Takedown Report

College Wrestling News – # 99

1 } – 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. The Griffins feature an incoming class of 11 thus far, with all of those newcomers coming to Seton Hill from Pennsylvania.  …. rest of 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

2 } – Frank Named Interim Head Gettysburg Wrestling Coach
GETTYSBURG, Pa. – Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Campus Recreation Mike Mattia has announced long-time Gettysburg College wrestling assistant coach Gino Frank has been named the interim head coach for the 2020-21 campaign.
Frank becomes the 18th head coach since the storied program began in 1930. He follows in the footsteps of former colleague Andy Vogel, who is poised to lead the reemergence of the wrestling program at Hiram College. Frank and Vogel worked side-by-side for 13 years guiding the Bullets on the wrestling mat. “I want to thank Gino for taking on this extra responsibility during these uncertain times,” said Mattia. “He has been a part of our wrestling program for over a decade, …. rest of story at … https://gettysburgsports.com/news/2020/5/27/frank-named-interim-head-wrestling-coach.aspx?mc_cid=2313436fb3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Indianapolis
The University of Indianapolis Greyhounds have sent a total of 50 to the podium at the NCAA Division II National Championships always competing as an NCAA Division II member, with one of those in, Nick Walpole at 149 in 2011, taking an individual National Championship. Another program led by an alum, former Greyhound All-American Jason Warthan closed out his 11th year at the head of the UIndy program in 2019-20.
“Through hard work and commitment we are striving to be the best we can be and reach our potential not just as wrestlers but in the classroom and in the community,” Warthan said. “Our student-athletes have done a great job continuing to push the bar higher and higher over the years and have built a culture that I am extremely proud to be a part of. We are excited about the direction we are heading and believe the best is yet to come.” In respect to the 2019-20 season, five Greyhounds were set to compete …. rest of story at … https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-indianapolis/78053?mc_cid=2313436fb3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Lehigh Wrestling Announces Team Award Winners
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – The 2019-20 season was another great one for the Lehigh wrestling program. The Mountain Hawks went 12-3 in duals, with a pair of wins over top five-ranked opponents, and finished the year ranked 10th in the NWCA dual meet poll. In March, Lehigh claimed its third straight EIWA team championship and league-leading 37th overall, crowning three individual champions and nine place winners at Stabler Arena. The COVID-19 pandemic cost nine Mountain Hawks a chance to compete at the NCAA Championships in Minnesota, but five Lehigh wrestlers were recognized as All-Americans by the NWCA. The annual Lewis Wrestling Dinner was another casualty of the pandemic, but head coach Pat Santoro has announced the program award winners for the 2019-20 season. Fifth-year senior Jordan Kutler captured a pair of awards: the Outstanding Athlete Award, …. rest of story at … https://lehighsports.com/news/2020/4/28/lehigh-wrestling-announces-team-award-winners.aspx?mc_cid=b693ccac6a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Cornell wrestler, Elyria alum Ben Darmstadt wins national pin award
If it wasn’t for the novel coronavirus pandemic, there’s no telling how Ben Darmstadt’s season would have ended. Prior to the cancellation of the NCAA Divison I Wrestling Championships, Darmstadt was one of the best 197-pounders in the country and seemed all but destined to make a deep run at the tournament.  While Darmstadt never got a chance to finish out his sophomore season, he was honored April 30 when he was named the Schalles Award Winner by Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine. …. rest of story at … https://www.morningjournal.com/sports/cornell-wrestler-elyria-alumn-ben-darmstadt-wins-national-pin-award/article_8dca74f6-8b06-11ea-b9e0-77922a269ec4.html?mc_cid=d92f731bd9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Josh Roosa New Head Wrestling Coach at King’s College
WILKES-BARRE, PA (May 29, 2020) – A former local wrestling standout at Crestwood High School is returning home, as Associate Vice President and Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Cheryl Ish announced the hiring of Josh Roosa as the new head coach of the King’s wrestling program. Roosa becomes the College’s first full-time head coach, and is just the third coach over the storied 51 years of King’s Wrestling.
“It’s with great excitement that we welcome Josh Roosa to King’s and back to NEPA,” said Ish.   “Josh’s passion for the sport, this area and for building our program was evident during the search process. The search committee was impressed with his vision for the growth of the program and his understanding of the success and traditions enjoyed under legendary coach Ned McGinley. I am confident that Josh will take advantage of his familiarity with the high caliber Pennsylvania high school wrestling and quickly begin the process of recruiting quality student-athletes to King’s.” “Josh’s experiences wrestling and coaching at high level will be an asset to developing a strong team culture and promoting individual success,” …. rest of story at … https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Josh-Roosa-New-Head-Wrestling-Coach-at-29-5-2020

7 } – Stanford’s Shane Griffith named Amateur Wrestling News Rookie of Year, as 2020 AWN Rookie Team announced
AMATEUR WRESTLING NEWS PRESS RELEASE
Two of the nation’s top freshmen competed for the Stanford Cardinal this year in Shane Griffith, 165 and Real Woods, 141. They led their team to second place in the PAC 12 Championships and had a combined record of 47-1. Both were seeded No. 3 in their respective weight classes when NCAA brackets were released in March. Unfortunately neither had the opportunity to wrestle and challenge for NCAA medals with the cancellation of the championships. For his undefeated season, along with being named the Outstanding Wrestler in the PAC 12 tournament, Shane Griffith (28-0) has been named Rookie of the Year by Amateur Wrestling News. “He is a tremendous student-athlete and an overall great example of someone that does the little things right,” said Stanford coach Jason Borrelli. “He is very disciplined, consistent, and has tremendous passion.” Prior to Stanford, Griffith was a three-time state champion at Bergen Catholic in Oradell, NJ, the same school that produced NCAA champ Nick Suriano of Rutgers. Griffith reached the finals four times and was named Outstanding Wrestler as a freshman. …. rest of story at … https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/May/26/AWN-All-Rookie-Team-announced?mc_cid=a56cef7301&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – From Cornhuskers to Concordia U.: Tanner Farmer’s time at NAIA school rewarding
Tanner Farmer enjoyed a solid football career at the University of Nebraska. He played in 31 games over three seasons as a starter and saw action for the Cornhuskers at right guard and center. His college football career ended in 2018 and his attempts to play professionally with the Indianapolis Colts, Houston Texans and Winnipeg Blue Bombers of the Canadian Football League fell short. So Farmer, a former Highland High standout, turned his focus toward coaching. He spent the fall working with the fullbacks and tight ends as a volunteer assistant at Concordia University, an NAIA school in Seward, Neb. After football wrapped up, he approached Concordia wrestling coach Levi Calhoun about maybe working out with his squad. Farmer was a two-time undefeated state champion in high school who recently appeared on the both the wrestling (second team) and football (third team) all-decade squads compiled for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. At Nebraska, Farmer went 5-1 as a freshman while wrestling unattached and made regular trips to the Cornhuskers’ wrestling room to work out during his time in Lincoln. “I got to know Tanner in the fall and when he asked about working out with us, I was thrilled,” Calhoun said. “We did a little digging and realized that Tanner had one more semester of eligibility in wrestling.” …. rest of story at … https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/farmers-time-at-concordia-rewarding/article_0a918c80-0e7b-587e-958c-526bf0b20028.html?mc_cid=2313436fb3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9 } – Called to Serve: SJU Wrestler Says His Time in Collegeville Helped Broaden His Horizons
By Frank Rajkowski, SJU Writer/Video Producer
COLLEGEVILLE, Minn. – Dominic Skawiniak has had a lot to balance over the last four years. The 2020 Saint John’s University graduate has been a standout member of the Johnnies’ wrestling team, and he’s also been part of the Fighting Saints Battalion – the ROTC program made up of students from SJU, the College of Saint Benedict and St. Cloud State University. It’s through that program that, as a junior, Skawiniak took part in Air Assault training at Fort Benning, Ga., and spent time in Thailand training (left) at both the country’s Royal Military Academy and out in the field along the Cambodian border. “We saw how people who don’t have nearly as much as we do farm and go about living their lives,” he said. “We had the chance to interact with a lot of school-age children. The whole trip was really eye-opening. It was a chance to see how people all over are similar, and it really was a reminder of the value of all human life and why that’s worth defending.” …. rest of story at … https://gojohnnies.com/news/2020/5/28/wrestling-called-to-serve-sju-wrestler-says-his-time-in-collegeville-helped-broaden-his-horizons.aspx?mc_cid=af75736df9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Tiger Style’s Jake Bohlken Earns SEC’s Brad Davis Community Service Award
COLUMBIA, Mo. – Mizzou Wrestling senior HWT Jake Bohlken is the 2019-20 winner of Mizzou’s Male Brad Davis SEC Community Service Award, announced Thursday (May 28) by the league office. Each year, the SEC honors one male and one female student-athlete from each of its 14 member institutions who have dedicated exemplary time in their local communities. Riley Sents of Mizzou Volleyball was the Tigers’ female recipient. The school winners will each receive a $5,000 post-graduate scholarship provided by the SEC. The SEC Community Service Post-Graduate Scholarship is named for former Associate Commissioner Brad Davis.  Davis succumbed to cancer on March 2, 2006.  He had been a member of the SEC staff since 1988, first serving as an assistant commissioner until 1994 when he was promoted to associate commissioner. …. rest of story at … https://mutigers.com/news/2020/5/28/wrestling-tiger-styles-jake-bohlken-earns-secs-brad-davis-community-service-award.aspx?mc_cid=af75736df9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

June 17, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment