Steffey Named 2023 Olivia Award winner
Angelica Steffey of Croatan High School named the 2nd Annual Olivia Neal Award winner.
Picture is of the 2022 Olivia Neal Award with the TDR banner in the background
State Champion Angelica Steffey of Croatan High School will receive the 2nd Annual Olivia Neal Award as the 2023 Most Outstanding Female scholastic wrestler in eastern North Carolina.
Angelica went 28-0 this year against girls and won her 2nd straight state title. She went 3-2 against boys. She is only the 2nd 2 time state champion in Croatan High School history along with Ryan Blackwell. Blackwell has recently been named to the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. She plans to wrestle in college next year and is currently choosing between two schools. She desires is to study Architectural Engineering. Prior to this season, she was a 3 year starter for the Croatan High School boy’s team. Angelica led both the boys and girls on the Croatan team this year with a total of 24 pins. She is also a ‘TDR Top 12 Girls’ wrestler’ and received an engraved wooden plaque.
The award is for the most inspirational and successful female wrestler in eastern North Carolina. In 2022 Isabel Rodriguez of Dixon High School was awarded the first Olivia Neal. Rodriguez has gone on to wrestle at Division II University of Mount Olive, as a member of their inaugural team.
Girls’ wrestling is growing at a rapid rate with over 35 states having sanctioned state championships in girls wrestling. North Carolina will join these states in sponsoring a sanctioned state championship tournament in the 2023-2024 season. The number of students participating in wrestling will continue to grow in our communities and these opportunities will assist in the growth of those who participate.
Olivia Neal was the first female wrestler in the state to qualify for the varsity state tournament. She wrestled for Rosewood High School for four years. There was a great deal of publicity, and she pinned her first opponent at the state tournament. This inspired a growing number of girls in eastern N.C. to try out wrestling.
The TakeDown Report has promoted amateur wrestling for over 20 years in eastern North Carolina reporting wrestling results and encouraging media coverage of the sport. Fleming noted, “We desire to encourage wrestlers and teams in this area to realize the hard work, determination and discipline it takes to be a top notch wrestler,” he added. The TakeDown Report sponsors the Award. Contact the TDR at martinkfleming@gmail.com or call (252) 883-3311. Fans are invited to check our blog at https://takedownreport.wordpress.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/The-TakeDown-Report-235098404048/ or on Twitter Martin Fleming @MFlemdog.
2022 Olivia Neal Award winner Isabel Rodriguez of Dixon with her current University of Mount Olive coaches.
Top All-Time NAIA Coaches in Dual Meet Wins
TDR Editor’s Notes ; This list of college coaches by the number of dual meet victories in which they led their teams while coaching in the NAIA. Coach Milton Marttn coached at Westmar College for 37 years until the school closed in 1997. He is the top coach with almost 200 more wins than the 2nd place coach, Bob Riehm of Southern Oregon. Franky James of Campbellsville moved past Mike Macholz of Missouri Valley into 5th place among all-time coaches. He will probably move into 3rd after next season. It is challenging to keep accurate records with NAIA schools yet we desire to acknowledge the coaches and teams in that division. Listed are just the top 50 coaches but we seek to keep track of all. We welcome input, information and reactions to us at martinkfleming@gmail.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ALL-TIME NAIA Coaches – Top 50 with at least 45 wins
- Milton Martin (Westmar) 462 – NAIA
- Bob Riehm (Southern Oregon) 270 — NAIA
- Gerald E. “Jerry” Hampton (Graceland U.) 238 – NAIA
- Mike Ritchey (Southern Oregon) 236 – NAIA
- Franky James (Campbellsville) 235 – NAIA
- Mike Machholz (Missouri Valley) 232 – NAIA – retired in 2022
- Vern Tate (Huron – SD Si Tanka) 201 – NAIA
- Bill Hughes (Black Hills State) 187
- Clayton Ketterling (Waynesburg/Dickinson St.) 170 inc.
- Nick Mitchell (Grand View College) 169
- Mike Jones (Simon Fraser) 162 inc
- Don Lemnus (Valley City State) 158
- Corey Ruff (Lindsey-Wilson) 135
- David Ray (So. Illinois-Edwardsville, Montana State) 134
- Caleb Schaeffer (Providence Univ./Great Falls) 133 – NAIA
- Fran Hummel (Northern State, Midland Lutheran) 131
- Milo Trusty (Univ. of Mary) 128
- Tom Jarman (Taylor College) 128
- Rodger Jehlicka (Adams State) 127
- Thadd O’Donnell (Dickinson State) 121
- Arnold Brandt (Morningside College) 121
- Tyson Thivierge (Montana St. Northern) 114
- Caleb Schaeffer (Great Falls Univ.) 104
- Jess Wilder (Univ. of Cumberlands) 101
- Archie Randall (Oklahoma City Univ.) 97
- Jake Stevenson (Morningside College) 97
- K.C. Rock (Embry-Riddle College) 92
- Dana Vote (Doane, Midland, Concordia) — 91
- Omi Acosta (Life University) 86
- Jeff Bedard (Reinhardt Univ.) 86
- Rik Dahl (Northwestern College) 84
- Thomas Pompei (Indiana Institute of Technology) 84
- Joey Martinez (Menlo) 80
- Todd Allen (Williams Baptist/Cumberland Univ.) 69 – retired?
- James Kisgen (McKendree College) 66 – school now active in Div.II
- James Hicks (Cumberland Univ.) 66
- Steven Bradley (Marian Univ.) — 60
- Brian Jackson (Missouri Baptist) 58 inc.
- Joe Privitere (Briar Cliff) — 56
- Beau Vest (Dana-Midland) 55 – now at another division
- Lenny Zalesky (Calif. Baptist) 55 – now at another division
- Cody Garcia (Baker College) 54 – now at another division
- Keith Spataro (Menlo College) 52
- Jake Brumbelow (Midway, Emman., B-P-Coll.) – 52 – retired in 2022
- Aaron Meister (Wayland Baptist) 51
- Joe Baranik (St. Andrews) 50
- Jordan Countryman (Univ. of the Cumberlands) – 46
- Zach Mullins (Graceland Univ.) — 46
- Dan Lovell (Jamestown Univ.) — 45
- Dustyn Azure (Eastern Oregon) 45
Top Active NAIA Coaches in Dual Meet Wins
TDR Editor’s Notes ; This list of college coaches by the number of dual meet victories in which they led their teams while coaching in the NAIA. With only a few NAIA wrestling programs in the southeast there are limited connections to North Carolina. Yet Franky James is fairly close in Kentucky with the Campbellsville team and he has moved past Mike Macholz into first place among active coaches. Coach Macholz retired before last season but he is listed for recognition before he fades from the lsit next year. Congratulations for a successful career. Most NAIA schools are in the midwest and mountain regions of the west. It is challenging to keep accurate records with NAIA schools yet we desire to acknowledge the coaches and teams in that division. Listed are just the top 25 coaches but we seek to keep track of all. We welcome input, information and reactions to us at martinkfleming@gmail.com +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
ACTIVE Coaches – Top 27 with at least 45 wins NAIA
- Franky James (Campbellsville) 235
- Mike Machholz (Missouri Valley) 232 – retired in 2022
- Nick Mitchell (Grand View College) 169
- Corey Ruff (Cumberlands/Lindsey-Wilson) 135
- Tyson Thivierge (Montana State Northern) 114
- Jake Stevenson (Morningside College) — 97
- K.C. Rock (Embry-Riddle College) – 92
- Dana Vote (Doane, Midland, Concordia) — 91
- Omi Acosta (Life University) — 86
- Jeff Bedard (Reinhardt Univ.) — 86
- Rik Dahl (Northwestern College) — 84
- Thomas Pompei (Indiana Institute of Technology) 84
- Joey Martinez (Menlo) — 80
- Todd Allen (Williams Baptist Coll., Cumberlands) – 69 – retired ?
- James Kisgen (McKendree College) — 66 school now in Div. II
- James Hicks (Cumberland Univ./Darton — 66
- Steven Bradley (Marian Univ.) — 60
- Brian Jackson (Missouri Baptist) — 58 inc.
- Joe Privitere (Briar Cliff) — 56
- Lennie Zalesky (Calif. Baptist Univ.) — 55 – now a D-I school
- Beau Vest (Dana-Midland) — 55 – coaching now at another level
- Cody Garcia (Baker College) — 54 coaching now at another level
- Jake Brumbelow (Midway, Emman., B-P-Coll.) — 52 – retired in 2022
- Zach Mullins (Graceland Univ.) — 46
- Jordan Countryman (Univ. of the Cumberlands) –46
- Dan Lovell (Jamestown Univ.) — 45
- Dustyn Azure (Eastern Oregon) — 45
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 