wrestling program was in serious distress in several areas and the University lacks the resources to fix many of the problems," said AD Young-Sanders. Of great concern have been the state's budget cuts and their potential impact on the University. The entire University is engaged in prioritizing budgets and making cuts, AD Young-Sanders explained. "We don't have the ability to put additional monies toward the wrestling program to give it needed improvements and support," she said. Along with the budgetary concerns, AD Young-Sanders points to the team's low APR scores. The program has not achieved nor progressed in the APR to the standards mandated by the NCAA. Two consecutive years of perfect APR scores (1,000) by the wrestling program would still not bring the team to level that NCAA requires (925), resulting in severe penalties that will affect the entire Delaware State Athletic Department, including its Division I status. Wrestling, along with football and men's basketball programs, have been assessed historical penalties (last four years of data) in the latest APR report, due to be made public on May 6. With the number of coaching changes and the inability to retain student-athletes, it is anticipated that the wrestling program will be hit with a penalty as a result of the four-year average APR score, impacting the program's scholarship levels, practice times and roster size, the acting-AD said. AD Young-Sanders said the team made great improvements this past season, with 100 percent retention. Head Coach Ken Melchior took over the position last September and kept the team in good academic standing, while recording more victories than the squad had produced in the past few years. "Coach Melchior's efforts in trying to get the DSU wrestling program righted over the past year is to be commended," said AD Young-Sanders. "In less than one year, Coach Melchior found success on and off the mat, winning more contests than this team has seen in a number of years, and maintaining support in the wrestling community. Unfortunately, the emotional support has not translated into the long-term financial support needed to keep the program going." The loss of the wrestling program will bring DSU's gender equity percentages closer, the acting-AD said. Including the wrestling program, the DSU athletics programs had an overall percentage breakdown of 58% male and 42% female. With the discontinuation of the wrestling program, the male percentage is reduced by 4-5%, resulting in an improved parity in intercollegiate sports opportunities for DSU men and women. Delaware State Athletics is an NCAA Division I member that competes in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference. Women's sports include basketball, bowling, cross country, equestrian, indoor and outdoor track, soccer, softball, tennis and volleyball. Men's sports include baseball, basketball, cross country, football, indoor and outdoor track, and tennis. Back

STILLWATER, Okla. -- Oklahoma State was in the spotlight on the freestyle wrestling stage this weekend, with former Cowboy Steve Mocco winning the gold medal and Obenson Blanc taking silver at the Pan American Games in Maracaibo, Venezuela and current Cowboys Jordan Oliver and Clayton Foster both winning championships at the University Freestyle National Championships in Akron, Ohio. Incoming Cowboy signee Albert White and former OSU NCAA champion Coleman Scott both took second place in their respective weight classes at the University Freestyle Championships, with Tyler Shinn placing fifth at the event. Mocco won three bouts in becoming the only American wrestler to claim gold at the Pan Am games, with two of his victories coming by fall. He opened with a 2-0, 1-0 win over Elier Romero of Cuba and followed that performance up with a first-period pin of the Dominican Republic's Carlos Felix Garcia. In the championship bout, the former Cowboy NCAA champion pinned Michael Neufeld of Canada. Mocco won his first U.S. Nationals title in early April in Las Vegas. Blanc took the silver after toppling El Salvador's Jose Edgardo Ramos by a 1-0, 3-0 score in the first round and beating Canada's Aso Palani by a convincing 3-0, 5-1 margin in the second round before losing in the finals to Cuba's Luis Ibanez Rojas, 0-2, 2-3. Wrestling at 60 kilograms, Jordan Oliver won the title bout at the University Freestyle Nationals by forfeit over Coleman Scott. Being Gator Club and Oklahoma State teammates, the two wrestlers never took the mat so it can be argued that Oliver and Scott were in fact co-champions, though Oliver is recognized as the sole winner after Scott chose to forfeit. Oliver was nothing short of dominant on his path to the crown, claiming technical fall victories over each of his first three opponents and pinning his fourth opponent before claiming a comfortable 2-0, 4-0 win over Iowa State's Andrew Long in the semifinals. Sunday's title marked Oliver's second championship of the spring, as he stormed to the title at the FILA Junior National Championships earlier this month. Competing in his first freestyle event since taking the bronze medal at last year's FILA Junior World Championships, Foster claimed technical fall wins over West Virginia's Ryan Fell and The Citadel's Manuel Camargo in the first and second rounds, respectively. He then dropped Northern Iowa's Dustin Bauman by a 2-0, 2-0 decision before crushing Newberry's Bryant Blanton by a 6-0, 5-1 decision. Foster was a 3-1, 1-0 winner over Dickinson State's Jake Kallestad in the semis before pinning Cornell's Cameron Simaz in the second period of the 96 kilogram championship bout. Though he was recognized as the second place finisher after agreeing to forfeit the championship bout to Jordan Oliver, Scott had an impressive run through the 60 kilogram bracket. He route was highlighted by a 3-0, 2-1 decision over 2009 NCAA champion Franklin Gomez of Michigan State in the third round. Scott was only scored on twice in his five matches, not counting the forfeit. Also taking second at the University Freestyle Championships was incoming signee Albert White, who was runner-up at 70 kilos. White, who figures to compete at 149 pounds for the Cowboys, started with a 2-0, 2-0 shutout of Purdue's Nick Bertucci, then followed that up with a 0-1, 3-0, 2-1 victory over Harvard's Walter Peppelman. White then dumped Iowa State's Mitch Mueller by a 2-1, 1-0 decision before handing Michigan's Anthony Jones a 1-3, 2-0, 1-0 defeat. In the semifinals, White was a 2-0, 3-0 winner over Rider's Michael Kessler before he suffered a 0-1, 2-0, 3-1 loss to Northern Iowa's Brett Robbins in the title bout. Shinn took fifth at the University Freestyle Championships after picking up early wins over Richard Lyon and Northwestern's Eric Metzler before he was bumped into the wrestleback with a 1-0, 2-1 loss at the hands of Bucknell's David Marble in the quarterfinals. Shinn regrouped to beat Boise State's Levi Jones and Lyon a second time before being upended by Minnesota's Mike Thorn. In the fifth-place bout, Shinn pitched a dominating 3-0, 6-0 shutout against Appalachian State's Jacob Earp.

Kim Couture

Ask a current wrestler or fan about Dan Hodge, and here's what they're likely to say: "He's the guy whose name is on the Hodge Trophy." "He's the only amateur wrestler to be featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated." "I saw him on the NCAAs a couple years ago, crushing an apple with his bare hand on live TV." All those statements are true. But there's so much more to the life story of Daniel Allen Hodge, beyond his incredible high school, college and Olympic wrestling career more than 50 years ago. Even the most dedicated wrestling fans may not know about Hodge's boxing career or his nearly twenty years in the professional wrestling ring � or anything about his personal life. Now they will, thanks to wrestling historian Mike Chapman, who paints a richly detailed portrait of this sports legend in Oklahoma Shooter: The Dan Hodge Story, a brand-new, 197-page book -- including 66 photos, many never before published, by Culture House Books. (A quick word about the title: It has nothing to do Hodge's skill at scoring takedowns, or with hunting. In pro wrestling, where, as Chapman puts it, "98% of matches have pre-arranged outcomes," a "shoot" is a match wrestled for real. Hodge was revered -- and feared -- by other pros for his actual wrestling skills, speed, and incredible strength.) Chapman's the man to tell the Hodge story Mike Chapman has the credentials to write the definitive biography of Dan Hodge. For starters, he's one of the nation's leading wrestling historians, who has written 14 books about the sport, and is the founder of WIN (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine). He has been named National Wrestling Writer of the Year five times. In addition, Chapman is the founder and executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute & Museum in Waterloo, Iowa. Perhaps just as significant: Mike Chapman has called Dan Hodge a friend for more than three decades. "I first met Dan in 1975, when I was writing Two Guys Named Dan (a book about Dan Hodge and Dan Gable)," according to Chapman. "When I got a hold of him on the phone, he said, 'Come on down' so I drove down to his home in Perry, Oklahoma to meet him in person." "Early in the conversation, I asked him about the sleeper hold," Chapman continues. "He said, 'See for yourself' and put me in the sleeper right there in his living room, in front of a bunch of neighborhood kids." "We've been friends ever since." "I've always wanted to do a book about the guy. A lot of people have asked, 'Why don't you do a book about Hodge?' So, at the opening of our museum in Waterloo two years ago, I made a commitment to write his story." A sports superstar For those who may only know Dan Hodge as a name on a trophy, here are just some of the highlights of his amateur wrestling career: 1951 Oklahoma high school state champ. Three-time Big Seven conference champ and three-time NCAA titlewinner for the University of Oklahoma, 1955-1957. A perfect 46-0 record in college, with 36 of those wins by fall. Named NCAA Outstanding Wrestler two times. Two-time U.S. Olympic wrestler, winning the silver medal at the 1956 Melbourne Games. In 2005, Dan Hodge was one of 15 college wrestlers to earn a place on the NCAA's 75th Anniversary list of all-time great wrestlers, in online voting by amateur wrestling fans. He was the oldest wrestler to be so honored, and one of only three who competed before 1970 (along with Yojiro Uetake and Dan Gable). In addition, Hodge is the only athlete to win titles in both wrestling and boxing. The one man who beat Hodge Despite being undefeated on the mat as an Oklahoma Sooner, there is one man who beat Dan Hodge on a regular basis: his grandfather. "Dan had a very rough background," says Mike Chapman. "He was born in 1932 in Perry, Oklahoma, during the Great Depression, and in the midst of the Dust Bowl. (Oklahoma Shooter does an excellent job of presenting just how challenging life was on the Oklahoma plains 70+ years ago.) His dad was an itinerate oil worker who traveled a lot from job to job, so he wasn't home much." "In 1939, the Hodge house was destroyed in a fire that seriously burned Dan's mother. She was in and out of hospitals for a couple years. The kids were split up; Dan was sent to live with his grandpa." Here's how Hodge described his grandfather on page 17 of Oklahoma Shooter: "Harley Hodge was mean," said Dan, his voice lowering, his face grim, even six decades after moving in with his grandpa. "He was born in 1888 in Kansas, and came to the Cherokee Strip land run. He was also an alcoholic. Always drinking, always mad. He liked to hit me with a cane." After several years of abuse and hiding from his grandpa, Dan decided he had enough. He left the house for good, determined to find another place to live. Important introductions in high school After living in a succession of homes, in his freshman year of high school, Hodge found a new "home", above the Perry Fire Station. He earned his keep by keeping the truck and firehouse clean. On weekends, he worked at a gas station. In high school, Dan Hodge was introduced to two things that changed his life. First, he met his eventual life partner, Dolores Bradshaw, sister of one of his teammates, in eleventh grade. "They dated no one else in high school," discloses Mike Chapman. Dolores and Dan were married in August 1951, and, will be celebrating their 58th wedding anniversary later this year. In high school, Dan Hodge met his eventual life partner, Dolores Bradshaw, sister of one of his teammates (Photo/Oklahoma Shooter)Dan Hodge also discovered the sport of wrestling. As a junior at Perry High, Hodge was runner-up at the Oklahoma state tournament. Vowing to do better his senior year, Hodge was undefeated, and won the 165-pound state title in 1951. Despite his successful prep career, Dan Hodge didn't attract the attention of the two biggest college wrestling programs in the state, Oklahoma State (then called Oklahoma A&M) in nearby Stillwater, or the University of Oklahoma, 70 miles to the south in Norman. Instead, after graduation, Hodge joined the Naval Reserves � then, later that summer, was sent to boot camp at the Great Lakes Naval Training Center outside Chicago. While in the Navy, Hodge developed further as a wrestler, representing the U.S. in freestyle at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, where he placed fifth in his weight class. Sooner bloomer As his two-year commitment to serve in the Navy was winding down, Dan Hodge was actively recruited by Jack Riley, head coach at Northwestern who was a two-time NCAA heavyweight champ and 1932 Olympic silver medalist. Hodge also received a phone call from Port Robertson, University of Oklahoma coach, who had befriended him at the 1952 U.S. Olympic Trials. Hodge told Robertson that Riley had talked about eventually making him the coach of the Wildcats, but, according to Oklahoma Shooter, the Sooner coach replied, "You can't do that. We need you right here at Oklahoma." At Oklahoma, Dan Hodge became THE dominant wrestler of the 1950s. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Hodge was 46-0, with 36 falls (Photo/Oklahoma Shooter)With that, Hodge became the greatest wrestler to ever compete for the Oklahoma Sooners, not the Northwestern Wildcats � or the Oklahoma State Cowboys. In Oklahoma Shooter, Mike Chapman tells why Hodge chose to wrestle at the school in Norman, not Stillwater. In his three years wrestling varsity for Oklahoma (back then, NCAA rules prohibited freshmen from competing intercollegiately), Dan Hodge became THE dominant wrestler of the 1950s. Wrestling at 177 pounds, Hodge was 46-0, with 36 falls -- "the highest pin percentage in college, just a bit higher than Dan Gable's," according to Chapman. He's one of only two wrestlers to win three NCAA titles who won all three championships by pin. He was never taken down in college. Hodge earned the nicknames "Dangerous Dan" and "Homicide Hodge" because of his pinning power. He was possessed with incredible strength, especially in his wrists (which he demonstrated on the ESPN broadcast of the 2006 NCAAs by crushing apples into applesauce). In college, he defeated some top-ranked stars of the era, including Oklahoma State's 1949 NCAA champ Jim Gregson, 1953-1954 NCAA titlewinner Ned Blass of Oklahoma State, Pacific Conference champ John Dustin of Oregon State, and eventual NCAA champ (and future Iowa Hawkeye head coach) Gary Kurdelmeier. In Oklahoma Shooter, Chapman describes one of Kurdelmeier's bouts with Hodge, in which the broad-shouldered, hairy-chested Hawkeye became the first wrestler to prevent the lean-muscled Sooner from scoring a takedown in the first period. But, by the second period, the tide had turned, and another great wrestler had fallen to Hodge's pinning power. Just as interesting, in Shooter, Chapman shares Kurdelmeier's insights into what made Hodge so great � and adds his own analysis: Gary KurdelmeierWhile many fans thought Hodge was just too powerful for most opponents, Kurdelmeier and others who wrestled him knew it was far more than strength that made Hodge such an outstanding wrestler. He was a keen student of the holds and leverage techniques that worked best, and was a fanatical trainer. Hodge ran constantly to work on his conditioning, could walk long distances on his hands, and even do a one-handed stand for long periods of time, showing not only superb strength but great balance. While in college, Dan Hodge made another run at wrestling for the U.S. at the 1956 Olympics. Oklahoma Shooter goes into heartbreaking detail of Hodge's quest to make the U.S. team then, the injustice that occurred on the mat in Melbourne, Australia that cost him the gold medal. Putting on the gloves Dan Hodge (Photo/Oklahoma Shooter)After graduating from the University of Oklahoma with three Big Seven conference crowns, three NCAA titles, two NCAA Outstanding Wrestler awards, and a cover story in the April 1, 1957 issue of Sports Illustrated (the only amateur wrestler to ever appear on the magazine's cover as an amateur wrestler), Dan Hodge accepted a job as a salesman for a oil drilling company in Wichita, Kansas. The owner of the business -- Art Freeman, a former wrestler at Oklahoma himself -- thought Hodge would be a natural as a boxer. "He won the Kansas Golden Gloves (amateur) title, then won the National Golden Gloves title within a year of graduating college," according to Mike Chapman. "He was compared to Rocky Marciano, the great heavyweight champ who retired undefeated a couple years earlier, always moving forward, willing to take punches." With his sensational amateur boxing career right from the start -- a 17-0 record, with 13 knockouts -- Dan Hodge was encouraged to turn pro with ultimately disastrous results. Hodge is quoted in Oklahoma Shooter as saying: "It's a rotten business and you can't trust anybody." It's in this section that Chapman's knowledge and passion for combat sports come together to tell an upsetting yet compelling, cautionary tale of a great athlete who was cheated out of all his earnings … but, luckily, got out of the boxing game without disabling injury. Throwing his hat into the pro wrestling ring After walking away from boxing, Dan Hodge picked up the phone and called Leroy McGuirk, a 1931 NCAA wrestling champ at Oklahoma State for legendary coach Ed Gallagher, who was now a professional wrestling promoter. Along with McGuirk, Hodge was mentored by another all-time pro wrestling legend, Ed "Strangler" Lewis, who helped the NCAA champ make the transition to the squared circle. "Hodge was a no-gimmick wrestler," according to Mike Chapman. "He went into the ring and wrestled." With that straightforward approach -- and reputation as an amateur wrestling champ -- Hodge earned the respect of other pro wrestlers. Here's just one example from the pages of Oklahoma Shooter: Like a young Billy the Kid in the Old West, Hodge was marked as a shooter, the real deal. Few had the courage to test him in the ring, but there was an exception or two. One such test came from Wayne Martin, a very aggressive wrestler who had also been a three-time NCAA champion for the University of Oklahoma in the late 1930s. "Wayne was smaller than me but was very tough," said Hodge. "I think he was jealous of my big build-up, and all that. The first time we tied up, he tried some stuff and I shut him right down. Then he put up his fists like he wanted to slug. I raised mine and said, 'Let's go.'" "I had to show him who was boss," said Hodge, matter-of-factly. "After that, he was okay and we had some good matches." Hodge enjoyed a nearly two-decade career in professional wrestling, primarily working the southwest U.S. and Japan. However, that career came crashing down on a road trip in Louisiana in 1976, when his car flipped onto its top in water. Despite suffering a multitude of serious injuries -- including a broken neck -- Hodge used his incredible physical strength and mental toughness to pull himself out of the car through the broken windshield, then made his way up to the guardrail where a trucker found him. Dan's still The Man Dan Hodge was possessed with incredible strength (Photo/Oklahoma Shooter)Despite that near-fatal car wreck, Dan Hodge is not whiling away the time in a rocking chair. He still makes appearances at amateur and professional wrestling events, delighting fans of all ages with his friendly, sincere, down-to-earth attitude and demonstrations of that legendary grip strength he still possesses. In 1995, Mike Chapman and WIN established the Hodge Trophy, awarded each year to the best college wrestler in the country who embodies all that made Dan Hodge one of the all-time mat greats. Among the winners of the Hodge: Jake Herbert (2009), Brent Metcalf (2008), Ben Askren (2006 and 2007), and Cael Sanderson (2000-2002). By any measure, Dan Hodge has lived quite a life, as a champion in wrestling and boxing, as a husband, father, and grandfather. Oklahoma Shooter does a great job weaving all the elements of a championship life and career into a compelling read for any sports fan. To purchase copies of Oklahoma Shooter: The Dan Hodge Story direct from the publisher for $22.95 plus $5 shipping and handling, mail to: Culture House Books, P.O. Box 283, Newton, Iowa 50208 or call 641.791.3072. A limited number of copies signed by Dan Hodge are available.

AKRON, Ohio -- University of Northern Iowa wrestler Brett Robbins captured the 70 kilogram freestyle title at the 2009 ASICS University & FILA Cadet National Championships. Teammate Ryan Jauch placed third in the 55 kg freestyle weight class. Robbins was a perfect 6-0 in the tournament and won the title with a 0-1, 2-0, 3-1 decision over Albert White. Jauch placed third after posting a mark of 5-1. Jauch defeated Frank Lomas in the third-place match, 2-0, 6-0. Jauch's only loss came to eventual champion Zach Sanders (Minnesota).

The Minnesota wrestling program has added another gem to it 2008-09 recruiting class. Minnesota recruit Tony Nelson is InterMat's 49th best recruit in the country (Photo/The Guillotine)Cambridge-Isanti High School product Tony Nelson, the nation's top-ranked prospect at 215 pounds, signed a National Letter of Intent with the Golden Gophers Friday, head coach J Robinson announced. The 2009 Minnesota Class AAA state champion, Nelson posted a 47-0 record as a senior, including a staggering 35 wins by fall. He also captured the 2009 National Wrestling Championship in the 215-pound class, going 6-0 during the tournament with three pins. In the national championship match, Nelson pinned his opponent in 30 seconds. "We are really happy that Tony has decided to stay in state and attend the University of Minnesota," head coach Robinson said. "He is everything you are looking for a state champion, a national champion and the valedictorian of his high school class. How could you ask for anything more?" Nelson was a state tournament place-winner as a junior and a sophomore, finishing as the runner-up in 2008 after recording a third-place finish in 2007. He also won more than 40 bouts in each of the final three seasons of his prep career, going 44-3 as a junior and 41-6 as a sophomore. In all, Nelson concluded his high school career with an impressive 141-18 record as a prep, including 80 victories by fall, and was named an academic All-American for his success in the classroom. In addition to his prowess on the mat, Nelson also starred on the gridiron as a standout defensive end and linebacker. The 2008 Mississippi Eight Conference Linebacker of the Year, Nelson collected 112 tackles, including 20 for losses, as a senior and earned all-metro and all-conference accolades and received honorable mention all-state recognition from The Associated Press. He finished his three-year football career with 259 tackles. The addition of Nelson, to go along with Thursday's re-signing of Olympian Jake Deitchler, could push Robinson's 2008-09 recruiting class to the top of the national recruiting rankings. Heading into the week, the class already included Jake Kettler (Ramsey, Minn.), Alec Ortiz (Newberg Ore.), Bart Reiter (Gilbertville, Iowa), Pat Smith (Chaska, Minn.), Kevin Steinhaus (Pennock, Minn.), David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) and Danny Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.) as well as Jake Filkins (Prescott, Wis.) and Austin Waliullah (Rockton, Ill.), who inked Acceptance of Admission forms with the Gophers. The class was ranked No. 6 in the nation according to W.I.N magazine prior the addition of Nelson, Deitchler, Filkins and Waliullah.

Tommy Rowlands

Dan Gable, a two-time NCAA champion from Iowa State and long-time wrestling coach of the Iowa Hawkeyes, and Andy Hamilton, wrestling beat writer for the Iowa City Press-Citizen, will be the featured guests on Wrestling 411 Radio on Thursday, April 23. This Thursday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 7 p.m. CST. The show can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv and clicking on the "Listen Live" link. An archive of the broadcast will be available immediately following the show. Gable was a two-time NCAA champion and three-time All-American for Iowa State from 1968-70. He coached the Iowa Hawkeyes to 15 NCAA team titles from 1977 through 1997. Hamilton is the wrestling beat writer for the Iowa City Press-Citizen. His articles have appeared in a variety of publications, including ESPN.com. Hamilton was named the National Wrestling Media Association Journalist of the Year in 2004 and was given the Dellinger Award in 2005. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com.

What a week in college Wrestling. The other foot is yet to drop. Just wait for it.....We return to the Brute Adidas Studios for an in depth look at the happenings and the future of the coming weeks. Take a look at our recent episodes of TDRtv on Takedownradio.com as we strive to do better each and every episode. This week we look to the coming World Team May 30th and 31st in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Our scheduled guests this week include: Penn State Athletic Director Tim Curley joins us to discuss the hiring of Cael Sanderson, his expectations and the timeline associated with those in and around the program. This may be one of the greatest sports hiring coupe's in the history of sport. If I were Tim I might consider retiring now. How do you top this one? Dan Wirnsberger- Head Coach of the Bison at Bucknell. We've been following this program since it was brought back and we look to continue that trend. How will the Cael hire affect his recruiting if at all/ Summer Camps and clinics? Wirnsberger has great expectations for his returning squad and high hopes for his incoming recruits. Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon- Lauzon, star of The Ultimate Fighter 5 television reality show talks to us six weeks after knee surgery, UFC lightweight prospect Joe "J-Lau" Lauzon (18-4, 5 KOs, 13 submissions is rehabilitating his leg, and recovery is ahead of schedule. He can't fight until the grafting is fully healed, which probably won't be until the spring of 2010. The 24-year-old Lauzon is not about to rush his recovery, despite his competitive drive, and desire to be fighting again. www.joelauzon.com. Tom Ryan-Hd Coach The Ohio State Buckeyes- Tom Ryan has sparked a remarkable turnaround in this Big 10 powerhouse. Named RevWrestling.com's Coach of the year for the 2nd consecutive year, Ryan has his squad set to challenge for the next several years. Ryan recently lost Tommy Rowlands as asst. on his staff. Rowland's job goes to Buckeye powerhouse J Jaggers. Mo Lawal- Sorry "KING MO"- You either liked him or you didn't and it did not matter in the least to this former Cowboy. He's been around the world and now makes his living in MMA with big wins over Travis Wiuff and Fabio Silva. Mo started wrestling at sixteen. His second year he was state runner-up, and his senior year he won. He then went Central Oklahoma in Edmond, Oklahoma, competing for three years. His last year he transferred to Oklahoma State and earned third and an all-American honors. Mo went on to win university nationals in freestyle, third at nationals, and few national freestyle titles. Catch up with Mo! Kerry McCoy- Head Coach at Maryland- Every time a head coaching position opens up Kerry McCoy's name keeps popping up. Debbie Yow has got Kerry's back, he's got great facilities, great recruiting capabilities. McCoy's name should come up! Why, back to back ACC Championships, 10th place finish at the NCAA Championships and 3 All Americans. Not too bad for a coach on everyone's radar. Takedownradio.com can be heard each Saturday from 9 AM to 11 AM. We talk to wrestlers, coaches, fans each and every Saturday plus hundreds of hours of additional content each year. Tune in to find out why Dan Gable and many others call us "America's Wrestling Radio Show!"

To members of the MIT community: It is with regret that we write to inform you that the following eight varsity sports will no longer be offered at MIT: Alpine Skiing, Golf, Men's Ice Hockey, Women's Ice Hockey, Men's Gymnastics, Women's Gymnastics, Pistol, and Wrestling. These changes are effective at the conclusion of this academic year. We make this decision with sadness and with great awareness of how painful it will be to many members of the MIT community. The Institute has long been proud of the uncommon breadth of sports it has been able to offer, and our student athletes, coaches, and staff have shown great passion for their programs. However, we also believe that a reduction in the number of our varsity sports is essential to the quality and sustainability not only of the varsity programs that remain, but also of the athletic, recreational, and physical education programs offered to the entire MIT community. In bringing you this news, we want to emphasize that while the current global financial crisis and its severe effect on MIT factored heavily in our decision, the issue of the viability of carrying 41 varsity sports has been with us even in times of relative financial stability. In 2000, the Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation (DAPER) organized a committee to develop a strategic plan for the department. At that time, the question was raised as to the sustainability of maintaining 41 sports. Since then, every Visiting Committee (which is composed of members of the MIT Corporation and external experts, and which meets every two years) has raised the question of MIT's ability to sustain one of the largest varsity athletics programs in the United States. The numbers are instructive: In the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division III, which is where MIT varsity sports compete, the average number of varsity sports carried by an institution is 16. In the NEWMAC Conference, in which MIT competes, the number is 20. In the Ivy League, which resides in Division I, the number is 33. By continuing to offer 33 varsity sports, MIT is offering twice as many as the average Division III school, and will lead the nation in sponsorship at the Division III level, while remaining as committed to athletics as its peer academic institutions. The question of the viability of maintaining 41 sports took on new urgency when the severity of the current economic downturn became clear. In December of 2008, Provost L. Rafael Reif, Chancellor Phillip L. Clay, and Executive Vice President and Treasurer Theresa M. Stone shared a plan for reducing the Institute's spending by $100 million to $150 million—10 to 15 percent—over the next two to three years. With this mandate in mind, DAPER examined all program areas and identified opportunities for reductions in each area: many of the cuts DAPER is making do not affect varsity sports. Both by reducing its number of varsity sports from 41 to 33 and by making other budget cuts within the department, DAPER will reduce its FY 2010 budget by $485,000. This amount represents 5 percent of DAPER's FY 2009 operating-expenses budget of $9.7 million. In deciding which sports to cut, we made use of a management tool developed in 2003 by a subcommittee of the DAPER Advisory Board comprised of coaches, student athletes, faculty, and administrative staff. The Sport Health and Vitality tool monitors the health of each varsity sport at MIT by tracking such areas as student interest, coaching turnover, availability of appropriate competition, quality and proximity of practice facilities, as well as program costs. In 2004 and 2006, the DAPER Visiting Committee of the MIT Corporation reviewed and endorsed the process, and recently, an independent consultant was employed to review the operational structure of DAPER. It too reinforced the veracity of the Health and Vitality process. Eliminating sports that do not meet the criteria established by the Sport Health and Vitality process, rather than reducing spending in all sports, not only helps the Department meet its budget mandate, but supports the core value of excellence in all programming. At this time, assuming the economic climate does not worsen significantly, we do not anticipate any further reductions in our varsity sport offerings. In the coming months, we will work hard to help our student athletes and alumni most affected by this decision; we are developing a method to reach out to our alumni base and will inform alumni as this plan is finalized. While there can be no complete substitute for the special status enjoyed by a varsity sport, there are opportunities for participation at the level of a club sport. In cases where a club sport exists, we hope that former varsity athletes will join in, and where a club sport does not exist, we will help student athletes assess the viability of creating a club team. Since the time we publicly acknowledged the need to reduce the number of varsity sports at MIT, the question of using fund-raising to provide support for sports that are being eliminated has been raised by students, staff, and alumni. While fund-raising is an ongoing and active pursuit in DAPER, the department and MIT's senior administration urge prospective donors to help DAPER enrich and enhance its broad program by contributing to the department's overall mission. We believe that the Institute will, in the long run, be better off for the hard decisions we have made, and we ask you to support them. For further information on this decision, including FAQs and information about the Health and Vitality process, please visit www.mitathletics.com. In closing, we would like to offer our great thanks to the student athletes, alumni, coaches, and staff members who gave so much to the varsity sports we are losing today. Your hard work and dedication will forever be remembered in the history of MIT athletics. Sincerely, Costantino Colombo Dean for Student Life Julie Soriero Director of Athletics Chair, Department of Athletics, Physical Education and Recreation

Kevin Jackson

Tim Curley

NEW YORK -- On April 30, 2009 Beat the Streets Wrestling Program will host its annual gala fundraiser "Golden Night at Guastavino's" in New York City to help continue the organization's work in providing approximately 3,500 boys and girls wrestling opportunities and safe havens for them to practice. In addition, New York City wrestling coaches will be named High School Coach of the Year, Assistant Coach of the Year and Middle School Coach of the Year at the Gala. Gathering to show their support for Beat the Streets are wrestling legends Bruce Baumgartner, four-time Olympic wrestling medalist, National Wrestling Hall of Fame and U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame member and Director of Athletics at Edinboro University; Henry Cejudo, 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist; Brandon Slay, 2000 Olympic Gold medalist; and John Smith, Olympic and World Championship Medal Winner. "Beat the Streets is proud to bring together the wrestling community, not just in New York City but the world, to help encourage and support New York City girls and boys' efforts to participate in the sport of wrestling," said Brian Giffin, President and Executive Director of Beat the Streets. "Because of Beat the Streets, thousands of children are instilled with important values such as perseverance, discipline and self reliance, which they will carry with them throughout their lives. We would like to thank Bruce Baumgartner, Henry Cejudo, Brandon Slay and John Smith for showing their support for Beat the Streets' work." "The success of Beat the Streets Wrestling Program in New York City is a true testament to the organization, which has dedicated itself to not only teaching children about the sport of wrestling, but also shaping young minds and preparing them for whatever challenges may come their way, whether it be on the mat or in the class room," said Bruce Baumgartner. The Beat the Streets Wrestling Program is a not-for-profit organization that creates opportunities for boys and girls from New York City schools to participate in after-school wrestling programs in safe and nurturing environments. Beat the Streets provides free coaching, gear and equipment; free access to afterschool training centers in all five boroughs; all-expenses paid trips to the most prestigious training camps in the country; and safe havens for students from the poorest urban neighborhoods seeking to improve their fitness and stay on the right path. Approximately 3,500 boys and girls from New York City schools currently participate in the organization's afterschool programs. Beat the Streets' work has effectively helped the sport of wrestling grow in New York City. In 2005, New York City's Public School Athletic League had 23 teams only in high schools and fewer than 300 kids enrolled. Now New York City has wrestling teams in 58 high schools and 54 middle schools with 3,500 enrollees.

Lee Roy Smith