U.N.C. DEBUTS 2022-23 CAPTAINS BEFORE WRESTLE-OFFS FRIDAY
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The North Carolina wrestling team has named four captains for the 2022-23 season. Austin O’Connor, Clay Lautt, Gino Esposito and Lachlan McNeil will lead the team for the upcoming season.
O’Connor, a graduate student from Lockport, Ill., and the 2021 NCAA champion at 149 pounds, returns in his final season as a Tar Heel after a 21-3 overall record in 2021-22. Competing at 157 pounds, he finished last season as the second four-time All America in program history.
Lautt, a graduate student from Olathe, Kan., returns at 174 pounds after a runner-up finish at the ACC Championships as well as All-America honors last season.
Esposito, from Milford, Conn., heads into the season at 174 pounds, looking to compete for the first time since 2020 as a graduate student.
McNeil, a red shirt freshman from Toronto, starts the season after competing at the World Wrestling Championships in Belgrade, Serbia representing Team Canada and will compete in the 141-pound weight class. … rest of story at Goheels.com/news/2022/10/19/wrestling-debuts-2022-23-captains-before-wrestle-offs
UNC Wrestling to Participate in Veterans Day Matches vs. Campbell
The UNC wrestling program will be taking part in a special upcoming tournament on Veterans Day toward the start of the 2022-23 season.
During the UFC 280 event on Saturday, organizers announced the Battle of Fort Bragg event set for November 11. The Tar Heels will compete against Campbell University, who is hosting the matches. The University of Michigan program will also participate and face Campbell as part of the tournament.
The unveiling of the event was done during the UFC telecast of the Beneil Dariush and Mateusz Gamrot fight Saturday afternoon.
The Battle of Fort Bragg will be televised through the UFC Fight Pass streaming service, according to the Carolina program.
UNC wrestling, who finished 8-6 last season and 18th at the NCAA Championships, officially saw its season get underway on Friday. The Tar Heels held their Blue and White wrestle-offs in Chapel Hill in preparation of the new slate of matches, which will begin November 5 at a tournament in Roanoke, Virginia.
After facing Campbell, Carolina is set to face Michigan themselves at a unique place on campus. The Tar Heels and Wolverines will square off outdoors at Boshamer Stadium, which is the UNC baseball complex, on Sunday, November 13. … rest of story at
Unc-sports/unc-wrestling-to-participate-in-fort-bragg-matches-on-veterans-day
Allen University to Add Women’s Wrestling
Columbia, S.C.– Allen University President, Dr. Ernest McNealey, and Director of Athletics Jasher Cox are excited to announce the addition of women’s wrestling to the Yellow Jackets athletic programs beginning in the Fall of 2023.
“We are elated to add women’s wrestling to our existing programs here at Allen University,” Director of Athletics Cox said. “Institutionally, we have recognized that this is a competitive sport within our geographical footprint and one that can provide more opportunities for female student-athletes to benefit from competing in intercollegiate athletics.”
Women’s wrestling has exploded across the country as 61 NCAA universities now offer the sport around the U.S. including numerous in the geographical region around South Carolina. Div. I Presbyterian College, Div. II Limestone College, NAIA St. Andrews University and Div. III Greensboro College are some of the schools in the Carolinas that have added women’s wrestling recently. The sport is now considered an “emerging sport” within the NCAA.
The University of Iowa became the first “Power Five” school to add women’s wrestling, as they will begin competing in 2022.
“I’m extremely excited for the addition of women’s wrestling,” said head wrestling coach Eric Pack. “This is a vision I have had for a while. I am thankful to President McNealey, and Athletic Director Cox in supporting the growth of the wrestling programs here at Allen.”
“The addition of women’s wrestling will be another opportunity for potential female student-athletes to join the Yellow Jacket family at a time when the university is growing and transitioning to Division II.” … rest of story at AUyellowjackets.com/news/2022/10/21/allen-to-add-womens-wrestling
Duke Notes from the Wrestling Room
Niesenbaum a Candidate for Breakout Season
InterMat recently tabbed Duke senior heavyweight Jonah Niesenbaum as one of its breakout candidates for the ACC heading into the 2022-23 season. Niesenbaum, a four-year starter for the Blue Devils, is coming off his best season as he finished with a 16-11 overall record. The 27 matches also were the most the Allentown, Pa., native had wrestled in his career after only wrestling in seven in 2020-21.
Three Weeks and Counting
Duke wraps up its first week of practice with a morning workout Saturday, Oct. 15. The Blue Devils are three weeks away from their opening duals at Maryland. Duke will wrestle Maryland, Bloomsburg and American in a trio of duals Nov. 5. Duke doesn’t make its home debut until Jan. 19 versus Central Michigan.
Blue Devil Lineup Update
A host of Blue Devils have moved weight classes from last season. Preston Decker is making the biggest jump from 174 to 157, while his brother Parker Decker moves down one spot to 133 pounds. Redshirt junior Patrick Rowland jumps up one spot to 149 pounds and Luke Chakonis will stay put at only 184 pounds. Expect to see redshirt senior Brayden Ray at 197 pounds instead of heavyweight, while Sebastian Jimenez could compete at both 149 or 157.
Welcoming New Blue Devils
The Blue Devils welcome six newcomers to the program – five rookies and a graduate student transfer. … rest of story at Goduke.com/news/2022/10/14/notes-from-the-wrestling-room.
2022 NCAA DI All-Americans who Placed at the Super 32
The Super 32 takes place in Greensboro, North Carolina. From what once was a small, regional tournament has turned into the toughest folkstyle wrestling event in the country. MatScouts has done plenty of work detailing just how loaded the 2022 field is and how the action may play out.
The Super 32 already has enough history where we can look back at the past and see some of the talented wrestlers that have battled for belts in Greensboro. In fact, we didn’t need to look back too far; it only took going back to March and the NCAA podium in Detroit to see some famous Super 32 alumni. Below are All-Americans at the 2022 NCAA DI Wrestling Championships who also placed at one time or another at the Super 32.
125 lbs
Nick Suriano (Michigan) 2x Champion (2012, 2015); 2013 2nd Place
Patrick Glory (Princeton) 2016 Champion, 2015 2nd Place
Vito Arujau (Cornell) 2016 Champion, 2015 3rd Place
Patrick McKee (Minnesota) 2x 3rd Place (2016, 2017)
Eric Barnett (Wisconsin) 2017 2nd Place
Brandon Kaylor (Oregon State) 2016 3rd Place, 2017 8th Place … rest of story at Intermatwrestle.com/articles/26190?utm_source=Wrestling+News
2022-23 Queens Wrestling Schedule Released
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte Head Wrestling Coach Rob Tate is excited to kick off the 2022-23 wrestling season as the Royals are prepping to compete at the NCAA Division I level for the first time.
“It’s an exciting time to be a wrestler at Queens,” Tate commented. “We’re coming off a tremendous recruiting class, the boys had a great pre-season, and we’re looking forward to the challenge that our schedule will provide with the transition to D1 competition.
The Royals will begin their season on the road traveling to The Citadel on Tuesday, Nov. 1 before heading to Army on Nov. 6 to take part in the Golden Knight Scramble. The following weekend, the George Mason Quad will occupy the Royals before heading home for a three-event home stand.
Presbyterian will head to Charlotte to face the Royals in the first NCAA DI wrestling match inside Curry Arena on Thursday, Nov. 17. The Royals will then welcome Belmont Abbey and Southwest Virginia Community College on Nov. 30 before hosting the University of Virginia Cavaliers on Friday, Dec. 2. The Royals will then hit the road to take on Davidson and App State before the winter break.
Following the new year celebration, the Royals will participate in the NWCA National Duals, on Jan. 6-7 in Lexington, Ky. They will then remain on the road for the entire month of January traveling to Gardner-Webb for a tri-match with the Bulldogs and Army before heading to Bellarmine and Boone, N.C., for the App State Open. … rest of story at Queensathletics.com/news/2022/10/14/mens-wrestling-2022-23-schedule-released
Missouri to open dual season at Mizzou Softball Stadium
Missouri wrestling’s first dual of the 2022-23 season will be Sunday, Nov. 6, at Mizzou Softball Stadium, coach Brian Smith announced on Twitter earlier this week. The Tigers will host Lindenwood.
MU last wrestled at Mizzou Softball Stadium on Nov. 4, 2017, when it beat Illinois 20-17 in the season opener. … rest of the story at Columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_sports/mu-wrestling-to-open-dual-season-at-mizzou-softball-stadium
WIBN is helping build more than wrestling programs
Between 1972 and 1999, college wrestling lost 550 programs, primarily because of the impact of Title IX. However, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) has been an advocate to not only add and reinstate men’s programs but also to grow women’s wrestling.
Since 2001, the NWCA has “helped establish/reinstate over 240 college wrestling programs (NWCAonline.com).” Currently, there are over 100 women’s programs in the U.S.
We know wrestling is a powerful tool to change people’s lives. Personally, wrestling has kept me grounded during difficult times. I have learned discipline, accountability and a strong work ethic through wrestling. But, most importantly, I have learned resilience and mental toughness from the sport. As I have said many times before, I wouldn’t be who I am today without wrestling.
From talking with many people recently about the sport, there is a consensus that wrestling has been the ultimate character builder for them and others they know. Unfortunately, with the loss of programs, an entire generation of wrestling alumni drifted away from their school and the sport.
“Those wrestlers lost their connections and part of what the NWCA is doing is to help them reconnect to the sport,” said Mike Moyer, the executive director of the NWCA.
Aaron Grossman was one of those wrestlers who fell victim to a program cut at the University of Miami of Ohio. “Wrestling helped me be who I am,” Aaron said.
He is the owner of Talent Launch, an employment staffing agency in Cleveland, Ohio. Last year Talent Launch ranked as one of the largest employment agencies in the U.S. Last year Talent Launch earned two hundred million dollars in revenue.
But let’s back up to 14 years ago. Beginning in 2007 and lasting into 2009, the United States had the worst economic decline since the Great Depression in the 1930s. Aptly named the “Great Recession,” nearly two million small businesses closed. Aaron was one of those people who felt the effects of the recession. So he had to figure out how to “stay alive” by his words. And wondered to himself, “who are my people.”
(John Klessinger is a teacher and wrestling coach at South River High School in Maryland. You can follow him on Instagram @coachkless and like his Facebook page “Coach Kless”.)
So, he went back to what he knew, wrestling, and came up with an idea.
In February 2009, he formed a LinkedIn group called Wrestlers In Business Network (WIBN). He wanted to create a business-focused organization that uses wrestling to network and helps each other out. Around the same time, John Licata was doing the same in Washington D.C., and he founded the Greater Washington Wrestlers Business Network. Eventually, Aaron and John merged their organizations under the Wrestlers In Business Network name, each leading chapters in Cleveland and Washington, D.C.
Today, there are 26 chapters and over 2,000 members in the WIBN. In 2019, the NWCA absorbed the WIBN. The move was made by Moyer, who also heads the WIBN.
“We are putting our money where our mouth is,” says Moyer, who felt it was a logical affiliation as growing wrestling is the main goal for the NWCA. The WIBN is an extension of that growth. What better way to expand the sport than to provide a “gateway” for wrestlers finishing their competitive careers into the workforce.
Moyer explained that the NWCA and the WIBN went “back to the basics.”
“The are so many parallels to the wrestling mat and the business world,” he said. And Grossman added, “running a business is no different. Think about life. Like wrestling, there is discipline and adversity needed to learn and grow. Wrestling teaches us to continue to fight forward.”
The WIBN has three guiding principles:
• First, how do we (wrestlers) do business with each other?
• How do we help people find careers?
• Finally, how can we build a community supporting the sport’s growth overall?
Moyer and Grossman noted that the WIBN has been a bargaining tool with the NCAA to reinstate college wrestling programs. For example, in 2015, the Cleveland chapter was instrumental in keeping the Cleveland State wrestling program from being eliminated.
“A bunch of local business owners got together and hit the media. It was a cool thing,” Grossman said. From that, he saw the potential benefits the WIBN could provide to college wrestling programs.
In 2012, Forbes magazine published an article, “Why Wrestlers Make the Best Employees.” The article cites the attributes of wrestlers: resiliency, discipline, dealing with setbacks, and perseverance as traits that positively impact the workplace.
Dan Gable famously said, “once you have wrestled, everything else in life is easy.” The physical and mental strain a wrestler endures compared to non-wrestlers is measurable. This is especially true now with the post-COVID apathy and general lack of accountability in schools and the workforce. Who better to staff your business with than a wrestler?
Jake Hunter, Chairman of the Philadelphia chapter and a member of the WIBN executive committee, says, “the WIBN Philly chapter focuses on connecting local businesses with our local wrestling ecosystem.”
The WIBN links up businesses with potential hires. Specifically, Jake has used the business network to help grow Wrestling Mindset in his chief operating officer role. In addition, Wrestling Mindset has used the network to find potential Mindset Coaches. The impact of the WIBN has helped grow Wrestling Mindset’s brand. In addition, the Philly chapter has brought people together.
“We build value for them and work to grow wrestling and all of those that support it,” Hunter said.
“Coaches need to get better at showing the benefits of wrestling and the career opportunities,” Moyer said.
The NWCA and WIBN aim to help wrestlers reach their full personal and career potential. Compared to the NWCA, the WIBN and its chapters are local to high schools and colleges. As Moyer said, they will have more of an impact and be able to be at local wrestling events.
The WIBN runs leadership academies for coaches and prospect camps for wrestlers. The NWCA financially supports their initiatives knowing as the business network grows, it helps the sport grow. The WIBN has partnerships with United States Marine Corps and Old Dominion Freight Lines and anticipates more in the future. In addition, they sponsor the Midlands Championship and other collegiate tournaments for men and women. Throughout the year, the WIBN hosts events for members with speakers like Gable and Ohio State coach Tom Ryan.
Furthermore, the WIBN partners with the Beat the Streets organization. … rest of story at Win-magazine.com/2022/10/07/wibn-is-helping-build-more-than-wrestling-programs
Campbell Wrestling hosts annual Orange & Black
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell hosted its annual Orange & Black over homecoming weekend, featuring its outdoor wrestle-off, as well as kickoff dinner.
The wrestle off again took place in front of the Pope Convocation Center on Saturday morning during Campbell’s homecoming parade, concluding the day with the program’s kickoff dinner at McCall Court, welcoming a caravan of wrestling alumni, supporters and families to Buies Creek.
“This wrestle off was one of our largest and most exciting in program history,” said CU head coach Scotti Sentes. “We challenged the team to put on a show and they accomplished that. The matches were high scoring and the crowd got larger and larger and louder and louder as the day went on. The alumni matches at the end was a great culmination of the event as we saw graduates from the late 80’s and early 90’s hit the mat. It was an exciting kickoff to a highly anticipated season.”
The 11-match wrestle off, which including two bouts at 197 pounds, featured four former NCAA qualifiers earning victories, and 10 matches decided by decisions.
“For me, the wrestle off is a test to see how far you’ve come and what competition is going to look like,” said redshirt junior 197-pounder Levi Hopkins. “We look at it like the first competition of the season. You have to get in the right state of mind set, get down to weight, and emulate real competition. It’s important for who’s going to start, but I think of it as a trial run for our competition.” … rest of the story at Gocamels/news/wrestling-hosts-annual-orange-black
Newberry Ranks Second in Super Region II Preseason Polls
GREENWOOD, S.C. – The NCAA Division II Super Region II preseason rankings were released this morning, with Newberry coming in at number 2 in those rankings.
The Wolves, landing at the second spot with 88 total points, were represented well individually, with senior Will Evans (157 lbs; Richmond, Ga.) and junior Khris Walton (197 lbs; Merrillville, Ky.) being the top ranked individuals in their respective weight classes.
Also, Newberry was one of two teams that had a wrestler ranked in all ten of the weight classes, with the second team being Lander University, who ranks number one in the region.
The season is fast approaching, and with a competitive campaign ahead, the Wolves look to start strong with the first event of the year, the Scarlet & Grey Intrasquad Wrestle Offs, to kick off Homecoming 2022 on October 28 at 4 PM.
The Wolves will then hit the road for Salem, Virginia for their first competition of the year, the Southeast Open, on November 5 at 9 AM. … rest of the story at Newberrywolves.com//wrestling-ranks-second-in-super-region-ii-preseason-polls
TDR blog
After 20 seasons of publicizing wrestling The TakeDown Report’s (TDR) focus has changed to the collecting of college coaching records from North America since 1903. We will continue to recognize and reward successful wrestlers in eastern North Carolina (east of Raleigh & Fayetteville), assist with schools in starting or re-starting a team and this blog. Join us on our FaceBook Page – “The TakeDown Report” for photos and news. Please send results, stories, links and news to pass along. E-mail us at takedownreport@gmail.com
Martin Fleming, Editor
Takedown Report
