Takedown Report

College Wrestling News # 103

1 } – Coping & Connecting: Wrestling
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Landon Pelham took up distance running. Drew Hildebrandt made two camping trips out west. Others took jobs. All dealt with it.
 The timing of the quarantine triggered by COVID-19 could not have been more cruel to the Central Michigan wrestlers, who in early March were days from departing Mount Pleasant for Minneapolis and the crescendo of their season, the NCAA Championships, when everything shut down.
 “It was extremely disappointing for me,” said Hildebrandt, a junior who was later named a First Team All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association. “I was heartbroken. … rest of story at _{https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2020/6/17/coping-connecting-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=19bf6bc4f5&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – NJCAA COVID-19 update – The Path for 2020-21 Sports
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 with fall championship sports beginning practice and competition as planned.  For the following sports, the start date for practice will be August 1, 2020, and the first competition date will be August 20, 2020: … rest of story and details at _{https://www.njcaa.org/general/2019-20/releases/20200616eut4zh?mc_cid=46983272fd&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – #142 Anthony Rink – On D3 NCAA’s being canceled hours before the event was slated to start
BOUT THIS EPISODE
Anthony Rink is a Division 3 All American for North Central College.  He was a senior this year and was at the D3 nationals set to compete in his first NCAA national event when the tournament was cancelled due to CV19.  I wanted to have Anthony talk about his experience and share his incredible perspective.  Enjoy it! … rest of story and podcast at _{https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/rink/?mc_cid=73ac0bc782&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – Team came first at Millikin for ex-East Peoria wrestler
Evan Betz left his mark on the revived Millikin University wrestling program, mostly off the mat.
“Evan was in and out of the lineup during his entire career here,” said Millikin wrestling coach Ryan Birt. “That happens when you have 50 or more guys on a team and just 10 weight classes,” Birt said. “Evan could have been a starter in a lot of other collegiate wrestling programs, but he stuck with us and was a great teammate.”
Betz was indeed a great teammate. And a great role model. The 2015 East Peoria graduate was a two-time winner of the Millikin wrestling program’s Team Player of the Year Award and a two-time team co-captain. He also was a three-time College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin Academic All-Conference honoree, and Millikin’s male recipient in 2019-20 of the CCIW’s Merle Chapman Leadership Award, which honors student-athletes for their loyalty, enthusiasm, leadership and sportsmanship, and commitment to academic, athletic and personal excellence. On the mat, Betz’s signature moment at Millikin was a 3-2 win over future NCAA Division III All-American Wyatt Wriedt of Loras on Dec. 14 in a 285-pound match. … rest of story at _{https://www.pekintimes.com/sports/20200622/team-came-first-at-millikin-for-ex-east-peoria-wrestler?mc_cid=825569db34&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Written Senior Perspective – Hunter Ladnier, Wrestling
“The 2020 Senior Perspectives is the 15th in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of teams at Harvard have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Harvard.”
Hunter Ladnier Hometown: Rocky River, Ohio
Concentration: Economics House Affiliation: Pforzheimer
Coming in as a freshman you often hear from your Deans that the Harvard experience is not confined to that of the classroom; the Harvard experience is in the people around you. That is, the transformative experience that is synonymous with four years at Harvard is not found exclusively in the solving of a complex equation, but rather, it is in the surrounding of oneself with some of the most ambitious and curious individuals on this planet. As a senior, reflecting back upon my journey – the defeats, the dragons slain and the lessons learned – it is immediately apparent the truth in those words and how lucky I have been to be surrounded by my teammates on the wrestling team and to have had my Harvard experience defined by being a member of that team. It is hard to imagine who I would be without the lessons, challenges and self-discovery that occurred every day from 3pm-5pm in the Malkin Athletic Center. Though it has decidedly resulted in some of my highest highs and lowest lows, being a student athlete at Harvard has instilled in me a value & relationship-oriented foundation that I hope to continue to build upon in the coming years. … rest of story at _{https://gocrimson.com/news/2020/6/23/written-senior-perspectives-written-senior-perspective-hunter-ladnier-wrestling.aspx}

6 } – OHIO STATE WRESTLING HEAD COACH TOM RYAN REFLECTS ON KEVIN RANDLEMAN
On May 16, former Ohio State wrestler and standout MMA fighter Kevin Randleman was posthumously announced as an inductee to the UFC Hall of Fame by UFC president Dana White. “Kevin Randleman was one of the first real athletes in the early days of UFC,” White said in a statement. “He was a two-time NCAA Division I National Champion and All-American wrestler at The Ohio State University. He was the fifth heavyweight champion in UFC history and one of the first athletes to successfully compete at both heavyweight and light heavyweight. “He was a pioneer of the sport and it’s an honor to induct him into the UFC Hall of Fame Class of 2020.” While the recognition was for Randleman’s pro career – which started in the UFC in 1999 before a move to Pride Fighting in 2002 and saw Randleman accumulate a 17-16 record, including a heavyweight title at UFC 23 and title defense at UFC 26 – much of his best work was done in Columbus.
Nicknamed “The Monster,” Randleman won two NCAA titles as a Buckeye at 177 pounds in 1992 and 1993 (the first Buckeye to claim two titles), and was named an All-American three times on his way to 108 career wins. It was during his time at Ohio State where Randleman developed into one of the most feared wrestlers on the planet, an unstoppable athlete with a legendary work ethic … rest of story at _{https://www.buckeyesports.com/ohio-state-wrestling-head-coach-tom-ryan-reflects-on-kevin-randleman/?mc_cid=73ac0bc782&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – David T. Bender Trust Donates $4 Million to Create Endowed Rutgers Athletic Scholarships
Gift 30 years in the making will enhance university’s ability to recruit more outstanding student-athletes in Olympic sports
A $300,000 bequest by the estate of a school teacher who was a star Rutgers lacrosse and football player nearly a century ago has grown into a $4 million gift to endow scholarships for student-athletes who compete in eight Olympic sports.

The scholarships will enhance Rutgers’ ability to recruit top student-athletes in men’s lacrosse, golf, soccer, and track and field; wrestling; and women’s tennis, gymnastics, and field hockey and make the university even more competitive among its Big Ten® peers. The gift from the David T. Bender Trust—which also provided an investment learning opportunity for students at Rutgers Business School–Newark and New Brunswick—is one of the largest in Rutgers Athletics history. David Bender, who graduated from Rutgers College in 1925, was a 1924 All-America lacrosse player, a football letterwinner, and a coach at Rutgers until World War II. He later was a history teacher at Rahway High School in New Jersey. During his time at Rutgers, the Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, native was a tackle and center on the famed 1923 and 1924 football squads, which posted identical 7-1-1 records. Bender’s achievements led to his induction into the Rutgers Football Hall of Fame and the establishment in 1947 of the David Bender Trophy, awarded each year to Rutgers’ top offensive and defensive linemen. “Mr. Bender wanted to pass on his love of being a Scarlet Knight, and because of his generosity and keen investments, his impact has grown exponentially,” said Carly Northup, senior associate athletic director for development. “Eight endowed scholarships will give us a significant boost in competing with our Big Ten peers.” … rest of story at _{https://support.rutgers.edu/news-stories/david-t-bender-trust-donates-4-million-to-create-endowed-rutgers-athletic-scholarships/?mc_cid=9af16a3b6d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – Ravaged by injuries, Mizzou’s Leeth not ready to hang up singlet
Full article at _{https://www.stltoday.com/sports/college/mizzou/ravaged-by-injuries-mizzous-leeth-not-ready-to-hang-up-singlet/article_ed34009a-1002-553f-b690-43d34de66f4d.html?mc_cid=12f1229b4b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – Success Continues for Football & Wrestling Alumnus Blackburn as he Enters the BW Hall of Fame
By:  Director of Athletic Communications & Public Relations Kevin Ruple
BEREA, Ohio – For virtually his entire life, “duces have been wild” for Michael “Mike” Blackburn. And, this fall, the 2020 and two-time Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) Division II State Wrestling Coach of the Year will return to his alma mater, Baldwin Wallace University, to be inducted into its Alumni Athletic Association Hall of Fame fittingly for being a two-sport Division III standout in football and wrestling.
But that is just a small part of Blackburn’s story.
His First Priority is His Family and his son Braden
Blackburn and his 14-year-old son, Braden, live with he and his girlfriend, Kristi [Gotschall], and her son, Harley, in Wintersville, OH. Mike and Braden live every day with the challenges of autism. It is a blessing and also constantly demanding.  Blackburn, who has a long beard and teaches and coaches football and wrestling in nearby Steubenville, gives a smile and said, “I am blessed and challenged every day and I love Braden. I love Harley for making him one of the boys. “When Braden accomplishes a goal it’s a wonderful thing to see,” continued Blackburn. “He is the sweetest person you could ever meet, and Kristi keeps me grounded through all of this. Thank God for her and her love for both of us. Autism is a big part of our lives every day, but Braden is not treated differently than any other teenager. “We recently lost my father, and that was hard on him to lose his grandfather,” said Blackburn. “Braden realizes that his pap is not around, and he doesn’t understand he’s not with us anymore. Braden is dealing with this loss with such maturity, and I’m so proud of him.” 
Blackburn’s Roots Began in Football and Wrestling
Blackburn’s burning love and desire for the sports of football and wrestling made him a legend Wintersville and at Indian Creek High School and then at BW and now as a coach for The Big Red at Steubenville Senior High School. … rest of story at _{https://www.bwyellowjackets.com/general/2019-20/releases/blackburn?mc_cid=7ba10e0d72&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – Iowa State wrestling great Kyven Gadson partners with Cyclone wrestler’s mother to help at-risk youth
The idea had been there for some time for Erica Andorf and Kyven Gadson. The pair knew they wanted to do something impactful — and do it together. What exact form it would take and when they might be able to begin, well, that was the part they couldn’t quite nail down. Then, though, the coronavirus pandemic hit, and Andorf, the mother of current Iowa State wrestler Marcus Coleman, lost her job. Meanwhile, Gadson, a 2015 national champion wrestler at Iowa State, saw his Olympic ambitions pushed back a year with the Tokyo games postponed to 2021. In that space of time and crisis, the duo created what they hope can be a beacon for at-risk young people, first in the Ames community and then perhaps throughout Iowa with the Be R.A.R.E Initiative, which aims to “promote healthy social and emotional learning patterns in youth through creative outlets.” The duo hopes to turn the initiative into a mentorship program that will help pair kids with adults that can help them tap into their talents — wherever that may be. … rest of story at _{https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa-state/cyclone-insider/2020/06/30/iowa-state-wrestling-great-kyven-gadson-partners-cyclone-wrestlers-mother-help-risk-youth/3285033001/?mc_cid=7a484e7dde&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

July 18, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized