Takedown Report

Looking to Next Season #5

1 } -Harvard Wrestling Announces Incoming First-Year Class of 2024
CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – The David G. Bunning ’88 Head Coach of Harvard wrestling, Jay Weiss, announces its seven-member incoming class: Cole Bayless, Kenny Herrmann, Will Hoeft, Niko Katsuyoshi, Nick Marcenelle, Dom Mata, and Luke Rada. “We’re really excited for this group to join our wrestling family,” says Weiss. “Not only are they all accomplished on the mat, but they come with high character which will add to our current culture. This is going to be an impactful group that I can’t wait to get on campus.”  Hailing from four states (California, Iowa, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania), … rest of story … https://www.gocrimson.com/sports/wrest/2020-21/releases/20200512mimkvv?mc_cid=c97d5b4f2c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – NAIA Announces Extensions to Championship Hosts Affected by COVID-19
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) announced it will extend championship agreements for seven of its championship host sites affected this past year by COVID-19. The extensions were announced to assist further the relationship between the NAIA and its host cities. Women’s basketball (Sioux City, Iowa), women’s wrestling (University of Jamestown, Jamestown, N.D.), men’s and women’s bowling (Lawrence Tech University, Sterling Heights, Mich.), men’s and women’s tennis (Mobile, Ala.), baseball (Lewis-Clark State, Lewiston, Idaho), outdoor track and field (Gulf Shores, Ala.) and men’s golf (Mesa, Ariz.) came to an agreement on a one-year extension. Of these sites, Lewiston, Idaho has second-longest run of consecutive championships hosted with the NAIA Baseball World Series (since 2000).  … rest of story … https://lcvalley.dailyfly.com/Home/ArtMID/1352/ArticleID/55629/NAIA-Announces-Extensions-to-Championship-Hosts-Affected-by-COVID-19?mc_cid=d787fad1c9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Pendleton Adds Martinez, Engel as Assistant Coaches
CORVALLIS, Ore. – Oregon State wrestling coach Chris Pendleton has announced the additions of Isaiah Martinez and Nate Engel to the Beaver coaching staff. “I’m excited to officially announce the hiring of two outstanding men,” Pendleton said. “From the start, I knew that I was looking for like-minded people that would help me with the holistic development of young athletes, and build a culture that places an emphasis on doing things the right way.” … rest of story … https://osubeavers.com/news/2020/5/18/wrestling-pendleton-adds-martinez-engel-as-assistant-coaches.aspx?mc_cid=588b1d30ac&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – SOONERS ADD TRANSFER MITCH MOORE
NORMAN – University of Oklahoma wrestling head coach Lou Rosselli announced the addition via transfer of two-time NCAA qualifier and ACC Freshman of the Year Mitch Moore to the roster. Moore comes to Norman from Virginia Tech where he was named ACC Freshman of the Year in 2019 after compiling a record of 18-9 and finishing as the runner-up at the ACC Championship at 141 pounds, earning an NCAA berth. His 10 falls as a freshman were the 10th most in a single season at Virginia Tech.  
As a sophomore in 2020, Moore once again tallied a record of 18-9 and an impressive 11-2 record in dual action. He collected a team-high six wins via fall and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship. “We’re really excited to welcome Mitch to our OU family.” Rosselli said.  … rest of story … https://soonersports.com/news/2020/5/18/wrestling-sooners-add-transfer-mitch-moore.aspx?mc_cid=588b1d30ac&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Notre Dame’s Ungar commits to Cornell for wrestling
Cornell might have enjoyed a head start in securing Brett Ungar as a wrestling recruit. “Back when I was little I always dreamed about being a Division I wrestler,” said the Notre Dame junior, who fulfilled that dream by committing to the Big Red Sunday evening. “And I always dreamed of Cornell since I was 8 or so — there was always something about the school, the combination of academics and the strong wrestling there. And then a couple of years ago, I really liked (four-time national champion) Kyle Dake a lot.” … rest of story … https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/highschoolsports/2020/05/notre-dames-ungar-commits-to-cornell-for-wrestling.html?mc_cid=588b1d30ac&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – Rider adds 4th N.J. state finalist to next year’s incoming wrestlers
Kingsway Regional High School senior McKenzie Bell became the fourth New Jersey state finalist to commit to Rider for this incoming season. Bell reached the 126-pound state final this year after upsetting Pope John’s Eddie Ventresca, who is headed to Virginia Tech, before losing to two-time state champ, four-time finalist and Penn State-bound Robert Howard. … rest of story … https://www.nj.com/highschoolsports/2020/05/rider-adds-4th-nj-state-finalist-to-next-years-incoming-wrestlers.html?mc_cid=588b1d30ac&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Virginia Wrestling Announces 10 Newcomers For 2020-21
CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. – Virginia head coach Steve Garland announced a group of 10 wrestlers who will join the Virginia wrestling program for the 2020-21 academic year with the release of the latest incoming class. The class includes four state champions, seven All-Americans and two national champions and seven state place-winners among its 10 members. The class also features three wrestlers ranked in the top 20 nationally in their weight classes and two ranked among the top 100 seniors regardless of weight class.  “Our staff is really happy with this group coming in,” said Virginia head coach Steve Garland. “This is an underrated group in our opinion. We have guys coming in this class that have won at the highest levels and we feel like most people have overlooked them. We trust they see that and we hope it motivates them. We have guys coming in from all over and we are excited to bring a diverse group of student-athletes to Grounds this fall.” … rest of story … https://virginiasports.com/news/2020/5/22/virginia-wrestling-announced-10-newcomers-for-2020-21.aspx?mc_cid=97df5e5b46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Rider Wrestling Announces 11-Member Incoming Recruiting Class
LAWRENCEVILLE, NJ – Rider University Wrestling Head Coach John Hangey has announced the signings of 11 student-athletes for the 2020-21 season. Six of the incoming wrestlers (four freshmen and two transfers) were ranked in the Top 20 in the nation at their respective weight classes upon graduating high school. Eight of the 11 were State Finalists and four were State Champions in high school. “Our 20-21 incoming class is very accomplished, talented and by far the deepest class we’ve ever brought into our program,” said Hangey. “We welcome these young men into our family and look forward to developing them as successful student-athletes, on and off the mat.” … rest of story … https://gobroncs.com/news/2020/5/22/wrestling-announces-11-member-incoming-recruiting-class.aspx?mc_cid=97df5e5b46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9 } – West Virginia Wrestling Adds 2020 NCAA Qualifier
MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – West Virginia University wrestling coach Tim Flynn has announced the addition of Killian Cardinale, a qualifier for the 2020 NCAA Championships, to the Mountaineer wrestling roster. Cardinale, a native of Bristow, Virginia, has spent the previous two seasons at Old Dominion and will have two years of eligibility left. “We’re really excited to welcome Killian to Morgantown,” Flynn said. “He has proven himself against some of the best guys in the country, so we are looking forward to him arriving on campus. He’s going to be a big part of our future.”  
This past season starting at 125 pounds, Cardinale finished the 2019-20 campaign ranked in the top 15 in four major polls and earned National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Division I All-America Honorable Mention honors. He led the Monarchs with 25 wins on the year, including 13 in dual matches, and defeated six ranked opponents. … rest of story … https://wvusports.com/news/2020/5/21/wrestling-adds-2020-ncaa-qualifier.aspx?mc_cid=97df5e5b46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Smith: NWCA discussing the potential of shifting college wrestling to spring
The idea of moving college wrestling out of the winter sports window isn’t a new idea, but it is one that is gaining momentum in the current environment of sports in a global pandemic. According to Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith, the National Wrestling Coaches Association has had discussions of approaching the NCAA about moving college wrestling from the winter sports window – currently spanning November to March – to one semester, specifically the spring.
“We’re looking at right now, real closely, to moving our season to January, for a lot of reasons,” Smith said in an exclusive interview with the News Press on Wednesday. “The main one being that extension of time of maybe, making sure that we get situated early on as we return to school and following guidelines that we need to follow, but also giving us additional time in our sport to prepare in preparation of the virus in our sport. …
“The NWCA, along with the coaches, are looking at maybe moving the season to January and beyond. That would be definitely something that would have to get approval from the NCAA, and we’ll see how it goes.”
Wrestling had its season end a week before the national tournament in March when the novel coronavirus became more prevalent in the United States – and ultimately shut down all sports, both college and professional.
There is a fear among medical experts that there could potentially be another wave of the novel coronavirus this fall – coupled with the normal flu season. A move of the winter sport back several months, could be viewed as a way to prepare for such a thing.
One of the issues with such a move right now, though, is the dates are locked in for the NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships, held the second weekend of Spring Break (and the same weekend as the opening rounds of the men’s basketball tournament). The 2021 and 2022 locations and dates for the national tournament are already set with St. Louis due to host March 18-20, 2021, and Detroit set to host March 17-19 in 2022. … rest of story … https://www.stwnewspress.com/sports/osu_sports/smith-nwca-discussing-the-potential-of-shifting-college-wrestling-to-spring/article_00176159-d0d1-50a7-b2ac-9e1751eaba86.html?mc_cid=97df5e5b46&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

June 29, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized