Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

Carolinas’ Colleges News – # 8

TDR Editor’s Notes ; This series of postings with this title includes news about colleges and colleges wrestlings in North and South Carolina. We also will include some news of schools in Virginia that compete against schools in the Carolinas. We welcome and information that other can send to us.
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1 } – Cutting Sports Programs ‘Not a Consideration’ For State
Appalachian State announced Tuesday that it is eliminating its men’s soccer, men’s tennis and men’s track programs as a cost-cutting measure to offset financial losses caused, in part, by the ongoing coronavirus crisis. The move comes less than a week after East Carolina dropped its men’s and women’s tennis and swim teams and Furman did away with its baseball and lacrosse teams. In all, 10 colleges across the country have cut 19 sports programs since the NCAA halted all athletic activities on March 12.  It’s a trend that for at least now, is limited to Group of Five schools. But the longer the  shutdown lingers, especially if it continues into the fall, the greater the chance that some Power Five members might also be affected. To this point, though, NC State is not in danger of losing any of the 22 sports programs it currently offers. “Eliminating sports is not a consideration at the current time,” athletic department spokesman Fred Demarest said Tuesday. While teams representing the Wolfpack appear safe from the purge, at least for the time being, some could still be affected when it comes to scheduling — especially if the list of schools eliminating soccer, track, swimming and tennis continues to grow and the number of cost-effective nonconference opponents continues to shrink. … rest of story at https://www.si.com/college/ncstate/sports/ncstate-sports-eliminated-coronavirus-cutbacks?mc_cid=a56cef7301&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Coker
After seven years in NCAA Division II, the Coker Cobras went into the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships with its most National Qualifiers in program history in four total. The Cobras had a pair of National Qualifiers coming out of the Super Region 2 tournament, but following scratches in both the 133 and 165 brackets, another pair of Cobras were poised to make their Nationals debut in Sioux Falls. The total doubled the previous total number of National Qualifiers in Coker program history. “Coker is a young program with a history of strong wrestling,” Nelson said. “Coker has only missed the national tournament twice in its seven years as a program. This past season we had a program-high four national qualifiers, our highest finish at the regional tournament, and only the second-ever top 25 team ranking (Via The Open Mat), in addition to seven NWCA Scholar All-Americans.” … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-coker/78020?mc_cid=2313436fb3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Puerto Rico National Team, NJ Native, Ethan Ramos, joins SKWC
Ethan Ramos, a former All-American for the University of North Carolina and current Puerto Rico national team member has joined the Scarlet Knight Wrestling Club. A native of Hawthorne, New Jersey, Ramos placed twice in the New Jersey state tournament while wrestling for Hawthorne High School. He placed 4th his junior year, and won the 170-lb title his senior year before heading to University of North Carolina to wrestle collegiately. … rest of story at https://rutgers.rivals.com/news/puerto-rico-national-team-nj-native-ethan-ramos-joins-skwc?mc_cid=2313436fb3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – ‘Believe in ourselves’: UNC wrestling aims for success amid uncertainty
BY PJ MORALES
Before the remainder of winter and spring competition was canceled by the NCAA due to the spread of COVID-19, the North Carolina wrestling team had built unprecedented momentum. Three wrestlers won individual ACC Championships, four more qualified for the NCAA Championships and the team finished No. 7 in the NWCA Coaches’ Poll. However, the novel coronavirus meant the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Championships and a premature end to one of UNC’s best seasons in recent memory. Despite the untimely ending to the 2019-20 season, the team said this break has given them an opportunity to relax and center their minds on one goal: continuing success the next time they hit the mats. … rest of the story at https://www.dailytarheel.com/article/2020/05/unc-wrestling-check-in-coleman-scott-zach-sherman-andrew-gunning

5 } – Wrestling: Film Room w/ Coach Bentley
Flitz SoCon True Second Match
Appalachian State Athletics — Video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBWveo-lKPE

6 } – Lander wrestling joins South Atlantic Conference Carolinas
GREENWOOD – The Lander wrestling program will begin competing in South Atlantic Conference Carolinas beginning with the 2020-21 season.
“We’re very excited to have our wrestling program join South Atlantic Conference Carolinas men’s wrestling,” said Lander athletic director Brian Reese. “We think it’s an excellent partnership and we appreciate the help of everyone who made this happen.” South Atlantic Conference Carolinas is a co-branded men’s wrestling league entering its third year of existence. Lander will become the league’s ninth team, joining Belmont Abbey, Coker, Emmanuel, King, Limestone, Mount Olive, Newberry, and Queens. … rest of story at https://landerbearcats.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20200604dv8kqu?mc_cid=e0ec51354d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Pat Popolizio: My Wrestling Hero
The 45th installment of My Wrestling Hero features Pat Popolizio. The North Carolina State coach shares his thoughts on his wrestling heroes: Joe Bena and Andy Seras.  These are Popolizio’s words on his wrestling heroes:
“My wrestling heroes are my high school coach, Joe Bena, who is a Hall of Fame coach in New York, but ultimately I would say my wrestling hero is Andy Seras because he probably had one of the biggest impacts on my career in high school and college and more so in coaching. “Coach Bena was my high school coach who was Andy Seras’ coach and Jeff Blatnick’s coach. He’s a legend in New York who passed away a couple years back. That’s the kind of guy who had true character and work ethic. … rest of story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1591588356831&twSessionId=xpkaqgknhs&postId=782355135&mc_cid=afb6e864d0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Limestone
In 16 years as a program, the Saints have a pair of National Champions, 18 total NCAA Division II All-Americans, and 38 total National Qualifiers. That success is being carried on currently by sixth-year head coach Kelly Revells, who is responsible for 17 of the aforementioned DII National Qualifiers, eight All-Americans and one of the National Champions in DeAndre Johnson at 157 in 2017 in his time leading the Saints.   
“At Limestone we pride ourselves on following our wrestling core values, togetherness, mental toughness, focus, and inclusion,” Revells said. “We use these values to guide us on and off the mat. Although our program is only 16 years old we have plenty of success with 2 National Champions, 18 All-Americans and over 50 Academic All Americans. We will continue that success and build on that rich history in the classroom and on the mat.” … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-limestone/78181?mc_cid=54d8473a59&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9 } – Getting to Know @PackWrestle: It’s the Perfect Fit
RALEIGH, N.C. – Hear from the incoming freshman class why NC State Wrestling is the perfect fit for their college careers. … rest of story at https://gopack.com/news/2020/6/17/wrestling-getting-to-know-packwrestle-its-the-perfect-fit.aspx?mc_cid=19bf6bc4f5&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – DEVIN KANE TALKS RETURNING TO THE MAT, BROTHER JOINING UNC WRESTLING
Next up in UNC Wrestling’s offseason Q&A series is R-Jr. Devin Kane, who made it to the Round of 12 at the 2019 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships for the Tar Heels. The 174-pound standout missed last season due to injury, but appears primed to step into the Tar Heel lineup once again and help Carolina compete throughout the 2020-21 season. This week, he sat down with GoHeels.com to discuss many things, including his anticipated return. … rest of story at https://goheels.com/news/2020/6/22/devin-kane-talks-returning-to-the-mat-brother-joining-unc-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=825569db34&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

July 4, 2020 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Klessinger in W.I.N. magazine

Klessinger: Here are five lessons I learned from wrestling
By John Klessinger
It’s been many years since I put on a wrestling singlet. For that matter, when I wrestled at Warwick High School in Lititz, Pa., all we could wear was a singlet. There was no optional uniform, headgears could still be taped and shoelaces didn’t need to be taped or secured. We had to be clean-shaven, hair above our collar and weigh-in rules, guidelines and certifications were less strict. When I graduated high school in 1992, I knew of no females wrestling in or around central Pennsylvania. However, there may have been one or two. I just didn’t know them.

John Klessinger
Over this time, in my opinion, the sport of wrestling has changed … for the overall good of wrestling.
Being somewhat “old school” in my beliefs, I would have liked to see some of the old rules remain. I understand for safety reasons the multiple changes that have occurred in the last 25 years. Techniques that were once legal are now illegal or potentially dangerous. … rest of story at https://www.win-magazine.com/2020/07/klessinger-prep-coach-shares-top-lessons-learned-from-sport/

This story appeared in the special free digital issue of WIN magazine. Click here to view that issue.
WIN’s next printed issue will come out on July 10. Click here to subscribe to WIN or call 888-305-0606.

July 4, 2020 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment