National Wrestling Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2024
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Monday announced that its Class of 2024 is Distinguished Members Tadaaki Hatta, Toccara Montgomery, Coleman Scott and Logan Stieber, Meritorious Official honoree J.R. Johnson, Order of Merit recipient Darryl Miller, Medal of Courage recipient Jonathan Koch, and Outstanding American honoree retired United States Army Infantry Colonel Steve Banach.
“We are thrilled with the exceptional quality of this year’s inductees and eagerly await their enshrinement into the Hall of Fame in the spring,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “From pioneers to visionary thinkers, these esteemed honorees have paved their own paths of excellence, whether it be on the mat or on the battlefield. “In addition, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the selection committees for their meticulous and rigorous efforts in the process.” The Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors approved the selections at their annual fall meeting on October 24.
The Class of 2024 will be honored and officially inducted during the 47th Honors Weekend on May 31 and June 1, 2024 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For more information on Honors Weekend, please telephone (405) 377-5243.
Montgomery, Scott and Stieber were chosen as Distinguished Members for the Modern Era while Hatta was selected by the Veterans Committee. The newest honorees will bring the number of Distinguished Members to 212, since the Hall of Fame began in 1976.
Montgomery becomes the first Black female and the sixth female overall to be inducted as a Distinguished Member, joining Clarissa Chun (2022), Kristie Davis (2018), Sara McMann (2022), Patricia Miranda (2023) and Tricia Saunders (2006). It marks the third consecutive year that a female Distinguished Member has been inducted.
Hatta becomes the second Japanese wrestler to be inducted as a Distinguished Member, joining Oklahoma State teammate Yojiro Uetake Obata (1980).
Scott (2004) and Stieber (2010) become the first two national winners of the Hall of Fame’s Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award to be inducted as Distinguished Members. Presented annually since 1996, the DSHSEA is awarded to a male high school senior and based equally on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement and citizenship or community service.
Hatta and Scott bring the number of Distinguished Members from Oklahoma State to 38, the most of any college. The University of Iowa is second with 17 while Iowa State University and the University of Oklahoma are tied for third with 14 each. … rest of story at … NWHOF.org/news/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-announces-class-of-2024
Penn State begins 2023-24 NCAA Division I Men’s wrestling season ranked No. 1
Nittany Lions gain all 14 first-place votes in first NWCA Division I Coaches Poll of 2023-24
Manheim, Pennsylvania – Penn State, winners of six of the last seven contested NCAA Division I national championships, starts the year where it left off last season, a unanimous No. 1 as the NWCA released its first Division I Coaches Poll of the season on Tuesday.
The Nittany Lions finished last season 16-0 and the only undefeated team in Division I. The Big Ten has five teams overall in the Top 10 with Iowa starting off the year second, Michigan sixth, Ohio State eighth and Nebraska ninth. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 15-1 dual meet season.
Overall, nine of the 14 current Big Ten schools start the year in the Top 25.
The ACC has two teams in the top five to start the season, led by third-ranked NC State. The Wolfpack ended last season 14-1. Rival Virginia Tech starts the year ranked fifth after a 10-3 season. Fourth-ranked Missouri leads a field of five Big 12 schools in the rankings to start the season. Iowa State also starts the year in the Top 10. The Cyclones went 16-3 last season.
Oklahoma State and South Dakota State also sit in the Top 15. The Cowboys start the year at No. 11, while South Dakota State starts the year ranked 12th, tying its highest ranking in school history. The Jackrabbits were previously ranked No. 12 for five weeks during the 2017-18 season.
Cornell is one of three EIWA teams ranked in the Top 25. The Big Red start the season at No. 7, followed by No. 19 Lehigh and No. 22 Penn. Arizona State starts the year at No. 13 and is the top Pac-12 squad to start the Sun Devils’ final year in the conference. Oregon State begins the year tied for 20th with Oklahoma of the Big 12. … rest of story at … NWCAonline.com/news/2023/10/31/d1-coaches-poll-october-31-2023
5 college wrestling duals to watch during the opening week of the 2023-24 season
Wednesday, Nov. 1 marks the first day of the 2023-24 college wrestling competition schedule, and two programs — Campbell and Army — are wasting no time in kicking off their dual seasons.
These two teams will meet on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. on a military hanger at Fort Liberty for a dual that will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass and feature 11 ranked wrestlers. This match will be followed by another dual between NC State and Presbyterian for a unique double-header event in North Carolina.
These kinds of unconventional, creative matches are just the beginning for what will be a season of exciting developments in the college wrestling space. Between new venues, fresh faces and growing fanbases around the country, this year has the potential to be a memorable one for the sport.
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For now, though, here’s what you need to know about opening weekend, including the Army vs. Campbell dual as well as four other high-profile events happening this weekend:
November 1: Army vs. Campbell, 5 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass
Army and Campbell are two teams that know how to market a dual. These programs have been clapping back at one another on social media for the last few weeks, setting the stage for what should be a fairly evenly matched contest to start the year.
The Camels finished 16-9 in the 2022-23 season, sending five athletes to NCAAs in Tulsa, while the Black Knights went 6-7 with three national qualifiers. All eight of those total qualifiers return, with Army’s Ben Pasiuk holding the highest preseason rank among them at No. 11 at 174 pounds.
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If all expected starters compete, Pasiuk could meet Campbell’s No. 30 Austin Murphy, a redshirt senior and 2021 Round of 12 finisher. These two athletes have never met in college despite competing in the same weight class together for the last four years.
The 174-pound matchup is potentially the only weight where both teams will field ranked wrestlers, as Army boasts ranked athletes at 125, 149, 157, 165 and 174 pounds, while Campbell has ranked athletes at 133, 141, 174, 184, 197 and 285. The Camels have the slight edge, with six ranked wrestlers compared to Army’s five, but, on paper, both teams are favored in five matches each.
This won’t be the only unique wrestling setting for a Camels dual this year either. Following the Army dual, Campbell will compete at the Southeast Open and in a dual against Nebraska before traveling to Wyoming to wrestle in a barn. Yep, you read that right. A barn. First, a military hanger, then a barn. Stay tuned.
Nov. 2: Oregon State vs. North Carolina, 5 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra
Just 90 minutes north of Fort Liberty, another North Carolina team will take on a non-conference foe, as the Tar Heels host Oregon State the following day for a battle between two teams that finished on the verge of breaking into the top 25 rankings last year. The Beavers have steadily been on the rise under fourth-year head coach Chris Pendleton, while the Tar Heels are looking to reset and reload under the new leadership of first-year head coach Rob Koll.
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The dual will feature eight ranked wrestlers total, but all eyes will be on 184 pounds as All-Americans No. 3 Trey Munoz and No. 6 Gavin Kane could potentially meet for one of the biggest early season matchups of the year. Munoz finished sixth last year while Kane ended up eighth, though these two wrestlers never met for a head-to-head dual.
In addition to Munoz vs. Kane, North Carolina All-American Lachlan McNeil could also have a ranked opponent in No. 22 Cleveland Belton, a junior who finished 18-10 last year after going 0-2 at the NCAA tournament with losses to Parker Filius and Saul Ervin. … rest of story at … NCAA.com/news/wrestling/023-10-31/5-college-wrestling-duals-watch-during-opening-week-2023-24-season
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
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