National Wrestling News (2021) – # 9
TDR Editor’s Notes ; Over a dozen stories from recent months across the span of wrestling across the nation. Keep on Wrestling onward! E-mail us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com Blog #2937 (6/24/21)
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1 } – Wrestling With Trauma
Today, while driving to yet another doctor’s appointment in Philadelphia, I noticed a man, probably in his mid-thirties, attempting to cross a busy intersection while in a wheelchair. What caught my eye wasn’t the wheelchair itself, but this man had a young girl, probably two or three years old, sitting on his lap. Immediately I was overcome with emotion as tears filled my eyes. I looked over towards my husband and said out loud, “that could be you, that could have very well been you with our Zeke!” A look of bewilderment came upon his face, one that neglected to recall all he’s overcome these past two and a half years as he has battled his way back on the mat.
My husband, Richard Perry, Senior-level and world-class wrestler, 2018 National Team Member at 86kgs, my best friend, Pennsylvania Regional Training Center athlete and father of our three beautiful children, was injured in a horrific incident on August 27th, 2018, while training with US Marines at a National Team Training Camp. The injuries he sustained left him completely paralyzed for months, unable to speak, to move, to eat on his own, left with permanent brain damage, and lasting effects that would bring most men to their knees. He often forgets the prognosis given to us time and time again, one that seemed more like a promise than a probability, that he would be bedridden and, at best, in a wheelchair for the remainder of his life. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24511?mc_cid=3018ac16e0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2 } -Weight Management in the Offseason
Rachel Gallardo is a Dietetic Intern at Appalachian State University in Boone, North Carolina. Rachel will be graduating with her Master’s in Nutrition in August and will sit for the Registered Dietitian exam following graduation. She has a background in sports and performance nutrition from working with Appalachian State’s Performance Nutrition program and completing her Master’s research project, NUTRITION AND BODY COMPOSITION CHANGES ACROSS A COMPETITIVE SEASON IN COLLEGIATE WRESTLERS.
Weight management out-of-season may seem difficult, but with the right combination of physical activity and eating habits, it’s easier than you think! Many wrestlers experience significant weight gain post-season due to changes in eating habits and frequency of training. Here are some tips for better managing your weight in the off-season: HYDRATE: Drink plenty of water! Our bodies are around 60% water, which aids in body temperature regulation, digestion, and oxygen delivery to different parts of the body. Drinking water also helps with feeling full! Aim to drink half your body weight in ounces and adjust for activity levels and the temperature for the day. EAT THE RAINBOW: Non-starchy vegetables have fewer calories than starchier vegetables and more processed foods. For example, 100 calories of carrots are about 25 baby carrots, … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24520?mc_cid=831636c404&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
3 } – R.J. Mitte finds his wrestling inspiration in new movie Triumph
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R.J. Mitte’s breakout role as an actor came with his portrayal of Walter White Jr. in the hit series Breaking Bad. Mitte’s still been working as an actor and now the sport of wrestling has come to his front door in the new film Triumph, which gets released to 200 theaters nationwide on April 30. On Episode 656 of the Short Time Wrestling Podcast, Mitte talks about the role or Mike, a wrestler with cerebral palsy that’s inspired by the real-life experiences of Michael Coffey. Mitte will discuss his affinity for sports, what he learned about wrestling and what he hopes people get out of the film.
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/r-j-mitte-finds-his-wrestling-inspiration-in-new-movie-triumph/?mc_cid=33a8cd508f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
4 } – Differentiating Between Working Hard vs. Training Smart
How many wrestlers hear their coach bark at them every day at some point, maybe many points, during practice : “You gotta work hard every day to be the best!”? How many coaches are guilty of using this phrase as a mechanism to get their athletes to give their best effort in a workout? What do coaches actually mean by working hard? Working hard is such a subjective concept that has different meanings to different people. For some, working hard is training at Austin Desanto’s pace, and for others, it’s somewhat slower. Not everyone is wired to train and wrestle at Desanto’s pace. Could wrestlers and coaches be more efficient with their training if they trained smart, as opposed to just working hard? The purpose of this article is to differentiate between the concepts of working hard and training hard and smart to illustrate a better preparation model for wrestlers that they should be following in whatever cycle of training they are currently working in. Some coaches feel that working hard is training smart. Distinguishing between these concepts will also help the coach make practices much more effective and meaningful; instead of the wrestler going through the same motions day in and day out, they should strive to make every moment in a practice count. If it doesn’t count, the motion is meaningless.
Working Hard
To the athlete, the idea of working hard focuses solely on output: number of reps, intensity of those reps, and energy throughout the practice. Working hard is a vague concept, other than the wrestler needing to get as many reps of a skill in a drill period at a very high intensity or pace, and use up as much energy as possible in the session. Working hard generally yields a significant weight loss by the end of practice, something too many wrestlers (and coaches) focus on. But working hard is not a concrete concept; it merely focuses on picking up the pace or intensity level of the workout. Shouldn’t the purpose of a wrestling workout be something other than just working hard? Most wrestlers will tell you that they work hard in practice and give it their all, but did they actually improve as a wrestler during that session? … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24552?mc_cid=c1dee7f2bb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
5 } – UWW JUNIOR NATIONAL GRECO-ROMAN FINALS SET: OLYMPIC TRIALS FINALIST AMOS, RETURNING CHAMPION MCCUNN IN FINALS
CORALVILLE, Iowa – The finals have been set for the 2021 UWW Junior Greco-Roman Nationals, which began today at the Xtream Arena. The finalists will compete in a best-of-three championship series, with the winners earning a spot on the U.S. Junior World Team which will compete in Tampere, Finland in August. Among the finalist are U.S. Olympic Team Trials runner-up Braxton Amos of the Wisconsin RTC, who will battle Christian Carroll of the Midwest RTC in the finals series. Amos scored an 8-0 technical fall over returning UWW National champion Isaac Trumble of the Wolfpack WC in the semifinals. Amos is registered to compete in both styles this weekend. Justin McCunn of the Viking WC, a 2020 UWW Junior Nationals Greco-Roman champion, seeks to win a second straight national title at 77 kg. He will face Matthew Singleton of Compound Wrestling in the championship series. Tyler Hannah of the Combat WC School of Wrestling reached the 87 kg finals, … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/30/UWW-Junior-Greco-Roman-finals-set?mc_cid=6d9f324080&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
6 } – U.S. JUNIOR WORLD TEAM SET AS AMOS WINS DOUBLE TITLE, O’TOOLE REPEATS AS CHAMPION AT UWW JUNIOR NATIONALS IN MEN’S FREESTYLE
CORALVILLE, Iowa. – Braxton Amos of the Wisconsin RTC powered to a victory at 97 kg in men’s freestyle at the UWW Junior Nationals on Sunday, giving him a double title for the weekend after winning the championship in Greco-Roman on Friday. Amos has been competing in both styles at a high level in recent weeks. He won both styles at the Last Chance Olympic Qualifier in Fort Worth, Texas in late March. At the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling in Fort Worth on the first weekend of April, he placed second in Greco-Roman and also competed in the freestyle division. Amos scored a pair of technical falls over Christian Carroll of the Midwest RTC in the finals series, winning 10-0 and 14-5. He also had defeated Carroll in the finals series in Greco-Roman on Friday. In the second match today, Carroll hit a four-point move to start the match, but Amos powered back to dominate the match … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/May/02/UWW-Junior-Freestyle-finals-wrap?mc_cid=93e0ad182d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
7 } – GWIAZDOWSKI NAMED OUTSTANDING WRESTLER, GREEN AND SCHAFER WIN SENIOR NATIONAL TITLES AGAIN IN MEN’S FREESTYLE
CORALVILLE, Iowa – Two-time World bronze medalist Nick Gwiazdowski of the Titan Mercury WC/Wolfpack RTC won the 125 kg title without giving up a point and was named Outstanding Wrestler in men’s freestyle at the Senior Nationals at the Xtream Arena on Saturday. Gwiazdowski won his second career Senior Nationals title, defeating college star Tony Cassioppi of the Titan Mercury WC/Hawkeye WC in the finals by technical fall, 12-0 in 1:48. Gwiazdowski had defeated Cassioppi 10-0 6in the Hawkeye WC Showdown in the same building in November. He announced earlier this week that he would compete here, only a few weeks after placing second at the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Gwiazdowski was joined by just two other athletes who had previously won a Senior Nationals title, James Green of Titan Mercury WC/SERTC at 70 kg and Austin Schafer of the New York AC at 97 kg. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/May/01/Senior-Nationals-mens-freestyle-wrap?mc_cid=93e0ad182d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
8 } – FloWrestling vs. Rokfin: Which is Better for You? (Ultimate Guide)
The great new battle in the wrestling community is FloWrestling vs. Rokfin, and this article will help you understand the ins and outs of both platforms so you can make an informed decision before you subscribe to either. Since 2006, FloWrestling has held a firm grip on content in the wrestling world. Even with Intermat, The Open Mat, and other news sites, FloWrestling found a way to captivate wrestling fans with high quality, on-the-mat sports coverage. But with Martin Floreani’s newest creation Rokfin taking the wrestling world by storm, is FloWrestling still good enough to keep wrestling fans attracted at a high price point? If you’re having difficulty deciding which site to use, keep reading to find out whether you should subscribe to FloWrestling or sign up for Rokfin. … rest of story at https://www.fancowrestling.com/flowrestling-vs-rokfin-which-is-better-for-you/?mc_cid=93e0ad182d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
9} – Wrestling: At the Junior world team trials, Iowa high-schoolers get to clash with college wrestlers
CORALVILLE, Ia. — The UWW Junior freestyle world team trials was the main draw here this weekend at Xtream Arena. Many of the nation’s most-talented wrestlers aged 20 and younger came to compete over two grueling days. But one of the unique parts about the competition that decides USA Wrestling’s Junior world team is that it’s a mix of the nation’s best high-schoolers and young college stars all in the same tournament wrestling against each other. The dynamic is intriguing, for a number of reasons. It allows the high-schoolers an opportunity to see how they stack up against guys who have been in training in college rooms, and these college guys can see how they compare against others their age. That meant plenty of storylines for those that follow the Iowa wrestling scene. … rest of story at https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/college/iowa/wrestling/2021/05/02/wrestling-south-dakota-state-cade-devos-iowa-zach-glazier-reach-junior-world-team-trial-finals/4910414001/?mc_cid=93e0ad182d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
10 } – Wrestling: Iowa’s Jaydin Eierman, UNI’s Taylor Lujan win 2021 Senior freestyle national titles
CORALVILLE, Ia. — Let’s be honest, this thing felt a little weird. Weird, because Xtream Arena hosted the 2021 U.S. Senior men’s freestyle national championships this weekend, one month after the U.S. Olympic Trials in Fort Worth. Weird, because the main draw this weekend is the UWW Junior world team trials, which will conclude Sunday. Weird, because the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced this overload of high-level wrestling events this year after a summer in which the pandemic wiped out virtually every wrestling event at any level. The timing of this event — exactly 28 days after USA Wrestling decided its 2021 Olympic Teams — meant that the field wasn’t exactly loaded with the nation’s most talented Senior-level wrestlers. Consider: the women’s freestyle tournament, contested entirely on Friday, featured just 41 total athletes across 10 weights. The men’s freestyle competition, contested entirely on Saturday, had the same weird feeling — neither of the two finalists at 57 kilograms (125 pounds), for example, were All-Americans at the 2021 NCAA Championships — but included just enough starpower to make the day intriguing. … rest of story at https://www.desmoinesregister.com/story/sports/2021/05/01/usa-wrestling-2021-senior-national-championships-freestyle-jaydin-eierman-iowa-hawkeyes-wrestling/7411019002/?mc_cid=93e0ad182d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
11 } – Six wrestlers with OSU connections become All-Americans in Iowa
Luke Surber quietly paced between blue and orange mats. His arms shook by his side, as he prepared for the next bout at the United World Wrestling USA Junior and Senior Nationals in Coralville, Iowa. Rocky Elam of Tiger Style Wrestling defeated Surber on Saturday night in the quarterfinals but Surber showed no weaknesses Sunday morning. Surber, the Oklahoma State freshman from Tuttle, took to the mat for 41 seconds — all he needed to beat Levi Perkins of Buies Creek (North Carolina) Wrestling Club via 10-0 tech fall in the consolation round of 8. After two more matches with similar results, Surber claimed third place in the 92-kilograms bracket, defeating Max Shaw of Tar Heel Wrestling Club in a second period tech fall 11-0. Surber outscored his opponents Sunday 41-0 in a dominant display of offense — a strength that propelled him to three state titles in high school. … rest of story at https://www.ocolly.com/sports/six-wrestlers-with-osu-connections-become-all-americans-in-iowa/article_0417e042-ab88-11eb-949e-ef615d94348e.html?mc_cid=93e0ad182d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
12 } – BOYKIN REPEATS AS SENIOR GRECO-ROMAN NATIONAL CHAMPION, PROVISOR, NOWRY, TUMA, ROBERTS ARE PAST CHAMPS TO WIN AGAIN
CORALVILLE, Iowa – Nick Boykin of the Sunkist Kids was the only repeat champion at the Senior Nationals in Greco-Roman, which completed on Friday night at the Xtream Arena. Boykin, who competes for Ohio State, was trailing James Souza of Army WCAP, 7-0, before he was able to secure a pin in 1:48 to win his second straight Senior National title. Boykin was joined by former Senior National champions Max Nowry of the U.S. Army (55 kg), Dalton Roberts of the U.S. Army (60 kg), Hayden Tuma of Suples WC (67 kg) and Ben Provisor of the New York AC (82 kg) among those who won their weight classes. The top five in each weight class has qualified for the 2021 Senior World Team Trials in September, which will determine the 2021 U.S. Senior World Team that will compete in Oslo, Norway. Nowry, who was fifth in the 2019 World Championships, … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/April/30/Senior-Greco-Roman-Nationals-wrap?mc_cid=6d9f324080&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
13 } – #WrestlingShirtADayInMay founder and wrestling advocate Jim Dutrow
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Three years ago, Short Time host Jason Bryant (that’s me) did a #WrestlingShirtADay challenge with some wrestling fans. The end result was 366 days of different wrestling shirts to promote the sport. After the drop of wrestling at some wannabe school in Norfolk, Virginia, the initial idea sparked something in Jim Dutrow, who wanted to do more to draw awareness to our sport – the #WrestlingShirtADayInMay movement was born. Dutrow, a Virginia native and former college wrestler at some school in Harrisonburg that also dropped wrestling, launched the initiative as a way to recognize schools with wrestling and thank them for their support. …. rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/wrestlingshirtadayinmay-founder-and-wrestling-advocate-jim-dutrow/?mc_cid=ce60503c93&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
14 } – Logan Paul was Actually Pretty Good at Wrestling – Here are His High School Stats
You may know Logan Paul as one of the largest social media influencers on the planet today with millions upon millions of followers on Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. But, did you know he was a wrestler? Yes, that’s right! Before he and his brother, Jake Paul, were dominating the boxing ring, Logan was actually dominating kids on the mat.
A Stud on the Mat, Field, & Classroom
Logan Paul attended Westlake High School in Ohio and competed on the Division I level in wrestling and football. As he admits in this video reacting to himself before he was famous, he was a savage at both. With a 4.7 GPA, Logan was also a stud in the classroom. In football Paul was a starting running back and linebacker … rest of story at https://www.fancowrestling.com/logan-paul-was-actually-pretty-good-at-wrestling-here-are-his-high-school-stats/?mc_cid=f2268a753e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
15 } – NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME RELAUNCHES ITS UPGRADED WEBSITE – NWHOF.ORG
STILLWATER, Okla. – Following a complete redesign by USA Wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame relaunched its website – NWHOF.org – on May 9. The collaboration between the Hall of Fame and USA Wrestling provides both entities the ability to utilize databases, videos, etc. The new website interacts with the kiosks at the Hall of Fame’s museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. Redesigned National Wrestling Hall of Fame website
“We are grateful to USA Wrestling for creating our new website. USA Wrestling staff members Meredith Wilson and particularly David Mathews have spent numerous hours building the site and making our vision a reality.” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “They did an amazing job of combining our three entities – National Wrestling Hall of Fame, National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum and State Chapters – into a website that is visually pleasing, user-friendly and informational. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/May/13/Hall-of-Fame-has-new-website?mc_cid=c4978adc2e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
16 } – Former Missouri wrestler J’den Cox after Olympic Trials fiasco: ‘I’m here to tear up the world’
One of the most anticipated matchups of the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials never happened, and J’den Cox’s dreams of representing his country in Tokyo were dashed. Not because of an upset or positive coronavirus test. Cox, a Missouri wrestling alum and Columbia native who already had booked his spot in the semifinals at 97 kilograms based on prior victories, was informed of the wrong weigh-in times by his coach. Cox’s coach, Kevin Jackson, is also a USA Wrestling employee. Cox and Jackson appealed the decision, but the trials went on without the two-time world champion. Kyle Snyder, the defending Olympic gold medalist at 97kg, won the country’s spot at the weight class on the team. The appeal was eventually dropped, … rest of story at https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/sports/2021/05/05/wrestling-jden-cox-looking-ahead-after-usa-olympic-trials-fiasco-tokyo-kevin-jackson-kyle-snyder/4940575001/?mc_cid=2f6eda67bb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
17 } – TIM SHIELS, GARY ABBOTT, GARY CHOPP AND CARL ESCHENBACH INDUCTED INTO THE NATIONAL WRESTLING HALL OF FAME ON FIRST NIGHT OF HONORS WEEKEND
Stillwater, Okla. – The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has four new members. Tim Shiels, Gary Abbott, Gary Chopp and Carl Eschenbach were all inducted this evening. Shiels was inducted as a Meritorious Official, Abbott as a recipient of the Order of Merit, Chopp as a recipient of the Medal of Courage and Eschenbach as an Outstanding American. Tomorrow, Bruce Burnett, Mark Lieberman, Dremiel Byers and Bill Zadick will be inducted into the Hall of Fame as Distinguished Members. The group was originally scheduled to be inducted in 2020, but after postponement due to the pandemic, they will now be honored as the Class of 2021. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/June/04/NWHOF-Honors-Weekend-1?mc_cid=0fb3325f19&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
18 } – BU alumnus to be honored as National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee
Gary Abbott’s career was at a crossroads in 1988. He and his former coach, Hall of Famer Carl Adams, had just shuttered their magazine, Wrestling Masters, after five years of business. But at the same time, there was an opening for the manager of communications at USA Wrestling — the sport’s national governing body. After Abbott applied, USA Wrestling offered him the role, but there was some hesitation on his part, he said. “I almost turned it down, wasn’t sure I wanted to move to the Midwest,” Abbott said in an interview. “I took a chance and took the job, and I’ve never left it.”
Over 30 years later, Abbott is the director of communications and special projects at USA Wrestling. He will be honored for his lifetime of work in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Order of Merit recipient in Stillwater, Oklahoma, on June 4. … rest of story at https://dailyfreepress.com/2021/05/31/bu-alumnus-to-be-honored-as-national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-inductee/?mc_cid=4557ffe1b6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
College Coaches’ News # 1 – 2021
TDR Editor’s Notes ; While looking over the articles about newprograms and coaching taking on new opportunities to lead college wrestlers. We encourage dedicated college wrestling fans to join the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) to support their efforts in promoting the growth in college programs. Keep wrestling onward and upward! E-mail us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com Blog # 2936 (6/24/21)
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1 } – FRALEY NAMED NEW WILLIAMS BAPTIST WRESTLING COACH
WALNUT RIDGE, Ark. – The Williams Baptist University athletics department announces the hiring of Tyler Fraley as the new head coach of its wrestling program. Fraley is the third head coach in program history and inherits a program that sent nine wrestlers to nationals and produced one All-American last year. “Coach Fraley has developed some very positive relationships during his time at WBU. He is one of the programs two National Champions and has served diligently as our assistant coach this past season. He has earned the opportunity to be the next head coach and I am excited to watch him provide leadership for the program this upcoming year,” Williams Baptist Athletics Director Jeff Rider noted about his newest hire. Fraley takes over a program that has been very successful in its seven year history. It has produced two individual national champions and 11 All-Americans, … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/FRALEY-NAMED-NEW-WILLIAMS-BAPTIST-16-6-2021
2 } – Bebeto Yewah takes on leadership of Davenport University’s wrestling programs
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Davenport University’s Executive Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Paul Lowden announced today a shift of leadership for the Women and Men’s Wrestling programs with the resignation of Jamie Boyd. Boyd spent seven years at the helm of the men’s wrestling program and was the only head coach in program history. He then took over responsibilities for the women’s wrestling program which began during the 2020-21 campaign. Current assistant coach Bebeto Yewah will now take over head coaching duties for both programs effective immediately.
Yewah came to Davenport as a volunteer assistant coach in the fall of 2018 and then transitioned into an assistant coach role in July 2019. He has helped guide the program into the NCAA Division II ranks and the men’s program joined the Great Lakes Valley Conference in the 2020-21 season competing in one of the best conferences in the nation. The Lansing native wrestled collegiately at … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Bebeto-Yewah-takes-on-leadership-of-15-6-2021
3 } – COREY RUFF TABBED AS UNIVERSITY OF THE CUMBERLANDS MEN’S WRESTLING COACH
Williamsburg, KY – University of the Cumberlands Athletic Director Chris Kraftick has announced that Corey Ruff has been named the new Patriots Men’s Wrestling Head Coach Monday afternoon. Ruff becomes the sixth coach to lead the program, replacing Jordan Countryman, who stepped down earlier this summer. “We are thrilled to have Coach Ruff take the helm of our men’s wrestling program,” said Kraftick. “Corey brings a wealth of knowledge of wrestling both at the MSC and NAIA levels as well as a history of success to Williamsburg. We are excited to about the future and direction of the men’s wrestling program.”
Ruff comes to UC after spending 12 years on the sidelines at MSC rival Lindsey Wilson College. Ruff has led the Blue Raiders program since its inception in the 2009-2010 season and has compiled a 110-59 overall record, including a 46-12 mark in conference duals. He has led the Blue Raiders to eight top-five finishes at the NAIA National Championship. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/COREY-RUFF-TABBED-AS-UNIVERSITY-OF-THE-14-6-2021
4 } – Chadron State College Adds Women’s Wrestling
CHADRON, Neb. — June 17, 2021 — Following approval from the Nebraska State College System Board of Trustees, Chadron State College has officially added women’s wrestling to its athletics’ program. With women’s wrestling, the first such collegiate program in Nebraska, CSC will sponsor 14 sports. Women’s wrestling, a winter sport, will begin competition in 2021. A search for a head coach is underway. “Chadron State College is proud to add women’s wrestling,” said CSC President Dr. Randy Rhine. “The addition of this program supports CSC’s continued movement toward equity on campus with the addition of another women’s sport.”
CSC will join approximately 28 other NCAA institutions that sponsored the sport in 2020-21. Deemed an Emerging Sport in all three NCAA divisions, women’s wrestling is expected to appear at as many as 44 NCAA schools this fall. Under the current guidelines for the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women Program, a sport may establish a National Collegiate Championship or a divisional championship if at least 40 NCAA institutions sponsor the sport at the varsity level. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Chadron-State-College-Adds-Women-s-17-6-2021
5 } – JAMEEL BRYANT NAMED LINDSEY WILSON WRESTLING HEAD COACH
COLUMBIA, Ky. – Jameel Bryant has been named Lindsey Wilson College’s wrestling head coach, Lindsey Wilson Athletics Director Willis Pooler announced on Monday. “It’s an honor to be back home and have the opportunity to work for an institution with such a winning tradition,” Bryant said. “I’m excited that Lindsey Wilson is my first head coaching job. It feels like yesterday I was competing here for a national title and now I get to help others strive for that same goal. “I had the best experience here as a student-athlete,” Bryant added. “One of my top goals is to make sure our student-athletes have that same fulfilling experience, in the classroom and on the mat. I’m eager to get the ball rolling and build on the great successes we have here at Lindsey Wilson College. Bryant becomes the second coach in the program’s history. He replaces Corey Ruff who resigned in early June after starting the program in 2011. “The opportunity to hire Jameel was one I couldn’t pass on. His passion for wrestling and Lindsey Wilson College was evident during our discussions and his knowledge of the sport, our mission, and his clear emphasis on focusing on the student-athlete experience were important aspects of this decision.” Pooler said. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/JAMEEL-BRYANT-NAMED-LINDSEY-WILSON-21-6-2021
6 } – Elmira College Names Cody Griswold Head Men’s Wrestling Coach
ELMIRA, N.Y. — Interim Director of Athletics Rhonda Faunce announced today that Elmira College’s head women’s wrestling coach, Cody Griswold, has assumed head coaching duties for the men’s wrestling program heading into the 2021-22 season. Although the inaugural wrestling seasons were delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Soaring Eagles have high expectations for their debut on the mat this winter under Griswold’s watch. Since being announced as the first-ever head women’s wrestling coach in March of 2020, Griswold has been busy building the foundation for the first four-year institution to offer women’s wrestling in the state of New York. The Class of 2025 is a large one, featuring nearly a dozen grapplers from all corners of the country. The incoming class includes recruits from as far as Texas and Washington, and as close as Section II’s South Glens Falls High School and Section V’s Letchworth High School. “Cody is an extremely motivated, high-energy guy,” Faunce said. “I have no doubt he will have great success with both programs. He’s a great recruiter that will build strong bonds with our student-athletes, and the wrestlers will love competing for him.” … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Elmira-College-Names-Cody-Griswold-Head-11-6-2021
7 } – MIDLAND UNIVERSITY NAMES DAVIAIRE DICKERSON NEW MEN’S WRESTLING COACH
FREMONT, Neb. – Midland University has announced Daviaire Dickerson as the institution’s new men’s wrestling head coach. Dickerson moves into the leadership role of the men’s program after spending the past two years as an assistant for the men and one year leading the women’s program. Championships, Midland placed 10th with one wrestler winning their division. Originally from Layton, Utah, Coach Dickerson was a dual-sport collegiate athlete playing football and wrestling. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Psychology from Arizona Christian University and just completed his M.B.A. from Midland University in 2021. “We are very excited to have Daviaire lead our men’s wrestling program,” … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/MIDLAND-UNIVERSITY-NAMES-DAVIAIRE-11-6-2021
8 } – Jake Short named Augsburg women’s wrestling coach
MINNEAPOLIS — Jake Short, a University of Minnesota alumnus who has served as a coach for an elite wrestling school for the past three years, will be the next head coach of the Augsburg University women’s wrestling team, the university has announced.
Since 2018, Short has served as a coach at the Pinnacle School of Wrestling, an elite training program based in the Twin Cities. He has served as both a girls’ and boys’ wrestling coach at Pinnacle, a program co-owned by legendary wrestlers Jared Lawrence and Brandon Paulson.
In January 2021, Short was named as the head coach for the Minnesota/USA Wrestling women’s state team, leading its practices and training sessions for tournaments. “I am both honored and grateful for this opportunity,” Short said. “Augsburg University is well known for its successful reputation in both academics and athletics. I’m thankful to be a part of the Auggie community, and ready to pursue excellence on and off the mat.”
A four-year starter and two-year captain as a middleweight at the University of Minnesota, Short compiled a 99-56 record with the Gophers, with 16 pins, … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Jake-Short-named-Augsburg-women-s-4-6-2021
9} – ARIZONA CHRISTIAN WELCOMES MICHAEL BUTTERFIELD AS NEW HEAD COACH
GLENDALE, Ariz. – Michael Butterfield has been selected as the second head coach in the history of the ACU wrestling program. His tenure began earlier today, and he is already looking forward to leading the Firestorm wrestling program saying, “I’d like to thank Arizona Christian University for this opportunity. I am very much looking forward to the opportunity to coach, and to build a culture of hard work and dedication.” An Illinois native, Butterfield’s coaching career began unexpectedly as a student-athlete at the University of Dubuque, an NCAA Division III institution in Dubuque, Iowa. After sustaining a series of shoulder injuries after his first season of wrestling for the Spartans, the 149-pound class wrestler decided to step away from the mat as a grappler, but returned in a new role – as a coach. That first opportunity to coach was given to Butterfield by current Spartan’s Head Coach Jon McGovern, who has led the UD wrestling program since 2002. McGovern saw promise in his first-year wrestler and promoted Butterfield to the position of Student Assistant Wrestling Coach. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/ARIZONA-CHRISTIAN-WELCOMES-MICHAEL-4-6-2021
10 } – Ryan Riggs Named Head Wrestling Coach at Mount Union
Ryan Riggs has been named the head wrestling coach at the University of Mount Union. Riggs, a native of Perry Township, Ohio, comes to Mount Union from Ferrum (Va.) College where he started in 2016 as an assistant coach, then promoted to associate head coach in 2018 before being named head coach in March of 2020. “Ryan’s experiences in coaching and his reputation in wrestling not only locally but throughout NCAA Division III was what separated him among our pool of applicants,” stated Mike Parnell, interim director of athletics. “All of us at Mount Union look forward to the future of our wrestling program under his leadership.”
“I am incredibly grateful for the opportunity to return home to Stark County, Ohio as the University of Mount Union head wrestling coach,” commented Riggs. “I would like to thank Dr. Jeffrey Bresse, Mike Parnell, Don Montgomery and everyone on the search committee for believing in my ability to lead the program. I am ready to get to work and start building for the future.” In his time at Ferrum, he handled day-to-day operations of the program, including recruiting, fundraising, practice development and coordinating Ferrum men’s wrestling social media presence. He was instrumental in helping Ferrum host the 2019 NCAA Division III Wrestling National Championships at the Berglund Center in Roanoke, Virginia. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Ryan-Riggs-Named-Head-Wrestling-Coach-7-6-2021
11 } – Logan Meister Named Head Men’s Wrestling Coach at Ferrum
FERRUM, Virginia — Director of Athletics John Sutyak has announced that Logan Meister ’17 has been promoted to Head Men’s Wrestling Coach at Ferrum College. Meister assumes control of the Panther men’s wrestling program following the departure of Ryan Riggs, who accepted the head wrestling coach position at the University of Mount Union.Meister wrestled four years for the Panthers under Head Coach Nate Yetzer and was part of the inaugural graduating class of Ferrum men’s wrestling. He was a National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-America in 2016 and 2017 and graduated from Ferrum with a Bachelor’s Degree in Philosophy in 2017.
Upon graduation, Meister served as a volunteer assistant coach for the 2017-18 season before enrolling in graduate school at McDaniel College, where he served as a graduate assistant wrestling coach during the 2018-19 school year. He earned his Master’s Degree in Kinesiology from McDaniel in 2020. Meister returned to Ferrum in 2019-20 as a part-time assistant coach. He was promoted into the full-time assistant coaching spot the following year. “I am very excited to welcome Logan Meister as the new head coach of Ferrum College men’s wrestling,” said Sutyak. “Ferrum became a national program in a relatively short period of time since its inception and Logan was a part of that from day 1. His experience in recruiting, … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Logan-Meister-Named-Head-Men-s-9-6-2021
12 } – New England College Announces Addition of Women’s Wrestling
HENNIKER, N.H. – New England College Athletic Director, Dave DeCew, is pleased to announce the addition of women’s wrestling as a varsity sport for the 2022-23 season. “We see this as a great opportunity to grow our department by offering Women’s Wrestling as our next varsity sport,” stated DeCew. “Coach Powell is prepared to take on this next challenge and bring us forward. We know the young women in our program will receive great mentorship and coaching, but also will add to our community as a whole.”
Women’s wrestling is currently an emerging sport in the NCAA, as there are 22 current Division III programs, and New England College will be the first in New England to sponsor it as a varsity sport. Current Wrestling Head Coach Robert Watson-Powell will lead the recruitment efforts during the 2021-22 academic year, while there is a national search for a Women’s Head Coach that will begin in the Spring of 2022.
With the addition of women’s wrestling, NEC will boast 20 varsity sports in competition in 2022-23. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/New-England-College-Announces-Addition-24-6-2021

