Takedown Report

Carolinas’ Colleges’ News – # 11

TDR Editor’s Notes; Including is news of a new head coach at Citadel, new assistant coaches at Mount Olive and Duke University, an overview of Division II program at Queens and interviews with successful alumni from Duke and UNC-Pembroke. The last entry is not directly connected with a college programbutthe colleges do watch and recruit from the scholastic upper classmen. This year, if all goes well and the wrestling seasons can proceed with little overlap. We shall see how it goes.
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1 } – Alan Sewell Named Assistant Wrestling Coach
MOUNT OLIVE, North Carolina — Mount Olive wrestling head coach Dan Willis announced the addition of a new assistant coach, Alan Sewell to aid the Trojans in their 2020 season. “Alan will be a huge asset to the UMO wrestling program. His 40 plus years of wrestling experience brings more to the table than just teaching wrestlers,” said Willis.  Sewell graduated from UNC Wilmington where he earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Health and Physical Education in 1984. He most recently was the head coach at Laney High School, where he coached for over 10 years.  “I am very excited to join the UMO Team and help build something everyone involved will be proud of. Coach Willis and Coach Welch will be the backbone of what gets done, and I will be there to help them in any way needed. … rest of story at _{https://moc.prestosports.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20200805kntre4?mc_cid=44ca76fc30&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – Lanham Adds Erikson to Coaching Staff
DURHAM, N.C. – Head wrestling coach Glen Lanham announced Wednesday the hiring of veteran coach Tom Erikson to his coaching staff.  
Erikson has more than 30 years of coaching experience to his name and was also a standout on the mat himself. Widely recognized as one of the top U.S. heavyweight wrestlers of all-time, he was an elite competitor on the international level for several years, a two-time All-America honoree at Oklahoma State and a two-time NJCAA Junior Collegiate Champion at Triton College. Lanham and Erikson are already very familiar with each other as they both served as assistant coaches at Purdue from 2007-10 after being teammates at OSU in 1987.
“We are very excited about what Tom brings to the table,” Lanham said. “He is a proven winner on and off the mat. We have been friends since we were teammates at Oklahoma State.”
Erikson makes his way to Durham after spending the last five years as the head men’s wrestling coach at Lyon College in Batesville, Ark. … rest of story at _{https://goduke.com/news/2020/8/12/wrestling-lanham-adds-erikson-to-coaching-staff.aspx?mc_cid=adab565cde&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – Erikson Accepts Coaching Position at Duke
BATESVILLE, Ark. – Tom Erikson has announced his formal resignation as the head men’s wrestling coach at Lyon College after accepting a coaching position at Duke University in Durham, N.C. “I want to thank Coach Erikson for everything he has done for the program,” said Director of Athletics Kevin Jenkins. “Tom is a relentless worker and helped elevate the men’s wrestling program after taking control of the program during its second season of competition.” Erikson took over the men’s and women’s wrestling programs in 2015-16, which was the second season of competition for both programs. In 2017, Kevin Corbett was hired to take over the women’s wrestling program, while Erikson remained the head coach for the men’s program. In 2016-17, Erikson coached the program’s first ever NAIA All-American (Dustin Miller), along with one individual American Midwest Conference champion (Troy Mercer) In 2017-18, Erikson coached a pair of NAIA National Qualifiers in Jacob Hill and Dustin Miller. Erikson guided the Scots to a fifth-place finish … rest of story at _{https://lyonscots.com/news/2020/8/11/mens-wrestling-erikson-accepts-coaching-position-at-duke.aspx?mc_cid=44ca76fc30&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } -TOM’s Quarant-Interview with The Citadel’s Head Coach Ryan LeBlanc
On Thursday, news broke that The Citadel had filled their head coaching vacancy by hiring Appalachian State’s head assistant coach Ryan LeBlanc. Ryan took some time out of his busy schedule to chat with TOM about his new position. We touch on what made this job attractive, the improving Southern Conference, and Ryan’s coaching influences. Coach LeBlanc also gives us insight into why he ended up at Indiana (which help from an ever-vigilant Mike Mena), the struggles he endured at the beginning of his career in Bloomington, and ending his career in the NCAA Round of 12. He also talks about getting into saltwater finishing … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/toms-quarant-interview-with-the-citadels-head-coach-ryan-leblanc/78606?mc_cid=490d601747&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Ryan LeBlanc, new head coach at The Citadel – OTM610
Ryan LeBlanc, new head coach at The Citadel, goes On The Mat
Indiana alum and New York native Ryan LeBlanc was recently named the new head coach at The Citadel, the Military College of South Carolina. Most recently an assistant within the Southern Conference at Appalachian State, LeBlanc joins On The Mat to talk about his new perch. … rest of story at _{http://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/trackwrestling/on-the-mat/ryan-leblanc-new-head-coach-at-the-citadel-otm610/?mc_cid=c6e5782be1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – Brunson TKOs Undefeated Edmen Shahbazyan In UFC Main Card
LAS VEGAS – The hype surrounding a perfect 11-0 start for Edmen Shahbazyan was not enough to impress former UNC Pembroke wrestler Derek Brunson who took down the heavily-favored Armenian-American UFC fighter just 26 seconds into the third period on Saturday evening in Las Vegas. Brunson (21-7 UFC) picked up his 21^st career UFC victory with the “upset” and, more importantly, kept himself on the path toward securing his first title fight. Listed No. 8 in the latest UFC middleweight rankings, Brunson has now captured five of his last seven UFC matchups, including a current three-match win streak. Saturday’s victory over Shahbazyan, who has repeatedly been touted as the next middleweight champion by his manager, former UFC fighter Ronda Rousey, marked the 12^th knockout of Brunson’s career. He also has three wins by submission and six more by decision. “I’m not given enough respect in this division, but I am ok with earning it,” Brunson said following Saturday’s match. “There have been fights where I’ve had the flu. I went to the doctor to nurse myself back to health, and then had to fight five days later. I was home with the family making sure everything was okay when we had a hurricane in North Carolina. I had to fight 10 days after that but I had not been training for two weeks.” A native of Wilmington, Brunson raked in a trio of all-America honors for the UNCP wrestling team from 2003-07, including a freshman season that watched him tack up 39 victories (T-5^th all-time) on the way to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Division II Championships. … rest of story at _{https://uncpbraves.com/news/2020/8/2/wrestling-brunson-tkos-undefeated-edmen-shahbazyan-in-ufc-main-card.aspx?mc_cid=a357f66b67&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Queens
COLLEGE WRESTLING NEWS
Getting II Know a DII Program: Queens
By Jackie Paquette

photo courtesy of Queens athletics
In three years as an NCAA Division II program, Queens has sent three to the NCAA Division II Wrestling National Championships. As another young DII program wrestling in the South, the Royals are currently under the direction of second-year Head Coach Rob Tate.
“We just focus on trying to get a little bit better at something everyday to just be a better version of ourselves than we were the previous day,” Tate said. “We’re still one of the new kids on the block, but I’m impressed with the way our guys are buying in, trying to compete, and I’m super proud of the results they’re starting to get for it.” Last season, the Royals sent two to the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships, in Melvin Rubio (125) and Noah Curreri (184). It was Rubio’s second trip, with the rising senior accounting for two of the three … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-queens/78551?mc_cid=90928adc9b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – LEBLANC NAMED HEAD CITADEL WRESTLING COACH
CHARLESTON, S.C. – Ryan LeBlanc has been named the new head wrestling coach at The Citadel, it was announced by director of athletics Mike Capaccio on Thursday. “I would like to thank Mike Capaccio, Geoff Von Dollen and the rest of the search committee for entrusting me with the opportunity to serve as the next head wrestling coach at The Citadel,” said LeBlanc. “It is an honor and privilege to join an institution with such a rich tradition of developing cadet-athletes on and off the wrestling mat. I will always be grateful to JohnMark Bentley for preparing me for this opportunity, and I look forward to connecting with the Bulldog fans, alumni and the South Carolina wrestling community to continue to build on this tradition. My wife, Morgan, and I could not be more excited to join The Citadel family.”  
“We are very excited to have Ryan join our Citadel family as our next head wrestling coach,” said Capaccio. “Ryan has competed at the highest level, both athletically and academically. He will bring a new energy to the wrestling program and he is very familiar with The Citadel and its mission. We had a strong candidate pool and I want to thank the search committee for doing an outstanding job. In the end, Ryan separated himself from the group and we look forward to his arrival and future success at The Citadel.”
 LeBlanc comes to the Lowcountry after spending the previous four years as the assistant wrestling coach at Appalachian State. … rest of story at _{https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/LEBLANC-NAMED-HEAD-CITADEL-WRESTLING-30-7-2020}

9} – TOM’s Quarant-Interview Part Two with Jacob Kasper
COLLEGE WRESTLING NEWS
We had so much fun talking to Jacob Kasper a few months ago, we decided to do it again. Recently Jacob sent out a tweet saying goodbye to wrestling. He elaborates on the reasoning behind the tweet and some options in the immediate future. Kasper also plays the “top-three” game again with us, giving his top-three teammates (or best estimate), matches he’d like to rewrestle, coaches he’d like to wrestle under, rule changes, movies, and pro wrestling angles. Jacob flips the script on us and has some questions … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/toms-quarant-interview-part-two-with-jacob-kasper/78681?mc_cid=44ca76fc30&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – NCHSAA MOVES NORTH CAROLINA HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING SEASON FROM APRIL THROUGH JUNE
Amended 2020-2021 NCHSAA Sport Calendar
Editor’s Note: In the new NCHSAA calendar, the wrestling season is delayed until spring, with the first practice set for April 12, the first competition to start April 26 and the last regular season contest on June 11. Wrestling will be restricted to 14 dual meets, with a maximum of two duals each week. Commissioner Que Tucker Statement on amended 2020-2021 Sport Calendar. “You all have been waiting patiently for a decision from the NCHSAA relative to an amended sport calendar for the 2020-2021 academic year. Please keep in mind that these proposed dates are dependent on COVID-19 conditions improving across NC. However, last night the Board of Directors approved a framework we believe maximizes the opportunities for students in our membership to participate in athletics at some point during this school year, regardless of what plan is a school and/or school system operates. The NCHSAA Board approved an amended calendar for the 2020-2021 school year … rest of story at _{https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/August/12/NCHSSA-moves-North-Carolina-wrestling-season-to-late-spring?mc_cid=adab565cde&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

August 14, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment