Maylor Hired as Assistant Coach for App State Wrestling
BOONE, N.C. — Max Maylor has been hired as an App State Wrestling assistant coach, head coach JohnMark Bentley announced Monday. “Max is a great addition to our staff,” Bentley said. “I love the energy and enthusiasm that Max brings with a fresh perspective drawing from his college experiences. He will be a tremendous partner for our upper middle weights.”
Maylor is a mere months removed from completing his Division I wrestling career at the NCAA Championships. He represented Wisconsin at 174 pounds, winning one match as the No. 17 seed in Kansas City, Mo., after he qualified for the NCAAs as a seventh-place finisher at the Big Ten Championships.
Maylor was ranked as highly as No. 11 in the country at 174 pounds during his final season — he also made three dual starts at 184. Before concluding his career at Wisconsin as a graduate transfer, Maylor was a member of Michigan’s program for five years from 2018-23, with a starting role for the Wolverines at 174 in 2022-23 and 2019-20.
He won 58 matches as a Big Ten wrestler, going 44-22 over his final three seasons, including 19-9 in 2023-24. “I am excited to get started at App State,” Maylor said. “It’s a blessing to work alongside great coaches and learn from them. I’m looking forward to joining the program and contributing to its continued success!”
Maylor earned a bachelor’s degree in general studies through Michigan’s College … more at … https://appstatesports.com/news/2024/7/8/-24-wrestling-maylor-hired-as-assistant-coach-for-app-state-wrestling.aspx
Campbell wrestling announces addition of TJ Dudley to staff
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell wrestling and head coach Scotti Sentes have announced the hiring of TJ Dudley as an assistant coach. “TJ brings a wealth of wrestling and coaching knowledge with him,” Sentes said. “What I am most excited about though is his energy. He is just a great energy guy that seems to light up the room, and I think it is going to make him an excellent motivator. I think he’s going to be a big asset to our team.”
Dudley joins the Camels from Brown University, where he was on the staff for three seasons. Dudley wrestled collegiately at Nebraska, and he was a three-time All-American at 184 pounds. He finished eighth, second, and third in his sophomore-senior seasons. He qualified for the NCAA Championships in all four years, and he placed in the Big Ten Championships three times.
Campbell adds Dudley a year after qualifying five wrestlers to nationals and heavyweight Taye Ghadiali becoming the second Campbell wrestler to be named an All-American. Dudley’s emphasis will be coaching the higher weights, as he looks to help guide Ghadiali to more success at the national level. He’ll also help coach Levi Hopkins at 197 pounds, … more at … https://gocamels.com/news/2024/7/8/wrestling-campbell-wrestling-announces-addition-of-tj-dudley-to-staff.aspx
Diabe Named Head Assistant Coach for App State Wrestling
BOONE, N.C. —Randall Diabe has been promoted to head assistant coach for App State Wrestling, head coach JohnMark Bentley announced Wednesday.
The 2024-25 season will be Diabe’s sixth year as a coach on Bentley’s staff and his 10th consecutive year with the Mountaineers’ wrestling program. “I’m so happy to promote Randall to head assistant,” Bentley said. “Randall bleeds Black & Gold and has poured a ton of energy into our program for a number of years! He continues to grow and mature each year, and he is very deserving of the title.”
A two-time NCAA Championships qualifier as a wrestler for the Mountaineers from 2015-19, Diabe worked as a volunteer assistant during the 2019-20 season and became a full-time assistant the following year. He helped App State finish the 2023-24 season with a second straight top-25 dual team ranking (at No. 24), repeat as SoCon Championship tournament winners, send five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships and post three top-16 individual finishes.
Since Diabe graduated from App State and transitioned to coaching, the Mountaineers have won two SoCon regular-season titles and two SoCon Championship tournament titles while producing a 35-3 record in SoCon duals and 29 qualifiers for the NCAA Championships. Going back to his freshman year in 2015-16, App State’s record of 60-5 in SoCon duals ranks as one of the best league records in Division I wrestling. … more at … Appstatesports.com/Diabe-named-head-assistant-coach-for-app-state
Hawkeyes tops again in Division I men’s wrestling home attendance
New Brighton, MINNESOTA – After selling out another home schedule at the famed Carver-Hawkeye Arena, it’s no surprise that for the 17th consecutive college wrestling season, the University of Iowa led the nation in Division I men’s wrestling attendance as the National Wrestling Media Association released its annual figures on Monday.
The Hawkeyes’ allotment of 14,847 tickets were all snatched up for the six home dates during the 2023-24 college wrestling season, with a total attendance of 89,082.
Iowa was followed by Penn State, Iowa State, Oklahoma State, and Oregon State.
Penn State’s Performance
Penn State, which won its third straight NCAA Division I national championship, was second in attendance for the 12th consecutive year. The Nittany Lions averaged 7,337 fans per dual, which included selling out each of their six dates at Rec Hall (cap. 6,846) and drawing a season-best 12,049 for a Monday Big Ten dual meet against Rutgers.
Historical Milestones
Iowa’s sellout against Minnesota on January 15 and Penn State’s 12,000-plus attendance against Rutgers were the first two Division I dual meets in recorded history to draw over 10,000 fans on a Monday.
Iowa State’s Highlights
Iowa State ranked third for the second time in the last three recorded seasons. The Cyclones averaged 6,691 fans over six home dates. The top date was registered against the rival Hawkeyes on November 23, which drew 14,267 fans, good enough for the fifth-best crowd in school history and the first crowd over 14,000 fans since the Cyclones hosted the Hawkeyes on February 19, 1982.
Oklahoma State and Oregon State
Oklahoma State drew an average of 5,871 to Gallagher-Iba Arena, with the best draw also coming against Iowa (13,721) on February 25, the final day of the regular season. That home crowd ranked as the third-largest in Oklahoma State history.
Oregon State had just two home duals this season, and with 8,540 showing up to Gill Coliseum for Penn State, the average ballooned to 5,240. The Beavers were one of just two schools with only two home duals tracked in the Top 25 attendance reports this season.
Road Draws
Iowa also was the top road draw, with the Hawkeyes bringing in the most fans to opposing venues seven of the eight times they hit the road for dual meets. They were the top draw at Iowa State, Oklahoma State, Nebraska, Penn, California Baptist, Illinois, and Northwestern. The Hawkeyes drew a total of 89,082 fans, followed by Oklahoma State’s 52,839 and Penn State’s 51,360. Iowa State was the only other school to draw more than 40,000 fans for the season, bringing in 40,150.
Other Top Schools
Oklahoma State was the top draw for five schools – NC State, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Wyoming. Penn State was also the top draw in five places – Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, and Oregon State, as well as being one of six sold-out opponents at Iowa. Ohio State had top crowds on the road for four opponents – Rutgers, Virginia Tech, Wisconsin, and Hofstra.
NC State, Michigan, Ohio State, Rutgers, and Missouri round out the top 10 schools. NC State’s average of 4,304 was the highest in school history and included three sold-out dual meets with Oklahoma State, North Carolina, and Virginia Tech. The previous high for the Wolfpack was last season when they averaged just over 2,300. Michigan averaged over 4,000 for the first time in school history. The Wolverines averaged 4,196 over four home dates, topping the school’s previous high mark of 2,852 set in 2021-22. … more at … Mailchi.mp/3e7f90309c39/2023attendance
2024 North Carolina Fargo Roster Breakdown
It’s FARGO TIME!!!! Our Fargo teams are set, and we are just a few weeks away from the first the first whistle. We couldn’t be more excited to join this year’s squads in Fargo and give you exclusive footage of Team NC. Make sure to dial into our social media accounts and right here on Rokfin!!!! Let’s go Team NC!
Junior Boys freestyle
120 Ethan Brownlee
120 Elijah Dorsey
126 Devon Conner
132 Layne Armstrong
138 Jackson Rowling
138 Alexander Schweitzer
138 Kaleb Flores
138 Shawn Bass
144 Ashton Shields-Adams
150 John Schulz
157 Jeremiah Johnson
157 Braden Reynolds
157 Luke Osborne
165 Troy Shannon
175 Dominic Blue
175 Connor Reese
175 Noah Michael
190 Harrison Compton
190 Brock Sullivan
190 Troy Deniz
190 Tayshaun Glover
215 Hayden Haynes
215 Dantrell Williams
285 Sebastian Rivera
285 Austin Rivera
285 Damien Couture
The Overall:
Our Junior Boys Freestyle crew is full of hammers!!!! As you go down the list you see accomplished wrestler after accomplished wrestler. This sets up for what should be a great showing from NC in the deepest division this year.
The Favorite to Place:
Tayshaun Glover- At CTT, we are very bullish on Tayshaun. He has a style that translates to freestyle well and is continually improving. NDSU got a good one here.
The Deep Run Darkhorse:
Troy Shannon- Troy is so good in Freestyle and Greco! He has proven all offseason long that he contends and beat elite kids. No one in North Carolina should be surprised if we see him go on a deep run. … more at … Rokfin.com/North-Carolina-Fargo-Roster-Breakdown
Keaton Kluever Named Gardner-Webb Wrestling Assistant Coach
Kluever joins the Runnin’ Bulldogs following six seasons as a student-athlete and coach
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Keaton Kluever was named the new Assistant Coach of the Gardner-Webb University wrestling program, announced by GWU Head Wrestling Coach Daniel Elliott on Monday.
“We are excited to bring Keaton on board with the GWU Wrestling program.”, praised coach Elliott. “Keaton brings some new energy to our program and has a passion for coaching. He has spent time at three universities as an athlete and brings a unique background to coaching for a young guy. He has hit the ground running already and we are looking forward to him helping move our program forward.”
Kleuver joins the Gardner-Webb family after finishing his collegiate wrestling career at Hofstra University where he reached the national championships. A letter winner for the Pride, he led the team in wins and pins during the 2023-2024 season, and was named Academic All-American and All-EIWA. Kluever was also a letter winner at the University of North Carolina, and the University of Minnesota Twin Cities where he was named Academic All-Big Ten for the 2022-2023 season.
Additionally, Kluever continues his role as a coach for the Wisconsin Wrestling Federation where he has been since 2020. His key responsibilities include coaching their Freestyle and Greco National teams, assisting in recruiting, logistics, development, and conducting practices in preparation for national competition. He also served as a Volunteer Assistant Coach for Plainedge High School for the 2023-2024 season, and Assistant Coach for Eden Prairie High School from 2021 to 2023. … more at … GWUsports.com/Keaton-kluever-named-gardner-webb-wrestling-assistant-coach
2024 North Carolina Chapter Honorees
(L to R): Josh Moore, Ed Duncan, Ben Watson, Mark Harris, Neal Dorow, and Barry Nelms.
from the most recent National Wrestling Hall of Fame STATE CHAPTER NEWSLETTER … more details at … https://nwhof.org/state-chapters/north-carolina
Gut-wrenching choices, Title IX complications face college athletics in wake of House v. NCAA settlement
For 100 years, athletic departments have operated as 24-hour ATMs, and for every dollar earned, they spent
DESTIN, Fla. — Thirteen years ago, Trev Alberts was forced to make one of the most difficult decisions in his career. Nebraska-Omaha’s athletics department was facing severe financial shortfalls, and transitioning sports from Division II to Division I had only compounded the multi-million dollar math problem. As the athletics director, Alberts had two options. “Make draconian cuts or the whole thing was going down,” Alberts, now at Texas A&M, remembers. “We couldn’t save it all, but we saved what we could.”
So he cut football and wrestling, two sports that had produced eight national titles and the NFL’s first black quarterback, to save costs. The decision at the small school was barely a blip on the national radar, but it was world-ending news for dozens of athletes whose careers suddenly came to an end because of a sudden shift in the competitive landscape. Boosters and fans were upset, and years later those feelings intensified when an internal memo from UNO’s president revealed the department had “a historic lack of fiscal discipline.”
Now imagine similar decisions being made in the ACC or the Big 12, or maybe even inside the big and mighty Big Ten and SEC.
As outrageous as it seems, administrators across major college athletics are preparing for the worst as many programs already strapped for cash face up to more than $30 million in new yearly expenses after agreeing to settle the landmark House v. NCAA lawsuit last week. Schools will be allowed as early as August 2025 to pay their athletes as much as $22 million annually through television and ticket revenues — while also spending an additional $5 million to $10 million in a new model with unlimited scholarships.
It’s a hefty price tag to remain competitive on the field, even for college football’s cash cows and blue bloods. Only two power schools (Georgia and Indiana) had a net income of more than $30 million in 2023, according to USA Today’s database of NCAA finances. Not even Alberts, now the athletics director at one of the richest programs in the nation, can promise Texas A&M’s 20 sports programs are safe from extinction. “I don’t know that anybody would be wise to make that announcement today. I really don’t,” said Alberts. “… I’ve been one of the few people that cut sports and I’m still standing. It’s not fun. It’s last resort. It’s certainly not something that we would want.”
At Texas A&M, the sports Alberts oversees are as follows (listed in order of scholarships allotted).
Football
Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country (18)
Women’s Basketball (15)
Equestrian (15)
Soccer (14) … more at … CBSsports.com/Gut-wrenching-choices-title-ix-complications-face-college-athletics-in-wake-of-house-v-ncaa-settlement
D1 Wrestling Coaches Bracing For Turbulence On Heels Of NCAA Settlement
The House v. NCAA settlement could reshape college athletics. It’s already causing stress for those who make a living in non-revenue Olympic sports.
Everything last October indicated Iowa State was accelerating ahead on a state-of-the-art wrestling facility project.
The Cyclones had picked out a building on the southwest side of Ames and produced digital renderings of the $20 million project, showcasing six full mats, a lounge area and other modern amenities. Iowa State athletic director Jamie Pollard posted on social media that it would open in the fall of 2025 and claimed it would “be the best wrestling facility in the country.” Less than eight months later, the project has been postponed with no timetable for when or if it will be resumed. “With this lawsuit getting ready to be settled,” Pollard told reporters last month at an Iowa State booster gathering, referring to the landmark House vs. NCAA case, “you just can’t go forward with projects like that.”
This is today’s college athletics world. It’s a place fraught with economic uncertainty — a place where tectonic plates are shifting faster than ever. It’s not a comfortable environment for those who make a living in non-revenue Olympic sports. “If I had to sum it up in a sentence,” Iowa State wrestling coach Kevin Dresser said, “I’d say the next 18 months are going to be crazy, crazy, rocky and bumpy.”
Dresser is far from the only college wrestling coach who’s bracing for turbulence. “I worry about our sport in general,” Maryland coach Alex Clemsen said. “And I worry about Olympic sports in general.” “There’s going to be teams, and it’s not just wrestling, this is going to be every sport — track, baseball, swimming, diving, lacrosse — they’re all going to take a hit,” North Carolina coach Rob Koll said. “There’s no doubt in my mind, unfortunately.”
An ‘Economic Earthquake’
The past decade has ushered in a period of transformation unlike any other in the history of collegiate athletics, headlined by conference realignment, the advent of the transfer portal and the proliferation of name, image and likeness compensation after the NCAA unlocked NIL opportunities for athletes in the summer of 2021.
The latest hot-button issue centers around the House v. NCAA lawsuit and the potential ramifications for college athletics.
In 2020, Arizona State swimmer Grant House sued the NCAA for banning college athletes from capitalizing on their name, image and likeness. In addition to seeking back pay for Division I athletes who were barred from earning NIL compensation prior to the summer of 2021, House v. NCAA also set out to pursue a share of the future broadcast revenue for athletes.
Last month, the NCAA and Power 5 conferences agreed to a settlement worth more than $2.75 billion, resolving three pending antitrust lawsuits — House v. NCAA, Hubbard v. NCAA and Carter v. NCAA — which challenged NCAA compensation and NIL limits. The settlement still needs approval from Judge Claudia Wilken, but it paves a path to a more professionalized era of college athletics.
Along with providing back pay to athletes who lost out on potential NIL earnings dating back to 2016, the settlement also creates the framework for schools to share revenues with athletes.
The settlement allows each school to share 22 percent of the average Power 5 school’s revenues, which is projected to be more than $20 million annually per school. “At the end of the day, this is an economic earthquake within the system,” Smith College … more at … Flowrestling.org/D1-wrestling-coaches-bracing-for-turbulence-on-heels-of-ncaa-settlement
The 2024 Offseason Coaching Carousel (6/18/2024)
We had about a week or two with a lull on the coaching hiring front. That came to a halt at the end of last week as we documented the hiring of Tony Cassioppi, Dean Heil, and David McFadden. A few more were announced that we weren’t able to cover and those include Doug Zapf and Andrew Dunn.
Zapf might have to change offices but doesn’t have much of a move. The Penn alum officially joins the coaching staff after spending the last two years on the mat competing for the Pennsylvania RTC. Zapf was a three-time national qualifier for the Quakers – each time coming at a different weight class between 141 and 157 lbs. As a senior, Zapf was 2-2 at the national tournament after starting as the 11th seed. Later in the 2023, Zapf earned a spot on the U23 World Team after claiming a title at U23 Nationals. In Albania, he won three matches and advanced to the quarterfinals, but ultimately was a match shy of earn a world medal.
Dunn will be heading north to join Donnie Vinson’s first coaching staff at Buffalo. He comes to Buffalo after spending a year as the Director of Operations at the University of North Carolina. Dunn held the same position for a season at Stanford – both under Rob Koll. Koll is a link between the two, as Vinson spent time on the Cornell staff under Koll.
As a competitor, Dunn started his collegiate career at Virginia Tech and qualified for the NCAA Tournament as a freshman. He would later transfer to DII Kutztown and won a national title at 285 lbs in 2019. A year later, he was undefeated, but unable to participate in the national tournament at the outset of the Covid pandemic. During his final year, Dunn fell in the national finals. He was named Kutztown’s Male Athlete of the Year in each of those three years.
It sounds as if we’ll have news break this week about the Columbia head coaching position along with Purdue’s assistant coaching vacancy – so pay attention to InterMat!
Offseason Coaching Movement
Binghamton: Louie DePrez – Assistant Coach (Binghamton athlete)
Brown: Micky Phillippi – Assistant Coach (Brown Director of Ops) … more at … Intermatwrestle.com/2024-offseason-coaching-carousel
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 