Walker Bell of West Craven presented the 32nd Michael Stokes Award

State finalist Walker Bell of West Craven High School was presented the 2023 Michael Stokes Award at the West Craven baseball team’s senior night. In four years as a starter Bell compiled a record of 135 wins and 25 losses. This is the 4th most wins in school history. He was a 4-x conference champion, 2-x conference wrestler of the year 4-x time regional placer, 3-x regional champ and a 4-x state qualifier. He placed 5th in the state tournament in 2022 and 2nd in 2023. His teammates voted him captain three consecutive years. He maintained a 3.67 GPA and is a NCWA Scholar and Character and Leadership All American. Coach Jeremiah Hohlfelder stated “Walker led by example with his outstanding grades and work ethic and he helped build a foundation for the program at West Craven”
Bell plans to wrestle at Ferrum College next year. “Walker has been an absolute joy to coach the last 4 years. Seeing how he has grown as a person and athlete has been wonderful to watch. His hard work in the classroom and on the wrestling mat has paid off with a chance to wrestle in college … and closer to achieving his ultimate goal of earning a college degree. “Ferrum College will get an outstanding Student athlete” Hohlfelder stated. Walker also earned his 3rd annual TDR Top 12 engraved wooden plaque this year as the Top 126 lbs.wrestler in eastern North Carolina.As previously released; 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 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 25 years in North Carolina and encourages coverage of the sport.
College Programs ranked by historic dual meet wins
TDR Editor’s Notes ; The following is a ranked listing of the top 106 college wrestling programs with 500 or more historical dual meet wins. Oklahoma State is the top team with 1,170 wins in 104 seasons since 1914. Iowa State is second with 1,125 wins. Springfield College is the top Division III program and in third place over all with 1,069 wins. They are closely followed by Oregon State and the University of Iowa with less than ten wins behind on the list. The top four teams have averaged over 10 wins each season. The average number of wins per season is in the column on the right next to the name of the coach who led their program to the most wins at that school.
The top North Carolina schools are;
Appalachian State University – in 15th with 849 wins
North Carolina State – 24th with 766 wins
University of North Carolina – 32nd with 721 wins The top School in other divisions
Division II – Pittsburgh-Johnstown in 41st with 658 wins and the All-Time top coach in dual wins, Pat Pecora with 646 wins.
Division III – Springfield College in 3rd with 1,069 wins
NAIA – Southern Oregon State in 76th with 580 wins
Juco – North Idaho Junior College in 29th with 737 wins
California C.C. – Sacramento City College in 98th with 522 wins.
Women’s – Oklahoma City College in 310th with 177 wins
Highest Average Wins per season is Johnson & Wales with almost 17 wins per year. In the top 100 schools Olivet College, The College of New Jersey, North Idaho and Pitt.-Johnstown lead with 13 wins or more per season.
We welcome input, information and corrections sent to martinkfleming@gmail.com so that we can have the most complete records.
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| No. | School | State | Lev. | Wins | Losses | Ties | Pct. | Year | Yrs. | Avg. | Most Wins Coach | ||
| 1 | Oklahoma State (A & M) | OK | I | 1170 | 138 | 22 | 0.888 | 1914-1915 | 2023 | a | 104 | 11.25 | Smith, John |
| 2 | Iowa State University | IA | I | 1125 | 442 | 19 | 0.715 | 1915-1943,’45- | 2023 | a | 106 | 10.61 | Nichols, Harold J., Dr. |
| 3 | Springfield College MA | MA | III | 1069 | 506 | 26 | 0.676 | 1914-1915 | 2023 | a | 105 | 10.18 | Parker, Doug |
| 4 | Oregon State University | OR | I | 1062 | 375 | 28 | 0.734 | 1908-1909 | 2023 | a | 102 | 10.41 | Thomas, Dale |
| 5 | Iowa University of | IA | I | 1060 | 234 | 29 | 0.812 | 1910-1911 | 2023 | a | 113 | 9.38 | Gable, Dan |
| 6 | Minnesota, University of | MN | I | 996 | 473 | 25 | 0.675 | 1919-1922 | 2023 | a | 104 | 9.58 | Robinson, J |
| 7 | Penn State University | PA | I | 990 | 305 | 36 | 0.757 | 1908-1909 | 2023 | a | 115 | 8.61 | Speidel, Charlie |
| 8 | Lehigh University | PA | I | 962 | 453 | 23 | 0.677 | 1910-1911 | 2023 | a | 113 | 8.51 | Sheridan, Billy |
| 9 | Oklahoma University | OK | I | 925 | 429 | 33 | 0.679 | 1919-1920 | 2023 | a | 99 | 9.34 | Abel, Stan |
| 10 | U.S. Naval Academy | MD | I | 923 | 324 | 26 | 0.735 | 1908-1909 | 2023 | a | 115 | 8.03 | Peery, Ed |
| 11 | Wilkes University | PA | III | 912 | 441 | 14 | 0.672 | 1946-1947 | 2023 | a | 77 | 11.84 | Reese, John G. |
| 12 | Wartburg College | IA | III | 873 | 252 | 20 | 0.771 | 1947-1948 | 2023 | a | 76 | 11.49 | Miller, Jim |
| 13 | Michigan, University of | MI | I | 861 | 372 | 26 | 0.694 | 1921-1922 | 2023 | a | 102 | 8.44 | Keen, Clifford P. |
| 14 | Cornell University | NY | I | 856 | 414 | 20 | 0.671 | 1907-1908 | 2023 | a | 115 | 7.44 | Koll, Rob |
| 15 | Appalachian State | NC | I | 849 | 463 | 24 | 0.644 | 1927-’41,’46-53, 55- | 2023 | a | 85 | 9.99 | Mance, Paul |
| 16 | Ohio State University | OH | I | 830 | 538 | 28 | 0.605 | 1920-1921 | 2023 | a | 103 | 8.06 | Hellickson, Russ |
| 17 | Olivet College (Mich) | MI | III | 828 | 281 | 8 | 0.745 | 1964-1965 | 2023 | a | 59 | 14.03 | Klein, Jare |
| 18 | Kent State University | OH | I | 819 | 392 | 12 | 0.675 | 1927-1928 | 2023 | a | 93 | 8.81 | Begala, Joe |
| 19 | Lycoming College | PA | III | 815 | 322 | 7 | 0.715 | 1956-1993 | 2023 | a | 67 | 12.16 | Crebs, Roger |
| 20 | Northern Iowa Univ. (IA St. Teachers, St. Coll. Of Iowa) | IA | I | 802 | 443 | 29 | 0.641 | 1922-1923 | 2023 | a | 99 | 8.10 | Patten, Chuck |
| 21 | New Jersey, The College of (Trenton St. Coll.) | NJ | III | 783 | 181 | 7 | 0.810 | 1966-1967 | 2023 | a | 57 | 13.74 | Icenhower, David |
| 22 | Wisconsin University | WI | I | 781 | 536 | 37 | 0.590 | 1910-1911 | 2023 | a | 110 | 7.10 | Davis, Barry |
| 23 | Lock Haven University | PA | I | 773 | 393 | 13 | 0.661 | 1939-1940 | 2023 | a | 80 | 9.66 | Poff, Carl |
| 24 | North Carolina State | NC | I | 766 | 484 | 22 | 0.611 | 1924-1925 | 2023 | a | 95 | 8.06 | Guzzo, Bob |
| 25 | Indiana University | IN | I | 765 | 626 | 29 | 0.549 | 1909-1914 | 2023 | a | 114 | 6.71 | Goldman, Duane |
| 26 | Ursinus College (PA) | PA | III | 751 | 376 | 21 | 0.663 | 1929-1930 | 2023 | a | 94 | 7.99 | Racich, Bill |
| 27 | Nebraska University | NE | I | 750 | 571 | 29 | 0.566 | 1910-1911 | 2023 | a | 104 | 7.21 | Manning, Mark |
| 28 | Illinois, University of | IL | I | 746 | 524 | 28 | 0.586 | 1910-1911 | 2023 | a | 113 | 6.60 | Johnson, Mark |
| 29 | North Idaho Jr. Coll. | ID | JUCO | 737 | 122 | 4 | 0.856 | 1969-1970 | 2023 | a | 54 | 13.65 | Owen, John |
| 30 | Princeton | NJ | I | 725 | 701 | 30 | 0.508 | 1904-1905 | 2023 | a | 119 | 6.09 | Johnston, John |
| 31 | U.S. Army (West Point) | NY | I | 723 | 486 | 37 | 0.595 | 1921-1922 | 2023 | a | 102 | 7.09 | Alitz, LeRoy |
| 32 | North Carolina University | NC | I | 721 | 541 | 19 | 0.570 | 1922-1923 | 2023 | a | 101 | 7.14 | Lam, Bill |
| 33 | Rutgers University | NJ | I | 715 | 462 | 24 | 0.605 | 1930-1931 | 2023 | a | 88 | 8.13 | Goodale, Scott |
| 34 | Augsburg College | MN | III | 713 | 161 | 3 | 0.815 | 1948-1949 | 2023 | a | 75 | 9.51 | Swenson, Jeff |
| 35 | Calf. State POLY SLO | CA | I | 694 | 467 | 18 | 0.596 | 1948-1949 | 2023 | a | 75 | 9.25 | Hitchcock, Vaughn |
| 36 | Wabash College | IN | III | 690 | 235 | 9 | 0.744 | 1955-1956 | 2023 | a | 68 | 10.15 | Servies, Max |
| 37 | Franklin & Marshall | PA | I | 687 | 610 | 23 | 0.529 | 1933-1934 | 2023 | a | 90 | 7.63 | Mayser, Charles W. |
| 38 | Ohio Northern University | OH | III | 681 | 350 | 11 | 0.659 | 1966-1967 | 2023 | a | 57 | 11.95 | Beaschler, Ron |
| 39 | Virginia Tech | VA | I | 675 | 527 | 19 | 0.561 | 1920-1921 | 2023 | a | 99 | 6.82 | Cheynet, Jerry |
| 40 | SUNY Cortland | NY | III | 665 | 412 | 8 | 0.617 | 1946-1947 | 2023 | a | 77 | 8.64 | Bruhn, Brad |
| 41 | Pittsburgh-Johnstown | PA | II | 658 | 165 | 5 | 0.798 | 1974-1975 | 2023 | a | 49 | 13.43 | Pecora, Pat |
| 42 | York College (PA) | PA | III | 658 | 324 | 4 | 0.669 | 1968-1969 | 2023 | a | 55 | 11.96 | Kessler, Tom |
| 43 | Cornell College | IA | III | 654 | 492 | 11 | 0.570 | 1922-1923 | 2023 | a | 99 | 6.61 | Duroe, Mike |
| 44 | Delaware Valley University | PA | III | 650 | 233 | 8 | 0.734 | 1962-1963 | 2023 | a | 61 | 10.66 | Marshall, Robert (Floyd?) |
| 45 | Tenn.-Chattanooga, Univ. of | TN | I | 647 | 378 | 12 | 0.630 | 1951-1952 | 2023 | a | 72 | 8.99 | Morgan, Jim |
| 46 | Minnesota State-Mankato | MN | II | 646 | 391 | 19 | 0.621 | 1950-1951 | 2023 | a | 73 | 8.85 | Macias, Robert |
| 47 | Maryland, University of | MD | I | 644 | 462 | 21 | 0.581 | 1939-1940 | 2023 | a | 80 | 8.05 | McHugh, John |
| 48 | Pennsylvania | PA | I | 644 | 605 | 32 | 0.515 | 1904-1905 | 2023 | a | 119 | 5.41 | Reina, Roger |
| 49 | Michigan State University | MI | I | 641 | 569 | 27 | 0.529 | 1886-1905,1921-’22 | 2023 | a | 105 | 6.10 | Peninger, Grady |
| 50 | West Virginia University | WV | I | 640 | 505 | 17 | 0.558 | 1920-1921 | 2023 | a | 98 | 6.53 | Turnbull, Craig |
| 51 | Missouri University of | MO | I | 639 | 408 | 14 | 0.609 | 1923-1924 | 2023 | a | 76 | 8.41 | Smith, Brian |
| 52 | St. John’s University | MN | III | 632 | 355 | 14 | 0.638 | 1941-’42, ’46 | 2023 | a | 78 | 8.10 | Elton, John |
| 53 | Central Michigan Univ. | MI | I | 631 | 346 | 17 | 0.643 | 1955-1956 | 2023 | a | 68 | 9.28 | Borrelli, Tom |
| 54 | East Stroudsburg State Univ. | PA | II | 631 | 609 | 21 | 0.509 | 1930-’42, -’46- | 2023 | a | 89 | 7.09 | Whitman, Clyde H. (Red?) |
| 55 | Bloomsburg University | PA | I | 630 | 416 | 15 | 0.601 | 1936-’39, ’54- | 2023 | a | 71 | 8.87 | Sanders, Roger |
| 56 | Hofstra University | NY | I | 626 | 499 | 29 | 0.555 | 1946-1947 | 2023 | a | 77 | 8.13 | Getchell, Bob |
| 57 | Ohio University | OH | I | 622 | 450 | 22 | 0.579 | 1919-’23,’24-’43,’46-’48, ’49- | 2023 | a | 99 | 6.28 | Greenlee, Joel |
| 58 | Purdue University | IN | I | 622 | 684 | 35 | 0.477 | 1913-1914 | 2023 | a | 107 | 5.81 | Reyes, Jessie |
| 59 | Ithaca College | NY | III | 619 | 352 | 18 | 0.635 | 1930-1936, ’46- | 2023 | a | 83 | 7.46 | Nichols, Martin |
| 60 | Drexel University | PA | I | 617 | 520 | 15 | 0.542 | 1946-1947 | 2023 | a | 77 | 8.01 | Childs, Jack |
| 61 | Worcester Polytechnic Institute | MA | III | 613 | 425 | 10 | 0.590 | 1958-1959 | 2023 | a | 65 | 9.43 | Grebinar, Phil |
| 62 | North Dakota State | ND | I/II | 607 | 286 | 18 | 0.676 | 1957-1958 | 2023 | a | 66 | 9.20 | Maughn,Arthur(Bucky) |
| 63 | Wyoming University | WY | I | 607 | 449 | 17 | 0.574 | 1921-1922 | 2023 | a | 98 | 6.19 | Lantz, Everett |
| 64 | South Dakota State Univ. | SD | I/II | 606 | 412 | 21 | 0.593 | 1949-1950 | 2023 | a | 74 | 8.19 | Williamson, Warren |
| 65 | Ashland College/University | OH | II | 604 | 345 | 12 | 0.635 | 1961-1962 | 2023 | a | 62 | 9.74 | Kowatch, Ray |
| 66 | Pittsburgh, University of | PA | I | 604 | 440 | 19 | 0.577 | 1914-15, 1950- | 2023 | a | 81 | 7.46 | Stottlemyer, Randy |
| 67 | Luther College | IA | III | 601 | 368 | 15 | 0.618 | 1951-1952 | 2023 | a | 72 | 8.35 | Mitchell, Dave |
| 68 | Clarion Univ. | PA | I | 594 | 431 | 13 | 0.579 | 1959-1960 | 2023 | a | 64 | 9.28 | Bubb, Bob |
| 69 | Northern Illinois | IL | I | 594 | 540 | 32 | 0.523 | 1931-1932 | 2023 | a | 92 | 6.46 | Flavin, Don |
| 70 | Arizona State | AZ | I | 590 | 360 | 13 | 0.619 | 1961-1962 | 2023 | a | 62 | 9.52 | Douglass, Bobby |
| 71 | Buffalo Univ. (SUNY) | NY | I | 589 | 522 | 15 | 0.530 | 1933-’42, ’46- | 2023 | a | 87 | 6.77 | Michael, Ed |
| 72 | Harvard University | MA | I | 589 | 598 | 17 | 0.496 | 1913-17,18-43,’46- | 2023 | a | 106 | 5.56 | Lee, John |
| 73 | North Carolina-Pembroke, Univ. of | NC | II | 588 | 278 | 3 | 0.678 | 1967-1968 | 2023 | a | 56 | 10.50 | Smith, P.J. |
| 74 | Rider University | NJ | I | 586 | 331 | 6 | 0.638 | 1969-1970 | 2023 | a | 54 | 10.85 | Taylor, Gary |
| 75 | Nebraska-Omaha | NE | II | 584 | 218 | 19 | 0.723 | 1948-51,’57- | 2011 | x | 57 | 10.25 | Denney, Mike |
| 76 | Southern Oregon State | OR | NAIA | 580 | 238 | 6 | 0.708 | 1956-1957 | 2023 | a | 67 | 8.66 | Riehm, Bob |
| 77 | Millersville Univ. of Penn. At | PA | II | 579 | 502 | 17 | 0.535 | 1946-1947 | 2023 | a | 77 | 7.52 | Hitchcock, Floyd “Shorty” |
| 78 | Virginia Military Institute | VA | I | 579 | 484 | 9 | 0.544 | 1925-1926 | 2023 | a | 98 | 5.91 | Gupton, Oscar |
| 79 | Virginia, University of | VA | I | 578 | 473 | 9 | 0.550 | 1920-1930, ’46- | 2023 | a | 88 | 6.57 | Edwards, George |
| 80 | John Carroll | OH | III | 576 | 245 | 5 | 0.700 | 1964-1965 | 2023 | a | 59 | 9.76 | Volkmann, Kerry |
| 81 | Iowa Central Comm. Coll. | IA | JUCO | 565 | 169 | 5 | 0.768 | 1969-1970 | 2023 | a | 54 | 10.46 | Friederichs, Dennie |
| 82 | Columbia University | NY | I | 564 | 671 | 20 | 0.457 | 1903-1904 | 2023 | a | 120 | 4.70 | Russo, Ron |
| 83 | Edinboro Univ. | PA | I | 560 | 371 | 14 | 0.600 | 1940-’41,’46- | 2023 | a | 78 | 7.18 | Flynn, Tim |
| 84 | Wesleyan University | CT | III | 560 | 523 | 16 | 0.517 | 1934-43, ’44- | 2023 | a | 88 | 6.36 | Black, Drew |
| 85 | Case Western Reserve (OH) | OH | III | 554 | 548 | 12 | 0.503 | 1928-1929 | 2023 | a | 92 | 6.02 | Del Rosa, Bob |
| 86 | Williams College | MA | III | 553 | 573 | 18 | 0.491 | 1924-1925 | 2023 | a | 99 | 5.59 | Honecker, Scott |
| 87 | Nebraska-Kearney | NE | II | 551 | 272 | 4 | 0.669 | 1960-1961 | 2023 | a | 63 | 8.75 | Bauer, Marc |
| 88 | Augustana College | IL | III | 546 | 386 | 17 | 0.584 | 1947-1948 | 2023 | a | 76 | 7.18 | Puebla, Kevin |
| 89 | Gettysburg College | PA | III | 545 | 694 | 22 | 0.441 | 1930-1931 | 2023 | a | 92 | 5.92 | Sauve, James |
| 90 | Northwestern University | IL | I | 534 | 579 | 19 | 0.480 | 1923-1924 | 2023 | a | 100 | 5.34 | Cysewski, Tim |
| 91 | Heidelburg College (OH) | OH | III | 531 | 363 | 10 | 0.593 | 1962-1963 | 2023 | a | 61 | 8.70 | Shank, Larry |
| 92 | Kutztown University | PA | II | 531 | 378 | 14 | 0.583 | 1940-43,64-65 | 2023 | a | 62 | 8.56 | Fisher, Robert |
| 93 | Old Dominion University | VA | I | 530 | 400 | 15 | 0.569 | 1957-1958 | 2020 | x | 63 | 8.41 | Robinson, Pete & Martin ? |
| 94 | Wisconsin-Whitewater | WI | III | 530 | 253 | 8 | 0.675 | 1961-1962 | 2023 | a | 62 | 8.55 | Myers, Willie |
| 95 | Mount Union College | OH | III | 529 | 288 | 8 | 0.646 | 1963-1964 | 2023 | a | 60 | 8.82 | Montgomery, Donald |
| 96 | Western Colorado University | CO | II | 527 | 377 | 10 | 0.582 | 1949-1950 | 2023 | a | 74 | 7.12 | Borah, Tracy |
| 97 | Shippensburg State | PA | II | 524 | 558 | 17 | 0.485 | 1948-50,’56- | 2023 | a | 69 | 7.59 | Corman, William ‘Bill’ |
| 98 | Sacramento City College | CA | COA | 522 | 256 | 6 | 0.670 | 1964-1965 | 2023 | a | 59 | 8.85 | Pachero, David |
| 99 | Wisconsin-La Crosse | WI | III | 521 | 196 | 7 | 0.724 | 1953-1954 | 2023 | a | 70 | 7.44 | Malecek, Dave |
| 100 | SUNY Oneonta | NY | III | 517 | 464 | 7 | 0.527 | 1962-1963 | 2023 | a | 61 | 8.48 | Sosa, Al |
| 101 | Baldwin-Wallace College | OH | III | 516 | 474 | 9 | 0.521 | 1941-’42, -’47 | 2023 | a | 76 | 6.79 | Summa, John |
| 102 | Washington & Lee | VA | III | 511 | 479 | 15 | 0.516 | 1921-43, ’47- | 2023 | a | 97 | 5.27 | Franke, Gary |
| 103 | McDaniel Coll.(West. Mary.) | MD | III | 509 | 592 | 12 | 0.463 | 1940-1941 | 2023 | a | 80 | 6.36 | Case, Sam |
| 104 | Northern Colorado/Col. St. Coll. | CO | I/II | 508 | 476 | 12 | 0.516 | 1925-1926 | 2023 | a | 98 | 5.18 | Hancock, John W. |
| 105 | U.S. Coast Guard Academy | CT | III | 508 | 398 | 12 | 0.560 | 1943-1944 | 2023 | a | 80 | 6.35 | Eldridge, Steve |
| 106 | Western New England College | MA | III | 507 | 460 | 7 | 0.524 | 1974-1975 | 2023 | a | 49 | 10.35 | Skelton, Bob |
CHANGES IN NFHS HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING RULES
CHANGES IN NFHS HIGH SCHOOL WRESTLING RULES INCLUDE ALLOWANCE OF SIX MATCHES IN ONE DAY OF COMPETITION
INDIANAPOLIS, IN (April 27, 2023) – High school wrestlers will be able to wrestle in six matches in any one day of competition beginning with the 2023-24 season. The six-match limit includes championship and consolation matches and excludes forfeits.
This change to Rule 1-4-3 was one of 12 revisions recommended by the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS) Wrestling Rules Committee at its April 2-4 meeting in Indianapolis. All changes were subsequently approved by the NFHS Board of Directors.
The increase from five to six matches for regular-season competition follows the change two years ago which permitted six matches in any one day of tournament competition. With experiments conducted last year by state associations with no reported injuries, the committee thought the increase to six for regular-season competition was a natural progression.
With risk minimization in mind, the committee also approved Rule 1-4-7, which states that no contestant shall wrestle in more than 10 matches in two consecutive days.
Another significant change was made in the Definitions (Rule 5) section of the NFHS Wrestling Rules Book. In Rule 5-15-2a which lists the points of support when a wrestler is down on the mat, “foot/feet” was added to the list that includes the knee(s), side of the thigh, buttocks, hand(s) and head.
“Feet are regularly supporting the wrestler’s weight during the match while on the mat,” said Elliot Hopkins, director of sports and student services and liaison to the Wrestling Rules Committee. “We allow a wrestler’s feet to be considered supporting points while in a near-fall situation. By adding it to the list of usual supporting points on the mat, it will create more clarity and consistency for the wrestlers, coaches and officials – without creating additional injury risk.”
In another Rule 5-Definitions revision, the committee expanded the definition of forfeit in Section 13 to include a medical forfeit. The new language states that “it shall be considered a medical forfeit when the opponent … rest of story at Teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2023/April/27/NFHS-rules
NCAA Wrestling Rules Committee Proposes Massive Changes
The NCAA wrestling rules committee recommended some ground-shaking proposals this week in Indianapolis.
College wrestling is on the verge of monumental change.
If NCAA rules committee proposals pass, three-point takedowns will be in, three-point near-falls will be back and a riding-time point without a turn will be a thing of the past.
Those were three of the headline-grabbers from a groundbreaking rules committee meeting this week at the NCAA headquarters in Indianapolis.
The committee also recommended eliminating the hand-touch takedown, adjusting video review to allow for sequences to be reviewed rather than just singular moves, and counting the first medical forfeit of a tournament as a loss on a wrestler’s record, except in instances where a medical forfeit immediately follows an injury default.
“We needed to add excitement back to the sport without compromising the integrity of the sport — and I think we did that,” Rider coach and NCAA rules committee chair John Hangey said.
“We’re either going to be loved or hated or remembered as the worst or the best rules committee in history. But we felt we were taking wrestling from where it is to where we want it to be.”
College coaches will have a two-week period to review the proposals and submit feedback before the NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel meets June 8 to discuss the recommendations. If they pass, next season will usher in a historic period of change for the sport.
“We felt we needed to make a change right now and felt it was a crucial time,” North Carolina coach and rules committee member Coleman Scott said. “Viewership was down for the NCAA tournament with probably some of the best storylines we’ve ever had all in one year, so we’ve got to be conscious of that to make sure the product we’re putting out is the best to build our sport and our viewership. Some of that can be dictated by the rules.”
The two-point takedown and riding-time points have been woven into college wrestling’s fabric for decades, but one could be on the way out and the threshold for the other could be drastically different next season. In an effort to increase scoring and action, the rules committee voted to increase the value of a takedown to three points and also moved to require wrestlers to score near-fall points in order to secure a point for accruing a minute or more of riding time.
The three-point takedown had been a discussion piece in recent years but hadn’t generated much traction. But with national tournament match points down 19 percent since 2019 and takedowns down almost 17 percent during the same time frame, the rules committee made a three-pronged move to jumpstart action, risk-taking and scoring.
“We’ve got to incentivize,” Scott said. “We talked about 50 different scenarios in a match. Three takedowns in a first period, opponent gets three escapes, escapes again in the second period and then takes you down and it’s a 6-6 match and it’s three takedowns to one. Should that be where it’s at? That’s a lot of effort. It’s hard to take down somebody three times — a high-level guy. If we redid it with three-point takedowns, you’re looking at 9-7.
“It puts an emphasis on risk and we need more risk. If you look at the numbers statistically, takedowns have gone down, backpoints have gone down, tech falls have gone down. Everything has decreased in the last 10 years in our numbers, so we’ve got to figure out how to create more action, more points, more opportunities.”
The most impactful change might be the new riding time caveat. … rest of story at https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/10889313-ncaa-rules-committee-proposes-massive-changes
Top Women’s Teams Coaches
TDR Editor’s Notes; The following lists are for coaches of women’s college teams. The list includes college teams from all divisions. The sport is growing rapidly and will have over 150 teams in the near future. Twenty years ago there were only a handful of teams thus the list of top active coaches and the top All-Time coaches have many names in common. As the sport grows there will become separate listings for NCAA & NAIA divisions. The number in italics after the number of wins for an active coach is how many wins from the most recent season. We welcome input and corrections.
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ACTIVE Women’s Coaches– Top 15 with 15 or more wins
- Jason Moorman (King Univ.) 147 +6
- Lee Miracle (Campbellsville) 99 +17
- Sam Schmitz (McKendree Univ.) 84 +7
- Donnie Stephens (Univ. of the Cumberlands) 78 +12
- Link Davis (Emmanuel) 74 +13
- Brian Jackson (Missouri Baptist) 67 – inc. +13
- Ashley Sword-Buster (Life University) 50 +16
- Carl Murphree (Missouri Valley College) 47 — inc +11
- Tony DeAnda (Presbyterian/Jamestown) 41 – inc. +8
- Joey Bareng (Menlo College) 40 +7
- Travis Mercado (Colorado Mesa Univ.) 32 +14
- Cliff Cushard (Adrian College) 25 +6
- Mahdi Bigdely (Ottawa Univ.) 25 +7
- Shaunna Isbell Kent (Jamestown) 19 +3
- Kevin Corbett (Lyon College) 17 +1
ALL-TIME Women’s Coaches– Top 20 with 10 or more wins
- Archie Randall (Oklahoma City Univ.) 160
- Jason Moorman (King Univ.) 147
- Lee Miracle (Campbellsville) 99
- Sam Schmitz (McKendree Univ.) 84
- Donnie Stephens (Univ. of Cumberlands) 78
- Link Davis (Emmanuel College) 74
- Brian Jackson (Missouri Baptist) 67 – inc.
- Aaron Meister (Wayland Baptist College) 53
- Ashley Sword-Buster (Life University) 50
- Carl Murphree (Missouri Valley College) 47 – inc.
- Lee Dale Allen (Menlo Colleg) 40
- Joey Bareng (Menlo College) 40
- Tony DeAnda (Jamestown) 33
- Travis Mercado (Colorado Mesa Univ.) 32
- Cliff Cushard (Adrian College) 25
- Mahdi Bigdely (Ottawa Univ.) 25
- Johnny Cobb (Wayland Baptist College) 25
- David Mathews (Life University) 22
- Shaunna Isbell Kent (Jamestown) 19
- Kevin Corbett (Lyon College) 17
- Beau Vest (Midland Lutheran) 17
- Craig Jaxkson (Umpqua Comm. Coll.) 15
- Pauk Rademacher (Southern Oregon St.) 11
- Tony Champion (Southern Oregon State) 11
- Matt Stevens (Oklahoma City) 11
James Johnson Memorial Awards 2023
State Champions Beaty, Hopper, and Buonocore to receive the James Johnson Memorial Award
Undefeated State Champion Caleb Beaty of Corinth-Holders High School, Alex Hopper and Avery Buonocore of Wilmington Laney High School will be presented the James Johnson Award for the 2022-2023 season as the top senior scholastic wrestlers in eastern North Carolina. The award is named in honor of three-time Greco-Roman national champion James Johnson.
Caleb Beaty won his last 85 matches over three seasons as he won three state championships in two different weight classes. Caleb is a rare four-time member of the annual TDR Top 12 team as recognized by an engraved wooden plaque. Caleb has a 3.8 g.p.a at Corinth-Holders and will attend American University to study environmental policy. He is looking forward to wrestling for Coach Borelli and helping build AU wrestling. Caleb placed second at the National High School Coaches Association Senior Nationals this year.
Avery Buonocore won 48 of 50 matches this season and won the 138 4-A state championship. He was a two-time finalist and placed three times at the state championships. He is a N.H.S.C.A. All-American and scholar athlete committed to wrestling next year at U.N.C.-Pembroke.
Alex Hopper won 49 of 50 matches this season while winning his 2nd state championship title at 182 lbs. In his four-year career at Laney he won 172 matches and just 11 losses and holds the school record of 152 pins. He is a strong scholar athlete committed to wrestling next year at Appalachian State.
Devon Bell and Mark Samuel of Laney High School were presented the 26th & 27th Annual James Johnson Memorial Award trophies in 2022. In previous years the award winners were River Carroll of West Carteret (2021), Tyler Hughes and Christian Decatur of C.B. Aycock and Bryan Argao of North Brunswick (2020), Timothy Decatur of Rosewood (2019), Beau Studebaker of East Carteret, Jeremiah Derby of First Flight and Thomas Hudson of Dixon (2018), Carlos Martinez of First Flight (2017), Will Newbern of West Carteret (2017), Tanner Stamper-Smith of Havelock (2016), Joe Mondragon of Ashley H.S. (2015), De’Andre Jones of New Bern (2014), Alex Bray of Croatan (2013), Jon Wiley (2012) of South Brunswick, Marquin Hill (2011) of Washington H.S., Branden Lietz (2010) of J.H. Rose, Mamour Camara (2009) of Louisburg, Anthony Rogers (2008) of Knightdale, Ngu Tran (2007) of C.B. Aycock, Victor Hojillo (2006) of West Carteret, Raymond Jordan (2004) of New Bern, Shaun Sheffield (2003) of Havelock, David Pelsang (2005), and Paris Dottery (2002) of White Oak.
James Johnson started wrestling his junior year for D.H. Conley High School in Greenville with Milt Sherman as his coach. James was Coney’s 1st state champion in any sport in 1976. He was North Carolina’s 1st Eastern Junior National Champion in 1975 and North Carolina’s 1st Junior Nationals All-American with 3rd in 1976. He started four years at the University of Kentucky. He was inducted as an “Outstanding American” in the North Carolina State Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. In 2012 he was a coach for the U.S.A. Olympic Greco-Roman team in London. He was on the USA National Wrestling team for 12 years, winning 3 National Championships, USA Athlete of the Year, AIM Christian Athlete of the Year, and Olympic Team Alternate. He was an Ambassador for the United States Olympic Committee, USA wrestling and The Sunkist Kids Wrestling organization for over 20 years. Johnson passed away in September, 2019 after coaching the USA Juniors Greco-Roman team at the World Championship in Estonia.
The TakeDown Report has for over 20 years promoted amateur wrestling in eastern North Carolina and sponsors the Award. This award is for the most successful senior wrestlers in eastern North Carolina. Fleming noted, “It is more expensive to have multiple awards yet we see each undefeated state champion senior wrestler as deserving to be recognized.” “It encourages young men from teams in the eastern part of the state with an opportunity to realize the hard work, determination and discipline it takes to be a top notch wrestler,” he added. The TDR also ranks wrestlers in a TDR Top 12 List that is displayed on the TDR Blog page. Contact the TDR at takedownreport@gmail.com, & https://takedownreport.wordpress.com/
Junior Hodge, Coach of the Year, Impact Award, Schalles and Jr. Schalles, Journalist honored
NEWTON, Iowa — Cael Hughes, Cael Sanderson, Anthony Robles, Wyatt Hendrickson, Ryder Rogotzke and Earl Smith are featured as award-winners in the April 28 issue of WIN Magazine, which is announcing its remaining annual awards for the past wrestling season.
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Hughes, WIN Magazine’s top-ranked wrestler at 132 pounds from Stillwater (Okla.), was selected as the winner of the 2023 Junior Dan Hodge Trophy as the nation’s most dominant wrestler.
Cael Hughes
Presented annually by Resilite, the Junior Hodge is the high school equivalent of the the Dan Hodge Trophy given to college wrestling’s most dominant wrestler. Hughes, a future Oklahoma State wrestler, finished the year 39-0 with 21 pins and won a fourth Oklahoma state title after also winning this year’s Ironman and Pittsburgh Classic events.
Penn State’s Cael Sanderson
Sanderson, who became head coach at Penn State 14 years ago, was named the winner of the 2023 Dan Gable Coach of the Year award after he led the Nittany Lions to a 10th team championship. Led by two champions and eight All-Americans, the 2022-23 Penn State team won a second straight team title by 55 points.
Anthony Robles
Robles, who won the 2011 NCAA championship at 125 pounds for Arizona State with just one leg, has earned the 2023 Mike Chapman Impact award. Since winning his national title, Robles has been a motivational speaker, returned to coach his former high school in Mesa, Ariz., and created the Robles Unstoppable Foundation. There is also a movie, based on his life and called “Unstoppable”, that is currently in production.
Walker Bell named 32nd Michael Stokes Award winner
State finalist Walker Bell of West Craven High School has been named the 2023 Michael Stokes Award winner. As a four year starter Bell compiled a career record of (135-25) which is the 4th wins most in school history. He was a 4-x conference champion, 2-x conference wrestler of the year 4-x time regional placer and 3-x regional champ. Bell was a 4-x state qualifier and placed twice, 5th in 2022 and 2nd in 2023. He was selected to wrestle in the inaugural N.C. East vs West All- Star Dual at Uwharrie Charter. His teammates voted him captain three consecutive years. He maintained a 3.67 GPA and is a NCWA Scholar All- American and the NCWA Character and Leadership All American recipient. Coach Jeremiah Hohlfelder shared “Walker has led by example with his outstanding grades and work ethic and has helped lay the foundation for the program at West Craven”
Bell plans to wrestle in college and has narrowed his choices to Ferrum or Montreat. “Walker has been an absolute joy to coach the last 4 years. to see how he has grown as a person and athlete has been wonderful to watch. His hard work in the classroom and on the wrestling mat paid off with offers to wrestle in college … and get one step closer to achieving his ultimate goal of earning a college degree. Whether he goes to Ferrum or Montreat they will get an outstanding Student athlete.” Hohlfelder stated. Walker also earned his 2nd TDR Top 12 engraved wooden plaque this year as the top wrestler in his weight in eastern North Carolina. More details of the time and place for the award presentation will be announced later.
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 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.
National Wrestling Hall of Fame Announces State Winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Awards
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Wednesday announced the state winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA).
First presented in 2014, the award is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women’s wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011.
The award recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service.
“This year’s Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award winners represent an exceptional group of student-athletes whose qualifications combine both academic and athletic accomplishments. They have also participated in a wide range of humanitarian and service-related activities for the benefit of others,” said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. “We look forward to following their future successes and wish them all the best in sports and life.”
The state winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community.
The Central Region, Midwest Region, Northeast Region, Southeast Region and West Region winners will be announced on April 25 and the national winner will be announced on May 2.
The state winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award will be announced on Thursday. The DSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation’s most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. The regional DSHSEA winners will be announced on April 26 and the national winner will be announced on May 3.
The regional winners for the TSHSEA and the DSHSEA are selected from the state winners, and the national winner is chosen from the regional winners.
The regions and the states that they are comprised of are: …
2023 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award State Winners (some listed)
State – Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending
Nebraska – Reagan Galloway, Amherst High School, Kearney, Hastings College
Nevada – Katie Ward, Robert McQueen High School, Reno
New Jersey – Kira Pipkins, Bloomfield High School, Bloomfield, Columbia University
New Mexico – Makayla Munoz, Aztec High School, Farmington, Oklahoma City University
New York – Emily Sindoni, Tioga Central School, Nichols, Utica University
North Carolina – Jeulenea Khang, Freedom High School, Newton, University of Mount Olive
North Dakota – Allyssa Johnson, Grand Forks Central High School, Grand Forks, Chadron State College
Ohio – Josie, Davis Sidney High School, Sidney, Campbellsville University
Oklahoma – Peyton Hand, Choctaw High School, Choctaw, Ottawa University … rest of story and list at https://nwhof.org/news/tricia-saunders-high-school-excellence-award-state-winners-announced-3


