2021-22 USA WRESTLING MEMBERSHIP SEASON UNDERWAY
2021-22 USA WRESTLING MEMBERSHIP SEASON UNDERWAY; JOIN NOW TO BECOME ELIGIBLE FOR $100 FROM NIKE WRESTLING
Today marks the first day of USA Wrestling’s 2021-22 membership season, so anyone interested in joining the largest and most effective wrestling organization in the nation can do so at www.usawmembership.com.
Memberships, club charters and event sanctions have been available for purchase since August 20th, and over 5,500 individuals have already renewed their USA Wrestling membership to ensure a full year of benefits. The current membership season runs through August 31, 2022.
Former members of USA Wrestling are encouraged to sign up right away in order to receive their member benefits for a full year.
Starting on Tuesday, September 7th, and continuing weekly nine more times through Tuesday, November 9th, USA Wrestling will draw a member to receive $100 in credit to be used at the online store of Athlete Performance Solution/Nike Wrestling.
Throughout the 2020-21 membership system, USA Wrestling was a leader in helping to ensure the safe return of wrestling during the pandemic, as its COVID-19 Advisory Committees published documents and advice that many wrestling programs have followed when conducting training and competition.
Performance at the world level for American wrestlers during the Tokyo Olympic quadrennium (the 4-year cycle that culminates with Olympic Games) was arguably the best anyone has ever seen, and this is a direct result of USA Wrestling’s strong membership base and state association structure.
USA Wrestling continues to expand and improve its membership system with new and enhanced features added regularly. … rest of the story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/September/01/New-USA-Wrestling-membership-season-has-begun?mc_cid=7c54a7fcd6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Iowa-Penn State rated No. 1-2 in WIN’s Preseason Ranks
NEWTON, Iowa — With most All-American wrestlers returning this season after the NCAA offered another year of eligibility because of the pandemic, defending national champion Iowa and runner-up Penn State are ranked first and second, respectively, in WIN Magazine’s 2021-22 NCAA Division I Preseason Tournament Power Index.
The Hawkeyes, shooting for a 25th all-time national championship this March in Detroit, return all ten national qualifiers from last season, including three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee at 125 pounds, as well as past All-Americans Austin DeSanto (133), Jaydin Eierman (141), Kaleb Young (157), Alex Marinelli (165), Michael Kemerer (174), Jacob Warner (197) and Anthony Cassioppi (Hwt).
The Nittany Lions return all four national champs in Roman Bravo-Young (133), Nick Lee (141), Carter Starocci (174) and Aaron Brooks (184) as well as All-American Greg Kerkvliet (Hwt) and welcomes Cornell All-American Max Dean, who was forced to sit out last season when the Ivy League cancelled the season. Dean was an NCAA finalist in 2019.
Cornell’s two-time national champ Yianni Diakomihalis, whose last national tournament was in 2019, is returning and most likely will be moving up to 149 pounds.
The other 2021 national champs returning are North Carolina’s Austin O’Connor, who is expected to move up to 157 pounds, as well as Iowa State’s David Carr (157), Stanford’s Shane Griffith (165), Oklahoma State A.J. Ferrari (197) and Minnesota’s Gable Steveson (Hwt). The Gopher, who also is coming off an Olympic gold-medal performance this past summer, was co-winner of the 2021 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy with Iowa’s Spencer Lee.
WIN’s TPI predicts approximately how many NCAA points a team will score in Detroit in March at the Division I Championships, excluding bonus points, based on numbers associated with individual placements/rankings based on our preseason rankings: 20 for 1st, 16 for 2nd, 13.5 for 3rd, 12.5 for 4th, 10 for 5th, 9 for 6th, 6.5 for 7th and 5.5 for 8th. Wrestlers ranked 9-12 earn two points each, followed by 1.5 points for wrestlers ranked 13-16 and 1 point for those ranked 17-20. … rest of story at https://www.win-magazine.com/2021/09/29/iowa-penn-state-ranked-1-2-in-wins-preseason-div-i-rankings/?mc_cid=136ff0dec6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b#utm_source=feedly&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=iowa-penn-state-ranked-1-2-in-wins-preseason-div-i-rankings
Mount Olive To Add Women’s Wrestling For 2022-23 Season
MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — University of Mount Olive will add women’s wrestling to the 22 NCAA Division II varsity sports currently being offered by the university, announced Vice President for Athletics Jeff Eisen.
The program will begin competition in the 2022-2023 academic year. UMO is a member of Conference Carolinas for its current sport offerings and will participate in women’s wrestling as an independent.
UMO will be the first Division II school in North Carolina to participate in women’s wrestling. It will join fellow Conference Carolinas members Emmanuel College and King University as sponsors of women’s wrestling teams. The NCAA recognized women’s wrestling as an emerging sport in 2020 for all three divisions and there are currently 45 NCAA intercollegiate women’s wrestling programs.
Plans are underway to hire a head coach as soon as possible. The women’s wrestling team will practice and condition at the Wresting Practice Facility located just off the UMO campus. Home competitions will be held in Kornegay Arena.
“We have had great success with men’s wrestling and look to use that as a springboard to adding women’s wrestling,” said Eisen. “We are excited for the opportunity to add another women’s sport to our program and expect it to have the same academic and athletic success that we have experienced in other sports.”
UMO last added new sports in the 2018-19 academic year, when men’s wrestling and women’s field hockey began competition. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/Mount-Olive-To-Add-Women-s-Wrestling-27-9-2021
IOWA TO BECOME FIRST POWER 5 INSTITUTION TO ADD WOMEN’S WRESTLING
IOWA CITY, Iowa — The University of Iowa Athletics Department is adding women’s wrestling as an intercollegiate program, becoming the first NCAA Division I, Power Five conference institution to offer the sport.
“This is an exciting day for the university, our department and the sport of women’s wrestling,” said Gary Barta, the Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair. “Our wrestling history and success makes this a perfect fit. We are confident that at Iowa, our women’s wrestling student-athletes will have the opportunity to compete at the highest level athletically and academically.”
The NCAA recognized women’s wrestling as an emerging sport in 2020 for all three divisions. Currently, there are 45 intercollegiate women’s wrestling programs, including five in the state of Iowa. In addition, 32 states have a sanctioned high school girl’s wrestling state championshipS. In Iowa, the state tournament is sponsored by the Iowa Coaches Association and over 600 girls participated in high school wrestling a year ago.
“This is important to a lot of people for a lot of reasons,” said Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands. “This is historic. This needed to happen and it’s appropriate that it is happening first at the University of Iowa. There is no greater place in the world to wrestle than Iowa City, Iowa, and with our new wrestling facility we are prepared to offer world-class training for both our Hawkeye men and women.”
Iowa athletics is in the midst of the Carver Circle Campaign, a campaign that supports a new world-class wrestling training facility. The facility, which will be funded entirely by gifts, will be located south of Carver-Hawkeye Arena and connected to the arena by a tunnel. It will include coaches’ offices, locker rooms and expanded training space for the men’s and women’s programs.
“Enthusiasm and financial support from our wrestling fans and alumni is tremendous. There is continued momentum with the Carver Circle Campaign along with private support to fund the start-up of women’s wrestling,” said Barta.
With the addition of women’s wrestling, Iowa will offer 22 sports, including 14 women’s teams and eight men’s teams. … rest of story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/IOWA-TO-BECOME-FIRST-POWER-5-23-9-2021
High School News (2021)- {N.C., S.C., Va. & W. Va.} # 19
TDR Editor’s Notes ; The following articles are from North Carolina and nearby states from the past year. While some are from a while back yet the stories are ones of interest to wrestling fans. Read on and Keep wrestling in mind. Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com Blog # 2974 (9/02/21)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 } – Youth wrestlers shine at VAWA state tournament
A two-time individual state champion at Loudoun County High School and an NCAA Division II champion at Limestone College, Dan Scanlan opened the Sterling-based Scanlan Wrestling Academy in 2016. “The big picture goal is to prepare young people for life. Give them resilience, focus, patience and teach them how to succeed at anything,” Scanlan said. “I see wrestling as just practice for that. I grew up in wrestling and I believe that it is a very effective method to prepare for the challenges of life.” A year after winning a state championship as a team, Scanlan Wrestling Academy competitors delivered another solid performance at the 2021 Virginia Wrestling Association state tournament. “There was a big wrench in the engine obviously with the pandemic,” Scanlan said of the past year. “We were able to get most of our consistent wrestlers back on the mat and competing … Our boys and our girls showed up and really performed well.” … rest of story at https://www.loudountimes.com/sports/youth-wrestlers-shine-at-vawa-state-tournament/article_d1d36238-992a-11eb-94ea-2b1c003fd481.html?mc_cid=e835860738&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2 } – High school wrestling: Culpeper wrestlers need community’s help to tag-team tournament expenses
Over the past two years, Culpeper High School wrestler A.J. Marshall has been able to pin just about every challenge that’s come his way to the mat. Now, the rising junior grappler needs some help from the Culpeper community if he is to take down his next opponent. Last month, Marshall qualified for the USA Wrestling Junior and 16U National Championships, which are held every summer in Fargo, N.D. The prestigious event, commonly referred to as the Fargo Nationals, attracts the top talent from across the country and is generally considered a litmus test for young wrestlers focused on honing their craft. This year’s Fargo Nationals will take place from July 16-23 at the FargoDome, which is located on the campus of North Dakota State University. … rest of story at https://starexponent.com/sports/high-school/high-school-wrestling-culpeper-wrestlers-need-communitys-help-to-tag-team-tournament-expenses/article_d5458c03-b4c5-50f9-98a7-1a35f4661a3b.html?mc_cid=0fb3325f19&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
3 } – ‘We were in it together’: Longtime Anne Arundel wrestling coaches trek 41 miles on Appalachian Trail hike
It was around 2 a.m. at the Dahlgren campground in Boonsboro when Old Mill wrestling coach Jim Grim made the mistake that would drive a stake through his morale. He asked John Klessinger, South River’s wrestling coach, what mile marker they’d reached. He delivered the good news: They were 24 miles in. The bad news? They had 17 to go. “I just remember a dagger through my heart,” Grim said. “I said to myself, ‘Man we still have [17] more miles.’ I was hurting.” Grim and Klessinger, as well as Annapolis wrestling coach Tom Sfakiyanudis, Broadneck’s Reid Bloomfield and Arundel’s Dwayne Vogel, set off Oct. 2-3 to hike the 41-mike Maryland portion of the Appalachian Trail carrying just headlamps, water, protein bars and beef jerky. Overnight. In the pitch dark. For 17 straight hours. No breaks. “We didn’t come up with the idea,” said Bloomfield, a novice hiker, “but we weren’t gonna let those other guys win.”
… rest of story at https://www.capitalgazette.com/sports/high-school/ac-cs-anne-arundel-wrestling-coaches-appalachian-trail-20201008-dwwwtnqqxfaxhcsi3hssafdnwm-story.html?mc_cid=a13c46544f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
4 } – Hit parade puts Mooresville in prime wrestling position
Pounding out the hits. Mooresville High School’s wrestling team managed to do just that when also engaging in the most meaningful segment of its remaining late-season surprising spring schedule. Appearing in nothing else but pivotal I-Meck Conference clashes with the outcomes being used to determine potential dual-team postseason positioning, the Blue Devils emerged from as many as four matches with nothing else but wins to show for their active efforts. Doing so as a part of a pair of three-team affairs both taking place in a mere three-day span, Mooresville piled up decisive decisions in all four head-to-head sessions to also exit from the duels with no worse than a share of first-place in the updated I-Meck ranks in tow. … rest of story at https://mooresvilletribune.com/sports/hit-parade-puts-mooresville-in-prime-wrestling-position/article_02e1259c-c543-11eb-81d5-438c77479b5c.html?mc_cid=0fb3325f19&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
5 } – ‘Too stubborn to quit.’ Diagnosed with autism, Ben Lippen senior excels in 2 sports
JC Green was named an all-region defensive tackle football player at Ben Lippen, helped his wrestling team its first state title and was recruited to play football at Newberry College in the fall. He also has autism. Green was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder at 6 years old, which made schoolwork more difficult and challenged his coordination in sports. “With my autism, it’s hard for me to focus sometimes. Just going from eighth grade work, that was a good bit of work, to ninth grade work, that was like four assignments every night, it was a little bit more of a difficult thing to overcome,” said Green. … rest of story at https://www.thestate.com/news/local/education/article251205489.html?mc_cid=08007c6b87&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
6 } – Parkersburg South’s Gavin Quiocho wins Robert Dutton Award as state’s top prep wrestler
PARKERSBURG — The 21st and 22nd four-time prep wrestling state champions in West Virginia history — Parkersburg South’s Gavin Quiocho and East Fairmont’s Blake Boyers — were runaway selections for the top two spots in the 37th annual Robert Dutton Award voting. However, for the fourth consecutive season, it was a Patriot who was honored as the state’s top wrestler. “I never thought about it, honestly,” admitted Quiocho, who won Class AAA crowns at 160 this year and previously at 145 (2020), 138 (2019) and 132 (2018) en route to a career 143-30 record that included 86 pins. “It’s always something I’m working toward to improve myself and that stuff comes along with it.” Quiocho will wrestle for Glenville State College head coach Dylan Cottrell, a four-time state champ himself who won the 2012 Dutton Award following his senior year at Roane County. Quiocho’s win marks the seventh time a Parkersburg South wrestler has won the Dutton Award. Braxton Amos became the first two-time honoree last year. PSHS also has celebrated Josh Humphreys (2018), Chad Porter (2006), Jason Johnson (1998) and the inaugural Dutton Award winner Dave Miller (1985). “It was pretty cool knowing that Braxton and Josh were the ones winning in the past three years and I get to be a part of that,” Quiocho said. “It’s awesome to feel. I don’t know how to explain it.” … rest of story at https://www.wvgazettemail.com/sports/prep_sports/wrestling/prep-wrestling-parkersburg-souths-gavin-quiocho-wins-robert-dutton-award-as-states-top-prep-wrestler/article_2cb0850c-e450-5f6f-ba6e-b7e750e06bef.html?mc_cid=2f6eda67bb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And Parkersburg South adds to Class AAA championship haul
HUNTINGTON — Coach Shaun Smith prepares Parkersburg South’s wrestling team the best he can for the West Virginia State high school wrestling tournament. Then the Patriots show up at Mountain Health Arena and demonstrate to their opposition that they more than have what it takes to finish on top in Class AAA. The latest example came Tuesday night when Parkersburg South, despite a lackluster showing in the championship round, put a convincing wrap on the 74th state tournament. At some point in the morning championship session, the Patriots had racked up enough points to stay clear of eventual runner-up Spring Mills. “Everybody wrestled their butts off,” Spring Mills coach Anthony Regalbuto said. Parkersburg South had nine wrestlers in the finals, but went 3-6 and still finished with 264 points. Spring Mills totaled 172.5. “They responded well,” Smith said of his team. “They wrestled well the last two days. Last night we hoped to go 11 for 11 in the semis, but we went 9 of 11 and that’s pretty good.” … rest of the story at https://www.wvgazettemail.com/sports/prep_sports/wrestling/prep-wrestling-parkersburg-south-adds-to-class-aaa-championship-haul/article_78f93200-4a96-5bef-bf1a-6c1bf43b3517.html?mc_cid=d92d6a4129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
7 } – Undefeated senior season earns Bryan Aragao ‘James Johnson’ Award
LELAND, NC (WWAY)–Four years of hard work was capped off in matter of minutes for North Brunswick High School wrestler Bryan Aragao. At the 2020 state tournament he wrapped up his senior season undefeated and claimed his first state title in the process. “It was the best feeling, especially going undefeated,”says North Brunswick High School graduate Bryan Aragao. “Nobody can say they beat you. You went out there and you dominated everybody. This is exactly what I wanted. It was in my mind from the start to the finish.” The work on the wrestling mat earned him the Takedown Report’s James Johnson award. The award is given out annually to the best scholastic wrestlers in eastern North Carolina. The selection committee says Bryan’s work ethic made this selection an easy choice. “First year he was kind of just there, the next two years he got to go to state, but all of sudden boom,”says Takedown Report editor Martin Fleming. “He just goes undefeated this year, it shows a good measure of his drive and determination.”
… rest of story at https://www.wwaytv3.com/2020/05/28/undefeated-senior-season-earns-bryan-aragao-james-johnson-award/
8 } – SERVICES FOR REFEREE AND COACH MIKE MATLOCK SET FOR FRIDAY, SEPT. 18 IN NORTH CAROLINA
ARRANGEMENTS: A memorial service will be held September 18 2020 at 11:00am at New Bern Church of Christ (1340 S Glenburnie Rd, New Bern, NC 28562). Services will be administered by Steven Hurst, Minister. Following the Memorial Service, a private graveside veteran’s ceremony will be held at 2pm at Coastal Carolina State Veterans Cemetery (110 Montford Landing Rd. Jacksonville, NC 28540) Due to COVID crowd restrictions, attendance for the gravesite service is limited by Armed Forces mandate. Anyone interested in attending the graveside service, please contact Scott Honecker (413-304-0220).
In Lieu of flowers, donations to the Mike Matlock Young Officials Scholarship Fund may be made by clicking here. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/September/14/Arrangements-set-for-Mike-Matlock?mc_cid=aa5954ac13&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
9} – Wrestling Announces 2021-22 Schedule, Season Ticket Plans
BOONE, N.C. — Head coach JohnMark Bentley of App State Wrestling announced on Thursday a 2021-22 schedule with several high-profile matchups in Varsity Gym, including visits from NC State, North Carolina and SoCon counterpart Campbell.
The Mountaineers are scheduled to return all seven NCAA Championships qualifiers and 11 wrestlers who posted winning records from a 2020-21 team that went 7-2. With five conference champions, App State tied two other schools for the lead in Division I wrestling, and All-America honoree Jonathan Millner is one of five returners who entered the 2021 NCAAs with a top-20 seed.
A schedule running from November to March includes eight SoCon duals,
… rest of story at https://appstatesports.com/news/2021/9/9/wrestling-announces-2021-22-schedule-ticket-plans.aspx
10 } – Resilient Wilhoit will take his skills to Roanoke College
SALISBURY — Trey Wilhoit’s senior wrestling season got off to a worst-case scenario start with back-to-back concussions. “Just got hit in the head wrong and missed some of the early matches,” Wilhoit said. “And it was going to be a condensed season to begin with.” Salisbury High’s 160-pounder managed to turn adversity into something positive. When wrestling was taken away for several weeks, it became even more important to him. “When I did finally get a chance to get back into the wrestling room, it was like I had a fire lit under me,” Wilhoit said. “We didn’t get to wrestle in any tournament and not having a county tournament was a bummer. But it still turned out to be a pretty amazing season.” … rest of story at https://www.salisburypost.com/2021/07/11/high-school-wrestling-resilient-wilhoit-will-wrestle-at-roanoke/?mc_cid=d1b37a6e41&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
11 } – ‘I’m gonna leave it all on the mat’
Three local girls to compete at state wrestling tourney
By Laura Scudder | Outer Banks Voice
For Outer Banks wrestlers Reagan Riddick, a sophomore at First Flight High School, Brooke Zak, a freshman at Currituck County High School, and Thalia Aguirre Gomez, a freshman at Manteo High School, wrestling is something they got involved in by watching other people. For Riddick, seeing her brother wrestle is what initially introduced her to the sport. For Zak, it was her cousin. And for Aguirre Gomez, it was a friend. This Saturday, June 26, they will all face off with boys as they compete in the North Carolina High School Wrestling State Championships. … rest of story at https://www.outerbanksvoice.com/2021/06/25/im-gonna-leave-it-all-on-the-mat/?mc_cid=95cb484a12&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And ‘She turns into a different person on the mat’: Hoke County girls’ wrestling team challenges stereotypes, beats odds
The Hoke County girls’ wrestling team members gathered in their high school gym last week to load up for the long ride to Kernersville, where they’d fight for unofficial individual state championships against more than 120 other girls from across North Carolina. Four years ago, this couldn’t have happened. Then, there was no state wrestling tournament just for girls. And there was only one girls’ wrestling team in all of North Carolina. The Bucks blazed the trail to the mat in 2017 when Hoke County became the first high school in the state to form a girls’ wrestling team. Since then, the field for the girls’ state championship invitational has doubled, Uwharrie Charter’s Heaven Fitch became the first girl to win an official NCHSAA state title, beating out a bracket of seven boys, and the number of girls wrestling in high schools across the nation has grown from 804 in 1994 to more than 21,000 in 2019, according to USA Wrestling. … rest of story at https://www.fayobserver.com/story/sports/2021/06/28/hoke-county-leading-fight-girls-wrestling-north-carolina/5334953001/?mc_cid=16b19c4117&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
12 } – Jason Fulmore of SEWrestle talks Fargo and Southeast wrestling in the Speakeasy
Jason Fulmore of SEWrestle is heading to Fargo. He’ll stop into New Brighton, Minnesota where the weather is great and talk with Jason Bryant in the Speakeasy Studio about things wrestling related and about the Southeast.
Check out Fulmore’s site at southeastwrestling.com
Links to Follow
Daily Wrestling Newsletter: https://www.mattalkonline.com/news
Contribute: https://www.mattalkonline.com/contribute
Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/mattalkonline
Rokfin: https://www.rokfin.com/creator/mattalkonline … rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/short-time/jason-fulmore-of-sewrestle-talks-fargo-and-southeast-wrestling-in-the-speakeasy/?mc_cid=fb87a783fb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
NCAA Division I News (2021) – # 31 {National}
TDR Editor’s Notes ; News from across the summer from a variety of Division I schools across the country. N.C. State Scholar wrestlers are included in the article in item # 10. Keep on Wrestling!
Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com Blog # 2978 (9/08/21)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 } – 2021 NWCA DIVISION I SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICA AWARDS
Manheim, PA – On Thursday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the 2021 Scholar All-American Team and Individual honorees for NCAA Division I with awards going to 191 individuals representing 59 institutions. LINK: Top 30 Scholar All-American Teams
LINK: Individual Scholar All-Americans
“It’s my honor on behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors to recognize this outstanding list of team and individual award winners,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “These athletes had to navigate a season full of unknowns and the fact they were able to continue to excel in the classroom is a testament to the attack mentality that wrestlers bring to every aspect of their lives.”
In the team race, Long Island University finished atop the field with a 3.5584 GPA followed by #2 North Dakota State University (3.5440) and #3 Cleveland State University (3.5331). The Top Five was rounded out by #4 Stanford University (3.5010) and #5 George Mason University (3.4818).
For the individual awards, Drexel University led the list of honorees with 10 Scholar All-Americans while Hofstra University, Stanford University, and Utah Valley University each had eight honorees. The list also included 126 NCAA National Qualifiers, 37 All-Americans, five Finalists, and two National Champions. … rest of story at https://www.nwcaonline.com/2021-nwca-division-i-scholar-all-america-awards/?mc_cid=3a3b8bc793&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And {Long Island} Wrestling Earns Scholar All-America Team Championship
BROOKVILLE, N.Y – The LIU wrestling program was honored as the best in the nation Thursday, earning the highest team academic award possible. The National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the 2021 Scholar All-American Team and Individual honorees for NCAA Division I with awards going to 191 individuals representing 59 institutions.
The Sharks finished with the highest GPA in the country, at 3.5584. “It’s my honor on behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors to recognize this outstanding list of team and individual award winners,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. … rest of story at https://www.liuathletics.com/news/2021/5/20/wrestling-earns-scholar-all-america-team-championship.aspx?mc_cid=3a3b8bc793&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2 } – Gomez and Traxler Announce Transfer Destinations
A couple of big name transfers made their destinations public Tuesday night which happens to be the first time since March 2020 that recruiting restrictions were lifted. Both, Austin Gomez and Nathan Traxler, have competed in the NCAA Round of 12 during their impressive careers. They now have new homes. The former Iowa State Cyclone, Gomez, will head to the Big Ten and wrestle for Chris Bono’s Wisconsin squad. Just about six months ago, Gomez announced that he was retiring from the sport after multiple injuries. Within the last month and a half, Gomez has hinted at a return. Austin was a national qualifier in 2019 as a redshirt freshman. That year
… rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24637?mc_cid=4557ffe1b6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
3 } – Specific Reasons Why Some Seniors Are NOT Returning in 2022
Wrestling fans have been spoiled with the myriad of seniors announcing their return for a final season. Because of the virus, the NCAA granted winter sport athletes an extra year of eligibility and essentially deemed the 2021 season a “free year.” Of course, Hawkeye fans are pumped to see Spencer Lee get his shot at a fourth title, and Pitt fans are thrilled to see NCAA finalist Jake Wentzel take the mat again. (For a full list, check out FloWrestling’s Senior Tracker here.) But what about the seniors who elected to not use their extra year of eligibility? Should fans still continue to cheer on those athletes in their post-collegiate careers?
Every fan wishes their favorite competitors could continue to wrestle, but oftentimes the fans forget that these athletes are young, twenty-something year olds who are also pursuing degrees during the week and kicking butt on the weekend. Would you want to stay in school for six, seven, or eight years with the rigorous routine of a D1 athlete? I doubt it. So let’s talk about the completely valid reasons why certain seniors are not returning in 2022 and why you should still support them. … rest of story at https://www.fancowrestling.com/specific-reasons-why-some-seniors-are-not-returning-in-2022/?mc_cid=48744dd3ab&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
4 } – Willie’s Friday Mailbag: May 21st, 2021
Stanford was saved. What a relief. And a surprise. Throughout the campaign to reinstate the program, I watched with a massive appreciation for their efforts but also with very little optimism.
There’s one reason programs get dropped: poor budget management by today’s athletic departments, who themselves have bloated rosters. And to reverse the decision to drop would mean admitting yet another massive mistake for an administration already mired in controversy. Kind of a miracle. But my message this week is to not depend on the whims of increasingly cruel and incompetent athletic departments. Just 165 miles from Stanford, there’s another war to win to save Fresno State. And again, I’m pessimistic.
The time to endow your wrestling program was 15 years ago. If you haven’t started, do so now. The only way to insulate our 78 DI wrestling programs is to remove all administrative second-guessing and fund it ourselves. There’s been a proliferation of public, online fundraising campaigns for DI wrestling programs, and thanks to you, the fans, they’ve been a massive success. Wrestling programs often outpace any other sports in program donations at many schools. The contributions can go to many things – mats, facilities, travel budget, etc. But coaches would be wise to put much of that into an endowment fund or to seek out more prominent donors to get one started.
… rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24612?mc_cid=ce44cea415&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
5 } – Updated 2021-22 DI Transfer Tracker (6/13/2021)
Transfers as of 6/13/2021 – received by DI schools. (New school listed first)
Wrestlers added since our last edition have been bolded.
Appalachian State – Diavantae Reddick (Campbell) 165
Appalachian State – Jacob Sartorio (Fresno City College) 285
Arizona State – Kyle Parco (Fresno State) 141/149
Binghamton – Ryan Anderson (Centenary) 141/149
Binghamton – Nick Lombard (Michigan) 149
Buffalo – Trent Svingala (Columbia) 141
Cal Poly – Evan Wick (Cal Poly) 165
Campbell – Anthony Molton (Fresno State) 125
… rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24674?mc_cid=ddbb246640&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
6 } – Wrestling’s Jason Borrelli Named Dan Gable Coach of the Year by WIN Magazine
NEWTON, Iowa – Jason Borrelli, the first-year head coach of American University wrestling, has been honored by WIN Magazine as the 2021 Dan Gable Coach of the Year. Borrelli earned the award for his work at Stanford University during the 2020-21 season, which included coaching national champion Shane Griffith and helping save the program from getting cut.
“I am incredibly honored to be selected as the Dan Gable Coach of the Year,” said Borrelli. “During the 2020-21 season we endured unprecedented obstacles. Our successes were nothing short of remarkable and the result of the hard work of many individuals from the Stanford Wrestling family. It’s satisfying that others recognize what we overcame and achieved in the midst of adversity, which included crowning a national champion and saving a century old wrestling program in the West!” Borrelli led Griffith and teammate Jaden Abas to All-American honors … rest of story at https://aueagles.com/news/2021/7/6/wrestlings-jason-borrelli-named-dan-gable-coach-of-the-year-by-win-magazine.aspx?mc_cid=9b69983a38&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
7 } – Updated 2021 NCAA DI Coaching Carousel Tracker (7/12/21)
All offseason we have monitored the movement on the coaching front, just like any other year. However, as the spring and summer of 2021 has progressed, we’ve discovered that this year was unlike any other, because of the amount of vacancies still unfilled. Two weeks ago, we provided some reasons why this has happened. Today, we’re circling back around to look at the list of coaches who have accepted new jobs this offseason. Remember, we have only listed signings that have been announced by the schools themselves.
… rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24761?mc_cid=d1b37a6e41&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
8 } – 5 Landing Spots for Nick Suriano to Transfer that Aren’t Arizona State
When wrestling fans discovered that Nick Suriano entered the transfer portal, they instantly started debating where he should go. Let’s add some more spark to the debate with these 5 landing spots for Nick Suriano.
Why Not Arizona State?
The seemingly obvious choice for Nick Suriano is to transfer to Arizona State. He has been training and competing for the Sunkist Kids Wrestling Club, so why wouldn’t he just stay in Arizona? The problem with Suriano transferring to ASU is that their lineup is stacked.
With returning NCAA finalist Brandon Courtney at 125 and All-Americans Michael McGee and Kyle Parco filling in at 133 and 141, respectively, there are not any clear openings for him. Granted, Suriano is good enough to make just about every lineup in the country, but there would definitely be issues for the lightweights at ASU if he stays in Tempe.
… rest of story at https://www.fancowrestling.com/5-landing-spots-for-nick-suriano-to-transfer-that-arent-arizona-state/?mc_cid=608eaeea75&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
9} – Shuck named head coach of Bellarmine wrestling
LOUISVILLE, Ky. — Bellarmine University Director of Athletics Scott Wiegandt announced Wednesday that Ned Shuck has been hired as the head coach of the Bellarmine University wrestling team. Shuck becomes the second head coach in the short history of the program, which launched in 2016. A member of the Southern Conference, Bellarmine is coming off its first season in Division I in 2020-21 after making the rise from DII. Shuck spent the previous three seasons at Army West Point, the latter two of which he was the associate head wrestling coach after being promoted in 2019-20. In all three years of his tenure, the Black Knights had seven wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championship. “I’m excited to welcome Coach Shuck to the Bellarmine Family,” Wiegandt said. “Ned was instrumental in the historic success that Army West Point achieved over the last three years. And that’s nothing new for him — success on the mat and in the classroom has followed him at every coaching stop across multiple collegiate levels. I have no doubt that trend will continue at Bellarmine as our still-young wrestling program continues to evolve and develop, now at the Division-I level.”
… rest of story at https://athletics.bellarmine.edu/news/2021/7/7/wrestling-shuck-named-head-coach-of-bellarmine-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=9d57322631&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And New Bellarmine head wrestling coach Ned Shuck – OTM633
Ned Shuck goes On The Mat
The newest head coach to be hired in Division I is Ned Shuck at Bellarmine University in Louisville, Kentucky. Shuck was most recently at Army West Point as an assistant coach under Kevin Ward. Prior to that, Shuck was a Division III head coach at UW-Whitewater and Heidelberg after a wrestling career at Iowa. Join Kyle Klingman and Andy Hamilton as they talk about the world of wrestling on the flagship podcast of Trackwrestling.com, part of FloSports. … rest of story at https://www.mattalkonline.com/podcast/trackwrestling/on-the-mat/new-bellarmine-head-wrestling-coach-ned-shuck-otm633/?mc_cid=d1b37a6e41&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
10 } – School Record Seven Named NWCA Scholar All-Americans
Seven named was the fifth-best nationally, tops in the ACC
RALEIGH, N.C. – The NC State Wrestling team had a school record seven named a NWCA D1 Scholar All-American for the 2020-21 season. That mark was fourth nationally, and once again tops in the ACC.
Over the past two seasons, 13 have earned the honor for the Pack. The Pack had a pair named an Academic All-American for the fourth time in their careers. 2020 ACC Champions Daniel Bullard (Economics) and Hayden Hidlay (Non-Profit Management) both received the honor for the fourth straight year.
Both will return as Super Seniors and be enrolled in grad school courses for 2021-22. A trio of redshirt sophomores were all named for the second straight season as well: Jakob Camacho (Business Administration), Jarrett Trombley (Biological Sciences) and Trent Hidlay (Business Administration).
… rest of story at https://gopack.com/news/2021/5/21/wrestling-school-record-seven-named-nwca-scholar-all-americans.aspx
11 } – Wrestling: Non-Conference Schedule Announced
Nebraska will take on North Carolina and South Dakota State in non-conference action
Nebraska’s non-conference schedule was announced Thursday on Twitter.
The Huskers will start the season like most others, with the Nebraska Duals on Nov. 11 where they’ll face off against in-state schools University of Nebraska-Kearney and Chadron State. A year ago, UNK finished just shy of a NCAA Division II National Championship with 105.5 points, falling to St. Cloud State who finished with 107 points. Chadron State, also a DII school, went 4-3 a year ago in dual action. Nebraska defeated UNK 47- -1 and Chadron State 37-3 in 2019.
After only competing against Big Ten Conference foes in 2021 due to Covid-19, Nebraska will get back to a normal schedule in 2021-22. After the Nebraska Duals, Nebraska will play host to North Carolina, one of the top ACC teams in the country. North Carolina will be a solid foe, led by NCAA champion Austin O’Connor. O’Connor defeated Ohio State’s Sammy Sasso in the 149-pound final in March to win North Carolina’s first individual national title since 1995. He’s likely to move up to 157 pounds for his final year. … rest of story at https://www.cornnation.com/2021/8/20/22633531/wrestling-non-conference-schedule-announced?mc_cid=c4a5fbe2c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
12 } – The University of Tulsa to Consider Adding New Sports: Why Wrestling Should be it
According to Kelly Hines of the Tulsa World, the University of Tulsa Athletic Director Rick Dickson has said the school is considering adding new sports in an effort to grow enrollment. Unfortunately, in the D1 wrestling world, we’ve seen countless programs get dropped as universities flood money into their revenue sports of football and basketball. On other levels, that has not been the case. Wrestling is growing at a very high pace in D2, D3, NAIA, and on the Junior College level. The reason this works for those smaller schools is those programs in a unique way end up paying for themselves. The massive growth of women’s wrestling has been a game-changer for the sport. Many smaller schools can add both a men’s and women’s program with a fairly minimal investment. … rest of story at https://owrestle.com/the-university-of-tulsa-to-consider-adding-new-sports-why-wrestling-should-be-it/
And Charles Liu Wipes the Floor with Neil deGrasse Tyson
Neil deGrasse Tyson takes us back to his high school days with co-hosts Chuck Nice and Gary O’Reilly to break down the physics of Olympic wrestling, featuring our Geek-in-Chief astrophysicist Charles Liu. Is there an ultimate technique to winning gold? … rest of story and video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CLKgn_lzB4U
Six from Wolfpack Wrestling Club to Compete at U.S. World Team Trials
Action is Saturday and Sunday and FloWrestling will stream all matches
RALEIGH, N.C. – Four current members of the NC State wrestling team and two alums will all be representing the Wolfpack Wrestling Club at the 2021 World Team Trials this weekend in Lincoln, Neb.
Action will take place Saturday and Sunday, with action starting on both days at 11 a.m. (ET). The best-fo-3 finals will be held Sunday at 3 p.m. (ET). The event will be streamed on FloWrestling.com.
Medal winners at the recent Summer Olympics were given the option to automatically gain a spot on the U.S. World team, so four of the weight classes will not be competed this weekend (57, 74, 86 and 97 kg). Wolfpack RTC members in those weight classes either had to go up a weight or down a weight class.
Four-time Pack All-American Hayden Hidlay will be in action at 79 kg, while his brother and 2021 NCAA Finalist Trent Hidlay will be at 92 kg. Jakob Camacho will bump up to 61 kg, and Isaac Trumble returns to his home state and will be with Trent Hidlay at 92 kg.
Former Wolfpack All-Americans Tommy Gantt and Michael Macchiavello will also be in action, and both in the same weight class as a current Pack wrestler. Gantt will be at 79 kg along with Hayden Hidlay, while Macchiavello will be at 92 kg along with Trent Hidlay and Trumble.
A pair of former NC State wrestlers who are now in the collegiate coaching ranks will also be in action, Sean Fausz (Cal Poly) at 61 kg and Nick Gwiazdowski (Cornell) at 125 kg. … rest of story and podcast at https://gopack.com/news/2021/9/9/six-from-wolfpack-wrestling-club-to-compete-at-us-world-team-trials.aspx
NCAA Division I News (2021) – # 30 {Big 10}
TDR Editor’s Notes ; Looking back some on last season as they look ahead to wrestling this fall for some Big 10 teams. Keep on Wrestling! Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com Blog # 2977 (9/06/21)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 } – Can Penn State Win NCAAs with this 2022 Lineup?
Returning All-Americans: 6
Projected NCAA Points: 132
2021 Record: 6-0
For the past decade, the question at the beginning of the year has been: can anyone beat Penn State for the NCAA trophy? Even during their so-called “down years,” the Nittany Lions still produced National Champions that no one was expecting to see at the top of the podium. In fact, at least one Penn State wrestler has won the NCAA Championships every year for the past ten years. With the 2021-2022 season approaching, can they produce another National Champion (or four)? Read on to see how the Penn State wrestling lineup will fare. … rest of story at https://www.fancowrestling.com/can-penn-state-win-ncaas-with-this-2022-lineup/?mc_cid=766ccc313f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2 } – Penn State Wrestling’s Greg Kerkvliet overcame incredible hurdles in 2021
The mystery of Penn State Wrestling standout Greg Kerkvliet’s 2021 season is finally solved
Hi there Penn State wrestling fans. It’s been a minute, right? Do you remember WAY back in March 2021, when Greg Kerkvliet took home fourth in the B1G Championships, seventh in the NCAA Championships, and earned All-American status?And do you also remember when Kerkvliet took place in a NLWC tournament in the fall of 2020 in which he absolutely obliterated the competition? Lastly, do you remember when nothing was coming out of the Penn State Wrestling camp during the entire 2021 regular season regarding if or when we would see Greg Kerkvliet make his debut? Early into the 2021 season Coach Cael Sanderson even indicated if was likely he wouldn’t wrestle at all. So what happened to the former No. 1 recruit in the nation between the fall of 2020 (where he looked unstoppable) and when he surprisingly suited up and hit the mat in the dual meet against Maryland? Furthermore, why did he not look like the same guy when he took part in the B1G Championships and the NCAA Championships? … rest of story at https://victorybellrings.com/2021/06/21/penn-state-wrestling-kerkvliet-overcame-incredible-hurdles/?mc_cid=7f42ab4fd0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
3 } – Venz, Sjomeling, Hardy Named NWCA Scholar All-Americans
The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) recognized three Husker wrestlers as 2021 Division I Scholar All-Americans.
Now a two-time NWCA Scholar All-American, senior Taylor Venz (184) highlighted an impressive 2020-21 season with his second-place finish at the 2021 Big Ten Championships. His performance clinched an automatic bid to his fourth NCAA Wrestling Championships, where he recorded two wins as the No. 8 seed. The NCAA All-American also recorded three match wins in the Nebraska Triangular, defeating Northwestern’s Jon Halvorsen by 16-0 technical fall in 4:57, Jack Jessen by fall in 1:57 and Maryland’s Kyle Cochran by 4-2 decision. The Farmington, Minn., native is a four-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, 2020 NWCA First Team All-America member, plus a five-time member of the Nebraska Scholar-Athlete Honor Roll.
Junior Tucker Sjomeling (133) was also recognized by the NWCA. Sjomeling recorded a career-best ninth-place finish at the 2021 Big Ten Championships, defeating Michigan’s Jack Medley … rest of story at https://huskers.com/news/2021/7/8/wrestling-venz-sjomeling-hardy-named-nwca-scholar-all-americans.aspx?mc_cid=4c85391443&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
4 } – Bravo-Young and Schlegel Named Penn State’s Athletes of the Year
Nittany Lions from women’s soccer and wrestling programs honored for achievements in 2020-21
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Penn State Athletics announced its 2020-21 Female and Male Athletes of the Year, as women’s soccer standout Ally Schlegel and wrestling national champion Roman Bravo-Young carry the mantle for another successful year. Bravo-Young and Schlegel will represent Penn State on the ballot for Big Ten Male and Female Athletes of the Year with honorees from the other 13 conference institutions. …
Bravo-Young joins a group of eight Nittany Lion wrestlers who have been named Penn State’s Male Athlete of the Year a total of 10 times. David Taylor (2013-14) and Bo Nickal (2018-19) went on to win Big Ten Male Athlete of the Year. Penn State began awarding Athlete of the Year honors in 1991-92. … rest of story at https://gopsusports.com/news/2021/6/29/womens-soccer-bravo-young-and-schlegel-named-penn-states-athletes-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=7334e288ab&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
5 } – Spencer Lee Is Capitalizing on NIL, But He Just Wants World & Olympic Gold
Like many other college athletes, 3x NCAA Champion and 3x Cadet/Junior World Champion has officially started capitalizing on his Name, Image and Likeness. Though, he just wants World & Olympic Gold. Today, the Hawkeye leader joined the podcast once again to talk about what it looks like behind the scenes and what his approach is. We also go back a few months and talk about his “Senior” season, including Big 10’s dominance and following up winning NCAA’s with no ACLs by having to bow out of the Olympic Trials.
This show is brought to you by ATAC! ATAC is a new sophisticated training app, with very cool gaming components, … rest of story at https://www.baschamania.com/podcast/spencer-lee-is-capitalizing-on-nil-but-he-just-wants-world-olympic-gold?mc_cid=9b69983a38&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And All-American Heavyweight White Joins Cliff Keen WC
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The Cliff Keen Wrestling Club has added former Oklahoma State heavyweight standout Derek White to its senior-level freestyle roster, the club announced on Friday (Aug. 13). “Derek will be a great addition to our CKWC roster,” said Michigan head coach Sean Bormet. “We are very proud of our recent heavyweight success, both domestically and abroad, and Derek is going to add a lot to the competitiveness and intensity on that upperweight side of our wrestling room. He has a lot of talent, and I believe with the right work and continued development, he has the potential for great freestyle success. I’m excited to get him to Ann Arbor and get to work.” A collegiate standout at Oklahoma State (2017-19), White was an NCAA finalist as a senior, falling to Penn State’s Anthony Cassar in the championship bout, and a two-time Big 12 heavyweight champion (2018. ’19). He also claimed tournament titles at the Reno Tournament of Champions and Southern Scuffle as a senior. He reached the NCAA Round of 12 in 2018, finishing one win shy of All-America honors. White bumped up to heavyweight as a junior and posted a 57-6 record over his last two collegiate seasons, earning bonus points in 33 wins over the stretch with seven pins. He compiled a career mark of 98-22. … rest of story at https://www.cliffkeenwrestlingclub.com/all-american-heavyweight-white-joins-cliff-keen-wc/?mc_cid=7563ce36dc&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
6 } – After calling Lincoln and Nebraska home for 15-plus years, Jordan Burroughs begins new chapter
It started with pen and paper. It will end with memories and see-you-laters.
In November 2005, a letter from Nebraska wrestling coach Mark Manning to Jordan Burroughs not only helped land the wrestling phenom from Sicklerville, New Jersey, but helped carve the face of Team USA wrestling over the last 15 years. Manning’s letter to Burroughs read as follows:
“Dear Jordan, I really enjoyed visiting with you the other night! We’ve signed a few real good guys early, and only have so much scholarship available. But, you are one of the guys we really need to be a part of our program. When I watched you compete last year at the state tournament, I realized you have the ability to a great college wrestler. I believe with the workout (training) partners we have for you to wrestle with every day — that you will be able to challenge for the nat’l championship very early on in your career. I’m looking forward to having you come out here this spring. We have a lot of tough, good kids in our program and it’s only a matter of time before we win the Nat’l Championship. Keep working hard and dreaming of being ‘a Husker’! … Take care — Coach Manning.”
Burroughs went on to win two NCAA national titles as a Husker. Since staying in Lincoln, Burroughs has captured Olympic gold in London 2012, along with 2011, 2013, 2015 and 2017 world championships. Burroughs also added world bronze medals in 2014, 2018 and 2019.
“I think he has set a trajectory, not only (for) our Husker program,” Manning told the Journal Star on Wednesday. “He was the first two-time (wrestling) NCAA champion at Nebraska. He’ll have a trickle-down effect for our guys for years.” But the time has come. … rest of story at https://journalstar.com/sports/huskers/wrestling/after-calling-lincoln-and-nebraska-home-for-15-plus-years-jordan-burroughs-begins-new-chapter/article_e7de46af-3d8b-5ad5-8e1d-ce18e37193b0.html?mc_cid=e094d4aecd&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
7 } – MatBoss Q&A: Tony Ersland, Purdue head wrestling coach
Purdue head wrestling coach Tony Ersland has a strong track record of national success and consistency. Ersland, a former Iowa wrestler, has helped the Boilermakers finish in the top 25 in the final poll in six of his seven seasons as head coach. He has qualified 45 wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, including eight wrestlers in a season four times. Purdue has compiled a dual meet mark of 60-50 under Ersland. The Boilermaker head wrestling coach has also been successful in recruiting, landing five top-25 recruiting classes in his seven seasons.
MatBoss recently caught up with Ersland and talked to him about this past season, recruiting, NCAA’s NIL policy, schedule, season outlook and more.
You have built a successful and consistent program at Purdue. You had eight national qualifiers last season for the third straight year. Every one of your wrestlers won at least one match at the national tournament. Every year you are ranked in the top 25. It feels like you are on the brink of breaking through. What’s it going to take for the program to take that next step?
Ersland: I think we are knocking on that door pretty hard in a lot of ways. The kind of success we are looking for — crowning national champs and All-Americans — we have got to have some guys break through that barrier and I really feel like the floodgates will open. There’s an expectation right now that we have a huge majority of our team at the NCAA Championships, and there’s an expectation to be on the podium. … rest of story at https://blog.matboss.com/matboss-qa-tony-ersland-purdue-head-wrestling-coach?mc_cid=d1b37a6e41&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
8 } – Mike Poeta: Taking Illini Wrestling to a Bigger Stage
If new University of Illinois coach Mike Poeta‘s grand plans come to fruition, Fighting Illini fans will be the benefactors of an exciting new wrestling experience in 2021-22. Picture, if you will, a raised stage smack dab in the middle of the State Farm Center, surrounded by thousands of fanatics wearing orange and blue. Okay, maybe the mat won’t be enclosed by spring-loaded ropes, nor should fans expect characters like The Rock or Bobby Lashley or Roman Reigns to be introduced by blaring theme music. But Poeta isn’t opposed to adding a touch of glitz to one of the world’s oldest sports. Says Poeta, “I’m not a big WWE guy, but I would love for us to be able to wrestle up on a stage. That sound that’s made on a stage when a guy is slammed down on a mat does make quite an impact. It’s more exciting, more fun. I think that will really add to the experience of the fans who are in attendance.” “My goal is to make SFC rockin’ like (Iowa’s) Carver Hawkeye Arena is and to make Champaign and Central Illinois as big of a wrestling area as there is in the country.” Hundreds of state champions from the state of Illinois associate State Farm Center with their moments of high school glory. … rest of story at https://fightingillini.com/news/2021/7/13/mike-poeta-taking-illini-wrestling-to-a-bigger-stage.aspx?mc_cid=48744dd3ab&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
9} – Gopher Athletics Set to Induct 10 New Members into M Club Hall of Fame
The University of Minnesota’s M Club, one of the nation’s largest and oldest varsity letterwinner clubs, will induct 10 new Hall of Fame members on Sept, 10, 2021 in an in-person ceremony on Williams Arena court. The individuals will be recognized throughout the weekend at various events, including the Sept. 11 home football game against Miami (OH). It marks the first hall of fame induction since 2018.
The 2021 M Club Hall of Fame inductee class includes: Cole Konrad (Wrestling, 2004-07)
One of the most dominant and decorated wrestlers in program history, Cole Konrad won the last 76 matches of his career, setting a school record for consecutive wins, and won back-to-back NCAA heavyweight titles in 2006 and 2007. Konrad became the first Gopher heavyweight to earn All-America honors in each of his four seasons and the fourth to ever win two NCAA titles. His high-point scoring ability helped Minnesota win the 2007 NCAA team title and Big Ten titles in 2006 and 2007.
Konrad got started early in his career with a fourth-place finish at his first NCAA Championships in 2004. That was the lowest he would ever finish. He advanced to the NCAA title match as a sophomore in 2005, falling to rival Steve Mocco 3-1 in a tiebreaker. As a junior, Konrad defeated Mocco 5-2 in the NCAA title bout, completing a perfect 41-0 season. He finished his collegiate career on the highest note possible, pinning Penn State’s Aaron Anspach in the NCAA title match, capping a 35-0 season.
The Appleton, Wis., native was extremely successful at the conference level as well, winning three Big Ten titles (2005-07) and was twice named the Big Ten Wrestler of the Year (2006, 2007). Konrad finished his career ranking second in career victories (155), third in pins (50) and third in win percentage (.922). On the international stage, Konrad finished third at the 2006 World University Games and won a gold medal at the 2005 Pan-Am Games in Guatemala. With these newest additions, the M Club Hall of Fame will recognize 373 of history’s greatest Gophers and their achievements. The Hall of Fame also celebrates the legacy of all letterwinners and their contributions to the success of Gopher Athletics. Every member of the M Club Hall of Fame has his or her name prominently displayed for visitors at the entrance of the T. Denny Sanford Athletics Hall of Fame inside Huntington Bank Stadium. … rest of story at https://gophersports.com/news/2021/7/14/gopher-athletics-set-to-induct-10-new-members-into-m-club-hall-of-fame.aspx?mc_cid=f4f15d3e7b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
10 } – All Three Husker Commits at Fargo Finish As All-Americans
In addition to three Junior-level All-American commits, Nebraska as a state crowned a number of Junior and Cadet National Champions
Three future Huskers competed recently at the 2021 US Marine Corps Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota. One was incoming freshman Adam Thebeau out of Illinois, while both of Nebraska’s class of 2022 commits also competed in Antrell Taylor of Nebraska and Harley Andrews of Oklahoma. The trio of future Huskers was led by Millard South’s Taylor, who is currently ranked No. 12 in the country at 160 pounds by FloWrestling. After winning five straight matches, four by tech fall, Taylor advanced to the semifinal round. Taylor fell to Iowa’s Aiden Riggins 19-6, down into the consolation bracket. Riggins is ranked No. 10 at 160 pounds. Taylor then faced off against No. 8-ranked 160-pounder Rocco Welsh of Pennsylvania in the consolation semifinal, falling 9-1 by decision. Taylor then earned fifth-place via forfeit. Future Husker heavyweight Andrews had a strong tournament before being derailed by an injury. Andrews, ranked No. 3 in the country at 220 pounds, was competing at heavyweight (285 pounds). … rest of story at https://www.cornnation.com/2021/7/28/22596861/wrestling-all-three-husker-commits-at-fargo-finish-as-all-americans?mc_cid=eccbde8e25&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And An intense motor’: Why Nebraska wrestling commit Harley Andrews is ‘a monster’ for Tuttle football
TUTTLE — Harley Andrews decided to focus solely on wrestling during his sophomore year at Tuttle.
One of the top grapplers in the state, it made sense that Andrews wanted to walk away from football and spend all of his time on the mat. But as Andrews entered the fall, he started to regret his decision. “Wrestling year-round was good but definitely had to get back to football,” he said. “I missed it a lot. Kind of helped me get my mind off wrestling for a little bit. Have something else to look forward to.”
Andrews returned to football as a junior and had a solid year. Now 6-foot-5 and 240 pounds, the senior tight end and defensive end is expected to do big things in his final season with the Tigers. “We’re so happy to have him,” Tuttle coach Brad Ballard said. “Last year after he got his feet back on the ground again and got going, he played really well. He has got an intense motor. He’s committed to Nebraska to wrestle. I truly believe if he wanted to play football, he could play football at that level, too.” … rest of story at https://www.oklahoman.com/story/sports/high-school/football/2021/08/13/nebraska-wrestling-harley-andrews-a-monster-tuttle-football/8104234002/?mc_cid=7563ce36dc&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
11 } – Northwestern prepares for upcoming season after top ten finish at NCAA Championships
Going into the 2021 season, things looked bleak for Northwestern after losing top wrestler and two-time Big Ten champion Sebastian Rivera to Rutgers while preparing for a shortened season due to COVID-19. For coach Matt Storniolo and his Cats, though, this was a hurdle that could be overcome. Though the team struggled during the regular season with a record of 2-6, placing eleventh in the Big Ten and a middle of the pack finish during the conference championship, the challenges only prepared them for the biggest stage ahead: the national championship. Led by graduate player Ryan Deakin, who secured a top-three finish and his second straight Big Ten championship, the team snagged a top ten national finish — the best since 2014. Alongside Deakin’s third straight conference honor, two other NU wrestlers, redshirt sophomore Chris Cannon and redshirt senior Yahya Thomas, were named All-Americans. With this, NU secured its second straight season of at least three top-eight national finishes since 2014. After sending seven players to the NCAA championships, four Wildcats also earned top five individual finishes during the conference championship. … rest of story at https://dailynorthwestern.com/2021/08/16/sports/wrestling-northwestern-prepares-for-upcoming-season-after-top-ten-finish-at-ncaa-championships/?mc_cid=c95744a536&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
12 } – Vince Turk returns
Vince Turk will be rejoining the Iowa Wrestling program. Turk has been in the military which froze his eligibility clock. He will have one year of eligibility to compete. Turk was an NCAA Qualifier in 2018 at 141 lbs. His 3-2 record at Nationals saw him drop close matches to the eventual NCAA Runner-up and seventh place finisher. Originally from Hampshire, Illinois Turk attended Montini Catholic in Chicago where he won two state titles, a runner-up finish, and a Cadet Greco Roman national title . Coming out of high school Turk was a Top 100 overall recruit in the country for the Recruiting Class of 2015. After a redshirt year as a true freshman Turk was injured for his redshirt freshman season. As a sophomore he posted a 15-10 record, placed fifth in the Big Ten and was an 2018 NCAA Qualifier at 141. … rest of story at https://iowawrestlingblog.com/2021/08/vince-turk-returns/?mc_cid=9437ea749e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Campbell University Wrestling Schedule
Wrestling announces 2021-22 schedule
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell has announced its 2021-22 wrestling schedule, featuring a challenging nonconference lineup, plus dates with five opponents at home and a full Southern Conference slate. The 2021-22 Camels will make their debut with the return of the Orange & Black Wrestle-Off, set for 11:30 a.m. in front of the Pope Convocation Center during CU’s 2021 Homecoming on October 23. Winners of the last three SoCon championships, Campbell will officially open the season at home, hosting Montreat on November 3.
CU will then travel to Corvallis, Ore. for a return trip to Oregon State on November 6, also taking on Lehigh. The Camels hosted the Beavers in 2020, topping Oregon State 27-11. On November 14, the Camels head to nearby Raleigh, N.C. for the NC State Wolfpack Open, the first of three tournaments on the 2021-22 schedule. Campbell will also return to the prestigious Midlands Championships December 29-30, followed by the Southern Scuffle January 1-2. Three Camels placed in the team’s last Midlands appearance in 2019, including a runner-up finish for now four-time NCAA qualifier Josh Heil.
The Camels will make road appearances on consecutive days at a pair of ACC programs that finished the 2021 season ranked in the top-25, starting with Virginia on November 20, followed by North Carolina on November 21. CU beings SoCon competition on December 19 at Gardner-Webb, also taking on Ohio in a nonconference bout. The Camels swept the Runnin’ Bulldogs and Bobcats by a combined 72-12 last season. Making their first-ever trip to Presbyterian College, the Camels will match up with the Blue Hose on January 9, also facing second-year SoCon member Bellarmine.
Campbell will step out of conference competition again on January 16 for a trip to Mount Pleasant, Mich., taking on another top-25 opponent from a year ago, Central Michigan, as well as CSU Bakersfield and American. On January 23, Campbell returns home and back to its SoCon slate, hosting The Citadel, followed by Chattanooga and VMI on January 30. The Camels will close out their home schedule on February 6 with Davidson, before traveling to Appalachian State on February 13 for their regular season finale. CU topped App State 21-17 last season in Buies Creek.
The SoCon Championships will return to Boone, N.C. on March 5, where Campbell has celebrated conference tournament titles in each of the last three seasons. Campbell claimed its third straight SoCon regular season and tournament championships in 2021, going 8-1 overall and a perfect 7-0 in conference duals. The Camels extended their SoCon dual win streak to 16 in the process, going unbeaten through its league slate for the second straight season. Ranked as high as No. 22 in the NCWA team poll and No. 19 by InterMat, a school record seven Camels qualified for the NCAA Championships in St. Louis, Mo., while first year head coach Scotti Sentes was named national Rookie Head Coach of the Year (Amateur Wrestling News), as well as SoCon Coach of the Year. … rest of story at https://gocamels.com/news/2021/9/2/wrestling-announces-2021-22-schedule.aspx
NCAA Division I News (2021) – # 29 {MAC}
TDR Editor’s Notes ; Most articles of Division I schools in the M.A.C. and a few stories with a more national interest in Division I schools and competition. Keep wrestling On!
Contact us at the Editor’s office at martinkfleming@gmail.com Blog # 2976 (9/04/21)
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
1 } – Anything You Can Do …
Wrestling galvanizes deep bonds between Drew and Sarah Hildebrandt
MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – Drew Hildebrandt has heard the tongue-in-cheek question hundreds of times. Hey man, how come you’re not as good as your sister? A conundrum, of course. Hildebrandt’s response (paraphrasing because, well, mom is likely to read it): I’m better than you, and she’ll kick your behind too. And, he’s right. Of course he’s right. Hildebrandt recently became a two-time All-American wrestler at Central Michigan and to most, such an accomplished athlete would be the family torch-bearer when it comes to athletics. But the Hildebrandt family is somewhat atypical. There’s plenty of wrestling talent to go around. Just 11 days ago, Drew’s older sister, Sarah, finished first at the U.S. Olympic Trials to earn the right to represent the United States this summer in Tokyo. It’s the crowning jewel in an ever-burgeoning wrestling crown for the Hildebrandt family, which hails from Granger, Ind.
And for all the successes and, of course, occasional disappointments, there is no envy, no jealousy, no sibling rivalry. Instead, it’s all genuinely heart-felt positivity for the 23-year-old Drew and 27-year-old Sarah, two of the four Hildebrandt children born to Nancy and Chris Hildebrandt. “I think a lot of times we use each other as inspiration,” said Drew, who has the option because of COVID to return to CMU for one more year in 2021-22. “If you look at how we improved in our accomplishments side by side, people are like, ‘It seems like you guys are competing;’ no, it’s the opposite: I see something she does and I’m like, ‘That is super inspiring.’ … rest of story at https://cmuchippewas.com/news/2021/4/14/wrestling-hildebrandts-feature.aspx?mc_cid=41e05ef71b&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2 } – 2020-21 Wrestling Academic All-MAC Team Announced
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced Monday the 2020-21 Wrestling Academic All-MAC Team. A total of 84 student-athletes were named to this year’s squad.
Ohio led the way with 11 student-athletes on this year’s squad. Kent State followed with a total of 10 honorees, while Northern Illinois and Cleveland State had nine selections each.
The Academic All-MAC honor is for a student-athlete who has excelled in athletics and academics. To qualify, a student-athlete must have at least a 3.20 cumulative GPA and have participated in at least 50 percent of the contests for that particular sport.
2020-21 MAC Wrestling Academic All-MAC Team
Alex Carida, Bloomsburg, Jr., Supply Chain Management, 3.65 GPA
Christian Gannone, Bloomsburg, So., Media and Journalism, 3.48 GPA
Bronson Garber, Bloomsburg, R-Fr., Supply Chain Management, 3.43 GPA … rest of story at https://getsomemaction.com/news/2021/4/19/2020-21-wrestling-academic-all-mac-team-announced.aspx?mc_cid=5c73249ed8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
3 } – Cleveland State Wrestling Recruiting Class Headlined by Senior National Champion, State Champion & Nationally Ranked Wrestler
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Head coach Josh Moore of the Cleveland State University wrestling team announced Friday that 11 student-athletes have formally committed to continue their careers with the Vikings.
Daniel Adams (Louisville High School), Ben Aranda (DeKalb High School), Mason Cover (Bay High School), Dylan Dodson (Licking Valley High School), Rager Els (Massillon High School), Shane Heil (Berea-Midpark High School), Joey Lyons (Wooster High School), Hunter Olson (St. Vincent St. Mary’s), Austin Shepard (Norwayne High School), Douglas Terry (Granville High School) and Canyon Wells (Copley High School) have all committed to the program this spring and will join CSU for the 2021-22 academic year.
Adams capped off a successful high school career with a third place showing at the 2021 OHSAA championships, notching his top-three finish at 133 pounds. He was also part of the Louisville high school team that captured the 2021 Division II Dual Meet State Championship. He owns 124 career wins and projects at 125/133 pounds for the Vikings. Aranda placed fourth at the 2020 Illinois state championships – his most recent state championship performance. This season, he will be competing for a state championship on June 26 through IWCOA. He is currently ranked 10th nationally at 113 pounds by Flo Wrestling, and has had a number of impressive performances on the national stage. Most recently he was the 2021 Northern Plains Regional champion, while he was a two-time place winner at Fargo, including a second-place showing in 2019. He took third in FloNationals and fourth in USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals. Aranda owns over 100 career high school wins and projects at 125 pounds for the Vikings. Cover went 48-4 on the season and placed eighth at the OHSAA championships at 220 pounds, while he won the NHSCA Senior National Championships at the same weight. … rest of story at https://csuvikings.prestosports.com/sports/m-wrestl/2020-21/releases/20210611fw5uq7?mc_cid=84503a987c&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
4 } – Bulls Announce 2021-22 Wrestling Schedule
BUFFALO, NY – The University at Buffalo wrestling team announced its schedule for the upcoming 2021-22 campaign and it features a number of prominent programs, including two Big Ten schools and one from the ACC. The season starts on November 1 when the Bulls travel to Wisconsin. It will be UB’s third meeting with the Badgers – the most recent coming in 2019. After competing in the Clarion Open on November 7, the Bulls will host Pittsburgh in their home opener on November 12. It will be Pitt’s first trip to Alumni Arena since 1990. UB will host Michigan on November 21. It will be the fourth meeting between the programs and the first time in 10 years the Bulls will host the Wolverines. After traveling across state to take on Binghamton on November 28, the Bulls return home to host North Dakota State on December 11. … rest of story at https://ubbulls.com/news/2021/7/29/bulls-announce-2021-22-wrestling-schedule.aspx?mc_cid=e223f59fcd&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
5 } – CMU athletics budget claim does not add up
In May of 2020, Central Michigan University eliminated its men’s track & field program citing an annual savings of $628,798 to offset financial challenges resulting from the pandemic (CMU Press Release). A recent case study presented at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference by Andy Schwarz, Chief Innovation Officer at the Professional Collegiate League and partner at the Economic Consulting Firm OSKR, provides a look at the misleading effects of collegiate athletics accounting procedures. These harmful procedures lead to schools like CMU cutting programs because they believe, incorrectly, the programs are losing significant money. Though common at many universities, Schwarz singles out Central Michigan as a school facing chronic under-enrollment to reinforce his point. The Michigan Association of State Universities 2020 enrollment reports, which shows CMU’s declining enrollment trends, to include its minority populations, supports this position. In 2020, 29 DI schools cancelled 85 sports (though some were reinstated). Schwarz’s claim, for chronically under-enrolled schools like CMU, is these cuts can be counterproductive, and will actually lower the schools’ revenue. … rest of story at https://www.themorningsun.com/2021/04/19/cmu-athletics-budget-claim-does-not-add-up/
6 } – Fort Dorchester wrestler Chandler Amaker signs with Central Michigan
Chandler Amaker will join the Central Michigan University wrestling program for the upcoming school year. Amaker, a home-schooled student who wrestled for Fort Dorchester, signed a national letter of intent with Central Michigan on May 27. As a two-time state champion and honors graduate with a 3.9 GPA, Amaker had multiple colleges interested in him. He has a great uncle who coaches at Central Michigan. “I just love the way those guys wrestle up there,” Amaker said. “It’s a different style of wrestling. It looks like I might redshirt my freshman year because that would give me a good shot at starting the next four years, but I’m anxious to get there and start training with those guys and getting used to their caliber of wrestling.”
Fort Dorchester coach Andrew Young, who earned All-American honors as a Newberry College wrestler, said Central Michigan will be a good place for Amaker to continue developing. “With any sport when you pick a college you need a good fit, somewhere you can grow as an athlete and have great teammates,” Young said. “I feel he will be around like-minded teammates there and they have had a lot of success. I think … rest of story at https://www.postandcourier.com/journal-scene/sports/prep_sports/amaker-signs-with-central-michigan-wrestling/article_6388f63a-c648-11eb-ae93-670ca9505200.html?mc_cid=0fb3325f19&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
7 } – {Ohio Univ.} Tommy Hoskins is Transferring from Oklahoma
Courtney Woods from Intermat announced on Tuesday via Twitter that Tommy Hoskins will be transferring back to his home state and Ohio University. Hoskins got some starting time for the Sooners the past few seasons at 125, but was not the postseason starter as Mason Naifeh got the nod at the Big 12 tournament.
… rest of story at https://owrestle.com/tommy-hoskins-transferring-from-oklahoma/
8 } – These 3 Central Michigan Seniors are Returning for Another Year
Chippewa fans have been waiting in anticipation for three seniors to announce whether they would return for another year of eligibility. The patience paid off in a good way, as the official Central Michigan Twitter account announced on Friday that all three seniors will return for “one more go.” They may have missed the deadline to make Fanco’s list of Most Bomb Announcements for Seniors Returning in 2022, but the eye-catching graphics likely would have made the top 10. … rest of story at https://www.fancowrestling.com/these-3-central-michigan-seniors-are-returning-for-another-year/?mc_cid=ce44cea415&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
9} – How colleges got student athletes back on the field during a pandemic
How central Ohio universities got student athletes back on the playing field during Covid-19.
In March 2020, the men’s and women’s swim and dive teams at Denison University were just days away from competing for a title at the NCAA championships. At Otterbein University, Drew Kasper, the No. 1 ranked Division III wrestler in the country in his weight class, was preparing to compete for a national championship, a big deal for a program that at the time was just five years old. And at Ohio Wesleyan University, the men’s lacrosse team was en route to Pikesville, Maryland, to face off against the Mustangs from Stevenson University.
The meet, the match and the game never took place because of Covid-19.
While 2020 was mostly a lost year for sports at those Division III schools, their athletic departments stayed active to get protocols in place so students could compete again when it was considered safe. Today, winter sports—basketball, swimming and diving, track and field and wrestling—are up and running at a smaller scale even though the NCAA has called off championships. Here’s how the schools navigated the pandemic to make sports safe for their students. … rest of story at https://www.columbusceo.com/story/business/briefs/2021/03/02/ohio-colleges-and-universities-pushed-ahead-sports-and-athletics-despite-pandemic/6838078002/?mc_cid=bd28fec561&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
10 } – FERRARI IS ROOKIE OF THE YEAR, SENTES ROOKIE COACH OF YEAR AS AMATEUR WRESTLING NEWS RELEASES ALL-ROOKIE TEAM
How appropriate that in a season peppered with so many firsts, our Rookie of the Year underwent on an individual level a multitude of firsts himself, many of them because he was a true freshman with no college experience. All 10 post title-bout interviews of this year’s NCAA champions can be viewed on YouTube. Guess who has the most views? A.J. Ferrari, by a lot. His has close to 50K hits already. Even the Spencer Lee and Gable Steveson interviews don’t come close to the amount of views Ferrari has. But then, nobody in college wrestling is as entertaining off the mat as Oklahoma State’s freshman star. “He talks a big game and he shows a big game,” said Cowboy head coach John Smith about his most recent NCAA champ.
Smith is correct. Ferrari’s entertaining on the mat, too. This past March, he became Oklahoma State’s first NCAA champion since Dean Heil won his second title in 2017. Ferrari is just the third true freshman in Oklahoma State history to win an NCAA title. The other two were Pat Smith (1990) and Dick Hutton (1947), though Hutton’s was post-WWII and he was 23 at the time. A.J. was a high school senior 11 months ago.
What a feat winning a DI national title is for a teenager, though there are a few folks who probably weren’t surprised with Ferrari’s accomplishment. His father Albert, and A.J. himself. Also Cowboy assistant coach Chris Perry. “He’s just in my ear, you know, always telling me ‘you’re gonna do this,’” said Ferrari about Perry. Ferrari won a pair of Texas state titles competing for coach Jerry Best at Allen High School, which is where Bo Nickal wrestled before heading to Penn State. Ferrari later competed in New Jersey, splitting his final two high school years between Bergen Catholic and Blair Academy. He was a Walsh Jesuit Ironman champ while a sophomore at Allen High. … rest of story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2021/May/04/AWN-Rookie-of-Year-awards?mc_cid=f2268a753e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And Richmond’s Turley brothers both became college wrestling All-Americans this year, but took very different paths
That Alex and Jackson Turley became college wrestling All-Americans isn’t much of a surprise. That they accomplished that feat in the same year is beyond eye-opening, when you consider Alex is six years older than his little brother. Alex set the record for career wins and victories in a season at Thomas Dale High School, finishing fourth and fifth in the state in 2011 and 2012. Jackson got to high school four years later and won four straight state titles at St. Christopher’s. In the years in between, Alex was out of wrestling, taking classes at William & Mary — where he considered walking onto the football team — and enrolling at a few community colleges. He graduated from John Tyler Community College in 2019, the same year Jackson joined Rutgers as a Division I wrestler. In the offseason, during the pandemic, Jackson worked out and wrestled with his older brother, aiming to stay sharp for his return to Rutgers. “We are some competitive dudes,” Jackson said. “We don’t like to be taken down, we don’t like to be put on each other’s backs. … rest of story at https://richmond.com/sports/college/richmonds-turley-brothers-both-became-college-wrestling-all-americans-this-year-but-took-very-different/article_067d4a32-3a96-5b09-ae23-8d9a31ad6cfd.html?mc_cid=44df579129&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
11 } – Robinson Solidifies Personal Identity After Unsteady Roots are Uncovered
Unlike many other sports, wrestling provides an equal opportunity to all youth, high school, collegiate, and elite-level athletes regardless of their age, size, gender, race, ethnicity, socio-economic status, familial structure, and various other factors. Those factors alone do not define an individual’s success. What defines an individual’s success in wrestling is a combination of speed, agility, technical skill, and unmatched physical and mental toughness, all of which are met by an intrinsic motivation within an individual.
Every time an individual steps out onto the mat, they carry with them invisible “baggage.” Although it may not be seen by spectators, coaches, teammates, or opponents, that baggage still contains weight. For many individuals, that weight is significantly heavier than their opponents, affecting their identity on and off the mat. Ideally, that individual is hoping for an opportunity to successfully reach their final destination; obtaining the chance to empty their baggage by reducing the weight those constraints once held on their life.
Marcus Robinson, a redshirt sophomore at Cleveland State University, is no stranger to grappling with life’s challenges and finding his identity in and through wrestling. Robinson was first introduced to the sport by his older cousin and friend; both of whom had a huge influence on him. They wrestled at a small club located in his hometown of Arkansas City, Kansas. Robinson said, “I wasn’t very good at wrestling growing up, but I loved to train, and I wanted to see how far I could push myself.” After years of focused training and pushing his body to unimaginable limits, Robinson told his dad, “I’m going to be the next four-time state champ, just watch.” In response, his dad replied, “Son, let’s just focus on making varsity first.” After Robinson’s four years at Arkansas City High School, he accomplished that once seemingly unattainable feat by becoming a four-time Kansas state champion, winning each title in a different weight class.
… rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/24748?mc_cid=9d57322631&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
12 } – Over The Edge: Is College Wrestling Ready For A Step-Out Point?
The NCAA Championships stirred up another round of debate about whether college wrestling should ditch its edge rules and adopt a step-out point. From his chair in the Arizona State corner, Zeke Jones saw an aggressive wrestler working to get to his attacks against a backpedaling opponent. On the Wyoming side, Mark Branch viewed it as a guy getting shoved out of bounds by an adept pummeler whose primary intention was to plow through his adversary for stalling calls. Jones and Branch, of course, both had a stake in the outcome of the NCAA second-round heavyweight bout between Arizona State’s Cohlton Schultz and Wyoming’s Brian Andrews, so they’re not exactly impartial observers in this instance. But their highly-trained wrestling eyes saw the same action and arrived at different conclusions, which is one of the main issues with the sport’s polarizing edge-of-the-mat, neutral-position stalling rules. The NCAA Championships stirred up another round of debate about whether college wrestling should ditch its edge rules and follow the Olympic disciplines by adopting a pure step-out point.
Step-out advocates argue that the current rules are too subjective and there’s little consistency from one call to the next, let alone from one official to another. … rest of story at https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/6943217-over-the-edge-is-college-wrestling-ready-for-a-step-out-point?mc_cid=a2abe03ca2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
And College wrestling: Panel approves rules changes for correcting in-match timing errors
The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel on Tuesday approved wrestling rules changes that allow the referee to correct timing errors when that referee has reasonable knowledge of the correction that needs to be made. The NCAA Wrestling Committee proposed that competition occurring when the clock is not running is not subject to the dead time rule. The rules change also provides parameters for referees to use when determining the amount of time to add or subtract from the score clock.
- If available, the referee will look at the video review monitor and use the view of the integrated timing system or view of the score clock to determine the correct time.
- If video review is not available, the integrated system is not operable or there is no view of the score clock, the referee will consult with the second referee and the timer at the score table to determine the amount of time remaining.
- After consulting the second referee and/or the timer, … rest of story at https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling/article/2021-06-23/college-wrestling-panel-approves-rules-changes-correcting-match-timing-errors?mc_cid=43f68cbfb0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
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
