InterMat Staff

Hello again wrestling fans. It's a special week in wrestling and it has all come down to this weekend as we are on the edge of the 2009 World Team Trials. Saturday, May 30 The Brute Adidas studios of TDR will be LIVE from the Mid America Center VIP lounge. From 9 to 11 AM we'll do our best to present to you what is expected from the athletes and what you the fans can expect from the event. These athletes are looking to earn the honor of representing the USA at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark in September. Our scheduled Guests include: Mitch Hull Mark Schultz Zeke Jones Kevin Jackson + More For those unable to attend the World Team Trials, sponsor LiveSportsVideo.com will stream live coverage of the action from the Mid America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa, May 30-31. Let all fans know to watch this FREE (to you) web cast at: http://www.livesportsvideo.com There will be live streams from two mats throughout the entire competition. Included in each day's coverage will be all of the matches of the Championship Series in each weight class, as well as Challenge Tournament finals matches. Many of the preliminary matches will also be broadcast each day. Thanks for listening to America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show. Takedown Wrestling Radio.

Donny Pritzlaff

Bart Chelesvig

The 2009 U.S. World Team Trials take place Saturday and Sunday at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The champions will represent the U.S. at the World Championships in Herning, Denmark. This year’s field in the freestyle competition is full of young, rising stars looking to break through. At the 2009 U.S. Nationals, all seven champions crowned were first-time winners. Those wrestlers included Nick Simmons (55 kg), Mike Zadick (60 kg), Trent Paulson (66 kg), Travis Paulson (74 kg), Jake Herbert (84 kg), Jake Varner (96 kg), and Steve Mocco (120 kg). Below is a weight-by-weight preview of the freestyle competition at the 2009 U.S. World Team Trials. 55 kg: With 2008 Olympic champion Henry Cejudo not competing, Nick Simmons becomes the favorite to win this weight class and represent the U.S. at the World Championships. Simmons broke through and won his first U.S. Nationals title in April, defeating Obe Blanc in the finals. Simmons receives an automatic berth in the best-of-3 finals. High school phenom Logan Stieber placed third at the U.S. Nationals, but is coming off a loss last weekend to Tony Ramos in the finals of the Junior FILA World Team Trials. Veteran Danny Felix had a disappointing U.S. Nationals where he failed to place, but he received a wildcard into the event. He placed second in the 2009 Dave Schultz Memorial International Open. Michael Martinez, a college wrestler at Wyoming, is an experienced freestyle who spent time at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Other wrestlers who could figure into the mix at this weight class include college wrestlers Ben Kjar, Ben Ashmore, and Brad Pataky. Finals Prediction: Nick Simmons over Danny Felix 60 kg: Mike Zadick defeated Shawn Bunch to win the U.S. Nationals title at 60 kg (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Mike Zadick, who won a World silver medal in 2006, was impressive in winning the U.S. Nationals title last month. But he has struggled in the last two world-level events in which he has competed, going a combined 0-3, which has given him extra motivation going into this season. Zadick has earned an automatic berth in the best-of-3 finals. Shawn Bunch will be looking to make his first U.S. World team after finishing second to Zadick at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials and 2009 U.S. Nationals. Matt Valenti, who won two NCAA titles for Penn, finished third at the U.S. Nationals. Andy Simmons wrestled well at the U.S. Nationals, finishing fourth. There are several young, talented wrestlers in this weight class who have the ability to challenge, including Coleman Scott, who finished runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, and collegiate stars Reece Humphrey, Nick Gallick, and Daniel Dennis. Jordan Oliver, who recently made the FILA Junior World team, also qualified in this weight class. Finals Prediction: Mike Zadick over Shawn Bunch 66 kg: Trent Paulson, a Council Bluffs native, is coming off his first U.S. Nationals title last month. Paulson, who placed third at the Alexander Medved International, will be looking to make his first U.S. World team wrestling in his hometown. He gets to sit out the Challenge Tournament since he won the U.S. Nationals. Doug Schwab placed fifth in the 2007 World Championships, but went 0-2 at the Olympic Games, and then lost twice at the U.S. Nationals to place fourth. Brent Metcalf finished runner-up at the U.S. Nationals, just weeks after he competed at the NCAAs for Iowa. U.S. Nationals third-place finisher Brian Stith has had a great freestyle season. He was runner-up at both the New York AC event and Dave Schultz Memorial … and also has two wins over Schwab. Jared Frayer, who was runner-up at the 2006 U.S. World Team Trials, will contend for the title. He finished fifth at the U.S. Nationals after a 10-month layoff. Former U.S. World team member Chris Bono is coming off a disappointing U.S. Nationals performance, where he placed seventh, but he should also figure into the mix. Earlier this year, Bono defeated Stith to win the Dave Schultz Memorial. Josh Churella, who trains at the Overtime School of Wrestling, is a young and talented wrestler who could make some noise in this weight class. Another wrestler to keep your eye on is collegiate star Darrion Caldwell, who received a wildcard into the event. Finals Prediction: Doug Schwab over Trent Paulson 74 kg: Dustin Schlatter finished third at the U.S. Nationals at 74 kg (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Travis Paulson, like twin brother Trent, won his first U.S. Nationals title in April, which gives him an automatic berth in the best-of-3 finals, and will be looking to make his first U.S. World team wrestling in his hometown of Council Bluffs. Keith Gavin, a World University bronze medalist in 2008, finished runner-up to Paulson at the U.S. Nationals. Dustin Schlatter, who never lost a match at Cadet and Junior Nationals in Fargo while in high school, finished third at the U.S. Nationals. He also placed third at the Dave Schultz Memorial earlier this year. Ryan Churella is steadily improving and has the tools to challenge for the title. He finished fourth at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Dave Schultz Memorial, and U.S. Nationals. Collegiate stars Jon Reader and Andrew Howe both placed at the U.S. Nationals and should figure into the mix. Zack Esposito won a silver medal at the Cerro Pelado event in Cuba, but did not compete at the U.S. Nationals. If he does compete in Council Bluffs, he poses a threat to contend in this weight. Mike Poeta, who is coming off an outstanding collegiate career at Illinois, could also be a factor. Finals Prediction: Dustin Schlatter over Travis Paulson 84 kg: Jake Herbert made a smooth transition from collegiate wrestling to freestyle wrestling, winning the U.S. Nationals less than a month after finishing his collegiate career at Northwestern. Herbert, a two-time NCAA champion, had previously never placed at the U.S. Nationals, but will now be looking to parlay his first U.S. Nationals title into his first U.S. World Team Trials title. By winning the U.S. Nationals title, Hebert does not have to compete in the Challenge Tournament. Bryce Hasseman has put together a nice season, winning the Dave Schultz Memorial and the Dan Kolov International. He was third at the U.S. Nationals, losing only to Herbert in the semifinals. Eric Luedke, who was runner-up to Herbert at the U.S. Nationals, has been steadily improving. He was runner up at the Dave Schultz Memorial, Dan Kolov International, and Pan American Championships. David Bertolino is coming off a fourth-place finish at the U.S. Nationals. Other wrestlers in this weight class who should figure into the mix include Tom Meester, Brandon Sinnott, Travis Pascoe, and Carl Fronhofer. Finals Prediction: Jake Herbert over Bryce Hasseman 96 kg: Jake Varner won the U.S. Nationals at 96 kg without surrendering a single point (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)Jake Varner wrestled like a man on a mission at the U.S. Nationals, winning the title without surrendering a single point. Varner, who won an NCAA title for Iowa State in March, has a wrestling style that is very conducive to the current freestyle rules. He receives an automatic berth in the best-of-3 finals. Varner’s stiffest challenge may come from Andy Hrovat, who has decided to move up from 84 kg. Hrovat, a 2008 Olympian, was caught and pinned by Tom Meester in the opening round of the U.S. Nationals before defaulting out of the event. Kyle Cerminara wrestled well at the U.S. Nationals, finishing runner-up to Varner. Former Central Michigan standout Wynn Michalak is coming off a third-place finish at the U.S. Nationals, which included victories over Mike Tamillow and Dallas Herbst. Tamillow, despite not placing at the U.S. Nationals, has put together a solid season, finishing in the top three in three international tournaments. Herbst was fourth at the U.S. Nationals. Sean Stender finished third at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, but suffered an injury at the U.S. Nationals and defaulted to sixth. Another challenger in this weight class is Kurt Backes, a fourth-place finisher at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials and bronze medal at the Cerro Pelado. Brandon Halsey placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals, losing only to Varner and Herbst. Finals Prediction: Jake Varner over Andy Hrovat 120 kg: Steve Mocco is the man to beat in this weight class. Mocco, who placed seventh at the 2008 Olympic Games, has won six international events this season. He recently won the U.S. Nationals over Tervel Dlagnev. Mocco will receive an automatic berth in the best-of-3 finals. Dlagnev, a 2008 University World champion, has solidified himself as the top contender to Mocco in this weight class. He owns a victory over Mocco this season at the New York AC International event in November. Les Sigman, who won four NCAA titles for Nebraska Omaha, placed third at the U.S. Nationals, losing only to Dlagnev in the semifinals. The young and talented Dom Bradley, a collegiate wrestler at Missouri, placed fourth at the U.S. Nationals. Ryan Tomei, Bubba Gritter, and Michael Irving also placed at the U.S. Nationals in this weight class. Finals Prediction: Steve Mocco over Tervel Dlagnev

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has announced the addition of five student-athletes who will join the Mountain Hawks wrestling program in the fall. With the loss of just three seniors to graduation, Santoro’s first recruiting class at Lehigh is small, numbers-wise but big on talent, as the incoming group totaled five state championships and should bolster the depth of a Lehigh program that won a school-record 23 duals last season. “We had just one senior in our lineup, so we were not looking for a big class,” explained Santoro, the 2009 EIWA Coach of the Year. “We wanted to fill a couple of weight classes, which we did. It’s a small, but talented class and one that should be a great addition to what we have in the room.” Three of the five state titles in the incoming class were won by Austin Meys, who comes to Lehigh from Shenendehowa High School in New York. Meys was a five-time place winner in New York and amassed a career record of 263-8 in high school. He captured his first state title as an eighth grader at 103 before adding state championships in his junior (at 171) and senior (at 189) seasons. Meys was undefeated in his final two seasons, highlighted by a 45-0 senior campaign with 42 of those victories coming by fall, the second most pins in the nation. Meys was also twice named Outstanding Wrestler at the New York State tournament and was just the third wrestler to win five Section II titles. He owns third and first place finishes at the Cadet Freestyle Nationals and is ranked in the top 100 nationally and top 10 at his weight class by InterMat. Meys, whose brother Hunter is a sophomore at Boston University, projects at 174 or 184 for the Brown and White. Joey Napoli is the second member of the incoming class who has earned recognition on the national level. Napoli is a two-time state finalist and 2008 PIAA AAA Champion from Cumberland Valley High School. Competing at one of both Pennsylvania’s and the nations’ toughest weight classes, Napoli went 45-1 at 145 as a senior with the lone loss coming in the state finals. Napoli bounced back with an impressive showing in the postseason, beating Kendrick Sanders at the annual Dapper Dan Classic in Pittsburgh, before winning a Senior High School National Championship in Virginia Beach. Napoli is ranked ninth in the nation among senior recruits by InterMat. He becomes the third NHSCA National Champion to attend Lehigh out of high school, joining Rick Hepp and Jon Trenge. Napoli plans to study engineering at Lehigh and projects at 149 or 157 for the Mountain Hawks. “Both Meys and Napoli are tough on top, they’re both goers,” said Santoro. “They wrestle hard and like to pin. The big thing with this class is we brought in five guys who love to compete. That’s what we’re looking for. We also have a couple guys who have the ability to make an impact on our program fairly quickly.” New Jersey native David Della Torre should bring increased depth to Lehigh’s group of lightweights. Della Torre sported a 115-21 career record for River Dell High School and capped his career by reaching the state finals at 112 as a senior. He also went 43-3 as a junior to place fourth at 103, and owns the second most wins in school history. Della Torre should provide solid depth for the Mountain Hawks at 125. Albert Woody comes to Lehigh from the McDonogh School in Baltimore, Maryland. A three-time Maryland place winner and two-time National Prep place winner, Woody compiled a 147-51 career record, which culminated in a Maryland Independent Schools state title. Previously placing fourth and second in the state tournament, Woody dropped a weight class to 130, going 45-4 in his senior season. Woody, who projects at 141, also earned eighth and fourth place finishes at the National Prep Championships at Stabler Arena. He wrestled alongside Josh Fitch, a member of Lehigh’s 2008 recruiting class, at McDonogh. Rounding out the incoming class is Watson Sweat from the Ensworth School in Nashville, Tennessee. Sweat is a three-time state place winner who placed fourth at 189 as a sophomore and then added sixth and third place finishes at 215 in his final two seasons. He should provide depth at the upper weights, especially 197 for the Mountain Hawks. Lehigh returns almost its entire team for the 2009-10 season, including nine starters, seven NCAA qualifiers and two EIWA Champions.

Four-time state champion David Taylor (135) of St. Paris (Ohio) Graham High was named to the First Team for the third consecutive year and junior Logan Stieber (125) of Monroeville (Ohio) High also earned a repeat selection to the 14-member First Team as the 24th annual ASICS All-America Wrestling Team was announced today. The ASICS All-America Team, selected by a nationwide panel of wrestling experts, is the only national all-star team for which wrestlers enrolled in all four high-school grades are eligible. ASICS is a title sponsor of the ASICS Vaughan USA Wrestling Fargo Junior National Championships and is a major benefactor of the sport at all levels. “This team represents the best of the best in our schools today,” said Neil Duncan and Nick Gallo of ASICS and TW Promotions, Inc. “We are proud to have these young men, with their talent and work ethic, representing us. They are clearly the World and Olympic champions of the future.” Members of the First Team, as well as the ASICS Wrestler of the Year, will be honored prior to the finals of the ASICS Vaughan USA Wrestling Junior National Freestyle Championships in July at Fargo, N.D. The ASICS All-America Team includes eight wrestlers at each of the 14 high school weight classes – the First, Second, and Third Teams and five Honorable Mention selections. Wrestlers are considered at the weight class at which they competed in their state tournament or the National Prep Championships this year. This year’s First Team includes a record eight underclassmen – seven juniors and one sophomore. Stieber, a three-time Ohio Division 3 state champion, could join Taylor as a three-time First Team member next member. Also named were two-time National Prep champion Chris Villalonga (130) of Blairstown Township (N.J.) Blair Academy, whose senior teammate, National Prep champion Edward Ruth, also was named to the team at 171; two-time state champions Devin Carter (112) of Christiansburg (Va.) High, Jamie Clark (119) of Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward High, Dylan Alton (145) of Mill Hall (Pa.) Central Mountain High and Marshall Peppelman (152) of Harrisburg (Pa.) Central Dauphin High; Andrew Alton (140), twin brother of Dylan, who won his first state title this year; and sophomore state champion Nick Brascetta (103) of Graham. Chris Perry (189) of Stillwater (Okla.) High joined Taylor as four-time state champions on the First Team. Seniors Jake Kemerer (160) of Greensburg (Pa.) Hempfield High and Eloheim Palma (285) of Cary (N.C.) High were two-time state champions and Tony Nelson (215) of Cambridge (Minn.) Cambridge-Isanti High won his first state title this year. Blair Academy led all schools with seven overall selections, including two First Team and two Third Team selections. Graham and Central Mountain had two First Team members each, and Graham was second to Blair Academy with four overall selections. Monroeville had three selections. Seven other schools had two: Central Dauphin, St. Edward, Eureka (Mo.) High, Perry (Okla.) High, Rio Rancho (N.M.) and Troy (N.Y.) LaSalle Institute each had two wrestlers selected. The team also includes three brother combinations. In addition to the Altons, Logan Stieber was joined by sophomore brother Hunter (119), along with senior twins Nick (152) and Matt Lester (160) of Eureka. The 14 First Team members combined to post 29 state high school or National Prep championships, along with six Junior National and six Cadet National titles. The Second and Third Teams rival the First Team. The Second Team combined for 36 state or National Prep titles, including a five-time champion, two four-time champions and three three-time champions, to go with three Junior National and seven Cadet National titles. The Third Team boasts 24 combined state titles, two Junior National and three Cadet National crowns. Pennsylvania and Ohio each had four First Team selections. Pennsylvania placed 19 wrestlers on the squad, including eight on the top three teams. Ohio’s 10 top-three selections topped all states, and Ohio and New Jersey each had 14 overall selections. New York was next with eight selections, followed by California (seven), Missouri (six), Oklahoma (five) and Illinois (four). The 112 wrestlers selected come from 29 states. (For more information, contact Gary Abbott of USA Wrestling at (719) 598-8181.) 2009 ASICS All-America Team First Team 103 Nick Brascetta So Graham HS St. Paris, OH 112 Devin Carter Jr Christiansburg HS Christiansburg, VA 119 Jamie Clark Jr St. Edward HS Lakewood, OH 125 Logan Stieber* Jr Monroeville HS Monroeville, OH 130 Chris Villalonga Jr Blair Academy Blairstown Township, NJ 135 David Taylor* Sr Graham HS St. Paris, OH 140 Andrew Alton Jr Central Mountain HS Mill Hall, PA 145 Dylan Alton Jr Central Mountain HS Mill Hall, PA 152 Marshall Peppelman Jr Central Dauphin HS Harrisburg, PA 160 Jake Kemerer Sr Hempfield HS Greensburg, PA 171 Edward Ruth Sr Blair Academy Blairstown Township, NJ 189 Chris Perry Sr Stillwater HS Stillwater, OK 215 Tony Nelson Sr Cambridge-Isanti HS Cambridge, MN 285 Eloheim Palma Sr Cary HS Cary, NC Second Team 103 Alex Cisneros Fr Selma HS Selma, CA 112 Ryak Finch Jr Safford HS Safford, AZ 119 Shane Young Sr Penn-Trafford HS Harrison City, PA 125 Sam White Sr Perry HS Massillon, OH 130 Louis Trujillo Jr Rio Rancho HS Rio Rancho, NM 135 Eric Grajales* Sr Brandon HS Brandon, FL 140 Collin Palmer* Sr St. Edward HS Lakewood, OH 145 R.J. Pena Sr Sprague HS Salem, OR 152 Brock Gutches Sr Crater HS Central Point, OR 160 Matt Lester Sr Eureka HS Eureka, MO 171 Chris Phillips So Monroeville HS Monroeville, OH 189 Andr. Campolattano So Bound Brook HS Bound Brook, NJ 215 Glenn Carson Sr Southern HS Manahawkin, NJ 285 Roger McCovey Sr Del Norte HS Crescent City, CA Third Team 103 Mark Grey Fr Blair Academy Blairstown Township, NJ 112 Evan Silver So Blair Academy Blairstown Township, NJ 119 David Klingsheim Sr Liberty HS Brentwood, CA 125 Tony Ramos Sr Glenbard North HS Carol Stream, IL 130 Felipe Martinez Fr Graham HS St. Paris, OH 135 Josh Kindig Jr Blue Mountain HS Schuylkill Haven, PA 140 Kyle Dake Sr Lansing HS Lansing, NY 145 Joey Napoli Sr Cumberland Val. HS Mechanicsburg, PA 152 Nick Lester Sr Eureka HS Eureka, MO 160 Zach Toal Sr Troy Christian HS Troy, OH 171 Ethan Lofthouse Sr Mountain Crest HS Hyrum, UT 189 Jonathan Fausey Sr Line Mountain HS Herndon, PA 215 Orlando Scales Sr Elder HS Cincinnati, OH 285 Bobby Telford Jr St. Mark’s HS Wilmington, DE Honorable Mention (listed in alphabetical order) 103: Nick Francavilla, So, High Point HS, Sussex, NJ; Jimmy Gulibon, Fr, Derry HS, Derry, PA; Brenan Lyon, Sr, Ithaca HS, Ithaca, MI; Joe Orecchio, So, Paterson, NJ Don Bosco Preparatory; Jade Rauser, So, Broadwater County HS, Townsend, MT. 112: Jesse Delgado, Jr, Gilroy HS, Gilroy, CA; Robert Deutsch, So, Eastern HS, Voorhees, NJ; Zach Horan, So, Nazareth HS, Nazareth, PA; Nico Megaludis, So, Franklin Regional HS, Murrysville, PA; Jerome Robinson, Jr, St. Ignatius HS, Cleveland, OH. 119: Sean Boyle, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ; Tyler Cox, Sr, Campbell County HS, Gillette, WY; Camden Eppert, Sr, Highland HS, Anderson, IN; Hunter Stieber, So, Monroeville HS, Monroeville, OH; Alan Waters, Jr, Park Hill HS, Kansas City, MO. 125: Brandon Kingsley, Fr, Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN; Jon Morrison, Sr, Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, IL; Zach Neibert, Sr, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH; Ladd Rupp, Sr, Perry HS, Perry, OK; Jesse Thielke, So, Germantown HS, Germantown, WI. 130: Ryan Mango, Sr, The Whitfield School, St. Louis, MO; Jarrod Patterson, Sr, Cushing HS, Cushing, OK; Dale Shull, Sr, Fort Lupton HS, Fort Lupton, CO; Erik Spjut, Sr, The Woodlands HS, The Woodlands, TX; Joe Waltko, Sr, North Allegheny HS, Wexford, PA. 135: Mac Bailey, Sr, Oak Park HS, Kansas City, MO; Alex Ekstrom, Sr, Palmyra-Macedon HS, Palmyra, NY; C.J. Napier, Sr, Columbus HS, Columbus, KS; Austin Ormsbee, So, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ; Ian Paddock, Sr, Warsaw HS, Warsaw, NY. 140: Anthony Baldosaro, Jr, Eastern HS, Voorhees, NJ; Alex Bridgeford, Sr. Harry A. Burke HS, Omaha, NE; Dane Johnson, Sr, Shady Side Academy, Pittsburgh, PA; Max Ortega, Sr, Rio Rancho HS, Rio Rancho, NM; Luke Vaith, Sr, Hastings HS, Hastings, MN. 145: Zach Clemente, Sr, LaSalle Institute, Troy, NY; Steven Hernandez, Jr, Bishop Gorman HS, Las Vegas, NV; Taylor Massa, Fr, St. Johns HS, St. Johns, MI; Scott Sakaguchi, Sr, Clovis HS, Clovis, CA; Kendrick Sanders, Sr, South Dade HS, Homestead, FL. 152: Bobby Barnhisel, Sr, Fenwick HS, Oak Park, IL; Cody Compton, Sr, North County HS, Bonne Terre, MO; John Greisheimer, Sr, Wantagh HS, Wantagh, NY; Jason Luster, Fr, The Blue Ridge School, Dyke, VA; Trent Weatherman, Sr, Ballard HS, Huxley, IA. 160: Tyler Caldwell, Sr, Goddard HS, Goddard, KS; John Nicholson, Sr, Roosevelt HS, Des Moines, IA; Derek St. John, Sr, Iowa City West HS, Iowa City, IA; Stephen Swan, Sr, Perry HS, Perry, OK; Dan Yates, Sr, Hesperia HS, Hesperia, MI. 171: Dallas Bailey, Sr, Catoosa HS, Catoosa, OK; Caleb Kolb, Sr, Grove City HS, Grove City, PA; Morgan McIntosh, So, Calvary Chapel HS, Santa Ana, CA; Lee Munster, Jr, Grant HS, Fox Lake, IL; Alec Ortiz, Sr, Newberg HS, Newberg, OR. 189: Derrick Borlie, Sr, Millbrook HS, Winchester, VA; Tony Dallago, Sr, Central Dauphin HS, Harrisburg, PA; Max Huntley, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown Township, NJ; Austin Meys, Sr, Shenendehowa HS, Clifton Park, NY; Jake Swartz, Sr, Auburn HS, Auburn, WA. 215: Ernest James, Sr, Longwood HS, Middle Island, NY; Stryker Lane, Sr, Norwood HS, Norwood, CO; Joe McMullan, Sr, Wyoming Seminary Preparatory, Kingston, PA; Brandon Palik, Sr, Saucon Valley HS, Hellertown, PA; Nick Pica, Sr, Concord HS, Concord, CA. 285: Ken Altarac, Sr, LaSalle Institute, Troy, NY; Evan Craig, Jr, Abington Heights HS, Clarks Summit, PA; Jeremy Johnson, Sr, Brecksville HS, Broadview Heights, OH; Jimmy Lawson, Jr, Manchester HS, Manchester, NJ; Sean Owen, Sr, Clearfield HS, Clearfield, PA.

IOWA CITY, IA -- Several current or former University of Iowa wrestlers are set to compete at the 2009 U.S. Men's Freestyle World Team Trials, which are set for Saturday and Sunday at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA. Winners of this tournament will represent the United States at the 2009 World Wrestling Championships in Herning, Denmark, Sept. 21-27. Iowa's volunteer assistant coach Mike Zadick (60 kilograms/132 pounds) and former Hawkeye Steve Mocco (120 kilograms/264.5 pounds) clinched berths in their respective finals by winning titles at the 2009 U.S. National Freestyle Championships in Las Vegas in April. They will meet the winner of the challenge tournament from their respective weight classes in a best-of-three final round series. Three Hawkeyes will face off in the 66 kilogram/145.5 pound challenge tournament. Hawkeye senior-to-be Brent Metcalf placed second at the U.S. Nationals, while assistant coach Doug Schwab placed fourth and strength and conditioning coach Jared Frayer placed fifth. The Hawkeye trio will battle for the chance to face U.S. National Champion Trent Paulson in the final. Former Hawkeye Eric Luedke (84 kilograms/185 pounds) placed second at the U.S. Nationals, but will have to make it out of the challenge tournament for a rematch with U.S. National champion Jake Herbert. Hawkeye all-Americans Daniel Dennis (60 kilograms /132 pounds) and Ryan Morningstar (74 kilograms/163 pounds) earned bids to the World Team Trials with recent wins at qualifying tournaments. Dennis won a title at the Northern Plains Regional earlier this month, while Morningstar placed second at the University Nationals. World Team Trials competition is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. each day. Reserved seat and general admission tickets to the event are available at the Mid-America Center Box Office, all Ticketmaster locations, online at ticketmaster.com or midamericacenter.com or charge by phone at 800.745.3000. LiveSportsVideo is scheduled to provide live internet coverage from the tournament via their web site, www.livesportsvideo.com.

MADISON, Wis. -- After 16 years with the Wisconsin wrestling team, Bart Chelesvig is resigning from his position as assistant coach. With Chelesvig’s departure, Donny Pritzlaff will move into the role of associate head coach for the Badgers. “It’s been an honor to work with the Wisconsin wrestling team the last 16 years and I am confident the program is heading in the right direction,” Chelesvig said. “My time here has been very memorable but I feel it is time for me to move on to a new chapter in my professional life. It has been a pleasure to work with Barry (Davis), my fellow assistant coaches and all the great wrestlers that have come through the Badger wrestling program within the last 16 years.” Chelesvig has been on the UW coaching staff since Davis accepted the head coaching position during the 1994-95 season. He also wrestled under Davis while at Iowa from 1987-92. Chelesvig helped coach Wisconsin’s upper-weight wrestlers and also handled the team’s office operations off the mat. Chelesvig’s official last day with the team will be Aug. 31. “Bart has been a big part of our program’s success since I’ve been at Wisconsin,” Davis said. “Even though Bart is moving on, I’m sure he will continue to follow and stay in touch with the program. We wish him all the best as he continues his career.” Pritzlaff will be named associate head coach of the Badger wrestling program, beginning Sept. 1. Pritzlaff, a two-time NCAA champion and three-time Big Ten champion while wrestling under Davis at Wisconsin, begins his fourth season on the Badger coaching staff. He works with UW’s middle-weight wrestlers and helped Andrew Howe reach the NCAA finals in his freshman season. After college, Pritzlaff served as a volunteer assistant coach with the Badgers before moving on to work as an assistant at Hofstra for three years. The Lyndhurst, N.J., native concluded his competitive wrestling career last summer when he trained for the 2008 Olympic Team Trials. Prtizlaff currently lives in Madison with his wife Robin and daughter Adalena. “Donny has been a great addition to our coaching staff and we’re excited about the future with him as associate head coach,” Davis said. “He was a very hard-working wrestler and he has used those skills to develop into a great coach. Our program is heading in the right direction and I am fully confident Donny will do everything he can to help continue the success of Wisconsin wrestling.”

GAFFNEY, S.C. -- Limestone College Director of Athletics Mike Cerino has announced that Trent Goodale has been named the Head Coach for the Saints wrestling program. Goodale served as the Interim Head Coach for Limestone during the 2008-09 season. “I am very excited about the opportunity to continue to build the wrestling program at Limestone College,” said Goodale. “There is a lot of work yet to be done for this program to be where I want it to be. I very much believe in this program and this school. I look forward to what is yet to come.” Goodale was named Interim Head Coach in the fall of 2008 after former coach Ben Stehura accepted the head coaching job at Cleveland State University The Limestone wrestling program continued to be successful under Goodale’s direction in 2008-09. The team was nationally-ranked for several weeks, and sent two wrestlers to the NCAA Division II National Tournament. Goodale also coached Joby Shreckhise to an All-American finish at nationals. Goodale first joined the Saints’ staff as an assistant coach in 2006. A native of Osage, Iowa, he attended the University of Iowa where he earned a bachelor of arts in communication studies. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes and was a 2004 NCAA Division I national qualifier. He was also a two-time Fila Junior All-American in freestyle. Goodale’s prior coaching experience includes volunteering as an assistant coach during college with the Iowa City West High School and working several University of Iowa Athletic Camps.

MITCHELL, S.D. -- Dakota Wesleyan University athletic director Curt Hart announced Tuesday afternoon that he has hired former Tiger wrestler and assistant coach Matt Sedivy to be the 10th head wrestling coach in school history. Sedivy, a 2006 graduate of Dakota Wesleyan, emerged as the favorite from an excellent pool of candidates thanks to his passion for coaching, his knowledge of the sport and his ties to the school, the community and South Dakota wrestling. Hart said he is excited for Sedivy to pick up where former coach Josh Hardman left off. Matt Sedivy“We’re extremely excited to announce Matt as the new DWU head wrestling coach,” Hart said Tuesday. “We felt very fortunate that a number of outstanding, qualified individuals were interested in the job, and it was great for us that one of our alumni emerged as our top candidate. Matt’s passion and enthusiasm for Dakota Wesleyan will make him a great fit here, and we think he’ll be able to take our wrestling program where we want it to go.” In addition to his experience as a wrestler and a student assistant coach at Dakota Wesleyan, Sedivy also spent two years as a graduate assistant coach under Jason Liles at South Dakota State University in Brookings, S.D., where he gained valuable experience coaching, recruiting South Dakota and the surrounding area and learning how to run a program. Sedivy coached SDSU’s first NCAA Division 1 National Qualifier in addition to three NAIA All-Americans during his time at DWU. Most recently, Sedivy was an assistant wrestling coach at Grand Island Senior High School in Grand Island, Neb., under former DWU head wrestling coach Mike Schadwinkel. Sedivy coached Grand Island to the 2009 “Class A” State Championship. His squad also had seven individual state finalists, four individual state champions and it set state records for scoring and pins at the state tournament. Sedivy received a Bachelor of Arts from Dakota Wesleyan in 2006 in Physical Education with a minor in coaching. He received a Master’s of Science from South Dakota State in 2008 in Health, Physical Education and Recreation with a specialization in Sports Pedagogy. He was a member of the dean’s list and a recipient of Cum Laude honors and the Physical Education Alumni Medal. Sedivy’s background also includes a mission trip to Peru in the summer of 2005. The search for a new head wrestling coach began immediately after Hardman resigned in mid-April to become the head wrestling coach at the NCAA Division II University of Indianapolis. In four years at DWU, Hardman led the Tigers to a 15-35-1 dual record, and he coached three NAIA All-Americans, 24 National Qualifiers and seven All-GPAC wrestlers. Sedivy, who spent one year as a student assistant under Hardman, will officially start at Dakota Wesleyan on June 15, but he will be on-campus, along with Hardman, to conduct the Tiger Youth Wrestling Camp for grades K-7 on June 4-5 at the Christen Family Recreation Wellness Center on the DWU campus. Sedivy inherits a talented team that features numerous returning upperclassmen, including one returning All-American, two returning All-GPAC selections and seven returning NAIA National Qualifiers.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. -- Rutgers wrestling head coach Scott Goodale announced the signing of three scholastic standouts – Dan Seidenberg (Raritan, N.J.), Sam Kuntz (Peachtree City, Ga.) and Cullen Isenberg (Stewartsville, N.J.) – during the spring signing period. “We are excited that we are bringing in a class that has great potential to be successful at this level,” said Goodale. “The one thing that sticks out the most is the fact there is tremendous upside with all of the wrestlers we are bringing in. I think we did a good job of going out-of-state and solidifying our line-up and roster with guys who want to be All-Americans and National Champions.” Seidenberg was a three-time New Jersey state qualifier out of Raritan High School. He was a two-time runner-up in the state tournament and placed third as a senior this past winter at 171 pounds. He joins his brother, Dave, who will be a sophomore with the Scarlet Knights next season. Kuntz, a product of Peachtree Ridge High School in Georgia, took home the 2009 Georgia State title and captured sixth place at the NHSCA High School Nationals at 189 pounds this past winter. He finished his final season with a 42-2 record. Isenberg was a four-time National Prep place winner, finishing fifth as a freshman, third as a sophomore, second as a junior and fourth as a senior, at 135 pounds out of Wyoming Seminary High School in New Jersey. Scholastic standouts Alex Abramat (Cypress Bay, Fla.), Evan Brewer (Hunterdon, N.J.) and Luke Rigoglioso (Wayne, N.J.) also committed to the Scarlet Knights and will enroll at the University this fall. Abramat, who posted a 41-3 record as a senior at Cypress Bay High School, was a four-time district winner, three-time regional champion and two-time county title holder. He was a runner-up at the Florida State championships this past winter. A product of Hunterdon Central High School, Brewer was an honorable mention All-Skyland Conference selection who won the District 17 title and advanced to the New Jersey state regionals at 135 pounds his senior season. Rigoglioso was a four-time District Four champion, two-time Region One title holder and two-time New Jersey state qualifier out of Wayne Valley High School. His brother, Matt, will be a senior with the Scarlet Knights next season. The latest additions to the program join Vinnie DelleFave (Toms River, N.J.), Carl Buchholz (Malvern, Pa.) and Alex Pagnotta (Woodbine, Md.), who signed with the program last fall. Rutgers is coming off a school record-breaking 20-win season in dual competition and enters the 2009-10 campaign with a strong cast of veterans returning, including two of its three 2008-09 National qualifiers in Scott Winston (Jackson, N.J.) and D.J. Russo (Netcong, N.J.).

Barry Davis

Joel Greenlee

Dan Hicks

1952 Olympic champion Bill Smith and two-time All-American Moza Fay will be radio show guests Wednesday night. Council Bluffs, Iowa, native Bill Smith was a two-time NCAA champion for Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa), winning titles at 165 pounds in 1949 and 1950. He also won the national AAU championship three times. Smith went on to win Olympic gold at 160.5 pounds in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. He coached for many years at the high school, college and international levels. Smith is one of the only Americans who can claim a victory over the legendary Dan Hodge. Smith, along with the late Glen Brand, a 1948 Olympic champion, will be honored this weekend at the World Team Trials in Council Bluffs. Moza Fay recently was awarded the wildcard selection in the 163 pound freestyle division to compete this weekend at the World Team Trials. Fay placed second to Mike Poeta of Illinois at the Northern Plains Regional tournament in Waterloo, IA, on May 16. Fay was Anamosa High School's (IA) first state champion, where he won titles as a junior and senior. He won 130 matches as a UNI Panther and placed fifth and sixth in the last two NCAA tournaments at 165 pounds. “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.

Some people just seem to have the natural gifts to excel at one thing or another. Be it in athletics, music, art or any aspect of life, some people just seem to be born to do an activity. Often those talents are not given a chance to grow. There are many reasons why the person doesn’t meet his or her full potential. It could be because of a lack of desire by the individual, lack of proper support, subpar instruction, or a host of other potential issues. When everything comes together the results can lead to great things. Early in his wrestling career, Eric Morris has had everything come together. He is the No. 1-ranked junior high wrestler in the nation by InterMat and could just be born to wrestle. Eric Morris, who has won 13 national titles, is InterMat's No. 1-ranked junior high school wrestler in the U.S.Morris got a late start in wrestling. His dad, Mark Morris, wrestled a little bit in junior high, but the Morris' didn’t start out as a wrestling family. Even though Mark didn’t have a long wrestling career, he never lost his love for the sport. He would wrestle around with his two sons when they were young, but early on it didn’t go any further. When Eric was 7, the family was eating in a restaurant and there were some wrestling pictures on the wall. The Morris’ started talking about wrestling and possibly trying it through the school’s program. “I really loved it from the start,” said Eric Morris. “I was just starting out so I was learning things and I caught on pretty fast. I started to get better and go to more practices. I liked it from the start. I like that it is individual. I like the intensity and I like that you can’t really say it is boring.” To say he caught on quickly would be an understatement. It had been five months since Eric stepped on a mat and he had qualified for the Eastern Nationals and took third. Morris had a feeling he had a chance to do something special in the sport leading up to his third-place finish. “I would practice and one of my coaches or my dad would walk up to me and say, 'Do you know what you just did?' I would say, 'No, I was just going with what I thought would work.' They would tell me, 'Well, that was a fireman’s carry' or something like that. I realized I could pick it up on my own and it was something that came naturally.” Since that third-place finish, Morris has dominated his competition. He has won 13 national championships, four Pennsylvania championships, and four Ohio championships. Coming into 2009, Morris had won over 500 matches while losing only 47 … and the wins and championships have only increased that total this year. Eric’s dad started to notice things when he was very young. “Since he was a little kid, even before he started wrestling, he’s always had almost unnatural strength,” said Mark Morris. “Most people who wrestle him say he’s freakishly strong. He works out and wrestles with some Division III college guys and beats starting 133-pounders. Their comment will be about how strong he is.” “He is mentally strong and he has an extremely high pain tolerance,” continued Mark Morris. “Sometimes when we are wrestling or just messing around he gets in some positions where I can tell, if I kept going I could hurt him before he would tell me.” Coming into 2009, Morris had won over 500 matches while losing only 47 ... and the wins and championships have only increased that total this yearBoth Eric and his dad feel his natural strength is one of his biggest strengths, but both also point to the mental side of wrestling as something that Eric has over his opponents. “He is very calm,” said his father. “He doesn’t get flustered on the mat. It doesn’t matter what is going on, he’s always believed he was going to win. He doesn’t care if he is wrestling Rick Bonomo during practice, who is in the NCAA Hall of Fame, he will get frustrated when Bonomo takes him down. He just believes he should win.” “With the people I work with, I have so many different styles,” said Eric. “All the coaches I work with have different styles. That helps a lot because from wrestling with them, I know how to defend that type of wrestling.” Early on, Mark was able to take over management of a wrestling Web site called Pennsylvania Youth Wrestling that has put the family in touch with many East Coast wrestling insiders. Through them Eric and his brother have been able to train in some of the best organizations available. Some of the guys he trains with include, Bonomo, Brian Morrow of Central PA Stars, Adam Smith from Penn State and former Penn State NCAA champion and Olympian Sanshiro Abe. Depending on how close to a tournament he is, Morris might hit four of five practices in a week with all the different organizations and coaches he works with. The workload is something the Morris family deals with on a nearly daily basis. The delicate balance between working enough to keep Eric at the top of his game while remembering he is an eighth grade kid, has been difficult at times, but Mark Morris thinks by keeping communication between all parties open, they have found a good balance. “That is something we always talk out as a family,” said Mark. “We always talked about what his schedule should be and we always talk about what his goals are. I would tell him I was here to help him reach his goals and sometimes I was going to have to tell him some things he didn’t want to hear. I would have to push him to do things beyond what he wanted to do at times. He would tell me when he needed to take a step back.” Eric’s mom often played an important role in mediating between the two. Eric Morris has aspirations of wrestling in Division I and also competing on the U.S. Olympic team“It really helped to have my wife involved to be able to talk to me and say 'I think right now you need to listen to him’ or 'He just needs to get out there and do it.’ So having her perspective really helped reach that balance.” Father and son don’t always agree, but because they are able to communicate effectively, it has made the balancing act easier for all involved. They both work through the amount of training Mark feels Eric needs in order for Eric to compete in the tournaments Eric wants to compete in. As the Morris’ travel to different tournaments this summer, including Greco, freestyle and folksyle. Eric’s short term goals are to obviously win as many matches as he can, but his long term goals are much more ambitious. Morris credits his coaches, his dad and his older brother Adam (who wrestles on his high school team) as people who have made his success possible. In order to reach his long-term goals, he will need to continue to rely on that support system. He wants to wrestle at the Division I level after high school and wants to compete on the U.S. Olympic team if not in the upcoming Games, but for sure in 2016. Those are big time goals for a junior in high school, not to mention someone in junior high, but Morris might just be the guy to do it. He has all the pieces in place: talent, drive, support system and coaching. It is a perfect situation for a wrestler who seems to be born to do it.

Clackamas Community College’s 285-pound national champion added another title to his growing list of championships. The Portland, Oregon native and Peninsula Club Wrestler has completed a best 2 out of 3 match to represent the United States at the FILA Junior World Team Championships at 211.5 pounds. Fortune beat Kazden Ikehara of the Falcon Wrestling Club 6-0, fall 0:32 in the 1st match and fall 0:12 in the 2nd match. Tyrell has been dominant this year at the collegiate level as well as the Freestyle and Greco level. In April Fortune qualified for the FILA Junior World Team Trials by winning the FILA Junior Greco Title in Las Vegas, NV. “Tyrell is a very special talent and is working very hard to accomplish his goals,” said head coach Josh Rhoden. “Clackamas is very proud to have a young man like Tyrell representing us,” he concluded.

Badger wrestler Andrew Howe finished first at the 2009 FILA Junior World Team Trials Saturday afternoon in Colorado Springs. The Cedar Lake, Ind., native captured the 74 kg/163 lbs. freestyle division and he will be joining fellow sophomore-to-be Travis Rutt on the U.S. FILA Junior World Team. Rutt placed first in the 84 kg/185 lbs. Greco-Roman division Friday and by winning their weight classes, Howe and Rutt earned the opportunity to compete at the FILA Junior World Championships in Ankara, Turkey from Aug. 4-9. Redshirt freshman Tyler Graff also wrestled in the freestyle competition but was unable to qualify for his third-straight Junior World Team. Graff placed second in the 60 kg/132.25 lbs. division. Howe received the No. 1 seed for his weight class and did not have to wrestle in the eight-person challenge tournament. Howe met Alex Meade in the best-of-three finals series and won the first two rounds to win the weight class. Howe dropped his first period in round one, 2-0 but bounced back with close 2-1 and 1-0 victories in the second and third periods, respectively. The Badger grappler then shutout Meade, who wrestles for Oklahoma State, 2-0, 1-0 in round two to qualify for his first Junior World Team. Graff earned a spot in the finals after winning the eight-person challenge tournament. He won three-straight bouts in the challenge tournament and only had one point scored on him. He opened up with a second period pin over Kade Moss, advanced with a 7-0, 3-0 decision against Nick Dardanes and then knocked off Anthony Valles, 4-1, 1-0 in the finals of the challenge tournament. Graff then met Jordan Oliver, who also wrestles for Oklahoma State, in the finals. Oliver won round one by a 2-0, 1-0 score and then secured the victory with a 2-0, 2-0 decision in round two. Graff was unable to qualify for the U.S. FILA Junior World Team this year but he was a two-time Junior World Team member in 2007 and 2008. Complete brackets and other information from the 2009 FILA Junior World Team Trials can be found on TheMat.com.

Jordan OliverOklahoma State freshman wrestler Jordan Oliver and incoming signee Chris Perry earned spots on Team USA for the FILA Junior World Championships after winning the finals of their respective weight classes at the junior world team trials held in Colorado Springs this weekend. Oliver punched his ticket onto the junior world team by claiming a 2-0, 1-0 victory over Wisconsin's Tyler Graff in the first match of their best-of-three series, then a 2-0, 2-0 win to seal his spot on the roster at 60 kilograms. Perry won his best-of-three series with Boise State's Kirk Smith by injury default. Smith sustained his injury in the third period of their first match and was unable to continue, making Perry the 84-kilogram champion. Fellow Cowboy freshman Alex Meade was also a finalist for a spot on the junior world team at 74 kilograms, but lost an 0-2, 2-1, 1-0 decision to 2009 NCAA runner-up Andrew Howe of Wisconsin in the first match of his best-of-three series and a 2-0, 1-0 decision in the second and decisive match. Oliver, Perry and Meade all earned berths into the finals at their respective weight classes when they won at the FILA Junior National Championships this past April. The FILA Junior World Championships are set for August 4-9 in Ankara, Turkey and Team USA will be coached by Oklahoma State assistant Eric Guerrero. FILA junior athletes are from 17-20 years old.

Steve Martin

Matt Cathell

Shore Thing White, a club team from New Jersey, took home the high school team title at the 10th annual NHSCA Duals this past weekend in Salisbury, Maryland. The squad was dominant in their four championship bracket matches on Monday, winning 37-9 over All Business in the round of 16, 43-9 over Virginia Thunder in the quarterfinals, 34-30 over SEPA Blue (a match in which they forfeited the last four dual matches after opening up a 34-6 lead), and then a 47-12 victory in the final over Young Guns Black. The team dominated its preliminary pool with victories by scores of 72-0, 64-0, and 52-3. Four wrestlers on Shore Thing White have twice appeared in the finals of the single-class New Jersey state tournament: Taylor Walsh (140/145), Steve Santos (152), Mac Mancuso (189), and Jimmy Lawson (285); while a pair of wrestlers, Jordan Beverly (135) and Joe McAuley (145), were runners-up this past year in the Garden State. High School division runners-up Young Guns Black steamrolled through its three preliminary pool matches with scores of 70-3, 73-3, and 74-0. In the round of 16 dual meet, they advanced with a 33-19 defeat of Wrecking Crew Red. However, the next two matches went right down to the wire. In the quarterfinals, an 8-6 decision by John Rizzo at 285 pounds (over Tyler Cowman) gave the squad its eighth win of the dual meet enabling it to sneak by Diesel 26-25. Key to Diesel's ability to keep it close was two wins by fall, including one by Marshall Peppelman at 152 pounds against Brandon Zeerip in a battle of state champions. The semifinal bout against Wayne Danger was split at seven matches apiece, all decisions, to make the score 21-21; it came down to criteria and Young Guns Black won. Key to this victory was a 4-1 record by Young Guns Black in one-point matches. This included a 2-1 tiebreak victory for Nico Megaludis over Mason Beckman at 119 pounds, a 2-1 victory for Travis Shaffer over Jordan Moss at 140 pounds, and a 1-0 victory for Nate Gaffney over Spencer Myers at 215 pounds in a state championship bout rematch. Wayne Danger went on to finish third place with a 37-15 victory over SEPA Blue in the consolation match. Renegade Force won the Middle School division with a 36-24 victory over SV River Boyz. Central PA defeated Illinois Outsiders, 32-25, for the title in the Elementary School division.

Zeke Jones

Badger wrestler Travis Rutt is going to Anaka, Turkey. Rutt, a sophomore-to-be, won the 84 kg/185 lbs. Greco-Roman competition at the FILA Junior World Team Trials Friday in Colorado Springs. With his first-place finish, Rutt secured a spot on the U.S. FILA Junior World Team, which will compete at the World Championships in Anaka, Turkey from Aug. 4-9. Rutt secured his spot in the finals by winning three straight bouts in the challenge bracket and out-scoring his opponents 17-0. The New Prague, Minn., native opened up with a 1-0, 3-0 decision over Clete Hanson and then continued with the same 1-0, 3-0 score over Brent Haynes. To earn a spot in the finals, Rutt defeated Mark Stenberg 7-0, 2-0. In the finals, Rutt faced the No. 1 seed, Rabert Barbour in a best-of-three series. The No. 1 seed for each weight class did not have to wrestle in the challenge bracket and was automatically entered into the finals. Rutt and Barbour wrestled a tight match in the first round with Barbour winning the first period 0-2. Rutt then stormed back to win the second period 2-0 and capped off the victory with a 1-0 score in the third period. Rutt was then declared the winner after an injury forfeit by Barbour. “As the tournament went on, I started wrestling better and better,” Rutt said. “It’s a great feeling to make the team. It was definitely a goal of mine to make the team this year since I didn’t make it last year.” Incoming Badger freshman Kalvin York also competed in the Greco-Roman tournament and he finished third out of seven wrestlers at 66 kg/145.5 lbs. He dropped his first match, 4-0, 4-10, 7-0 against Tanner Andrews but bounced back to win two bouts for third place. He defeated Alex Fleming 2-0, 6-0 before winning by a pin in the finals. He matched up against Robert Gulla and won the first period 4-3 but Gulla came back to win the second, 1-3. York sealed the victory with a pin in 1:48 during the third period. Fellow Badgers Andrew Howe and Tyler Graff will wrestle tomorrow in hopes of joining Rutt on the FILA Junior World Team. Howe (74 kg/163 lbs.) and Graff (60 kg/132.25 lbs.) are wrestling in the freestyle competition which takes place Saturday at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs. Howe has the No. 1 seed so he does not have to wrestle in the challenge tournament. Graff, who is already a two-time member of the FILA Junior World Team, will compete in the challenge tournament. Be sure to log onto UWBadgers.com tomorrow for results from the freestyle competition.

Wheaton, Ill. -- Wheaton College Athletic Director Dr. Tony Ladd has announced the hiring of Jim Gruenwald as the head wrestling coach for the Thunder wrestling team. He replaces Dan Weber, who served the program as its head coach for one season. Jim GruenwaldGruenwald, a two-time member of the US Olympic Greco Roman wrestling team, comes to Wheaton after serving as an assistant coach for US Greco Roman wrestling team at the US Olympic Education Center in Marquette, Michigan since 2005. Gruenwald finished sixth at 60 kg in the greco roman competition at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney and was 10th at the 2004 Olympics in Athens. A three-time US Champion, Gruenwald completed his competitive career in 2008 as a National Champion, he also won titles in 2003 and 2004. Ladd says of Gruenwald, “Jim Gruenwald brings a level of expertise and experience to Wheaton that will help our wrestlers achieve a high level of competitive success. His ability to recruit and passion for collegiate wrestling will help the program reach its highest potential.” Ladd adds, “A proven winner on the mat, Jim brings a wealth of coaching experience at all levels that will enable him to be successful at Wheaton.” Gruenwald is a 1994 graduate of Maranatha Baptist Bible College, earning a Bachelor’s Degree in Secondary Math Education in 1994. He compiled a four-year record of 154-19 on the mat in his career at Maranatha. Gruenwald was a three-time National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) National Champion, earning MVP honors in 1989 and 1991. A former Wheaton Invitational Champion, Gruenwald is a member of Northwestern University’s Midlands Invitational Tournament 20-Win Club, with 22 career victories at the prestigious tournament. Jim and his wife Rachel have four children: son Adin and three daughters, Arwyn, Ava and Autumn.