Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

2025 NWCA All-Star Classic Match Lineup

The full list of matchups for the 2025 NWCA All-Star Wrestling Classic on November 1st.
The 2025 NWCA All-Star Classic will take place on Saturday, November 1st, in Jersey Mike’s Arena on the campus of Rutgers University.

This event can be viewed only on FloWrestling and will feature 10 highly ranked Division 1 folkstyle matchups, along with four cross-divisional women’s freestyle matches and one D2 vs D3 men’s match.

Nov 1, 7:00 PM EDT

2025 NWCA All-Star Classic

2025 NWCA All-Star Classic Men’s Matchups

125: #4 Eddie Ventresca, Virginia Tech vs #5 Sheldon Seymour, Lehigh

133: #1 Lucas Byrd, Illinois vs #7 Dylan Shawver, Rutgers

141: #1 Jesse Mendez, Ohio State vs #7 Anthony Echemendia, Iowa State

149: #3 Lachlan McNeil, Michigan vs #5 Casey Swiderski, Oklahoma State … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14593577-2025-nwca-all-star-classic-match-lineup

October 9, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

McNeil, Ghadiali Invited to Compete in Annual NWCA All-Star Classic

By: Leah Howard
AUSTIN, Texas — Graduate students Lachlan McNeil and Taye Ghadiali of the University of Michigan wrestling team have been selected to participate in the National Wrestling Coaches Association’s 57th All-Star Classic. The event is slated for Sunday, Nov. 1, at Rutgers’ Jersey Mike’s Arena.
The NWCA All-Star Classic will feature 10 highly-ranked Division I folkstyle matchups, along with four cross-divisional women’s freestyle matches and one Division II vs. Division III men’s match.
McNeil, ranked No. 3 at 149 pounds by FloWrestling, is scheduled to face Oklahoma State’s No. 5 Casey Swiderski. A three-time All-American at North Carolina, McNeil joined the Wolverines after taking fifth place at 149 pounds last season in Philadelphia. He compiled an 83-24 record over his four years at UNC, including a 25-7 mark last year.
Ghadiali, the nation’s No. 4-ranked heavyweight, will face Iowa State’s No. 3 Yonger Bastida. The 2024 SoCon Wrestler of the Year, Ghadiali took eighth place at the 2024 NCAA Championships and was a three-time SoCon champion for Campbell. He posted a 102-28 record over his tenure at Campbell, including a stellar 36-6 mark in 2023-24, and boasted 62 bonus wins with 29 falls. He earned an 8-3 All-Star Classic win over Ohio State’s Nick Feldman last fall before suffering a season-ending injury in early January. … more at … https://mgoblue.com/news/2025/10/6/wrestling-mcneil-ghadiali-invited-to-compete-in-annual-nwca-all-star-classic

October 9, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Lanham Announces 2025-26 Duke Wrestling Schedule

DURHAM, N.C. —Duke wrestling head coach Glen Lanham announced the 2025-26 schedule Monday, which includes six home dates. 
The Blue Devils are slated to open the 2025-26 schedule at home in Cameron Indoor Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 1, at 11 a.m., against Sacred Heart. 
Duke hits the road for WrangleMania and the Journeymen College Classic Nov. 8-9 in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania.  The Blue Devils then face VMI and Mercyhurst Nov. 22 in Lexington, Virginia, and Gardner-Webb in Boiling Springs Dec. 3. 
The Blue Devils welcome Appalachian State to Cameron Dec. 17 and then hit the road for four dates.  Duke will compete in the Quad at OU Dec. 21 against Oklahoma, Southern Illinois and Long Island, see action in the Southern Scuffle Jan. 3-4 and opens ACC action at Stanford Jan. 9.  Duke closes the West Coast trip at Cal Poly Jan. 10. 
Duke hosts Pittsburgh (Jan. 18) and Virginia (Jan. 30), before traveling down Tobacco Road to face North Carolina (Feb. 6) and then host NC State (Feb. 13).  The Blue Devils close their regular season action at Virginia Tech (Feb. 20) and by hosting Cornell (Feb. 22).  The Cornell match location is still being determined, as Duke is also hosting the NCAA Fencing Championship that weekend. 
Lanham enters his 13th year in Durham as the head coach … more at … https://goduke.com/news/2025/10/6/lanham-announces-2025-26-duke-wrestling-schedule

October 8, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Power joins Montreat men’s wrestling coaching staff

MONTREAT, N.C.— The Montreat College men’s wrestling program announced the addition of a full-time assistant coach this month, bolstering its staff ahead of the upcoming 2025-26 season. Jake Power assumes his new role as he and head coach Jim Connaghan get ready for a busy five-month-long men’s wrestling campaign. 
“We’re thrilled to welcome Jake Power to our coaching staff,” said head coach Jim Connaghan. “His knowledge, energy and dedication to developing Christ-centered student-athletes makes him a perfect fit for our program. I’m looking forward to seeing the impact he’ll have on our team, both on and off the mat.”  
A native of Lugoff, S.C., Power comes to Montreat with plenty of familiarity regarding the Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) and the Carolinas. From 2019-2025, Power served as a coach and administrator with Valhalla SOT, a wrestling club based in Columbia, S.C. During his six years with the organization, Power coached five South Carolina High School League (SCHSL) State Champions, as well as more than 25 SCHSL State Placers.
Prior to his coaching career, Power wrestled for a pair of current AAC institutions. From 2016-18, Power competed at 141 and 157 for the Spartanburg Methodist College Pioneers. Then, in 2018-19, Power wrestled for the Truett McConnell University Bears in the 149-lb weight class. … more at … https://montreatcavaliers.com/news/2025/10/6/mens-wrestling-power-joins-mens-wrestling-coaching-staff.aspx

October 8, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

UNC Pembroke Announces Schedule For 2025-26 Season

By: Alex Pearce, Assistant Athletic Communications Director

Story Links 2025-26 Schedule

PEMBROKE – Six home dates, as well as road trips to West Virginia, Ohio, and Indiana, highlight the 2025-26 UNC Pembroke wrestling schedule that was released Wednesday by head coach Othello “O.T.” Johnson. 
“This is another opportunity to add on to what 60-plus years of former Braves have built, this group of guys, especially the seniors, have had a very big hand in that and we are very excited to see what they are capable of achieving together as they prepare for their last ride together,” said head coach OT Johnson. “You think about a guy like Caleb Grau who started with the program as a teenager and is now a true adult, we can see his growth as a leader on the mat and in his life off the mat, along with Logan Robinson who also looks great from a leadership standpoint and in his own life, so we are excited for them and the rest of the guys in this senior class. We have some young guys who are ready to make an impact as well.”
Fans can get an early look at the team on Wednesday, October 22 at 6:30 p.m. when the Braves hit the mat for their annual Black & Gold intra-squad event. Admission to that event, as well as all home dual meets, is free.
The Braves will officially kick off the new season on November 1 when they travel to West Virginia to compete in the Glenville State Open.
The Black & Gold will lift the lid on its home portion of the schedule when they host the 44th Annual Pembroke Classic, which was renamed to the PJ Smith Pembroke Classic last season. Wrestling action is slated to begin at 9 a.m. Admission to the PJ Smith Pembroke Classic is $10 for the day. Students with a valid student ID are free. … more at … https://uncpbraves.com/news/2025/10/1/wrestling-announces-schedule-for-2025-26-season.aspx

October 8, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2025-26 Big Ten Schedule Released

ROSEMONT, Ill. – The Big Ten Conference announced the dates and opponents for the 2025-26 wrestling season on Monday. The schedule features eight conference duals for all 14 Big Ten programs and concludes with the 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships in March.  
Twelve programs the Big Ten season with a duals Jan. 9-11, with the two remaining programs starting Big Ten action Jan. 16-18. Reigning National and Big Ten Champion Penn State will begin the 2025-26 conference season at home against Rutgers. The final regular-season conference dual will take place on Sunday, Feb. 20, with Indiana playing host to Purdue. 
The 2026 Big Ten Wrestling Championships, hosted by Penn State, will take place over two days with the first-round, quarterfinal, semifinal and wrestleback matches taking place during Sessions I and II, consolation semifinals and seventh-place  … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/big-10/2025-26-big-ten-schedule-released-r100536/

October 4, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

National Duals Invitational Bracket Reveal Show Live On FloWrestling, 10/7

Watch the inaugural bracket reveal show for the 2025 National Duals Invitational Presented By Paycom Live on FloWrestling, Tuesday, October 7 at 7:00 pm ET.
On Tuesday, October 7, brackets for the inaugural National Duals Invitational Presented by Paycom will be released on Tuesday, October 7 during the National Duals Bracket Reveal Show that will be streamed live on FloWrestling at 7pm ET. The bracket reveal show will set the stage for an incredible early-season showdown between many of the nation’s top wrestling teams. The dual meet tournament will take place in Tulsa, Oklahoma at the BOK Center November 15-16.

How the Brackets Will Be Selected

The National Duals Invitational seeding committee will meet prior to the bracket reveal show to determine the tournament’s top four seeds. The other 12 teams will be randomly drawn into the bracket. The random draw, coupled with the event’s elite level of competition, ensures wrestling fans will see highly competitive dual meets from the first whistle until the last.
The 16 teams in this year’s National Duals Invitational were determined in April, when the 12 highest-finishing teams at the 2025 NCAA Championships were invited to compete in Tulsa. The remaining teams were randomly selected from a pool of teams that finished from 13th through 24th at the NCAA Championships.
Watch the National Duals Invitational Selection Show … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14588734-national-duals-invitational-bracket-reveal-show-live-on-flowrestling-107

October 4, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Gary Abbott Was The Right Person At The Right Time For USA Wrestling

ary Abbott leaves a lasting legacy after 37 years as USA Wrestling’s director of communications.
By this point, everyone has a Gary Abbott story. My favorite was at the 2019 World Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan.
Several members of the U.S. delegation experienced some sort of bug, and, halfway through the tournament, it got Gary. I saw him in the bathroom with a handful of paper towels when I asked what happened. He puked on press row and was about to clean up his mess. 
Gary vomited three times and never left the tournament. He powered through like a Jordan Burroughs double-leg takedown. 
I moved as far away from Gary as possible, hoping to avoid his fate. I held my breath if he was near. I used paper towels to open doors. I didn’t make eye contact. I tried everything. 
Well, it didn’t work. I got sick the next day and puked three times — just like Gary. 
Only I returned to the hotel to recover. Andy Hamilton, Trackwrestling’s content manager at the time (this was at the peak of the Track vs Flo wars), said Gary defeated me 3-3 on criteria since he kept working through the session, and I did not. 
There’s a strong chance we used “BarfingGary1” as a password for one of our Trackwrestling accounts when we returned home. 
This was quintessential Gary Abbott. Nothing would ever stand in the way of getting the job done — even if you have to sacrifice your health to make it happen. There’s a reason USA Wrestling’s executive director, Rich Bender, calls Abbott the hardest working man in wrestling, and Gary always proved it. 
Gary is calling it a career after 37 ½ years as USA Wrestling’s director of communications. He covered the Olympics, World Championships, NCAA Championships, youth tournaments, beach wrestling, and everything in between. 
His greatest legacy will be the advancement of women’s wrestling. There were times when Abbott was the lone voice for a sport that was working to find its place. 
Bender was an intern at USA Wrestling in 1988 when he was asked to make a presentation to the board of directors about sending a women’s team to the 1989 World Championships. The presentation must have worked since the first U.S. women’s World team competed the following year.
He credits Abbott for the presentation and for his groundbreaking women’s wrestling coverage.  “Few, if anyone, has had a bigger impact on the promotion of women’s wrestling than Gary Abbott,” Bender said. “He’s long been a bulldog on the idea of women having the same opportunities as men. Gary doesn’t jump to the front for credit, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14588959-gary-abbott-was-the-right-person-at-the-right-time-for-usa-wrestling

October 3, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

The Citadel Releases 2025-26 Wrestling Schedule

CHARLESTON, S.C. – The Citadel wrestling program officially announced the upcoming 2025-26 schedule Tuesday morning, slating the season opener for Sunday, Nov. 2 at the Southeast Open individual tournament with Southern Conference competition igniting on Sunday, Jan. 18 and the SoCon Championship set for early March.
“The 2025-2026 schedule will be a tough challenge for our team,” interim head coach Luke Welch said. “We have many guys back from the starting lineup and we will have new faces as well. The team will have an opportunity to wrestle some of the best teams in the country. Going on my sixth season here, this might be the toughest schedule the program has seen.”
Following the Southeast Open to open the 2025-26 campaign in early November, the Bulldogs return to the state of Virginia for a trio of head-to-head team matchups at the George Mason Duals on Saturday, Nov. 8. Just a week later, The Citadel serves as quasi-host for the second-ever Throwdown on the Yorktown on Saturday, Nov. 15, squaring off against both Air Force and Maryland in back-to-back duals on the flight deck of the USS Yorktown CV-10, a retired U.S. Navy aircraft carrier anchored in the Charleston Harbor just off the coast of Mount Pleasant, S.C.
The Bulldogs officially launch the home slate later in December, starting off with a dual against Michigan State on Sunday, Dec. 7 before hosting Truett McConnell on Thursday, Dec. 18. The non-conference schedule continues with the NC State Duals on Sunday, Dec. 21 with battles against both the host Wolfpack as well as fellow visitor Buffalo before making the annual trek to … more at … https://citadelsports.com/news/2025/9/29/the-citadel-releases-2025-26-wrestling-schedule.aspx

October 1, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Forged in the Trent-ches: Hidlay dug deep to win World gold


By Tristan Warner 
There was a moment mid-match when Trent Hidlay had to stop and say a quick prayer. He begged for a second chance.
With just a matter of seconds remaining in the first period, the score clock read 10-4 in favor of UWW athlete Amanula Gadzhimagomedov, as the match paused for a challenge from his opponent’s corner. If the challenge had been won, and the two-point exposure in question went in favor of Gadzhimagomedov instead of Hidlay, the match would have ended via tech fall. “It was chaotic, man,” Hidlay said just moments after a three-minute blur of a second frame that he couldn’t quite recall. “Just a couple seconds ago, I was a challenge away from losing. I said a quick prayer for one more chance. I asked for one more life and I’ll figure a way out.”
The blue-corner’s challenge was ultimately lost, and Hidlay went into the break trailing 10-5 in the 92-kg finals in men’s freestyle.
Having blasted his way through four opponents to get there, which included three tech falls and a 6-1 victory, the first-time Senior World Team member showed he does not know the meaning of the word quit. The former five-time All-American at NC State (2020-2024) blitzed his way back from an eight-point deficit, clawing his way to a remarkably gutsy 13-10 victory and subsequent World gold medal. “I don’t really remember anything that happened in the last four minutes,” Hidlay said. “It felt really terrible doing it but just never give up. You get one more chance to get back and you make the most of it. And you don’t quit until the clock says zero.”
In the final frame, Hidlay’s ferocious underhook and tireless pace wore down his fading opponent, as he scored two two-point double-leg takedowns and put an exclamation mark on his Zagreb experience with a four-point explosive double just before time expired.
For a guy who came so close to winning an NCAA title, twice reaching the finals in 2021 and 2024 but falling just shy of the coveted collegiate pinnacle, this World gold medal was just the vindication for which Hidlay had been longing. “I am just emotional. I am a World champion. This is everything I’ve ever dreamed of. In that fashion too … it was probably the most me thing I’ve ever done. I am just proud I figured a way out. I kept looking at the score wondering if I actually scored 13 points.
“I don’t know how it happened, but it happened. It was a wave of emotions. Everything I’ve ever put into this sport showed up in those six minutes. Nothing emulates my style and my career in a nutshell more than that, so it is kind of fitting that is the way it happened. “It is just satisfying to know your work is paying off. You put so much into it and are just waiting for the day it comes through.”
As Hidlay felt that burn in his chest in the final minute, still in search of the match-winning points, he felt a little extra push from the American faithful. From those in attendance and the proud supporters of Team USA, in that moment, Hidlay knew the victory he was so desperately seeking was for more than his own glory. “Representing Team USA is the coolest thing ever. We had a meeting on 9/11 about how much it means to me and to people to go out and wrestle so hard … that’s why you do it. You wrestle to represent your country, yourself, and the people who build you up for it.”
Jamill Kelly, the 2004 Olympic silver medalist who now serves as head coach at the Wolfpack RTC in Raleigh, expressed his elation after Hidlay’s thrilling come-from-behind victory. “He is a professional,” Kelly stated. “He works so hard, and he earned every bit of this. If you’ve watched him wrestle before, that is the competitor … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/09/24/forged-in-the-trent-ches-trent-hidlay-dug-deep-to-win-world-gold/

September 29, 2025 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

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