InterMat Staff

WATERLOO -- The flood of the century has severely damaged the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum but the staff has decided to go ahead with "Super Weekend" scheduled for June 27-28, with a few modifications. The weekend begins with a celebrity golf tournament Friday at Irv Warren Golf Course at noon. A World League Wrestling show, produced by Harley Race, will go on as scheduled. Called "Night of the Legends 2" it will be held at Young Arena, starting at 7 p.m. (doors open at 6 p.m.). The flood of the century has severely damaged the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum but the staff has decided to go ahead with "Super Weekend"Saturday's schedule includes the only major change. The official inductions into the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame will still go on at 11 a.m., but will be held in Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center two blocks away from the museum. The event had been set for the museum, but the severe flooding has virtually ruined the museum. The fourth and final event is the inductions banquet at the Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center at 7 p.m. (social hour at 6 p.m.). "Even though the museum suffered unimaginable damage, the staff and board of directors felt it was imperative that we go ahead with "Super Weekend," said Mike Chapman, executive director of the museum. "This is our biggest fundraiser of the year and we hope the wrestling community from around the nation will rally to support us. The museum needs all the help it can get." A combination of flooding and sewer back up into the museum has destroyed thousands of dollars of artifacts and memorabilia, and left the physical plant ravaged. A professional clean up crew has been working in the museum for five days, tearing out carpet, polluted walls, battered furniture and office equipment, and some displays. The museum board of directors is resolved to get the museum up and running again, but it is going to take considerable time, effort, patience, and money," said Chapman. "The staff has been working virtually around the clock to clean up the mess and still prepare for "Super Weekend." The six inductees this year are Roddy Piper, Abe Jacobs, Masa Saito, Leo Nomellini, Ray Gunkel, and Stu Hart. Piper, Jacobs, and Saito are attending and Bret Hart, Class of 2006, is accepting his father's award. The daughter of Ray Gunkel is also planning to attend. In addition, Wendi Weaver, the daughter of Penny Banner, will accept the Frank Gotch Award on behalf of her mother who passed away last month. Also being honored are Father Jason Sanderson, with the Lou Thesz Award and writers Greg Oliver and Steven Johnson with the Jim Melby Award. Fans will be able to get autographs of many former hall of famers at the Friday night matches, and also at the Fan Festival following the inductions at 11 a.m. Saturday. Price of admission for the 11 a.m. inductions is $10 per person. Banquet tickets are $60 a person and seating is limited. Banquet tickets must be purchased at 5 p.m. June 24. Tickets to the "Night of Legends II" show are $15 for ringside and $10 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased at Young Arena. The museum lobby will be open Friday, June 27 from noon to 6 p.m. for the pick up of tickets that have already been purchased or for information on the weekend's events. The museum is located at 303 Jefferson St. The phone service for the museum is expected to be up and running soon. The number to call is 319-233-0745. Schedule of Events: Friday, June 27 Noon – Celebrity Golf tournament at Irv Warren Golf Course, Byrnes Park 6 p.m. – Doors open for the World League Wrestling Show at Young Arena Saturday, June 28 10 a.m. – Doors open to Five Sullivan Brothers Convention Center for 2008 George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame induction ceremony 11 a.m. – Official induction ceremony begins Noon – 2 p.m. – Fan Fest following inductions 6 p.m. – Social hour for official induction banquet 7 p.m. – Banquet begins

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Former Oklahoma State wrestlers Daniel Cormier and Steve Mocco will represent the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after both Cowboys won their respective weight classes at the Olympic Trials in the Thomas and Mack Center Sunday. Cormier is set to compete in his second straight Olympic games after he won his best-of-three championship series over Damion Hahn. Cormier claimed a 6-1, 6-0 win over Hahn in the first match of the best-of-three finals series, then followed it up with a 1-0, 1-0 win over Hahn to punch his ticket to Beijing. Cormier, the 2008 winner of the John Smith Award as the top American freestyle wrestler, won the bronze medal at the 2007 World Championship. He placed fourth at the 2004 Athens Olympics and is now a five-time member of the United States freestyle world team. He did not have to wrestle through the challenge tournament to get to the finals as a result of his past successes. Mocco stormed through the challenge tournament with a first-round bye and followed it up with a 1-0, 1-0 win over Les Sigman to set up his resounding 2-0, 7-0 semifinal win over Scott Steele. Mocco faced previous nemesis Tommy Rowlands in the best two-of-three championship series and handed him a 1-0, 2-0 beating to land a spot on the U.S. Olympic roster. The victory was particularly sweet for Mocco, who lost to Rowlands at the U.S. Nationals in April. By beating Rowlands Sunday, Mocco made the U.S. World Team for the first time in his career after posting runner-up finishes in 2005, 2006 and 2007. He was also the runner-up at the U.S. Nationals in 2004, 2005, 2006 and 2008. In addition to the victorious Cormier and Mocco, two other former Cowboy wrestlers competed in the Olympic Trials finals, with Tyrone Lewis and Mo Lawal both falling short in their Olympic bids. Lewis lost his best-of-three finals match to Ben Askren by dropping the first match, 2-0, 1-0 and the second match by a 2-6, 2-0, 1-0 score. Lewis' route to the finals started with a first-round bye followed by a 1-1, 1-0, 1-0 win over Keith Gavin in the second round. Lewis' 0-2, 3-0, 7-0 pounding of Ryan Churella put him into the final round, where Askren held him off. A late takedown with only 17 seconds left in his championship match with Andy Hrovat ended up costing Lawal, who lost a 0-1, 1-0, 2-2 decision. Like Cormier, Lawal earned a spot in the championship series by virtue of his past performances. He did not wrestle in the challenge tournament. Not including Cormier and Mocco in 2008, a total of 32 former Oklahoma State Cowboys have wrestled in 38 Olympic Games and Cormier is set to join John Smith, Kendall Cross, Kenny Monday, Gene Davis, Harry Geris and Yojiro Uetake as former Cowboys to wrestle at more than one Olympic games.

LAS VEGAS, Nev. -- Competing at 74 kg, Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) became the first Missouri graduate to qualify for the Olympics in the sport of wrestling, doing so with a back-to-back wins by decision over former Oklahoma State grappler Tyrone Lewis at the Thomas & Mack Center on the University of Nevada campus. Askren is only the second Missouri wrestler to qualify for the Olympics and first since 1991 All-American Sam Henson captured a silver medal at the 2000 Olympics in the 54 kg weight class. One of seven freestyle wrestlers that will represent Team USA in Beijing, China, Askren went 3-0 at the all-day tournament. Seeded No. 1 in his weight class, Askren, wrestling for Sunkist Kids, held off No. 9 seed Donny Pritzlaff of the New York Athletic Club, by decision, 3-0 and 1-1. Advancing in the championship bracket, Askren topped No. 5 seed Ramico Blackmon, also of the New York Athletic Club, 1-0 and 2-1. The final match paired Askren with second-seeded Lewis. In a best-of-three series, Askren won the first two bouts of round one, 2-0 and 1-0 to record the win. Competing in round No. 2, Askren lost the first bout 6-2, but rattled off a 2-0 and 1-0 win to earn his first Olympic bid. The 2008 Olympics will begin August 8, 2008. Freestyle wrestling will begin Saturday, August 16. Askren became Missouri's first National Champion after capturing the 174 pound title as a junior in 2006. The Tiger grappler repeated the feat as a senior in 2007. 2008 All-American Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.) made his first Olympic Trials appearance and wrestled at 96 kg. Askren went 0-2 as the No. 5 seed. Sitting out the first round with a bye, Askren met at center circle with Damion Hahn (New York Athletic Club) and fell to the consolation bracket after dropping a 1-0, 5-2 match. Askren's second match of the day paired him with Nik Fekete of New York Athletic Club. Askren won the opening bout, 1-0, but lost the final two bouts, 1-1 and 1-1.

Ben Askren said before the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials that come June 15 people are either going to be convinced or delusional. On Sunday night at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, Askren more than convinced the crowd at the Thomas & Mack Center that he is not only the No. 1 man in the United States, but also one of the best hopes for a medal in Beijing. The confident Askren, who picked up his first U.S. Nationals title in April, won two matches to zero over Tyrone Lewis to make his first U.S. Olympic Team at 74 kg. Andy Hrovat, Daniel Cormier, and Steve Mocco also won titles on Sunday night to earn berths on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team. Hrovat, who was a member of the 2006 U.S. World Team, defeated Mo Lawal two matches to one to make his first U.S. Olympic Team at 84 kg. Hrovat avenged his U.S. Nationals finals loss to Lawal by picking up a two-point exposure with seven seconds left in the final period of the final match. Cormier made his second U.S. Olympic Frestyle Team by completely dominating Damion Hahn in consecutive matches. Cormier, who has not lost to a U.S. wrestler at 84 kg since the 2005 U.S. Olympic Team Trials, gave up the first takedown of the first match against Hahn, but then rolled to easy victories the rest of the way without surrendering another point. Mocco toppled arch-rival Tommy Rowlands in hard-fought three-match series to make his first U.S. Olympic Team at 120 kg. In Greco-Roman, Adam Wheeler scored an upset victory over 2005 World bronze medalist Justin Ruiz to make the 2008 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team at 96 kg. Dremiel Byers, who won a World title in 2002, made his first U.S. Olympic Team at 120 kg by defeating Army teammate Timothy Taylor in three matches. The total attendance for the three-day event was 22,642. Final Brackets Day 1 Recap Day 2 Recap Rev Audio Freestyle: Henry Cejudo (55 kg) Mike Zadick (60 kg) Doug Schwab (66 kg) Ben Askren (74 kg) Andy Hrovat (84 kg) Daniel Cormier (96 kg) Steve Mocco (120 kg) Greco-Roman: Spenser Mango (55 kg) Joe Betterman (60 kg) Jake Deitchler (66 kg) TC Dantzler (74 kg) Brad Vering (84 kg) Adam Wheeler (96 kg) Dremiel Byers (120 kg) Women's Freestyle: Clarissa Chun (48 kg) Marcie VanDusen (55 kg) Randi Miller (63 kg) Ali Bernard(72 kg)

On Saturday night at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Las Vegas, Nevada, Jake Deitchler, a native of Ramsey, Minnesota (Anoka High School), accomplished something that has not been done since 1976: Make the U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Wrestling Team immediately after his senior year of high school. On Saturday afternoon, the 18-year-old Dietchler, who attended the same high school as 1996 Greco-Roman Olympic silver medalist Brandon Paulson, pulled the biggest upset of the tournament by beating two-time World bronze medalist Harry Lester in the Greco-Roman semifinals at 66 kg. On Saturday night, Deitchler capped off his amazing run by beating Faruk Sahin in two consecutive matches. Deitchler was one of three Greco-Roman champions crowned on Saturday night. Also joining Dietchler on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team will be a pair of U.S. World Team veterans in T.C. Dantzler and Brad Vering. Dantzler, who was fifth at the 2006 World Championships, received an automatic berth in the championship finals after winning the 2008 U.S. Nationals. The 37-year-old Dantzler defeated rising star Cheney Haight in the finals in two consecutive matches at 74 kg. Vering, a returning World silver medalist, bounced back from his upset loss at the 2008 U.S. Nationals to dominate Aaron Sieracki in two consecutive matches. In freestyle, three returning U.S. World Team members won titles on Saturday night: Henry Cejudo, Mike Zadick, and Doug Schwab. Cejudo stopped 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the 55-kg finals, winning in three matches. Cejudo, who was upset by Matt Azevedo in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals, looked very impressive throughout the tournament. Zadick, a 2006 World silver medalist, defeated Shawn Bunch two matches to one. However, even though Zadick won the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials, he is not guaranteed a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team, since the the U.S. has not qualified that weight class for the Olympics Games. There is still a chance, though, that Zadick could earn a wild card and compete in Beijing. Seven wild cards will be handed out among the 18 total weight classes in freestyle, Greco-Roman, and women's freestyle. In a battle of former Iowa Hawkeyes, Schwab defeated 2006 World champion Bill Zadick two matches to one to make his first U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team. Brackets Day 1 Recap Rev Audio Greco-Roman: Jake Deitchler (66 kg) TC Dantzler (74 kg) Brad Vering (84 kg) Freestyle: Henry Cejudo (55 kg) Mike Zadick (60 kg) Doug Schwab (66 kg)

What has been labeled the worst flooding in nearly 50 years in Waterloo, Iowa, has caused considerable damage to the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute & Museum. The museum moved to Waterloo from Newton, Iowa, in January 2007. "We have a beautiful facility that gives visitors an incredible visual tour of the history of wrestling," said museum executive director Mike Chapman. The facility was dealt a devastating blow on June 9 and 10 by what some are calling the worst flood in half a century. "We have lost invaluable artifacts, most of our inventory from our gift shop, and a multitude of books, magazines and articles from the library. It is heart breaking to witness it. The museum staff and board of directors is more determined than ever to clean up the facility, restore it to its former beautiful state and continue to market and promote Mankind's Oldest Sport." Chapman elaborated. At a press conference at Waterloo City Hall on June 11, Mayor Tim Hurley discussed the horrific impact of the flood. He declared portions of downtown, including the Gable Museum, off limits to all but emergency personnel and declared a state of emergency in the area. "The Gable Museum has been a tremendous addition to the city and I would encourage all citizens to help get it back on its feet," Hurley stated. Chapman was interviewed by the Associated Press and by area radio stations and media outlets. "One of the values wrestling teaches is how to get off your back and back on your feet," said Chapman. "That is exactly the philosophy of the Gable museum at this point." The museum's biggest weekend of the year is planned for June 27 and 28. Those events include a celebrity golf tournament, pro wrestling show, as well as the pro hall of fame inductions and banquet. The museum plans to have these events on these dates, however, this will be determined as soon as all the damage has been assessed. Anyone wishing to get involved with donations and clean up efforts should contact Kent Sesker or Kyle Klingman. The museum mailing address is DGIWIM, 303 Jefferson St., Waterloo, Iowa, 5070. Please direct e-mail efforts going forward to iowawrestlingzone@yahoo.com or kyle.klingman@yahoo.com. You can also reach Kent Sesker at 319-533-1445 and Kyle Klingman at 319-504-4438.

Day 1 at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials at the Thomas Mack Center in Las Vegas on Friday saw one Greco-Roman wrestler, Spenser Mango (55 kg), and four women freestyle wrestlers, Clarissa Chunn (48 kg), Marcie Van Dusen (55 kg), Randi Miller (63 kg), and Ali Bernard (72 kg) punch their tickets to the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. One other 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials Greco-Roman champion was crowned on Friday, Joe Betterman (60 kg), but he did not receive a berth in the 2008 Olympic Games because the U.S. did not qualify that weight class. Brackets Rev Audio Greco-Roman: Spenser Mango (55 kg) Joe Betterman (60 kg) Women's Freestyle: Clarissa Chun (48 kg) Marcie Van Dusen (55 kg) Randi Miller (63 kg) Ali Bernard (72 kg)

Columbia, Mo. – Missouri's two-time National Champion Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) was awarded the No. 1 seed in the 74 kg freestyle weight class in preparation for the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Team Trials, June 13-15, in Las Vegas, Nev. Joining Askren in the freestyle competition are former Missouri wrestler Matt Pell (Luxemburg, Wis.), seeded sixth in the 84 kg weight class, and current Tiger grappler Maxwell Askren (Hartland, Wis.), seeded fifth in the 96 kg bracket. The trio will compete for a coveted spot on the Olympic team, Sunday, June 15, in the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the University of Nevada. Wrestling will begin at Noon (CT) with NBCOlympics.com providing a live webcast of the championship finals beginning at 7 p.m. (CT). A two-hour tape delayed broadcast of the event will air Sunday, June 22, at 11 a.m. (CT) on MSNBC. Askren, a four-time All-American who claimed the 174 pound NCAA Division I Wrestling title his junior (2006) and senior (2007) seasons enters the all-day tournament after taking top honors at the U.S. Nationals, April 26. Askren earned the title after besting Tyrone Lewis (Gator Wrestling Club), 3-0 and 3-2. Lewis enters the tournament as the No. 2 seed. In his last run through the Olympic Trials, 2004, Askren finished fifth in the 84 kg weight class, defeating 2001 World Silver Medalist Brandon Eggum, 6-2. Two-time All-American Pell is making his first appearance at the Olympic Trials and will face Tyrel Todd (New York Athletic Club), the No. 11 seed, in his opening round match. Pell, a current assistant coach with the UVA wrestling team, finished sixth at the U.S. Nationals. To Pell's name, the former Tiger wrestler finished third at the Pan American Championships in Guatemala City, Guatemala in the summer of 2005. Pell earned All-America honors in 2005 at 184 pounds and 2007 at 165 pounds. Current junior Maxwell Askren enters the Olympic Trials as the No. 5 seed at 96 kg. Askren earned his first All-America honor after taking seventh in the 197-pound weight class at the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in St. Louis. Five weeks later, Askren finished sixth at the U.S. Nationals. Askren lost the fifth-place match to Damion Hahn (New York Athletic Club), his opening round opponent at the Trials June 15, by a score of 7-0, 3-0. Askren was a member of the 2006 FILA Junior World Team, and wrestled at 211.5 pounds. Both Askrens will be wrestling for Sunkist Kids and are one of five sets of brothers competing in the Olympic Trials.

The TDR Brute Adidas Studios move west to Las Vegas, Nevada, and the Thomas and Mack Center for all of the color and competition of the rush for the gold at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Who will earn the right, the honor to wrestle for the USA on the grandest international stage of them all? Which men and women will represent this country? Who will go for the Gold and the Glory? Join Scott Casber, Steve Foster, Nick Passolano and others from the TDR family as we bring to life this historic event. Takedownradio.com is the site to check out at Intermatwrestle.com. It's free courtesy of our sponsors. During the morning session each day, you can expect in-depth interviews with the athletes, coaches and fans. Results will be mentioned when available. Will some of our stars from the past be back and climb the mountain once more or will some of the sports young phenom's rise to the occasion? Takedown Radio will not broadcast the evening session as Scott Casber will be part of the USA Wrestling broadcast team providing commentary for NBCOlympics.com. Among the exciting festivities at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling & Judo is the popular Vendor Village. Fans in Las Vegas can receive additional event coverage by attending the popular Vendor Village at the Cox Pavilion between sessions. Vendor Village will have ongoing events for spectators and participants to enjoy, as well as review exhibits from a number of vendors. Each day there will be a preview and analysis of finals match-ups by a number of wrestling analysts. Each analyst will discuss the strengths and weaknesses of competing finalists and predict winners. This will take place prior to the evening sessions. Analysts include Scott Casber, founder of nationally broadcast Takedown Wrestling Radio, Steve Foster, Takedown Radio commentator, Kyle Klingman, associate director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum, and national television commentator Van Stokes. Please be sure to check out TheMat.com for official broadcast schedules and changes as they occur.

Three-time state champions David Taylor (112) of St. Paris (Ohio) Graham High, Alex Meade (152) of Camden Wyoming (Del.) Caesar Rodney High and Jason Welch (160) of Walnut Creek (Calif.) Las Lomas High are repeat selections to the 14-member First Team as the 23rd 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. Taylor, Meade and Welch are among nine First Team members to finish their careers with at least three state or National Prep titles. Joining them are Eric Grajales (130) of Brandon (Fla.) High, Collin Palmer (135) of Lakewood (Ohio) St. Edward High, Michael Mangrum (145) of Auburn (Wash.) Riverside High, Ryland Geiger (189) of Scappoose (Ore.) High and Marcel Dubose (215) of Oak Park (Mich.) High, all three-time state champions, and Jason Chamberlain (140) of Springville (Utah) High, the lone four-time state champion to earn First Team honors. Taylor, Grajales and Palmer, all juniors, and sophomore Logan Stieber (119) of Monroeville (Ohio) High are the four underclassmen on the squad. The rest of the First Team: Mark Rappo (103) of Holland (Pa.) Council Rock South High, Nate Moore (125) of Iowa City (Iowa) West High, Quentin Wright (171) of Wingate (Pa.) Bald Eagle Area High and Eric Thompson (285) of Waverly (Iowa) Waverly-Shell Rock High. All four are seniors. Iowa City West, one of four schools with three wrestlers selected, was the only school with three selections to the First, Second and Third teams. Blair Academy, Graham and Monroeville also had three selections. Riverside, St. Edward, Waverly-Shell Rock, Apple Valley (Minn.) High, Carol Stream (Ill.) Glenbard North High, Easton (Pa.) High, Kansas City (Mo.) Oak Park High, Mill Hall (Pa.) Central Mountain High, Orland Park (Ill.) Carl Sandburg High and Troy (N.Y.) LaSalle Institute each had two wrestlers selected. The team also includes three brother combinations. Logan Stieber was joined by freshman brother Hunter (103), along with junior Tony (125) and senior Vince Ramos (145) of Glenbard North and sophomore twins Dylan (135) and Andrew Alton (140) of Central Mountain. The 14 First Team members combined to post 37 state high school or National Prep championships, along with nine Junior National and 14 Cadet National titles. The Second and Third Teams are not far behind. The Second Team combined for 24 state or National Prep titles, including four three-time champions, to go with five Junior National and seven Cadet National titles. The Third Team boasts 23 combined state titles, one Junior National and eight Cadet National crowns. Ohio had the most overall selections, placing 16 wrestlers on the squad, including a national-best three First Team selections and six on the top three teams. Pennsylvania had 13 selections and Illinois 11, followed by New Jersey (eight), California and Iowa (seven), Oregon (six) and Minnesota and Washington (five). The 112 wrestlers selected come from 26 states. 2008 ASICS All-America Team First Team 103 - Mark Rappo, Sr, Council Rock South HS, Holland, PA 112 - David Taylor*, Jr, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH 119 - Logan Stieber, So, Monroeville HS, Monroeville, OH 125 - Nate Moore, Sr, Iowa City West HS, Iowa City, IA 130 - Eric Grajales, Jr, Brandon HS, Brandon, FL 135 - Collin Palmer, Jr, St. Edward HS, Lakewood, OH 140 - Jason Chamberlain, Sr, Springville HS , Springville, UT 145 - Michael Mangrum, Sr, Riverside HS, Auburn, WA 152 - Alex Meade*, Sr, Caesar Rodney HS, Camden Wyoming, DE 160 - Jason Welch*, Sr, Las Lomas HS, Walnut Creek, CA 171 - Quentin Wright, Sr, Bald Eagle Area HS, Wingate, PA 189 - Ryland Geiger, Sr, Scappoose HS, Scappoose, OR 215 - Marcel Dubose, Sr, Oak Park HS, Oak Park, MI 285 - Eric Thompson, Sr, Waverly-Shell Rock HS, Waverly, IA Second Team 103 - Hunter Stieber, Fr, Monroeville HS, Monroeville, OH 112 - Joey Langel, Sr, Howell HS, Farmingdale, NJ 119 - Jon Morrison, Jr, Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, IL 125 - Chris Villalonga, So, Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ 130 - Jordan Oliver, Sr, Easton HS, Easton, PA 135 - Dylan Alton, So, Central Mountain HS, Mill Hall, PA 140 - Marshall Peppelman, So, Central Dauphin HS, Harrisburg, PA 145 - Mario Mason, Sr, Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ 152 - Jake Deitchler, Sr, Anoka HS, Anoka, MN 160 - Scott Winston, Sr, Jackson Memorial HS, Jackson, NJ 171 - Grant Gambrall, Sr, Iowa City West HS, Iowa City, IA 189 - Brent Haynes, Sr, Oak Park HS , Kansas City, MO 215 - Rudi Burtschi, Sr, Oakdale HS, Oakdale, CA 285 - Elijah Madison, Sr, Oak Park HS, Kansas City, MO Third Team 103 - Sean Boylan, So, St. Mark's HS, Wilmington, DE 112 - B.J. Futrell, Sr, Mount Carmel HS, Chicago, IL 119 - Zach Neibert, Jr, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH 125 - Andrew Long, Sr, Creston HS, Creston, IA 130 - Brian Owen, Sr, University HS, Spokane, WA 135 - Chase Skonieczny, Sr, Walsh Jesuit HS, Cuyahoga Falls, OH 140 - R.J. Pena, Jr, Sprague HS, Salem, OR 145 - Derek St. John, Jr, Iowa City West HS, Iowa City, IA 152 - Josh Condon, Sr, Carl Harrison HS, Kennesaw, GA 160 - Andrew Howe, Sr, Hanover Central HS, Cedar Lake, IN 171 - Ben Bennett, Sr, Rockford HS, Rockford, MI 189 - Romero Cotton, Sr, Hutchinson HS, Hutchinson, KS 215 - Tyrell Fortune, Sr, Lakeridge HS, Lake Oswego, OR 285 - Garrett Goebel, Sr, Montini HS , Lombard, IL Honorable Mention (listed in alphabetical order) 103: Gilberto Camacho, Sr, Washington HS, Fresno, CA; Devin Carter, So, Christiansburg HS, Christiansburg, VA; Jesse Meis, Sr, Alamosa HS, Alamosa, CO; Ty Mitch, So, Aurora HS, Aurora, OH; Max Nowry, Sr, Wheeling HS, Wheeling, IL. 112: Sean Boyle, Jr, Blair Academy, Blairstown, NJ; Jamie Clark, So, St. Edward HS, Lakewood, OH; Alan Waters, So, Park Hill HS, Kansas City, MO; Sam White, Jr, Perry HS, Massillon, OH; Shane Young, Jr, Penn-Trafford HS, Harrison City, PA. 119: Kegan Handlovic, Sr, Easton HS, Easton, PA; Jordan Keller, Sr, Bishop Carroll HS, Wichita, KS; Mitchell Lofstedt, Sr, Roseburg HS, Roseburg, OR; Destin McCauley, Fr, Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN; Thomas Williams, Sr, South Hills HS, West Covina, CA. 125: Kody Klaus, Sr, Vacaville HS, Vacaville, CA; Tony Ramos, Jr, Glenbard North HS, Carol Stream, IL; Scotti Sentes, Sr, Riverdale HS, Fort Myers, FL; Ben Sergent, Sr, Troy Christian HS, Troy, OH; David Thorn, Jr, St. Michael-Albertville HS, Albertville, MN. 130: Tyler Graff, Sr, Loveland HS, Loveland, CO; Josh Kindig, So, Blue Mountain HS, Schuylkill Haven, PA; Matt McDonough, Sr, Linn-Mar HS, Marion, IA; Derek Reber, Sr, Lewisburg HS, Lewisburg, PA; Derek Valenti, Sr, Kittatinny HS, Newton, NJ. 135: Mark Ballweg, Sr, Waverly-Shell Rock HS, Waverly, IA; Colin Johnston, Sr, Canon-McMIllan HS, Canonsburg, PA; Josh Kratovil, Sr, Lincoln-Way Central HS, New Lenox, IL; Matt Mincey, Sr, Apple Valley HS, Apple Valley, MN; Mark Weber, Sr, Goodrich HS, Goodrich, MI. 140: Andrew Alton, So, Central Mountain HS, Mill Hall, PA; Zach Clemente, Jr, LaSalle Institute, Troy, NY; Derek Garcia, So, Sedro Woolley HS, Sedro Woolley, WA; Trevor Melde, Sr, Delbarton HS, Morristown, NJ; Richie Spicel, Sr, Brunswick HS, Brunswick, OH. 145: Jon Burns, Sr, Cardinal Gibbons HS, Raleigh, NC; Brennan Cosgrove, Sr, Hobart HS, Hobart, IN; Tony Jameson, Sr, Austintown-Fitch HS, Youngstown, OH; Ben Jordan, Sr, Graham HS, St. Paris, OH; Vince Ramos, Sr, Glenbard North HS, Carol Stream, IL. 152: Tyler Johnson, Sr, Bismarck HS, BIsmarck, ND; Eric Jones, Sr, Riverside HS, Auburn, WA; Nick Menditto, Sr, Ocean Township HS, Oakhurst, NJ; Jedd Moore, Sr, Pleasant HS, Marion, OH; Jake Salazar, Sr, Wasatch HS, Heber City, UT. 160: Bryan Bourne, Sr, Spencerport HS, Spencerport, NY; Eric Cubberly, Sr, Eastwood HS, Pemberville, OH; Ethan Lofthouse, Jr, Mountain Crest HS, Hyrum, UT; Alec Ortiz, Jr, Newberg HS, Newberg, OR; Conrad Polz, Sr, Carl Sandburg HS, Orland Park, IL. 171: Jordan Blanton, Sr, Richmond-Burton HS, Richmond, IL; Hunter Collins, Sr, Gilroy HS, Gilroy, CA; Kyle Cuthbertson, Sr, Scottsboro HS, Scottsboro, AL; Chris Phillips, Fr, Monroeville HS, Monroeville, OH; Chris Spangler, Sr, Neuqua Valley HS, Naperville, IL. 189: Louis Bland, Sr, Central Catholic HS, Modesto, CA; Joe Budi, Sr, Kaukauna HS, Kaukauna, WI; Hunter Meys, Sr, Shenendehowa HS, Clifton Park, NY; Chris Perry, Jr, Stillwater HS, Stillwater, OK; Erich Schmidtke, Sr, Aberdeen HS, Aberdeen, WA. 215: Ben Apland, Sr, Downers Grove South HS, Downers Grove, IL; Jordan Enck, Sr, Manheim Central HS, Manheim, PA; Travis Pettengill, Sr, Kearsley HS, Flint, MI; Orlando Scales, Jr, Elder HS, Cincinnati, OH; Jacob Scharbrough, Sr, Weiser HS, Weiser, ID. 285: Ken Altarac, Jr, LaSalle Institute, Troy, NY; Atticus Disney, Sr, Shawnee Heights HS, Tecumseh, KS; Ziad Haddad, Sr, Bethlehem Catholic HS, Bethlehem, PA; Sam Maresh, Sr, Champlin Park HS, Champlin Park, MN; Jarrett "Bubba" Owens, Sr, Tillamook HS, Tillamook, OR.

NBCOlympics.com, in cooperation with USA Wrestling, will provide a live webcast of the Championship Series matches at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling from the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nev., June 13-15. Fans can go to NBCOlympics.com and see the matches from the final round on all three days, starting at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Each day, there will be six best-of-three Championships Series held. The weight classes contested each day are: * Friday, June 13 – 48 kg women's freestyle, 55 kg women's freestyle, 63 kg women's freestyle, 72 kg women's freestyle, 55 kg Greco-Roman, 60 kg Greco-Roman * Saturday, June 14 – 66 kg Greco-Roman, 74 kg Greco-Roman, 84 kg Greco-Roman, 55 kg men's freestyle, 60 kg men's freestyle, 66 kg men's freestyle * Sunday, June 15 – 96 kg Greco-Roman, 120 kg Greco-Roman, 74 kg men's freestyle, 84 kg men's freestyle, 96 kg men's freestyle, 120 kg men's freestyle The broadcast team for the NBCOlympics.com live wrestling webcast will be veteran announcers Van Stokes and Scott Casber. Stokes has been the play-by-play commentator for numerous USA Wrestling telecasts on a variety of networks, and also has national broadcasting experience with other sports. Casber, a veteran radio and broadcast announcer, is the founder and voice of Takedown Radio, a wrestling show that airs weekly in a number of markets as well as internationally over the Internet all year long. This special webcast is in addition to the previously announced television coverage for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling and Judo. A two-hour taped show from the event will be broadcast on Sunday, June 22 at 12:00 noon ET on MSNBC. The broadcast team for the MSNBC show is play-by-play announcer Matt Devlin, wrestling color commentator Rulon Gardner and judo color commentator Pat Burris.

EVANSTON, Ill. -- Northwestern's Jake Herbert will find out his Olympic fate this weekend at the United States Olympic Team Trials held June 13-15 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Herbert -- one of 12 entries at 185 lbs. -- must win six matches in one day to qualify. "This is the biggest weekend of my wrestling career," Herbert said. "I took the year off with hopes of earning an Olympic berth." Mo Lawal is the favorite at 185 pounds, as he has earned an automatic berth in the finals. The other 11 will compete in a single-elimination bracket to determine who will face Lawal in a best-of-three final. Herbert is seeded eighth and opens against ninth-seeded Chris Pendleton. If he advances, he would face top-seeded Andy Hrovat, who was a member of the 2006 U.S. Team at the World Championships. Draws are subject to change, and should Herbert move up in seeds, he would face Michigan wrestler Tyrel Todd. The Wildcat would need to win four matches in the morning session and then beat Lawal in a best-of-three final. With his place in the finals secured, Lawal will have the enormous advantage of weighing in before the event and will have all day to prepare for his finals opponent. Herbert qualified for the Olympic Team Trials by winning his weight class at the University National Freestyle Championships in April. He was also named Most Outstanding Wrestler of the tournament. Herbert also competed in the U.S. Nationals, which took place in Las Vegas, April 23-26, but did not place. Herbert rebounded with a title at the University World Team Trials in Colorado Springs, May 23-24. The title earns him a berth in the World University Championships in Thessaloniki, Greece, from July 9-13.

The U.S. Freestyle Wrestling Team has picked up one individual gold medal in each of the past two Olympic Games. In 2000, Brandon Slay lost in the gold-medal match at 74 kg, but was later awarded the Olympic gold medal after his opponent, Alexander Leipold of Germany, tested positive for anabolic steroids. In 2004, Cael Sanderson won an Olympic gold medal at 84 kg. Prior the 2000 Olympics, the U.S. Freestyle Team had won multiple gold medals in each of the three previous Olympics dating back to 1988. The U.S. Freestyle Team won three gold medals in 1996, three in 1992, and two in 1988. Bill Zadick is the lone U.S. freestyle wrestler to win a World title since the 2004 Olympics. The U.S. Freestyle Team had a very disappointing performance at last year's World Championships Baku, Azerbaijan. The team had extremely high expectations entering the 2007 World Championships, but picked up only two medals, both bronze. Like the U.S. Greco-Roman Team, the U.S. Freestyle Team has not qualified the 60-kg weight class for the Olympics, which is surprising considering that Mike Zadick won a World silver medal at that weight class less than two years ago. The U.S. Freestyle Team is hoping to rebound from a disappointing 2007 World Championships at the 2008 Olympics. But who will represent that team in Beijing? The field at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials will include several past World and Olympic medalists, and many young, rising stars, so expect it be very tightly contested. Below is a weight-by-weight breakdown with predictions of this weekend's U.S. Olympic Team Trials in freestyle. Matt Azevedo was one of the surprises of the 2008 U.S. Nationals (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)55 kg: Matt Azevedo was one of the major surprises at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Azevedo, a freestyle veteran who was never an All-American as a collegiate competitor, pinned rising star Henry Cejudo to win his first U.S. Nationals title. Azevedo is now being coached by one of the all-time great U.S. lightweights in Sammie Henson. He seems to be taking his wrestling to a new level under the tutelage of Henson. A native of Las Vegas, Azevedo will be wrestling in front of his home crowd at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The 21-year-old Cejudo burst onto the scene in 2006 when he won the U.S. Nationals as a high school senior. In 2007, Cejudo won both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Teams Trials. He competed in the 2007 World Championships in Baku, but failed to place. Cejudo pinned 2007 World bronze medalist Andy Moreno of Cuba at the Pan American Championships. The big news in this weight class, though, is the return of 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas. Abas has battled knee injuries and has not competed much since the 2004 Olympics. He did not compete at the 2008 U.S Nationals, but did place third at the 2008 Dave Schultz Memorial International. Danny Felix, a freestyle veteran, wrestled well at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, placing third. Felix also won the Sunkist Kids International Open. Nick Simmons, who is just over a year removed from his collegiate wrestling career, was a 2007 U.S. Nationals runner-up and placed fourth at the same event this year. Vic Moreno is another wrestler who could contend in this weight class. Moreno, who placed third in the Ivan Yarygin Memorial Golden Grand Prix, lost a close match to Azevedo in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Collegiate standout Angel Escobedo, who won the NCAA title this season at Indiana, has the potential to make some noise in this weight class. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Stephen Abas over Henry Cejudo 60 kg: Since the U.S. has not qualified this weight class for the 2008 Olympics, there is a chance some of the wrestlers in this weight class will move up to 66 kg. However, at this point, there haven't been any wrestlers in this weight class who have stated publicly that they will be moving up. The top-three placewinners become members of the U.S. National Freestyle Team, so there is still some incentive to compete at this weight class. Mike Zadick was a World silver medalist in 2006 and a 2007 U.S. World Team member. Nate Gallick, a former World University Games champion, won the 2007 U.S. Nationals, but lost in a wrestle-off to Zadick to make the 2007 U.S. World Team. Neither Zadick nor Gallick competed at the 2008 U.S. Nationals as the two were preparing to qualify the weight class for the Olympics. The young and talented Shawn Bunch, a former NCAA runner-up for Edinboro, had a breakthrough performance at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, winning the title in impressive fashion. Coleman Scott also turned in a very impressive performance at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, reaching the finals just over a month removed from winning the 133-pound NCAA title at Oklahoma State. Former Oklahoma Sooner Teyon Ware placed third at the U.S. Nationals with his only loss coming to Scott. Another former Sooner, Michael Lightner, who is also a former U.S. World Team member, lost to Bunch in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Zach Roberson has proven over the past few years that he is one of the contenders in this weight class. Roberson, who was runner-up to Zadick at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials, lost to Scott in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals before injury defaulting out of the event. Dylan Long, who is a volunteer assistant coach at Iowa State, wrestled well at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, placing fourth. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Nate Gallick over Mike Zadick Jared Frayer has been one of the top contenders at 66 kg for many years (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)66 kg: This is perhaps the deepest and most competitive freestyle weight class in the U.S. Doug Schwab has proven that he is the man to beat since winning both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials in 2007. He earned a bronze medal at the 2007 World Championships. Schwab won the 2008 U.S. Nationals and earned an automatic berth in the best-of-three championship finals. So who will Schwab face in the finals? There is an abundance of contenders. Bill Zadick, who was a World champion in 2006, lost a tight match Schwab in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Jared Frayer has been one of the top contenders for many years in this weight class. He is coming off an impressive third-place finish at the 2008 U.S. Nationals with his only loss at the event coming to Schwab in the semifinals. Chris Bono, a former U.S. World Team member who placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, has been in the hunt for nearly a decade. Collegiate star Brent Metcalf placed fifth at the U.S. Nationals and could make some noise in this deep weight class. However, many believe Metcalf is still a few years away from making a World or Olympic team. Eric Larkin, who is a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Team, has been in the mix for many years. He has placed third at the last two U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Trent Paulson has been one of the biggest surprises in this weight class this season. He dropped down from 74 kg and won both the Dave Schultz Memorial International and the Kiev International. Cary Kolat, who many consider to be the best freestyle wrestler in U.S. history without a World or Olympic gold medal, is back competing. He won the Sunkist Kids International Open, but had a disappointing 2008 U.S. Nationals, where he failed to place. Kolat was a member of the U.S. National Freestyle Team seven times and placed ninth at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney. Zack Esposito, who placed sixth at the U.S. Nationals, is also a very talented wrestler in this weight class who should not be overlooked. Jesse Jantzen should be in the hunt as well. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Jared Frayer over Doug Schwab 74 kg: Joe Heskett was a U.S. World Team member at this weight class in 2007, but was forced to retire from competition after a heart ailment shortly after the 2007 World Championships. With Heskett no longer competing, Ben Askren has quickly become the new man to beat in this weight class after winning his first U.S. Nationals title in April. Askren has steadily improved since finishing his collegiate wrestling career in 2007. He has won titles at three tournaments this season. Donny Pritzlaff won a bronze medal at the 2006 World Championships, but has not been able get back to the top of the U.S. ladder since. Pritzlaff had a disappointing 2008 U.S. Nationals, where he failed to place. Casey Cunningham is another wrestler who has been near the top of this weight class for several years. In 2007, he was runner-up at both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. But Cunningham, like Pritzlaff, failed to place at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Former Oklahoma State star Tyrone Lewis was runner-up to Askren at the 2008 U.S. Nationals and will contend for the top spot. Ryan Churella had a breakthrough performance at the U.S. Nationals, placing third, which included a victory over Pritzlaff. Matt Lackey placed fourth at the U.S. Nationals. Veteran Ramico Blackmon is always a threat in this weight class. He placed third at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Travis Paulson could be the spoiler in this weight class. He defeated Askren at the Sunkist Kids International Open. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Ben Askren over Tyrone Lewis The flamboyant Mo Lawal is back at 84 kg and defeated Andy Hrovat to win the 2008 U.S. Nationals84 kg: The one and only Mo Lawal, who placed seventh at the 2005 World Championships, is back on top in this weight class. Lawal moved up to 96 kg in 2007 and lost to Daniel Cormier in the finals of both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. He is back at 84 kg and wrestling with a lot of confidence after winning the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Andy Hrovat, who was a U.S. World Team member in 2006, was runner-up to Lawal at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Hrovat, a 2007 Pan American Games silver medalist, pinned Lawal at the 2006 U.S. World Team Trials. Joe Williams is the returning U.S. World Team member at this weight class and placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships. Williams, who is a two-time World bronze medalist and placed fifth at the 2004 Olympics, was upset in the opening round of the 2008 U.S, Nationals before defaulting out of the event. This could be Williams' final Olympic run in what has been an outstanding international wrestling career. Collegiate standout Jake Herbert won the Dave Schultz Memorial International earlier this season, but had a disappointing 2008 U.S. Nationals, where he failed to place. He bounced back to win the University World Team Trials. Clint Wattenberg, who was runner-up at the 2006 U.S. World Team Trials and place third in 2007, is expected to challenge in this weight class. He lost to Lawal in the quarterfinals of the U.S. Nationals and then wrestled back to the third-place match, where he lost by injury default to Bryce Hasseman. Hasseman won the 2008 Guelph Open in Canada. Lee Fullhart is perhaps the most experienced wrestler in this weight class. The former Hawkeye has played the role of bridesmaid numerous times throughout his career. He is a two-time U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up, five-time U.S. Nationals runner-up, and four-time U.S. World Team Trials runner-up. Fullhart did not place at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, but won the Northern Plains Regional Olympic Trials to qualify for the event. This weight class also includes a number of young, rising stars such as Jake Varner, Chris Pendleton, B.J. Padden, Matt Pell, and Tyrel Todd. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Mo Lawal over Joe Williams 96 kg: Daniel Cormier is the overwhelming favorite to win this weight class. Cormier is a returning World bronze medalist who placed fourth at the 2004 Olympics. He has dominated his competition in the U.S., winning both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World (or Olympic) Team Trials every year since 2003. He has earned an automatic berth into the best-of-three championship finals. It will by tightly-contested, wide-open battle to see who gets the opportunity to face Cormier for a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Freestyle Team. Nik Fekete was runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, but did not score a single point against Cormier. Damion Hahn has the second best international wrestling resume behind Cormier. Hahn placed third at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and has been a threat on the senior level ever since he burst onto the scene as a high school phenom. A decade ago, Hahn was beating NCAA champions at the U.S. Nationals before he graduated from high school. The rest of the contenders in this weight class are young stars who are looking to eventually take the torch from Cormier. Those wrestlers include Willie Parks, Kurt Backes, and Max Askren. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Daniel Cormier over Damion Hahn 120 kg: Tommy Rowlands took control of this weight class in 2007, winning both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials. Rowlands, who placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships, won the 2008 U.S. Nationals, which gives him an automatic berth in the best-of-three championship finals. He has his sights set on an Olympic gold medal in Beijing. But there some very talented and experienced heavyweights looking to knock off Rowlands. Steve Mocco has been Rowlands' main rival for many years, dating all the way back to their collegiate careers. Mocco lost a close match to Rowlands in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Mocco has had a great season, winning four tournaments, but the 26-year-old has yet to make a U.S. World or Olympic Team. Tolly Thompson is a two-time U.S. World Team member and earned a bronze medal at the 2005 World Championships. Thompson placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, losing to Tervel Dlagnev in the third-place match. Dlagnev recently finished up his collegiate wrestling career at Nebraska-Kearney after winning two NCAA Division II titles at heavyweight. He will likely face Thompson in the second round, who, ironically, has been his workout partner for more than a year. Les Sigman, who was four-time NCAA Division II champion for Nebraska-Omaha, placed fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals and will be in the mix. Pat Cummins placed sixth at the U.S. Nationals and is more than capable of knocking off any of the contenders. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Tommy Rowlands over Steve Mocco

In 2007, the U.S. Greco-Roman Wrestling Team made history by winning the team title for the first time ever at the World Championships in Baku, Azerbaijan. Four wrestlers on that team placed in the top five and three brought home World medals, but none of those World medals were gold. Interestingly, of the four U.S. Greco-Roman wrestlers who placed in the top five at the 2007 World Championships, only one of those wrestlers, Dremiel Byers, won the 2008 U.S. Nationals title. Unfortunately, the U.S. has not qualified the 60 kg weight class for the Olympics. Despite that misfortune, this year's U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team will surely be one of the favorites to strike gold in Beijing. But who will represent the U.S. at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing? Below is a weight-by-weight breakdown with predictions of this weekend's U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman. Spenser Mango defeated Lindsey Durlacher for the first time in his career at the 2008 U.S. Nationals (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)55 kg: Spenser Mango defeated Lindsey Durlacher for the first time his career to win the 2008 U.S. Nationals and was named Outstanding Wrestler of the event. Prior to the 2008 U.S. Nationals, Durlacher had defeated Mango 10 consecutive times. Durlacher has been on the past three U.S. World Teams and placed fifth at the 2007 World Championships. Jermaine Hodge placed third at the U.S. Nationals. Sam Hazewinkel, who is just over a year removed from his collegiate wrestling career at Oklahoma, placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, losing to Mango in the semifinals. Hazewinkel's father, Dave, and uncle, Jim, are former U.S. Olympians in Greco. Hazewinkel will likely get another shot at Mango in the semifinals at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials. Both are young and talented Greco stars. Mango is a bit more explosive, but the two are very evenly matched. Florida high school star Eric Grajales, who is a three-time state high school champion for Brandon High School, placed fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Josh Habeck, who placed third at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and seventh at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, should also be in the mix. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Spenser Mango over Lindsey Durlacher 60 kg: This is the lone weight class that the U.S. has not qualified for the Olympics in Greco-Roman, which is strange considering that this weight class has been one of the strongest weight classes for the U.S. Greco-Roman Team in recent years. In 2006, Joe Warren won a World title and was the self-proclaimed baddest man on the planet. But in 2007, Warren tested positive for metabolites of cannabis or tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and received a two-year suspension, which not only forced him to miss the 2007 World Championships, but also put an end to his Olympic dream. With Warren no longer in the picture, 2007 U.S. World Team member Joe Betterman, who was runner-up to Warren at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials, becomes the favorite. Betterman lost to his Northern Michigan coach, Jim Gruenwald, a two-time Olympian, in the finals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals. However, Gruenwald dislocated his shoulder competing in Rome while trying to qualify the weight class for the Olympics, which put an end to his competitive wrestling career. Glenn Garrison was the 2007 U.S. Nationals champion at 66 kg, but moved down to 60 kg this season. He placed third at the 2008 U.S. Nationals and is certainly one of the favorites in this weight class. California native Marco Lara placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. U.S. National Team member Jeremiah Davis placed fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, where he defeated Lara, but lost to Betterman and Garrison. Willie Madison lost in three periods in the semifinals of the 2008 U.S. Nationals to Jim Gruenwald and eventually placed sixth. Eric Stevenson and Donny DePatto could also challenge. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Joe Betterman over Glenn Garrison Harry Lester is a two-time World bronze medalist and has not lost to an American wrestler at 66 kg since the 2005 U.S. World Team Trials (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)66 kg: Two-time World bronze medalist Harry Lester did not compete at the 2008 U.S. Nationals due to sickness. The 24-year-old Lester is the prohibitive favorite in this weight class and has not lost to an American wrestler at 66 kg since the 2005 U.S. World Team Trials. Mark Rial was the 2008 U.S. Nationals champion and enters the event as the No. 1 seed, but still remains the underdog. Rial, a former wrestler for Northern Iowa, has put together a good season He was runner-up at the Dave Schultz International Memorial behind World champion Nikolay Gergov of Bulgaria. At the Vehbi Embre Grand Prix, Rial placed fifth, losing a close match to Olympic silver medalist and World champion Seref Eroglu of Turkey. Greco-Roman phenom Jake Deitchler was runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Nationals to Rial. Deitchler, who hails from the same high school, Anoka (Minnesota), as 1996 Greco-Roman Olympic silver medalist Brandon Paulson, has been an age-group star his entire career. Paulson calls Deitchler the best high school Greco-Roman wrestler he's ever seen. Faruk Sahin has been knocking on the door and will certainly be in the mix. In 2007, Sahin was runner-up at the U.S. Nationals and placed fourth at the World Team Trials. Sahin was pinned by Deitchler in the quarterfinals at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, but came back to place third. This weight class includes a number of veterans with a lot of experience, including Jacob Hey, Marcel Cooper, Oscar Wood, and Mike Ellsworth. Cooper is a former U.S. World Team member, while Wood is a former Olympian. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Harry Lester over Faruk Sahin 74 kg: T.C. Dantzler, who has been on the past five U.S. World Teams, enters the event as the frontrunner in this weight class. The 36-year-old veteran was fifth at the 2006 World Championships. He receives an automatic berth in the best-of-three championship finals after winning the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Keith Sieracki, like Dantzler, is a veteran who has been in the mix for over a decade. Sieracki was a member of the 2001 U.S. World Team and also won the Olympic Team Trials in 2000 and 2004. However, Sieracki did not compete in either of those Olympics. In 2000, he lost a controversial legal battle to Matt Lindland. In 2004, the U.S. did not qualify the weight class for the Olympics, which prevented Sieracki from competing. Young and talented Andy Bisek, who competes for the USOEC in Northern Michigan, appears to be the future in this weight class and maybe even the now. Bisek, who was runner-up at the 2008 U.S. Nationals to Dantzler, has had an outstanding season. He beat the defending World champion, Yavor Yanakiev of Bulgaria, at the Dave Schultz Memorial before losing a tight match to Harry Lester in the semifinals. Bisek also won his second straight University Nationals title. Two other Northern Michigan wrestlers, Jake Fisher and Cheney Haight, placed third and fourth respectively at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Ken Cook, who concluded his collegiate career at UC Davis just over a year ago, has been an age-group star throughout his career. He was third at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials and placed fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals while competing at 84 kg. Jess Hargrave placed fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals with his only losses coming to Dantzler and Haight. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Andy Bisek over T.C. Dantzler Brad Ahearn defeated Brad Vering to win the 2008 U.S. Nationals title (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)84 kg: This is perhaps the most intriguing weight class at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Greco-Roman. It includes two former Olympic or World team members in Brad Vering and Jake Clark. Interestingly, though, the No. 1 seed in this weight class is neither Vering nor Clark. It is Brad Ahearn, who defeated Vering to win his first U.S. Nationals title. Ahearn moved down to 84 kg after competing at 96 kg last season. He is a strong, powerful wrestler who is wrestling with a lot of confidence right now. Vering was a silver medalist at the 2007 World Championships and was also a member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Greco-Roman Team. Clark, who did not compete at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, has been runner-up to Vering numerous times at the U.S. Nationals and the U.S. World and Olympic Team Trials. However, in 2006, Clark won both the U.S. Nationals and U.S. World Team Trials and represented the U.S. at the World Championships in Guangzhou, China. Chas Betts is a young, rising star who placed third at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Betts won a silver medal at the 2006 World University Championships. Aaron Sieracki is a veteran who has the experience and ability to contend for the top spot. He placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, but has defeated Vering in the past. Another dangerous wrestler is Jake Plamann, who competes for Northern Michigan. Plamann, who placed third at the 2007 U.S. World Team Trials, lost to Betts in the opening round of the 2008 U.S. Nationals, but battled back to place sixth. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Jake Clark over Brad Vering 96 kg: Justin Ruiz has been the man to beat in this weight class for the past five years. He has won four U.S. World Team Trials titles and five U.S. Nationals titles. In 2005, Ruiz earned a bronze medal at the World Championships. Ruiz has yet to make a U.S. Olympic Team. He lost in the finals of the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials to Garrett Lowney. Ruiz has earned an automatic berth into the best-of-three championship finals. If everything goes according to seeds, Ruiz will face either R.C. Johnson or Adam Wheeler for a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic Team. Johnson, who was runner-up to Ruiz at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, has steadily climbed the Greco-Roman ladder in the U.S. The Minnesota native wrestled in the Northern Michigan program, where he improved by leaps and bounds, before moving to Colorado Springs to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center. Wheeler, who also wrestled at Northern Michigan, was runner-up to Ruiz at the 2005 and 2007 U.S. World Team Trials. He was upset in the opening round of the 2008 U.S. Nationals by Frank Workman, but won five straight matches in the consolation bracket to place third. Robbie Smith is a young and talented wrestler who placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Justin Millard was a U.S. Nationals runner-up in 2007, but finished fifth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, losing to Johnson and Smith. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Justin Ruiz over Adam Wheeler 120 kg: Dremiel Byers was a World champion in 2002, a World bronze medalist in 2007, and has made the past three U.S. World Teams. However, he has yet to make a U.S. Olympic Team. In 2004, Byers lost in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials to Rulon Gardner. He has earned an automatic berth in the best-of-three championship finals. If he wrestles to his ability, Byers should make his first U.S. Olympic Team. But he admitted after the 2008 U.S. Nationals that the wrestlers are getting a lot better and that he's had to work harder to stay at the top. Russ Davie has been runner-up to Byers at the past three U.S. World Team Trials … and most recently was runner-up to Byers at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Timothy Taylor finished third at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, losing to Davie in the semifinals. Taylor upset Byers at the 2007 U.S. Nationals en route to a runner-up finish. Erik Nye placed fourth at the 2008 U.S. Nationals, losing only to Byers and Taylor. Another very talented wrestler to watch in this weight class is Cole Konrad, who placed seventh at the 2008 U.S. Nationals. Konrad, who won two NCAA heavyweight titles for Minnesota, switched from freestyle to Greco eight months ago. RevWrestling.com Prediction: Dremiel Byers over Russ Davie .g {text-indent:3px;padding-right:3px;overflow:hidden;white-space:nowrap;letter-spacing:0;word-spacing:0;background-color:#FFFFFF; z-index:1;border-top:0px none;border-left:0px none;border-bottom:1px solid #CCC;border-right:1px solid #CCC;} .dn {display:none} .chip {background-image:url('http://www.google.com/images/spreadsheets/chip.gif'); background-repeat:no-repeat; background-position:top right;} .s0 {background-color:#ffffff;font-family:Arial;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-top:1px solid black;border-right:1px solid black;border-bottom:1px solid black;border-left:1px solid black;} .s4 {background-color:#ffffff;font-family:Arial;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:nowrap;overflow:hidden;text-indent:3px;padding-left:0px;border-right:1px solid black;border-bottom:1px solid black;} .s3 {background-color:#ffffff;font-family:Arial;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-right:1px solid black;border-bottom:1px solid black;} .s1 {background-color:#ffffff;font-family:Arial;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-top:1px solid black;border-right:1px solid black;border-bottom:1px solid black;} .s2 {background-color:#ffffff;font-family:Arial;font-size:100.0%;font-weight:bold;font-style:normal;color:#000000;text-decoration:none;text-align:left;vertical-align:bottom;white-space:normal;overflow:hidden;text-indent:0px;padding-left:3px;border-right:1px solid black;border-bottom:1px solid black;border-left:1px solid black;} .WeightPredicted FinalistPredicted FinalistPredicted Champion.55 kgSpenser MangoLindsey DurlacherSpenser Mango.60 kgJoe BettermanGlenn GarrisonJoe Betterman.66 kgFaruk SahinHarry LesterHarry Lester.74 kgT.C. DantzlerAndy BisekAndy Bisek.84 kgJake ClarkBrad VeringJake Clark.96 kgJustin RuizAdam WheelerJustin Ruiz.120 kgDremiel ByersRuss DavieDremiel Byers

Columbia, Mo. -- Recent graduate and two-time wrestling All-American Tyler McCormick (Leawood, Kan.) was named to the ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America Men's At Large First Team as announced today by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). McCormick's first-team honor is Missouri's first since Shaon Fry was awarded the accolade in 1993. Missouri's first three-time Academic All-American in wrestling, McCormick earned third team honors his junior (2007) and sophomore (2006) seasons. The 133-pound grappler was one of 15 individuals selected to the ESPN The Magazine Men's At-Large University Division First Team. In addition, McCormick is one of three wrestlers named to the first team and one of only two Big 12 honorees. McCormick recorded a 3.95 cumulative grade-point average throughout his time at Missouri, earning a degree in business management in May, 2008. One of 29 recipients of the NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship, McCormick is a four-time Academic All-Big 12 first team honoree, three time ESPN The Magazine Academic All-District Seven award winner and three-time National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-American in Academics.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- D1CollegeWrestling.Net named the Purdue wrestling team's 2008-09 recruiting class the 19th best in the nation on Sunday night. The Boilermakers inked five highly touted recruits from across the nation and secured a few solid transfers from Central Michigan, Columbia and the junior college ranks. Indiana native Brennan Cosgrove tops the list, finishing the 2008 season as the No. 7 wrestler in the country at 145 pounds, and will likely bump up to 149 pounds for Purdue. He was a state champ in Indiana and one of two future Boilermaker's to earn All-American honors, taking sixth place at Senior Nationals. Ethan Smith is the other high school All-American to come to West Lafayette after taking fourth place at Senior Nationals. Smith hails from Wasatch High School in Utah, the same alma mater as 2006 NCAA Qualifier Colton Salazar and Olympic Gold Medalist and four-time NCAA Champion Cael Sanderson. Smith finished the 2008 season at No. 13 in the nation at 160 pounds. Rounding out the list of nationally ranked grapplers is Kegan Handlovic, who came out of 2008 ranked No. 14 in the country at 119 pounds. A product of national power Easton High School in Pennsylvania, Handlovic won back-to-back state titles in 2007 and 2008, and will give the Boilermakers ample help at 125 pounds. Matt Bryan joins the Old Gold and Black at 141 pounds, coming to West Lafayette from Broken Arrow, Okla., while Ryan Gambill closes out the group of newcomers, hailing from Casstown, Ohio. Bryan Gambill, Handlovic, Smith and Cosgrove combined to win 10 state titles in their high school tenure. Purdue head coach Scott Hinkel picked up a few transfers this offseason, highlighted by Carson Beebe, Orrin Kleinhenz and Juan Archuleta. Beebe, the younger brother of former Boilermaker Chase Beebe, comes to Purdue from highly-ranked Central Michigan, and will wrestle at 133 pounds, while Kleinhenz switches to Old Gold and Black from Columbia blue, and will wrestle at 184 or 197 pounds. Archuleta won the 2008 California Junior College Championship at 141 pounds for Sacramento City College. The Boilermakers are one of eight Big Ten teams to earn national top-20 honors on the recruiting front, including the top-ranked class of the University of Minnesota. This marks Purdue's best-ranked recruiting class since the 2003 season, when the Boilermakers earned top-15 marks from several publications.

Columbia, Mo. -- Missouri wrestling Head Coach Brian Smith announced today that an additional four grapplers have signed on to compete with the Tiger team beginning Fall, 2008. Taylor Crane, Cody Farinella, Nicholas Gregoris and Todd Schavrien will round out the recruiting class, bringing Missouri's total number of signees to seven. "All of these young men are focused in the classroom and on the mat," Smith said. "They are excited about the challenge of competing in the Big 12 Conference and especially anxious to be part of a team that will be battling for an NCAA title. My staff and I are looking forward to working with them in the practice room and seeing them develop." Expected to wrestle at 141- pounds for Missouri, Crane, a native of Columbia, Mo. attended Rock Bridge High School and tallied a 157-17 record. Crane competed in the 135-pound weight class and earned Freestyle State titles his freshman (2005) and sophomore (2006) seasons. Additionally, Crane was a member of the 2005 Championship Cadet Freestyle National Dual Team and 2006 Championship Junior Grecco National Dual Team. Recognized for his ability to put his opponent on his back, Crane pinned 87 wrestlers throughout his four year career. Entering his senior season, Crane was ranked 14th in the nation by W.I.N. Magazine. A four-time state placer, Farinella earned top honors at 135 pounds during his senior season at Parkway North High School. Farinella finished the 2007-08 campaign with a perfect 45-0 record, bringing his career mark to 168-11. A native of Maryland Heights, Mo. Farinella wrestled in four different weight classes in high school finishing third at 112 pounds as a freshman, second at 125 pounds as a sophomore and second at 130 pounds as a junior. Farinella is a two-time runner-up at the freestyle state championships and finished third in Greco. The Parkway North Scholar Athlete of the Year, Farinella notched a 4.35 grade-point average and was named North's most outstanding wrestler all four years of high school. Farinella will likely wrestle at 141 or 149-pounds for the Tigers. Chapel Hill High School grappler Gregoris is a three-time North Carolina State Champion, earning titles his freshman (2005), sophomore (2006) and senior (2008) season. Gregoris, ranked 19th in the nation at 152 pounds, is expected to wrestle at 157-pounds for Missouri. Finishing his season with a 183-7 record, the North Carolina native, earned NHSCA Senior National All-America honors after finishing the tournament in fourth place. In addition, Gregoris was a Super 32 Finalist and Reno Tournament of Champions finalist. Schavrien is a transfer from Arizona State and will compete at 133 pounds at Missouri. Entering the 2008-09 season as a sophomore in athletic standing, Schavrien redshirted his first season at Arizona State, earning FILA Junior National Championship honors in the 60 kg class in the off-season. A native of San Diego, Calif., Schavrien attended Poway High School and graduated in 2006. Schavrien claimed the California State title in 2006 while wrestling at 130-pounds, finishing third as a junior in 2005. A two-time All-American, Schavrien is an All-State selection and holds the Poway High School record in winning percentage, consecutive wins and tournament titles.

Event: UFC 85: BEDLAM Venue: O2 Arena, London, England Date: June 7, 2008 In a UFC card full injuries and late substitutions, Matt HUGHES finds himself in the main event against Thiago "The Pit Bull" ALVES. London, England is the site of UFC 85, thus creating an awkward start time of 2 p.m. central today for the event. This card pales in comparison to the recent UFC 84 card, where the UFC Monster posted a +$207 profit with his prediction as posted right here on Rev. That would buy you seven (7) GOLD STAR subscriptions to this outstanding website! So. Let's jump in and test the bloody waters of the UFC again. I believe today's card is full of upsets. I find six (6) of them on an 11-fight card, with four (4) favorites and one (1) no pass. Let's take a look: On the main card: Let's lay $ 50 to win $150 on Jason DAY to pull a big upset over local boy, Michael BISPING, who has looked awesome since dropping to the middleweight ranks. But, I haven't cared for him since before he was wrongfully awarded a decision over Matt "The Hammer" Hamill. Day wins by TKO in the third round. Lay $120 to win $127 on the "Irish Hand Grenade" Marcus DAVIS to sneak in a KO punch on Mike "Quick" SWICK, who should be roaring out like a freight train for another early knockout. DAVIS will survive the attack and find his mark early in the second round. Lay $ 80 to win $120 on Fabrico WERDUM, who is bigger, a better puncher, and much better on the ground than his opponent, Brandon "the Truth" VERA. The truth is that Vera looked dwarfed against Tim Silvia, and may not have any better results here. I like Werdum with a second-round submission by choke. Lay $204 to win $120 on Nate "The Great" MARQUARDT to walk right through Thales LEITAS. The public is pounding Marquardt, driving him from �145 all the way to �220. There is a reason. Only Anderson Silva has made Nate look anything but great! I see a second-round submission putting this one to rest. My POD (Play of the Day). Lay $110 to win $187 on a another shocking upset of Matt HUGHES by determined Thiago ALVES. In the featured event, yet non-title, these two will battle for three (3) rounds only. Hughes, of course, will try to use his fading brute strength to control Alves on the ground. The Pit Bull wants to keep it standing where he is a better puncher than his opponent. I see Hughes' eagerness to dominate and his hard-charging style playing into the hands of Alves, who delivers a resounding KO punch near the end of the second round! On the undercard, Lay $ 81 to win $ 20 on a "bridge jump" on Thiago TAVARES over Matt Wiman, first round submission by rear-naked choke. Lay $ 60 to win $120 on the experienced Jorge RIVIERA over kick-boxer, Martin KAMPMANN on a split decision. Lay $120 to win $50 on Englishman, Paul TAYLOR to dominate and kick the crap out of Jess Liaudin. Lay $120 to win $ 80 on Jason LAMBERT to crush Luiz CANE with some devastating ground-and-pound second-round TKO. Lay $ 55 to win $ 99 on late substitute, Eddie SANCHEZ, to KO Antonio HARDONK in the first round. … and let's PASS on Roan CAMEIRO vs. Kevin BURNS. In summary, we are laying an even $1000 to try and win $1073. Remember, take those winnings and join REV GOLD. And, enjoy the fights. I know I will. More later. The UFC Monster

TEMPE, Ariz. -- The Arizona State University wrestling team has released its schedule for the 2008-09 season which will feature eight home duals and three tough tournaments in the month of December, including the Midlands Tournament in Evanston, Ill. In all, the Sun Devils will compete in 15 duals during the season and will face both of its intrastate foes, Embry-Riddle and Grand Canyon, in the Valley of the Sun. "Once again, we have another challenging schedule that I feel will prepare our team for the Pac-10 Championships and the NCAA Championships," Head Coach Thom Ortiz said. "Each year, we face some of the best teams in the nation and this year will be no different. Our goal is to win the Pac-10 and place in the Top 10 nationally, and I feel this schedule will prepare our wrestlers to reach those goals in March." The Sun Devils will open the year at home on November 8 with a Pac-10 dual against UC Davis before taking on Portland State in another league contest one week later at home. Following a road trip to face defending NCAA champion Iowa and fifth-place Iowa State, the Sun Devils will welcome Embry-Riddle to Wells Fargo Arena for its first intrastate battle. The month of December will see ASU face competition in three tournament settings. The Sun Devils will open the month on December 5-6 at the Cliff Keen/Las Vegas Invitational before heading to the Reno Tournament of Champions on December 18. The month closes with the Sun Devils traveling to Evanston, Ill., to compete in the prestigious Midlands Tournament hosted by Northwestern. When the year changes to 2009, the Sun Devils will return to dual competition, opening the New Year (January 3) at the Grand Canyon State Duals in Phoenix where ASU will face Oklahoma City University, Pima CC (Tucson) and the host Antelopes of GCU. The following day, ASU will take on league rival CS Bakersfield at home to open a four-dual homestand. After home non-conference duals with Oklahoma (Jan. 18) and Minnesota (Jan. 23), the Sun Devils close out January with a Pac-10 dual against Cal Poly (Jan. 31) at home. The Sun Devils will hit the road for Pac-10 action at Stanford (Feb. 6) and Oregon State (Feb. 8) for their final two duals away from Tempe before closing out the regular season on Feb. 15 when CS Fullerton comes to town. From there, the championship season will be upon the Sun Devils as the team will head to Fullerton, Calif., for the 2009 Pac-10 Championships (March 2-3) before closing the year at the 2009 NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Mo. (March 19-21). Last year, the Sun Devils finished in a tie for 28th place at the NCAA tournament with Michigan State as both squads scored 15.5 points while ASU had four wrestlers fall one victory short of earning All-America status. At the conference level, the Sun Devils scored 103 points, just 3.5 points out of a tie for second place with Stanford, at the Pac-10 event with ASU sending five competitors to the finals of their respective weight classes. Patrick Pitsch (165) and Brent Chriswell (184) each won titles while Anthony Robles (125), Chris Drouin (141) and Jason Trulson (197) each took second. Of those five, Robles, Drouin and Chriswell were freshmen.

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro has made the first addition to his coaching staff on Tuesday with the announcement that former Mountain Hawk All-American Brad Dillon is returning to his alma mater as an assistant coach for the 2008-09 season. Dillon, a 2004 Lehigh graduate and two-year team captain, spent the last four seasons as an assistant under Santoro at Maryland. "I'm really excited to have Brad join our coaching staff," said Santoro. "He came to Maryland four years ago and was a big part of our turnaround down there. He knows the sport and cares about the student-athletes. I have complete trust in his abilities as a coach." Dillon amassed a record of 101-26 at Lehigh and ranks in the top ten in school history for career victories. As a senior in 2004, Dillon set a school single-season record with 24 dual meet victories, and also had a record-string of 39 straight dual meet wins from 2002-2004. Dillon captured EIWA Championships at 174 in both his junior and senior seasons, and went on to earn All-American honors in each of his final two years, placing fifth in 2003 and fourth in 2004. Off the mat, Dillon was an NWCA Academic All-American as a senior and was an Academic All-District At-Large selection by CoSIDA. Before graduating with a degree in Biology, Dillon earned the Athletics Department's highest honor when he was named Scholar-Athlete of the Year in 2004. Like Santoro, Dillon will be returning to his native Lehigh Valley. Dillon was raised in Allentown, and graduated from nearby Parkland High School. "It's good to be home," said Dillon. "The Lehigh Valley has been home for as long as I can remember, and being able to return to my alma mater is a pretty neat experience. I'm excited to start working the guys on the team and I'm looking forward to new challenges that lie ahead here at Lehigh." During his tenure at Maryland, Dillon proved to be one of the most versatile coaches on Santoro's staff. Dillon worked in the practice room with wrestlers from nearly every weight class, and also assisted in the recruiting efforts that helped the Terrapins land several nationally ranked recruiting classes. Last season, Dillon helped guide the Terrapins to their first ACC Championship in 35 years and Maryland went on to crown its first All-American since 1997 en route to a top-25 team finish at the NCAA Championships.

WATERLOO, Iowa -- Four of the biggest stars in Greco-Roman history and one of the top politicians of the past decade will be the honorees on Saturday, July 19, at the inaugural inductions into the Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions. The hall is located in the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum here, and is named for Alan and Gloria Rice, a husband-and wife team that has been one of the most influential forces in American wrestling history. Greco-Roman wrestling is a style that allows only holds above the waist, and Alan Rice has been one of its staunchest advocates for half a century. The four Greco-Roman champions to be inducted are: • Steve Fraser, 1984 Olympic champion and a coach of the 2007 World championship team in Greco-Roman; • Mike Houck, 1985 World champion, the first in U.S. history; • Dennis Hall, 1995 World champion and a silver medalist in the 1996 Olympics; • Joe Warren, 2006 World champion and two-time national champion. In addition, Dennis Hastert, former Speaker of the House of the United States Congress, will receive the Sport of Lincoln Award for his longtime contribution to the sport. A 10-term Congressman from Illinois, Hastert was a successful college wrestler and high school coach, and has been a major supporter of the sport for decades. He has been an advocate for modifying Title 9 rules to allow for protection of all male sports while supporting growth for women's athletics, and played a key role in keeping several colleges from dropping the sport. Hastert was Speaker from 1999 to 2007 and is the longest serving Republican House Speaker in U.S. history. He resigned his Congressional position on Nov. 26, 2007, and today is in demand as a public speaker and as an adviser on a number of prominent issues. His biography, "Speaker," will be available for purchase. The event will include a free Greco-Roman clinic by Dennis Hall and Joe Warren at 6 p.m. Friday (July 18) at the Dan Gable Teaching Center in the museum; an Olympic Spirit Festival at the museum, starting at noon Saturday (July 19); the official inductions at 2:30 p.m. in the new hall of champions, and the induction banquet at the Five Sullivans Brothers Convention Center, at 7 p.m. (social starting at 6 p.m.). "This is a wonderful opportunity to honor some of America's greatest athletes and to meet a man who was third in line to the Presidency," said Mike Chapman, the museum's executive director. "This is a huge event for the sport of wrestling and we invite all sports fans and Olympic fans to come share this day with us." Admission to the museum is $5 per person. The banquet is $25 per person and is limited in seating. Banquet reservations must be made by July 14, by calling the museum at 319-233-0745. The Olympics Spirit Festival is designed as a lead-in to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. The Olympics are scheduled for August 8-24. "We want to help people get into the Olympic spirit and be a part of the festivities," said Kent Sesker, marketing director at the museum. "We have scheduled an exciting festival, which features a discussion panel with past Olympians, some giveaways and some Olympic raffle items." The Olympic panel will be moderated by Kyle Klingman, associate director. The audience will be invited to participate in a question-and-answer session. Members of the panel invited to participate will include Glen Brand, 1948 Olympic champion from Iowa State; Bill Smith, 1952 Olympic champion who wrestled for Iowa State Teachers College; Dan Gable, 1972 Olympic champion from Waterloo; Chuck Yagla, Waterloo native who made the 1980 Olympic team but was denied an opportunity to compete by the boycott of President Jimmy Carter; Ed Banach, Olympic champion in 1984; Randy Lewis, Olympic champion in 1984; Steve Fraser, 1984 Olympic champion in Greco-Roman; Tom Brands, 1996 Olympic champion, and Cael Sanderson, 2004 Olympic champion. "This is a great event for all of wrestling and the entire State of Iowa," said Gable, who also coached the 1980 and 1984 Olympic freestyle teams. "We are pleased to have Alan and Gloria Rice be such a special part of the museum. They have made a huge contribution to the sport over the decades and this is a perfect way to let Alan know we appreciate all his work for the sport." A two-time Big Ten champion and an All-American at the University of Minnesota, Rice was a national champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling in 1956. He also made the 1954 World freestyle team, placing fifth, and was a member of the 1956 Greco-Roman Olympic team. He coached the 1972 Olympic team in Greco-Roman and has coached two World teams. He and his wife, Gloria, helped found the Minnesota Wrestling Club. The club enjoys the unique distinction of placing a wrestler on every World and Olympic team since 1964, a record unequalled in American wrestling history. Gloria Rice was also a key player in wrestling circles. She was the first woman to learn the complicated international pairings system and then taught it to other American officials. Her attention to detail at the 1969 World Championships played a role in the winning of the first gold medal at that level by an American when she caught a pairing error that could have eliminated the American entrant. Gloria and Alan Rice traveled the world to attend wrestling events at the highest level. She passed away on Sept. 1, 2001. In an editorial in a Minnesota newspaper, Gloria was lauded for her great work in the church, her community and in wrestling. "This is a tremendous honor for Greco-Roman wrestling, and for Gloria and me," said Rice. "Greco-Roman is a very tough, physical style that demands total commitment and dedication. I am thrilled that the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum has chosen to honor these special athletes in such a fashion." There are two other halls of recognition in the Gable Museum: the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa and the George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame. In addition, the AAU National Wrestling Hall of Fame has its own wall in the museum. The Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions will be positioned between the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa and the Dan Gable Teaching Center. It will house various artifacts from Greco-Roman wrestling history. There are a total of nine spots in the museum named after various people: • Dean Rockwell Library and Research Center • Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa • Dan Gable Teaching Center • Alan and Gloria Rice Greco-Roman Hall of Champions • Arno Niemand Video Room • Warren and Jayne DePrenger MATMAN Gift Shop • Bob Siddens-Keith Young-Dave Natvig Lounge • Abe Lincoln Lobby • George Tragos/Lou Thesz Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Nikita Koloff and Randy Lewis. Koloff is a former professional wrestler who was the 2006 recipient of the Frank Gotch Award. This award is given to someone who brings prestige and honor to professional wrestling. Lewis was a 1984 Olympic champion and a two-time Olympian. Considered one this country's most exciting wrestlers ever, Lewis won two NCAA titles for the University of Iowa in 1979 and 1980. He is currently a coach with the Hawkeye Wrestling Club in Iowa City. "On the Mat" is a weekly wrestling radio program that airs every Wednesday night. This week's broadcast can be heard live from 6-7 p.m. Central Standard Time. The Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum in Waterloo, Iowa, hosts the show. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on 1650, The Fan. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.

Manheim, Pa. -- With the surging importance of the NCAA's Academic Progress Rate (APR) and its use as a measuring stick to gauge academic success and graduation rates, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is continuing its proactive role in educating member coaches on the APR. The National Association of Athletic Academic Advisors (N4A) is a non-profit organization receiving funding from the NCAA to provide consulting services to intercollegiate athletic departments as it specifically relates to the APR. The NWCA will bring in the N4A at its annual convention next week in Las Vegas. Among the services the NWCA and N4A will be bringing to the table are: • Assist coaches in all collegiate divisions (even though APR only applies to D-I) to implement "best practices" for maintaining a high standard of academic integrity within their intercollegiate wrestling programs. • Assist D-I coaches with specific strategies on how to improve their APR score. • Assist coaches with the development of "APR Adjustment and Waiver" requests submitted to the NCAA. • Be available to consult with all D-I wrestling coaches on an ongoing basis. • Monitor the APR scores of D-I wrestling programs. "We feel putting groups like the N4A right in front of our member coaches will have nothing but benefits for the APR numbers of our wrestling programs nationwide," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "We are particularly fortunate that one of the N4A's expert presenters at our Convention, Mark Gumble, was a very successful head wrestling coach at Binghamton University prior to becoming the Director of Athletic Academic Advising & Student Services at Central Florida University. His understanding of the wrestling culture makes him a valuable resource in our efforts to improve wrestling's APR." "At the Division I and III levels, the NCAA requires a member institution to only sponsor six men's sports (on most campuses, football and basketball will be two of them). At the Division II level, it's just five men's sports. Our member coaches need to make sure their teams rank among the top 5 or 6 men's sports on their respective campuses if we are to ensure the future of our sport," said Moyer. "A big way to do this is not be a liability and make your wrestling program a beacon of academic success." A prolonged APR ranking below the NCAA minimum standard of 925 can eventually lead to sanctions levied against the entire athletic department (of that particular wrestling program). "Consequently, we can't take anything for granted. It has to be our goal to elevate every intercollegiate wrestling program above the 925 NCAA minimum APR standard," said Moyer. While the APR is only a Division I issue at the moment, coaches from other divisions are encouraged to attend, since there is constant movement across divisions. "It's important for a coach from a non Division I wrestling coach to understand the nuances of the APR. First, it is a prerequisite to moving up to a Division I job," said NWCA President Ron Mirikitani. "Secondly, adhering to the guiding principles of the APR will ensure a wrestling program at any level maintains a high retention and graduation rate." The NWCA also hopes the expanded educational resources offered by the N4A will help alleviate misconceptions and misunderstandings about the APR. "It's a very misunderstood piece of legislation," explained Moyer. "It has its critics, but it's here and we have to work within the regulations of it, every sport does, so we want to make sure our wrestling coaches are on the cutting edge of that informational curve." "Could schools have applied for waivers and avoided sanctions? Are there things brought up in the APR that weren't caught on a school's compliance end? These are things we all should know before any APR number comes out, so we can not only protect our programs, but entrench them as well." 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.

Penn State Hosts, Wins 1953 NCAAs At the 2008 NCAAs in St. Louis, Penn State University made headlines by having two of its wrestlers in the finals -- Bubba Jenkins and Phil Davis -- with Davis winning the 197-pound title, and the Nittany Lions claiming third-place honors in the team standings behind Iowa and Ohio State. The 1953 Penn State was the last eastern college to win the NCAAs. That team was honored in a special ceremony at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma on May 30, 2008 … becoming only the second time an entire team has been so acknowledged Fifty-five years earlier, what was then called Pennsylvania State College made even bigger headlines. Not just for hosting the 1953 NCAAs, but also for winning the team title … the last Eastern college to do so. That 1953 Nittany Lions team was honored in a special ceremony at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma on May 30, 2008 … becoming only the second time an entire team has been so acknowledged. (In 2007, the 1947 Cornell College of Iowa team was singled out for being the smallest school ever to win a national collegiate wrestling team title. To read about that Cornell team, click HERE.) At the ceremony, four members of the 1953 Penn State team were in attendance: wrestlers Bill Cramp, Gerry Maurey and George Dvorozniak, and team manager Bill Winterburn. Jamie Moffatt, one of the authors of the book A Turning Point about the 1953 NCAAs and the team that won the title, made a PowerPoint presentation. Penn State wrestling before 1953 The wrestling program at Penn State is one of the most enduring of all in the collegiate mat world. The Nittany Lions first took to the mat in 1909, wrestling just one dual meet … losing to Cornell University. (It was one of only eleven losing seasons in a century of Penn State wrestling.) Among the highlights of the first couple decades: In 1921, Penn State was declared the National Dual Team champion after defeating Indiana University and Iowa State … and, in 1927, Charlie "Doc" Speidel became head coach. (More about him later.) In the 1930s, Penn State battled with Lehigh for supremacy in the EIWA; during that decade, one or the other won or tied for the conference crown. In 1936, the wrestlers from State College broke Lehigh's five-year conference team title streak. The following year, Penn State set an EIWA team scoring record, with five individual champs. It was at this time that Penn State began to bring national attention to itself. In 1935, the Nittany Lions had their first NCAA champ, Howard Johnston, who won the 165-pound title. At the 1942 NCAAs -- the last national championships before a three-year hiatus during World War II -- Penn State placed third. After World War II, college wrestling in the U.S. was growing by leaps and bounds … and Penn State was a prime example. In the early 1950s, students were lining up to watch their Nittany Lions wrestle at Recreation Hall; according to an article about the 1953 NCAAs in a December 1989 issue of Town & Gown magazine, at times two thousand fans were turned away! And they saw great wrestling. In the three years from 1950 through 1953, the Nittany Lions won every dual meet … and won the Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Championships (EIWA) each of those years, too. At the 1951 NCAAs held at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, Penn State had three finalists – Don Frey, Mike Rubino, and Homer Barr. While none of them won an individual title, the Nittany Lions' overall performance put them in third place in the team standings behind perennial powerhouses of the time, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State. Travel restrictions sidetrack Penn State success Given Penn State's success at the 1951 NCAAs -- and its ongoing dual-meet winning streak -- great things were expected of the Nittany Lions mat squad at the next national championships, held at Colorado State University in Fort Collins. This site -- at the time, the most western location ever to host the national wrestling championships -- posed a travel challenge for eastern wrestling programs such as Penn State. (This was before commercial jet travel; back then, teams would have traveled cross-country by train, bus or car.) In 1952, the administration at Penn State determined that it would be too costly to send the entire wrestling team to Colorado for the NCAAs; only wrestlers, boxers and gymnasts who had won Eastern titles would be able to make a trip to a national tournament. "One of the merits to be weighed in determining future policy on this question," said Franklin Lee Bentley, chairman of the Senate Committee on Athletics at Penn State, "was the location of a tournament." The decision by the Penn State administration meant that only three Nittany Lions -- Joe and Dick Lemyre, and Bobbie Homan -- qualified under the new rule to travel to the 1952 nationals at Colorado State. What may have made matters worse for the Penn State program: This ruling effectively tied the hands of the wrestling head coach, Charlie Speidel. He could no longer pick who he considered to be the strongest contender; if that were the case, he might have selected Penn State's proven mat veterans Don Frey or Gerry Maurey instead of Bobbie Homan, who, despite being an EIWA champ, may not have been as prepared to tangle with the nation's top wrestlers. This was borne out at the 1952 NCAAs. Bobbie Homan lost in a preliminary round, and did not place in the 115-pound weight class. However, on a brighter note, Dick Lemyre placed third at 130 pounds, earning All-American honors … while his brother Joe won the 167-pound NCAA title. Despite having only a three-man team, Penn State had two All-Americans, and claimed fifth place in the team standings. "The mountain comes to Mohammed" The travel restrictions tied to the 1952 NCAAs had frustrated head coach Charlie Speidel, who lobbied hard to have the NCAAs come to Penn State in 1953. As he told the decision-makers at a 1952 meeting to determine the host for the nationals the following year, "If Mohammed won't come to the mountain, we'll bring the mountain to Mohammed." The mountain came to Mohammed … or, perhaps more appropriately, the mountain came to Happy Valley. Penn State would host the 1953 NCAAs. It was the school's third time to welcome the NCAAs, having hosted the event in 1930 and 1938. (More recently, the school also served as the site for the NCAAs in 1999.) The man who brought the '53 NCAAs to Penn State Charlie "Doc" Speidel not only brought the 1953 NCAAs to Penn State; it can be argued that he laid the foundation that has made the Nittany Lions one of the top college wrestling programs in the nation even today. First, some perspective. In the first two decades of its existence, the Penn State wrestling program had a quick succession of five head coaches, some lasting only one or two seasons. The sixth, Speidel, put a stop to the revolving door. Charlie SpeidelHired in 1927, Charlie Speidel served as head coach of the Nittany Lions' matmen for a total of 34 years, from the late 1920s up through 1942 … then serving in the Navy during World War II … then returning to coach at Penn State from 1947 through 1964. During that time, Speidel compiled a 191-56-13 overall record, for a winning percentage of .773. With Speidel at the helm, Penn State had six individual NCAA champs, 15 national finalists, and 41 All-Americans … as well as eight EIWA team titles. (This was before Penn State joined the Big Ten conference.) Charlie Speidel grew up in Elizabeth, New Jersey, where he was a Golden Gloves boxer. He was hired by Penn State to be the school's boxing and wrestling coach. Interestingly, he had never wrestled competitively! This was not that unusual among top high school and college wrestling coaches of the era; for example, legendary Oklahoma State head coach Ed Gallagher hadn't wrestled before becoming the Cowboys coach in 1917. According to Town & Gown magazine, when Speidel took over at Penn State in the late 1920s, there were only twenty high schools in Pennsylvania that offered wrestling. The 2003 book about the 1953 NCAAs, A Turning Point (written by Jamie Moffatt and Roger Olesen), reports that large numbers of prep wrestling programs in the Keystone State and the rest of the east were launched in the late 1930s, with the sport coming into its own in the 1940s … a bit later than in other states also perceived as wrestling hotbeds, Oklahoma and Iowa. As Penn State wrestling coach, Speidel had some challenges in building his program. For starters, immediately after World War II, he received limited support from the school's athletic department. According to A Turning Point, in 1949, Penn State had only one wrestling scholarship. (Like many other schools in the country at the time, Penn State was putting its financial resources into its emerging football program.) What's more, unlike college coaches in Oklahoma and Iowa who had limited competition for local high school stars, Speidel was vying for the top prep wrestlers against other college programs located in east, including Lehigh, University of Pittsburgh, and Syracuse, as well as the military academies at West Point and Annapolis. Innovation to make the most of the situation Although faced with some challenges, Charlie Speidel used his creativity to help make his Nittany Lions competitive, not just with the programs in his region, but also against the national mat powers of the era: Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, and Iowa State Teachers College (now the University of Northern Iowa). One way to ensure a steady stream of top recruits was to develop relationships with some of the top high school wrestling coaches in the area. In addition to focusing on the prep programs at Penn State's hometown of State College and nearby Bellefonte, Speidel cultivated friendships with three other top coaches in the east: • Art Weiss, head coach at Clearfield High School in north-central Pennsylvania, which still holds the record for producing the most state champs in the Keystone State, having just crowned its fortieth in 2008. • Henry Borsch, a teammate of Speidel's at Elizabeth High, then at the helm at Newton High School, New Jersey's dominant program at the time. • Frank "Sprig" Gardner, coach at Mepham High School, cradle of New York state champs in the fast-growing suburbs of Long Island. What's more, for Charlie Speidel, recruiting became a family affair. As A Turning Point describes it, "looking for depth and balance and teamwork, (Speidel) also pursued the novel idea of recruiting brothers who wrestled. That way he could get two young men, sometimes three, instead of one. It was a strategy which worked and paid handsome dividends in the 1950s, a strategy which also worked for Dan Gable in the 1980s and 1990s." Speidel's Penn State teams of the early 1950s featured three sets of brothers: The Maureys of Clearfield (Jim, Don, and Jerry) … the Freys of Newton (Don and Doug)… and Joe and Dick Lemyre from Mepham. The 1953 Penn State season The 1953 Nittany Lions continued their incredible winning streak that began back in 1950. During the 1952-53 season, Penn State won all nine dual meets, usually by comfortable margins (including two blowout shutouts, beating University of Virginia 30-0, and the University of Pennsylvania 38-0). According to the write-up about the team in the 1953 Penn State yearbook, the closest duals were against Maryland, and the University of Pittsburgh. In both, the score was tight through most of the evening … until Nittany Lions heavyweight Hud Samson came through with victories to seal the win for his team. (Back then, matches were wrestled in order by weight, concluding with heavyweight.) With the 23-3 win over Army on March 7, Penn State concluded the 1953 dual meet season with 29 straight wins… amassing four times as many points as all their competitors combined! At the 1953 EIWA championships -- held March 13-14 at Princeton University in New Jersey -- Penn State notched yet another conference team title. Two Nittany Lions brought home individual EIWA titles: Dick Lemyre at 130 pounds, and Gerry Maurey at 137. Life in 1953: The big picture At this point, it might make sense to provide a big-picture perspective on life as it was in 1953, the year Penn State, the dominant wrestling program in the East, hosted the NCAAs. The U.S. had come through the Great Depression of the 1930s, followed by further hardships caused by World War II. The Korean War had yet to be resolved, and the Cold War and Communism were becoming major concerns for more and more Americans. In the years immediately after World War II, college enrollments were exploding, thanks in large part to the G.I. Bill, which made it easier for military veterans who had served their country to get a post-secondary education. Many colleges were expanding at an incredible rate, building new housing to accommodate the influx of incoming students, and adding new academic programs, especially those geared to the fields of business, science and mathematics. Yet, despite all this, today's typical track of "graduate from high school, go immediately into college for four years non-stop" wasn't always typical for many male college students. Large numbers of college men found themselves taking time away from their educational careers to serve in the military. In some cases, patriotism drove this decision … or the realization that they weren't quite mature enough for the academic rigors of college. However, oftentimes, the main reason was financial -- there simply wasn't enough money to go to college at the time. Military service factored into the college careers of a number of top wrestlers of the early 1950s. Bill Weick, the 157-pound champ at the 1952 NCAAs from Iowa State Teachers College (ISTC), had to leave school months after winning the title because of financial reasons, and entered the Army. (He came back to ISTC and won his second title in 1955.) After graduating from Perry (Oklahoma) High School in 1951, Dan Hodge served in the Navy, then enrolled at the University of Oklahoma in 1953, where he became a three-time NCAA champ at 177 pounds (1955-57). Getting to the 1953 NCAAs State College -- home to Penn State -- sits in splendid semi-isolation in the lush, hilly terrain of the north-central portion of the Keystone State, hours from the urban hustle and bustle of Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. Sure, the school and its hometown are located a few miles south of I-80, a major east-west artery that links New York City to San Francisco, traveling through major wrestling hotbeds such as Pennsylvania, Ohio and Iowa. However, back in 1953, there was no I-80; the Interstate highway system was still very much a dream. Air travel was a big deal back then; passenger jet service was introduced later in the decade. A Turning Point described how some wrestlers made their way to State College for the 1953 NCAAs: For a farm boy from Iowa or Oklahoma, Penn State was a long trip by train or car… In 1953, Dick Mueller drove with his coach and teammates from Minnesota. It took three days in a snowstorm. Bill Koll took his Iowa State Teachers College team from Iowa via Chicago – two-and-a-half days. Jim Harmon, champion at 157 pounds for Iowa State Teachers, had never been east before. Gus Gatto, his teammate, had never been out of Iowa-Illinois. The 1953 NCAAs at Penn State 1953 National Championships 101 The 1953 NCAAs were held March 27-28 at Recreation Hall, better known by its shortened nickname Rec Hall. The fieldhouse, located in the heart of the campus, was built in the late 1920s, and had a seating capacity of about 6,000. (With substantial upgrades over the years, it is still the home of the Penn State wrestling program. The 1999 NCAAs were held at the newer, much-larger Bryce Jordan Center.) The 1953 NCAAs were held at Rec HallAccording to Jay Hammond's The History of Collegiate Wrestling, 166 wrestlers from 53 schools came to the event, "shattering the records set in 1951." (By comparison, recent-era NCAAs usually have approximately 330 wrestlers.) The University of Oklahoma was the defending team champion, but, as Hammond's book says, "There was no clear tournament favorite, and no school had more than four men seeded." Only three individual champs from the 1952 NCAAs came to Penn State to defend their titles: Hugh Perry, the 115-pound champ from the University of Pittsburgh, whose father Rex was his coach… Joe Lemyre, 167-pound titlist from Penn State, the Nittany Lions' first since Howard Johnston in 1935 … and heavyweight champ Gene Nicks from Oklahoma State. These '52 titlewinners were given a prominent place in the 1953 NCAA program – on page 3, with their three large head-and-shoulders portraits together taking up a third of the page. Two 1952 champs who were eligible to compete at Penn State were unable to defend their titles. Tommy Evans, the University of Oklahoma's champ at 147, suffered a severe knee injury during the season, and was knocked out of contention … and, as mentioned earlier, 157-pound champ Bill Weick had left ISTC for the Army. Taking to the mats for Penn State … Host team Penn State was very well represented at the 1953 NCAAs, with a man in each weight class except heavyweight. (The usual big man for the Nittany Lions, Hud Samson, moved down to 191, one of two weights that Penn State didn't compete in during the regular season) Here's a brief biographical sketch on each of the Nittany Lions who competed at the national championships in their home gym: • 115: William Crump, had not competed during the regular season. (This weight class, along with 191, was added specifically for the NCAAs… one that Penn State and most colleges normally didn't wrestle during the year.) • 123: Bobby Homan, brought a 7-1 record to the 1953 NCAAs – his only loss was to Pitt's defending champ Hugh Peery. Homan, the 1952 EIWA champ, was a 19-year-old sophomore from Wantagh, New York. • 130: Dick Lemyre, had a blemish-free 6-0 record, including two pins… though, during the season, had a spell of failing to make weight. Teammate Larry Fornicola stepped forward to win three straight bouts. The 20-year-old Lemyre, a junior from Merrick, New York and the fabled Mepham wrestling program, was a two-time EIWA champ (1952 and 1953). • 137: Gerry Maurey had built a near-perfect 7-1 record to the NCAAs (including 4 falls), with his only loss being to Maryland's Rod Norris. He capped off the season with an EIWA title. The 20-year-old junior from Clearfield, Pennsylvania was the Keystone State's first four-time state champ. • 147: Don Frey, a co-captain of the team, had a 5-1-2 record, with three pins. (His only loss was to Cornell University's Frank Bettucci.) The 5'10", 21-year-old junior originally hailed from Newton, New Jersey. • 157: Doug Frey, twin brother of Don, brought a 4-1-3 season to the '53 NCAAs… with his only loss being to Ed Rooney of Syracuse. • 167: Joe Lemyre -- brother of Dick -- had a very impressive wrestling resume as 1952 EIWA and NCAA champ. The 22-year-old senior -- and team co-captain -- from Merrick, New York had a 7-2 season; those two losses were to Army's Al Paulekas, and Maryland's Ernie Fischer. • 177: George Dvoroznick usually wrestled at 167. (Joe Lemyre would usually start the season at 177, then move down to 167.) The native of Plymouth, Pennsylvania had a 3-3-1 record during the 1953 season. • 191: Hudson "Hud" Samson, the strapping (6'3") senior from Pittsburgh, usually wrestled heavyweight but gave up considerable poundage to other big men of the EIWA. However, that didn't stop Samson from amassing an 8-1 record in 1953. His only defeat was at the hands of Lehigh's Werner Seel, 3-0. In addition to being the Nittany Lions' big man of the mat, Samson was also on the varsity golf team! What was expected from the hosts of the 1953 NCAAs? Pittsburgh Press sports editor Chester Smith was incredibly optimistic in his article for the event program: "(Coach Charlie) Speidel's current team is so well-rounded and has been so impressive in dual meets, at State they're entertaining a generous hunch that the national title won't leave town when the NCAA is held at State College." Match fundamentals of the era There are significant differences in how college wrestling matches were run fifty-five years ago. For starters, freshmen were not eligible to compete at the 1953 NCAAs. A regulation match lasted nine minutes, with three, three-minute periods. If a match ended in regulation with a tie score, there was no overtime period; the referee determined the winner. In 1953, to score a pin, a wrestler had to hold his opponent's shoulders to the mat for a full two seconds, not one second as today. The brackets for each weight were designed for sixteen wrestlers -- half of today's brackets -- though some weight classes had up to 24, while some had less than half that number. To win a national title, most wrestlers had to wrestle four matches. Unlike today, conference championships such as the Big Tens or EIWAs were not determinants as to who qualified for the NCAAs; basically, it was up to an individual program and coach as to who wrestled at the national championships. Let's go to the action … According to The History of Collegiate Wrestling, there were few surprises on Friday, the first day of action at the 1953 NCAAs. Three schools -- Oklahoma, Iowa State Teachers, and Penn State -- each advanced four men into the semifinals. To fully understand how close the race was for the team title at the 1953 NCAAs, the rules governing the point-total calculations were much different back then, compared to today. In 1953, a team earned six points for an individual title, four points for runner-up, two points for third place, and one point for fourth. (Note that only the first four places were determined in each weight class; these placers earned All-American honors.) Wrestlers earned one point for their team by scoring a pin, or winning by default. In addition, if a wrestler lost in his bracket, he could only advance into the consolation bracket if he lost to a finalist. However, it wasn't a strictly by-the-numbers event. In A Turning Point, Cornell University's co-captain Don Dickason described the atmosphere inside Rec Hall for the 1953 NCAAs: It became evident early on that Penn State had a good chance of gaining the championship. Each individual match was lustily cheered, for or against. If it was a Penn Stater, the cheering was for him. If not a Penn Stater, then the cheering of the home crowd depended on the opponent, someone threatening Penn State's lead, or vice-versa. Cornell was not about to win the tournament, everyone assumed, so our guys were cheered and supported, except when we wrestled Penn Staters." Now, let's see how each of those Penn Staters did on their home mats in front of their hometown crowd: 115 pounds Penn State's Bill Cramp shut out Arkansas State's Jackson, 3-0, in the opening round … but was pinned by Bob Christensen of Northwestern in the quarterfinals. Christensen had won his first match 6-2 over Gary McCain of Oregon State, and got a 4-2 win over Southern Illinois University-Carbondale's Robert Whelan to make it to the title round. The other finalist, University of Pittsburgh's Hugh Peery, defending champ at 115, pretty much breezed his way through his side of the bracket, getting victories by the scores of 9-4, 6-2 and 11-1. Hugh PeeryThe finals: Hugh Peery, coached by his father Rex, a three-time NCAA champ at Oklahoma State for Ed Gallagher in the 1930s, held his opponent Bob Christensen to a single point. Final score: 5-1 Peery. In 1954, Peery won his third NCAA title; his younger brother Ed also won three NCAA titles for Pitt (1955-1957), making the Peerys the only father-son-son combination to win a total of nine individual championships in nine tries. Hugh Peery is the only champ from the 1953 NCAAs to be inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. He went on to become a dentist. The first four placers in each weight class earned All-American honors. At 115, the All-Americans were Hugh Peery (first place), Bob Christensen (second), Richard Marks of Illinois (third), and Art Heft of Franklin & Marshall (fourth). 123 pounds Bobby Homan of Penn State lost his opening-round match to Al Crancer of Arkansas State, 10-2, and did not go into the consolation bracket. The two favorites in the weight class were Don Reece of Oklahoma, and Minnesota's Dick Mueller. The Sooner won his first two matches by fall, and got a 3-0 shutout victory over Pat McCarron of Iowa State Teachers in the semifinals. Mueller held Joe Lobaugh of Oklahoma State scoreless, 3-0, then beat Crancer 5-2 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, the Golden Gopher got a 7-1 win over Harvard's John Lee to advance to the finals. The finals: This match was critical to Oklahoma's team standings; if Don Reece won, at bare minimum the Sooners would tie for the team title, and perhaps win it outright. For that reason, the Penn State fans at Rec Hall were solidly behind Minnesota's Mueller. The Golden Gopher had been called earlier in the match for an illegal slam, and was behind Reece by two points. With 90 seconds left, Reece executed a tight sit-out… but Mueller pancaked him to his back, getting the fall at 4:45 in the second period. Mueller later became a two-time Big Ten champ, but did not win another NCAA title. He was a high school wrestling coach in the 1960s, and, according to A Turning Point, runs an Internet commerce company in Minneapolis. In addition to Dick Mueller and Don Reece, the other 123-pound All-Americans were ISTC's Pat McCarron (third place), and Harvard's John Lee (fourth). 130 pounds Penn State's Dick Lemyre pinned his first opponent, Michigan State's Ed Casallichio, in 49 seconds… then edged Jim Howard of Ithaca, 6-5, in the quarterfinals … then advanced to the finals on a referee decision over Oklahoma's Harold Reece (Don's brother). The other finalist was Norvand "Snip" Nalan, two-time Big Ten champ from the University of Michigan. He pinned South Dakota State's Williams at 7:11 in the opening round, got a 7-2 victory over Toledo's Richard Lefter in the quarterfinals, and a 7-4 win over Colorado State's Bob Datteri in the semis. Norvand NalanThe finals: Both Lemyre and Nalan were undefeated. If Lemyre won, Penn State would clinch the title. According to A Turning Point, Lemyre felt his match with Reese was the best of his career … but it took a lot out of him. Nalan, a two-time Iowa high school state finalist from Mason City, was described as being "just a little snip" -- a guy who "couldn't do more than 3 pull-ups," according to Michigan teammate Andy Kaul. However, the Wolverine started the match with four unanswered points in the first two periods. There was a flurry of scoring from both men later in the bout, but Nalan came out on top, 7-5. The Penn State fans would have to wait for their team title. Nalan went on to win a second NCAA title in 1954, then had a long high school coaching career in Iowa and Minnesota. Earning All-American honors at 130: Norvand "Snip" Nalan (first place), Dick Lemyre (second), Ithaca's Jim Howard (third), and Ed Casalicchio of Michigan State (fourth). 137 pounds Gerry Maurey of Penn State drew a bye in the first round, then defeated Sam Ruzic of Iowa State, 3-1. Maurey then lost to Len "Gus" DeAugustino of Lock Haven -- also a product of Pennsylvania -- in the quarterfinals, 4-2. In the consolation bracket, Maurey beat Delance Duncan of Washington State, 4-1, then topped Oklahoma State's Donald Thompson, 6-3, and, finally, defeated Oklahoma's Ron Scott 10-2 to place third. After defeating Maurey, DeAugustino dispatched Ron Scott in the semifinals, 9-6… putting him into the finals, where he went up against Norton "Pete" Compton, Big Ten champ from the University of Illinois, who seemed to breeze through his side of the bracket with scores of 9-3, 7-0, and 5-0. The finals: Gus DeAugustino was able to score a key takedown in the first period, then ride his Illini rival Compton the rest of the period to hold the score at 2-0. The only other scoring the entire match: each wrestler got a one-point escape. Final score: 3-1 for DeAugustino. The champ from Lock Haven went on to a long coaching career at North Allegheny High School outside Pittsburgh (one of his most famous wrestlers: University of Iowa All-American Ray Brinzer), and at Duquesne University. The All-Americans at 137, in order of placewinning: Len "Gus" DeAugustino, Norton Compton, Penn State's Gerry Maurey, and Oklahoma's Ron Scott. 147 pounds Penn State's Don Frey got a bye in the first round, then got a 6-1 victory over Auburn's Bains. In the quarterfinals, Frey shut out Ian MacEwan of Kent State, 6-0 … but, in the semifinals, had his title dream derailed by Cornell University's Frank Bettucci, 7-3. In the consolation bracket, Don Frey pinned Leo Ballinger of Wyoming at 5:40, then got a referee's decision over Charles Uram of Pittsburgh to place third. Before beating Don Frey in the semis, Frank Bettucci got a decisive 8-2 win over Warren DePrenger of Cornell College of Iowa… then got the fall over Wyoming's Ballinger at 5:14 … and, in the quarterfinals, topped Pitt's Uram, 7-3. Meanwhile, on the other side of the bracket, Bob Hoke of Michigan State got a 10-3 win over Clayton Carothers of Lincoln… a referee's decision over 1952 finalist Tom Titsworth of Oklahoma in the quarterfinals … and, in the semifinals, shut out Bob Norris of Iowa State Teachers College, 3-0, to advance to the finals. The finals: According to A Turning Point, Bob Hoke -- recently crowned Big Ten champ -- was a good eight inches taller than Frank Bettucci. After a scoreless first period, the Spartan got a reversal, followed by an escape by the Cornell wrestler to knot the score 2-2 at the end of the second. Bettucci scored another escape at the start of the third, then got a takedown to go ahead 4-2. Towards the end, Hoke got an escape to come within one point … but then Bettucci got a takedown at the buzzer to win 6-3. In addition to winning the title, Frank Bettucci won the event's Outstanding Wrestler award. Bettucci made the 1956 U.S. Olympic Team but injured his knee just before the event and was unable to compete. 147-pound All-Americans (in order of placement): Frank Bettucci … Bob Hoke … Penn State's Don Frey… and Charles Uram of Pittsburgh. 157 pounds Doug Frey of the Nittany Lions held Springfield's Bill Bock scoreless, 8-0 … but then lost his next match, 4-3, to Ed Rooney of Syracuse, and did not make it into the consolation bracket. This weight class featured arguably the most famous wrestler at the 1953 NCAAs, even though he lost his opening-round match, and never won an NCAA title. However, even folks who don't know a takedown from a touchdown know Donald Rumsfeld, who wrestled for Princeton University at 157. At the 1953 NCAAs, Rumsfeld lost his first bout to Jim Ellis of Indiana University. The two men who worked their way through the 24-man bracket -- the largest at the tournament -- to the title bout were Dan Sniff of Colorado State, and Jim Harmon of Iowa State Teachers College. Sniff drew a bye in the first round, then pinned Virginia Military Institute's Berry at 4:05. In the quarterfinals, Sniff got a referee's decision over Oklahoma's John Eagleton, then, in the semis, defeated Pittsburgh's Joe Solomon, 6-1. Harmon shut out Hofstra's Turley in the opening round, 4-0, then got an 8-6 win over Vito Perrone of Michigan State. In the quarterfinals, Harmon beat Maryland's Bob Fischer, 7-5… then, in the semis, beat the man who beat Rumsfeld, edging out Indiana's Ellis, 3-2. The finals: Although only a sophomore, Jim Harmon had been to the NCAA finals before, having lost to Oklahoma's Tommy Evans in 1952. In the first period, Dan Sniff scored a takedown, followed by an escape by Harmon to make the score 2-1. At the end of two periods, the score was tied at 4-4. In the third, Harmon rode his opponent the entire period, scoring two points riding time. The final score: 6-4 for ISTC's Jim Harmon. After the NCAAs, Harmon ran out of money for college, so he joined the Navy. He came back to Iowa State Teachers College in 1958 and graduated the following year, then returned to the Navy before going into ranching, then retirement. All-Americans at 157: Jim Harmon … Dan Sniff … John Eagleton of Oklahoma … and Michigan State's Vito Perrone. 167 pounds Penn State's Joe Lemyre was the second of three 1952 NCAA champs able to defend their titles at Rec Hall. In the first round, the Nittany Lion drew a bye … then pinned Nowitzky of Virginia Military Institute at 4:09 … then, in the quarterfinals, got a decisive 9-2 win over Oklahoma State's Carl Wood. However, Joe Lemyre's hopes of a title repeat were dashed in the semifinals on a referee's decision in favor of Don Dickason of Cornell University. In the consolation round, Lemyre bounced back, getting a win over Cornell of Iowa's Warren Sonnenman, then a 6-2 victory over Brown's Dana Eastham to claim third-place honors. Don DickasonDon Dickason had three of his matches end by referee's decision. The Big Red wrestler won his first match over Nordquist of Illinois, 3-0 … then got the ref to declare him the winner over Eastham of Brown in the second. In the quarterfinals, he got a 7-5 win over Dale Ward of Army. Dickason's second ref's decision was his win over Joe Lemyre, which propelled him into the finals … Also in the finals: Frank Marks of the University of Oklahoma. The Sooner racked up a 6-3 win over Indiana's Pankow … then a 6-2 victory over Lock Haven's Lentvorsky … then, in the quarterfinals, Marks beat Cornell of Iowa's Sonnenman, 3-1. In the semifinals, Frank Marks got a referee's decision of his own, over Ernie Fischer of Maryland, to advance to the finals. The finals: How appropriate that the two wrestlers who made it into the finals thanks to referee decisions in the semifinals would have their title bout outcome determined by … you guessed it, the official. If Marks had pinned Dickason, Oklahoma would have a chance to catch up with Penn State in the team standings. But there was no fall; at the end of regulation, score tied at 1-1, Dickason was declared the winner by referee's decision -- his third of the tournament! After winning the title, Dickason served in the Navy, was a wrestling referee, then worked 33 years in admissions at his alma mater Cornell and at Penn State. The 167-pound All-Americans: Don Dickason … Frank Marks … Penn State's Joe Lemyre … and Dana Eastham of Brown University. 177 pounds George Dvoroziak of Penn State lost his opening-round match to Michigan's Dick O'Shaughnessy, a two-time Big Ten champ, 8-1, and did not go into the consolation rounds. The 177-pound bracket was one of the lightest, with only twelve wrestlers. The two who made it to the finals: Ned Blass of Oklahoma State… and Al Paulekas of Army. Blass had drawn a bye in the first round, then got a 5-3 decision over Bob McCullough of Wyoming in the quarterfinals. In the semis, the Sooner trounced Bob Wirds of Iowa State, 16-8, in what A Turning Point described as "a takedown clinic." On the other side of the bracket, Paulekas dominated the competition, scoring a huge 13-4 win over Toledo's Ed Lanzi … pinning Don Lindell of Cornell of Iowa at 8:32 in the quarterfinals … and shutting out O'Shaughnessy 4-0 in the semifinals. The finals: Ned Blass was a prime example of the Oklahoma State wrestling style in the 1950s and early 60s -- "take 'em down, let 'em up," seemingly scoring takedowns at will. A Turning Point described his title match: "Pualekas -- a short, stocky, straight-ahead wrestler – was no match for Blass' takedown artistry. Blass held back and wrestled a conservative match, maneuvering Paulekas at will, keeping him off-balance and on the defensive… Result: Blass 8, Paulekas 4. The Army cadet never really had a grip on Blass the entire match." The following season, Ned Blass won his second title at 177, then served in the Navy, then was a teacher and wrestling coach in San Diego. (Interestingly, Blass and Gene Nicks were not only teammates at Oklahoma State, but also at Ponca City (Oklahoma) High.) The four All-Americans at 177: Ned Blass… Al Paulekas… Iowa State's Bob Wirds… and Ed Lanzi of the University of Toledo. 191 pounds Penn State's Hudson "Hud" Samson usually wrestled heavyweight for the Nittany Lions; however, because he typically weighed in at only 205 during the regular season, he was able to easily drop down to the 191-pound class that was unique to the NCAAs. On his home turf at Rec Hall, Samson made short work of his rivals on his side of the 15-man bracket, pinning Lou Williams of Oregon State at 3:40 of the opening round … getting a 6-1 win over Iowa State's Mel Walden in the quarterfinals … and holding Dick Torio of Toledo scoreless in the semis, 2-0, to make it to the title bout. Samson's opponent in the finals was Charles Weber of West Chester State Teachers College. He had defeated Minnesota's Pete Veldman, 6-1 … gotten a fall over Oklahoma's Doc Hearon (a Golden Gloves boxer as well as a wrestler) at 8:08 in the quarterfinals … and, in the semifinals, earned a 5-2 victory over Gus Gatto of Iowa State Teachers College. The finals: Early in the first period, the Nittany Lions' varsity golfer/wrestler took Charles Weber to the mat, then rode his rival the rest of the period. In the second, Samson started in the top position, then as A Turning Point describes it, "gradually worked Weber to his back. At 4:15 of the match, Samson got the fall with a tight body press. The partisan fans rocked Recreation Hall with exuberant stomping and joyful exaltation. With two pins en route to the title, he scored a remarkable eight of PSU's 21 total team points." Hud Samson"Samson made Penn State's national championship possible, and -- in addition -- it was probable that it would not have happened if Samson had not wrestled." After the 1953 NCAAs, Hud Samson received the William N. Neidig Award for "the senior who contributes the most to the success of Penn State wrestling." 191-pound All-Americans: Hud Samson … Charles Weber … Dick Torio of Toledo… and Gus Gatto of Iowa State Teachers. Heavyweight Penn State did not have an entrant in the unlimited weight class. (Up until the 1980s, there was no top limit on this weight class.) Ironically, the heavyweight class was the lightest in terms of number of wrestlers, with just eleven big men vying for the title. Gene Nicks of Oklahoma State was the defending champ. Nicknamed "Ninety-Second Nicks" for his propensity to pin foes fast, the beefy-but-boyish-faced, 238-pound Cowboy had drawn a bye in the first round … got a 6-1 win over Pittsburgh's Eldred Kraemer in the quarterfinals … then pinned UCLA's football/mat star Jack Ellena at 4:59 of the semifinals to find himself in the finals for the second straight year. Going up against the champ was long and lanky Dan McNair of Auburn University, who was 6'2" and usually weighed in at 210… almost twenty pounds lighter than Nicks. Like his Cowboy rival, McNair had earned a bye in round one … then, in the quarterfinals, held Tom Megele of Hofstra scoreless, 5-0. In the semifinals, the New Orleans native got a referee's decision over Ed Husmann of Nebraska to make it into the finals. The finals: There was no scoring in the first period. In the second, Nicks took top; A Turning Point described the Cowboy as "having a reputation as a brutal rider." However, he didn't turn the Auburn senior, so the score was still tied at zero. Here's how McNair described the final period in a 2003 interview for the book: "I rode him hard to start when he went to get up, I slipped in the cross-body ride. All the energy started flowing out of Nicks as I broke him down. I was able to get in a half-Nelson and started cranking him a few times … I got some back exposures on him." The match ended scoreless … but the referee raised Dan McNair's hand as the new heavyweight champ -- the first NCAA titlist from the deep South. After graduating from Auburn, McNair became a professor. Nicks went on to win his second heavyweight title at the 1954 NCAAs. Heavyweights earning All-American honors: Don McNair … Gene Nicks … Pittsburgh's Eldred Kraemer … and Jack Ellena of UCLA. It's a wrap! In terms of team standings, Penn State earned 21 points … putting it in first place, knocking out 1952 team titlewinners, the Oklahoma Sooners, who placed second with 15 points. Cornell University was two points behind, placing third. Tying for fourth place -- two points behind the Big Red -- was Oklahoma State, and Iowa State Teachers College, each with 11 points. Penn State won the team title with 21 points and had five All-Americans and one championIn terms of individual champs from the top five teams, Penn State had one (Hud Samson) … Oklahoma had none … Cornell had two (Frank Bettucci and Don Dickason) … Oklahoma State had one (Ned Blass) … and ISTC had one (Jim Harmon). In terms of All-Americans from the top five teams, Penn State had five … Oklahoma had four … Cornell had two (their two NCAA champs) … Oklahoma State had two … and ISTC had three. With Gene Nicks and Joe Lemyre each losing in their finals matches, only one of the three defending champs -- Hugh Peery of Pittsburgh -- was able to reclaim his title. The Nittany Lions after 1953 In the December 1989 article in Town & Gown magazine, Penn State coach Charlie Speidel recalled, "Our team of 1953 had the team title all sewed up following the consolation round when Don Frey, Gerry Maurey, and Joe Lemyre each contributed third-place points. It mattered not whether Dick Lemyre or Hud Samson won titles. Their second-place scores would have been enough. But it was nice to have Samson come through." "There's no question but that special credit for a good season should go to the unsung heroes -- the second-string men who stay in harness and battle in spite of almost knowing that they will never surpass the top wrestlers on their team." "Coaching is not just teaching maneuvers and skills. A feature responsibility is to develop a happy family relationship and ‘clannishness' among the men. Everybody must be kept interested and on the same plane as the so-called prima donna. They all want to belong." What happened to Penn State after winning the 1953 NCAA team title on its home turf? In 1954, the Nittany Lions had a 6-2 dual meet record. They placed second at the EIWA championships, and came in third in the team standings at the national championships held at the University of Oklahoma in Norman. At the 1954 NCAAs, Penn State had no individual champions, but two All-Americans -- Joe Krufka at 177, and Bill Oberly at 191. Both men placed third in their respective weight classes. The following season, Penn State built a 5-2 record during the regular season, and were second in the EIWA conference team title race. The 1955 NCAAs, held at Cornell University, had three Penn State wrestlers in the finals, with Larry Fornicola and Bill Oberly winning individual titles (137 and heavyweight, respectively), while Joe Krufka lost to Oklahoma's Dan Hodge in the 177-pound title bout. All three earned All-American honors. In 1956, Penn State compiled a 7-1 regular-season record, placed second at the EIWAs, and fifth at the NCAAs hosted by Oklahoma State. That year, the Nittany Lions had no individual champs, and two All-Americans: David Adams at 147, and Bill Oberly at heavyweight. 1957 was the end of a great run for the Nittany Lions. That season, Penn State's dual-meet record was 6-2-1; the team won the EIWA conference title at Rec Hall. A couple weeks later, Speidel's matmen headed southwest to the University of Pittsburgh, where John Johnston won the 130-pound NCAA title, and John Pepe placed second at 137, both earning All-American status. The following year, Penn State had a dual-meet record of 2-4-2, placed fourth at the EIWAs, and tied for fourteenth in the team standings at the 1958 NCAAs. At the end of the 1964 season, Charlie Speidel retired from the Penn State program. Taking the helm of the Nittany Lions was another wrestling/coaching legend, Bill Koll, who had been a three-time NCAA champ at Iowa State Teachers College in the late 1940s, then became their head coach. (To read more about Bill and his son Rob Koll, head coach at Cornell University, click HERE.) In the years since Charlie Speidel left State College, Penn State has had twelve individuals win NCAA championships, including three two-time titlewinners: Andy Matter, 1971-72 … Jeff Prescott, 1991-92 … and Kerry McCoy, 1994 and 1997. Most recently, at the 2008 NCAAs, Penn State added yet another individual champ to its record books -- Phil Davis at 197 pounds -- and placed third in the team standings. Based on current in-house talent and recent recruiting, the Penn State program is expected to contend for individual and team titles for some time to come … all built on the foundation laid by Charlie Speidel and his Nittany Lions of more than a half-century ago. Two books were instrumental in the writing of this story: Jay Hammond's The History of Collegiate Wrestling (available for purchase at www.wrestlingstats.com), and the 2003 book specifically about the 1953 NCAAs, A Turning Point by Jamie Moffatt and Roger Olesen, which is available by contacting emoffatt@aol.com. Special thanks to Paul Karwacki , assistant sports archivist in Special Collections at Penn State University Library for providing a wealth of original source materials. DVD copies of the original black-and-white, silent films of the 1953 NCAA finals are available for purchase direct from the host school. For contact information for the Penn State University archives, email mark@RevWrestling.com To see more images from the 1953 NCAAs, including photos of all the finalists, visit the Yahoo group Vintage Amateur Wrestling Photo Annex 3 by clicking HERE.

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Konrad Dudziak continued his quest to make the U.S. Olympic team this past weekend when he won the championship in freestyle at 211.5 pounds at the University World Team Trials. Dudziak is currently wrestling with the New York Athletic Club while taking a redshirt year from Duke to compete for an Olympic spot. Dudziak swept Brent Jones of Cavalier Wrestling Club in the finals, 4-4 and 3-0, and then 3-0 and 3-0, to take the title. Jones is the University National Champion and one of the top contenders for the Olympic spot at 211.5 pounds. Dudziak, a native of Bayonne, N.J., is now considered a favorite for the Olympic spot at 211.5 pounds, which is an incredibly strong weight class in the U.S. In 2006 at Duke, Dudziak placed third in the ACC Tournament as a sophomore. He went 9-0 in tournaments with three falls in 2006-07 before making the decision to take a year off to compete at the Olympic level. Dudziak will return to Duke this fall as a redshirt junior and as a top contender for winning NCAA's at heavyweight. Dudziak will next compete in the U.S. Olympic Team Trials from June 13-15 in Las Vegas, Nev. He is scheduled to wrestle Jones again in the first round and if victorious would most likely face Willie Parks, who he also just defeated at the University World Team Trials. If successful again against that pair Dudziak will be in the finals of the Olympic Trials mini-tournament. The winner of that tournament faces the No. 1 ranked American wrestler in a best-of-three series to represent the U.S. in the Olympics. "Konrad, very realistically, can win the mini-tournament and challenge to represent the U.S. in Beijing at the 2008 Summer Olympics," said Duke coach Clar Anderson. "He has come so far so fast that winning the right to represent the U.S. in the Olympics is no longer a boyhood dream, but now an expectation."