Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

Women’s Wrestling News – # 40

1 } – Kayla Miracle: My Wrestling Hero
The 48th installment of My Wrestling Hero features Kayla Miracle. The 2019 World Team member and U23 World silver medalist shares her thoughts on her wrestling heroes: her brother, Shawn, Clarissa Chun and Tricia Saunders.  These are Miracle’s words on her wrestling heroes:
“My older brother, Shawn, is definitely a wrestling hero because he’s the reason I got into wrestling. He never did the World Team stuff, but he wrestled at West Point for a year and wrestled at Blair Academy for a prep school year. He’s always been a huge supporter of me and stayed in the sport even though he’s out of it. I love his passion for it. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1591822064083&twSessionId=zqmhvgvnad&postId=782539135&mc_cid=54d8473a59&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – ALEXIA WARD’S SENIOR SEASON
FROM MISSING THE PODIUM TO STANDING ON THE TOP
Written by Alexia Ward
I bet you’re wondering how I could go from missing the podium for 2 consecutive years, to being a national champ. Well, it’s complicated. There were many factors and people who helped me along the way, but the main contributor was my change in mentality. I had been so focused on my outcome goals that I had forgotten about the process. Of course it is great to have outcome goals because it is something to strive for, but I was so fixated on becoming a National champ that it hurt me more than helped me. … rest of story at https://www.wreaperwrestling.com/from-missing-the-podium-to-standing-on-the-top-alexia-wards-senior-season/?mc_cid=3dda02df3d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Homebound for Now, Susaki Never Wavers from Revived Quest for Olympic Gold
TOKYO — Having seen her Olympic dream all but crushed, and then suddenly revived through a twist of fate over which she had no control, Yui SUSAKI (JPN) knows she must take advantage of whatever opportunities life throws her way. And if she has to wait another year to achieve her goal at the Tokyo Olympics, then she is going to look for the silver lining in the delay of her quest for gold.  “This is the first time for me to be away from wrestling for so long,” Susaki said in an interview by email. “I really want to wrestle again as soon as possible. Even so, there is also the plus side that I can use this time to do image training while watching videos, and put together a training regimen for the parts where I am weakest.” … rest of story at https://unitedworldwrestling.org/article/homebound-now-susaki-never-wavers-revived-quest-olympic-gold?mc_cid=d457d68b82&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Illinois becomes 26th state to sanction separate girls state wrestling tournament
Illinois — the Land of Lincoln — will be the 26th state in the nation to sanction a separate girls state wrestling tournament. Last week, the Illinois High School Association (IHSA) announced it would be hosting a separate state tournament for high school girls in the state, beginning in the 2021-2022 school year. Prior to this just-approved state championship, Illinois girls who wanted to wrestle for a state title had to compete against boys at the state championships at the University of Illinois’ State Farm Center (the iconic concrete-dome facility built on the edge of the U of I campus in 1963). This just-announced IHSA state wrestling championship officially sanctioned for girls — slated to take the mats for the first time in 2021-2022 … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23716?fbclid=IwAR1ZlD6NXGFay8dKZ9WqsaOHnx_gLw_gPqKMbC5dhp0i2j-i8_LX8cbt10A

5 } – NWCA 2019-2020 NAIA WOMEN SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS
Manheim, PA – On Thursday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the full slate of 2019-2020 Scholar All-American Team and Individual honorees for NAIA Women with awards going to 59 individuals representing 11 institutions.
LINK: Top 4 Scholar All-American Teams
LINK: Individual Scholar All-Americans
“On behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors it is my honor to recognize these incredible scholar-athletes,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “As women’s wrestling continues to explode with opportunities it is exciting to see our list of honorees grow each year.” … rest of the story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/NWCA-2019-2020-NAIA-WOMEN-SCHOLAR-4-6-2020

6 } – 2020 NWCA High School Girls Coach of the Year Awards Program
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) is proud to announce the 2020 winners of the State and National High School Girls Coach of the Year awards.  This program is in its second year and will continue to expand as the number of states sanctioning high school girls wrestling grows. To date Girls High School Wrestling is sanctioned in 26 states. States sponsoring girls championships: Alaska, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Kansas, Maryland, Massachusetts. Maine, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Washington.
Boys Coach of the Year Winners | http://www.nwcaonline.com/2020-nwca-high-school-girls-coach-of-the-year-awards-program/ This year’s National Girls Coach of the Year is Mike Simons from Thurston High School (OR) … rest of the story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/2020-NWCA-High-School-Girls-Coach-of-15-6-2020

7 } – Wisconsin approves girls wrestling tournament for 2021-22
Girls high school wrestling continues to grow at a rapid clip this summer. Days after Illinois had announced it would be hosting a separate state tournament for high school girls in that state beginning in the 2021-2022 school year, that state’s immediate neighbor to-the-north, Wisconsin, has expanded wrestling opportunities for girls with a similar decision.
The WIAA Board of Control — the organization that governs competitive sports events within Wisconsin, voted by a unanimous 10-0 decision Wednesday to have a separate state wrestling tournament for girl wrestlers in 2020-21. The approved proposal will have girls wrestle on mixed teams during the regular season, but go into their own tournament once they get to the postseason. “This does allow more girls to become interested and more schools to become involved,” … rest of the story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23723?fbclid=IwAR28Hk5Kihb0qYcd6syTzG0icNC8AFGDLEF3l4jHLSLeCgl7twoMLDk8PV8

8 } – Movement to sanction girls high school wrestling could impact area programs
After years of slowly gaining steam throughout the state, the Ohio Girls Wrestling High School Task Force has officially launched a campaign to make girls wrestling as a sanctioned sport in Ohio. In a news release June 3, the campaign stated it’s “working to provide educational information and resources to help grow opportunities for girls wrestling and help to promote the addition of schoolgirls’ wrestling programs.” Twenty-three states across the country have girls wrestling as a sanctioned high school sport. … rest of story at https://www.morningjournal.com/sports/high-school-wrestling-movement-to-sanction-girls-wrestling-could-impact-area-programs/article_d2eb2e28-acca-11ea-a381-dbe0d49fc4c9.html?mc_cid=9214b6001a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9 } – Arizona IA adds girls wrestling team title to continue momentum
The Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board voted to make girls’ wrestling a team sport on April 20. No longer an “emerging sport,” the growing numbers of participants were cited as the main reason for taking the next logical step. Only individual state medals were awarded in 2019 and 2020 but during the next school year teams will also now compete in one division for the team crown. The executive board meeting to finalize this setup 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 in 2020. “The announcement of the women’s wrestling becoming an official AIA sport gives it ‘legitimacy.’ … rest of story at https://www.yourvalley.net/surprise-independent/stories/aia-adds-girls-wrestling-team-title-to-continue-momentum,164770?mc_cid=9214b6001a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Florida approves girls wrestling championships
Story at https://www.orlandosentinel.com/sports/highschool/wrestling/os-sp-hs-wrestling-girls-wrestling-20200609-66eucdq5bzdkhkkuklminrdvkm-story.html?mc_cid=3dda02df3d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 2, 2020 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College Wrestling News # 101

1 } – Hokies add Holmes to loaded incoming class
Tech gains another in-state wrestler in Midlothian native
BLACKSBURG – With a top-10 nationally ranked incoming class already, Virginia Tech wrestling adds another prospect with the signing of Simeone Holmes. Holmes, hailing from Midlothian, Virginia, wrestled at 170 and 182 pounds for Cosby High School. He was the second-ranked 182-pound wrestler in the state of Virginia, according to Virginia Wrestling, and won the 2019 and 2020 Virginia state championship after a second-place finish as a sophomore in 2018. … rest of story … https://hokiesports.com/news/2020/6/3/wrestling-hokies-add-holmes-to-loaded-incoming-class.aspx?mc_cid=e0ec51354d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – Robinson, Hildebrandt Earn MAC Medal Of Excellence
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Central Michigan’s Alexandria Robinson and Drew Hildebrandt have been named Mid-American Conference Medal of Excellence Award winners. Robinson, a member of the women’s track & field team, and Hildebrandt, an All-American wrestler, are two of 24 student-athletes — two from each full-time member institution — to be so honored by the league. … Hildebrandt, a junior from Granger, Ind., led the Chippewas with 31 victories (against three losses) in 2019-20, winning the MAC title at 125 pounds and then earning First Team All-America honors from the National Wrestling Coaches Association. He finished the season ranked eighth nationally and was seeded sixth for the NCAA Championships, which were cancelled because of the coronavirus pandemic. … rest of story at https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2020/6/3/general-robinson-hildebrandt-earn-mac-medal-of-excellence.aspx?mc_cid=1ad1a557de&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – MCCAA “Coach of the Year” Grant McKenzie of Henry Ford College Interview!
A lot of people involved in wrestling don’t even know or consider the fact that there is an organization like the NJCAA that gives student athletes an oppurtunity to continue wrestling after high school while attending a 2 year college program. Tonight on the show we will be discussing Grant’s work with the new program and what Henry Ford and other NJCAA programs have to offer a wrestler who might be like to continue wrestling but has no plans to attend a major university. 
Grant was named the MCAA 2020 “Coach of the year” and 2014 “Coach of the Year” Great Lakes Conference NCWA. 
Check out Henry Ford Athletics (Including wrestling) here: https://www.hfcc.edu/athletics … rest of story at https://www.blogtalkradio.com/combatsports/2020/06/08/mccaa-coach-of-the-year-grant-mckenzie-of-henry-ford-college-interview?mc_cid=1ad1a557de&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Alderson-Broaddus
Another program added to NCAA Division II within the last decade, the Alderson Broaddus Battlers took to the mat for their first DII season seven years ago. Sam Gardner has led the program since the 2016 season, mentoring two-time National Qualifier and three-time Super Regional placer Geno Sita along the way. Sita qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships in both 2018 and 2019 at 184, and finished fifth at last year’s NCAA Super Regional 2 Tournament. In total, three have qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships for the Battlers, with Sita representing two of those three trips. Cody Spinks, also a 184 pounder for Gardner, represents the third qualifier in program history, making his trip in 2016. “We are a small school in small-town West Virginia where wrestling is important,” Gardner said of his program. “We are building, and it is taking time, but the foundation is there for good things to happen in the coming years.”  … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-alderson-broaddus/78153?mc_cid=1ad1a557de&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – NSIC to debut new video streaming network in 2020-21
Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Commissioner Erin Lind announced Wednesday that the league has entered into an official partnership with BlueFrame Technology. BlueFrame will partner with the NSIC and its 16 member institutions to launch the “NSIC Network”, an end-to-end digital network available online and across custom NSIC streaming applications for TV and mobile devices. BlueFrame will power the NSIC streaming network for the next 3 years. … rest of story at https://scsuhuskies.com/news/2020/6/10/NSICNetwork.aspx?mc_cid=54d8473a59&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – NJCAA Announces Adjustments to 2020-21 Wrestling Season
Charlotte, NC – As the 2020-21 academic and athletic year approaches, the NJCAA has released a plan of action for the fall and winter sports season in response to COVID-19.  The NJCAA National Office, along with the NJCAA Health and Safety Council, has also issued a list of safety protocol recommendations for member colleges during regular season competition and championship events.
Fall 2020 Sports Season
At this time, the NJCAA will proceed …
Winter 2020-21 Sports Season
The NJCAA National Office and Board of Regents have carefully considered the winter 2020-21 sports season.  With growing uncertainty and the possibility of a second wave of COVID-19 later this year, the following changes have been made: …
The 2020-21 NJCAA Wrestling season has been altered to protect the best interest for student-athlete health and safety.  NJCAA Wrestling programs will be permitted to hold fall practice starting October 1, 2020, concluding October 31, 2020.  Regular season practice will be permitted to begin starting January 1, 2021.  Competition will be permitted to begin starting January 20, 2021.  The 2021 NJCAA Wrestling Championship will be held April 23-24 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/NJCAA-Announces-Adjustments-to-2020-21-19-6-2020

7 } – Return to the Mat Guidelines updated to reflect how local health requirements are being instituted
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | JUNE 11, 2020, 5:12 P.M. (ET)USA Wrestling has updated its “Return to the Mat Guidelines” document, which are guidelines and recommendations for the wrestling community as it makes decisions on a local level regarding when and how to safely resume wrestling activity.
Updated USA Wrestling Return to the Mat Guidelines
The reason for the update is to make the guidelines better align with the ways that state and local governments and public health departments are implementing their requirements concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes appear in the Phase 3 portion of the document (pages 10-14), a period when public health authorities allow small group activities. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/June/11/Return-to-Mat-Guidelines-updated-by-USA-Wrestling?mc_cid=d457d68b82&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Introducing…The Noke Wrestling News Podcast – Episode 1 #TheBuild
Welcome to the latest project from The Open Mat. We have teamed up with the newly formed Roanoke College wrestling program to bring you Noke Wrestling News. Roanoke College is a Division III school in southwestern Virginia. This podcast will bring you up to date on all of the news and happening surrounding this team in its initial season. In episode 1, we talk with the Maroons first head coach Nate Yetzer. Coach Yetzer comes over from fellow DIII program Ferrum, which he also helped build from scratch. Yetzer was an All-American … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/podcasts/introducing-noke-wrestling-news-episode-1-thebuild/78214?mc_cid=d457d68b82&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9 } – TOM’s Quarant-Interview with Michigan Head Coach Sean Bormet
Recently, TOM got a chance to speak with Michigan’s third-year head coach Sean Bormet. We talk about the emergence of some previously unheralded members of his squad in 2019-20, along with his three All-Americans that took Olympic redshirts. Those redshirts ended up being a blessing after the NCAA Tournament was canceled and all three are seniors. Coach Bormet looks ahead … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/toms-quarant-interview-with-michigan-head-coach-sean-bormet/78192?mc_cid=54d8473a59&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Obe Blanc: My Wrestling Hero
The 47th installment of My Wrestling Hero features Obe Blanc. The North Dakota State assistant shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes: Jeff Mustari, Cary Kolat and Jordan Burroughs. 
These are Blanc’s words on his wrestling hero:
“My high school coach, Jeff Mustari, was definitely a wrestling hero. He was a great mentor and helped me along the way.  … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1591822064083&twSessionId=zqmhvgvnad&postId=782469135&mc_cid=54d8473a59&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 2, 2020 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment