As girls’ wrestling grows, it faces old stigmas and new challenges
More and more female athletes are participating in high school wrestling, but rapid expansion is never simple.
By Michael Howes
On a Friday afternoon this month, five wrestling mats covered the gym floor at Northeast High in Pasadena, the setting for a day-long tournament called “Who’s #1.”
In the minutes before the event began, wrestlers put the finishing twists in their braids and ensured their singlets fit snugly while a sizable crowd filed into wooden bleachers. By the end of the night, the concession stand would sell out of hot food. This tournament was for female wrestlers only, featuring 215 competitors from 47 schools. Its size and scope were a testament to the rapid growth of the girls’ sport. “It was a great event,” Northeast Coach Chris Dyke said. “The chance for us to bring that many girls together at one event is a good thing.”
Over the past decade, female participation in high school wrestling has surged locally and nationally. According to Virginia High School League participation surveys, the number of female wrestlers in Virginia increased by 133.57 percent since the 2021-22 school year, following the VHSL’s addition of an open girls’ individual tournament. Maryland has seen a 53.37 percent rise in female wrestlers since 2019, with 638 girls competing last year, according to USA Wrestling.
But growth is never simple. As the numbers get bigger, old stigmas persist and new challenges emerge. “It’s slowly getting better,” said Rockville senior Anastasia Dakoulas, who won the tournament’s 130-pound bracket. “But there’s still some discrepancies between the girls and the boys.”
Old and new challenges
For a burgeoning sport, recruitment often falls to dedicated coaches and the athletes themselves.
La Plata wrestling coach John Pankhurst was tossing mulch at a 2022 fundraiser when he recruited his first female wrestler. He found himself working alongside Madison Rich, then a freshman with the lacrosse program. Pankhurst convinced Rich to try the sport, and she became one of five female wrestlers to join the team the following winter. Three years later, in Rich’s senior year, the team has 16 female wrestlers. “At school events, we would just go around and say, ‘Are you interested in joining wrestling?’” La Plata senior Oriana Boling said. “We’d get their names down and everything.”
Rockville Coach Ryan Fickes attends other sporting events at the Montgomery County school, talking to parents about the merits of wrestling. He is joined in his recruiting efforts by Dakoulas, who won the 130-pound girls’ state title last season. After being the only girl on the team last winter, Dakoulas recruited friends and former soccer teammates to join her, raising the team’s total to five.
But as she works to grow the sport, Dakoulas said, she has to confront old stigmas. … more at … https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2025/01/22/girls-high-school-wrestling/?pwapi_token=eyJ0eXAiOiJKV1QiLCJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiJ9.eyJyZWFzb24iOiJnaWZ0IiwibmJmIjoxNzM3NTIyMDAwLCJpc3MiOiJzdWJzY3JpcHRpb25zIiwiZXhwIjoxNzM4OTA0Mzk5LCJpYXQiOjE3Mzc1MjIwMDAsImp0aSI6Ijk2MTc5OTIzLTZkYmUtNDUwMi1iOGQ2LTc1ZTg5NWRmY2Q1MSIsInVybCI6Imh0dHBzOi8vd3d3Lndhc2hpbmd0b25wb3N0LmNvbS9zcG9ydHMvMjAyNS8wMS8yMi9naXJscy1oaWdoLXNjaG9vbC13cmVzdGxpbmcvIn0.1UUOcPfUQCeiuflFzmw0PzpdqxlBNYWwoZ8Lj53HOWk
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Through four years of sanctioned girls wrestling in North Dakota, athletes, coaches look back on sport’s rise
Grand Forks’ program has grown exponentially over the last few years, now at a roster of 28 girls.
GRAND FORKS — 2025 marks year four of sanctioned girls wrestling in North Dakota, meaning freshmen on varsity in year one are now seniors going for glory one more time. Grand Forks’ program has grown alongside the sport’s popularity, now with a roster of 28 in 2024-25, including eight middle schoolers.
It’s a sight senior Bryn Larson could have only dreamed of when she first started wrestling in sixth grade. “It was listed as an intramural sport in sixth grade, and I was like, ‘Sure, why not, I’ll give it a go,'” Larson recalled. “All day before practice, I was like, ‘Are you doing wrestling? Is anyone else?’ None of my classes, no kids were doing wrestling,” she added. It turned out she was only one of two girls to show up that day. Instead of quitting, she pressed on, learning the ropes of the sport through her middle school career. “I wanted to show other people that they could do it too if they wanted,” Larson said.
After three years wrestling against boys, girls wrestling became sanctioned in North Dakota right before her freshman year, giving her a chance to compete on a bigger stage and against other girls. “I ran home to my mom screaming, I was so excited,” Larson recalled. “Then we found out that my middle school coach was going to transition to be the high school girls coach, so I was over the moon,” she added. … more at … https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/through-four-years-of-sanctioned-girls-wrestling-in-north-dakota-athletes-coaches-look-back-on-sports-rise
South Carolina colleges’ results & news
Bulldogs Dispatch Presbyterian in Road Weekend Finale, Top Blue Hose 33-7
CLINTON, S.C. — Buoyed by a pin from Thomas Snipes (165 lbs) along with a pair of tech falls for George Rosas (133 lbs) and Tyler Badgett (157 lbs), The Citadel (6-3, 2-1 SoCon) extended the program’s win streak out to three with a second-straight SoCon road victory over Presbyterian (1-7, 0-2 SoCon), upending the host Blue Hose behind a strong 33-7 final margin Sunday afternoon at Templeton Gymnasium.
FINAL RESULTS
The Citadel def. Presbyterian, 33-7
Sunday, Jan. 26 | Templeton Gymnasium | Clinton, S.C.
125 —Gylon Sims (CIT) over Brayden Adams (PRES), MD (14-3) … more at … https://citadelsports.com/news/2025/1/26/wrestling-bulldogs-dispatch-presbyterian-in-road-weekend-finale-top-blue-hose-33-7.aspx
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#12 Lander Shuts Out Lincoln Memorial and Bluefield State on Senior Night
GREENWOOD – The 12th-ranked Lander Wrestling team made quick work of the Lincoln Memorial Railsplitters and the Bluefield State Big Blue on Friday evening, dispatching the two Conference Carolinas opponents by scores of 53-0 and 52-0, respectively. The Bearcats won 18 of 20 matches by either bonus point margins or forfeits.
Lander still sits alone atop the Conference Carolinas West Division with a 5-0 in-division record. They sit at 12-4 overall and 8-0 in the league overall.
Lincoln Memorial drops to 2-13 overall, 1-6 in the league, and 1-3 in the West Division. Bluefield State drops to 4-8 overall and is also 1-6 in the league and 1-3 in the division.
Match 1: #12 Lander 53, Lincoln Memorial 0
Kaden Kuenzi (Silverton, Ore.) and Christian Davis (Arizona City, Ariz.) started the match off with back-to-back tech falls to give Lander a 10-0 lead after two matches.
At 141, Collin Oden (Middletown,N.J.) rode out the entire second period on top and got a reversal in the third period to earn a 3-1 decision to make it 13-0. … more at …https://landerbearcats.com/news/2025/1/24/wrestling-12-lander-shuts-out-lincoln-memorial-and-bluefield-state-on-senior-night.aspx
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Falcon Wrestling Thunders Past Presbyterian, 41-3
CLINTON, S.C. – Air Force posted bonus point wins across eight weight divisions to take down Presbyterian in non-conference action, 41-3, Friday morning in Templeton Gymnasium. Air Force improved to 3-0 in non-conference duals with the win.
At 125, sophomore Nico Tocci improved to 3-0 in dual action with a 4-2 decision over Brayden Adams. The Falcons began to pour on at 133 and 141 as Gavin Caprella won by technical fall (17-1) in the second period for his sixth tech fall this season— the most by any Falcon. Freshman 141-pounder Carter Nogle continued his tear with a commanding 11-3 major decision over Ryan Luna. Nogle leads the team with 18 wins this season, 15 of those wins coming with bonus points.
Presbyterian got on at the board at 149 as Elijah Holiday edged senior Alec Viduya, 10-8. It was the last points for the Blue Hose in the dual.
Air Force rattled off bonus point wins from 157 to heavyweight, scoring three technical falls, two major decisions, and a pin. Freshman Josh Palacio earned his first collegiate dual meet win by clinic, scoring a 17-1 technical fall in the third period. Freshman teammate Logan Fowler represented Air Force at 165 pounds, blanking Jamison Colongione, 11-0. Fowler improved to 10-3 on the season for the best win percentage of all Falcons. Senior Jack Ganos let it fly at 174, tech falling Caleb Rose, … more at … https://goairforcefalcons.com/news/2025/1/24/falcon-wrestling-thunders-past-presbyterian-41-3
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#2 Life Pulls Away from #12 Lander in Battle of Southeast Cross-Division Heavyweights
MARIETTA, Ga. – David Hunsberger (Duncan, S.C.) earned an exciting 27-4 tech fall at 165 to give the 12th-ranked Lander Wrestling team a 12-10 lead after six matches but the Life Screaming Eagles, the second-ranked team in NAIA, stormed back with four straight wins to close the dual to take a 23-12 win on Wednesday evening in a matchup of two of the best wrestling programs in the nation. Lander dropped to 10-4 with the loss while Life improved to 9-2.
Kaden Kuenzi (Silverton, Ore.) got the match started in a big way as he used three takedowns to secure an 11-2 major decision to give Lander the 4-0 lead after one. The hosts responded immediately with a major of their own at 133, but Isham Peace (Okatie, S.C.) gave Lander the lead right back with a late takedown, securing a 4-2 decision and making it 7-4, Bearcats, after three matches.
Life took their first lead of the contest with back-to-back decisions at 149 and 147 to make it 10-7 in favor of the Screaming Eagles. The Eagle lead was short-lived as Hunsberger jumped all over Steven Villalobos with a ten-point first period. He then added a five-point move in the second and another seven-point move, his second of the match, to earn a 24-7 tech fall over the three-time All-American. … more at … https://landerbearcats.com/news/2025/1/22/wrestling-2-life-pulls-away-from-12-lander-in-battle-of-southeast-heavyweights.aspx
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Wolves Wrestling Takes Down #19 UNC Pembroke in Huge Road Victory
Pembroke, NC – The Wolves secured a hard fought 22-21 victory over the UNC Pembroke Braves, ranked #19, in a thrilling wrestling dual on the road. The Wolves overcame multiple close bouts and relied on clutch performances to come out victorious. Newberry first put points on the board at 133 pounds with Ethan McCullough pinning Logan Robinson in 6:25, which evened the score at 6-6.
Newberry took their first lead at 141 pounds when Braden Tatum dominated his match, earning a major decision (9-1) over Avery Buonocore to give the Wolves a 10-6 lead. The Braves extended their advantage through the middle weights, pushing their team score to 18-10.
Newberry’s rally began at 174 pounds, where Dayton Fields beat Logan Hoffman in an intense 15-12 decision to cut the deficit to 18-13. Andrew Reed followed up at 184 pounds with a strong 10-4 decision over Quintez Shipman, narrowing the margin to just two points, 18-16.
The pivotal moment of the night came at 197 pounds, where John Parker delivered a critical pin over Nigel Williams in 6:05, giving Newberry a 22-18 lead heading into the heavyweight bout. The night may have ended with a loss in the heavy weights, … more at … https://newberrywolves.com/news/2025/1/21/mens-wrestling-wolves-wrestling-takes-down-19-unc-pembroke-in-huge-road-victory.aspx
Gardner-Webb Wrestling Dominates Road Duel With 33-7 Win at Davidson
DAVIDSON, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb University wrestling team scored its largest dual win of the season so far on Sunday afternoon, traveling to Davidson and scoring a 33-7 victory.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs made quick work on Sunday afternoon, winning each of the first eight bouts, including two by way of forfeit, eventually building an insurmountable 33-0 lead. Senior Andrew Wilson began the match in the 174 pound division for Gardner-Webb with an SV-1 win over Marc Koch of Davidson by a 6-3 score. By the time senior Peyton McComas defeated DJ Spring II by tech fall at 285, Gardner-Webb was already up 15-0. Forfeits at 125 and 133 sealed the deal in the match, allowing 20th ranked Todd Carter to pick up a 4-2 decision over Tyson Sherlock at 141 and keep GWU on pace for a big win. Sophomore Joseph Giordano scored the final individual win for the ‘Dawgs by 15-10 decision over Marley Washington.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs are back to SoCon action on Friday night, January 31st … more at … https://gwusports.com/news/2025/1/26/wrestling-dominates-road-duel-with-davidson.aspx
Big 12 Results & News
Big 12 Weekly Recap (1/21/2025)
This week didn’t see anything too crazy but had a number of solid duals. Both South Dakota State and North Dakota State went 2-0 at home. Missouri got back in the win column, but was pushed by a tough Utah Valley team. West Virginia visited the Sooner state for a pair of duals. They beat Oklahoma and had an entertaining dual with Oklahoma State. Northern Iowa continued their impressive season while Arizona State had some struggles. Fans will be set for a battle of the undefeated’s with Northern Iowa and Oklahoma State this weekend.
Notable Results:
Thursday (1/16):
South Dakota State over California Baptist (38-3)
Friday (1/17): Full Results
Missouri over Utah Valley (18-16)
141: #17 Josh Edmond Dec. #13 Haiden Drury (7-5) … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/big-12/big-12-weekly-recap-1212025-r99947/
And …
No. 13 Cyclones Best No. 22 Sooners in Top-25 Battle
AMES, Iowa – No. 13 Iowa State (8-3, 3-0 Big 12) looked as impressive as it has all season in a 25-6 victory over No. 22 Oklahoma (6-3, 2-3 Big 12) Friday night inside Hilton Coliseum. In front of a Beauty and the Beast record crowd of 9,470, the Cyclones took eight of 10 bouts from the Sooners.
MJ Gaitan highlighted the night with a top-10 victory at 174 pounds over No. 8 Gavin Sax while Paniro Johnson secured a top-15 win over No. 13 Willie McDougald at 149 pounds. At 157 pounds, true freshman Kane Naaktgeboren notched his first-career dual victory.
ISU won the takedown battle over OU, 15-5. The Cyclones have won four duals in a row and seven of their last eight. … more at … https://cyclones.com/news/2025/1/24/wrestling-no-13-cyclones-best-no-22-sooners-in-top-25-battle.aspx
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Undefeated Cowboys Storm Back To Defeat 13th-Ranked Iowa State
AMES, Iowa – The No. 3 Oklahoma State wrestling team defeated No. 13 Iowa State, 27-12, on Sunday afternoon at Hilton Coliseum in the second ever college wrestling dual televised on ESPN. The Cowboys, who are a Big 12-best 8-0 in conference duals, are now 11-0 overall for the second straight season, while Iowa State falls to 8-4 and 3-1 in conference competiton. The victory was the 64th in the all-time series against Iowa State and the 25th in Ames.
As they’ve done throughout the season, the Pokes won big through bonus points and aggressive scoring in the back half of the lineup. Through 11 duals, Oklahoma State has a +284-point differential and an average margin of victory of 25.8 points.
“Our back half has a lot of veterans who have been in tough duals and hold themselves to high expectations,” head coach David Taylor said. “That’s been really valuable the last couple of matches. Those guys are the difference makers in close duals and the difference makers when we get into nationals.”
Troy Spratley continued his successful weekend in Iowa with a 20-10 major decision over Ethan Perryman. The Cyclones bounced back though, rattling off four straight tight wins at 133, 141, 149 and 157 pounds to go up 12-4 heading into the intermission.
Just like Friday night against Northern Iowa, the Cowboys used a strong performance from the back half of their lineup to close the dual, with four of those wins coming in bonus-point fashion.
The comeback started at 165 pounds with sixth-ranked Cameron Amine, who controlled the match throughout and earned a crucial three points for the Pokes by defeating Aiden Riggins, 11-4.
At 174 pounds, Dean Hamiti Jr. rolled past 23rd-ranked MJ Gaitan. Hamiti directed the pace of the match, racking uo five takedowns and a four-point near fall to tech fall Gaitan in just over five minutes and tie the dual at 12-12. Hamiti improves to 16-0 on the season, with 13 of those coming as bonus-point wins and 11 against ranked opponents.
Three-time All-American Dustin Plott gave the Cowboys then retook the … more at … https://okstate.com/news/2025/1/26/cowboy-wrestling-undefeated-cowboys-storm-back-to-defeat-13th-ranked-iowa-state
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Panther Train wins eighth straight dual over Oklahoma
UNI improves to 10-1 overall, 4-1 in Big 12 duals. Panthers compete at West Virginia and Loras Open next Saturday.
OFFICIALS – Kevin Looper, Leo Mercado ATTENDANCE – 3,061
CEDAR FALLS, Iowa — One night after coming up short of an upset of No. 3 Oklahoma State, the UNI wrestling team bounced back with a 26-13 dual victory over the 22nd ranked Oklahoma Sooners on Saturday night inside the McLeod Center in Big 12 action.
Northern Iowa scored five bonus point victories in six of its wins against the Sooners, extending its dual winning streak over Oklahoma to eight. UNI also closed out the month of January with a 7-1 dual record. HOW IT HAPPENED
After a scoreless first period, Trever Anderson scored the first point of the 125-pound match against No. 23 Antonio Lorenzo with a second period escape, but would fall behind after being taken down. Despite adding an escape from the takedown, Anderson was unable to pressure his opponent … more at … https://unipanthers.com/news/2025/1/25/wrestling-panther-train-wins-eighth-straight-dual-over-oklahoma
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No. 23 Wrestling Picks Up Ranked Win Over No. 20 West Virginia
COLUMBIA, Mo. – No. 23 University of Missouri wrestling topped No. 20 West Virginia, 22-16, for its first ranked win of the season inside Mizzou Arena Sunday. A trio of victories gifted the Tigers (5-7, 4-1 Big 12) their third Big 12 win in a row over the Mountaineers (8-5, 2-4 Big 12).
The match got off to a fiery start when freshman Gage Walker got out to an early lead over Jett Strickenberger, who is ranked No. 14 by Intermat at 125 pounds entering today. Although Strickenberger came out with a tight decision, 7-6, the Tigers would go on to take each of the next four bouts. Redshirt sophomore Kade Moore‘s pin of Tommy Maddox at 133 put Mizzou on the board. After redshirt junior Josh Edmond picked up a 5-2 decision over Jordan Titus at 141, redshirt junior Logan Gioffre came back from down 8-2 to defeat Sam Hillegas and redshirt sophomore James Conway earned a major decision over Sasha Gavronsky.
Coming out of the break with a 16-2 advantage after a WVU unsportsmanlike conduct penalty, redshirt sophomore Cam Steed took an early lead over Peyton Hall before Hall ultimately took the 10-8 decision. The Mountaineers took bouts at 174, 184 and 197 to even the match at 16 apiece. At 285, redshirt freshman Jarrett Stoner and Michael Wolfgram were tied 4-4, before Stoner took the win by injury default.
MATCH NOTES
Missouri improved to 5-0 all-time against West Virginia, … more at … https://mutigers.com/news/2025/1/26/no-23-wrestling-picks-up-ranked-win-over-no-20-west-virginia-22-16.aspx
New College Wrestling Programs
Northampton Men’s Wrestling Debuts with Win Over Bergen
NEWTON, NJ – The Northampton men’s wrestling team made their debut on Wednesday evening, downing Bergen Community College, 39-11, in their inaugural match, before falling to host Sussex County Community College, 39-11, at Skylander Arena. Jaden Figueroa (Fountain Hill, PA/Executive Charter) made history for Northampton, pinning Daniel Vela of Bergen Community College at 125, for the first victory in Spartan history.
Diego Dominguez (Perkasie, PA/Palisades) and Xavier Arner (Schnecksville, PA/Whitehall) ended the evening with two victories each, while Luke Velekei (Pen Argyl, PA/Pen Argyl) earned a victory in his match, pinning Shawn Pawlowski of Sussex. “Excited to be part of history,” remarked Head Coach Shaun Lally, … more at … https://www.nccspartans.com/news/2025/1/22/mens-wrestling-wrestling.aspx
And …
Kean Announces Addition of Men’s and Women’s Wrestling; DiSanto Named Head Coach
UNION, N.J. (1/22/25) – The Kean University athletics department has announced the hiring of Christopher DiSanto as the head wrestling coach while officially announcing the addition of men’s and women’s wrestling. DiSanto will lead both programs, which will bring Kean’s NCAA offerings to 22 (23 overall with varsity eSports). The men’s program will resume after remaining dormant since 1996, while the women’s team will be the first of its kind at Kean. The creation of a women’s program comes at the perfect time as the NCAA just announced Women’s Wrestling as their 91st championship sport. “I am excited to hire Coach DiSanto as our new Head Women’s and Men’s Wrestling Coach,” stated Kelly Williams, Director of Athletics and Recreation. “Chris is well connected within the wrestling community and brings tremendous college coaching experience with a tireless work ethic to lead our wrestling programs to success in the classroom and in competition soon. It is really a special time for Kean Athletics as we make history by adding women’s wrestling to our department and creating another opportunity for young women to follow their passion on the collegiate level. Also, reestablishing our men’s wrestling program marks the continued expansion of sports offerings, reinforcing the university’s commitment to diverse athletic opportunities for student-athletes.”
DiSanto comes to Kean after being the Head Men’s Wrestling Coach at Bergen Community College since 2013. He dealt with all aspects of the program, including scheduling, organizing home matches, announcing, recruiting and statistical record keeping.
DiSanto was a Region 19 runner up in 2024 and 2016. In 2024, he finished in the top 10 in the NJCAA Division III and had an All-American named while finishing in the top eight. Prior to BCC, DiSanto was … more at … https://keanathletics.com/news/2025/1/22/general-kean-announces-addition-of-mens-and-womens-wrestling-disanto-named-head-coach.aspx
And …
Heart to Add Three Women’s Wrestling Programs
The Heart of America Athletic Conference proudly announces the addition of three new programs that will compete in women’s wrestling in the conference. Full member Graceland University announced … more at … https://www.heartofamericaconference.com/sports/wwrest/2024-25/releases/20250117m9o38h
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Heart to Add Bismarck State and Bellevue Men’s Wrestling Programs
The Heart of America Athletic Conference proudly announces the addition of two new programs that will compete in men’s wrestling in the conference. … more at … https://www.heartofamericaconference.com/sports/mwrest/2024-25/releases/20250117n6j6hk
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Men’s Wrestling Secures First Dual Win, Concludes CCIW Duals
Titans defeat CUW for first dual win since program’s reinstitution
KENOSHA, Wis. – For the first time since the program was reinstated prior to the 2023-24 season, the Illinois Wesleyan University men’s wrestling team picked up a dual win. The Titans defeated College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin foe Concordia University Wisconsin, 43-12. The win kicked off the program’s first appearance in the CCIW Duals Saturday, Jan. 25, where IWU would ultimately post a 1-2 record on the day.
Illinois Wesleyan 43, Concordia Wisconsin 12
IWU kicked off the day with a commanding win over CCIW affiliate Concordia Wisconsin, marking the first dual win since the program was reinstated prior to the 2023-24 season.
Freshman Chandler Gardner (Marengo, Ill.-Marian Central Catholic) picked up a win by forfeit at 125 pounds, while fellow freshman Jackson Castaneda (Oak Forest, Ill.-Oak Forest) earned the win via forfeit at 165 pounds. With the match even after alternating forfeits, sophomore Austin Johnston (Normal, Ill.-Normal West) took down CUW’s Anastacio Martinez. Johnston earned his 12th win of the season, taking the match by major decision, 15-3.
Freshman Ameer Alamawi (New Lenox, Ill.-Lincoln-Way Central) was the first of four pins by the Titans on the day, as he needed just 1:39 to take down … more at … https://www.iwusports.com/news/2025/1/25/mens-wrestling-mens-wrestling-secures-first-dual-win-concludes-cciw-duals.aspx
Campbell goes 3-0, wins Chippewa Challenge for second consecutive year
WASHINGTON D.C. – The Campbell Fighting Camels won the Fourth Annual Chippewa Challenge, going 3-0 against Central Michigan, CSU Bakersfield and American Sunday afternoon at Bender Arena and winning the trophy for the second straight year.
The Camels improved to 7-7 in dual matches with a 22-16 win over CMU, 18-17 over CSUB and an 18-14 win over host team American. Shannon Hanna and Wynton Denkins were standouts on the day, each going 3-0 in their individual bouts. CU was also undefeated at 125 pounds, as Anthony Molton and Cooper Shore combined for three wins.
Campbell started the day with four wins against CMU to build a 16-0 lead. After a decision at 165 pounds, Levi Hopkins clinched the win with a 5-1 decision over No. 31 Luke Cochran.
The dual against Bakersfield came down to just a few points across multiple bouts. Hanna and Chris Earnest earned crucial bonus-point victories to help the Camels build a 15-3 lead. Riley Augustine added another three points with his 4-1 decision over Coen Quintana.
The Roadrunners went on to win the last three matches, with two major decisions at 184 and 197. Clinging to a four-point lead, the Camels gave up a decision at heavyweight to preserve the one-point victory.
Shore won his second bout of the day to start the dual against the Eagles, and Hanna and Denkins followed with their third wins of the day. Earnest and Dom Baker made it four wins in a row to build a 15-4 lead. AU won two matches to make the score 15-10 in favor of the Camels … more at … https://gocamels.com/news/2025/1/26/wrestling-campbell-goes-3-0-wins-chippewa-challenge-for-second-consecutive-year.aspx
Redden preaches patience to help first-time wrestlers at Virginia HS
By Mike Finn
Greg Redden has coached at the highest level in the state of Virginia and understands what it takes for a high school wrestler to reach the highest level. “I’ve had national prep finalists and multiple state champs,” said Redden, referring to when he coached at Woodside High School in Newport News, Va., in the 1990s. “It was a brand-new school and we didn’t have a senior class my first year. Most of the kids I got had never wrestled before, but by the time they are juniors and seniors, they were competing at the state level.”
Getting the most out of high school wrestlers, who don’t start until they are in high school, is also something Redden faced had when he returned to his native Alexandria, Va., and coached an even less experienced group at Bishop Ireton High School for a second time three seasons ago. “This is a small school, where nine out of 10 kids have never wrestled before,” said Redden, who has a roster of 22 student-athletes. “This year was super abnormal. I have three kids who have two or three years of experience. Normally for most of them, it’s their first time in the process and most of these kids think of wrestling as the WWE and jumping off ropes. They don’t understand how structured everything is.”
Facing such a challenge takes patience from a coach and Redden credits the legendary high school wrestling coach Gary Embrey, who coached Redden to a state championship in 1989 while wrestling for Embrey at Edison High School. He also said he has some upperclassmen who serve as role models for his younger wrestlers, but even the experienced wrestler needs help. “It’s about enjoying the process,” he said. “You can’t run before you walk. Learning how to break things down, where one move takes five different steps. We’re not really focused on winning and losing and just making sure they have the attitude and effort, which is so big. “No matter if they walk off the mat as a winner or loser, I’m going to find something positive … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/01/15/redden-preaches-patience-to-help-first-time-wrestlers-at-virginia-hs/
App. State Dominates in Monday Win Over Duke
BOONE, N.C. — One day after hosting a highly ranked ACC foe in Varsity Gym, App State Wrestling bounced back in dominant fashion Monday night by winning 45-5 against Duke, another ACC opponent.
The Mountaineers (3-3) posted bonus-point victories at nine weights without allowing a takedown in any of those individual wins. In the process, they defeated a power conference team for the 13th time under the direction of head coach JohnMark Bentley, whose squad had taken three matches from No. 11 Virginia Tech the previous afternoon.
Kaden Keiser (third-period pin at 149 pounds) and Luke Uliano (first-period pin at 174 pounds) were responsible for six team points apiece against the Blue Devils (4-10), with six more coming via Bryson Terrell’s win by forfeit at 125 pounds.
App State had a trio of five-point victories via tech falls from Aldo Hernandez (19-1 against Duke senior Christian Colman at 141 pounds), seventh-ranked Will Miller (19-4 at 165 pounds) and 32nd-ranked Carson Floyd (21-3 at 197 pounds).
The Mountaineers’ three major decisions, worth four team points apiece, came from Chad Bellis (18-4 at 133 pounds), Jeremiah Price (15-2 at 157 pounds) and Logan Eller (11-3 at 184 pounds).
Hernandez, Price, Eller and Terrell — all redshirt freshmen — had a hand raised … more at … https://appstatesports.com/news/2025/1/20/wrestling-dominates-in-monday-win-over-duke.aspx
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 