Takedown Report

Penn State-Iowa Match Crushed Its Big Ten Network Record

The match between the nation’s top-ranked programs drew a record 388,000 viewers on BTN

Penn State and Iowa should do this every year. The nation’s top-ranked wrestling teams once again broke their own Big Ten Network viewership record last Friday, as 388,176 viewers tuned into the prime-time match of the season.

No. 1 Penn State’s 23-14 win over No. 2 Iowa was the-most watched wrestling match in BTN history, overtaking last year’s 1-2 battle in Iowa City for the top spot.

Penn State-Iowa also was the most-watched regular-season wrestling match on any network in the past eight years, BTN said in a news release. And the three most-watched wrestling matches in BTN history are Penn State vs. Iowa. According to the network:

• 2023 Iowa at Penn State: 388,176
• 2022 Penn State at Iowa: 362,917
• 2020 Penn State at Iowa: 347,760

Penn State and Iowa tied the attendance for an indoor college wrestling match, as 15,998 fans packed a sold-out Bryce Jordan Center last Friday night in State College. Penn State and Iowa previously had set that record at the BJC in 2018. … rest of story at SI.com/college/pennstate/wrestling/penn-state-wrestling-iowa-match-sets-big-ten-network-viewership-record

February 7, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Eight ways wrestlers can kill postseason performances

By Jeff and Gene Zannetti

The following list is one of the examples of the resources Wrestling Mindset provides to help wrestlers reach their potential. For more information on Wrestling Mindset, go to https://www.wrestlingmindset.com.

1. Wasting time and energy on social media. Stop focusing on what your opponents are doing on social media. This often adds pressure and is a major distraction for many wrestlers. We recommend a social media “blackout” during the season/postseason.

2. Focusing too much on records, rankings, predictions and seedings. This adds pressure and does little to help you. Focus on scoring points and winning each position. The result will take care of itself. You are 0-0 now. Rankings and predictions mean nothing.

This column appeared in the January issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover of the magazine to subscribe.

3. Not training your mind. Wrestling is 90 percent mental. You cannot outwork a bad mindset. You need to develop mental skills and focus on the right things to wrestle your best in the postseason. Talk to a mindset coach weekly.

4. Blaming the referee. Bad calls happen and mistakes are made. You cannot control the ref, but you can control how you respond to them. Stop complaining! “Sometimes you have to win the match two or three times”— Zeke Jones. Control the things you can control, your effort and attitude.

5. Wrestling like you have something to defend or wrestling “not to lose”. Maybe you won a state or national title last season. Don’t let last year’s title … rest of story at WIN-magazine.com/2023/01/31/24405/

February 4, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2022-23 NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll – No. 5

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Grand View (Iowa) now leads the NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll for the sixth consecutive rankings of 2022-23. The rest of the Top Five remains identical with Life (Ga.), Southeastern (Fla.), Doane (Neb.), and Indiana Tech. Missouri Valley moves into the Top 20, replacing Southern Oregon.

Poll Methodology

• The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the eight conferences.
• Two days prior to the national poll, each qualifying group rater submits the top 10 individuals from each weight class in his conference into the system. Only wrestlers listed on a conference ballot are considered for the national ballot.
• The top 25 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 25 points for each first place vote, 24 for second place and so on through the list. This same point system is used to determine the team ranking.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot
• For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.

February 4, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2022-23 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll – No. 4

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Grand View (Iowa) takes over the top spot in the latest Yes! Athletics NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 Poll. Life (Ga.) also moves up one play while former top ranked Southern Oregon sits third. Cumberlands (Ky.) leaps four spots into the Top Five while Menlo (Calif.) remains fifth. 

Poll Methodology

• The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the five conferences.
• Two days prior to the national poll, each qualifying group rater submits the top six individuals from each weight class in his conference into the system. Only wrestlers listed on a conference ballot are considered for the national ballot.
• The top 20 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 20 points for each first place vote, 19 for second place and so on through the list. This same point system is used to determine the team ranking.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot
• Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered “receiving votes.”
• For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.

February 4, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

How the Top 25 (and more) Fared: January 23-30

How all the Division I wrestling teams fared in this week’s dual meet competition, formatted in a How The Top 25 Fared breakdown.

February 3, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

B1G Takeaways from Week Four of Conference Dual Season

This week had a Rivalry Week theme in the Big Ten as No. 1 Penn State and No. 2 Iowa clashed in State College, Ohio State dominated the state of Michigan and Indiana laid claim to The Hoosier State by beating Purdue.

Here are our takeaways from the week, and BIG Awards at the bottom!

Penn State shows why it’s the team to beat with a win over Iowa

All the hype preceding the No. 1 vs. No 2 clash between Penn State and Iowa last Friday paid off, as the 15,998 fans inside the BJC tied the NCAA record for the largest crowd for an indoor dual meet, and the 388,000 who tuned in on the Big Ten Network set a new viewership record.

While some fans – and coaches – would have liked to have seen action in the individual matches (the team totaled 18 takedowns between them), the overall takeaway from the Nittany Lions’ 23-14 win – their 39th consecutive – was clear: Penn State is going to be pretty darn difficult to beat in March.

Sure, the Nittany Lions have some work to do. But as head coach Cael Sanderson said, “Iowa always does a good job of showing you what you need to work on.”

Penn State’s younger wrestlers, particularly at 141 and 149, weren’t very dynamic on offense – or really offensive at all. Aside from the opening exchange, Beau Bartlett didn’t get a good shot in against Real Woods until the third period. They also struggled to get out from bottom. Max Murin rode Shayne Van Ness for all but about 30 seconds of the second period, and not being able to get out after being taken down early in the first period proved costly for Bartlett in his 4-1 loss.

But those weaker moments were countered by two massive wins to close out the dual. Penn State’s Max Dean used a punishing third-period rideout to extend his record against Jacob Warner to 3-0. Despite the close 2-0 score, Dean never appeared in danger and made it seem less likely that Warner will flip the result of their 2022 NCAA final.

At heavyweight, Greg Kerkvliet bounced back big from his loss to Michigan’s Mason Parris the week prior, recording his first official win (not counting his 8-5 win at the NWCA All-Star Classic) over Tony Cassioppi, 4-1. The victory was significant, as it shows Kerkvliet’s progression, having lost by major decision to Cassioppi in their first matchup, a decision, then in sudden victory, now a win. It’s also significant, as this match is likely to be a semifinal come March.

Penn State’s other three NCAA champs (in addition to Dean) took care of business – although Carter Starocci had to work a little harder for it. True freshman Levi Haines also officially came out of redshirt, recording his 15th win of the season. Despite their losses Friday, Penn State is still poised to score more points at 149 and 165 than it did last year. And while Bartlett can’t make up for the points lost by Nick Lee’s graduation, he should be an All-American contender.

The bottom line is – it looks like the Nittany Lions are well on their way to their 10 NCAA title in 12 seasons.

Indiana breaks 12-year drought against Purdue to own the state

The Indiana Hoosiers traveled into enemy territory on Sunday to face intrastate rival Purdue, and came away with a 17-16 victory – its first over the Boilermakers since 2010. This also marks the first time Indiana has had three conference wins since the 2015-16 season. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/26470

February 3, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

No. 2 Lander wrestling eviscerates Newberry on the road – Stays perfect in conference

NEWBERRY, S.C. – The No. 2 Lander wrestling rolled into Newberry College and quieted a sold-out Eleazer Arena with a dominant 31-6 victory Wednesday evening.

Lander moves to 19-2 overall and 9-0 in the SACC while Newberry falls to 9-5 overall and 7-2 in the SACC.

The Bearcats began the match up 13-0 with three straight victories. Lander first saw James Joplin record a first-period pin at 125 to establish a 6-0 edge before Elijah Lusk recorded a flawless 9-0 major decision to run the score to 10-0 while Zeth Brower recorded a 7-3 win by decision to give Lander its 13-0 advantage to begin. Joplin now has five pins on the season along with 15 wins. Lusk is up to 24 wins on the season and has won by major decision four times while Brower moves to 26-0 on the season.

Newberry would take its first three points at 149 before Lander picked back up with a win at 157. Gage Bernall recorded a 9-2 win that saw a reversal and a four-point near fall in the third period. David Hunsberger picked up his 25th win of the year after he took down his opponent with a 6-2 win by decision at 165 to put Lander up 19-3.

Newbery would claim its final three points at 174. Logan Hall picked up his 28th win of the season with a 3-1 sudden victory at 184. After Hall and his opponent both earned points from escapes, Hall battled his way in overtime before taking advantage of an opening to claim the win. With the victory, Hall has set a new program record for total wins in a season. Darius Parker previously held that title with 27 wins in the 2019-20 season.

Up 22-3, the Bearcats would see more points roll in as Anthony Yacovetti earned a 3-1 win by decision after getting a takedown in the second period and an escape in the third. Yacovetti now has 21 wins on the year and is one of five wrestlers to have 20 or more wins this season. Juan Edmond-Holmes ended the match the same way it began. Tied 1-1 heading into overtime … rest of story at Landerbearcats.com/news/2023/2/1/wrestling-no-2-lander-wrestling-eviscerates-newberry-on-the-road-stays-perfect-in-conference

February 3, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Bout at the Ballpark Preview: #12 Oklahoma State vs. #6 Michigan

If you are a fan of high-level wrestling in unusual atmospheres then this event is for you. On Friday, No. 12 Oklahoma State will host No. 6 Michigan, at Globe Life Field, the home of the MLB’s Texas Rangers in the “Bout at the Ballpark”. Last season, the Cowboys dropped a dual against Iowa in the stadium, and they are underdogs going into this bout. However, the match actually sets up quite well for Oklahoma State, and Michigan is dealing with some injuries at key weight classes. The following is a weight-by-weight preview of the dual.

The dual will broadcast live on the MatScouts Rokfin Page. This is not a pay-per-view event so you can watch if you already subscribe to InterMat or MatScouts on Rokfin.

125: No. 20 Jack Medley (Michigan) vs. Reece Witcraft (Oklahoma State)

Medley wrestled in only one dual prior to the holiday break, but he has assumed the starting role in the second semester. Since January, he has gone 6-2 including victories over Tristan Lujan (Michigan State) and No. 7 Eric Barnett (Wisconsin). Last weekend, Medley dropped a 4-3 decision against No. 10 Malik Heinselman (Ohio State) on Friday before receiving a forfeit against Maryland on Sunday.

Trevor Mastrogiovanni was the starter at this weight for the Cowboys until recently. During his absence, his main substitute has been true freshman Zach Blankenship who has an 8-5 overall record, but is 0-4 in dual meet matches. Earlier this week, coach John Smith announced on his radio show that Reece Witcraft has cut down from 133 pounds and will make his 125-pound debut this weekend.

Witcraft qualified for the NCAA tournament at 133 pounds as a true freshman in 2020. Since then he has mostly been a spot starter. Last season, he competed in a pair of open tournaments at 125 before moving back to 133 for this season. Witcraft holds a 14-4 record on the year and last wrestled at the Southern Scuffle where he went 3-2 with losses coming against Zach Redding (Iowa State) and Connor Brown (Missouri).

Prediction: Medley decision over Witcraft

133: No. 12 Dylan Ragusin (Michigan) vs. No. 2 Daton Fix (Oklahoma State)

Ragusin has qualified for the last two NCAA tournaments, but he is still looking to lock down a spot on the All-American podium. His season so far has been filled with both ups and downs. In Big Ten duals, Ragusin has picked up victories over No. 30 Taylor LaMont (Wisconsin) and No. 16 Joe Heilmann (Rutgers), but he has also dropped matches against No. 18 Rayvon Foley (Michigan State) and No. 9 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State). … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/26471

February 3, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

No. 19 App State Improves to 4-0 in SoCon With Road Win

BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. — No. 19 App State took eight of 10 matches on the road Monday and posted a 32-6 win against Gardner-Webb to remain unbeaten in SoCon wrestling duals.
The Mountaineers (8-2, 4-0) are one of three SoCon teams without a league loss, joined by annual contenders Chattanooga and Campbell, who are also 4-0 in the league. App State hosts Chattanooga on Sunday at 3 p.m. and then hosts Campbell to open a SoCon tripleheader in Varsity Gym on Sunday, Feb. 19.
Tickets for App State’s remaining home duals are available by clicking HERE. 
In addition to a six-point win by forfeit for Jon Jon Millner at 149 pounds, the Mountaineers received bonus points in victories at 125, 157 and 174 pounds. In the only matchup of ranked wrestlers, 26th-ranked Will Formato won a 2-1 decision against 24th-ranked RJ Mosley in their seventh career meeting.
After a scoreless first period between the fourth-year starters, Formato stayed on top for the first 1:10 of the second period before allowing an escape. Formato needed only seven seconds to post a tying escape to begin the third period, and by maintaining more than a minute advantage in riding time, the lack of any third-period takedowns gave him the bonus point for a 2-1 victory.
Caleb Smith gave up the first takedown against Drew West, who had a 7-0 dual record. Smith turned a 3-2 lead entering the third into a 16-4 major decision against the Bulldogs (4-8, 2-2).

Ethan Oakley also allowed the first takedown at 133, … rest of story at APPstatesports.com/news/2023/1/30/-19-wrestling-no-19-app-state-improves-to-4-0-in-socon-with-road-win

App State’s Formato named SoCon Wrestler of the Week

Redshirt junior gets a win over a top-25 opponent

SPARTANBURG, S.C. – App State’s Will Formato has been named the Southern Conference Wrestler of the Week for all competition from Jan. 25-31. The selection is made by the league office.
Formato, who is ranked No. 26 at 165 pounds, won his lone match of the week at Gardner-Webb on Jan. 30. The redshirt junior from Acworth, Georgia, defeated 24th-ranked RJ Mosley, 2-1, to grab the victory. The match was the seventh time that the two SoCon foes faced off in their careers.
After a scoreless first period, Mosley took a 1-0 advantage late in the second period after an escape. Formato would tie the score at 1 seven seconds into the third following an escape of his own. Formato would secure the victory after maintaining more than a minute advantage of riding time, giving him a bonus point.
The Mountaineers (8-2, 4-0 SoCon) defeated Gardner-Webb (4-8, 2-2), 32-6, to remain undefeated in conference duals. … rest of story at Soconsports.com/news/2/1/wrestling-app-states-formato-named-socon-wrestler-of-the-week

February 2, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

DIVISION I COACHES POLL: Penn State unanimous No. 1 after beating Iowa in battle of Big Ten unbeatens

Manheim, Pennsylvania – Penn State stands alone as the last Division I unbeaten after the host Nittany Lions topped rival Iowa in a No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup in front of a sold-out crowd of 15,998 at the Bryce Jordan Center. Penn State comes in as the unanimous No. 1 in the latest NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll on Tuesday.

Penn State (11-0) won six out of 10 bouts in the dual that tied the record for largest indoor dual meet crowd, a record set at Penn State against Iowa in 2018. Iowa remained No. 2. Iowa State (12-2) moved up to No. 3 after sweeping Oklahoma and Oklahoma State at home. The Cyclones topped then-No. 10 Cowboys 18-11 and the Sooners 25-12. Ohio State made the big leap in the top 10 this week. The Buckeyes (11-1) moved up to No. 4 after beating then-No. 3 Michigan 23-15 and then-No. 22 Michigan State 36-3. Michigan slid three spots to No. 6, while Cornell remained at No. 5 after EIWA wins over Army West Point and Columbia.

Pittsburgh registered the biggest weekend upset as the then-No. 24 Panthers stunned then-No. 7 Virginia Tech 26-12. In other ranked action, Oklahoma State beat Northern Iowa 17-15, Nebraska beat Wisconsin 23-11, Minnesota beat Illinois 24-9, Northwestern beat both Wisconsin and Rutgers, Northern Iowa beat Oklahoma, Arizona State won at Lehigh, South Dakota State swept Air Force and Northern Colorado, Appalachian State beat Duke and Gardner-Webb, while Michigan State beat Maryland and Indiana edged Purdue. Lehigh fell out of the Top 25 after falling to both Arizona State and Columbia, while Penn re-entered the rankings after a pair of Ivy League wins. The Quakers (6-4) beat Brown 37-7 and Harvard 26-8.

Ranked Teams in Duals This Week
Friday: No. 1 Penn State at No. 4 Ohio State, No. 2 Iowa at No. 12 Minnesota, No. 3 Iowa State at West Virginia, No. 6 Michigan vs. No. 11 Oklahoma State at Arlington, Texas, No. 7 NC State at Virginia, No. 8 Missouri at Oklahoma, No. 9 Virginia Tech at Duke, No. 10 Nebraska at No. 21 Illinois, No. 16 North Dakota State at Air Force, California Baptist at No. 14 Northern Iowa, North Carolina at No. 18 Pittsburgh, Little Rock at No. 19 Arizona State.

Saturday: No. 3 Iowa State at No. 18 Pittsburgh, No. 10 Nebraska at Purdue, No. 16 North Dakota State at Northern Colorado, No. 23 Rutgers at Maryland, Princeton at No. 5 Cornell.

Sunday: No. 1 Penn State at No. 22 Indiana, No. 4 Ohio State at No. 13 Northwestern, No. 8 Missouri at No. 11 Oklahoma State, No. 14 Northern Iowa at West Virginia, No. 19 Arizona State at Oregon State, No. 21 Illinois at Michigan State, No. 25 Penn at No. 5 Cornell, Chattanooga at No. 20 Appalachian State.

 Methodology: The NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll is voted on by two coaches from each Division I wrestling conference. Each first-place vote is worth 25 points, 24 points for a second-place vote, 23 for a third-place vote and so on through to one point for a 25th-place vote. The poll is based on dual meet results.

NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll
January 31, 2023

… rest of story at NWCAonline.com/division-i-coaches-poll-penn-state-unanimous-no-1-after-beating-iowa-in-battle-of-big-ten-unbeatens

February 2, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment