Legendary MSU wrestling coach Macias dies at 102
The adjectives are numerous — legendary, trailblazer, teacher, coach, champion.
They all apply to former Minnesota State University wrestling coach Rometo “Rummy” Macias, who passed away Monday in Florida at the age of 102.
He is remembered as an affable, loquacious, larger-than-life man who was a pioneer of collegiate wrestling.
Macias founded the MSU wrestling program in 1950 and coached for 38 years. During his tenure, he led MSU to three national championships and nine conference titles.
Perhaps his greatest accomplishment was the number of wrestlers who turned around and gave back to the sport. At least 145 of his wrestling graduates became high school or collegiate coaches in Minnesota and throughout the country.
Current MSU head coach Jim Makovsky said the term legend is appropriate. “Minnesota wrestling has a pretty good reputation and a lot of people give him credit for that,” Makovsky said. “How many people are known by just one name — Rummy.”
Macias was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 1982 — six years before he retired as coach. During his tenure, he coached 93 All-Americans, 19 individual national champions and 74 conference champions. “We knew it was going to happen at some point, but it’s still hard to see him go,” said Jack Eustice, a four-time All-American under Macias in the 1970s, who went on to a standout high school coaching, teaching and administrative career. “It’s disappointing because he was such a quality person. He spent a lot of time encouraging us to figure out what we were going to do after wrestling was done. He was so important to the MSU program.”
A 1948 graduate of the University of Iowa, Macias was an assistant coach there for two years before taking on the challenge of starting up the MSU program. He would recruit farm kids in Minnesota and mold them into quality wrestlers.
Makovsky remembers the first time he met Macias upon arriving in Mankato in 1999. “I already knew of him before I got here. (He may have been short in stature but) he was a big figure, everything about him was intriguing,” Makovsky said. “I golfed with him four years ago and he was so sharp, he’d remember things from years ago. Rummy just loved people and was a great teacher. … more at … Mankatofreepress.com/Legendary-msu-wrestling-coach-macias-dies-at-102
Buffalo Bills announce signing of Olympic champion Gable Steveson
The Buffalo Bills announced the signing of 2020 Olympic champion and two-time NCAA champion Gable Steveson to its roster on Friday afternoon.
Following reports of Steveson’s signing from NFL industry insiders, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bills issued a formal announcement through its official X account.
According to ESPN and Schefter, Steveson is signing a standard rookie contract for three years to play Defensive Tackle under head coach Sean McDermott, a former wrestler himself. McDermott has a strong history of backing wrestling as a foundation for elite football players.
ESPN article: Olympic gold medal wrestler Gable Steveson signing with Bills
Steveson most recently competed on the wrestling mat at 2023 Final X held at Prudential Center, where he defeated now World bronze medalist and Paris Olympian Mason Parris two matches to none for the 2023 U.S. World Team spot. Steveson did not compete at the 2023 World Championships, leaving open the opportunity for Parris to shine on the World stage.
A native of Apple Valley, Minn., Steveson was a four-time Minnesota state champion for Apple Valley High School and won NCAA titles for his home-state Minnesota Gophers in 2021 and 2022. He was named the Dan Hodge Trophy recipient as the nation’s top college wrestler both years he won the NCAA tournament. … more at … Themat.com/Buffalo-bills-announce-signing-of-olympic-champion-gable-steveson
Jason Kennedy of Rosewood presented the 2024 Michael Stokes Award
Jason Kennedy named the 33rd Michael Stokes Award winner
State champion Jason Kennedy of Rosewood High School was presented the 2024 Michael Stokes Award today. As a four-year starter Kennedy compiled an outstanding career record of (184-12) and ranks 5th in most wins in school history. He also scored 96 wins by pin, was a 4-x conference champion, and 3-x regional champ. Kennedy qualified for the state tournament three times and placed twice, 2nd in 2021 and 1st in 2024. Kennedy also earned his 3rd TDR Top 12 engraved wooden plaque this year as a top wrestler in his weight in eastern North Carolina.
Jason maintained a 4.1 GPA to finish in the Top 10 in his class and has earned a Presidential scholarship to attend Campbell University. He will major in computer science to seek a cyber-security career. Jason plans to walk-on to wrestle at Campbell University this fall. He has been involved in wrestling for five years and would like to eventually coach wrestling. “Wrestling has made a huge difference in my life. It has made me a better person as I am more driven and dedicated due to the sport, yet humbled by the experiences in wrestling.” Jason shared as he reflected back.
Coach Joshua Gordon shared “We are proud to have Jason as a wrestler and graduate from Rosewood. We look forward to seeing him wrestle nearby at Campbell and wish him the best. The Stokes Award was earned by Jason as he conducted a strong senior season on the road to his state championship.”
Michael Stokes wrestled the 1981-1984 seasons at Tarboro High School and with a (96–4) career record. He was North Carolina’s 2nd 3-time State Champion when there was only one individual champion at a weight in the state. He wrestled for N.C. State and won ACC wrestling titles in 1988 and 1989 and was named the ACC Most Valuable Wrestler both years. His record of 68 wins 8 losses and 3 ties (.879) is the best career winning percentage at NC State. He finished second at the NCAA Nationals at 126 lbs. in 1989 to Kendall Cross, the eventual Olympic Gold medalist. Stokes co-captained the Wolfpack in 1989 and one of the ACC’s all time 50 greatest wrestlers as recognized during the conference’s 50th anniversary celebration. Stokes credits wrestling as “providing me with a mental toughness that enables me to remove boundaries that stand in my way. Wrestling has given me the sheer determination to believe that I can conquer anything that I set my mind to do.”
Previous Stokes Award wrestlers include Walker Bell of West Craven in 2023, Raheem Jones of North Pitt (2022), Aaron Bancroft (2020) and Jayleen Bullock (2021) of Wilson Fike. Ray Darden of Ayden-Grifton and Jordan Todd of Rosewood tied for the award in (2019), Sincere King of North Pitt (2018), Quadarrius Hopkins of Tarboro (2017), Wilson Smith of Rocky Mount (2016), Angel Najar of North Pitt (2015), Reggie Huff of Southern Nash (2014), David Guevara of Tarboro (2013), Alexander Knight and Jaciento Williamson of Rocky Mount (2012), Xavier Najar of North Pitt (2011), Joe Young of Northern Nash (2010), Corey Smith of Tarboro (2009), Jasmine Cooper of Nash Central (2008), Eric Wischhusen, (2007), Roylando Lucas (2001) and Ira Bing (2000) of Southern Nash, John Brewer (2006), Aaron Bancroft (2020) and Jayleen Bullock (2021) of Wilson Fike, Anthony Taylor (2005) of Rocky Mount, Sammi Hadi (2004) and Ryan Huffman (1997) of SouthWest Edgecombe, Charles Washington (2003) of Northern Nash, Quadric Eason (2002), Mike Christopher (1999 & 1998), Tony Mercer (1996) and Lee Carroll (1994 & 1995) of Tarboro.
The TDR promotes amateur wrestling in eastern North Carolina and sponsors this award. “The awards are to recognize great wrestlers from before and the current ones for their efforts,” Editor Martin Fleming noted. The TakeDown Report has promoted scholastic wrestling for over 20 years in North Carolina and encourages coverage of the sport. Contact the TDR at martinkfleming@gmail.com or https://takedownreport.wordpress.com/ or ‘The TakeDown Report’ on FaceBook.
(left to right) Rosewood Coach Joshua Gordon, Jason Kennedy & TDR Editor Martin Fleming
HALL ANNOUNCES FIRST ADDITION TO COACHING STAFF WITH THE HIRE OF TIMMY MCCALL
OREM, Utah – Utah Valley head coach Adam Hall announced on Saturday the hire of Timmy McCall as his head assistant coach. McCall joins Utah Valley after working as an assistant coach at North Carolina State. “I am so excited to add Timmy, Beth, and Tanner to the Wolverine family! Timmy brings a wealth of knowledge to Utah Valley from his extensive coaching experience at NC State. His passion and care for his athletes are hard to match. He truly loves the guys he works with, which shows through his dedication to them. I look forward to watching him grow as a coach in this new role!” said UVU head coach Adam Hall.
His time at NC State started in 2015 when he was a training athlete with the Wolfpack RTC and competed internationally. He saw great success there, including winning the 2017 Henri Deglane Challenge and finishing as the runner-up at the 2016 Bill Farrell and the 2018 Dave Schulz tournaments. In 2018, he took home third at the 2018 World Team Trials while adding a second-place finish at the 2019 Grand Prix of France / Henri Deglane Challenge.
McCall moved into an assistant role with the Wolfpack in 2019 and helped them win four consecutive ACC Championships and aided in the development of 17 ACC Champions, including 2020 ACC Wrestler of the Year Hayden Hidlay and five-time All-American Trent Hidlay.
At the NCAA level, he worked with 15 All-Americans during his four years in Raleigh, … more at … GOuvu.com/Hall-announces-first-addition-to-coaching-staff-with-the-hire-of-timmy-mccall
Sites and dates set for eight 2025 NCWWC Regionals, qualifiers for the national championship for NCAA women wrestlers
The Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Coalition (WCWC), a group of national wrestling organizations which oversee NCAA women’s college wrestling, has announced the sites and dates for the eight Regional competitions which will serve as qualifiers for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC), set for Xtream Arena in Coralville, Iowa, March 7-8, 2025.
During its meeting on May 23, the NCWWC Executive Committee reviewed bids from 21 NCAA institutions seeking to host a regional. The Executive Committee extended invitations to an institution in each of the eight NCWWC Regions, and all accepted their appointment.
The venue, host institution and competition date for the 2025 NCWWC Regionals are:
Region I – Buffalo State University Arena, Buffalo State University, Buffalo, New York, Saturday, February 22
Region II – Koehler Fieldhouse, East Stroudsburg University, East Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, Sunday, February 23
Region III – Shaw Athletic Center, Emmanuel University, Franklin Springs, Georgia, Saturday, February 22
Region IV – Heminger Center, Tiffin University, Tiffin, Ohio, Saturday, February 22
Region V – Merillat Sport and Fitness Center, Adrian College, Adrian, Michigan, Saturday, February 22
Region VI – Hyland Arena, Lindenwood University, St. Charles, Missouri, Sunday, February 23
Region VII – Cowles Fieldhouse, Simpson College, Indianola, Iowa, Saturday, February 22
Region VIII – Kitty Magee Arena, Texas Woman’s University, Denton, Texas, Saturday, February 22
In April, the NCWWC Executive Committee approved increasing the number of regions … more at … NWCAonline.com/NWCA-sites-and-dates-set-for-eight-2025-ncwwc-regionals-qualifiers-for-the-national-championship-for-ncaa-women-wrestlers
Wrestling superstars need more than Olympics to carry the sport
By Kyle Klingman
The 2024 U.S. Olympic Trials are over, leaving hundreds of wrestlers to shelve their dreams for another four years. And only 15 of 18 wrestlers became Paris Olympians after a last-chance Olympic qualifier in May. “Not many finish on top,” said 2000 Canadian Olympian and Simon Fraser coach Justin Abdou. “I was down there with one of my wrestlers. Seeing all these grown men cry reminded me how real and tough our sport is.”
Although many casually mention their desire to make an Olympic team in interviews, the process is beyond comprehension. Imagine selecting an All-NBA team, an All-NFL team, or an All-MLB team once every four years, but the number shrinks by 40 percent.
The United States gets a maximum of six spots in three disciplines (men’s freestyle, women’s freestyle, and Greco-Roman) once every four years in the only event that matters to the general public. “The Olympic Games is a two-week time frame where you have swimming, track & field, and wrestling, and all these sports are there and you watch it every night. And it’s once every four years,” Iowa coach and 1996 Olympic gold medalist Tom Brands said. “You can say what you want but the Worlds are just as important. It’s probably tougher to win a World title and it’s just as exciting. “It’s more about the public perception. There’s only one reason I watch Michael Phelps. I’ve never seen Michael Phelps swim in a World Championship. I don’t even know his credentials. I could guess he’s probably a World champion in something. I know he won 23 Olympic gold medals because it was on primetime television and that’s how wrestling is.”
That’s the allure. A fringe sport with a loyal fan base gets momentarily lifted into a worldwide spotlight. Helen Maroulis, Tamyra Mensah-Stock, Jordan Burroughs, Dan Gable, Rulon Gardner, David Taylor, and Gable Steveson made names for themselves beyond the wrestling base by winning Olympic gold medals. All other credentials are secondary.
No grandchild says his or her grandfather tried out for the World Championships or the NCAA Championships. It’s always, “My grandfather tried out for the Olympics.”
Many are delusional about credentials from the past but mention the word Olympics and heads will inevitably turn. And that’s part of the problem.
Wrestling needs more than the Olympic Games, but it can’t be forced and it must happen organically. … more at … WIN-magazine.com/Wrestling-superstars-need-more-than-olympics-to-carry-the-sport
Wrestling success should be measured beyond just winning
TDR Editor’s Notes; Amen! Get more kids wrestling!
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By Daniel Harding
The only thing that matters is the county/district/state/national tournament. I’ve heard that line — and even used that line — countless times before.
The sentiment is that it’s what you achieve at the big end-of-the-year tournaments that everyone remembers. It’s an expression that’s stood the test of time for one reason and there’s a lot of truth to it. Standing on the big podium gets you the important medal, your name in the hometown paper or on a banner in the gym.
This past season was filled with challenges for my high school team in Connecticut. After two seasons of growth and progress, we faced constant hurdles, from injuries and illness to issues in the classroom, at home and between the ears. It felt as if we could never quite get our feet planted beneath us; as a team we fell short of our goals.
In the quiet calm that follows the wrestling season, I had the chance to get reacquainted with my dog on a long hike and reflect. I grappled with how to feel about our performance.
Several really positive memories returned to me. One of my favorites of the season was when two of my wrestlers, whom I’d coached since youth wrestling, donned a pink and blue shirt and performed a choreographed wrestling match/gender reveal while my wife, son and I sat sweating in the corner. The blue wrestler pinned the pink one, signifying that we were having a second boy. The celebration that followed, complete with hugs, high-fives and a couple tears was a memory I will never forget.
Then there was the inaugural Christmas party that my wife and I hosted. It was a standout night where I watched in horror as slices of pizza were stacked on plates like cordwood and devoured at a rate that made me wonder if the kids would ever make weight again.
Another source of daily amusement this year came from our Bluetooth speaker in the practice room. During the first part of the season, I would routinely blast Christmas music. It started as a joke, hard drilling to the music of Mariah Carey or Michael Bublé is as ridiculous as it sounds but it helped bring some levity to the grind.
After the holidays, I jokingly started playing sea shanties as a way of keeping things light while the intensity of our practices grew. At first the kids would laugh and roll their eyes. I got the last laugh when by the year’s end I asked them what kind of music they wanted to listen to and they’d say something like, “I guess the sea shanties are O.K. or whatever.” After one post-practice run around the school, they even broke out and started singing a shanty. At that moment, with a big smile on my face, I felt as proud as if they just won a state championship.
Another thing I find comfort in is knowing the sport has helped to change the lives of our seniors. One worked through mental hurdles, another worked really hard to turn his grades around, another fought through injuries and battled back onto the mat. Of our seven seniors who concluded their careers, all left more disciplined and better prepared to face challenges beyond the mat.
Memories made and lives changed. There’s no banner for that; they don’t give out medals for developing mental toughness or for building confidence, but maybe they should. Winning and the pursuit of greatness on the mat is important; … more at … WIN-magazine.com/Wrestling-success-should-be-measured-beyond-just-winning
Girls wrestling: Iowa GHSAU votes to move to two classes for 2024-25
Girls wrestling is growing at a rate even the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union never imagined. The sport is expanding so fast that the IGHSAU on Thursday voted to expand to two classes beginning with the 2024-25 season.
At its May meeting, the Board of Directors of the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union approved the move to two classes for the 2024-25 girls’ wrestling season.The move will place the 64 largest wrestling schools into Class 2A, with the remaining schools competing in Class 1A.
Wrestlers will compete to qualify for the state tournament at regional meets across the state on Friday January 31, 2025. There will be eight regional state qualifying sites hosted by schools for both Class 1A and 2A. The top 16 qualifiers from each weight class will qualify for the 2025 Girls State Wrestling Tournament, which will be held February 6-7 in Xtream Arena in Coralville.
The Girls State Wrestling Tournament will remain a two-day tournament, with separate sessions for each class on February 6 and combined sessions for the championship sessions on Friday, February 7. “The rapid rise of participants in girls wrestling has exceeded even our expectations,” said IGHSAU Executive Director Erin Gerlich. “Adding a second class is the next building block in our efforts to continue to help the sport grow. The hope is that the addition of a second class will encourage more schools to add girls’ wrestling programs.”
The IGHSAU sanctioned girls’ wrestling in 2022 and has been a one-class tournament since beginning competition in 2023. In 2024, 204 schools sponsored a girls’ wrestling program, while 61 other schools were listed in cooperative sharing agreements. … more at … Mississippivalleypublishing.com/Girls-wrestling-ighsau-votes-to-move-to-two-classes-for-2024-25
NEO A&M’s Joe Renfro Wins Prestigious Walter Hauck NJCAA Presidential Award for Coaching Excellence
Joe Renfro, the head coach at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, has been given the inaugural Walter Hauck NJCAA Coaches Association President of the Year Award.
The award was given by the NJCAA and honors winners for dedicated service, devotion and commitment to the NJCAA.
Hauck, who passed away in 2023, was a longtime coach at Westchester Community College in Valhalla, New York, and was the head coach of the NJCAA Bowling Coaches Association while holding jobs as head bowling coach, head golf coach and assistant athletic director.
Renfro has been the head record coach at NEO — located in Miami — since the 2013-14 season. He is also the athletic director at the junior college. He also actively serves the NJCAA Wrestling Coaches Association as President.
He said the school got a call the school to let him know of the honors — the first time he had heard of the award. “I’m definitely honored,” said Renfro, who lives in nearby Seneca, Missouri. “I honestly do believe there are a lot of coaches in the NJCAA that are more deserving than I am. There are guys that work tremendous hours and the pay isn’t great and they do everything they can for their sport and doing a good job of working hard.”
Renfro said the entire NEO A&M campus … more at … Owrestle.com/NEO-ams-joe-renfro-wins-prestigious-walter-hauck-njcaa-presidential-award-for-coaching-excellence
Penn State wrestler Greg Kerkvliet announces return for 6th season
Yet another wrestler is returning to Penn State.
Greg Kerkvliet announced he is returning to the Nittany Lions for a sixth and final season via Instagram on Wednesday.
Last season, Kerkvliet struck gold as he captured the 285-pound NCAA title after defeating Lucas Davidson in the NCAA Championships.
Kerkvliet is a four-time All-American and will join Carter Starocci on the list of wrestlers returning for another season.
After capturing his first NCAA Championship this season, Kerkvliet will get another crack at it. … more at … PSUcollegian.com/Penn-state-wrestler-greg-kerkvliet-announces-return-for-6th-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
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
Takedown Report 