Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

Fargo Champion Jacob Levy Commits To North Carolina Wrestling

Jacob Levy, a Fargo champion heavyweight, has committed to join North Carolina Wrestling’s 2025 recruiting class
Jacob Levy, a powerful heavyweight from Carrollton, Georgia, has made his college decision. The Fargo champ has decided to wrestle for Rob Koll and the North Carolina Tar Heels following his graduation in 2025. Levy won his Fargo title this summer after finishing as a runner up in 2022. In his two trips to the Fargodome, he’s gone 11-1 with 7 wins by technical superiority and 3 falls. His only full length match this summer was a 15-9 finals victory over Iowa’s Cooper Martinson.
North Carolina was Levy’s final visit. Prior that that, he had been on campus at Iowa State, Purdue, and Lehigh. Ultimately, the Tar Heels won out. “It was so hard. I loved everybody I talked to, but I had to make the best decision for me.” Despite strong connections with coach Sueflohn and Purdue and Zach Rey at Lehigh, UNC fit Levy’s wrestling style better, and the campus is a whole lot closer to home.
Levy is a big piece in North Carolina’s recruiting class. Before leaving Stanford, Rob Koll and company put together the #2 ranked recruiting class for 2024, and they’ll surely look to recruit similarly loaded classes now that they’re in Chapel Hill. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Fargo-champion-jacob-levy-commits-to-north-carolina-wrestling

January 20, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Virginia College results

Averett University Wrestling defeats Ferrum on senior night
DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University wrestling dominated Ferrum College 36-7 on Thursday evening in the Grant Center. The Cougars went on a run, getting four pins in-a-row against Ferrum. This accounted for 24 of Averett’s overall points. Along with the four falls, Averett collected four decisions.  
Senior Alex Logsdon lost to Adrian Samano by technical fall. In the 133-pound weight class, freshman A.J. Orlando III was behind most of the match. He battled back in the third period to take the match to overtime. Orlando got a takedown for the sudden victory win. Senior Mauricio Reyes defeated Jonathan Ward by a 11-6 decision in the 141-pound weight class. 
At 149 pounds, freshman Carter Shupert started the chain of pins, defeating Perry Roller by fall at 2:30. Sophomore Xavier Swanson went on to pin Joseph Olalde in the 157-pound weight class. At 165 pounds, junior Anthony Taylor kept the streak going with another pin against Mateo Villalobos. Junior Khalil Mitchell had the quickest pin of the day, he pinned William Melton in under 40 seconds in the 174-pound weight class. 
Freshman Nolan Gerwitz went against Joseph Toner in the 184-pound weight class, defeating him by a 13-7 decision. Senior Jamar Christian remains undefeated after he got the 7-3 decision against Johnny Black. Heavyweight Trent Ragland went toe-to-toe with Rayshawn Dixon for the second time this season. Both wrestlers are nationally ranked, Ragland is No. 10 and Dixon is No. 7. Ragland lost to Dixon in a tight, 5-4 decision. … story at … Averettcougars.com/Wrestling-defeats-ferrum-on-senior-night

And …

Roanoke Wrestling Rolls 40-9 over SVU in home opener
The Game Facts:
Score: Roanoke 40, Southern Virginia 9
Location: Salem, Va.
The Short story: The Roanoke College wrestling team defeated Southern Virginia University 40-9 Thursday night in an Old Dominion Athletic Conference match from the Cregger Center. It was the 2023-24 home opener for the Maroons.
How it happened:
*Mac Cafurello, Jude Robson, Dustin Smith scored technical fall victories in the first three matches before SVU won the 149-pound bout.
*Ryan Foutz and David Reid won via technical fall at 157 and 165, respectively, before Matthew Wirth needed just 30 seconds to pin his opponent at 174.
*Roanoke closed out the match with wins at 197 by Cam Cavins by decision and at 285 by Brady Elswick with a pin in 1:10.
Up Next:
*The Maroons (9-3/3-0 ODAC) host Washington & Lee University … story at … Roanokemaroons.com/Roanoke-wrestling-rolls-40-9-over-svu-in-home-opener

And …

Washington & Lee Wrestling Earns 44-6 Win at Shenandoah
WINCHESTER, Va – The Washington and Lee University wrestling team defeated Shenadoah University 44-6 in an ODAC dual on Thursday evening. 
The Generals (9-3, 3-0 ODAC) recorded four technical falls, three major decisions, and a win by fall in league action.
IN BRIEF 

And …

Roanoke Wrestling finishes fourth at Budd Whitehill duals
The Facts:
Score: Fourth/16 teams
Location: Williamsport, Pa.
The Short story: The Roanoke College wrestling team won three dual matches Friday to win Group C and advance to the championship bracket of the 16-team Budd Whitehill duals, but fell Saturday to no. 8 Wisconsin-Eau Claire and Washington & Lee University in the championship group Saturday. 
How it happened:
The Maroons defeated the Milwaukee School of Engineering 28-15, Oswego State 34-12 and Springfield 33-14 to win Group C.
Mac Cafurello won four matches over the weekend at 125 pounds, two by technical falls. Mark Samuel won all four of his matches at 141, three by technical fall and one against W&L in the sudden victory session.
Next Time:
Roanoke hosts Southern Virginia University for Kids Night … story at … Roanokemaroons.com/Roanoke-wrestling-finishes-fourth-at-bud-whitehill-duals

January 20, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Division I Wrestling Live Streaming Guide (1/19 – 1/21/2024)

TDR Notes; It is amazing to see all these opportunities to view live college wrestling matches. If one can not go in person to a match then look on line or on cable network for real wrestling action.
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We’re officially in the second half of the collegiate wrestling season and have a full schedule of DI duals this week. A total of 50 duals will be contested. Since it can be difficult to figure out where and when to watch all of these events, InterMat has put together a list of all of the live-streamed events occurring this week. Below are the dates/times and how to watch each match (with links). 
All times listed are Eastern.

Friday, January 19:
Chattanooga at Duke  6:00 PM   ACC Network Extra
Penn State at Michigan  6:00 PM  Big Ten Network
Rutgers at Michigan State  6:00 PM  B1G+
Presbyterian at Bellarmine  7:00 PM  ESPN+
Morgan State at Bucknell  7:00 PM  ESPN+
Northern Illinois at Cleveland State  7:00 PM  FloWrestling
Penn at Lehigh  7:00 PM  FloWrestling
Buffalo at Lock Haven  7:00 PM  PSAC Digital Network
George Mason at Ohio  7:00 PM  ESPN+
Maryland at Ohio State  7:00 PM  B1G+
Drexel at Princeton  7:00 PM  ESPN+
Purdue at Iowa  8:00 PM  Big Ten Network
Arizona State at Little Rock  8:00 PM  Little Rock Sports Network
Northern Colorado at South Dakota State  8:00 PM  FloWrestling
Cal Poly at Oregon State  9:00 PM   Pac-12 Network (Digital??)
Nebraska at Minnesota  10:00 PM  Big Ten Network

Saturday, January 20:
Sacred Heart at Harvard  2:00 PM  ESPN+
Navy at Lehigh  2:00 PM  FloWrestling
Northwestern at Illinois  3:00 PM  B1G+
California Baptist at North Dakota State  8:00 PM  NDSU All-Access
Wyoming at Utah Valley  8:00 PM  UVU Live YouTube

Sunday, January 21:
Kent State at Clarion  12:00 PM  FloWrestling
LIU vs. Morgan State at Clarion  12:00 PM
Stanford at Penn  12:00 PM  ESPN+
Edinboro at Central Michigan  12:00 PM  ESPN+
Lock Haven at Bloomsburg  1:00 PM  PSAC Digital Network
Rutgers at Michigan  1:00 PM  B1G+
Penn State at Michigan State  1:00 PM  B1G+
Chattanooga at VMI  1:00 PM  ESPN+
The Citadel at Appalachian State  2:00 PM  AppStateSports YouTube
Navy at Binghamton  2:00 PM  ESPN+
American at Bucknell  2:00 PM  ESPN+
LIU at Clarion  2:00 PM  FloWrestling
Kent State vs. Morgan State at Clarion  2:00 PM
Maryland at Indiana  2:00 PM  B1G+
Purdue at Nebraska  2:00 PM  B1G+
Northern Colorado at North Dakota State  2:00 PM  NDSU All-Access
Arizona State at Pittsburgh  2:00 PM  ACC Network Extra
Hofstra at Franklin & Marshall  3:00 PM  Centennial Conference TV
Oregon State at Oklahoma State  3:00 PM  ESPN+
Queens at Presbyterian  3:00 PM  ESPN+
California Baptist at South Dakota State  3:00 PM  FloWrestling
Ohio State at Wisconsin  3:00 PM  Big Ten Network
Greensboro at Appalachian State  3:30 PM  AppStateSports YouTube
Army West Point at Binghamton  4:00 PM  ESPN+
Morgan State at Clarion  4:00 PM  FloWrestling
Kent State vs. LIU at Clarion  4:00 PM
Stanford at Drexel  4:30 PM  FloWrestling
CSU Bakersfield at Cal Poly  6:00 PM  FloWrestling
Campbell at Davidson  6:00 PM  FloWrestling … story at … Intermatwrestle.com/D-I-live-streaming-guide

January 20, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

USA Wrestling Folkstyle Tour of America continues with the Hot Rod Blowout

Jan. 16, 2024, 5:38 PM (ET)
by Savannah Asmann, USA Wrestling
GREENSBORO, N.C. – The USA Wrestling Folkstyle Tour of America continued last weekend with the fifth event, Hot Rod Blowout in Greensboro, North Carolina. The event was held on January 12 at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex. 
Folkstyle tournaments were held in the 8U, 10U, 12U and Middle School age categories for boys and girls and true beginners in an open division. Awards were presented to the top six wrestlers in each bracket and athletes earned points for the U.S. Future Olympian Rankings.
Outstanding wrestlers of this event included Brian Grandelli of B2A Wrestling Club (8U Boys, 56 lbs.), Dawson Grady of B2A Wrestling Club (12U Boys, 70 lbs.), Makayla Hinchey of Daughters of Zion Wrestling Club (Middle School Girls, 143-147 lbs.), Adelene Vargas-Perez of North Carolina (Girls, 117-128 lbs.), Liam Howarth of Combat Athletics Wrestling Club (10U Boys, 63 lbs.) and AJ White of North Carolina (Middle School Boys, 102 lbs.).
Complete brackets, match-by-match results, and archived match videos from the Hot Rod Blowout can be found at Trackwrestling.com. … story at … Themat.com/news/USA-wrestling-folkstyle-tour-of-america-continues-with-the-hot-rod-blowout

January 20, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College wrestling by North Carolina schools

Men’s Wrestling Tallies First Wins, Conference Triumphs in Historic Fashion
BLUEFIELD, W.Va.— The Montreat men’s wrestling team faced a pair of Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) foes in West Virginia Friday night as the Cavaliers competed against the Bluefield University Rams and the West Virginia University Institute of Technology Golden Bears. With a lopsided 46-4 triumph over the Rams and a near perfect 58-0 shutout of the Golden Bears, the Cavs secured their first victories of the season and moved to 2-7 (2-4 AAC) on the year.
Patrick Wlodyga earned six points with a pin at 125 before Zeke Grabowski notched a 12-4 major decision at 133 and Coy Reid grabbed a quick fall in just 29 seconds to hand the Cavaliers a 16-0 advantage through three bouts against the Rams.
Bluefield (2-10, 2-1 AAC) answered with a major decision to get on the board; however, a pair of forfeits in Montreat’s favor brought the score to 28-4. Dalton Towe flipped the script in his 174-lb matchup to register a pin before another forfeit and a 27-second fall by Grant Trotter in the heavyweight battle sealed the team’s 42-point win.
The Cavs then improved on the scoreline in their second dual of the night. Against the Golden Bears, Montreat captured all 10 bouts and WVU Tech (2-6, 1-2 AAC) avoided pins or forfeits on less than three occasions as the Cavaliers collected bonus points in all 10 matches to register a historic shutout win. The 58-0 result meant the fourth shutout triumph in program history and the most dominant victory in the team’s 4-season existence. **As of the posting of this recap host Bluefield University had not reported the results of individual matchups between Montreat and West Virginia Tech**
The pair of wins marked the initial coaching victories of head coach Jim Connaghan’s career. “Today was a great step in the right direction- the guys looked great,” said Connaghan. “They came out to compete and the energy was right where it needed to be. We had a couple guys wrestle up a weight class to secure the wins. Back to work tomorrow!”
Men’s wrestling now travels to St. Andrews … story at … Montreatcavaliers.com/Mens-wrestling-tallies-first-wins-conference-triumphs-in-historic-fashion

And …

Trotter Collects AAC Wrestler of the Week Honors
WALESKA, Ga.— Following a week that saw the Montreat men’s wrestling team tally its first two wins of the 2023-24 season, Grant Trotter was named the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) Wrestler of the Week, as announced by the league office Monday afternoon. The weekly honor marked the first in his career and the first such award for the Cavaliers this season.  
Trotter made his season debut this past week after returning from an injury that kept him out during the fall semester. Montreat went 2-1 on the week in AAC action, but Trotter’s individual record was unblemished. Though the Cavaliers fell against Truett McConnell on Wednesday, Trotter picked up a 12-2 major decision victory. He then went on to pin his first opponent Friday night in just 27 seconds as the Cavs collected their first win of the year, a 46-4 tilt over Bluefield. … story at … Montreatcavaliers.com/Trotter-collects-aac-wrestler-of-the-week-honors

And …

UNC’s Lachlan McNeil Tabbed ACC Wrestler of the Week
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – North Carolina’s Lachlan McNeil was named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week following his performances last week between Jan. 8-14.  
Over three dual matches for the Tar Heels, McNeil went 3-0 at 141 pounds, with all three victories coming by way of a major decision.  
McNeil started his week with a 15-3 major decision win over No. 12 CJ Composto of Penn, giving the redshirt sophomore his ninth win over a nationally-ranked opponent this season.  
On Saturday, in a tri-meet at home with Brown and Harvard, McNeil was dominant on the mat with a 17-3 major decision win over Ian Oswalt of Brown and a 17-4 major decision victory over Jaden Pepe of Harvard. … story at … ACC.com/news/Uncs-lachlan-mcneil-tabbed-acc-wrestler-of-the-week

And …

Piccirilli Named Conference Carolinas Wrestler Of The Week
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Junior and seventh-ranked 149 pounder Jake Piccirilli continued his impressive season, earning Conference Carolinas Wrestler of the Week honors, the league announced Tuesday afternoon. Piccirilli turned in a 3-0 mark at the UNCP quad meet last weekend, while also racking up three pins. The Woodstock, Ga. native tallied a second-period pin against Allen, and followed it up with first-period pins over Coker and Davis & Elkins. Piccirilli currently sits at 19-1 on the season, and is a perfect 5-0 in Conference Carolinas dual action. … story at … UNCPbraves.com/Piccirilli-named-conference-carolinas-wrestler-of-the-week

And …

Gardner-Webb Takes Down Duke 23-15
Runnin’ Bulldogs takes six wins on their way to a win over the Blue Devils
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb University wrestling squad defeated the Blue Devils of Duke University on Tuesday evening inside Paul Porter Arena by a final team score of 23-15.  
Six Runnin’ Bulldogs earned wins over their Duke opponents with Drew West earning a victory by fall against Duke’s Logan Agin to start the match in the 125-weight class. This was a theme in the match as Gardner-Webb earned an early team score lead and did not trail during the match. Other ‘Dawgs with strong performances down the stretch included Tyson Lane, Todd Carter, Zach Price, Jha’Quan Anderson, and Josh McCutchen. Anderson continued his strong 2023-2024 season now with 17 victories on the season. … story at … GWUsports.com/Gardner-webb-takes-down-duke-23-15

And …

Jackson Arrington Thriving Amid ‘Sophomore Jump’ For NC State Wrestling
After a last-second loss in the Round of 12 at last year’s NCAA Championships, NC State sophomore Jackson Arrington has come back stronger as a sophomore
When inserted into a starting lineup from Day 1, true freshmen often make a splash in collegiate wrestling as the intrigue of an unknown and unproven wrestler on this stage catches a lot of attention. The focus soon shifts to the “sophomore jump” they hopefully will take going into Year 2. One NC State wrestler who has seen that jump midway through his second season in the lineup is Jackson Arrington, the Pack’s 149-pound starter.
As a true freshman last season, Arrington went 23-9, facing 13 ranked foes. An NCAA qualifier, Arrington was an ACC finalist in his first campaign. “I was ready to compete last year,” Arrington said. “If the coaches wanted me to redshirt, I would have done that, but the coaches said I was the guy for 149. I was really happy to do it. “Last year I learned the most during that season than I probably did my entire time wrestling. You come in from high school, you are ready and excited. But you learn so much just from being in the room with All-Americans and all these ranked teammates. I grew a lot last year.” While Arrington was pleased with his first season, the way the season ended was bittersweet. He scored a first-round win then fell to eventual national champion Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell. Battling back in the consolation bracket, Arrington picked up two more victories to reach the blood round. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Jackson-arrington-thriving-amid-sophomore-jump-for-nc-state-wrestling

And …

Rob Tate Steps Down as Queens Head Wrestling Coach
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Rob Tate has stepped down as Queens University of Charlotte head wrestling coach, Queens Director of Athletics Cherie Swarthout announced.
“I want to thank Rob for his time at Queens as both an assistant and head coach of our wrestling program,” Swarthout stated.
Tate has led the Royals since the Spring of 2018 when he was promoted from assistant coach to head coach. In his first full season at the helm, he led the Queens wrestling program into its inaugural Division II season while competing in the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas, a joint conference between men’s wrestling programs in the South Atlantic Conference and Conference Carolinas. During the 2018-19 campaign, the Royals won their first Division II dual meet in program history, while Melvin Rubio became the first Queens wrestler to advance to and record a win at the NCAA DII Championships.  
During the 2020-21 season, Tate helped develop Noah Curreri as he became the program’s first NCAA All-American, finishing eighth in the 174-pound weight class bracket. Curreri went on to graduate with the most wins in program history, notching over 100 in his career. The Royals sent a program-record three wrestlers to the NCAA Championships during the 2021-22 season.  
The Royals competed as a club team in 2017 with Tate at the helm, picking up wins over Clemson, East Carolina, and South Carolina’s club teams. In addition, 10 wrestlers qualified for competition at the NCWA National Wrestling Championships … story at … Queensathletics.com/Rob-tate-steps-down-as-queens-head-wrestling-coach

And …

Harvard Wrestling Brings Home a Win vs. Tar Heels, 20-15
The Crimson win vs. the North Carolina Tar Heels in its third dual match of the season
CHAPEL HILL, NC –– Harvard wrestling continued its road trip in North Carolina as they faced the UNC Tar Heels. The Crimson took home the victory with big wins from top to bottom, including a huge upset win for Senior 184-pound wrestler Leo Tarantino against No. 19 Gavin Kane. Crimson won, 20-15.
HOW IT HAPPENED

  • No. 29 junior 125-pound wrestler Diego Sotelo continued his impressive road trip with a win over Marco Tocci, 9-3.
  • Sophomore 149-pound wrestler Jack Crook took home a win with two takedowns early in the first period, holding on to the victory 6-4.
  • Tarantino had the upset of the afternoon, beating No. 19 Kane in an overtime battle. He made a quick move and earned the takedown ending the match. 
  • Sophomore 157-pound wrestler Joseph Cangro improved to 2-1 on the road trip with a 7-1 victory over Sonny Santiago. 
  • No. 31 Senior 165-pound wrestler Joshua Kim secured the victory, winning by major decision against Isaias Estrada.
  • No. 11 Senior 174-pound wrestler Philip Conigliaro finished this road trip going 3-0, winning today vs. Tyler Eischens by major decision, 16-7. … story at … GOcrimson.com/Wrestling-brings-home-a-win-vs-tar-heels-20-15



 

January 20, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College Women’s Wrestling News & Notes

Henlee Haynes Grabs NWCA Region 2 Wrestler of the Month Honors
CLINTON, S.C. – One of the brightest shining stars on a roster full of soon-to-be premier players on a national stage, true freshman Henlee Haynes of the Presbyterian College women’s wrestling team was chosen as the NWCA Region 2 Wrestler of the Month over the December period. Announced on Tuesday afternoon by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, Haynes’ selection is one of only six regional winners across the country. For head coach Brian Vutianitis‘ club, the accolade goes down as another first for a program that continues to display elite consistency.  Jumping right into the 170-pound class as a collegiate rookie for a Blue Hose squad that finished in ninth-place nationwide last spring and who currently owns a # 11 ranking from the NWCA, Haynes immediately proved her starting status by gaining a silver medal at the Princeton Open back in November and has segued that into a 15-8 mark thus far.
All three of PC’s tournament appearances have ended with Haynes taking either a 1st or 2nd place trophy, including a 4-0 sprint to the Wasp Open title last month that transitioned smoothly into a runner-up spot for the newbie at the famed Midlands Championships in Chicago. … story at … GObluehose.com/Womens-wrestling-henlee-haynes-grabs-nwca-region-2-wrestler-of-the-month-honors

And …

This Week in Women’s Collegiate Wrestling (1/9/2024)
Key Takeaways from NWCA National Duals
National Duals over the weekend were filled with nonstop exciting wrestling moments for fans of both NAIA and NCAA schools. Teams brought strong lineups to compete for a coveted team title, and these wrestlers showed out. Here are some big moments from the weekend across the two competitions.
NAIA
1. Life Reclaims Top Spot
The #1 Life University Running Eagles went on a run to claim the team title at the tournament winning over #2 Menlo in the finals. This dual had several exciting ranked matchups, including an upset at 101 lbs when Menlo’s #10 Kayla McKinley-Johnson took out #4 Devyn Gomez in a 4-1 decision. Life had a quick response at 109 lbs when Diana Gonzalez got a quick pin to cap off her impressive tournament showing. Fans also saw Menlo’s #11 at 123 lbs Ajayzee Zaballos, move down a weight for this dual and win a slow-starting match with three second-period takedowns to win against #6 Ariana Martinez at 116 lbs. A pin from Menlo’s #8 Alana Vivas at 123 lbs had the two teams tied after the first 5 bouts.
However, at 130 lbs, #2 Sarah Savidge continued her impressive tournament with a first-period pin. From there, the three McBryde sisters all earned impressive wins to lock up the dual for the Running Eagles. Not to be dismayed, Menlo ended their day with two ranked wins in the final two matches including freshman #3 Kalila Shrive getting the tech against #4 Margaret Graham and #1 Tavia Heidelberg-Tillotson getting the win over #6 Madeline Welch. Throughout the day, we saw big matches at 101 lbs … story at … Intermatwrestle.com/This-week-in-womens-collegiate-wrestling

And ….

#3 Tornado take down #11 Presbyterian
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The #3 King University women’s wrestling team snapped a two-match losing streak Saturday, winning six bouts en route to a 28-20 victory over #11 Presbyterian College.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: #3 King 28, #20 Presbyterian 20
LOCATION: Student Center Complex; Bristol, Tenn.
RECORDS: King 7-2; Presbyterian 7-4
HOW IT HAPPENED

And …

Women’s Weekly: The End Of An Era
This season is the end of an era for women’s college wrestling while an exciting new one begins
Women’s college wrestling reached an intersection in 2020. Three separate national championships were scheduled with NCAA and NAIA programs hosting tournaments for the first time in the same year.  The Women’s College Wrestling Association (WCWA) had done its job, and by 2020 it had reached its final leg before passing the baton. This organization was created in 2008 to provide women an opportunity to compete, and it included all divisions with an end-of-the-year tournament that was considered the college national championships. 
An unaffiliated women’s college national championship was held from 2004-07 before the WCWA was formed.  The NAIA Invitational Tournament was held in 2019, canceled in 2020 due to COVID-19, and resumed in 2021. The 2023 NAIA Championships were the first officially sanctioned women’s collegiate national championship ever. 
The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships (NCWWC) — a de facto NCAA Championship — includes all NCAA programs (D1, D2, and D3) with the first national championship held in 2020. NCAA women’s wrestling is currently an emerging sport with four Division I programs (Iowa, Lindenwood, Presbyterian, and Sacred Heart).  This season marks the end of an era for women’s college wrestling. Several top stars who competed in the WCWA/NAIA/NCAA crossover have exhausted all five years of their eligibility after using COVID years during the 2023-24 campaign. 
Some have stayed where they started while others have transferred. Eight national champions are in the homestretch of their college careers and all eight will determine what team wins the NCWWCs in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, on March 8-9. McKendree coach Sam Schmitz led his team to the first three NCWWC championships (2020-22) before a one-year stint with Central Methodist. Several of those wrestlers are still competing for various teams.  The following graphs outline the changes in women’s college wrestling. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Womens-weekly-the-end-of-an-era

And …

Who Will Win The 2024 USAW Women’s College Wrestler Of The Year?
Find out what wrestlers are in the lead for the 2024 USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year
The second annual USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year will be awarded after the season, but several wrestlers have separated themselves at the halfway point. Women’s college varsity wrestlers from all of the recognized college organizations are eligible, including NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA/junior college programs.  Below are the front runners and contenders for this year’s award. Remember, this is the list as of January. Wrestlers can move in and out based on results throughout the season. 
Front Runners
Aduago Nwachuckwu, William Penn, NAIA, Junior, 136 pounds
Nwachukwu started the season at 143 pounds and made her way down to 136 where she will stay for the remainder of the season. The William Penn star could win at either weight, though, and is currently ranked first in the FloWrestling pound-for-pound rankings after reaching Final X in 2023.  The San Jose, California, native was a finalist for this award last year and is the favorite to win her third NAIA title. She is perfect on the season against college competition following a bizarre off-season where her previous school shut down. Nwachukwu won a pair of titles for Iowa Wesleyan before transferring to William Penn when her coaches, Jake Kadel and Cash Wilcke, accepted roles on staff.  An 11-7 win over returning NCWWC finalist Yele Aycock at the All-Star Classic was Nwachukwu’s best win of the season as she entered the homestretch of her junior year. Domination is the name of the game for Nwachukwu if she wants to win this prestigious award. Her entertaining style makes her a fan favorite every time she walks to the mat. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Who-will-win-the-2024-usaw-womens-college-wrestler-of-the-year

January 20, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Big 10 Wrestling News

No. 14 Wrestling Collects 26-13 Road Win at Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – No. 14 Rutgers wrestling (9-1, 2-0) moved to 2-0 in the Big Ten Conference after its 26-13 win at Purdue (5-4, 0-1) on Sunday in West Lafayette, Indiana. The Scarlet Knights picked up six wins over the Boilermakers, which included a fall from No. 27 Jackson Turley (174) and tech falls from No. 7 John Poznanski (197) and No. 8 Dylan Shawver (133).
With the win, RU has started each of the past two seasons with 9-1 records, as Rutgers now owns two conference wins and three over foes receiving votes in the NWCA Coaches Poll – No. 21 Indiana, RV Cal Poly and RV Penn.
The dual began with an non-traditional start at heavyweight, as No. 7 Yaraslau Slavikouski worked a 14-2 major decision to give Rutgers a 4-0 lead out of the gate. No. 13 Dean Peterson (125) followed with his highly-anticipated matchup against No. 2 Matt Ramos, holding last year’s national runner up to a 4-1 loss.
Shawver was up next against Jacob Macatangay and collected bonus with a 20-5 tech fall. It was Shawver’s second tech of the weekend, giving the Scarlet Knights a 9-3 lead through three bout.
Devon Britton (141) wrestled up a weight in his 4-1 loss to Greyson Clark before Michael Cetta (149) collected a 5-0 decision to help Rutgers to a 12-6 lead at intermission. … story at … Scarletknights.com/No-14-wrestling-collects-26-13-road-win-at-purdue

And …

Nittany Lion Wrestling Shuts Out Indiana 46-0 in B1G Dual Opener
Four freshmen grab wins, Lions tally five tech falls in home shutout
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (4-0, 1-0 B1G) opened up Big Ten dual meet action by shutting out Indiana (3-2, 0-2 B1G) 46-0 on Sunday in Rec Hall. Four Nittany Lion freshmen picked up wins for head coach Cael Sanderson‘s squad. All rankings listed are InterMat/InterMat TPI.  
The Nittany Lions broke the dual open early with three technical falls before halftime and tacked on two more in the second half as five of Penn State’s ten wins were techs. Nearly 6,500 fans packed Rec Hall for the venue’s 69th-straight sellout.
The dual meet began at 125 where true freshman Braeden Davis thrilled the Rec Hall to open up the dual. Davis rolled to a 16-3 major over Indiana senior Michael Spangler. Sophomore Aaron Nagao, ranked No. 4 at 133, dominated Hoosier Isaac Thornton, notching a quick takedown in the third period to cap off a 19-4 tech fall (5:24) and put Penn State up 9-0 early. Senior Beau Bartlett, ranked No. 2 at 141, turned a 1-1 third period tie into an 8-1 win with a late takedown and four back points as the clock expired.
True freshman Tyler Kasak took to the mat at 149 against No. 14 Graham Rooks and dominated the ranked Hoosier. Kasak led 14-0 after two periods, using two takedowns and two four-point turns. He finished off a 15-0 tech fall over Rooks at the 6:59 mark with a last second escape. Sophomore Levi Haines, ranked No. 1 at 157, … story at … GOpsusports.com/Nittany-lion-wrestling-shuts-out-indiana-46-0-in-b1g-dual-opener

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Golden Gophers Handed First Dual Loss at No. 3 Iowa
MINNEAPOLIS – No. 10 Minnesota (5-1, 0-1 B1G) took its first dual loss of the season Monday night at No. 3 Iowa (7-0, 2-0) in a 22-9 setback in its Big Ten opener. The Golden Gophers won three of the 10 matches in the most-played rivalry in team history, which now stands at 108 all-time meetings. Monday night featured six ranked matchups, including four top-20 contests, and the Hawkeyes prevailed in five of them. Only one match on the night was decided by bonus points.
After an 8-5 loss for No. 18 Patrick McKee to No. 5 Drake Ayala at 125 pounds to start the evening, Minnesota got on the board and evened the match at 3-3 when No. 29 Tyler Wells topped Kale Petersen at 133 pounds, 6-3. Wells got a first-period takedown and led 3-2 going to the third. He got another takedown in the third to improve to 8-2 on the season and 2-1 in duals. … story at … GOphersports.com/Golden-gophers-handed-first-dual-loss-at-no-3-iowa

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The Engine Behind Michigan Football is a Running Back that Runs Like a Wrestler
Blake Corum kind of runs like a wrestler. By that, I mean he leads with his face. 
When Michigan beat Penn State 24-15 in November, Corum ran for 145 yards and two touchdowns. He left the field with blood dripping down his cheeks because of a cut between his eyes.
When Michigan beat Ohio State 30-24 two weeks later, Corum ran for 88 yards and two more touchdowns. He wasn’t stopped for a loss on any of his 22 carries that day, and 56 of his 88 yards — about 64% — came after contact.
And when Michigan beat mighty Alabama, Corum recorded 118 total yards, 83 rushing and 35 receiving, and two touchdowns in a 27-20 overtime win. He converted a big fourth down on the scoring drive that forced OT, then scored on the second play of OT to lift Michigan into the national championship game. With the national championship on the line, Corum totaled 134 rushing yards on 21 carries and a pair of touchdowns. For his efforts, he was named the game’s Offensive MVP.  Why, you might be asking, am I writing about Blake Corum, Michigan’s All-American running back, on a wrestling website?
Is it because Corum, in a past life, was a standout wrestler? That’s part of it. He won a Virginia youth state title in middle school. As a sophomore at Saint Vincent Pallotti, he took fourth at the Maryland state tournament at 182 pounds. But then he transferred to St. Frances Academy in Baltimore and became a blue-chip running back recruit. Is it because I lost a bet to Kevin Claunch, the smart, witty, good-looking, award-winning podcaster who also contributes award-winning coverage to this award-winning website? I can neither confirm nor deny, but, hey, here we are.
Is it because I felt like I needed to make that connection to continue writing about Blake Corum and Michigan and football and wrestling? Absolutely. Corum, much like our buddy Claunch (a Central Michigan diehard at heart, but we’re keeping things Maize and Blue here for the sake of the alleged bet), carries all the same traits and characteristics as our favorite wrestlers. He’s confident. He’s direct. He’s likable. He admits faults, relishes triumphs, and gives credit where and when it’s due. Corum measures up at 5-foot-8 and 213 pounds, putting him on the small side for running backs, but he makes up for it by playing big. Roughly half of his total rushing yards this season (approximately 600 out of 1,245) have come after contact. He didn’t lose a single fumble this year. He led the nation with 27 rushing touchdowns this season. … story at … Intermatwrestle.com/The-engine-behind-michigan-football-is-a-running-back-that-runs-like-a-wrestler


January 19, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Virginia Duals Results & News

Wisconsin pins Virginia, 27-13
Zargo and Liegel lead Badgers with wins by fall
HAMPTON, Va. — Led by pins from Joseph Zargo and Shane Liegel, No. 17 Wisconsin knocked off Virginia on Saturday 27-13 at the 2024 Virginia Duals. The victory gave the Badgers an undefeated record at the dual-match tournament held at the Hampton Coliseum in Hampton, Virginia after UW defeated No. 21 Oklahoma 22-16 on Friday, Jan. 12. Wisconsin also improved to 6-1 overall as the team prepares for the Big Ten dual season starting next week.
The Badgers won six of 10 bouts against the Cavaliers, including four bonus-point victories. Eric Barnett earned his second major decision of the weekend with a 11-1 win against Kyle Montaperto to open the dual match. Barnett scored two takedowns, a reversal and a two-point nearfall in the victory. Nicolar Rivera fought his way through to a 10-7 decision against Gable Porter. Rivera scored three takedowns and fended off a late rally in the closing seconds to clinch the victory. Zargo was well on his way to a tech fall after scoring five takedowns and leading UVA’s Luke Roberts 16-3 in the third period. The Badger scored his last takedown and then caught his opponent in a turn for the pin at 5:33 to huge cheers from his teammates. … story at … UWbadgers.com/Wisconsin-pins-virginia-27-13

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Alvernia Golden Wolves Secure Virginia Duals Team Title
Hampton, Va (January 13, 2024)  – Alvernia University defeated Reinhardt University and Elizabethtown College en route to the team title Saturday night at the Virginia Duals at the Hampton Coliseum.  Alvernia took on Reinhardt University in the semifinal match and downed the Eagles, 25-18 to advance to the finals. The Golden Wolves then faced off against Elizabethtown to decide the Virginia Duals Team Champion. The Golden Wolves took down the Blue Jays by a score of 23-13 to secure the team title. 
How it Happened

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Poquoson wrestles to Black & Blue Division championship at Virginia Duals; Great Bridge is runner-up in top bracket
Poquoson, whose wrestling community initiated the Virginia Duals more than four decades ago, earned a bracket championship to celebrate in the event’s 43rd annual edition. The Islanders defeated two opponents Friday and two more Saturday for the Black & Blue Division title, culminating in a 48-24 victory Saturday night over Mills Godwin that showcased the Islanders’ talent at the lighter weights.
Great Bridge, considered Hampton Roads’ best team, reached the championship match of the elite TowneBank American High School Division but lost 34-30 to West Deptford of New Jersey. Nevertheless, Wildcats 138-pounder Myrin Nixon was named the top bracket’s outstanding wrestler. 
Poquoson 106-pounder Kam Harrell’s 4-2 overtime victory got the Islanders off and running, and they won the first 10 bouts to put Mills Godwin in a hopeless position. Logan Keese (113), James Withrow (120), Jared Goodson (126), James Ruehl (132), Keegan Webb (138), Bryan Latta (144), Reed Booth (150), Christian Leonard (157) and Christian Stowers (165) all won to give Poquoson a 48-0 lead. The Richmond-area Eagles halved the deficit with three pins and a forfeit after that, but the title had been decided.
In the semifinals earlier Saturday, Poquoson overcame Turner Ashby 38-30. Turner Ashby’s Knights, from the Harrisonburg area, decisively beat two of Poquoson’s fellow Bay Rivers District members — Smithfield and Grafton — Friday to gain a shot at the Islanders. But just as they would later Saturday, Poquoson dominated at the lighter weights, moving ahead 38-3 to clinch the victory. … story at … Pilotonline.com/Great-bridge-poquoson-wrestle-their-way-to-berths-in-saturday-nights-virginia-duals-finals

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King wins twice, takes 5th at Virginia Duals
HAMPTON, Va. – The King University men’s wrestling team placed 5th at the Virginia Duals Saturday, taking home a pair of wins. King started with a win over Belmont Abbey College before beating Liberty University in the 5th-place match.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 37, Belmont Abbey 10; King 29, Liberty 18
LOCATION: Hampton Coliseum; Hampton, Va.
RECORDS: King 4-4; Belmont Abbey 5-5; Liberty 0-0 … story at … Kingtornado.com/King-wins-twice-takes-5th-at-virginia-duals

Averett Wrestling places third in Virginia Duals
HAMPTON, Va. — Averett University wrestling lost to Elizabethtown College in the semifinals 26-10 and defeated Reinhardt University 21-17 to place third in the Virginia Duals on Saturday evening. The dual came down to the last two weight classes, 197 pounds and 285. Senior Jamar Christian remains undefeated on the season. He started off the day with a 12-2 major decision against Gavin Wagner. He tied up the score against Reinhardt 17-17 after defeating John Lovett in a 10-4 decision in the 197-pound weight class. Senior heavyweight Trent Ragland came in clutch for the second time in the competition, defeating Gavin Harper by an 11-1 major decision to clinch the win.
Junior Mason Barrett defeated Ethan Liptzin in a 4-0 decision and in the third-place match, he got a 16-0 technical fall against William Bishop at 125 pounds. At 149 pounds, freshman Carter Shupert had a decision win against Shane Strausser. … story at … Averettcougars.com/Wrestling-places-third-in-virginia-duals-on-saturday-evening

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Frostburg State Men’s Wrestling Places 9th at Virginia Duals
Hampton, Va. – The Frostburg State men’s wrestling team competed in the Virginia Duals over the past two days, picking up three team wins at the duals and scoring 119 total points.
On day one the Bobcatsm opened up against Division I Liberty. The opening match went to the Flames in a close decision 6-4 before the first of three weight class wins for FSU went to junior Thierno Diallo with an 18-0 tech fall. Freshman Gage Heilbrun earned a 5-1 decision in the 149 matchup to help the Bobcats keep pace with the Flames. Liberty would take control of the dual, taking the next five weights, though FSU ended on a strong note with freshman Gabriel Elfky getting a tech fall by a score of 18-3. The Flames would end up taking the opening round by a score of 28-13.  The second dual of day one would come against St. Andrews University, where in a dominant effort, eight of the weight classes went FSU’s way en route to a 47-11 victory. … story at … Frostburgsports.com/Wrestling-places-9th-at-virginia-duals

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Apprentice Wrestling Finishes 10th at Virginia Duals
HAMPTON – The Apprentice School wrestling team finished in 10th place at the Virginia Duals in the American College Division Saturday afternoon, going 2-2 on the weekend. Both Builder losses were by a combined 11 points. Apprentice started the tournament off with a 23-16 loss to Belmont Abbey in the opening round, pushing the Builders to the left side of the bracket. A swift 59-0 win over Rowan finished off Friday’s action. On Saturday, Apprentice was back in action and secured a 30-19 win over Penn College of Technology … story at … GObuilders.com/Wrestling-finishes-10th-at-virginia-duals

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Hopkins Wins Twice on Day Two of Virginia Duals
Blue Jays Top St. Andrews, Camden County – Norris Closes on School Record
HAMPTON, VA – The Johns Hopkins wrestling team picked up a pair of wins on day two of the 43rd annual Virginia Duals on Saturday as the Blue Jays topped St. Andrews (35-23) and Camden County College (47-12); with the two wins, the shorthanded Blue Jays finished 13th in the 16-team field.
Blue Jays Rally Past St. Andrews
Johns Hopkins found itself in an 18-5 hole in its opening match of the day against St. Andrews as the Knights used a pair of wins by forfeit and a pin in the first four bouts to grab the early 13-point lead.  
The Blue Jays, who had gotten a Dhilan Patel technical fall victory at 133 to account for their lone win between 125 and 149, jump-started their rally with a third-period Connor Powell pin at 157 (5:38) and added additional pins from Jake Hoffmann at 165 (4:27) and Noah Graber at 174 (5:52)to grab a 23-18 lead.
After Dakota Johnson pulled St. Andrews even with a technical fall of his own at 184, the Blue Jays closed out the win with a Jack Dunn forfeit victory at 197 and a second-period pin from sophomore Jacob Pomykata at 285 (3:52) to account for the 35-23 final score.
Hopkins Eases Past Camden County
In its final match of the weekend, the Blue Jays eased past Camden County, 47-12, to move their dual-meet record to 2-3 on the year.  Hopkins won all five contested bouts to fuel the victory and lost only by forfeit at 125 and 149.
All five contested wins earned bonus points for the Blue Jays as Patel (133), … story at … Hopkinssports.com/Hopkins-wins-twice-on-day-two-of-virginia-duals

January 18, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

UNC-Pembroke Wrestling Takes Three, Dominates Quad Meet

By: Alex Pearce, Assistant Athletic Communications Director

Story Links

PEMBROKE – The UNC Pembroke wrestling team won all but three bouts during Saturday’s quad meet, racking up Conference Carolinas wins over Allen and Coker, as well as a non-conference win over Davis & Elkins to round out the action on Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court.
15 different Braves recorded victories, with four going a perfect 3-0 on the day. 
The Black & Gold will return to the mat Sunday, January 28 as they travel to take part in the Newberry Open. Wrestling action is set to begin at 8 a.m. inside Eleazer Arena.

#9 UNCP vs. ALLEN (W 59-0)

The Braves racked up eight pins, a tech. fall, and an injury default to make quick work of the Yellow Jackets.

#9 UNCP VS. COKER (W 35-12)

Coker jumped out to a 6-0 lead after the first two bouts, but UNCP responded with seven straight wins to put the match out of reach. Jake Piccirilli, Caleb Grau, and Scott Joll all recorded first-period pins for the Black & Gold. … story at … UNCPbraves.com/Wrestling-takes-three-dominates-quad-meet

January 18, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Campbell Camels go 3-0, win Chippewa Challenge

BAKERSFIELD, Calif. – The Fighting Camels turned in two dominant performances and a close victory to go 3-0 and win the Chippewa Challenge Sunday night at the Icardo Center. Campbell began the event with a 26-9 win over American. Anthony Molton at 125 pounds defeated #16 Jack Maida with a tech fall in 5:59 to begin the event. Molton would finish the event with three victories.
The Camels next faced Central Michigan. After the first eight matches, the Chippewas held a 14-13 advantage with two majors and two decisions over Campbell. Levi Hopkins put Campbell back ahead with a 5-0 victory over Cameron Wood. Taye Ghadiali secured the team win by way of a 13-4 major over Bryan Caves. Domenic Zaccone added a major decision of his own, 19-9 over Vincent Perez.
Campbell closed out the night with a dominant 39-3 victory over CSU Bakersfield. Wynton Denkins and L. Hopkins (his sixth) each recorded pins. Zaccone, Chris Earnest, and Ghadiali each added tech falls. The result for Ghadiali was his ninth tech fall victory of the season. Molton, Hagen Heistand, Riley Augustine, and Conor Maslanek added their own wins by decision to reach the final tally.
Next Up
The Fighting Camels (6-3) begin SoCon play with a matchup against Davidson (1-8) next Sunday, Jan. 21. The action is set to begin at 6:00 PM at John M. Belk Arena.
Chippewa Challenge results
Individual Rankings according to Intermat
Campbell 26, American 9
125: Anthony Molton (CAM) def. #16 Jack Maida (AU), TF 5:59 (25-7)
133: Maximilian Leete (AU) def. #20 Domenic Zaccone (CAM), Dec. 11-6
141: Wynton Denkins (CAM) def. Raymond Lopez (AU), 13-11
149: Hagen Heistand (CAM) def. Jack Nies (AU), Dec. 4-2
157: Chris Earnest (CAM) def. Kaden Milheim (AU), Dec. 5-0
165: #33 Dom Baker (CAM) def. Ryan Zimmerman (AU), MD 13-4
174: Lucas White (AU) def. Riley Augustine (CAM), Dec. 8-2
184: Caleb Hopkins (CAM) def. Connor Bourne (AU), Dec. 4-3
197: #20 Levi Hopkins (CAM) def. Liam Volk-Klos (AU), TF 7:00 (18-3)
HWT: William Jarrell (AU) def. #8 Taye Ghadiali (CAM), Dec. 7-1

Campbell 20, Central Michigan 14
125: Anthony Molton (CAM) def. Sean Spidle (CMU), TB-1, 3-1
133: #20 Domenic Zaccone (CAM) def. Vincent Perez (CMU), MD 19-9 … story at … GOcamels.com/Camels-go-3-0-win-chippewa-challenge

January 18, 2024 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

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