40th College News, Results & Reports
NWCA Division II (Regular Season #2) Team and Individual Rankings
Manheim, PA – The NWCA Division II Wrestling Coaches Association rankings committee has released the second installment of their regular-season rankings. The top five teams remain the same with a few changes in the new year while St. Cloud St. remains in the number top spot.
| Rank | Team | Record | Points | Previous Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | St. Cloud St | 111 | 1 | |
| 2 | Pitt-Johnstown | 70 | 4 | |
| 3 | Notre Dame | 67 | 5 | |
| 4 | Nebraska-Kearney | 57 | 2 | |
| 5 | McKendree | 56 | 2 | |
| 6 | Central Oklahoma | 49 | 16 | |
| 7 | Tiffin | 45 | 19 | |
| 8 | Ashland | 37 | 7 | |
| 8 | Upper Iowa | 37 | 6 | |
| 10 | Newberry | 35 | 11 | |
| 11 | Adams State | 34 | 22 | |
| 12 | West Liberty State | 33 | 10 | |
| 13 | Limestone | 31 | 14 |
Rest of the team and individual rankings at http://www.nwcaonline.com/152211-2/?mc_cid=ece6ffc1ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Three of the top storylines from the South Beach Duals
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — There was a moment during last year’s South Beach Duals when Lehigh’s litany of injuries stretched from cruel to absurd. On the day prior to the event, coach Pat Santoro lamented the worst health stretch in his 16 seasons as a college head coach. “We had five guys out and we had four non-wrestling-related injuries,” Santoro said. “One guy was hit by a car. One guy (got hurt) moving furniture. Stuff you couldn’t plan. This year, no one did anything stupid to get hurt off the mat, so that helps a lot.” But bad can usually get worse, and it did for the Mountain Hawks. Two more Lehigh wrestlers went down with injuries in a three-match span and Santoro stood in the center of the mat with a look of stunned disbelief on his face. “It was out of our hands at that point,” he said. “We just had to move forward and I think it made our team a lot tougher. It was one of those things where you can’t control things, you can only control how you react to it and our guys did a great job after this event last season.” The Mountain Hawks dropped three straight duals last year at South Beach. They went on to finish 9-9 in duals, marking the first time a Santoro-coached Lehigh team failed to post a winning record. This year began with a series of razor-tight duals. Lehigh beat Oklahoma State on criteria, lost to Princeton 18-14, dropped a dual to Pittsburgh on criteria and fell 23-10 against Penn State. Rest of the story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1577936595500&twSessionId=bgkjmghnsg&postId=1996913132&mc_cid=ece6ffc1ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Scuffle Brackets Released
Initial brackets for the 2020 Southern Scuffle, presented by Compound Sportswear are available now at the link at the top of the page. There are links to both the FloArena and PDF brackets. These brackets are still subject to change if there are any scratches tonight or in the morning. If a seeded wrestler scratches, there will be significant adjustments. Action begins tomorrow at 10:00 a.m. (E.S.T.) in McKenzie Arena, with doors opening to the public at 9:00 a.m. Be sure to check back to GoMocs.com or TheSouthernScuffle.com for updates of all the action.
TICKETS & HOSPITALITY PASS
Tickets are on sale now on GoMocs.com, along with VIP passes to the Hospitality Room. Access to the Hospitality Room includes TVs, full meals each day and a cash bar. Click the “Tickets” tab at the top of the page for more information.
#LETSSCUFFLE
Be sure to use the hashtag #LetsScuffle when tweeting about the Southern Scuffle. Follow @LetsScuffle on Twitter and Instagram for the most up-to-date information on the 2020 Southern Scuffle, presented by Compound Sportswear. Rest of the details at https://gomocs.com/news/2019/12/31/wrestling-scuffle-brackets-released.aspx?mc_cid=a7cbe452af&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Wide open team race at Southern Scuffle, as Oklahoma State leads with five semifinalists and North Dakota State in second place
BY ROGER MOORE, SPECIAL TO THEMAT.COM | JAN. 01, 2020
CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – With Penn State, winners of the seven of the last eight Southern Scuffle titles staying home, the 2020 trophy is up for grabs. And, for the first time in almost a decade, there is an actual team race. Late into Wednesday’s wrestling, Northern Colorado led the field. North Dakota State moved in front after a 157-pound quarterfinal victory by Luke Weber. But by the time the first day’s marathon ended it was ninth-ranked Oklahoma State who stood on top with 70 points. Seven teams are within 11 points of first after a day with a handful of surprises. Sixth-rated North Carolina State is among those fighting for top honors along with North Dakota State, Rider, Stanford, Northern Colorado, and Pittsburgh. This season’s field is missing the likes of Cornell, Minnesota, Missouri, Virginia Tech, a who’s who of the nation’s elite programs. Rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/January/01/Southern-Scuffle-Day-One-wrap?mc_cid=ece6ffc1ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Iowa State begins grueling month with the Southern Scuffle
When Iowa State opens the new year and new decade at the Southern Scuffle on January 1, the roster it’ll take isn’t one that is tabbed as the 11th best team in Division I. Only three regular starters – Chase Straw, Joel Shapiro and Gannon Gremmel – will make the trip to Chattanooga, Tennessee, for the annual Southern Scuffle held inside McKenzie Arena on Wednesday and Thursday. The reason? Consider it load management. Over the span of 22 days, beginning January 9 and ending January 31, the Cyclones will have eight duals across all four time zones. Hence, why seven starters won’t be participating in the final tournament of the regular season. Rest of the story at https://www.iowastatedaily.com/sports/wrestling/iowa-state-begins-grueling-month-with-the-southern-scuffle-cyclones-dresser-straw-shapiro-gremmel-broderson/article_7f01ba96-2b4e-11ea-af25-1fbb78454560.html?mc_cid=a7cbe452af&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
18 thoughts from the Hawkeyes’ record-breaking Midlands team title
HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. — For the seventh straight year, and 29th time in the last 57, the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships ended with the Iowa fight song blaring through the speakers as Hawkeye wrestlers and coaches gathered around the first-place trophy. The Iowa wrestling team dominated its way to another Midlands team title on Monday night here at Sears Centre Arena. The Hawkeyes won with 196.5 points, a new tournament scoring record, outpacing their 2014 mark of 189. In the process, Iowa nearly lapped the field — Northern Iowa scored 101 to take second for the second-straight year, followed by Illinois (94.5), Wisconsin (93) and Princeton (84.5) — thanks to five individual champions and all 12 medalists finishing sixth or better. This was to be expected, of course. The Hawkeyes are the nation’s No. 1-ranked team, and put that talent on display this weekend. Here are 18 thoughts from Iowa’s record-breaking Midlands performance:
1. Iowa set a new tournament scoring record without the services of Michael Kemerer all weekend, and without Spencer Lee wrestling on Monday (he recorded two pins and a technical fall on Sunday).
This team is, like, really good.
2. About Lee: He medically-forfeited out of the tournament after reaching the semifinals at 125 pounds. Iowa called it a “coaches’ decision.” Same with Kemerer. Both were in the arena during Monday’s final two sessions. Both looked fine.
3. Remember: These are guys Iowa wants healthy and fresh in March. Iowa coach Tom Brands has rested guys/held them out of tournaments/duals in recent years, and it has paid dividends when it mattered. Rest of the list, video and story at https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa/wrestling/2019/12/30/18-thoughts-hawkeyes-record-breaking-midlands-title-tom-brands-184-abe-assad-cash-wilcke-nelson/2780991001/?mc_cid=a7cbe452af&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Wolfpack Wrestling Advances Three to Scuffle Semifinals
CHATTANOOGA, TENN. – After the first day of action at the Southern Scuffle, the sixth ranked NC State Wrestling team has 11 entrants still in contention for a medal, highlighted by a trio that will wrestle in tomorrow’s semifinals at noon. As a team, NC State sits in third place. Top seeded Hayden Hidlay breezed to the semifinals with three straight bonus point wins at 157 pounds. Hidlay started with a 16-1 tech fall, followed by a first period pin off a headlock. In the quarterfinals, he scored a 12-2 major decision over No. 8 seed Franek of North Dakota State. The third seed at 165 pounds, Thomas Bullard, also went 3-0 on the day to reach the semifinals. Bullard started with a 10-1 major decision and then 4-2 and 9-4 decisions. Another Hidlay as the top seed at his weight, Trent at 184 pounds, was the third from NC State to advance to the semifinals. Rest of the story at https://gopack.com/news/2020/1/1/wrestling-packwrestle-advances-three-to-southern-scuffle-semifinals.aspx?mc_cid=ece6ffc1ec&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE ANNOUNCES WRESTLERS OF THE WEEK
MAC East Division: Wrestler of the Week
Sa’Derian Perry, Old Dominion—Senior, Lakeland, Fla. (Lake Gibson High School)
Old Dominion senior Sa’Derian Perry at 141 lbs., went 3-1 in the four bouts he wrestled in at the South Beach Duals. Perry’s biggest win came in the first dual of the event, as he earned a 7-3 win by decision victory over 2018 All-American and MAC Champion, No. 8 Grant Leeth of Missouri. In his three wins in two days, Perry outscored his opponents 22-8. The only loss Perry endured in the South Beach Duals was a tight 4-2 decision against No. 2 Mitch McKee of Minnesota. Perry’s performance in the South Beach Duals increases his record to 10-3 this season. Perry is a top-15 wrestler in four national polls (Intermat, FloWrestling, WIN Magazine and TrackWrestling).
MAC West Division: Wrestlers of the Week
Matt Stencel, Central Michigan—Junior, Toledo, Ohio (Clay High School)
Central Michigan junior Matt Stencel at 285 lbs., finished runner-up at the 57th Ken Kraft Midlands Championships in Hoffman Estates, Ill. Stencel, who is 17-4 on the season, went 4-1 in the tournament, posting three victories by pin to bring his season total to 11. He defeated fifth-ranked Trent Hillger of Wisconsin, the No. 2 seed, 6-1, in the semifinals. Stencel, who is ranked eighth nationally and was seeded third in the tournament, opened with a pin in 1:12 of Mark Chaid of North Carolina, … Rest of the story at https://getsomemaction.com/news/2019/12/31/wrestling-mac-announces-wrestlers-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=a7cbe452af&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Adams Named Big 12 Wrestler of the Week
IRVING, Texas – West Virginia’s Noah Adams has been named the Big 12 Wrestler of the Week for Week 8. This honor serves as the first Conference award for the sophomore’s career. Adams extended his winning streak to 16 matches after going a perfect 4-0 and helping the Mountaineers to three team victories. The sophomore began his week with a 6-4 decision over Ohio’s Jake Walker, narrowly escaping a takedown in the final seconds to secure the win. Adams closed the week by picking up 12 total team points to help West Virginia to the team title … Rest of the story at https://wvusports.com/news/2019/12/31/wrestling-adams-named-wrestler-of-the-week.aspx?mc_cid=a7cbe452af&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
7th Women’s Wrestling News, Results & Report
OCU Athletics Hall of Fame Induction happens Feb. 1
OKLAHOMA CITY – Oklahoma City University alumni Arya Bahreini, Meghan (McMahon) Black and Emily (Webster) Tew will enter the Athletics Hall of Fame at 10 a.m. Feb. 1 at the Great Hall inside the Tom & Brenda McDaniel University Center. Get tickets to the 2019-20 induction ceremony by clicking here or call Michele Gebhardt at (405) 208-5309. Tickets cost $25 and include breakfast.
“The Hall of Fame is the highest honor that we have for OCU Athletics,” Oklahoma City athletic director Jim Abbott said. “Arya, Meghan and Emily are deserving honorees that represent the best of our tradition of excellence in athletics.” … Tew went undefeated with four national championships from 2011-15. Tew captured four 101-pound Women’s College Wrestling Association national championships while going 118-0.
Tew, originally from Sedalia, Mo., took the 2015 WCWA Championships outstanding wrestler award after becoming the third four-time WCWA champion. She racked up 12 tournament titles during her OCU career. Tew rolled to a 31-0 mark with five falls as a senior. Tew led the Stars to the 2012 WCWA team championship and 2012 NWCA National Duals title.
She became the second OCU student-athlete ever recognized in Sports Illustrated’s Faces in the Crowd. Tew, who graduated with a 3.95 grade-point average majoring in environmental studies, took the 2014-15 Jim Wade Award as the Stars’ female student-athlete of the year. She became the 2014-15 National Wrestling Hall of Fame Missouri Chapter’s person of the year.
Rest of the story at https://www.ocusports.com/news/2019/12/23/champions-club-ocu-athletics-hall-of-fame-induction-happens-feb-1.aspx?mc_cid=d9ee9c628d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Venice’s Lauren Stone a wrestling pioneer
ndian senior is a three-time girls state champion and two-time state qualifier on the boys side. As her wrestling match drew closer, Lauren Stone could be seen pacing and jumping adjacent to the mat.
Part of it nerves, part of it preparation. “She is a goer,” Venice High wrestling coach Pat Ryan said. “She’s starting to get in the zone right then and right there.” Stone tucked her braided hair under a black skull cap and put on her protective headgear. She was now ready to wrestle Tyler Washburn of Naples Palmetto Ridge for third place in the 106-pound weight class at the Captain Archer Memorial Classic earlier this month at Charlotte High. But the match did not end the way Stone wanted it to.
She was pinned with 15 seconds remaining in the second period and afterwards was applying ice to a sore left shoulder. “That’s how significant that (shoulder) injury was,” Ryan said. “She’s not one to say this is why I lost. That’s not her. That’s how injured she was. So if it hurts her that much, where she’s in tears, it’s legit. That’s not an excuse.”
Last year, Stone tore the meniscus in her knee, prior to the start of the season. She wrestled in the Indians’ first match before having surgery that cost her the rest of the regular season. But not only did she come back to win the Florida Girls State Championship — not a sport sanctioned yet by the Florida High School Athletic Association — she also qualified for the FHSAA boys state tournament by finishing second in the district and fourth in the region.
It was her third straight state championship in the girls division.
“That’s huge,” Ryan said. “They haven’t been cakewalks. There have been coaches who go to tournaments to scout her to watch her wrestle, so they could get their girls ready for what she does. She has overcome that. We’re focused on what she does and her competing at the varsity level and getting better every day.” Rest of the story at https://www.heraldtribune.com/sports/20191225/venicersquos-lauren-stone-wrestling-pioneer?mc_cid=6368d2c7ab&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
National No. 1 Soto, Elor are high school champs at loaded Women’s West Coast TOC; Southern Oregon wins college title
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | DEC. 23rd
ROCKLIN, Calif. – The 5th annual Cliff Keen Women’s West Coast Tournament of Champions lived up to its reputation for having a first-class, highly-competitive high school division, as well as another strong college division. The event was held this past weekend. In the high school draw, there were 13 girls who hold current rankings in the most recent National Girls High School rankings who medalled, including some weight classes with multiple ranked athletes in the tournament. Some of the unranked athletes who competed here will be considered for national rankings because of their achievements. There were a pair of Women’s West Coast TOA champions who are currently ranked No. 1 in the nation, Jennifer Soto of Orland at 127 and Amit Elor of College Park at 151. In the 127-pound finals, Soto, who is top-ranked nationally at 117 pounds, defeated Alisha Narvaez of James Logan, ranked No. 19 at 117, in a 17-2 technical fall. Elor, the national No. 1 at 152 pounds, pinned Jodie Hartlein of Etiwanda in the finals in 35 seconds.
There was a No. 2 nationally ranked athlete who was also a Women’s West Coast TOA champion, Lilian Freitas of Pitman at 144. Freitas defeated Emmily Patneaud of Gilroy in the finals, 4-0. Patneaud is not currently in the national rankings after missing considerable time from the mat due to injury, but has been ranked among the nation’s top five in the past. Other individual Women’s West Coast TOA champions who hold a national ranking are No. 14 Paige Morales of Central (102), No. 11 Desinee Lopez of Folsom (122), No. 8 Ariana Pereira of Newark Memorial (171) and No. 5 Isela Mendez of Northview (236). In the semifinals, Morales defeated nationally ranked No. 12 Lizette Rodriguez of James Logan by pin in 3:03. In the finals, Morales beat Kiely Tabaldo of Menlo-Atherton with a 36 second pin. Rest of the story at
https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2019/December/23/WomensWestCoastTOC?mc_cid=6368d2c7ab&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

