Takedown Report

NCAA Division II Programs & News – # 4

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Ten Division II programs are included in this posting. These stories are in a series by The Open Mat over weeks this fall. Some are located in traditionally active wrestling states such as Iowa (#5 & #6), Pennsylvania (#2) and Minnesota (#1). There are other schools across the country in South Carolina (#10), Missouri (#4) and Colorado (#3). Also out of the country in British Columbia (#7) and one of the newest programs in West Virginia (#8) as the number of schools in Division II with wrestling keeps growing.
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1 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: St. Cloud State
In four of the last five seasons, the St. Cloud State Huskies have been the team to hoist the NCAA Division II team trophy, with Steve Costanzo’s squad winning the team title in 2015, 2016, 2018 and 2019. In winning those team titles, the Huskies put 26 All-Americans on the podium and had seven national finalists, with two National Champions at 125: Tim Prescott (2015) and Brett Velasquez (2016).
In total, the Huskies have sent 201 NCAA Division II qualifiers to Nationals in program history. St. Cloud has 136 NCAA Division II All-Americans, and six total NCAA Division II National Champions. In the last decade of DII wrestling, there is not a more dominant program, with SCSU finishing as runner up in 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2017 in addition to the four team titles mentioned earlier.
“We focus on being a Life Champion,” Costanzo said. “At the end of the day when our wrestling careers are over, I would like our student-athletes to be respected and successful in their life endeavours. Our young men take great pride in wearing the black and red.”
Last season, the Huskies sent nine to the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships, with a representative at all but 125. Six of of the nine SCSU wrestlers that qualified were two-seeds in their respective weight classes heading into the event, with the Huskies ranked #1 as a team headed into nationals. Eight … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-st-cloud-state/78660?mc_cid=040ae84fd3&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: East Stroudsburg
One of the nation’s oldest programs and the oldest in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC), the East Stroudsburg Warriors have taken to the mat since 1929. The Warriors are 14-year members of NCAA Division II, and have 16 All-Americans and one National Champion in their two stints in the division. ESU wrestled DII 1974-76, and then reclassified again to NCAA Division II in 2010 after 30 years wrestling NCAA Division I. Anibal Nieves, a two-time NCAA Division I National Qualifier and All-American in 1989 for the Warriors, is currently leading the program at his alma mater. 
A season ago, a pair of Warriors made the trip to the NCAA Division II National Championships, with both Michael Raccioppi (174) and Eliott Riddick (184) earning trips to Nationals. Raccioppi earned his second trip to the NCAA meet, while Riddick qualified for the first time in a win over Pitt-Johnstown’s Connor Craig in the 184 final to become the first Warrior to win a Regional title since 2013. Both ESU National Qualifiers earned 2020 NWCA All-American status. … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-east-stroudsburg/78779?mc_cid=1f5a8a16f5&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Colorado School of Mines
One of the country’s oldest programs, the Orediggers of Colorado School of Mines, has been competing as a varsity program since the 1920s. The Orediggers have been a part of NCAA Division II since the 1992-93 season, and in those 28 years have sent 45 to the NCAA Division II National Championships. Twenty have earned All-American honors for Mines, with four of those winning National Championships. Austin DeVoe just finished out his seventh season at the helm of the Oredigger program, after taking over as Interim Head Coach in 2013-14 and dropping the interim title for the next season. 
“Colorado School of Mines is a place where student-athletes can excel on the mat while becoming world-wide leaders in the STEM field,” DeVoe said. “A tradition of excellence has been established and continues to grow with prospects joining the program from all across the country.”
Four wrestlers represented Mines at the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships, with two of them coming away as NWCA All-Americans. Weston Hunt, a 2020 NWCA All-American at 285, returns for the Orediggers next season, along with six other starters. Joining two-time All-American Hunt are another pair of National Qualifiers in Anderson Salisbury (184) and Nolan Funk (197). … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-colorado-school-of-mines/78690?mc_cid=1321811b68&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Lindenwood
The Lindenwood wrestling program was established in 1991, and was an NAIA program until the 2013-14 season. During their time in the NAIA, the Lions won five team National Championships, with Jimmy Rollins’ program putting up two individual National Champions in its time in NCAA Division II. Lindenwood has sent 32 National Qualifiers to the NCAA Division II National Championships, with 18 of those qualifiers returning to St. Charles, Mo., as All-Americans.
“We are fortunate to have a tremendous history within our program,” Rollins said. “What we pride ourselves on is looking at each recruit and student-athlete as a member of our family. We are going to support our wrestlers and give them all the resources they need academically and athletically, and we are going to be behind them  holistically in all aspects of life both while they are here at Lindenwood and after they graduate and go into the world.. We have the best seat in the house in each of our guy’s corners to watch them work for and reach their goals.”
Rollins enters his fifth year at the head of the Lion program, after five years as an assistant for Lindenwood. He has been a part of the programs for both NCAA Division II individual champions that have come through the Lindenwood room, with Terrel Wilbourn taking the 157 title in 2016 and Carlos Jacquez winning at 125 in 2019. … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-lindenwood/78865?mc_cid=d4c11c167e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Upper Iowa
ByJackie PaquettePosted
The lone NCAA Division II program in the great wrestling state of Iowa, the Upper Iowa Peacocks have been NCAA Division II members since 2006. Prior to the jump to Division II, the Peacocks spent 28 years as an NCAA Division III program, and were an NAIA institution in their early days, with the program wrestling its first year in 1958. Heath Grimm currently leads the Upper Iowa team, and just completed his 20th year as head coach of the Peacocks in 2019-20.
“We’re extremely proud of our wrestling program’s previous successes, but never in my  20 years at UIU have I been more excited about where our program is headed,” Grimm said  “We’ve brought home NCAA team trophies, crowned NCAA champions, increased our streak of placing at the NWCA national dual meet championships to 9 years in a row and 12 times in the past 13 seasons, and have seen over 100 individuals named to NWCA Scholar Academic teams.  However, with the recruitment of some outstanding classes lately, we’re thinking at a higher level and eager to raise the bar.”
A season ago, Upper Iowa sent five to the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships, with four of those qualifiers earning NWCA All-American honors. Nick Baumler and Justin Folley led the group as veterans, with Baumler earning the two-seed at 197 after taking third in 2019 and seventh in 2017. Folly was the three-seed at 133, and also a returning placer from 2019 after being a two-time junior college All-American prior to coming to Upper Iowa. True freshman Chase Luensman (5th, 149) and Triston Westerlund (9th, 285) rounded out the 2020 Peacock All-Americans. … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-upper-iowa/78893?mc_cid=26de816f3c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Davenport
ByJackie PaquettePosted
The Davenport Panthers come in as one of Super Region 3’s newest teamms, with the six-year-old program just coming into NCAA Division II for the 2019-20 season. Jamie Boyd started the program in 2014-15 as an NAIA team, and is still at the head of the Panthers.
“As a relatively new program, we are laying the foundation with individuals who are able to handle the complexity associated with competing in college athletics and in the classroom,” Boyd said. “Our coaching staff develops our diverse roster as athletes, as well as, provides guidance through the inevitable adversities students face as they mature.”  
After the Panthers’ transition to NCAA Division II, a three-year process, they competed in their first NCAA Super Regional last season, with none of the eight Davenport wrestlers competing qualifying for the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships. Two of the Panthers placed at the Super Regional, with Sam Greco taking fifth at 174 and River Fox taking sixth at 285. Both Greco and Fox return for the 2020-21 edition of Davenport wrestling, with six total starters coming back for the Panthers.
Boyd will add a handful of local Michigan products to his roster for next season, … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-davenport/78907?mc_cid=c6a292a4f2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Simon Fraser
The lone NCAA institution North of the border in Canada, Simon Fraser has been an NCAA Division II member since the 2012-13 season. The Clan program was established in 1976, and is currently headed by Justin Abdou. The Clan head coach, who represented Canada at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, Australia, was a four-time NAIA national champion for Simon Fraser, and currently still holds the Clan record for career wins with 212. In eight seasons in NCAA Division II, the Clan have sent 10 National Qualifiers to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships, with five of those qualifiers finishing as All-Americans. Morgan Smith highlights the Clan All-Americans, finishing 4th at 197 in 2017 and 3rd at 197 a season later. The last Simon Fraser wrestler to earn All-American honors was Ciaran Ball in 2019, at heavyweight.
A season ago, the Clan sent a lone representative to the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships, in Logan Nelson at 174. Nelson earned his trip by way of a runner-up finish at the Super Region 6 tournament, where he fell in the final to the nation’s #1 wrestler at 174 in Colorado Mines’ Robert Gambrell. … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-simon-fraser/78932?mc_cid=e10bcd29f6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – Senator Spotlight: Jerry Boland, Wrestling
Davis & Elkins athletics has unveiled its Senator Spotlight series to highlight members of the department throughout the semester. Check back to SenatorNation.com each Monday and Friday for the latest Spotlight. 
Name: Jerry Boland
Title: Head Wrestling Coach
Hometown: Elkins, W.Va. (via Marlton, N.J.)
Where did you work prior to arriving at D&E? Evesham Township School District.
What is your why? Build relationships, watch student-athletess succeed, give back to our sport at its highest level, embrace the competitiveness of collegiate athletics.
What is your most memorable moment (at any level) in athletics? My junior year in college: placing at the NCAA Tournament and our team winning national duals. … rest of story at _{https://senatornation.com/news/2020/9/21/general-senator-spotlight-jerry-boland-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=1ea990827d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – Getting II Know a DII Program: American International
The American International wrestling program was established in 1991, and has been an NCAA Division II member all of its 29 seasons. In that time, seven Yellow Jackets have earned All-American honors. Rich Hasenfus is the current head coach at American International, and will enter his fifth season as the Yellow Jackets head man in 2020-21.
“The Yellow Jackets are up and coming, #OneHiveOneFamily,” Hasenfus said. Sixteen National Qualifiers have represented American International at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. Mike Mitchell is the lone multiple-time All-American in Yellow Jacket history, taking runner-up at 174 in both 2000 and 2001. Mitchell qualified for Nationals three times, while Rafeal Calixto (1997, 2000), Ben McCrillis (1998, 1999) and Jojo Gonzalez (2019, 2020) represent the only other multiple-time qualifiers in program history. Gonzalez became the first Yellow Jacket to qualify for Nationals since 2012 in earning his trip in 2019. He became the first American International All-American since Aaron Smith took eighth at 141 in 2012 with his NWCA All-American honors this past season. Gonzalez returns for his senior season in 2020-21, and will be joined … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-american-international/78978?mc_cid=8e7f0f219d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – Getting II Know a DII Program: Newberry
Former Newberry National Champion Cy Wainwright closed out his fourth season as the head coach at his alma mater in 2019-20, with the 2009 NCAA Division II Wrestling 285 Champion leading a Wolves team that qualified four last season. The Wolves, who have sent 76 to the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships in 15 years as a DII program, have 39 all-time All-Americans and three National Champions in their history.
In addition to Wainwright, another of those former National Champions are also on the coaching staff in 2010 National Champion Bryant Blanton. Wainwright and Blanton headline the Newberry record book, with one of the Wolves coaches or the other holding marks for wins in a season, wins in a career and career pins. Either Wainwright or Blanton appears in the top 10 in every statistical category kept in the Newberry record book.     
“We are extremely excited about the direction that our program is headed,” Wainwright said. “ Having helped build this program as a student-athlete and to now foster it and maintain its standard of excellence is exciting. We look forward to an exciting future with bringing in more top-notch recruits and even better students.”
Last season the Wolves sent four to the 2020 NCAA Division II National Championships, led by three Regional Champions in  Isiah Royal (141), ZeBrandon Gant (184) and Nick Weldon (197). Damien Penichet also qualified for the NCAA meet, via a third-place finish at 149. Both Royal, the 2019 national runner-up at 141, and Gant earned NWCA All-American status with the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. Royal will return to the Newberry lineup in 2020-21 for his senior season. … rest of story at _{https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/getting-ii-know-a-dii-program-newberry/79000?mc_cid=a2feb99899&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

October 8, 2020 - Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized