NCAA Division II Programs
Getting II Know a DII Program: Chadron State
Another former Division II All-American and National Champion coaching at his alma mater, head coach Brett Hunter of Chadron State became the Eagles second overall and first NCAA Division II National Champion in 2007, and added another title two years later. In all, four National Championships have been won by Chadron State Eagles since the program was established in 1957, three of those since CSC moved to NCAA Division II for the 1992-93 season. “Our program prides itself on being a family and understanding the wrestlers’ why,” Hunter said of his alma mater and program. “Our program is fueled by a clear understanding and purpose, we continue to work towards our goals and will continue to focus on enjoying the process of striving to be the best.” In addition to the three D2 National Championships 31 others have earned spots as All-Americans in the Eagles D2 history, with 93 total Eagles qualifying for the NCAA meet. A trio of Eagles qualified in 2020, with Chase Clasen, Tate Allison and Wade French all earning trips. Clasen (149) and French (197) earned their second trips to Nationals, while Allison (157) qualified for the first time. Allison leads the returners for Hunter looking towards 2020-21, with seven of this year’s starters returning for the Eagles. With a handful of true-freshmen coming off of redshirts, a couple of transfers and a recruiting class featuring incoming Eagles from six states, Chadron State will fill a roster of 35 for the upcoming season. …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-chadron-state/77712?mc_cid=09298b3e7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Getting II Know a DII Program: Lake Erie College
One of two wrestling programs in the Cleveland metropolitan area that have come into the Division II landscape in the last decade, Lake Erie dates back to the 2009-10 season. The Storm have sent 27 wrestlers to the NCAA Division II National Championships over the last 10 years, with two of those qualifiers making it to the national finals. In all, Lake Erie has seven All-Americans in program history, three of those podium finishes coming from the Storm’s first All-American, Matt Vandermeer. Vandermeer finished 6th in 2012, 2nd in 2015 and 6th in 2016, all at 165. His teammate Zak Vargo was the first to make it to a national final for Lake Erie, with Vargo wrestling in the 157 final in 2013 and finishing 5th a season later. Current Head Coach Jeff Breese has led the Storm for the past two seasons, as just the second head coach in the young program’s history. “We set out to achieve three things every season,” Breese said. “Be Top 10 at the NCAA Tournament, Be Top 10 Academically in Division II, and Win the G-MAC Tournament. We are in a great position to continue that pursuit next year with 8 returning Super Regional Placers and 8 returning Scholar All-Americans.” …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-lake-erie-college/77766?mc_cid=3a87a899d8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Getting II Know a DII Program: King University
ByJackie PaquettePosted on 04/30/2020
In 10 years in NCAA Division II, King has had 17 National Qualifiers and has seen six of those wrestlers make it to the podium. Two of those All-American honors were earned by a pair of program greats, in Dustin Kirk and Bryce Killian. Kirk and Killian were both All-Americans in 2017 and 2018, with Kirk’s third-place finish in 2017 at 133 the best-ever by a member of the Tornado. The program, currently headed by another former Division II all-American in Deral Brown, now features Killian as an assistant. The Tornado head man was a two-time National Qualifier and earned All-American honors with a fourth-place finish at 149 in 2013. Brown took over the program last season, after a year as an assistant at his alma mater, Newberry. “I expect our team to make significant improvements from last season,” Brown said. “The incoming class of 2020 is filled with talent, and we have an experienced group of returners coming back to lead them.” …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-king-university/77747?mc_cid=d92f731bd9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Getting II Know a DII Program: Tiffin University
The Tiffin Dragons entered the 2019-20 NCAA Division II National Championships with five national qualifiers: one a true freshman, one the top seed in his bracket, a wrestler making a return to the NCAA meet, another who led the nation in pins, and another looking to defend a national title. The program, now in its 10th year in NCAA Division II, is currently led by former Findlay All-American Joey Simcoe. “Guiding this program for the last 9 seasons has been an incredible experience,” Simcoe said. “When we first started, our practice facility was the storage area of an old Big Lots, and today we have arguably one of the nicest stand-alone facilities in the country with a 6,000 square foot wrestling room. Our success is not all our own as this campus and community are truly a welcoming, supportive and family environment.” Tiffin has produced two National Champions among 14 total All-Americans in the last decade, with Garrett Gray winning the Dragons’ first title in 2017 at 285, and Nick Mason making it to the top of the podium at 197 in 2019 as a sophomore. Mason will return for his senior season next year, along with 2020 National Qualifiers Chris Donathan and Bryan LaVearn, while the nation’s top seed at 157, Trey Grine, and the NCAA DII leader in pins, Hayden Bronne, are lost to graduation. …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-tiffin-university/77638?mc_cid=52d81661de&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Getting II Know a DII Program: Seton Hill University
The Seton Hill Griffins sent two National Qualifiers to the 2020 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in the 11th year of the program’s existence. Frank Bonura and Billy Bowlen were the latest two in a program that has produced 26 national qualifiers since its inception in 2006. The Griffins, led by Head Coach Brian Tucker in his eighth season, posted a dual record of 8-6, running the program’s all-time dual record to 95-121. Heading into next season, Tucker’s Griffins return nine of their 10 starters, with only Bowlen lost to graduation. Along with Wheeling Jesuit transfer Bonura at 125, 2018 National Qualifier Vincent Destefanis also returns for Seton Hill at 133, with 2019 All-American Damon Greenwald also back off of a redshirt year in 2019-20. “We live a culture of Elite Effort, Competitive Behavior, and Team Unity,” Tucker said of his program. …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-seton-hill-university/77558?mc_cid=945de33a33&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Getting II Know a DII Program: Gannon University
In 38 years in NCAA Division II, the Gannon Knights have put 67 All-Americans on the podium, with a total of 93 National Qualifiers coming through the program out of Erie, Pennsylvania. The Knights had a breakout year in 2019-20, sending eight to the NCAA Division II National Championships. Head Coach Don Henry, in his 36th season at the helm of the Gannon program, is a member of the Jim Koch Division II Wrestling Hall of Fame and sees his team as poised to continue its success in the 2020-21 season. “We have been building for the past three years,” Henry said, “we should have a great 2021 season. We like hungry, humble and smart wrestlers.“ The Knights have had one National Champion in program history, with 197 Doug Joseph winning a title in 2001. With 10 starters returning from a squad that was the team runners up with four wrestlers in the finals at Super Region 1 in 2019-20, Gannon will again be a team to watch. All 10 returners …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-gannon-university/77725?mc_cid=09298b3e7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
TOM’s Quarant-Interview with West Liberty Head Coach Danny Irwin
TOM recently got to speak with Danny Irwin head coach of the emerging DII power West Liberty. In his first year with the Hilltoppers, Irwin’s team qualified two wrestlers for the 2020 NCAA Championships, which ended up being canceled only 16 hours before the start time. Irwin tells the story how one of his wrestlers, Cole Laya, ended up squaring off against one of his potential rivals, anyways. The future is bright for West Liberty as Irwin has the All-American Laya, and an impressive recruiting class that includes some high-profile transfer possibilities. Before coming to West Liberty, Irwin developed Wheeling Jesuit into a national power, even taking second at the 2019 NCAA Championships and producing individual champions in back-to-back years. …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/toms-quarant-interview-with-west-liberty-head-coach-danny-irwin/77655?mc_cid=9dee3504ef&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Getting II Know a DII Program: UW-Parkside
In 43 years in NCAA Division II, UW-Parkside has seen seven Rangers take D2 National Championships, and another 70 earn All-American status. The program was first established in 1969, and has had just three head coaches in its history, with former Ranger All-American Corey VanGroll now at the helm and former Ranger National Champion Craig Becker as an assistant in the program. “United with the University’s mission, vision, and values, the Ranger Wrestling program provides student-athletes with opportunities to excel, and advance their athletic, academic, and social development,” VanGroll said of his program. “Our wrestling program will strive to be nationally recognized as a top performing program whose careers after graduation are a tribute to them, UW-Parkside, and society.” Of the seven NCAA Division II National Championships won by Rangers, five of those have been won by a wrestler with the last name of Becker. Kyle Becker was the first of the brothers to take a title, winning in 2006 at 157, with Craig following with a championship at 149 in 2010. The youngest Becker, however, would outdo the rest, with Nick winning three-straight 174 pound National Championships from 2016-18.
This season three Rangers …. rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-uw-parkside/77677?mc_cid=9dee3504ef&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Top Division III Coaches in Career Dual Wins
ALL-TIME Coaches (D-III)– Top 50 (or so) with at least 200 wins
Wins earned while coaching a D-III school
- Jare Klein (Olivet College) 569 – III
- Bill Racich (Ursinus College) 540 – III
- David Icenhower (College of New Jersey) 534 – III
- John Reese (Wilkes Univ.) 515 – I/III ?
- Max Servcies (Wabash) 487 – III
- Doug Parker (Springfield, Mass) 485 – III
- Ned McGinley (King’s College) 458 – III
- Mike Olson (UNC-Pembroke, Upper Iowa, Monmouth) 428 – II/III ???
- Roger Crebs (Lycoming College) 418 – III
- Phil Grebinar (Worcester Poly Tech.) 414 III
- Jim Miller (Wartburg) 413 – III
- Bob Skelton (Western New England College) – 402 III
- Robert Marshall (Del. Valley Coll./Dickinson) – 396 III
- Al Baxter (Buena Vista Univ.) 376 – III
- Budd Whitehill (Lycoming Coll.) 376 – III
- Lonnie Morris (Johnson & Wales) 373 – III
- Don Murray (SUNY-Brockport) 359 – III
- Ron Beaschler (Ohio Northern Univ.) 338 – III
- Jeff Swenson (Augsburg Coll.) 321 – III
- Tom Kessler (York College) 321 – III
- Steve Eldridge (U.S. Coast Guard Ac.) 317 – III – Inc.,
- Bob Del Rosa (Case Western Reserve) 310 – III
- Kerry Volkmann (John Carroll) 304 – III
- Daryl Arroyo (Springfield, Mass) 301 – III
- Willie Myers (Wisconsin-Whitewater) 301 – III
- Byron James (Wisc.-River Falls) 297 – III
- Bruce Haberli (New York Univ.) 295 –III
- Al Sosa (SUNY-Oneota State) 284 — III
- Kenneth Ober (Elizabethtown College) 282 – III
- Martin Nichols (Ithaca College) 274 – III
- John Elton (St. John’s {Minn.} 273 – III
- Jon Laudenslager (Wilkes University) 264 – III
- Frank Cheek (Humboldt State) 261 – III
- Dave Kemmy (Roger Williams) 251 – III
- Al Hanke (Elmhurst Coll./Lake Forest Coll.{ILL}) 246 – III
- Jay Jones (Rhode Island College) 241 – III
- John Oostendorp (Coe College) 239 – III
- Randy Steward (Loras College) 235 – III
- James R. Howard (SUNY-Oswego State) 234 — III
- Bryan Brunk (Messiah College) 233 – III
- Tim Fader (Wisc.-Whitewater & Wisc.-Lacrosse) 230 – III
- Brad Bruhn (SUNY-Cortland) 230 – III
- John Davis (Maryville College) 224 – III
- Steve Stellner (Montclair State) 223 – III
- Russell “Rusty” Carlsten (Rhode Island College) 222 – III
- Bob Gaudenzi (Hunter College) 218 – III
- Jerry Petrofes (Lebanon Valley College) 214 – III
- Tony DeCarlo (John Carroll Univ.) 213 – III
- Donald Montgomery (Mount Union College) 212 – III
- Ron Zalokar (Carthage College) 204 – III
- Johnny Johnson (Wisc.-Stevens Point) 202 – III
- John Summa (Baldwin-Wallace College) 201 – III
Women’s Wrestling # 35
Julianne Metzgar, Karla Mejia-Garcia, Perla Muro named MatBoss Manager Scholarship recipients
MINNEAPOLIS — Each year, MatBoss, wrestling’s premier videostats app, awards $500 scholarships to high school or college wrestling managers. This year’s MatBoss Manager Scholarship recipients are Julianne Metzgar (North Warren Regional High School, N.J.), Karla Mejia-Garcia (Basalt High School, Colo.), and Perla Muro (Sioux Center High School, Iowa). MatBoss Manager Scholarship recipients are chosen based on their service to the sport of wrestling, academic achievement, honors and awards, as well as their involvement in outside activities and the community. To be eligible for a scholarship, the student’s wrestling team must be a MatBoss customer during the 2019-20 season, served an active role as a manager on her/his team and be a high school senior or currently enrolled in an accredited post-secondary institution. Below are profiles on each of the three 2020 MatBoss Manager Scholarship recipients. …. rest of profiles and story at https://blog.matboss.com/julianne-metzger-karla-mejia-garcia-perla-muro-named-matboss-manager-scholarship-recipients?mc_cid=52d81661de&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Women Wrestle 2 – Alli Ragan’s Quarantine Advice + Hawkeye Girls to ASU RTC?
On this episode of Women Wrestle 2, Alexis Porter and Arian Carpio are joined by two-time World Silver medalist Alli Ragan. Alli talks about her routine during the current quarantine, the recent developments at the Hawkeye Wrestling Club and a prospective move out west.
About The Open Mat’s “Women Wrestle 2”:
This is a weekly podcast that will be hosted by recent McKendree University graduate Alexis Porter. Alexis was a four-time All-American at the WCWA level, a three-time Junior National Champion in Fargo, a Junior World bronze medalist and an active competitor on the Senior level. Alexis will be joined by …. rest of the story at https://news.theopenmat.com/podcasts/women-wrestle-2/women-wrestle-2-alli-ragans-quarantine-advice-hawkeye-girls-to-asu-rtc/77667?mc_cid=9b182d31f3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
AIA Executive Board votes to make Girls Wrestling a team sport in Arizona
BY ANDY MORALES, STAFF WRITER, AZPREPS365.COM | APRIL 27,
The Arizona Interscholastic Association (AIA) Executive Board voted to make Girls’ Wrestling a team sport on Monday. No longer an “emerging sport,” the growing numbers were cited as the main reason for taking the next logical step. There will be on division and the Executive Board meeting is scheduled for Aug. 17.
In 2019, 224 wrestlers competed at the various sectionals to decide which wrestlers would compete for an individual title in the ten weight classes. That number jumped to 435 last year and the move to Veterans Memorial Stadium in Phoenix for state competition will surely cause another increase in participation.
CLICK FOR FULL AZPREPS365 STORY
Editor’s Note: Including Arizona, there are now 22 state associations which have created an official girls wrestling state championships, or have started the path leading to official sanction. USA Wrestling, Wrestle Like A Girl and many other organizations are working to continue the explosive growth of girls wrestling at the high school level. USA Wrestling Girls High School Development Committee is chaired by Joan Fulp and Andrea Yamamoto. …. rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/27/Arizona-girls-wrestling-becomes-official-team-sport?mc_cid=9b182d31f3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
AIA agrees to make high school girls wrestling a team sport
High school girls wrestling will have team champions, not just individual ones, in tournaments throughout the 2020-21 winter season. The Arizona Interscholastic Association unanimously voted to make girls wrestling a team sport during its Executive Board meeting on April 20. “The AIA is excited to continue promoting the sport of girls wrestling and we look forward to seeing our young female athletes participate in the great sport of wresting,” AIA Sports Administrator Dean Visser said in an email Monday. Girls wrestling teams will continue to compete in one division and ten weight classes.
The AIA will award state tournament-qualifying section championship plaques for each of its eight sections as well as state championship winners and second-place trophies. Visser also claimed that the AIA’s intent for this change is to continue combining its four boys wrestling divisions and the girls division to occur during the same weekend and at the same location. The boys and girls wrestling state tournaments are headed to Veterans Memorial Coliseum in Phoenix next season, moving from its usual venue at the Findlay Toyota Center in Prescott. …. rest of the story at https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/high-school/2020/04/27/aia-votes-favor-high-school-girls-wrestling-team-sport/3037390001/?mc_cid=b693ccac6a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Barry Hart Tabbed Assistant Women’s Wrestling Coach at NJCU
JERSEY CITY, N.J. (NJCUGothicKnights.com) | Barry Hart, a successful coach with the Beat The Streets wrestling organization in New York City, has been named as an assistant women’s wrestling coach at New Jersey City University, head coach Elena Pirozhkova has announced. Hart is the second member of the first-ever women’s wrestling staff in NJCU history, which launches as a varsity program in Fall, 2020.
Hart, 25, has been a wrestling coach at Beat The Streets Wrestling—a grassroots organization that has transformed the landscape and culture of wrestling in New York City, developing the athletic potential of urban youth and strengthening the wrestling culture within the city and beyond. Hart has coached with BTS since 2013 and has served as a program associate with the organization since 2016. He was honored as the 2019 Beat the Streets Assistant Coach of the Year.
“Barry is the perfect addition to the program because he really knows wrestling in this area,” Pirozhkova said. “His perspective of working with inner city kids is so valuable. Additionally, his ability to connect with the kids and recruit is going to be key moving our program forward.”. …. rest of story at https://njcugothicknights.com/news/2020/4/27/202004-27_WWRESTLING_barry-hart-tabbed-assistant-womens-wrestling-coach-at-njcu.aspx
HS wrestling: Proposal to add girls division passes first reading
Next year will likely see the start of SDHSAA-sanctioned girls’ wrestling in South Dakota schools. The first reading approving the new sport was taken Tuesday by the South Dakota High School Activities Association’s board of directors…. Meeting via teleconference, the board acted on the first reading of a variety of recommendations for changes to the SDHSAA Athletics Handbook that came out of the annual meeting of the state’s athletic directors. The proposal, following a pattern established in Missouri, calls for four weight classes for girls at the state wrestling championships in 2020-21. Each weight class would include the top eight seeded participants from across the state, regardless of classification or region. …. rest of the story at https://www.argusleader.com/story/sports/high-school-sports/2020/04/28/south-dakota-high-school-wrestling-proposal-to-add-girls-division-passes-first-reading/3039773001/?mc_cid=09298b3e7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Florida moves a step closer to sanctioning girls’ high wrestling
The notion that wrestling would take root as a popular sport for young women was a pipe dream just a few years ago. But Wednesday, the Florida High School Athletic Association took a historic step and voted unanimously to endorse the sanctioning of the sport for girls. If approved by the FHSAA Board of Directors in June, Florida will join 23 other states in sanctioning girls’ wrestling — one of the fastest growing sports in the country. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, the public meeting took place over a Zoom call on Wednesday. Orlando Freedom High School girls’ wrestling coach Lynzie Doll was among the presenters who made their case to the Athletic Directors Advisory Committee. “As soon as a state association legitimizes a sport, more girls flock to the sport,” Doll said, citing states that recently sanctioned the sport, which saw participation grow the following year between 26 and 438 percent. There were 708 girls on Florida high school wrestling rosters during the 2019-2020 season. “That’s 708 girls that are brave enough to wrestle on a boys wrestling team,” said Mike Crowder, Tallahassee Lincoln coach. “When you change this to an all-girls sport, the numbers are gonna be outrageous.”…. rest of story at https://www.miamiherald.com/sports/high-school/article242273021.html?mc_cid=09298b3e7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Alabama HSAA announces wrestling changes for the 2020-21 season
By Alec Etheredge Email the author April 28, 2020
By DAWN HARRISON | Special to the Reporter
After the AHSAA met last Thursday the verdict wasn’t quite what the advocates for girls’ wrestling in Alabama were hoping for, but it’s a promising start, as three events for girls have been added to the 2020-21 calendar. “The Alabama High School Girls Wrestling Task Force is very pleased that the AHSAA has added three tournaments for girl wrestlers to the 2020-2021 AHSAA wrestling schedule,” said Julie Lassere of the Task Force. “We encourage schools to add girls divisions to their existing tournament schedule to further increase competition opportunities for girls teams.” It doesn’t mean the sport is sanctioned in the state, but would give them an opportunity during the regular season against the same sex, while also allowing them to still continue wrestling through the regular season with boys. “The tournament participation would not affect girl wrestlers from qualifying for the current AHSAA section or state meets” read the AHSAA press release. “Girls can still have the option to wrestle boys as well as qualify for the AHSAA State Wrestling Tournament.,” Lassere said. “As the numbers of girl wrestlers continue to grow in Alabama, we will soon be able to sanction girls wrestling in Alabama.” The opportunities have some Shelby County wrestlers like Thompson High School’s Brynleigh Glover eagerly anticipating the next year. “I’m beyond excited,” she said. “I think girls will feel more comfortable knowing they won’t have to wrestle the boys. It’s cool being the only girl on the team, but I’m ready for a girls team to start at Thompson and for the sport to grow in general.” …. rest of the story at https://www.shelbycountyreporter.com/2020/04/28/ahsaa-announces-wrestling-changes-for-the-2020-21-season/?mc_cid=09298b3e7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
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
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 