Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

International Wrestling News (2021) – # 7

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Catching up some with International style wrestling news. Some stories are from the Final Olympic Team Trials last month and a few are looking forward to the Olympics in Japan in August. Keep Wrestling onward and upward! Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – COMPLETE UPDATED LIST OF OLYMPIC GAMES WRESTLING QUALIFIERS; THE USA LEADS THE WORLD WITH 15 GOING TO TOKYO
Below is a complete list of wrestling qualifiers for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games, as of April 7. The list includes a review of all three disciplines combined, but is also broken down by individual style and weight class. In addition, total number of qualifiers per nation is included. This list has been updated with the completion of three of the four Continental Olympic Qualifiers. The last two qualifying events are the Asian Olympic Games Qualifier in Almaty, Kazakshtan, April 13-18, and the World Olympic Games Qualifier in Sofia, Bulgaria, May 6-9.
At this point, the United States leads the world with 15 weight classes qualified for Tokyo, followed by Russia with 13, Cuba with 12 and Tunisia with 10. The United States is the only nation with a full team of six women’s freestyle wrestlers to this point. Cuba is the only nation with a full team of six Greco-Roman wrestlers at this time. No nation has yet to qualify a full team of men’s freestyle wrestlers yet. As one of the world’s most diverse sports, there are 57 different nations which have qualified at least one athlete to compete in Tokyo.
Note: The announcement that North Korea is not attending the Olympics in Tokyo has not been officially confirmed, so North Korea is still included in this list at this time.
Updated Olympic Qualification by nation, all styles
(as of April 5, 2021)
United States, 15 (50kgW, 53kgW, 57kgW, 62kgW, 68kgW, 76kgW, 60kgGR, 67kgGR, 87kgGR, 97kgGR, 57kgFS, 74kgFS, 86kgFS, 97kgFS, 125kgFS) … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/07/Olympic-Games-qualifiers-updated?mc_cid=69381deb62&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – What’s next for former Missouri wrestler J’den Cox after Olympic Wrestling Trials appeal?

The events transpired quickly last Friday morning.
Columbia native and Missouri wrestling alum J’den Cox arrived at Dickies Arena in Fort Worth, Texas, ready for weigh-ins before the U.S. Olympic Trials.  That’s when things took an unexpected twist. Cox, who already had booked his spot in the semifinals at 97 kilograms because of previous victories, says a miscommunication is the reason he wasn’t allowed to compete. 
“I was informed with the wrong times of when weigh-ins were supposed to be,” Cox said during a televised interview Saturday night on NBC Sports Network. “That’s just flat-out the truth. … By a USA Wrestling employee, and that just so happens to be my coach (Kevin Jackson). I wish things were different, but you’ve got to take things in stride.”
The 97-kilogram tournament went on without Cox. Kyle Snyder, the defending Olympic gold medalist in the weight class, secured the spot on this summer’s U.S. team. 
The anticipated final between Cox and Snyder for a trip to Tokyo never happened. 
Jackson said later Friday he was appealing the decision to disqualify Cox, but no further information has been released since the decision was made.
The Tribune’s attempts to reach Cox and his agent have been unsuccessful. 
“It’s something I’m still appealing,” Cox told NBC Sports Network on Saturday. “In the grand scheme of things, I feel that I was not presented, I guess, the same opportunity, would be the word to say — I’m not really sure how to phrase it. But I think it’s just miscommunication and I want the right to represent my country. … rest of story at https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/sports/2021/04/07/jden-cox-olympic-wrestling-trials-2021-former-missouri-wrestler-columbia-native-weigh-in/7127743002/?mc_cid=480d7959b9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – Former Husker football lineman chasing Olympic wrestling dream

For three years, Tanner Farmer was a starting offensive lineman on the Nebraska football team.  His success on the line as a starter in the Big Ten earned him looks in the NFL and Canadian Football League. Even though his professional football dreams didn’t pan out, Farmer knew one thing about himself: he wasn’t ready to be done utilizing his athletic gifts.
“I enjoy the pursuit of maximizing my physical and mental potential,” Farmer said. “I enjoy the process of thinking: How far can I push myself today? Can I bring myself to the point where I have to give up because I can’t go any farther?”  His first opportunity after his collegiate career concluded in 2018 was in the world of coaching. Farmer volunteered as a graduate assistant for the football team at Concordia University in Seward, Nebraska, and while on campus he developed a relationship with wrestling head coach Levi Calhoun. 
Farmer said wrestling was his second love in high school behind football, so he was eager to help out the wrestling team any way he could. Farmer was a two-time Class 2A heavyweight champion in Illinois at Highlands High School, and went undefeated his junior and senior seasons.  Farmer was planning on joining the wrestling coaching staff after football season was over. However, one conversation with Calhoun about how NAIA eligibility worked … rest of story at http://www.dailynebraskan.com/sports/former-husker-football-lineman-chasing-olympic-wrestling-dream/article_322c30a6-97fa-11eb-b651-832c8047d6c3.html?mc_cid=480d7959b9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – Gable Steveson puts Tokyo on his itinerary

AVHS grad earns spot on U.S. Olympic wrestling teamThe sky always has been the limit for Gable Steveson in wrestling, so when people who coached him or trained with him in Apple Valley watch him now, they’re never surprised. Not even when he puts on a dominant performance that earns an Olympic berth. Last weekend Steveson, a four-time high school champion at Apple Valley and reigning NCAA Division I 285-pound champ for the University of Minnesota, bulldozed his way through the best freestyle wrestlers the country had to offer at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. None of his matches were close, not even the two he won against No. 1 seed and two-time NCAA champion Nick Gwiazdowski in the finals. Steveson won by a 10-0 technical fall in the first match of a best-of-three final, then earned his spot on the Olympic team with a 10-4 decision. The freestyle wrestling tournament at the 2021 Summer Olympics will be Aug. 1-7 in Tokyo. … rest of story at https://www.hometownsource.com/sun_thisweek/sports/gable-steveson-puts-tokyo-on-his-itinerary/article_de9e2724-97f8-11eb-b7da-1fe548cb542f.html?mc_cid=480d7959b9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b 5 } – Recapping the Trials in Greco-Roman with FivePointMove.com’s Tim Hands

Tim Hands, founder of the award-winning Greco-Roman wrestling website, FivePointMove.com, joins the Short Time Wrestling Podcast to recap the happenings from the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in Fort Worth from April 2-3. Hands covers Greco through his website and podcast that shares the same name. He’ll look at some of the unique matchups and go into detail about the personalities that exist in Greco in the U.S. It’s Episode 652 (we think).
Daily Wrestling News, delivered every day, free.
As always, you can support this network, its shows and its projects at mattalkonline.com/jointheteam or rokfin.com/creator/mattalkonline and I’d like to thank you for spending your time with me, because you’ve always got time, for Short Time! … rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/recapping-the-trials-in-greco-roman-with-fivepointmove-coms-tim-hands/?mc_cid=e835860738&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – A Marine Will Wrestle in the Summer Olympics for the First Time in 30 Years

Technically, United States Marines are always on Team USA, but Staff Sgt. John Stefanowicz will represent his country this summer at the Tokyo Olympics. He’ll be the first wrestler from the Marine Corps shooting for Olympic gold since 1992.
Stefanowicz didn’t wrestle in any high school championships or college, so he wasn’t an award-winning wrestler before joining the Marines. He couldn’t qualify for state tournaments, and college programs didn’t want him. So he joined the Marines and sharpened his skills with the All-Marine Wrestling Team, a Greco-Roman team that trains for competition year-round.
Stefanowicz’s work over the years led him to earn one of the 15 wrestling spots on the U.S. Olympic Team. He’s also the best American wrestler in his 87-kilogram (191.5-pound) weight class, according to the Jacksonville Daily News. Stefanowicz was just shy of one year old the last time a Marine went to the Olympics. That Marine was Buddy Lee, … rest of story at https://www.military.com/off-duty/marine-will-wrestle-summer-olympics-first-time-30-years.html?mc_cid=e835860738&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – Catching up with Braxton Amos

I had a more than interesting catch-up conversation earlier this week with Wisconsin’s Braxton Amos, who last weekend finished runner-up in Greco-Roman at 97 kg to G’Angelo Hancock at the United State Olympic Team Trials. Many subjects were broached, but suffice it to say Mr. Amos definitely is a born and bred Mountaineer.
He loves the simplicity of life, family, friends and the sport nearest and dearest to his heart, wrestling.
His accomplishments from the time of dominating the mat as a youth with Trinity Awards, to becoming the first two-time winner of the Robert Dutton Award and then the first West Virginian to capture the national Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award speaks for itself.
Last weekend was a complete whirlwind for the former Parkersburg South three-time state champ.
After finishing his match at 9 o’clock or so he “went straight into drug testing and paper work from there. Got back to my hotel at about 11:15 and talked to a bunch of boosters who support USA Wrestling. Mom and (sister) Presley showed up about midnight asking if I wanted to get some food. I hadn’t eaten in like 13 hours.”
A 6 a.m. flight from Texas to Madison, Wisconsin awaited him. … rest of story at https://www.newsandsentinel.com/sports/local-sports/2021/04/bennett-catching-up-with-braxton-amos/?mc_cid=0dc666bfba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – OLYMPIAN Alex Sancho Finally Ready To Be Heard

Alex Sancho (67 kg, Army/WCAP) now finds himself in a different place. He is actually eager to speak with reporters. There have been more media inquiries lately and that’s just fine. Sancho, 27, is, for him, uncharacteristically willing to open his life up to outsiders. He was never truculent with inquisitors, anyway; but questions were usually met with short, direct answers that begged for additional details. Sancho would always hold back just a little. As if for some reason, he was not entirely convinced that what he had to say was terribly important.
But he is mindful of the change in dynamics.
Before, he was an elite United States Greco-Roman athlete with loads of potential. Plenty of big wins and medal-winning performances adorn his resume. Also included on that sheet is the word “runner-up” more times than he’d like to count. “Runner-up”, certainly for a wrestler of Sancho’s caliber, is just a synonym for “crushing disappointment”. … rest of story at https://fivepointmove.com/greco-wrestling-interviews/alex-sancho-2020-olympian/?mc_cid=0dc666bfba&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – Which Rules Matter?

Just before the Olympic Trials started in Fort Worth, news began to ripple through the crowd that J’den Cox had missed weight and would not compete in the tournament. As a returning medalist at the non-Olympic weight of 92kg, Cox had a bye into the semifinals at 97kg. Many had anticipated a Saturday night matchup between Cox, a two-time world champion and 86kg Olympic medalist, and Kyle Snyder, the defending Olympic champion at 97kg and a two-time world champion.
As more information became public, it emerged that Cox claimed he was told the wrong weigh-in time by his coach, USA Wrestling National Freestyle Developmental Coach Kevin Jackson. Weigh-ins ended at 8:00am, but Cox did not make weight until 8:13am, according to published reports. The tournament committee met and decided that Cox could not enter, since he did not make weight in the time allotted. (Quick aside: international weigh-ins work differently than college. In college, wrestlers must be in the weigh-in area when the weigh-in begins or they cannot weigh in. Internationally, there is a weigh-in window, and wrestlers can come at any time during that window. The window ends two hours before wrestling begins.)
Cox was a serious threat to win the trials and medal in Tokyo this summer. Leaving him out of the tournament and depriving fans of the potential Cox vs. Snyder final generated a lot of discussion about whether or not Cox should have been permitted to wrestle even though he missed the weigh-in. At the heart of any discussion is the question of which rules really matter, and which rules are worth disregarding to reach a desired outcome. Is the desire to send the best possible team to Tokyo … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24514?mc_cid=d0f3fda251&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – NATIONAL GRECO-ROMAN HEAD COACH MATT LINDLAND HEADLINES EPISODE 4 OF HEADS UP – A USA WRESTLING COACHES COUNCIL PODCAST

On the most recent episode of Heads Up – A USA Wrestling Coaches Council Podcast, Mike Hagerty and Mike Clayton are joined by National Greco-Roman Head Coach Matt Lindland. The trio discuss the results from the Olympic Team Trials as well as some of the challenges that Greco-Roman faces in the U.S. and Internationally.
Watch the full episode here: … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/14/National-Greco-Roman-Head-Coach-Matt-Lindland-headlines-Episode-4-of-Heads-up?mc_cid=41e05ef71b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – Interview with Jordan Oliver

Intermat hit the road over the weekend and traveled to Chapel Hill, North Carolina to film content for an upcoming segment on the site. We were also able to catch up with Jordan Oliver, just about a week after winning the 65 kg Olympic Trials in freestyle. Oliver was fresh off a workout with national team member Nathan Tomasello as he prepares for the Last Chance Qualifier in a few short weeks in Bulgaria. In our talk, Oliver discusses the differences in his mindset between this Trials and past events and much more. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24509?mc_cid=3018ac16e0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – Richard Immel of FloSports talking about the men’s freestyle portion of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials

Richard Immel of FloSports swings by the Speakeasy to recap the 2021 U.S. Olympic Team Trials from Fort Worth, Texas. Richard is an award-winning media guru in the sport of wrestling with skills on the mic, in content creation and with photography. This episode was recorded from a live stream of the Short Time Wrestling Podcast.
As always, you can support this network, its shows and its projects at mattalkonline.com/jointheteam or rokfin.com/creator/mattalkonline and I’d like to thank you for spending your time with me, because you’ve always got time, for Short Time! 
Support the Show and the Mat Talk Podcast Network
Patreon | Rokfin
The Short Time Time Wrestling Podcast is proudly supported by Compound Sportswear. … rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/richard-immel-of-flosports-talking-about-the-mens-freestyle-portion-of-the-u-s-olympic-team-trials/?mc_cid=41e05ef71b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

And TRULY ONE OF OURS: Why ‘USA Olympian’ Means Something Different To Ildar

The one thing they all have in common, aside from glaringly obvious parallels, is that it means something special. Or, extraordinary. There is a digressive component involved with making an Olympic Team. You witness this deviation from the norm every four years — or five, in this case, since nitpicking often wields a superficial brand of power for snarky, disenchanted folks on the interweb.
It never quite gets old. Wrestlers whose accomplishments are well-documented behave a little differently once they garner Olympic Team honors. Even if their coronations did not arrive with much in the way of surprise, the scene in Fort Worth, Texas two Saturday nights ago was still cherished. Buzzers and whistles and screams of joy filled the arena. High-profile names sporting glossy credentials found themselves overwhelmed by the magnitude of it all, some of whom already owned World and Olympic titles. So, you’d think this was nothing new for them. Still, most let out guttural roars, gesturing and waving. Draping the American flag over their shoulders and hugging various mask-clad personnel. … rest of story at http://www.fivepointmove.com/army-wcap/two-time-olympian-ildar-hafizov/?mc_cid=41e05ef71b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

May 26, 2021 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Wesley College Wrestling

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Since 2004 we have gathered research and information on the dual meet records of college coaches and teams over history. This on-going project started with a simple question and quest to find out who were the top 20 or 30 coaches with the most all-time dual wins. For over 40 years the top coach was Dale Thomas at Oregon State. In early 2020 Pat Pecora of University of Pittsburgh-Johnston coached his 617th dual meet win to take the top spot. In order to be accurate and complete the project expanded to compiling records of over 1,200 teams, 4,800 individual top coaches and 176,000 matches wrestled.. Until recently we saw include any records stating that Wesley College in Dover, Delaware had a wrestling team.

In a 1961 Amateur Wrestling News reported that Allen Brent left Wesley College, in Dover Delaware, where he was the A.D. and wrestling coach and moved on to The University of Connecticut. After contacting the S.I.D. office at Wesley College about this they looked through their archives and yearbooks and found some information.  They found “records of a wrestling team in 1966, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75 and 76.  Limited win, loss records but Coach Jack Fisher was their coach in the first 4 years with a J. Stone joining the coaching staff in 1969.  It appears as though they won 2 matches in 66, were 8-3 and the Tri-State Champions in 1967 but after that records were not reported in the yearbooks.” 

Readers may not be aware of Wesley College which started in 1873 as a preparatory school until It became a two-year college in 1918, and was named the Wesley Collegiate Institute. The school did not confer four-year degrees until 1978 as it became a private liberal arts college.  In July 2020, Delaware State University announced that it was acquiring Wesley College. Thus on June 30th 2021 Wesley College will cease operations and will be acquired by Delaware State University. On July 1, 2021, 277 years of history will be made in Dover, Delaware when Wesley College’s 147-year tradition as a premiere liberal arts college becomes part of the 130-year heritage of Delaware State University. Delaware State was the last Historically Black College/University to have a wrestling team before they dropped the sport in 2009.

We welcome input and information from alumni wrestlers and fans who would share about the wrestlers, coaches and teams at Wesley College.

May 26, 2021 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NCAA Division I News (2021) – # 19

TDR Editor’s Notes ; Variety of articles about Division I schools across the country from recent months. Keep supporting wrestling! Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com
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1 } – Some Big Names Choose Their Transfer Destinations
Former Penn Stater Jarod Verkleeren, who started 19 duals at 149 pounds during his three years and qualified for the NCAA Tournament last year, will don a Virginia singlet next season, he announced late Thursday. https://twitter.com/verkleeren_j/status/1382805864835395585?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1382805864835395585%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.collegian.psu.edu%2Fsports%2Fwrestling%2Fformer-penn-state-wrestler-jarod-verkleeren-announces-transfer-destination%2Farticle_73e1861c-9e31-11eb-ac85-1f02f65d5e6b.html Over his career, Verkleeren went 32-14 at Penn State and spent several weeks ranked inside the top-20 wrestlers at 149 pounds in 2020, his first full season as a starter.
There has been chatter that the reigning 141-pound national champ, Nick Lee, might bump up to 149 in 2022. The Verkleeren news marks the second time in as many weeks that Penn State has announced that a starter from its 2021 lineup will not be returning in 2022. Former Lion 157-pounder Brady Berge announced he would be stepping away from the mat due to a medical retirement.
Elsewhere, Greg Bulsak announced on Instagram he is transferring to the Rutgers Scarlet Knights from Clarion University for his final season of eligibility. 
A three-time NCAA qualifier and a redshirt senior, Bulsak wrestled at 197 pounds the last two seasons. He became Clarion’s first Mid-American Conference champion in 2020 and was seeded 10th in that year’s NCAA Tournament before the tournament was canceled. … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/some-big-names-choose-their-transfer-destinations/80899?mc_cid=82e9baddf8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

2 } – Shane Sparks – Relationships are the Currency of Life
ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Tony Robie is the head wrestling coach at Virginia Tech. Prior to being named the head coach in 2017, Tony was an associate head coach under Kevin Dresser.  As a wrestler, Tony competed for Bruce Baumgartner at Edinboro University. He was a 2x All American, taking second in 1997 to Iowa’s Joe Williams.  Please enjoy! (Picture: Tony Rotundo)
Connect with Tony
-Twitter & Instagram: @ROBIEwrestling
-Tony’s wrestling camps: RobieWrestling.Com … rest of story at https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/230-shane-sparks-relationships-are-the-currency-of-life/?mc_cid=a0d7657398&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

3 } – SEAN RUSSELL RETURNS TO HIS HOME REGION AS THE NEW HEAD COACH OF RTC SOUTH
RTC South, the Regional Training Center affiliated with Chattanooga wrestling, announced the hiring of Georgia native Sean Russell as its new head coach. RTC South tweeted the following:
We are excited to welcome Georgia native Sean Russell as our new Head Coach of RTC South. Sean has a huge passion for the sport and has excelled as an athlete both collegiately & on the senior level.
Welcome back to the south Sean!
Russell was a four-time state high school champion for Collins Hill High School in Suwanee, Ga. He was a 2017 NCAA All-American and three-time NCAA qualifier for Edinboro, before transferring to Minnesota for his senior year, where he was third in the Big Ten, and reached the blood round at the NCAA Championships.
Russell made his run in Senior freestyle as a member of the Gopher WC. He was fourth at the 2020 Senior Nationals at 57 kg, then punched his ticket for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials by winning the title at the Last Chance Qualifier this March. At the Trials in Fort Worth, Russell went 1-2, with a win over fellow Gopher WC veteran Zach Sanders, and losses to Daton Fix and Nathan Tomasello. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/21/Sean-Russell-to-coach-RTC-South?mc_cid=d92d6a4129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

4 } – The Hypothetical Division I Wrestling Super League
I’m not sure if any of you wrestling fans are soccer enthusiasts as well, but suffice to say, it’s been a strange couple of weeks (and a public relations nightmare) in the soccer world. 
On April 18, ESPN reported rumblings that 12 top clubs around Europe intended to form a breakaway Super League in which they’d compete, consequence-free, outside the UEFA Champions League where these teams were all currently competing.
Within a matter of days, this grandiose and revolutionary plan for a 15-team soccer Super League of sorts folded as teams pulled out in the face of public scrutiny and backlash. While the soccer Super League is no more, it got me thinking….
If such a Super League were formed for college wrestling at the Division I level, who are the 16 teams that would make the cut?
For clarification, there is zero indication such a scenario would or could ever materialize, but here are the 16 teams I would want to break away from the NCAA and form a Super League if it were up to me. 
The 16 teams I would choose (in alphabetical order) for my hypothetical Division I wrestling Super League.
The A-Team … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/college-wrestling-news/the-hypothetical-division-i-wrestling-super-league/81246?mc_cid=c1dee7f2bb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

5 } – Some Familiar NCAA Faces Join the Wrestling Coaching Ranks
Penn State and Cornell have been the two most discussed Division I wrestling programs this week. The primary headline was the announcement that Max Dean officially transferred to Penn State.
However, the transfer was not the only news concerning both powerhouse programs. Former Penn State four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion Quentin Wright was announced as the head wrestling coach at Tyrone Area High School in Tyrone, Pennsylvania.
Penn State and Cornell have been the two most discussed Division I wrestling programs this week. The primary headline was the announcement that Max Dean officially transferred to Penn State.
However, the transfer was not the only news concerning both powerhouse programs. Former Penn State four-time All-American and two-time NCAA champion Quentin Wright was announced as the head wrestling coach at Tyrone Area High School in Tyrone, Pennsylvania. … rest of story at https://news.theopenmat.com/high-school-wrestling/some-familiar-ncaa-faces-join-the-wrestling-coaching-ranks/81706?mc_cid=cc121404a4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

6 } – 10 EIWA Wrestlers I’m Excited to See Return in 2021-22
If you follow EIWA wrestling, you noticed something was missing last year. The league lacked the usual firepower that it produces year in and year out. The conference was founded in 1904, making it the oldest in the country. At 17 teams, it is the largest conference based on quantity, after having only four member schools at its inception. Because of the rich tradition of the conference, one would suggest it produces numerous All-Americans (AAs) every year. And that assumption would be correct, as there has been an average of 10 AAs from the conference between 2010-2019. With the cancellation of the 2020 tournament, 21 AAs were crowned from the EIWA. Since these were based on rankings, I will ignore this number, as it is certainly an outlier. Let me be clear about that last statement, I certainly do not discount the individual wrestlers who earned this status. It is an amazing achievement, and anyone who wrestled at any level probably knows how hard this is to do. Obviously, they did earn it based on the season’s results. But I am sure nearly 100% of these guys would agree that it’s “different” than actually standing on the podium after three days of battle. As the old saying goes, “That’s why they wrestle!”
This brings us to the 2021 season. The EIWA only had 2 wrestlers on the podium in St Louis. Zach Hartman wrestled in the semifinals, eventually losing to the champion (Shane Griffith of Stanford) and placing sixth. The other placer was Lou Deprez of Binghamton, who placed eighth after earning the third seed to begin the tournament. Why the huge drop in the number of All-Americans? The answer is simple, unfortunately. Seven schools were forced to sit out the entire 2020-2021 season. This includes the 6 Ivy League Universities, plus Franklin and Marshall College. If you are like me and not smart enough to apply to the Ivy League schools with wrestling, I got you covered. They are Brown, Columbia, Cornell, Harvard, Penn, and Princeton. Below is a list of the wrestlers I’m most excited to see, who were unable to compete last season due to their respective schools cancelling the season. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24587?mc_cid=cc121404a4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

7 } – InterMat’s Mother’s Day Special
To celebrate Mother’s Day, InterMat sat down with five prominent mothers in the wrestling community, Allyson Schwab, Kaille Grey, Lyndsey Beasley, Jaime Dubuque, and McKayla Engel. All five are married to DI coaches, as well. These women talk about how and when they met their husbands and some difficulties involved with being the wife of a DI coach. From new jobs, moving, criticism in person/on social media, time spent on the road, distance from family, these ladies hit plenty of angles that many fans forget about. They also share some fun stories about their husbands that you probably don’t know (and their husbands probably don’t want you to know). … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24577?mc_cid=6292a9adee&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

8 } – Columbia Wrestling’s Class of 2025 Earns National Ranking
NEW YORK — Following time well spent on the recruiting trail, Columbia Wrestling’s Class of 2025 has earned a pair of top 25 national rankings, being ranked No. 25 by both Intermat and MatScouts as announced by both publications on Tuesday, May 11.
Andrew F. Barth Head Coach of Wrestling Zach Tanelli and his staff worked hard during the offseason to earn the ranking, and it’s the second straight season that Columbia’s recruiting class has fallen inside more than one Top 25 ranking.  Columbia’s Class of 2025 is made up of 10 incoming Lions, with five hailing from Pennsylvania, and one from New Jersey, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut.  Adding to the domination of the Northeast region, Columbia also added a incoming Lion from California, giving the “Nation’s Oldest Program” a presence on the West Coast.
Among the 10 incoming Lions’ eight have earned Top 250 individual recruiting rankings within their respective weight classes.  But two of the 10 cracked the Top 100, with Jack McGill (165) coming in at No. 79 and Aaron Ayzerov (184) earning the No. 87 ranking at 174 pounds. … rest of story at https://gocolumbialions.com/news/2021/5/12/wrestlings-class-of-2025-earns-national-ranking.aspx?mc_cid=cc121404a4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

9} – Ervin Looks to Solidify Family Legacy at SIUE
“Wrestling is a big thing in our family. My dad, brothers, uncles, and cousins all wrestled; it’s just what we do” said Saul Ervin, a redshirt sophomore at Southern Illinois University Edwardsville. Saul, the third youngest of the Ervin family, was born in Morganfield, Kentucky, where he continued the Ervin legacy at Union County High School. He was coached by his father, Robert Ervin, who has won 13 Kentucky state wrestling championships, including six-in-a row since 2016. His accomplishments gave way to his nomination as the 2021 Coach of the Year.
The Ervin family name is synonymous with both Kentucky wrestling and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville, a public university located in Edwardsville, Illinois. Robert Ervin competed for the Cougars during the 1985-1986 national championship season. Saul’s uncle, Tim Ervin, competed for the Cougars and became a three-time Division II All-American from 1979 to 1981. Finally, Saul’s older brother, Isaac Ervin, competed for the Cougars during the 2010-2011 season, where he, unfortunately, suffered a season-ending injury.
“Growing up, there was always a wrestling match going on in my house. I was eager to wrestle because my big brothers were already in the game. I saw them transition throughout the different stages of wrestling and traveled to different places right alongside them” said Saul. His earliest memories warrant “family vacations” to wrestling tournaments around the country, where the Ervin family bond became stronger and the boys became tougher. Saul and his older brother have had a friendly competition going since high school. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24563?mc_cid=f2268a753e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

10 } – Binghamton University’s Lou DePrez reflects on the NCAA Wrestling Championships
VESTAL, NY – The Binghamton University Athletics Department has a lot to smile about after the last week they’ve had. After seeing cross country runner Emily Mackay finish 14th at the NCAA Championships, earning All-American honors in the process, this past weekend the campus was fortunate enough to have a 2nd student-athlete join Mackay with that distinction. Bearcats wrestler Lou DePrez was the lone BU representative at the NCAA Wrestling Championships this year, but he made the most of it.
DePrez, seeded 3rd in the 184 weight bracket, made his way onto the podium after finishing 8th overall, and was named an All-American for the 2nd-straight year. DePrez represented BU at the NCAA’s in 2019, and was set to wrestle in them again last year before the COVID pandemic broke out. After making his return last week, DePrez described what it was like to be back in the tournament.
“Any time that I get to wrestle in that kind of atmosphere is always fun. It’s just always a good opportunity. You’ve got all the teams in the NCAA there. They’re battling to try and get into a top 8 seat, places. It’s just a good time. There’s nothing like it,” he said. One positive that came out of last year’s COVID cancellation was the NCAA granted all winter Division I athletes an additional year of eligibility. … rest of story at https://www.binghamtonhomepage.com/sports/binghamton-universitys-lou-deprez-reflects-on-the-ncaa-wrestling-championships/?mc_cid=3727c6a762&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

11 } – Two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year Jason Borrelli Named Head Wrestling Coach at American University
WASHINGTON – Coming off 13 successful seasons as head wrestling coach at Stanford University, Jason Borrelli is switching coasts. American University Director of Athletics & Recreation Dr. Billy Walker has announced Borrelli, the two-time Pac-12 Coach of the Year, as the head coach of AU Wrestling.

I’m tremendously excited to announce Coach Jason Borrelli as American University’s Head Wrestling Coach. He has demonstrated excellence in all facets of running a nationally respected program. He takes great pride in cultivating a family atmosphere in his program, and has a laser-like focus on ensuring his student-athletes succeed on and off the mat. Most importantly, Coach Borrelli has proven he does things the right way—with integrity, respect, and a deep sense of caring for the development of each of his student-athletes. I’m thrilled to welcome Jason, Jenna, Carter, Lincoln and Jackson to the AU Eagles Family!
Borrelli leaves Stanford following a historic season for the program. The Cardinal swept the Pac-12 awards including Borrelli’s second Coach of the Year honor, seven of 10 Cardinal starters qualified for the NCAA Championships, and Stanford finished with two All-Americans and its first national champion since 2004 in redshirt sophomore Shane Griffith. 
Over Borrelli’s 13 seasons, the Cardinal sent 35 different wrestlers to the NCAA Championships a total of 64 times. In 2016-17, Stanford set a program record with nine NCAA qualifiers. … rest of story at https://aueagles.com/news/2021/4/13/two-time-pac-12-coach-of-the-year-jason-borrelli-named-head-wrestling-coach-at-american-university.aspx?mc_cid=d0f3fda251&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

12 } – The debate over the University of Hartford isn’t just about Division I sports but about the future of a school with major financial challenges
Behind the ongoing debate over whether the University of Hartford should move its athletic program from Division I to Division III lies a university whose enrollment issues, exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, threaten to undermine its future. Enrollment had dropped at UHart even before the 2020-21 school year, numbers from the school indicate, a product of the university’s struggle to compete for a declining pool of college applicants. The result, industry observers say, has been a decline in tuition revenue that has strained the campus and forced cuts.
It is against that backdrop that UHart, led by president Gregory Woodward, commissioned a report on potential paths forward for the athletic department — a report that ultimately recommended the school save money by moving to Division III. The study has drawn outrage from current and former UHart athletes who argue that sports bring value to a university beyond dollars and cents, as well as from critics who say the report may overstate the potential savings from a move to Division III. Dozens of students marched through campus Monday to advocate against the proposed change, while hundreds of alumni have signed petitions demanding that the school remain in Division I.
Advocates of shifting to Division III say UHart should focus as many resources as possible on its academic mission, rather than continue to underwrite a relatively modest Division I sports program.
Either way, the broader issues facing the school are undeniable and inescapable, say those who follow the university closely, including former administrators. “The real problem at the university is that they have declining enrollment, and because of declining enrollment they have declining revenue,” says Michael Gargano, a former administrator at UHart and elsewhere who now counsels university boards of trustees. “And it is impacting all operations, of which athletics is a small part of it.” … rest of story at https://www.courant.com/news/connecticut/hc-news-university-hartford-finances-enrollment-20210425-ccl2loxr2ncsbaoa5s2osw5xiu-story.html?mc_cid=9e2c82acd7&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

May 26, 2021 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment