UNK wrestlers experience European culture, food, training techniques
KEARNEY — It’s one thing to travel overseas. It’s an entirely different experience when the trip includes a couple dozen collegiate wrestlers. “People travel all the time, but how often do you get to travel with 30 of your best friends?” said Andrew Sorenson, an assistant coach for the University of Nebraska at Kearney wrestling team. Thirty-three members of the UNK wrestling program, including four coaches and a few alumni, got that opportunity this summer when they spent 10 days in Paris, Athens and Heraklion, Crete.
“It’s something they’ll never forget,” Sorenson said. “It’s a unique experience, and I’m glad Marc Bauer started it here and we’re able to continue it.” Bauer, the former head wrestling coach at UNK and current athletic director, organized the first international trip in 2003, when the Lopers visited France and Bulgaria. Since then the UNK wrestling team has traveled abroad every four years with stops in Germany, Iceland, Turkey and China. The wrestlers use fundraisers and personal contributions to pay for the expenses without tapping athletic department funds. Rest of the story at https://www.kearneyhub.com/unk-today/unk-wrestlers-experience-european-culture-food-training-techniques/article_e0a23ec8-bad4-11e9-b3a0-fbf4d316663d.html?mc_cid=a2823021b7&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Michigan girl overcomes diabetes, stereotypes to earn national wrestling honor
SPARTA, MI – When Rayana Sahagun was 5 years old, she received a flyer at school that introduced the young students to a pair of extra-curricular activities. On one side was information about cheerleading, and on the other was information about wrestling. The sport might not have been the most popular with her girl classmates, but it immediately captured Sahagun’s interest. “I thought wrestling sounded cool,” she said.
That 8-by-11-inch sheet of paper opened the door to a career that has pushed her athletic limits, motivated her to challenge gender stereotypes and brought her to the highest levels of junior wrestling. In late July, Sahagun earned All-American honors by placing second at USA Wrestling’s Junior Women’s Nationals in Fargo, N.D., battling her way through the 64-person field before falling to three-time national champion Sage Mortimer, of Utah. Her run to the finals included an upset win over the nation’s sixth-ranked wrestler in the semifinals, but that match was only the latest obstacle she has overcome in her 12-year grappling career. Rest of the story at https://www.mlive.com/highschoolsports/2019/08/michigan-girl-overcomes-diabetes-stereotypes-to-earn-national-wrestling-honor.html?mc_cid=a2823021b7&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Kendall Cross Inducted Into Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame
NORMAN, Okla. – Former Oklahoma State wrestling standout Kendall Cross claimed his spot in the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame at the organization’s induction of the Class of 2019 on Monday evening in Norman. The Mustang, Okla., native was inducted alongside OSU baseball alumnus Mickey Tettleton in addition to Will Shields, Mike Moore, Lou Henson, Patty Gasso and Bob Stoops.
Cross wrestled at Mustang High School where he won a 1985 state title before committing to the Cowboys. He was a three-time All-American and finished first at the 1989 NCAA Championship. The former Cowboy was a three-time U.S. National Champion and was named outsanding freestyle wrestler at the U.S. Nationals in 1992 and 1995. In 1986, Cross took bronze at the Junior World Championships. He qualified for th 1992 Olympics alongside Cowboys John Smith and Kenny Monday finishing at sixth on the podium at 57 kilograms. At the 1996 Olympics, Cross became the 11th Poke in history to win Olympic gold. Cross went on to win the 1997 World Cup Championship before serving as an assistant coach at the University of North Carolina. He coached for the Dave Schultz and Sunkist Kids Wrestling Clubs and served as an assistant coach at Harvard. Rest of the story at
https://okstate.com/news/2019/8/12/wrestling-kendall-cross-inducted-into-oklahoma-sports-hall-of-fame.aspx?mc_cid=be3a5e675d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
9 freshmen to know before the 2019-2020 wrestling season
With every new wrestling season comes new faces and new expectations. Last year, Minnesota true freshman Gable Steveson broke onto the scene at heavyweight, posted an undefeated regular season record and finished third at the NCAA championships. In 2018, Iowa and Cornell freshmen Spencer Lee and Yianni Diakomihalis won their respective weight classes at the national tournament. True freshmen have been winning titles and making waves on the collegiate scene for years, and 2020 will likely follow this trend.
WRESTLERS TO WATCH: These are the 25 college wrestlers you need to know heading into the 2019-2020 season
Ohio State landed what has been regarded as the best recruiting class in the country this year, and the Buckeyes will aim to use their new crop of talent to help take on the reigning national champions Penn State as well as hold off other powerhouse programs including Oklahoma State and Iowa. Ranking the nation’s best incoming freshman is a subjective and difficult task, but these are the nine student-athletes to watch as they start their college careers this fall. These athletes are in no particular order, and they represent nine different teams. All nine should be among the fun names to follow as they compete over the course of their college careers. Rest of the story and video at
https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling/article/2019-08-05/9-freshmen-know-2019-2020-wrestling-season?mc_cid=b9eb082e8f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Smith Named U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame Class of 2019 Finalist
STILLWATER– Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith was named a finalist for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame class of 2019, USA Wrestling announced on Monday. The two-time Olympic champion and four-time World gold medalist competed at 62 kilograms at the 1988 Seoul Games and the 1992 Games in Barcelona in addition to wrestling at the World Championships from 1987 to 1991. Smith owns more World-level gold medals than any other American wrestler and is one of only three U.S. wrestlers to win two Olympic golds. To this day, he holds the record for consecutive World/Olympic titles with six. The Cowboy head coach was a two time Pan American and Goodwill Games champion as well. In 1990 coach Smith became first wrestler in history to win the James E. Sullivan Award. The honor is presented annually to the country’s most outstanding amateur athlete. In the same year, Smith was named the USOC Sportsman of the Year.
The Del City, Okla., native served as a coach on multiple World Championship staffs, most recently in 2017 as a women’s freestyle World Team coach. He was named USA Wrestling Women’s Co-Coach of the Year for his role with that team. The Del City, Okla., native served as a coach on multiple World Championship staffs, most recently in 2017 as a women’s freestyle World Team coach. He was named USA Wrestling Women’s Co-Coach of the Year for his role with that team. Team USA fans can cast their vote at TeamUSA.org/Vote from today through Sept. 3, to help determine the class of 2019. This year’s class will mark the first inducted into the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame since 2012. The fan vote counts for 10 percent in the weighted total, and 60 percent is made up of Olympians and Paralympians. The remaining 20 percent comes from members of the USOPC family and media. The finalists include 15 Olympians, nine Paralympians and three teamsSTILLWATER– Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith was named a finalist for the United States Olympic and Paralympic Hall of Fame class of 2019, USA Wrestling announced on Monday. The two-time Olympic champion and four-time World gold medalist competed at 62 kilograms at the 1988 Seoul Games and the 1992 Games in Barcelona in addition to wrestling at the World Championships from 1987 to 1991.
Rest of the story at
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
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