Takedown Report

College Coaching News – 2021 – 1

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Some new coaches are named for head and assistant positions for this season and one even for a new program to start in the fall for next season in the first article. Of particular interest is the announcement by Wheeling University (#8) of a coach with connections as a wrestler and coach in North Carolina. Our congratulations to Daniel Ownbey.
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1 } – Bo Bettinson named head wrestling coach
St. Ambrose University Director of Athletics Mike Holmes announced today that Bo Bettinson has been hired as the University’s head wrestling coach. He will begin his duties Nov. 1. St. Ambrose recently announced the decision to add wrestling as a varsity sport beginning in 2021-2022. Bettinson has served as an assistant wrestling coach at Montana State University Northern since 2017. In his time with the Lights, the program has registered 18 NAIA national qualifiers, 10 All-Americans and six national finalists, including one National Champion (Nick Kunz at 125 pounds in 2020). Montana State Northern finished fourth at the 2018 NAIA Championships, 10th in 2019 and 12th in 2020.
“I want to thank Mike Holmes and the search committee for giving me this opportunity,” Bettinson said. “Starting a program is a unique challenge, and I am excited to get to work to build a program that the St. Ambrose community can be proud of. Go Bees!” His teams have also found success in the classroom, ranking in the top three among all NAIA schools on the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American Team list in each of the last three seasons.
Bettinson has ties to Iowa, having wrestled and coached for Waldorf University in Forest City. At 125 pounds for Waldorf, he was a four-year team captain and four-time NAIA national qualifier. He finished second at the Northern Plains Last Chance World Team Trials in 2013. Bettinson won 105 matches in his career with the Warriors. … rest of story at ^{http://www.saubees.com/article/4655.php?mc_cid=5358e83a0f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

2 } – Wrestling Adds Campbell, Clark to Staff
EDWARDSVILLE, Ill.  –  SIUE wrestling is proud to announce the additions of Te’Shan Campbell and Shakia “Kia” Clark to the staff. Campbell spent last season as the Volunteer Assistant at fellow Mid-American Conference member Kent State, and comes to SIUE to fill the role of second Assistant for the Cougars. “We are very excited to add Te’Shan to our staff” said SIUE Head Coach Jeremy Spates. “He comes from great wrestling areas and programs. He has won at a very high level both as an individual and on the team level. He is also the type of person that we want leading our wrestlers. He has done a great job getting to know the team and working with them in his time here thus far.” Campbell brings a decorated wrestling resume to SIUE, starting both at Pittsburgh and Ohio State. Campbell was a four-time national qualifier, twice making the Round of 16 and capping off his collegiate career with a top-12 finish at the NCAA Tournament in 2019. Campbell took down three top-30 wrestlers during his 2019 campaign.  He finished his career with an 82-37 overall collegiate record and a number 10 national ranking. Campbell’s time at Pittsburgh was highlighted by a 22-4 season in 2017 … rest of story at ^{https://siue.prestosports.com/sports/m-wrestl/2020-21/releases/20201210?mc_cid=d179f0f753&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

3 } – Castleton University wrestling coach receives award
Ever since growing up with Castleton University Wrestling Coach Scott Legacy, Castleton Assistant Wrestling Coach Jeff Whitesell knew he was bound for greatness. Legacy and Whitesell went to the same grade schools and wrestled together all the way through high school. Upon graduation, Legacy and Whitesell left for separate colleges, but that wasn’t the end of their story. Whitesell eventually moved back to Bennington and his 4-year-old son was interested in learning how to wrestle. Whitesell decided he wanted his son to be coached by the best, so he reconnected with Legacy and helped him coach. Legacy moved back to Bennington after college and started as the head coach for the wrestling program at Mount Anthony Union High School, basically starting a dying program. After four years, Mount Anthony won their first of 28 consecutive state championships. Due to this achievement, MaxPreps recently awarded Legacy the title “Greatest High School Coach of All Time from Vermont.” … rest of story at ^{http://www.castletonspartan.com/2020/12/09/cu-wrestling-coach-receives-award/?mc_cid=d179f0f753&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

4 } – My Wrestling Journey – Dave Kemmy
My wrestling journey began in the eighth grade at the age of 13 when a friend asked me to join the junior high wrestling team with him. Well, 45 years later, here I am working for the NWCA, and my friend lasted about a week! I was a very active youngster who was looking for direction. My dad had passed away when I was ten, and I needed to release some energy and aggression. Little did I know how my life would become so entwined with the sport of wrestling. It was one of the best decisions in my lifetime. My high school career was very up and down, probably more highlights than lowlights, though. During my freshman year, I wrestled in the 177- pound weight class and won the freshman state title. Then I went up to the 189- pound class and my last two years at heavyweight, which back then was unlimited. The heaviest guy I wrestled in high school weighed 335 pounds! I beat him, but that was a challenge. I lived in Rhode Island, and there was very little wrestling outside of the high school season. During my entire four years of high school, I wrestled in two tournaments outside of the season. I earned All-League honors my junior year that helped propel me to a 21-1 record my senior season, and I was named to the All-State Second Team. My only loss that year was to the state champ. At the time, my coach was very friendly with a guy named Neil Turner, … rest of story at ^{http://www.nwcaonline.com/my-wrestling-journey-dave-kemmy/?mc_cid=a2feb99899&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

5 } – Michigan head coach Sean Bormet – OTM622
Michigan head wrestling coach Sean Bormet goes On The Mat
Sean Bormet, the head wrestling coach at the University of Michigan, is the latest guest On The Mat. Bormet will talk about his ascension to the head coaching ranks, the success of the Cliff Keen Wrestling Club and more on this episode. On The Mat is presented by Cliff Keen Athletic. Join Kyle Klingman and Andy Hamilton as they talk about the world of wrestling on the flagship podcast of Trackwrestling.com.
Show Segments
0:50 – Andy’s nickname is overblown.
1:00 – Kyle is still obsessed with Sacred Heart. … rest of story at ^{https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/trackwrestling/on-the-mat/michigan-head-coach-sean-bormet-otm622/?mc_cid=2646a1a5c8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

6 } – Greater Johnstown’s Harris to join Tiffin wrestling team as grad assistant, chase Olympic dream
Johnstown native Mariah Harris established herself as a wrestler on the national level nearly eight hours from home as a four-time All-American at Campbellsville University in central Kentucky. She’ll be chasing her Olympic dream –and exploring coaching the sport – a lot closer to home. Harris, a 2016 Greater Johnstown graduate, has accepted a graduate assistant position at Tiffin University in northwest Ohio, about 4 1/2 hours away. She plans to pursue a master’s degree in business administration, building on the criminal justice degree she earned at Campbellsville, Harris said – “to be able to run my own law firm one day.” Nick Goebel, women’s wrestling coach at Tiffin University, said Harris will receive a stipend for expenses in addition to having her tuition paid for while earning a master’s degree. She will officially join his program on Jan. 9. “Mariah is very enthusiastic and outgoing, very positive,” … rest of story at ^{https://www.tribdem.com/sports/greater-johnstowns-harris-to-join-tiffin-wrestling-team-as-grad-assistant-chase-olympic-dream/article_9456e10e-3db9-11eb-93d0-33fab530cece.html?mc_cid=2646a1a5c8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

7 } – Bluefield State Hires Five New Head Coaches
BLUEFIELD – On Sunday, August 16 Bluefield State College announced the addition of 12 new sports. In a matter of four months the Interim Director of Athletics, Derrick Price, and his administrative team have managed to hire five out of the seven new head coaches. To achieve this task in a short period of time, the athletic department enlisted assistance from the campus community. Each hiring committee formulated its process to identify the unique characteristics of the coach that was needed for each individual sport. To kick off the new hires, Bluefield State was excited to announce Tony Coaxum as the Head Football Coach. Coaxum comes to BSC from the University of Northern Colorado where he was the special team’s coordinator and defensive backs coach. Coaxum also coached for the Denver Broncos from 2015-2017 as an assistant special team’s coordinator, during which time the Broncos won the 2016 Super Bowl. … rest of story at ^{https://go-bstate.com/general/2020-21/releases/20201211hlxmge?mc_cid=ed5fd11129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

8 } – Wheeling tabs two-time National Champion Daniel Ownbey as head coach
WHEELING, W.Va. (Dec. 21) – Wheeling University has selected four-time All-American and two-time National Champion Daniel Ownbey to lead the wrestling program announced President Ginny R. Favede Monday morning. Ownbey arrives in the northern panhandle after spending this past season as an assistant coach at Division II Newberry College in South Carolina. Prior to that, he had coaching stints at Greensboro College, UNC Pembroke and Ferrum College. During his coaching experience, Ownbey has helped tutor a combined 17 regional placers and seven national qualifiers. 
“I am excited for the wrestling program and the potential it has to offer under Daniel’s guidance,” Favede said. “His success as a student-athlete along with his previous coaching experience has prepared him for this opportunity. I know he will provide our student-athletes with the same commitment and dedication that he has given to the sport of wrestling for so many years.” … rest of story at ^{https://wucardinals.com/news/2020/12/21/wrestling-wheeling-tabs-two-time-national-champion-ownbey-as-head-coach.aspx?mc_cid=e96ed12e50&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

9} – Tyson Thivierge is so much more than just a great wrestling coach, and Northern is lucky to have him
Tyson Thivierge couldn’t have asked for much more out of his college wrestling career. It was as dominant as dominant gets, including an individual NAIA national championship in 2002. No doubt, Thivierge had an amazing Lights’ career, one that worked out well for him, and for Montana State University-Northern. Now, that partnership is working out spectacularly well again. And on Saturday, in Concordia, Nebraska, Thivierge reached a milestone that shows just how good things are.
The now veteran head coach achieved his 100th-career dual win Saturday in Nebraska as the Lights defeated Oklahoma Wesleyen. The 100-win milestone is the latest chapter in an impressive coaching career at Northern. In 12 years at the helm for the Lights Thivierge, has produced … rest of story at ^{https://www.havredailynews.com/story/2020/12/22/sports/tyson-thivierge-is-so-much-more-than-just-a-great-wrestling-coach-and-northern-is-lucky-to-have-him/532026.html?mc_cid=f9e49e1788&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

10 } – Bakersfield College wrestling coach Brett Clark steps down
Being away from wrestling this fall has proven to be easier than Brett Clark expected. With his team’s season delayed by COVID-19, Clark, who’s been coaching wrestling at Bakersfield College since 2003, found a productive way to fill his time, spending nearly every minute with his wife and four children. Those days spent at home led to a reshuffling of his priorities.  “You can’t get time back with your kids,” Clark said. “I kind of don’t want to miss their soccer games, their wrestling matches or their dance recitals.” Now, he won’t have to. After seven years as the head coach of the Renegades, Clark announced on Tuesday that he was stepping down to take a teaching position at Discovery High School in Lawrenceville, Ga. Clark, who was also the girls varsity wrestling coach at Frontier High School, isn’t giving up the sport, as he expects to be named Discovery’s head wrestling coach. What made the job appealing to Clark is that in one year, he’ll have the chance to coach his son Jason, who is currently an eighth grader. … rest of story at ^{https://www.bakersfield.com/sports/bvarsity/bc-wrestling-coach-brett-clark-steps-down/article_1d5e2fcc-3f48-11eb-9087-63b0887f9c61.html?mc_cid=065f8820b6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b}

January 1, 2021 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Campbell Wrestling season opener at No. 12 UNC postponed

BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell’s 2020-21 wrestling season opener at No. 12 North Carolina has been postponed due to COVID-19 related protocols.
The programs will work to reschedule the match at a later date.
The Camels will move on to No. 9 Virginia Tech tomorrow, January 2. The match is set for a 3:00 p.m. start in Blacksburg, Va. … story and team details at ^{https://gocamels.com/news/2021/1/1/wrestling-season-opener-at-no-12-unc-postponed.aspx}
UNC’S SEASON-OPENING MATCH POSTPONED VERSUS CAMPBELL
CHAPEL HILL – North Carolina’s season-opening wrestling match against Campbell on January 1 has been postponed because of COVID-related protocols within Carolina’s team. The teams will work to reschedule at a later date. … story and team details at ^{https://goheels.com/news/2021/1/1/wrestling-uncs-season-opening-match-postponed-versus-campbell.aspx}

January 1, 2021 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment