InterMat Staff

There's a powerful connection between the sport of wrestling, and warfare that goes back centuries. That link continues today; modern soldiers are still being schooled in wrestling and other personal combat techniques. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum has served to honor these bonds between wrestling and the military in a number of ways, including an exhibit at the Stillwater, Oklahoma hall, a fan fest event to coincide with the 2009 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships at St. Louis, and a brand-new, 100-page book, Glory Beyond the Sport: Wrestling and the Military, written by Roger Moore, with contributions by Jay Hammond, Jamie Moffatt, and Don Sayenga, published by the Hall of Fame. The results of a grassroots campaign The genesis for these tributes was very much a grassroots effort that tied into programs already underway at the amateur wrestling hall. "The idea came from some University of Oklahoma wrestlers who were military veterans," according to Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum. "They approached us, asking us to recognize the connections between wrestling and the military, and honor military contributions." "This was a natural that fit into our educational outreach programs," Smith continues. "We've been working on subjects that broaden awareness of the sport, by telling the stories of Hall of Fame members. We've had programs honoring the contributions of African-Americans to wrestling, and our Pins to Patriots, which told the stories of U.S. Presidents who once wrestled. The idea of doing a 'wrestling and the military' tribute seemed to be an appropriate extension of our educational outreach. We've had so many Hall of Fame members involved in the military." "Because there are so many who have wrestled and served in the military, we had to set some sort of criteria," says the director of the Stillwater Hall. "We focused on NCAA champs, Inter-Service champs, Olympians, World Team members, and Hall of Fame members. Our thought was, �Let's try to get as many profiles as we can, and create a database.'" The process started with a committee charged with creating a military exhibit. The chairman of the committee was Bud Belz, Sergeant, United States Marine Corps (USMC); with Committee Ambassador Edwin Corr, Captain, USMC. Other members included Major Wayne Baughman, U.S. Air Force (USAF) (Retired); Col. Dave Bennett, USAF (Retired); Capt. John Heiner, USMC; Capt. Josiah Henson, Navy; Gen. Ron Fogelman, USAF; Gen. Charles Krulak, USMC; Bill McNamara, U.S. Army; Gen. Dean Sangalis, USMC (Retired); and Lt. Col. Dale Sullivan, Army � along with Bobby Douglas, National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member; Jim Keen Sr., Chairman of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame; and Lee Roy Smith. The main focus was to create a permanent exhibit, with a kiosk that will allow visitors to pull up names of individuals, and learn their stories. The Hall of Fame then contracted Roger Moore, respected wrestling writer who had covered the sport for the Stillwater News-Press, to do the book, Glory Beyond the Sport, which, as Lee Roy Smith describes it, "served as a roadmap for research." Commemorating service and sacrifice The book Glory Beyond the Sport is organized into major sections, starting with "A Short History" that provides an overview of how wrestling and military history go hand-in-hand. Next, a chapter titled "A Presidential Sport" which tells the stories of the thirteen U.S. Commanders in Chief who at some point in their lives were wrestlers� from the well-known, such as Abraham Lincoln, to those in the 'who knew?' category, like Calvin Coolidge and William Howard Taft. A state champion wrestler in high school in Illinois, Donald Rumsfeld was a three-year starter at Princeton (University). He later became Secretary of Defense during George W. Bush's presidencyOne president singled out for special consideration in the book was Theodore Roosevelt, who had been a sickly child, but, thanks to involvement in active sports such as boxing and wrestling, became an advocate for incorporating combat sports in military training. "Teddy Roosevelt thought it was important that wrestling would be the supreme combat method for military training, over other combat methods such as jiu-jitsu and judo," according to Lee Roy Smith. Glory Beyond the Sport then tells the stories of individuals who are National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum's Outstanding American honorees, were once wrestlers, and served in the armed forces. Among the individuals profiled in this chapter that are familiar names outside the world of wrestling: George Washington, Norman Schwarzkopf (Commander in Chief of Operations for Desert Storm in the early 1990s), and Donald Rumsfeld (Secretary of Defense under President George W. Bush). Chapter Four serves up profiles of the 55 Distinguished Members of the Hall of Fame who have military and mat backgrounds. "It was striking how many served their country, but they don't talk about it," says Smith. "They didn't think twice about serving." Among the stories told in this section of Glory Beyond the Sport include all-time wrestling legends Bill Koll, Gerry Leeman, Dan Hodge, Doug Blubaugh, Tommy Evans, and Lloyd Keaser. Doug Zembiec wrestled at the US Naval Academy. In 1995, he earned All-American honors at 177 pounds. He was a rifle company commander who led 168 Marines in the first conventional ground assault on Fallujah, Iraq in April 2004, where he earned the nickname "Lion of Fallujah." Zembiec was killed in May 2007 in BaghdadNext, the "Above and Beyond" chapter shares stories of wrestlers who have served their country with honor, from World War I to the present day. "One of the most impressive is Tom Norris, a two-time ACC (Atlantic Coast Conference) champ at the University of Maryland who was a Navy SEAL. Disguised as a Vietnamese, his heroic actions rescued pilots who were shot down over Vietnam, despite having been shot in the head." Norris later was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. The chapter titled "The Ultimate Sacrifice" profiles a half-dozen individuals who gave their lives in military service, including Ray Mendoza, Big Ten champ for Ohio State in the 1990s, and Doug Zembiec, known as "the Lion of Fallujah" who was an All-American wrestler at the U.S. Naval Academy. Glory Beyond the Sport concludes with chapters on present-day opportunities for athletes to participate in wrestling while serving their country� and a chapter celebrating diversity, and how the military has opened doors for wrestlers well beyond the mat. To purchase a copy of Glory Beyond the Sport, visit the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum Web site at www.wrestlinghalloffame.org, or by calling 405.377.5243.

Five Stanford wrestlers were honored by the Pac-10 when the conference announced its 2009 academic awards today. Redshirt freshman Nick Amuchastegui, junior Jake Johnson and junior Tyler Parker earned spots on the Pac-10 All-Academic First Team, while senior Luke Feist and sophomore Cameron Teitelman were named to the second team. Amuchastegui, an undeclared major with a 3.93 GPA, finished his redshirt freshman season with a 29-8 record, matching teammate Zack Giesen's 2007 effort as the third-winningest rookie in school history. In the course of his notable freshman campaign, the Talent, Ore. led the team with 75 dual points, was the Pac-10 runner-up at 165 pounds and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championships. He upended two ranked opponents during the year, including a stunning upset of fifth-seeded Nick Marable in his first career NCAA Championship match. Johnson earned his second consecutive Pac-10 academic honor after being named to the second team as a sophomore last season. The junior 184-pounder boasts a 3.45 GPA as a management science and engineering major and led the Cardinal with 31 wins and nine major decisions this year. Johnson finished the season with a 31-15 record after posting a career-best third-place finish at the Pac-10 Championships. Parker, whose redshirt junior season was plagued by injury, finished the year with a 4-3 overall record and took sixth place at the Pac-10 Championships. Parker, who was named to the Pac-10 All-Academic Second Team as a sophomore in 2007, is a management science and engineering major with a 3.71 GPA. Feist, a civil engineering major with a 3.02 GPA, was honored for the third consecutive year. After earning honorable mention as a sophomore in 2007, Feist has been a second team selection the last two seasons. The Cardinal senior ended his Stanford career with an 83-64 record, with a 24-15 mark coming during his senior season. A three-time NCAA qualifier and four-time Pac-10 placer, Feist leaves The Farm as the ninth-winningest wrestler in school history. Teitelman, a management science and engineering major with a 3.39 GPA, went 15-19 and claimed sixth place in the Pac-10. The sophomore posted 19 dual points and three pins as Stanford's starting 141-pounder in 2008-09. To be eligible for selection to an academic team, a student-athlete must have a minimum 3.0 overall grade-point average and be either a starter or significant contributor.

LINCOLN -- The Nebraska wrestling team has invited the public to attend its annual postseason banquet on Saturday, April 18. The event will be held in the ballroom of the city campus Student Union, beginning with a reception at 5:30 p.m. and a buffet dinner following at 6 p.m. Cost is $30 per person. Husker fans will have the chance to mingle with the Nebraska coaches and wrestlers before the dinner and catch the awards presentation afterwards. Head Coach Mark Manning and his staff will announce the recipients of Nebraska's team awards, including academic honorees and senior recognition. The Huskers earned fourth place at the 2009 NCAA Championships on March 21, their second consecutive top-five finish. Four NU wrestlers earned All-America honors, including a national title and undefeated season from junior Jordan Burroughs at 157 pounds. Reservations for the banquet must be made through Ellen Shutts at (402) 472-9430 or at eshutts@huskers.com by Monday, April 13.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Penn State Wrestling Club held its annual awards banquet on Sunday at the Nittany Lion Inn, and true freshman Quentin Wright (Wingate, Pa.) was honored with three awards at the event. The annual event is held to honor and recognize the achievements of the Penn State wrestling team each year. Wright, an All-American as a true freshman after his sixth place finish at 174 this year, won the William Neidig Award for the Outstanding Wrestler of the Year; the Joe Scalzo Award for the Best Freestyle Wrestler and the Bill Koll Award, given to the Outstanding Freshman Wrestler. The Bald Eagle Area graduate posted a team-best 33-13 record this season, including a 15-7 mark in duals. He went 7-4 n the post-season, going 3-1 and advancing to the 2009 Big Ten Finals at 174 to earn an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. In St. Louis, Wright was seeded 11th but went 4-3 to claim sixth place and become Penn State's first true freshman All-American since 1998. Fellow freshman All-American Frank Molinaro (Barnegat, N.J.) was honored with the Kaye Vinson Award as the Most Improved Wrestler. Molinaro capped off a stunning post-season run by claiming eight place at the 2009 NCAA Championships at 141 pounds. Molinaro posted a 23-19 mark in his first season as a starter for the Nittany Lions, including a 9-12 dual meet mark. He placed eighth at the 2009 Big Ten Championships but his solid RPI and strength of schedule earned him an elusive at-large wild card bid to nationals. The New Jersey native took advantage by becoming the second straight Penn State wild card to earn All-America status. Senior Jake Strayer (South Fork, Pa.) won the Charles M. Spiedel Award for the senior with the most career dual meet wins. Strayer leaves Penn State with an 82-29 career record and was a 2007 All-American (taking 7th at 133). He advanced to the `round of 12' two other times (missing out on All-America status each time by just one victory). Strayer went 18-10 at 133 this year and posted a 2-2 mark at NCAAs. He will leave Penn State as an multiple winner of Academic All-America and Academic All-Big Ten laurels as well. Red-shirt freshman Colby Pisani (Ridgway, Pa.) was honored with the Larry Reilly Courage Award, for `showing courage in wrestling to help the team'. Pisani gallantly filled in for injured starter Bubba Jenkins at 149 pounds, moving up a weight class and wrestling with determination throughout much of the Big Ten dual meet season. Pisani competed in six dual meets for the Nittany Lions at either 149 or 157. Sophomore Adam Lynch (Mifflinburg, Pa.) won the Eleventh Man Award for leadership and dedication. Lynch went 16-12 at three different weights for Penn State and made his Nittany Lion dual meet debut against Purdue in January. True freshman James English (York, Pa.) won the Academic Excellence and Community Service Award this season. English, a Central York High School graduate, posted a 4.0 grade point average in the division of undergraduate studies. English was also involved in many of Penn State's charity efforts and activities outside the wrestling room. Senior manager Scott Ely (Kennett Square, Pa.) was given the Carl A. Winterburn Award, given to the manager who demonstrates year round support of the Penn State wrestling program. Ely is a native of Kennett Square, Pa., and is in his third year as a manager for the wrestling program. Scott is Co-President of the Wrestling Affiliate Club this year and served as Treasurer last year. He is a marketing major. Monty Christiansen won the Ed Sulkowski Award and W. Johnston Oberly was given the Outstanding Alumnus Award.

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- Troy Sunderland has resigned as head coach of the Nittany Lion wrestling program, effective today, Director of Athletics Tim Curley announced. Penn State will begin a national search for his successor immediately. Troy Sunderland leaves Penn State with a 115-90-2 overall dual meet record, having coached Penn State to four top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, including a third place finish in 2008 (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)Sunderland, a 1993 Penn State graduate, recently completed his 11th season as head coach of the Nittany Lions. He leaves Penn State with a 115-90-2 overall dual meet record, having coached Penn State to four top 10 finishes at the NCAA Championships, including a third place finish last year. This past season, Penn State went 8-12-2 and placed 17th at nationals. Sunderland has coached three individual National Champions, 24 All-Americans and seven Big Ten Champions during his tenure. "I am proud of what we've accomplished at Penn State during my tenure as head coach," Sunderland said. "While we did not achieve the ultimate goal of winning a national title, I feel that this program is on the cusp of accomplishing that elusive goal. I am pleased with where this program is headed and wish the next coach here the best of luck as the Penn State wrestling family continues to strive for the national title." Sunderland was a three-time All-American as a wrestler at Penn State, becoming a national runner-up twice. An EWL and Big Ten Champion, Sunderland ended his Penn State wrestling career with a 100-13-3 overall record. "Troy Sunderland has always represented Penn State with honor and integrity," Curley said. "As an athlete and a coach, he has embodied the values of Penn State athletics. We are thankful for all he has given to this University and wish him all the best."

EDMOND, Okla. -- Unbeaten 157-pounder Todd Meneely of Nebraska-Omaha has been selected as the 2008-09 NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year after winning his third straight national championship this season. Meneely is the second winner of the award, sponsored by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches' Association and voted on by eight regional representatives from around the country. Nebraska-Kearney heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev took the inaugural award last year. Each of the four regions nominated a candidate, with Super Region Two nominee Meneely finishing with 28 points to edge out runner-up Cy Wainwright of Newberry and Super Region One by one point. Minnesota State-Mankato's Tommy Abbott was the Super Region Three representative and Arsenia Barksdale of Adams State the Super Region Four nominee. Meneely, a native of Omaha, went a perfect 27-0 this season with 10 falls, seven major decisions and three technical falls. He was only scored on offensively three times (three takedowns) and won five tournament titles this year. A three-time regional champion, Meneely captured the Division II national title at 149 pounds in 2007 and '08 before moving up to 157 this season and winning a third consecutive crown March 13-14 in Houston, Texas. He finished with a 85-5 career record in three years with the Mavericks. Meneely was the driving force behind a UNO team that went undefeated in duals and ran away with the national team championship this season. He was named the Outstanding Wrestler at the NWCA Division II National Duals in January. A four-time state champion at Skutt Catholic High School in Omaha, Meneely was a Freestyle and Greco Junior National champion in 2002.

TEMPE -- The Pacific-10 Conference announced its annual wrestling award winners and Anthony Robles, a sophomore on the Arizona State University team, has been voted as the Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year, it was announced Wednesday. The 10th different Sun Devil to earn the wrestler of the year honor, Robles was selected in a vote of the conference coaches after winning his first Pac-10 title at 125 pounds and garnering All-America honors. A native of Mesa, Ariz., Robles entered the Pac-10 Championships as the top-seed in his weight class, holding a 7-0 record against Pac-10 foes. At the Championships, Robles was voted as the Most Outstanding Wrestler as he went 3-0 with two wins by technical fall and one by pin en route to his first Pac-10 title. One year after falling in the finals, Robles came back and opened with a 16-0 technical fall in the first round before pinning Andre Gonzalez of CS Fullerton at 3:23 in the semifinals. In the championship match, Robles rolled his way to a 17-1 technical fall over Brandon Zoeteway of CS Bakersfield. Following his first title, Robles added another first as he claimed All-America honors by going 4-2 overall and placing fourth at the NCAA Wrestling Championships in St. Louis, Mo. Seeded 12th in the tournament, Robles opened with a 5-0 victory over Nikko Triggas of Ohio State before upsetting No. 5 Charlie Falck of Iowa, 8-3. In the quarterfinals, Robles assured himself of All-America honors as he upset No. 4 Brandon Precin of Northwestern with a 9-0 major decision. In the semifinals, however, No. 1 Paul Donahoe of Edinboro knocked Robles into the consolation rounds with a 5-2 decision before Robles again scored an upset with a 19-10 major decision over No. 11 Zachary Sanders of Minnesota. In the medal round, Precin came out on top with a 3-1 decision, giving Robles a fourth-place showing. Overall, Robles ended his sophomore season with a 29-8 record overall and, of those 29 wins, 25 produced bonus points. On the year, Robles won a team-high 10 matches by technical fall, a team-high nine by pin fall and added three by major decision and two more by forfeit. Historically, Robles is one of 10 Sun Devils that have collected 15 conference wrestler of the year honors, which stands as the most of any team in the league with Oregon State in second with eight total honors. Overall since the Pac-10 began awarding the wrestler and coach of the year awards in 1979 and the addition of the newcomer award in 2000, the Sun Devil program has accumulated 30 total awards (15 coaching honors with 15 wrestler of the year) with OSU's 16 and Boise States' nine rounding out the Top 3. BSU moved into third this year after Greg Randall was named Pac-10 Coach of the Year and Jason Chamberlain was named Newcomer of the Year. Robles also became the first wrestler in the lowest weight class to win the Pac-10 honor since former Sun Devil Gary Bohay won in 1983 while competing at 126 pounds. Outside of Robles and Bohay, the only other wrestler under 141 pounds to win the award was OSU's Babak Mohammadi (134 pounds) in 1994. Bohay's honor was the first for the Sun Devil program and since then, Pac-10 Wrestler of the Year honorees have included Eddie Urbano (1985), Adam Cohen (1986), Mike Davies (1987 & 1988), Dan St. John (1989 & 1990), Ray Miller (1992 & 1993), Steve Blackford (2000), Eric Larkin (2001, 2002 & 2003) and Cain Velasquez (2005).

EASTON, Pa. -- The production and broadcast teams are set for the first-ever live national broadcast of the 20th annual National High School Seniors Wrestling Championships presented by the U.S. Navy, which will be produced by the NHSCA and aired on ESPN360.com. ESPN's Quint Kessenich will provide play-by-play announcing and Jeff Blatnick will serve as color analyst. Marty Ehrlich will serve as Executive Producer for the event, and Chris Lincoln will direct the event. Both have over 20 years experience producing major sports and entertainment events around the globe. Kessenich has covered wrestling, college and professional lacrosse, basketball, football, track and field and horse racing for the ESPN family of networks as a commentator and sideline reporter. A former All-American lacrosse goalkeeper, Kessenich attended the Johns Hopkins University from 1987 to 1990, and has covered 15 NCAA lacrosse championships as ESPN's TV analyst. The native of Lynbrook, N.Y. also wrestled and played soccer in high school. A gold medalist in Greco-Roman wrestling at the 1984 Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles, Blatnick has become a renowned wrestling color analyst, working on Olympic, collegiate and high school wrestling broadcasts nationwide. He has appeared as an analyst on ABC, ESPN, Madison Square Garden Network, and Prime Ticket Cable. He also is one of the nation's premier motivational speakers. Kessenich and Blatnick recently were part of the broadcast team for the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, which also aired on the ESPN family of networks. During his career, Ehrlich has held lead roles in the production of the Tour de France, the National Hockey League, college football and basketball. Lincoln has produced and directed many sports and entertainment events, including the National Hockey League, college basketball and the America's Cup. "We're very pleased to have assembled a telecast team with the experience and the credentials of Marty Ehrlich, Chris Lincoln, Quint Kessenich and Jeff Blatnick," NHSCA executive director Bob Ferraro said. "This is a historic opportunity to acquire nationwide exposure for the NHSCA and for high school wrestling's signature event. The opportunity to work with these consummate professionals will make this a historic and first-rate broadcast." The telecast will air live on ESPN360.com on Sunday, April 5 from 7-9 p.m. ET, and will be followed by a 30-minute highlight show that will air on ESPNU in July. Over one-fourth of the 2,628 wrestlers who are registered to compete – more than 700 in all – have won at least one state championship during their careers, and more than 1,300 are state placewinners. "Our collaboration with ESPN360.com is a huge step forward for the NHSCA," NHSCA founder Bob Ferraro Sr. said. "This is a unique opportunity to bring the finals of the Senior Nationals, the nation's most prestigious scholastic wrestling event, live to our loyal wrestling fan base. We're very excited to bring this outstanding event to ESPN360.com." Last year's National Seniors Championship attracted 818 competitors from a record 49 states. The finals featured an outstanding field, including five two-time state champions, seven three-time state champions and three four-time state champions. The 28 finalists combined for 51 state or National Prep Championships titles in their careers. The National High School Seniors Wrestling Championships is open to any high-school senior wrestler who has been a finalist in his high school state tournament or the National Prep Championships, with several wild-card entries through a petition system. The National Juniors, Sophomores and Freshman Championships are open events, with any wrestler eligible to enter at his grade level. For a complete list of Championships and Convention events, visit the NHSCA's web site at www.nhsca.com. To watch the broadcast live, click on the following link: http://sports.espn.go.com/broadband/espn360/index?id=5118 This link will become active during the broadcast. The NHSCA continues its involvement in high-profile high school sports events across the board. In addition to a full schedule of wrestling events, the NHSCA conducted its annual 7-on-7 football championships at storied Hoover High School in Hoover, Ala. in July, and hosted the NHSCA High School Basketball Festival Dec. 26-30 at Salisbury, Md. Formerly the Lions Club Holiday Classic, a long-standing event on the sports calendar of Maryland's Eastern Shore, the NHSCA hosted the 20th anniversary event with a field that included over 30 teams from five states. The NHSCA also has entered a sponsorship agreement with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association (PIAA) for the state football and wrestling championships. Founded in 1989, the National High School Coaches Association is a not-for-profit 501c3 service organization providing support and leadership programs for the nation's 500,000 high school coaches and 10 million high school athletes. About ESPN360.com ESPN360.com is ESPN's broadband sports television network that gives fans a 24/7 online destination delivering more than 3,000 live, global sports events annually. It is available at no cost to fans who receive their high-speed Internet connection from an affiliated service provider. ESPN360.com is currently available in nearly 25 million homes via approximately 45 Internet service providers (ISPs) nationwide, up 40 percent in 2008 and more than triple its distribution just 2 years ago. Among the affiliated ISPs are AT&T, Verizon, RCN, Insight, Frontier, Cavalier, Charter, Mediacom, Conway, Grande Communications and many more. In addition, ESPN360.com is also available at no cost to approximately 18 million U.S. college students and U.S.-based military personnel via computers connected to on-campus educational networks and on-base military networks (those with ".edu" and ".mil" domains).

NEW YORK -- On April 18, 2009 the Beat the Streets Wrestling Program will launch a new youth sports program that introduces boys and girls ages 5 to 10 years to Olympic style wrestling. The 11-week program takes place at the organization's Manhattan headquarters and costs $25, with 100% of the proceeds going to further Beat the Streets' efforts to provide free wrestling training, equipment and field trips to middle and high school students during the school year. More than 3,500 girls and boys currently participate in the school year programs. The youth program will be a fun, interactive class taught by Beat the Streets' leading instructors and assistants who will teach Olympic style wrestling techniques. Participants in the youth program take part in group training sessions and then are separated according to body weight to engage in drills with their peers. The 11-week program concludes with a mock tournament to introduce the children to competition. "Beat the Streets is committed to expanding the sport of wrestling to children of all ages across New York City, and the youth program is a great way for parents and caregivers to introduce kids to sports since wrestling is open to boys and girls of all shapes and sizes," said Brian Giffin, President and Executive Director, Beat the Streets. "Through wrestling students can learn the value of hard work, determination and persistence, life skills they can take with them both on and off the mat." The youth program will take place at Beat the Streets' headquarters located at St. Anthony's Memorial Gym in Lower Manhattan. The Beat the Streets Wrestling Program is a not-for-profit organization that primarily focuses on creating opportunities for boys and girls from New York City middle and high schools to participate in after-school wrestling programs in safe and nurturing environments. For the middle and high school participants Beat the Streets provides free coaching, gear and equipment; free access to afterschool training centers in all five boroughs during playing season; all-expenses paid trips to the most prestigious training camps in the country; and safe havens for students from the poorest urban neighborhoods seeking to improve their fitness and stay on the right path. Beat the Streets' work has effectively helped the sport of wrestling grow in New York City. In 2005, New York City's Public School Athletic League had only 23 high school teams and fewer than 300 kids enrolled. Now New York City has wrestling teams in 58 high schools and 54 middle schools.

JEFFERSON CITY, TENN. -- Carson-Newman College will discontinue its wrestling program beginning in the 2009-'10 academic year, Carson-Newman athletic director David Barger announced today. David Barger, Athletic Director, Carson-Newman College:"The difficult decision to discontinue wrestling came out of a desire to ensure the fiscal viability of the overall athletic program...I informed Coach (Don) Elia of the decision and met with members of the wrestling team. I explained the situation, and expressed my deep regret to those student-athletes. We want to continue to serve their educational needs, but understand that some may seek to continue their wrestling eligibility at another institution. We are arranging financial assistance counseling for each student in hopes that they will complete their degrees at Carson-Newman...We will forever appreciate Don Elia and those who have been a part of Eagle Wrestling."

Wrestling will become Tiffin University's 20th NCAA Division II intercollegiate varsity sport beginning in the 2010-11 season. The program will make its debut in 2009-10 as a club sport. Wrestling will become the 10th men's sport offered by TU. The university also recently added its 10th women's sport, women's lacrosse, which begins play during the 2009-10 season. The wrestling team, which will host matches in the Gillmor Center, will compete as an Independent varsity program beginning in the fall of 2010. A total of 44 NCAA Division II institutions compete in wrestling, including programs at Gannon University, Ashland University, the University of Findlay, the University of Indianapolis, Mercyhurst University, the University of Pitt-Johnstown, Seton Hill University, and West Liberty State. "We are excited at the prospect of adding wrestling to our athletic department," said Lonny Allen, Athletic Director. "There is a rich wrestling tradition not just in Ohio but among local high schools. I think we can offer a great opportunity to young area talent. We also wanted to expand our athletic department to match other GLIAC schools. From an intercollegiate perspective, wrestling is a strong regional sport, and that appealed to us as well." Jesse named head coach Doug Jesse has been named Head Wrestling Coach at Tiffin University. He will guide the program in its debut in 2009-10 as a club program and lead it in its first NCAA varsity season in 2010-11. "It's great to come home," Jesse, who attended Hopewell-Loudon High School, said. "I have thought a lot over the years about what it would be like for Tiffin University to start up a wrestling program. Wrestling is so strong in Ohio that it seemed like a natural growth sport for the university. This is a great opportunity to put together a strong program." Doug Jesse"We are excited to have Doug become our wrestling coach," said Lonny Allen, Athletic Director. "He has a great wrestling background both locally at Hopewell-Loudon and at college at Cornell. He is a great example of exactly the kind of wrestler we want to come and make up the Dragons program. We feel he is perfectly suited to build the program both academically and on the mat." Prior to coming to Tiffin University, Jesse spent four seasons as the head wrestling coach at Division I Wagner College. He had previously served as assistant wrestling coach at Heidelberg College. Jesse also excelled as a grappler, as he was a four-year member of the Cornell University wrestling team. He helped lead the Big Red to three Ivy League titles in his four years. Jesse graduated with a bachelor of science in human development in 2004. While at Hopewell-Loudon, Jesse was a four-time State qualifier, twice placing second in the finals as a freshman and a senior. He also had a third place finish as a junior. In addition to his head coaching responsibilities, Jesse is active on the summer camp circuit previously serving as an instructor at the Cornell and Hopewell-Loudon high school wrestling camps.

Tonight's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 7 p.m. CST. Mike Kirk, assistant athletic director at Central Oklahoma and the Division II rankings coordinator, will announce this year's recipient of the Division II Wrestler of the Year award. Immediately following the announcement the Division II Wrestler of the Year award winner and his coach will be interviewed separately. The award is sponsored by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association and voted on by eight regional representatives from around the country. Nebraska-Kearney heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev won the inaugural award last year. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Archives of the interviews will be made available immediately following the show. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com.

Sam Barber

MANHEIM, Pa. -- The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is announcing the sale of its InterMat Web site to the Minneapolis-based company, Rev Wrestling, effective April 1, 2009. Over the next several weeks, management of the InterMat Web site will be transitioned to Rev Wrestling. Rev Wrestling is a premier wrestling site that has been providing leading edge wrestling news, rankings, and feature stories for five years. Further, they have an established premium service featuring unique content not readily available to the public. Current InterMat Premium Service subscribers will be given access to the Rev Wrestling's premium service, Rev Gold. Rev Wrestling will combine both sites and operate them under the InterMat name. The pooling of these resources will provide current subscribers and the general public with access to a heightened amount of premier content. While InterMat has served the NWCA and the wrestling community well over the past five years, the sale to Rev Wrestling will allow the NWCA to dedicate more time and resources to saving threatened wrestling programs and to starting new ones. Just over the past four weeks, Five intercollegiate wrestling programs have been eliminated in the past month. The NWCA has taken the stance that in today's economy, it can better serve wrestling as an advocate rather than a reporter. The NWCA was founded in 1928 with the purpose of promoting, protecting and preserving collegiate and scholastic wrestling. The ultimate goal is to increase the number of wrestlers, wrestling teams, and wrestling coaches at all levels. Aside from its continued program entrenchment efforts, the NWCA is developing a full scale Coaching Development Program and a College Coaches Academy. The NWCA, in last 12 months, has invested $700,000 to the development and release of online coaching development programs. "On behalf of the NWCA we would like to extend its deepest appreciation to all of the sponsors coaches, readers, and subscribers that supported InterMat throughout the years. Also, a tremendous debt of gratitude is owed to the numerous individuals that helped provide both additional content and information to InterMat. The entire staff at the NWCA is proud of the work that it has done with InterMat to promote wrestling and is eager to build on that promotion as the NWCA moves in a new direction." NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer said. 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.

MINNEAPOLIS -- Rev Wrestling Corporation announced that it has signed an agreement with the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) to acquire InterMat (www.InterMatWrestle.com), one of the leading national amateur wrestling Web sites. InterMat has twice been named Wrestling Web site of the Year by the National Wrestling Media Association (NWMA), first in 2001 and again in 2006. Rev Wrestling Corporation will be working with the NWCA to merge the RevWrestling.com and InterMat Web sites into a new, combined Web site that will launch in late April. The new site will operate under the InterMat name and can be accessed at www.InterMatWrestle.com and www.RevWrestling.com. "We are committed to providing the most comprehensive and informative wrestling content available online, and acquiring InterMat will add even more value to the quality of the content our visitors have come to expect," said Andrew Hipps, vice president and co-founder, Rev Wrestling Corporation. The new site will combine the best of both RevWrestling.com and InterMat, and cover all aspects of amateur wrestling, including high school, college, freestyle and Greco-Roman competition, as well as mixed martial arts. The content will include updated recruiting information and profiles, wrestling news coverage, rankings and results, along with unique content features such as exclusive athlete profile stories, Q&As, historical features on legendary wrestlers and coaches, and hard-hitting analysis of major issues affecting amateur wrestling. As part of the acquisition, existing Rev Gold members and InterMat Premium Service subscribers will be migrated to a new premium content service package called InterMat Platinum. Status updates on the progress of the merger will be posted on www.RevWrestling.com until the combined site is launched. For more information, please contact Rev Wrestling Corporation at revcorp@revwrestling.com. Related: NWCA announces sale of InterMat to Rev Wrestling

Takedown Radio, Resilite, Sunflower Wrestling Supply, W.I.N. Magazine, and InterMat have been pleased to present the High School Wrestler of the Month Award for the past seven months. We are even more pleased with the caliber of athletes and the number of submissions that were received. The gratitude generated by the recipients, as well as the accolades received from our listeners and the wrestling community as a whole has been tremendous. Awards were presented across much of the country, included a wealth of diversity and experience, and ultimately served to enrich the lives and improve the prospects for the future for these gifted athletes, students, and citizens. Each month, the qualifications set forth for the award were clearly evident within each recipient and were based on the pillars of athletics, academics, and community. Our beginning roster of national award recipients and model citizens went to; * Marshall Peppleman- Central Dauphin High School- Harrisburg, PA (September 2008) * Dallas Bailey- Catoosa High School- Catoosa, OK (October 2008) * Jordan Jones- North/Hoover High School- Des Moines, IA (November 2008) * Jacob Eisheid- Waukee High School- Waukee, IA (December 2008) * Josh Chang- Mingus High School- Cottonwood, AZ (January 2009) * Anna Cummings- Onondaga High School- Nedrow, NY (February 2009) * Christian Schuler- Bentonville High School- Bentonville, AR In addition to the recognition and visibility generated through wrestling media for award winners, TakeDown Radio would like to thank the program sponsors for the physical awards (e.g. apparel, gift certificates, exclusive premiums, magazine subscriptions) presented to each recipient. Without Resilite, Brute adidas, Sunflower Wrestling Supply, W.I.N. Magazine, and Intermat, none of this would have been possible. We look forward to continuing what has now become tradition well into the future. We want to encourage all wrestling coaches, families, and fans to submit information on deserving high school wrestlers they know. There are several ways to do so. Printable PDF versions of the application are available at the W.I.N. Magazine and Intermat web sites. Link are provided here. http://www.win-magazine.com/JRIC%20sub%20pages/TDRwrestofmonth.html http://www.intermatwrestle.com/tdr_wotm.pdf Applications can be completed and mailed to: TakeDown Radio 2822 Beaver Avenue Des Moines, IA 50310 Answers to questions on the application, as well as essay submissions are acceptable and can be emailed to TakeDown Radio at: chris@takedownradio.com Please feel free to call the program administrator at any time with questions or input regarding the program. Chris Arns (515) 274-0849 We feel truly privileged to have come to know each of these exceptional young men and women. It continues to prove to us that personal improvements that are a result of wrestling go way beyond the mat. Best Regards, The TakeDown Radio Staff

TDR is back in the Brute adidas Studios this week for a regular studio show. A big shout out to the AAU who always make the State Championships so much fun to do. Thank you to Lee Pamulak. Takedown Radio is "America's Wrestling Radio Show" this week is no different as we go coast to coast from 9 AM CST to 11 AM CST. Join us for lively discussion and great interviews. Our guests this week include: 9:05 Greg Jackson- For a guy who's roots are firmly planted in wrestling he sure understands the art of training athletes for ultimate competition. He own's the school that world class stars like Rashad Evans (Mich St.), Keith Jardine (UFC) and Georges St. Pierre (UFC) call home. Recently we sent our own Ryan Hass for a weeks worth of training in the deserts of Albuquerque, New Mexico at Jackson's MMA to prepare for his coming fight on the 11th at Hilton Colleseum in Ames, Iowa. Other than to say it was grueling and inspiring, Hass complimented Jackson on his staff and facilities. Nice, Very Nice! 9:20 Jake Herbert (Northwestern)- This 2009 Hodge Award winner, 2 X NCAA Champion will join us to discuss his future aspirations as he works out in Naperville, Ill at Sean Bormet's Overtime School of Wrestling. RevWrestling.com, a Web site dedicated to covering all levels and aspects of amateur wrestling, announced Friday that Northwestern senior Jake Herbert is the winner of its Rev Wrestler of the Year Award. The award's voters cited Herbert's triumphant finish to an oustanding career -- including his career-ending 66-match win streak, 2009 Big Ten title and conference Wrestler of the Year honors, and his second 184-pound NCAA championship -- as the deciding factors in his recognition. "Jake Herbert proved all season long that he was the dominant force in college wrestling," said Andrew Hipps, senior writer at RevWrestling.com. "He possesses all the necessary ingredients one needs to be special in the sport. You would be hard-pressed to find a more intense, driven wrestler than Jake Herbert. He has a passion for the sport that is unmatched." This award is presented each year to the nation's best college wrestler across all divisions, and is based on a vote of RevWrestling.com writers and executives. With this award, Herbert joins previous Rev Wrestler of the Year honorees Brent Metcalf of Iowa (2008), and Missouri's Ben Askren (2006 and 2007). 9:40 Jarrod King- 165 pound 2009 NCAA from Edinboro in western PA. Jarrod, now a senior, has always been a PA boy who wrestled in the WCIAL prior to college. He seems to have found his stride and is majoring in Human Performance among other things. Imagine that. Yes it seems as if we crowned another champ with his head screwed on strait. The Eastern Wrestling League announced that Edinboro's Jarrod King has been named the EWL Wrestler of the Year and head coach Tim Flynn has been selected as the EWL Coach of the Year. Pittsburgh's Tyler Nauman was chosen the EWL Freshman of the Year.King capped an incredible year by winning the national championship at 165 lbs. after arriving in St. Louis as the 12th seed. The senior proceeded to win all five of his matches, upsetting three higher seeds along the way. The first was a 12-5 decision over fourth-seeded Moza Fay of Northern Iowa in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, he won a grueling 6-6 two tiebreaker match against Iowa State's Jonathan Reader, the eighth seed. He prevailed thanks to an 11-second advantage in riding time. That left King in the finals against second-seeded Andrew Howe of Wisconsin. He parlayed a body lock in the third period for the bout's lone takedown, snapping a 1-1 tie to win 3-2. King became Edinboro's fourth Division I national champion, joining Sean O'Day, Josh Koscheck and current teammate Gregor Gillespie. 10:05 Bas Rutten- (El Guapo) will provide a look at the current MMA scene and to those that are looking to take their wrestling skills to another level. His thoughts on multiple training, body and mind? Bas, along with co-hosts Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck, can be seen every week on HD Net's Inside MMA hit television news show that features the best and the brightest in the combat sports world. Bas, along with co-hosts Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck, can be seen every week on HD Net's Inside MMA hit television news show that features the best in the combat sports world. 10:20 B.J. Thomas- Along with Cael Sanderson, B.J. founded Undefeated Sports Nutrition. A company whose sole mission is to provide quality products designed to replenish the body after grueling wrestling practices. Here's the great part, his Undefeated Sports Cookies are good for you and taste better than the cookies grandma made. They're incredible! Check out Beundefeated.com 10:30 Josh "The Punk" Thompson- Strikeforce World Lightweight Champion and top challenger "El Nino" Gilbert Melendez (14-2) will revisit their classic, five-round battle when they collide in a rematch for the coveted 155-pound title at Strikeforce: "Shamrock vs. Diaz" mixed martial arts (MMA) event at San Jose, California's HP Pavilion on Saturday, April 11th. The championship bout will be the 30-year-old Thomson's first defense of the Strikeforce (MMA) belt and an opportunity to extend his win streak to nine consecutive fights. In their first encounter, a fight that many critics hailed as "Fight of the Year," Thomson continually beat Melendez to the punch en route to earning the unanimous decision win at the HP Pavilion on June 27, 2008. With the victory, Thomson regained his footing amongst the world's top-10 competitors in the sport's 155-pound division. The showdown between Thomson and Melendez, former training partners who hail from neighboring cities in California's Bay Area, had been brewing for months as both fighters continued to climb the ranks in the division. Join us each and every week, miss a show catch the archives. New videos coming and many new surprizes. Stay tuned and we do our best to bring wrestling to you each week.

University of Minnesota head coach J Robinson announced Tuesday that Jake Filkins (Prescott, Wis.) and Austin Waliullah (Rockton, Ill.) have signed Acceptance of Admission forms and will join the Golden Gophers' wrestling program for the 2009-10 season. The pair joins an incoming class that has already been ranked No. 6 in the nation according to W.I.N magazine and includes Jake Kettler (Ramsey, Minn.), Alec Ortiz (Newberg Ore.), Bart Reiter (Gilbertville, Iowa), Pat Smith (Chaska, Minn.), Kevin Steinhaus (Pennock, Minn.), David Thorn (St. Michael, Minn.) and Danny Zilverberg (Wayzata, Minn.). "Jake and Austin are great additions to what we believe is a very strong class," Robinson said. "These young men will add to the level of competition that already exists in the program and help propel us toward our ultimate goal, which is to consistently compete for national championships." Filkins, who will compete in the 197-pound class, is from Prescott, Wis., and attends Prescott High School. A Cadet All-American and FILA Cadet All-American, Filkins was a two-time placer in the Wisconsin state high school tournament and this past season brought a 34-0 record into the state meet. Waliullah is currently a senior at Hononegah High School in Rockton, Ill. A three time conference and regional champion, Waliullah compiled a 116-20 record as a prep and is expected to compete in the 125-pound weight class next fall.

Jake Herbert, a two time NCAA champion at Northwestern University, will be joining the Overtime School of Wrestling's staff in Crystal Lake, Illinois on Tuesday, April 14, 2009. Herbert is no stranger to the Overtime School of Wrestling. Jake has been working with the Overtime staff since he began his wrestling career at Northwestern, and attributes a lot of his success on the mat to his training at Overtime. Jake Herbert's wrestling accolades are numerous. Aside from his two NCAA titles, he is a 4x NCAA All-American, three-time NCAA finalist, three-time Big Ten Champion, three-time Midlands champion, and was named Rev Wrestling's 2009 Wrestler of the Year. His cumulative career record of 149-4 is the highest winning percentage in Northwestern history, with none of his losses coming from dual meet matches. Herbert took an Olympic Redshirt Year during the 2007-2008 season to try out for the US Olympic Team in freestyle wrestling. Over the course of last year, he amassed a series of International titles, including winning gold medals at the Dave Schultz Memorial International, the Hargobind International, and becoming the University National Champion and Outstanding Wrestler. In addition, he earned a silver medal at the Sunkist International Open. Jake also owns two University World Bronze Medals. "I am really excited to have the privilege of working on and with the Overtime staff," says Herbert. "I look forward to continue working with them in hopes of achieving my goal of becoming a World and Olympic Champion. I also look forward to helping Overtime to further advance our sport. I would like to have the same impact on Overtime and its wrestlers as Overtime has had on me."

Wrestling 411 Radio will have two special radio broadcasts this week with two of the best college wrestlers in the nation. Both shows can be heard by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. This Tuesday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 7 p.m. CST. Bryan Van Kley, publisher of Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine and Mike Chapman, executive director of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum, will announce this year's Dan Hodge Trophy winner. The Dan Hodge Trophy is co-sponsored by W.I.N. and the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum. The Hodge Trophy is given annually to the most dominant college wrestler in the nation. Immediately following the interview with Van Kley and Chapman, this year's Dan Hodge Trophy winner will be on air to discuss receiving the award. Thursday's edition of Wrestling 411 Radio will air at 7 p.m. CST. Mike Kirk, assistant athletic director at Central Oklahoma and the Division II rankings coordinator, will announce this year's recipient of the Division II Wrestler of the Year award. Immediately following the announcement, the Division II Wrestler of the Year award winner will be on the program for an interview. The award is sponsored by the NCAA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association and voted on by eight regional representatives from around the country. Nebraska-Kearney heavyweight Tervel Dlagnev won the inaugural award last year. Wrestling 411 Radio can be heard live by visiting www.wrestling411.tv. Archives of the interviews will be made available immediately following the show. Questions for any of the guests are welcome. You may e-mail your questions to Kyle Klingman at kklingman@mediasportsproductions.com. This week's schedule: Tuesday, March 31: 7 p.m. * Bryan Van Kley of W.I.N. and Mike Chapman of the Dan Gable International Wrestling Institute and Museum will announce this year's winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy * 2009 Dan Hodge Trophy winner on air for a special interview Thursday, April 2: 7 p.m. * Mike Kirk, Division II rankings coordinator, to announce the Division II Wrestler of the Year * 2009 Division II Wrestler of the Year on air for a special interview

Nebraska's Mark Manning has been named the Big 12 Wrestling Coach of the Year for the second-straight season, the conference announced Monday. The award is decided by a vote of the league coaches. "This award is a reflection of my staff and the commitment from our kids to be great and strive for excellence," Manning said. "My staff has a lot of camaraderie, and our guys really respond well to the environment we've built." Manning led Nebraska to its first Big 12 title this season, the first for the Huskers since winning the 1995 Big Eight Championship. The championship event, held at the NU Coliseum in Lincoln, was also the first Big 12 title for a Nebraska men's team in any sport since NU shared the 2007 Big 12 indoor track and field title. Manning has coached 27 Huskers to All-America honors during his nine seasons at Nebraska, and has led his program to five top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships. With a fourth-place team finish at this year's national tournament, NU claimed back-to-back top-five finishes in consecutive years for the first time in program history. The 78.5 points at this year's NCAA event were the second most the Huskers have scored at the tournament, trailing the 79.5-point performance in 1993. Nebraska posted a dual record of 17-3-1, matching its longest unbeaten streak of 9-0-1 this season (Jan. 23 to Feb. 14) since the start the 1995-96 campaign. Manning is the winningest coach in Husker history with a dual-winning percentage of .733 and a record of 126-45-3 at NU.

After 17 seasons at the helm of Illinois Wrestling and 19 as a collegiate head coach, Mark Johnson announced his retirement from coaching Monday (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- After 17 seasons at the helm of Illinois Wrestling and 19 as a collegiate head coach, Mark Johnson announced his retirement from coaching Monday. Johnson finishes his career as the most successful wrestling coach in Illinois history and one of the best nationally. "I would like to thank Ron Guenther and the entire athletic department for giving me the great opportunity to fulfill my dream of leading the Fighting Illini," Johnson said. "I couldn't have asked for a better athletic director than Ron. I want to thank him for how he treated my program and me over my 17 years here. I really enjoyed the relationships with my athletes and staff, and I think this program is in great shape for the future." Johnson led the Fighting Illini to an eighth-place finish at the 2009 NCAA Championships, which finished on March 21, with Mike Poeta, Jimmy Kennedy and John Wise bringing Johnson's total of All-Americans at Illinois to 45. He finishes his coaching career with seven individual national champions, 10 Top-10 finishes at the NCAA Championships in the last 15 years and took a total of 120 wrestlers to 17 NCAA Championships during his time at Illinois. "Mark's decision to resign as head wrestling coach did not necessarily come as a surprise to me," Guenther said. "Mark has done an exceptional job in leading our wrestling program, however, over the past few years, he has expressed a desire to explore other opportunities. I am pleased for Mark that an opportunity came up to hold him in our community and I wish him much success." Johnson's career is unmatched at Illinois, as he finishes with the most wins, NCAA Champions, All-Americans and NCAA qualifiers of any coach in Illini history. He was named the National Coach of the Year in 1995 and 30 of his 45 All-Americans have come in the last 10 years. He led the Orange and Blue to a team title at the 2005 Big Ten Championships, Illinois' first Big Ten crown in 53 years, and a pair of Big Ten dual titles in 2005 and 2006. He also guided the Illini to a No. 1 national ranking in 2004. The Rock Island, Ill., native won his 200th career dual meet earlier this season at Wisconsin when the Illini took down the Badgers, 24-16, and finished the season with the second-best winning percentage among active college wrestling coaches. He also ranked 12th in career wins among active coaches. Johnson finishes his career with more than twice as many wins as any other coach in Illinois history. Illinois' highest finish at the NCAA Championships under Johnson came in 2001, when the Illini placed fifth on the backs of NCAA Champions Adam Tirapelle and John Lockhart and All-Americans Matt Lackey and Pat Quirk. Johnson-led teams hold the Illinois records for most dual wins, pins, dual winning percentage and points scored at both the NCAA and Big Ten Championships. Johnson also guided Illinois wrestlers to success off the mat, as four of his student-athletes earned the Big Ten Medal of Honor and 18 were named Academic All-Americans. Illinois also has 77 Academic All-Big Ten selections under Johnson. A member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic team, Johnson was a two-time All-American in 1976-77. He was a two-time National Wrestling Champion and was a member of the USA Wrestling team. He was an assistant coach for the 1988 USA Olympic team and was the head coach for the Olympic Sports Festival in 1991 and 1996. Johnson and his wife, Linda, reside in Champaign. They have two grown daughters, Tricia and Mackey.

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. -- Four Virginia wrestlers have earned 2009 All-Atlantic Coast Conference honors, as announced Friday by the conference. Rocco Caponi (Sr., Uniontown, Ohio), Chris Henrich (So., Lansdale, Pa.), Brent Jones (Jr., Burke, Va.) and Mike Sewell (Sr., Bothell, Wash.) all nabbed league honors by virtue of their top-two finishes at the league championships. The honor is the third for Caponi, who won his third-consecutive ACC crown at 184 pounds. Henrich nabbed All-ACC honors at 174 pounds for the second year in a row after winning the league title. It is the first All-ACC honor for Jones, who won the ACC 197-pound title and then was deemed the ACC Championships Most Outstanding Wrestler. Sewell also won All-ACC honors for the first time in the 165-pound class. Henrich won All-America honors this year, becoming the 10th All-American in Virginia history after going 4-2 at the NCAA Championships. He finished the year with a 40-3 record – the fourth-most wins in a single season in Virginia history and the most victories ever by a UVa sophomore. Caponi went 17-7 this year and competed at the NCAA Championships for the fourth year in a row. He finished his career with a 111-33 career record and three ACC titles. Jones posted a 29-8 mark this season and advanced to the NCAA Championships for the first time in his career. He earned a team-high 12 pins and tied the program record for career falls with 34. Sewell battled injuries to earn a 13-8 record in 2008-09. He won his first two bouts at the ACC Championships before losing a close match to North Carolina's Keegan Mueller in the championship match.

For the second year in a row, the Ohio State wrestling program placed second in the team standings at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. And, for the second straight year, the Buckeyes' head coach, Tom Ryan, has earned Rev Coach of the Year honors. This award is presented each year to the nation's top coach across all divisions of college wrestling, and is determined in balloting by RevWrestling.com writers and executives. Tom Ryan becomes the first two-time Rev Coach of the Year, having won the award back-to-back in 2008 and 2009. Other honorees include Oklahoma State head coach John Smith, who received the award in 2006, and 2007 winner Cael Sanderson of Iowa State. Tom Ryan becomes the first two-time Rev Coach of the Year (Photo/BuckeyeWrestling.com)This year, Rev Coach of the Year balloting was even closer than the team title race at the 2009 NCAAs. In that battle, the University of Iowa edged Ohio State by just 4.5 points. In the Rev Coach of the Year vote, Iowa's Tom Brands and Tom Ryan each received 52 votes, requiring use of the tiebreaker: the number of first-place votes received. Ryan garnered four first-place votes to Brands' two. Edinboro's Tim Flynn placed third with 23 votes; Luke Moffitt of Iowa Central was right behind with 21 votes, including two first-place votes. Rounding out the top six vote-getters: Cornell University's Rob Koll with 16 votes, and Iowa State's Sanderson, with 15. 2009 Rev Coach of the Year 1st-5th-Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Tom Ryan, Ohio State: 52 (4) 2. Tom Brands, Iowa: 52 (2) 3. Tim Flynn, Edinboro: 23 4. Luke Moffitt, Iowa Central: 21 (2) 5. Rob Koll, Cornell: 16 6. Cael Sanderson, Iowa State: 15 7. Mark Manning, Nebraska: 9 8. Jim Miller, Wartburg: 5 T9. Barry Davis, Wisconsin: 3 T9. Mike Denney, Neb. Omaha: 3 11. Jim Andrassy, Kent State: 1If there's any doubt about how far and how fast the Ohio State wrestling program has come since Tom Ryan took the helm, consider this: Before his arrival, the Buckeyes placed 45th in the team standings at the 2006 NCAAs. In this, his third year as the head coach at Ohio State, Ryan led the Buckeyes to a 16-2 season record, a sixth-place finish in the Big Ten tournament, and a runner-up finish at the 2009 NCAAs. His team nearly pulled off one of the biggest upsets in the history of the national championship. "With an uncanny ability to dissect technique, Ryan is able to use Ohio State's grueling schedule to his advantage," according to Tom Franck, staff writer at RevWrestling.com. "For the second straight year, he's been able to have his wrestlers not only make adjustments from the regular season, but employ supreme tactics on the biggest stage." Rev Coach of the Year Winners 2009: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2008: Tom Ryan, Ohio State 2007: Cael Sanderson, Iowa State 2006: John Smith, Oklahoma State"Things will only get better for him," Franck continues. "Because Ohio is such a juggernaut for high school wrestling, Ryan is giving stellar recruits zero temptation to leave the state. With the direction he's taking the program, it's difficult not to imagine Ohio State winning many recruiting wars, and his runner-up finishes turning into championships."

Jake Herbert is arguably the most accomplished wrestler in the long history of Northwestern University. He completed his college career with a 66-match win streak, a 2009 Big Ten title and conference Wrestler of the Year honors, and the 184-pound championship at the 2009 NCAAs -- his second national crown as a Wildcat. Now add to this impressive resume: 2009 Rev Wrestler of the Year. Northwestern's Jake Herbert won his second NCAA title at 184 pounds (Photo/Tech-Fall.com)This award is presented each year to the nation's best college wrestler across all divisions, and is based on a vote of RevWrestling.com writers and executives. With this award, Jake Herbert joins previous Rev Wrestler of the Year honorees Brent Metcalf of Iowa (2008), and Missouri's Ben Askren (2006 and 2007). Herbert garnered 60 votes, including five first-place votes, to land the 2009 Rev Wrestler of the Year award. Coming in a close second was 149-pound NCAA champ Darrion Caldwell of North Carolina State, with 58 votes, including three first-place votes. Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska's 157-pound national champ, was third with 34 votes, while 174-pound NCAA titlewinner Steve Luke of Michigan placed fourth with 15 votes. Rounding out the top five vote-getters: Arizona State's 125-pounder Anthony Robles, the first Division I wrestler to earn All-American honors wrestling with one leg. "Jake Herbert proved all season long that he was the dominant force in college wrestling," said Andrew Hipps, senior writer at RevWrestling.com. "He possesses all the necessary ingredients one needs to be special in the sport. You would be hard-pressed to find a more intense, driven wrestler than Jake Herbert. He has a passion for the sport that is unmatched." 2009 Rev Wrestler of the Year 1st-5th-Place Votes: 9-7-5-3-1 Total Votes/(First-Place Votes) 1. Jake Herbert, N'western: 60 (5) 2. Darrion Caldwell, NC State: 58 (3) 3. Jordan Burroughs, Nebraska: 34 4. Steve Luke, Michigan: 15 5. Anthony Robles, Arizona State: 8 6. Brent Metcalf, Iowa: 7 7. Aaron Wernimont, Wartburg: 5 8. Franklin Gomez, Michigan State: 4 T9. Todd Meneely, Neb. Omaha: 3 T9. Troy Nickerson, Cornell: 3 11. J Jaggers, Ohio State: 2 12. Billy Murphy, Iowa Central: 1Jacob John Herbert, a native of Wexford, Pennsylvania, launched his wrestling career in fourth grade. In high school, he built a 141-18 record, and was a four-time placewinner at the Pennsylvania state tournament, winning the state title as a senior in 2003. At Northwestern, Herbert compiled a 135-4 record, winning three Big Ten titles and three Midlands championships. He is Northwestern's second four-time All-American, and only the second two-time NCAA champ for the Wildcats (the first being Jack Riley, NCAA heavyweight champ for Northwestern in 1931 and 1932).