ST. ANDREWS ATHLETICS ADDS WOMEN’S WRESTLING AND BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Laurinburg, NC – The St. Andrews University Athletics Department has added two more competitive sports. The Knights will be bringing Women’s Wrestling and Women’s Beach Volleyball to Laurinburg. According to the National Wrestling Coaches Association, there are 70+ colleges that now sponsor a varsity wrestling program. The number of women wrestling in high school has gone from 804 in 1994 to 21,124 as of 2019. Head Coach of the new Women’s Wrestling team, Nick Soto, shared his enthusiasm about the new sport coming to St. Andrews:
“We are extremely excited about the start of our women’s wrestling program. It’s great to see more and more women competing in the sport and we are grateful to be able to provide an opportunity where these student-athletes can earn a quality education and compete at a high level. Laurinburg is a great place with a tight-knit, friendly community and we’re eager to get going!”
Additionally, the American Volleyball Coaches Association says there were 126 college beach volleyball teams with 13 of them competing in the NAIA as of 2018-19. Story at …http://www.sauknights.com/article/st-andrews/st-andrews-athletics-adds-womens-wrestling-and-beach-volleyball
2020 TDR Top 12 Team
2020 THE TDR Top 12 Team
The TDR Top 12 is intended to recognize the wrestlers and coaches in eastern North Carolina for their achievements. A Top 12 Team has been named and listed for over 20 years. The coverage area is all of the schools east of Raleigh and Fayetteville. At the end of the 2nd season the wrestlers were first presented certificates and then for 12 years shirts were printed with the top 12 listed on the back. This season will be the 16th in which the top 35 (or so) will receive personalized engraved wooden plaques as recognition for being on the list below. The Big 4 trophy awards will be announced later. Those wrestlers will be from the First team list below. The Trophies from Pittsburgh Trophies will presented for some of the top champions. Details will be presented later.
We ask coaches, fans, wrestlers and those in contact with the wrestlers to e-mail us at martinkfleming@gmail.com about how we can e-mail the coaches and wrestlers about the awards.
TDR Top 12 — FIRST TEAM – Top wrestler in each weight class with record & state Placement
106 – Mark Samuel, Laney (51-0), 1st … 113 – Christian Decatur, C.B. Aycock (63-0), 1st
120 – Samuel Hodge, Currituck Co. (39-1), 3rd … 126 – Jacob Bennett, West Carteret (52-8), 6th
132 – Conner Johnson, Laney (37-5), 3rd … 138 – Marcus Mondragon, Laney (51-4), 1st
145 – Jack Hawbaker, First Flight (51-3), 3rd … 152 – Tyler Hughes, C. B. Aycock (61-0), 1st
160 – River Carroll, Swansboro (57-1), 1st … 170 – Aaron Bancroft, Fike (51-0), 1st
182 – Bryan Aragao, North Brunswick (48-0), 1st … 195 – Jeffery Darden, Ayden-Grifton (34-2), 3rd
220 – Elijah Swinson, North Lenoir (24-2), 4th … 285 – Javon Armstrong, Pamlico Co. (32-0), 1st 285 – George Ayino, South Central (57-5), 1st
SECOND TEAM
106 – Christian Zickefoose, West Brunswick (54-9), 3rd … 113 – Landon Stocks, Ayden-Grifton (40-5), 2nd … 120 – Ben Baker, Topsail (28-5), 6th … 126 – Keagan Bolman, Dixon (44-5), 132 – Matthew Smith, West Brunswick (58-7) … 138 – Jon Ward, West Craven (46-6), 3rd … 145 – Hunter Campbell, North Brunswick (32-2), 4th … 152 – Alexander Suszko, Lejeune (22-3), 3rd … 160 – Trent Walker, Currituck Co. (45-4), 4th … 170 – Devon Bell, Laney (24-6), 3rd … 182 – Jake Reynolds, West Carteret (32-4), 2nd … 195 – Jayleen Bullock, Fike (49-4), 3rd .. Ronnel Wilson, Wake Forest (41-8), 2nd, …
220 – Jeffrey Palmer, Corinth-Holders (36-8), 5th … 285 – Emmanuel Bell, Laney (43-8), 4th
Honorable Mention
106 – Jacob Caldwell, Croatan (47-9), 4th … 113 – Logan Tortual, Rosewood (50-9), 3rd … 126 – Brice Browning, Tarboro (33-5) … 138 – Benjamin Lance, Wake Forest (42-6), 6th … 170 – Tyler Proffitt, Dixon (38-5), 4th … 195 – Marcus Grist, New Bern, (37-9), 3rd, Saae’vyon McCray, West Brunswick (53-6), 5th … 285 – Ezekial Jayne, East Carteret (38-7), 3rd
College Wrestlers (#93) Looking Ahead
Nittany Lion Wrestling Check-In with All-American Nick Lee
As of early March unfolded and changed all over the country, Penn State student-athletes found themselves facing uncertainty and transition in their academic and athletic realities. The Penn State wrestling team, winners of eight of the last NCAA National Championships, were just days away from heading to Minnesota for the 2020 NCAA Championship when the COVID-19 pandemic erupted. As the entire Penn State family works for ways to stay connected, we can check in with some of head coach Cael Sanderson‘s wrestling team to get some insight into how typical student-athletes reacted, adjusted and began the process of forging ahead in our current circumstance. Today we check in with two-time All-American Nick Lee. Lee was 20-1 when the season was ended and now has an 83-12 career record. Lee earned All-American honors in 2018 and 2019 and was a 2020 NCAA qualifier. Lee took the time to answer some questions from GoPSUsports and offers some good insight into the daily life of a Nittany Lion during this time: …. story at https://gopsusports.com/news/2020/3/31/wrestling-nittany-lion-wrestler-check-in-with-nick-lee.aspx?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
THE DRIVE FOR NATIONAL SUCCESS RUNS EVEN DEEPER NOW FOR ANDREW DUNN JR. AND COLLIN WICKRAMARATNA
KUTZTOWN, Pa. – Kutztown University wrestlers Andrew Dunn Jr. (Bethlehem, Pa./Bethlehem Catholic) and Collin Wickramaratna (Malton, N.J./Cherokee), like many other student-athletes, had something ripped away from them this month. After ‘having a cup of coffee’ upon arriving in South Dakota, the duo received word that the NCAA had cancelled the Division II Championships at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls the weekend of March 13-14.
In a “tough guy” sport where competitors aren’t known to show much emotion or wear their hearts on their sleeves, the scene around the championship event was quite different. The ‘what ifs’ started to set in.
“There was not much time to let it all set in,” said Dunn Jr. “It didn’t really feel real. It was confusing and annoying in the moment. The goal was flying out there to get a job done and come back a champion. But then you’re kind of left to kick rocks and leave with nothing. After all the work you’ve put in since you were a kid to get to these moments, that particular weekend, it leaves a sour taste in your mouth. It was a quick trip to South Dakota, halfway across the country, and back. The whole way back we didn’t talk much about it. I’m understanding of the entire situation with this virus and I know that staying away from one another is the best solution and cancelling events is necessary. But selfishly I wish we could have moved the tournament up to Friday and wrestled all the matches in one day and get it over with. Last year it was a week earlier, and that was also one thing I kept thinking about over and over again.”
Added Wickramaratna, “I had a long time in the car to think about it since we had a 21-hour car ride back to Kutztown and then a two-hour car ride back to my house. …. story at https://kubears.com/news/2020/3/31/wrestling-the-drive-for-national-success-runs-even-deeper-now-for-andrew-dunn-jr-and-collin-wickramaratna.aspx?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
JWU Gives Tim Higginson a Second Chance
Five years ago, if you told Tim Higginson he’d be living in the city of Providence — and loving it — he would have laughed right in your face. The New Jersey born-and-bred Higginson never wanted to leave his small farm town, especially not for city life. This was a challenge for Johnson & Wales’ Wrestling coach, Lonnie Morris, who saw promise in Higginson as a high schooler and wanted to recruit him for the team. But Higginson had made his decision to attend a college close to home and pursue a wrestling career there.
“My freshman year in college, I blew out two discs in my spine and I fractured a vertebra, so wrestling was done,” Higginson says. “I just wanted to be done with school. Without wrestling in my life, it was kind of like a hole. I didn’t know what to do with myself.”
Two years later, Higginson was at a crossroads. He was unhappy at his school, his grades were slipping, and he saw himself heading down a bad path. He was close to graduation, but looked into transferring, remembering how Coach Morris had believed in him years before. For him, a transfer to JWU meant a second chance. “It was the best decision I made in my life,” Higginson says.
While he came here primarily to wrestle, Higginson soon found that the academics were much different — and even fun. “It’s such a different atmosphere here. It’s like family,” Higginson explains. “I’ll never forget the things my professors have done for me. Associate Professor Kevin DeJesus has opened so many doors for me and just treated me with pure kindness — and so have all my other professors.”
This family atmosphere has made all the difference for the Criminal Justice major, who came to JWU with a low GPA and has since seen his grades skyrocket. “I can wake up and say, ‘wow, I want to go to class. I want to go learn something,’” he says. “I could sit through a two hour class and not get bored. I will listen to your PowerPoint. Give it to me, I’m ready for it.” So, Higginson prepared for his senior year with anticipation and excitement. He had finally recovered from his slew of injuries and was ready to go out on top. The team arrived at the York tournament ready to win — and then the worst happened. During a tough match, Higginson was dropped straight on his head. He was knocked out for a few seconds and fractured a disc in his neck. For Higginson, it seemed his second chance was gone. …. story at https://www.jwu.edu/news/2020/04/tim-higginson-gets-second-chance.html?fbclid=IwAR2dz_IbKI8xhSopXXbGY33N6lMX39P97D4Qu9OqfUF9rz0RwAdQ5e3NHGM&mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Pennsylvania Wrestling Announces Class of 2024 Recruits
PHILADELPHIA – The University of Pennsylvania head wrestling coach, Roger Reina, has announced #TheMovement’s incoming recruiting class for the 2020-21 season. Fourteen young men will begin their collegiate careers in West Philadelphia this upcoming winter.
The Quakers wrapped up a shortened 2019-20 campaign having improved their finish at the prestigious EIWA Championships moving up the team standings, while doubling its number of placewinners with six underclassmen taking a spot on the podium. Additionally, three Quakers qualified for the NCAA Championships – all underclassmen – and Reina expects the incoming group of 14 will extend the streak to three years with freshmen qualifying for the NCAA Championships. …. story at https://pennathletics.com/news/2020/4/6/wrestling-announces-class-of-2024-recruits.aspx?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Wartburg Wrestling to Dual Iowa State in November 2020
WAVERLY, Iowa – The Wartburg wrestling team has scheduled a dual match at Iowa State University next season, set to face the Cyclones on November 6, 2020 at Hilton Coliseum in Ames, Iowa. Wartburg, ranked tied for second in the final Division III National Wrestling Coaches Association team rankings, will compete against a Division I opponent for the first time since 2011, a 17-16 tiebreaker loss at the University of Wisconsin.
Iowa State, eight-time NCAA Champions, took second at the Big 12 Championships this season. Wartburg is 0-2 all-time versus ISU, most recently a 23-16 loss in 1996, a season in which the Knights went on to earn their first NCAA National Championship in program history. The Knights are 12-11-1 all-time against Division I schools, with the most recent victory coming against Portland State in 2001. Wartburg finished the 2019-20 campaign with a 16-1 overall record while claiming the 12th NWCA National Dual Championship in program history while five Knights were named NWCA All-Americans. …. story at https://go-knights.net/news/2020/4/8/wartburg-wrestling-to-dual-iowa-state-in-november-2020.aspx?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Virginia Tech Wrestler Mitch Moore Enters The Transfer Portal
Virginia Tech Wrestling received some surprising news today as 141 starter Mitch Moore announced that he will be leaving Virginia Tech and entering the transfer portal. pic.twitter.com/BMgpSMsmzt— Mitch Moore (@m1tchmoore) April 14, 2020
Moore was quite successful in his two seasons competing for the Hokies as he was the 2019 ACC Freshman of the Year and qualified for the 2019 and 2020 NCAA Championships. Moore also finished second in the 2019 ACC Championships, but was unable to compete in this past year’s ACC Championship for medical reasons. He will have two years of eligibility remaining at his next school.
This news is definitely a major surprise as Moore was one of the Hokies’ top wrestlers this past season and even earned All-American honors in our simulation of the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships. Moore would have been a top contender for the ACC title at 141 this year as well if he would have been able to compete. …. story at https://techlunchpail.com/blog/virginia-tech-wrestler-mitch-moore-enters-transfer-portal?mc_cid=48a895b9a1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Editorial: Roses and Raspberries
ROSE (roz) n. One of the most beautiful of all flowers, a symbol of fragrance and loveliness. Often given as a sign of appreciation.
RASPBERRY (raz’ber’e) n. A sharp, scornful comment, criticism or rebuke; a derisive, splatting noise, often called the Bronx cheer.
We hereby deliver:
• ROSES to Chris Pendleton, Oregon State University’s new wrestling coach. Pendleton said all the right things while being introduced to Beaver Nation in a conference call, including that he’d stock the program with in-state grapplers.
In recent years, some teen athletes have acted like they could get a point for an escape if they avoided Oregon State. …. story at https://www.gazettetimes.com/news/local/editorial-roses-and-raspberries-april-12/article_1d22c085-3b92-5951-a5b7-7ce46c24272e.html?mc_cid=2380a36a7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Hawkeyes’ Lee waits for his next ‘moment’
This was supposed to be Spencer Lee’s moment. Spots on the United States team for the 2020 Olympics were going to be earned this weekend at Penn State’s Bryce Jordan Center, and Iowa’s two-time NCAA 125-pound champion envisioned making it all happen in his home state. But just like he was denied the chance last month to become the Hawkeyes’ first three-time NCAA champ since Brent Metcalf when the national tourney was canceled because of concerns about the COVID-19 pandemic, the Olympics were postponed and the U.S. Olympic Trials aren’t happening this weekend.
While the 2020 Tokyo Games have been rescheduled for the same dates in 2021 and U.S. Olympic Trials will likely be held in Pennsylvania next April, that doesn’t make it any easier for Lee. “It’s all a little hard to swallow. This was supposed to be a big year for me, in my mind, you know?” Lee said last week after winning the Dan Hodge Trophy as the most dominant wrestler at the collegiate level in the United States. Lee did finish his collegiate season 18-0, win his first Big Ten championship and earned the top seed for the NCAA Championships. However, he was denied the chance to earn a return to the top of the podium in the NCAA finals and then learned that his Olympic hopes were being delayed as well. “I’m kind of in the state where I’m not sure what to do right now,” Lee said. “I’m just kind of going day-to-day on what’s the best thing for me.” Like his peers, Lee has no immediate competition to work toward and even if there was something on the immediate schedule, one-on-one workouts aren’t a possibility …. story at https://qctimes.com/sports/college/wrestling/hawkeyes-lee-waits-for-his-next-moment/article_bf0e1d58-54af-52a0-a225-41b1a99f9a1f.html?mc_cid=3d6cefac15&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
OSU Wrestling: Victor Voinovich Commits to Wrestle for Oklahoma State
Oklahoma State has locked down the No. 1 recruiting class in the country for 2020 and looks to be on pace to have another top class for 2021. …. story at https://pistolsfiringblog.com/osu-wrestling-victor-voinovich-mmits-to-wrestle-for-oklahoma-state/?mc_cid=ddb6bdf133&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Rutgers wrestling: Matt Correnti to enter transfer portal
Rutgers University red-shirt junior 197/heavyweight wrestler Matt Correnti announced Wednesday in an Instagram post he will finish his collegiate career at a different school. “For my last year of eligibility, I have decided to leave Rutgers and enter the transfer portal,’’ Correnti wrote in his post. A former Holy Cross of Delran scholastic star, Correnti went 12-5 this past season while wrestling at both 197 and heavyweight. He did not wrestle in the Big Ten Tournament March 7-8 at the Rutgers Athletic Center. He only wrestled in four dual meets. All of those bouts came at heavyweight between Jan. 10-Feb. 23. He went 2-2 in those bouts. His two losses in those bouts both came in overtime. …. story at https://www.app.com/story/sports/college/2020/04/15/rutgers-wrestling-matt-correnti-enter-transfer-portal/5140136002/?mc_cid=eb28f2fdb6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Women’s Wrestling News – # 33
Key coaches and leaders begin plans to launch a Community College Women’s Wrestling Nationals for 2021
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | APRIL 09, 2020
A group of women’s college wrestling coaches and administrators from two-year universities held a historic meeting with members of the USA Wrestling staff on Wednesday, Feb. 26, to begin planning to launch a Community College Women’s Wrestling National Championships in 2021. With the rapid growth of women’s college wrestling, as well as the development of specific national tournaments for NCAA and NAIA women’s programs, these leaders have agreed to organize a women’s national championships in freestyle wrestling for community college teams and athletes next year. They asked USA Wrestling to organize a conference call to being work on this project.
The plan which was developed in the meeting is to finalize a date and location for this first national competition, tentatively targeted for February 2021. Teams and individual athletes from any community college will be invited to participate, regardless of what national or regional sports organization oversees their school’s sports program.
Those teams invited will include community college programs affiliated with the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), the Northwest Athletic Conference (NWAC), the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA), the United States Collegiate Athletic Association (USCAA) and others, as well as wrestling-related college organizations including the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA). In addition to organized teams, community college women student-athletes who wrestle on a men’s college team or club will also be invited to participate and challenge themselves against other community college women wrestlers. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/09/Plans-set-for-Community-College-womens-nationals-in-2021?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
HOW-TO TAKE DOWN QUARANTINE
RESOURCES & SUGGESTIONS FOR TACKLING SOCIAL DISTANCING
Due to COVID-19, the world as we know it came to a crashing halt. NCAA’s? Cancelled. Olympic Trials? Cancelled. The Olympic Games? postponed until 2021. In a world filled with fear and uncertainty, how can you keep getting better at your craft? With no wrestling events on the horizon, this time right now is incredibly valuable. While social distancing may seem boring, it is a window of opportunity to get in better shape, learn new skills, recover, and even watch film. No matter how unlikely it seems at the current moment, life will go back to normal eventually. That being said, you can be bitter about the current circumstances, or you can use them to your advantage. …. story and many good ideas at https://www.wreaperwrestling.com/how-to-take-down-quarantine-resources-and-suggestions-for-tackling-social-distancing/?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Another step forward: Community College National Championships planned for 2021
It’s not news that the landscape of women’s wrestling is actively changing.
The NAIA and NCAA are moving toward championship status and, as a result, the WCWA—historically home to nearly all collegiate women’s wrestling programs across organizations—faces drastic reductions in membership. Only 26 programs renewed memberships for the 2019-20 season, and the future and purpose of the organization is in question.
But as the NAIA and NCAA picked up the sport under their organizational umbrellas, the questions turned into: What about programs at community colleges? Who builds their structure? Do they wrestle folksytle or freestyle?
USA Wrestling’s announcement on Thursday (Key coaches and leaders begin plans to launch a Community College Women’s Wrestling Nationals for 2021) answered some of those questions and provided even more to think about. In short, a group of coaches and administrators met late February to discuss plans for a Community College Women’s Nationals. It would be the first time an exclusive championship event for two-year programs has been established, and it’s tentatively scheduled for February 2021. “Teams and individual athletes from any community college will be invited to participate, regardless of what national or regional sports organization oversees their school’s sports program” (Abbott, 2020).
The effort is huge for community colleges and women’s wrestling at large. …. story at https://www.transitionwrestling.com/another-step-forward-community-college-national-championships-planned-for-2021/?mc_cid=ddb6bdf133&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Sarah Hildebrandt’s five “must-read” books
Five “must-read” books by Sarah Hildebrandt.
1) The Name of The Wind, by Patrick Rothfuss
I’m fairly certain it is illegal to not include this book as part of my book recommendations. It goes far beyond being a great fantasy novel. The world, the storytelling, the characters, every aspect is a wonder. To top it all off, Rothfuss writes so exquisitely. You’ll find yourself rereading pages multiple times just to feel those words hit again. You’ll think, “Dang, I didn’t even know you could make the English language do that!” The story is exciting and will leave you conjuring up your own personal theories for what will happen next. A book that I think has changed the Fantasy genre forever, in the best way possible. Believe the hype. Read this book.
2) The New Toughness Training for Sports, by James E. Loehr
This is an older book, but what it teaches is timeless and beneficial. Reading a sports psychology book is a great way to stay involved with your training when you might not be able to physically train. Loehr dives into tons of different avenues throughout the book, adequately covering each one. I read this book late into my career and still learned so much. It is also filled with exercises and progress trackers that allow you to not just think, but also understand, and design a plan to get you where you want to be. U.S. women’s coach Terry Steiner first recommended this book to me, …. story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1586845533520&twSessionId=rtszqjjvtg&postId=779419135&mc_cid=2380a36a7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Abby Nette becomes second Lady Tiger in three years to earn Patricia Miranda Medal award
CAMPBELLSVILLE, Ky. — The Open Mat announced on Tuesday the third annual winner of the Patricia Miranda Medal is Abby Nette of Campbellsville University. Nette is the second Lady Tiger to earn the award as Kayla Miracle did so in 2018.
Through the final two years of her collegiate career, Abby had only one loss on her record and collected a pair of WCWA National Championships. The first came in 2019 with Emmanuel College, while the most recent was with Campbellsville. In her four years of collegiate competition, Abby finished as an All-American three times. She was previously third as a sophomore in 2018.
“I feel like this was a goal coming into this year and I’m glad I achieved this goal,” stated Nette when asked about winning the Miranda Medal. “I thought about it at the beginning of the year and I thought about it last year, and I wanted to make it happen this year, for sure.”
“It makes me feel really special. In high school, I wasn’t sure I was going to wrestle in college. So, where I am now, receiving this award, it’s special. It’s a pleasure. I’m excited for the future generations who will get to compete for this award, so it’s pretty exciting and being one of the first three to receive it”. Abby also calls the previous two winners of the award, Miracle and Parrish, her “two best friends.” She admits that she “looks up to both of them,” which makes the honor all the better.
The Patricia Miranda Medal aims to honor one outstanding athlete from women’s college wrestling who embodies the spirit of the pioneers that came before them. A panel of voters that includes each of the past four-time WCWA champions, Helen Maroulis, Victoria Anthony, Emily Webster, and Kayla Miracle, along with 2019 winner Dominique Parrish, in addition to representation from the media selected a winner based on four criteria: record, dominance, past credentials, and additional accomplishments.
Abby went 15-0 as a senior, …. story at https://campbellsvilletigers.com/news/2020/4/14/womens-wrestling-abby-nette-becomes-second-lady-tiger-in-three-years-to-earn-patricia-miranda-medal-award-winner.aspx?mc_cid=48a895b9a1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Tamyra Mensah-Stock named 2019 USA Wrestling Women’s Wrestler of the Year
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | APRIL 16, 2020
Tamyra Mensah-Stock celebrates after winning her 2019 World title.
Tamyra Mensah-Stock (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC) was named 2019 Women’s Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the second time in her career winning this prestigious award, to go along with the 2017 award. Mensah-Stock won the 2019 Senior World Championships at 68 kg in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan in September, her first World title and second consecutive World medal after winning a World bronze medal in 2018. She was one of three U.S. women to win World gold medals in 2019. Mensah-Stock finished the entire 2019 year undefeated. Mensah-Stock was also named United World Wrestling’s Women’s Wrestler of the Year in 2019, based upon her results in UWW Ranking Series competitions.
At the Senior World Championships, Mensah-Stock defeated World champion and Olympic medalist Jenny Fransson of Sweden in the finals, 8-2. She won five matches in the event, all in dominant fashion, including a 10-1 victory over 2016 Olympic champion Sara Dosho of Japan in the quarterfinals. Overall, Mensah-Stock won gold medals in five other international events, and also went undefeated in the 2019 Women’s World Cup in November in Narita, Japan. …. story athttps://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/16/Mensah-Stock-named-2019-Womens-Athlete-of-the-Year?mc_cid=c40241fd14&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Women’s Wrestling to Join Mid-South Conference
BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – The Indiana Tech women’s wrestling program will have a conference home in its inaugural season for the 2020-21 academic year as the university was officially announced as an affiliate member of the Mid-South Conference Wednesday.
The Mid-South Conference is one of three conferences (Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference and Sooner Athletic Conference) in the NAIA to sponsor the sport of women’s wrestling. The MSC was the first conference in the NAIA to sponsor the sport after adding women’s wrestling in 2017. Tech will join fellow first-year program Lourdes University as the newest members of the conference and join Brewton-Parker College, Campbellsville University, Life University and the University of the Cumberlands.
Campbellsville finished the 2019-20 season ranked first in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 20 Poll and a nation-leading 13 women qualify for the 2020 NAIA National Invitational prior to the event being canceled due to COVID-19. The Tigers also won the 2020 Women’s College Wrestling Association (WCWA) National Championship back in February and swept the Mid-South Conference regular season and tournament titles this season. “We are super excited to join one of the elite conferences in women’s wrestling,” head women’s wrestling coach Paul Rademacher said. “We will get to test our athletes on a regular basis to make sure they are ready for the NAIA National …. story at https://indianatechwarriors.com/news/2020/4/15/womens-wrestling-to-join-mid-south-conference.aspx?mc_cid=eb28f2fdb6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Girls Wrestling in Pennsylvania to grow
…. story at https://www.mcall.com/sports/varsity/wrestling/mc-spt-sanctionpa-girls-wrestling-20200415-j5m7ujfzzrfh3gswptpeczbmei-story.html?mc_cid=eb28f2fdb6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Eastern N.C. High School — # 12
Wilmington area athletes will still get their night in the spotlight, with celebrity athletes helping
The show must go on, and the StarNews still plans to honor the best high school athletes in Southeastern North Carolina amid the coronavirus pandemic. The StarNews is, however, changing its annual Best of StarNewsVarsity Preps Awards Show from a physical event to a star-studded online awards show on June 18 that will be available at no charge. The festivities will begin at 6 p.m., and the show will feature more than 20 professional athletes as hosts and award announcers.
This show will provide the community with an on-demand broadcast to maintain the annual tradition of honoring hundreds of student-athletes for their hard work and dedication in their sport during the past school year. “This is such an incredible event each year for high school athletes,” said Pam Sander, Gannett Southeast Regional and StarNews Executive Editor. “We’d all like to be there in person — celebrating those who had their seasons and those who didn’t get the chance. We’re thrilled the StarNews could change gears and get these kids honored in a safe way.” The event will be hosted by television sports anchors Jesse Palmer and Sage Steele. Celebrities athletes will be participating in the awards presentation. Confirmed award presenters include New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees, seven-time tennis major winner Venus Williams, and Olympic gold medalists Michael Phelps, Gabby Douglas and Misty May-Treanor. More celebrity athletes will be announced in the coming weeks. The awards show will be available to watch on any smart device through YouTube and the event website, bestofstarnewsvarsity.com, thanks to the continued support of area business leaders, like partners Carolina Sports Medicine, NHRMC Wilmington Marathon and Victory Awards and Trophies. The show will also feature opportunities to win autographed gifts and other prizes both before the debut and during the show. Students who register online by May 10 on the event website will receive updates and be included in any gift mailings. … rest of story and web site links at https://www.starnewsonline.com/sports/20200419/starnewsvarsity-banquet-moving-to-online-awards-show
All-Area Wrestling: Aragao, Samuel reach the mountaintop
Laney and North Brunswick standouts use perfect seasons to share all-area honors
Laney’s Mark Samuel and North Brunswick’s Bryan Aragao took different paths, but their respective wrestling journeys finished with similar results: an undefeated season and an individual state championship. “There’s honestly no way to describe it. All the hard work you put in, it’s for those five seconds after wining the state championship. It was just awesome,” Aragao said. The duo will share one more honor. Samuel and Aragao are the StarNews All-Area co-Wrestlers of the Year. Samuel started his wrestling career when he was still in elementary school, perfecting his craft with the Port City Pirates club team before arriving at Laney last year. He immediately dominated the local scene, but fell short of his ultimate goals with a fifth-place finish competing in the 106-pound weight class at the NCHSAA 4A State Championships. “It motivated me a lot to do better this year,” Samuel said. “I was pretty confident I had what it took to win it. Coming in, I had already beaten the top-eight guys, so I just had to stay consistent.” Samuel did just that at this year’s state finals, winning his first two matches with pins before a 6-0 victory in the semifinals. In the championship, the Laney sophomore got ahead early and finished off a 7-2 victory over Hough’s Brandt Fajerman to finish the season 55-0. “The nerves just went away, and I wrestled like I could,” Samuel said. “As soon as I won, it hit me, and it was really cool.” While Samuel can hardly remember a time in his life he wasn’t wrestling, Aragao didn’t get started in the sport till his freshman year. North Brunswick head coach Tom York had to recruit Aragao to join the team. …. rest of story and full line-up at https://www.starnewsonline.com/sports/20200326/all-area-wrestling-aragao-samuel-reach-mountaintop
PHOTOS: All-Area Wrestling
Portraits and Action photos of wrestlers in Southeastern North Carolina by Wilmington Star News at … https://www.starnewsonline.com/photogallery/NC/20200326/PHOTOGALLERY/326009997/PH/1
Three local wrestlers win state titles
Laney’s Mark Samuel and Marcus Mondragon, and North Brunswick’s Bryan Arago all won championships Saturday.
GREENSBORO — Three local wrestlers reached the mountaintop Saturday inside the Greensboro Coliseum. Laney’s Mark Samuel (4A 106), Laney’s Marcus Mondragon (4A 138) and North Brunswick’s Bryan Aragao (3A 182) all won individual state titles. They were the only three local wrestlers to reach the championship round. Mondragon was the first local wrestler to compete in the finals, and he came flying out of the gates with a pair of takedowns and led 6-1 after the first period. Mondragon wrestled smartly over the final four points, matching his opponent and finishing with a major decision victory of 10-4. Aragao was up next, and after a quiet first period, Aragao jumped ahead with four-straight points in the second period. With his opponent looking to make up the ground in the final period, Aragao got a reversal to seal the victory at 6-2 and the championship. Samuel was the final local wrestler in the final round, and he won his championship match 7-2. Samuel earned points in all three periods and didn’t give up anything more than one take down in a convincing win that gave Laney its second championship of the night. Three local wrestlers finished in third place Saturday. West Brunswick’s Christian Zickefoose (106 3A), Laney’s Conner Johnson (132 4A) and Laney’s Devon Bell (170 4A) all earned a bronze medal. … story at https://www.starnewsonline.com/sports/20200222/three-local-wrestlers-win-state-titles
2020 All-Coastal 8 1-A/2-A Conference winter list
The Coastal 8 1-A/2-A Conference recently released its all-conference winter list. All-conference and player and coach of the year awards are either voted by the league’s coaches or determined by the conference’s championship events.
WRESTLING
Wrestler of Year: Andrew Edens, Dixon, and Jacob Caldwell, Croatan
Coach of Year: Maury Vanderpool, Southwest
Croatan: Jacob Caldwell (106), Drake Egan (145), Ryan Lindsay (195)
Dixon: Logan Pugh (113), Dallas Senay (120), Keagan Bolman (126), Ethan Millis (138), Tyler Proffitt (170), Andrew Edens (182)
Trask: Rogan Heath (132)
Southwest: Ezekiel Jones (152), Jason Rodriguez (160)
Pender: Da’Jon Smith (220)
East Carteret: Ezekiel Jayne (285) …. story at https://www.jdnews.com/sports/20200325/2020-all-coastal-8-1-a2-a-conference-winter-list
2020 All-Coastal 3-A Conference winter list
The Coastal 3-A Conference recently released its all-conference winter list for the 2019-2020 season. All-conference and player and coach of the year awards are either voted by the league’s coaches or determined by the conference’s championship events.
WRESTLING
Wrestler of Year: River Carroll, Swansboro
Coach of Year: Kevin Smith, West Carteret
Havelock: Brooke Hermen (106), Cody Rutherford (120), Nate Lucio (132), Xavier McCullough (145), Jamie Duffy (152), Tate Cringan (195), Derek Waiau (220), Isaiah Verspoor (285)
White Oak: Michael Delacruz (106), Jacob Timberlake (120), DeJon Fifer (138), Marcellous Owens (152), Sam Ellison (182)
Swansboro: Isaac Gawronski (113), River Carroll (160)
West Carteret: Ariana Wolkerstorfer (113) Jacob Bennett (126), Christian Mezzaroba (132), Austin Thompson (138), Jaiden Rittenhouse (145), Clayton Wilson (160), Hiroki Cruz (170), Josh Henderson (182), Jake Reynolds (195)
Northside: Josh Myers (126)|
Jacksonville: Razel Rainey (170), Xavier Tabb (285) … story and lists at https://www.jdnews.com/sports/20200325/2020-all-coastal-3-a-conference-winter-list
College Wrestlers (#92)
The Silver Lining: Wrestling injuries helped lead Moricone to physical therapy career
Few wrestlers had a more up-and-down collegiate career than former Pinkerton standout Phil Moricone. The two-time New England champion, who was 50-0 as a senior in 2005 and 178-8 for his career with the Astros, became a three-year starter at Edinboro (Penn.) University. This was at a time when the Fighting Scots were a Division 1 powerhouse. During a six-year span, while Edinboro was EWL champs five times and enjoyed a 74-24-2 record, Moricone was a league champion twice, twice qualified for the NCAA tournament and compiled a fine 81-31 record at 174 pounds while wrestling some of the best competition in the country. Those were great times that Moricone can look back at with pride. But the other side of it was that he was often injured and underwent shoulder and neck surgery, both of which cost him near full seasons of competition and resulted in the NCAA granting him a rare sixth year of eligibility. …. story at https://www.eagletribune.com/sports/the-silver-lining-wrestling-injuries-helped-lead-moricone-to-physical-therapy-career/article_3775ba2c-7c45-11ea-807d-ab1aa6e31cae.html?mc_cid=ddb6bdf133&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Latrobe’s Luke Pletcher presses forward after NCAA title dreams evaporate
Luke Pletcher is a two-time All-American wrestler at Ohio State and a legitimate Olympic hopeful. He has to wrap up only two more online classes before he graduates, and he has a coaching job — a volunteer assistant position at Pitt — lined up once he does. Yet at the moment, he’s sleeping in his childhood bed in Latrobe. Given the stay-at-home restrictions in place in Ohio and Pennsylvania because of the coronavirus pandemic, it’s not like Pletcher can hang out with his teammates in Columbus or go look for an apartment in Oakland. For now, he’s stuck in neutral, just like everyone else. “It’s not terrible,” Pletcher said. “You’re 23, and you want to do whatever you want, but with what’s going on, you’ve got to be safe.” It’s an unusual ending to what was shaping up to be a perfect season for the three-time PIAA champ. After finishing fourth at NCAAs the previous two seasons, Pletcher took a new aggressive attitude into his senior year. He went 26-1. He had 16 bonus-point wins after recording 15 as a sophomore and junior combined. “It’s something I’ve been told for six, maybe seven years, to not be as conservative,” Pletcher said. “It’s hard to flip that switch because you care so much about the outcome, but until you can forget about the outcome and just wrestle as hard as possible, you’re not going to be able to flip from being conservative to more of an open style.” The only hurdle that appeared to standing between Pletcher and a national title was Penn State junior Nick Lee. …. story at https://triblive.com/sports/latrobes-luke-pletcher-presses-forward-after-ncaa-title-dreams-evaporate/?mc_cid=ddb6bdf133&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Wrestling sophomore DePrez “I feel like I was in a good spot to win it all”
No. 4 seed was poised for run in Minneapolis
Lou DePrez of the Binghamton University wrestling team was poised for a deep run at NCAA Championships before the season abruptly ended due to the COVID-19 outbreak. The 184-pound redshirt sophomore standout had already garnered a No. 4 seed and had notable wins over a majority of the top ten wrestlers in the country.
DePrez shared his thoughts on the last six weeks.
Prior to the end of the season, talk about the rigor of the competition you faced at Cliff Keen, Southern Scuffle, and select duals. Tell us how that prepared you to win an EIWA Championship and how you felt going into Minneapolis.
Coach did a great job getting us a tough schedule this year. We really got out of the EIWA and competed against the best guys in the country. I know at Cliff Keen I had all the top eight guys in the country at my weight, even our dual season had three top ten teams in it. Although wrestling a tough schedule is a grind, being able to wrestle the top competition is always a positive, win or lose. It allows you to see what you need to improve on as well as giving you an idea on where you are compared to the rest of the field. Going into the postseason I felt that I could beat everyone.
As one of the top wrestlers in your weight class in the country, take us through the events of COVID-19 and what you were feeling as those transpired.
To complete the majority of the season and not finish the most important part was kind of devastating, the only reason you wrestle the season is to get ready for nationals. I felt like I put in all the hard work and I did everything right to get me to a good spot in the tournament. To have it taken away is heartbreaking. …. story at https://bubearcats.com/news/2020/4/13/wrestling-sophomore-deprez-i-feel-like-i-was-in-a-good-spot-to-win-it-all.aspx?mc_cid=2380a36a7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Alumni Spotlight: Eleazar DeLuca Inspires Next Generation of Wrestlers
2018 NCAA qualifier produced electric moments during time “On the Banks”
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – The 2017-18 Rutgers wrestling season was filled with plenty of memorable moments, as the Scarlet Knights hosted Big Ten bluebloods Iowa, Ohio State and Penn State at the Rutgers Athletic Center that winter. Six qualifiers made their way to nationals that year, with Nick Suriano becoming the program’s first NCAA finalist with his appearance against Spencer Lee for the 125-pound title. But the loudest the RAC erupted two seasons ago came courtesy of Eleazar DeLuca, who muscled a comeback for the ages during RU’s dual with the No. 2 Buckeyes on Jan. 7, 2018 in front of 5,109 fans. All 10 of OSU’s starters were within the Top 15 of their respective weight classes, including DeLuca’s opponent Ke-Shawn Hayes, who was No. 5 at 149 pounds with a 17-1 record. Hayes – a two-time national qualifier and bronze medalist at the Big Ten Championships that season …. story at https://scarletknights.com/news/2020/4/14/wrestling-alumni-spotlight-eleazar-deluca-inspires-next-generation-of-wrestlers.aspx?mc_cid=48a895b9a1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Anthony Cassar’s journey through hardship inspires those around him
The moment Cael Sanderson randomly assigned three-time NCAA Champion Bo Nickal and NCAA Champion Anthony Cassar to room together freshman year, Nickal knew Cassar was going to make history. But, according to Nickal, the challenge was getting the Penn State program to see that too. After redshirting his freshman season and experiencing a shoulder injury that cost him the following two seasons, Cassar’s role within Sanderson’s team was questionable. “Nobody knows what he went through behind the scenes, I’m telling you this dude didn’t mess up one diet or miss one rehab session when he was hurt,” Nickal told The Daily Collegian. “People didn’t know why he would win, they don’t know the times he ate chicken with no salt, made vegetable juices for an hour in the kitchen or how he has taken 60 different pills for his supplements. “They just saw him get his hand raised at the end of the match.” That being said, after years of competing together, living together and forming a bond beyond the spotlight, Nickal — and now Penn State coaches, fans and teammates — knows what Cassar is capable of despite the adversity he’s faced. …. story at https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/wrestling/article_bf90edcc-7f7f-11ea-aee6-4f44085dd044.html?mc_cid=c40241fd14&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Nebraska-Kearney wrestlers become delivery drivers to support community, Hot Meals USA
By TYLER ELLYSON UNK Communications
KEARNEY – Classic rock played on the stereo as Matt Malcom and Anthony Mancini cruised the streets of Kearney, looking for the next address on their list. Cartons of milk and takeout containers loaded with roasted pork, potatoes and green beans filled the backseat of the Jeep Compass, which served as their delivery vehicle on Tuesday. “This is my favorite part – getting out of the car,” Mancini joked as they pulled up to a small house in the heart of the city. The University of Nebraska at Kearney wrestler – wearing a large brace on his left knee and holding a crutch under one arm – is recovering from an ACL reconstruction surgery he underwent last week. But that wasn’t going to stop him from helping people in need. “In the grand scheme of things, a torn ACL really isn’t that bad,” said Mancini, a graduate student studying higher education student affairs. “There are people who have lost their sources of income and elderly people who can’t go out because of the risk. Yeah, it’s not the most convenient thing for me, but it’s nothing compared to what a lot of these people are facing.” Like several other members of the UNK wrestling team, Mancini and Malcom are volunteering their time to assist Hot Meals USA, a Kearney-based nonprofit that provides food to people impacted by disasters. The organization recently mobilized in response to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has forced businesses and schools to close and altered everyday life for many Nebraskans. Supported by donations, Hot Meals USA provides free meals 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. …. story at http://unknews.unk.edu/2020/03/25/unk-wrestlers-become-delivery-drivers-to-support-community-hot-meals-usa/?mc_cid=0750227b4f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Former Virginia wrestler makes up for missed marathon by creating his own
By BENNETT CONLIN bconlin@dailyprogress.com
Jim Harshaw’s first marathon won’t come in front of a big crowd. He won’t receive swag from a marathon event. Harshaw’s marathon isn’t officially sanctioned, but it still counts just the same. A former three-time ACC wrestling champion and a 1999 UVa alumnus, Harshaw planned to run the Pittsburgh Marathon this May with his neighbor Jeff Schwalm, a former Bridgewater College basketball player and current teacher in the Albermarle school district. Instead, COVID-19 caused the cancellation of the event. Rather than giving up midway through their training — they had logged a training run of 17 miles before the cancellation — they opted to create their own course staring near their homes in Forest Lakes and ending in downtown Charlottesville. “We’ve gotten this far,” Harshaw said. “Let’s keep this thing going.” Race day has arrived. Their journey begins at 7 a.m. Saturday and they plan on ending at roughly 10:30 a.m. “We’re in it for the challenge as much as anything,” Harshaw said. “It’s as much of a challenge, maybe more of a challenge, doing it on your own without the big crowds and the festive atmosphere.” Running 26.2 miles consecutively challenges even the fittest runners. It’s a long distance that takes the average runner hours to complete, and the race is both a mental and physical test. Luckily for Harshaw, who was an assistant wrestling coach at UVa for a few years and now works as a speaker and performance coach, he and Schwalm have a friend tagging along on a bike at a safe distance to provide both emotional and physical support when needed. They’ll use their mutual friend to act as a hydration station without the typical fueling stations at official marathon events. …. story at https://www.dailyprogress.com/sports/former-virginia-wrestler-makes-up-for-missed-marathon-by-creating-his-own/article_28e48166-7c11-5185-b154-b104211211ae.html?mc_cid=87a316c4d5&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
National Wrestling News
Trackwrestling unlocks entire United World Wrestling on-demand video library
Trackwrestling, in partnership with Defense Soap, is unlocking the archives to more than three seasons of on-demand matches from our United World Wrestling package. For a limited time, while fans are socially distanced from live wrestling events, we’ll showcase the globe’s top stars and the world’s biggest events. Visit Trackwrestling.com/uww to browse the latest United World Wrestling content and search for events and matches to watch.
The archives include:
- The Senior, U23, Junior and Cadet World Championships, World Cup and continental championships from 2017, 2018 and 2019.
- The epic clash between young phenoms Kyle Snyder and Abdulrashid Sadulaev with the 2017 men’s freestyle World team title riding on the outcome.
- A series of comebacks by Jordan Burroughs during his path to a 2017 World title.
- Helen Maroulis’ historic run through the field in 2017 in Paris.
- David Taylor’s remarkable run through the 86-kilogram bracket two years ago in Budapest.
- The trifecta of titles for Jacarra Winchester, Tamyra Mensah-Stock and Adeline Gray at the 2019 World Championships. …. story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1585765725275&twSessionId=kggkymtxpl&postId=779262135&mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2020 Honors Weekend Rescheduled To 2021
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame announced on Wednesday that, due to the health risks associated with the COVID-19 outbreak, it has rescheduled its 2020 Honors Weekend from June 5-6 to June 4-5, 2021.
“The rescheduling of 2020 Honors Weekend was not an easy decision for us to make. It is our signature event and has been held every year but one since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the Hall of Fame. “The safety and health of our honorees and attendees is of the utmost importance to us and we believe this is the best decision to ensure that we do not put anyone at risk. “We look forward to June 2021 when we will celebrate the Class of 2020 that will now become our Class of 2021.” …. story at https://nwhof.org/blog/hall-of-fame-reschedules-2020-honors-weekend-to-2021/?mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Also note that the National Hall of Fame in Oklahoma is closed until further notice … story at https://nwhof.org/blog/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-closed-until-april-5/ and
The Dan Gable Museum in Iowa is closed through April 30th … story at https://nwhof.org/blog/dan-gable-museum-closed-until-march-31/
Beat The Streets “Grapple At The Garden,” postponed until later in 2020
BY BEAT THE STREETS, INC. | APRIL 02, 2020, Annual Event Was Scheduled For May 28 at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden
(New York, April 2, 2020) Beat The Streets, the largest grassroots inner-city wrestling program in the United States, today announced that “Grapple At The Garden,” its annual fundraiser which was to be held on Thursday, May 28, has been postponed due to the current COVID-19 outbreak. The organization is entertaining several dates and formats for a rescheduled event later in the summer. “Our primary focus is the health and safety of all involved, especially our supporters, our athletes and staff, and in order to be properly prepared for what is always a celebratory first class event for all, we have decided to postpone our late May date,” said Brendan Buckley, Beat the Streets Executive Director. “We are working with our partners at Madison Square Garden and all our stakeholders to find the most effective date in the coming months.” “Grapple at the Garden” made a highly successful, sold-out debut at the Hulu Theater in 2019 following nearly a decade at various other iconic New York City venues.
About Beat the Streets
The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTS works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to bring the life-changing sport of wrestling to over 3,000 New York City student-athletes to help them achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTS and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life lessons of grit, personal responsibility and teamwork, physical fitness and nutrition, and life-long learning. The goal of fostering strong, well-rounded student-athletes is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, life skills workshops, and summer camps. More information can be found at http://www.btsny.org. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/02/Beat-the-Streets-New-York-Benefit-postponed?mc_cid=c504aeb86a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
OSU Wrestling: Booker T. Washington Naming Hoops Court after Kenny Monday
Tulsa Public Schools to honor the Cowboy legend and Olympic Gold Medalist
According to the Twitter account of Kenny Monday’s wife Sabrina, the basketball court at Booker T. Washington High School will now share the names of Monday and former OU basketball star Wayman Tisdsale.
Monday was a four-time state champion at Booker T. Washington, then went on to wrestle for the Cowboys from 1981-1984. He was an NCAA champion in 1984 and became the first African American to win an Olympic Gold medal in wrestling in 1988. He won a silver at the 1992 Olympics and made the team again in 1996. … story and video at https://pistolsfiringblog.com/osu-wrestling-booker-t-washington-naming-hoops-court-after-kenny-monday/?mc_cid=7b60b45611&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Letter to USA Wrestling members from Bruce Baumgartner and Rich Bender
BY BRUCE BAUMGARTNER, PRESIDENT, AND RICH BENDER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | APRIL 07, 2020,
We hope that you and your loved ones are doing well during these trying times. As the United States and the world continue to face the challenges caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, here at USA Wrestling, we are focused on being a support and resource for all of our members and their families. In everything that we do, our number one priority is always the safety of our athletes and their families, all our members, our national staff and the entire U.S. wrestling community.
USA Wrestling is a big family, with more than 255,000 members and 4,500 clubs nationwide striving together to strengthen the sport. During these unprecedented times, we are coming together in so many ways. We believe the best strategy to get through this situation is to listen to our members and to communicate regularly with our wrestling family. With that in mind, we would like to let our members know what USA Wrestling has been doing to serve them and to increase the value of their membership:
• USA Wrestling has formed an amazing COVID-19 Advisory Committee of experts who are helping us better understand the situation and make informed decisions. These leaders are: Dr. Tom Price, a physician who is a past U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services and past member of Congress; Dr. Bernard Feldman, UWW Medical Commission member and Hall of Fame wrestling physician; and John Bardis, past U.S. Assistant Secretary of Health and Human Services, and a longtime USA Wrestling leader who has had a successful career in the medical industry. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/07/Letter-to-USA-Wrestling-members-from-Bruce-Baumgartner-and-Rich-Bender?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
College Awards
MAC Announces Wrestling Postseason Awards
MID-AMERICAN CONFERENCE NAMES 2020 WRESTLING POSTSEASON AWARDS
Central Michigan’s Borrelli and NIU’s Ludwig share Coach of the Year, Central Michigan’s Stencel Named Wrestler of the Year and NIU’s Olejnik Named Freshman of the Year
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced today the wrestling postseason awards for the 2020 season. Sharing the honor as MAC Coach of the Year is Central Michigan’s Tom Borrelli and NIU’s Ryan Ludwig as Co-Coaches of the Year. Central Michigan junior Matt Stencel was named MAC Wrestler of the Year and NIU’s Izzak Olejnik was named MAC Freshman of the Year. The awards were voted on by the Conference’s 15 head wrestling coaches.
In his 29th year at Central Michigan, Borrelli led the Chippewas to a runner-up finish at the MAC Championships and an 8-4 overall, 7-2 MAC, dual-meet record. Three of Borrelli’s charges won individual MAC titles, including Dresden Simon at 141 pounds, who was named the MAC Championship Outstanding Wrestler Award. Central Michigan was the only MAC program with more than one MAC Champion. Six Chippewas earned a berth in the NCAA Championships, which ranked second in the MAC among the 15 league teams only behind Missouri’s eight selections.
Borrelli has amassed a 337-155-7 dual-meet record in 29 years at Central Michigan. His 337 Division I dual-meet victories are second to Oklahoma State’s John Smith among active coaches and currently ranks 17th in NCAA history. NIU head coach Ryan Ludwig guided the Huskies to one of their most successful seasons as NIU amassed 13 wins on the season, the most by a Huskie wrestling team since 2004-05. The Huskies saw four of their wrestlers qualify for the NCAA Championships and had its first MAC champion since 2013, as Brit Wilson defeated Dylan Wisman of Missouri for the 184 pound championship. …. story at https://getsomemaction.com/news/2020/4/13/mac-announces-wrestling-postseason-awards.aspx?mc_cid=48a895b9a1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2020 FRESHMAN OF THE YEAR AND ALL-FRESHMAN TEAM
The d3wrestle.com Freshman of the Year award is given to the top Division III wrestler who competed in high school in the previous season. The 2020 Freshman of the Year is Ryan Anderson of Centenary University. Anderson came to the Cyclones from Bethlehem Catholic High School where he was a two-time state champion and three-time placewinner, helping his team to a pair of state duals championships. Anderson was the #1 seed at 149 lbs. in the canceled NCAA Championships and was ranked 1st in the final d3wrestle.com Rankings. He finished the season with a 31-3 record and did not lose to a DIII opponent. He won his last 28 matches in a row to finish his season with a title in the Mideast Regional. He also won the Doug Parker Invitational, Bob Quade Cyclone Open, and the Shorty Hitchcock Open. He had 15 falls this season with 13 coming in the first period. His final regular season victory came against the previously #1 ranked wrestler at his weight, and his final victory of the season was a win over a 2018 NCAA champion. Anderson is the second winner from Centenary after Chris Burdge in 2011. …. full story and listing at https://www.d3wrestle.com/2020-freshman-of-the-year-and-all-freshman-team/?mc_cid=eb28f2fdb6&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
NWCA DIVISION I COACHES GROUP ANNOUNCES 2020 ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association has announced the 2020 Division I All-American teams. Each year the NWCA recognizes the outstanding work of the DI Student-Athletes by naming the All-Americans based on their achievements in the national championship, however, this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic the championships were canceled. All-American honors were based on each wrestler’s overall body of work through the conference tournaments and up to the national championships. …. story and full lists at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-division-i-coaches-group-announces-2020-all-america-teams/?mc_cid=845f982bf2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
J’den Cox named 2019 John Smith Award winner, as USA Wrestling’s Freestyle Wrestler of the Year
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | APRIL 17, 2020,
J’den Cox (Colorado Springs, Colo./Titan Mercury WC/USOPTC) has been named the winner of the 2019 John Smith Award as the Freestyle Wrestler of the Year by USA Wrestling. It is the first time that he has won this prestigious award. The award is named in honor of two-time Olympic champion and four-time World champion John Smith. Cox won his second straight World Championships gold medal, when he powered through the 92 kg bracket to win the World title in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan in September. He defeated Ali Reza Karimimachiani of Iran in the gold-medal finals, 4-0. Cox had a 4-0 record at the World Championships without allowing a point, defeating his four opponents by a 26-0 margin. It was his fourth straight medal at the World and Olympic level, to go along with his 2016 Olympic bronze medal, his 2017 World bronze medal and his 2018 World gold medal. Cox went the entire 2019 year without a loss. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/17/Jden-Cox-named-2019-John-Smith-Award-winner-as-top-mens-freestyler?mc_cid=845f982bf2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Hayden Hidlay Named ACC Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year
RALEIGH, N.C. – NC State redshirt-junior Hayden Hidlay, who two weeks ago was named the 2020 ACC Wrestler of the Year, has also been tabbed the 2020 ACC Wrestling Scholar-Athlete of the Year and heads up the sport’s 19-man All-ACC Academic Team. Hidlay, a business administration major from Lewistown, Pennsylvania, is a three-time member of the All-ACC Academic Wrestling Team. He posted a 3.846 grade point average for the most recent fall semester and earned Dean’s List honors. Hidlay is a three-time member of the ACC Honor Roll and was named an NC State Scholar-Athlete.
“This is a great achievement for Hayden,” said NC State head coach Pat Popolizio. “He is a class act that represents himself, our wrestling program and NC State well. He continues to strive for greatness both on and off the mat. I’m proud and happy that the ACC recognizes his hard work and commitment.” Hidlay, who earned a No. 2 NCAA seeding at 157 pounds, finished the year 28-1 overall, including a 12-0 record in dual matches. …. story at https://gopack.com/news/2020/4/16/hayden-hidlay-named-acc-wrestling-scholar-athlete-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=c40241fd14&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Blessing in Disguise
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — For any average four time All-American and Dan Hodge Trophy recipient, a world without wrestling may seem rather empty– but for Bo Nickal, it’s more of a blessing in disguise.
As one of Penn State’s most notable wrestlers to come through the program, Nickal had graduated with the hopes of trading his Nittany Lion blue and whites for a USA singlet and a ticket to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. He trained alongside legends in Rec Hall as a part of the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.
But his dreams of Olympic glory would soon move to the back burner as the world would bear the brunt of a widespread global pandemic – sending professional athletes, like Nickal, into a tailspin.
“At the beginning, it was tough because we didn’t know when we were going to get back,” Nickal said. “But at this point, we know it’s going to be a while, so I’ve been able to set a schedule and get more of a routine. It’s been enjoyable to do something different.” While athletes, coaches and spectators alike scrambled to make sense of lost seasons and broken dreams, Nickal took an alternative approach to coping with the change – with a positive attitude that’s fueled success throughout the majority of his career. “At this point, it’s said and done. We know what to expect and I can look at it with a little bit of gratitude,” Nickal said. “This happened for a reason. I now get the chance to rest, recover and let my body heal up, so I can get ready to get back on and grind whenever I’m allowed to start practicing again.” But until he gets the green light to slip back into his wrestling shoes and hit the mat, Nickal has to get a little creative with maintaining his Olympic physique, with only the means he has available in his State College residence. Now that we know the quarantine is going to be long term, I’ve been in my backyard chopping down trees and trying to be creative with different ways to get exercise,” Nickal said. “I’m just the type of person who likes to be active, so that’s like the start of it. Even though the Olympics and everything was postponed, it’s still a year and a half away, so I’m always going to be prepping for that.”
Even with years of rigorous training to grapple the strongest of competitors, nothing could’ve prepared even world-class athletes, like Nickal, for the challenges of a stay-at-home order. But with so much uncertainty spread throughout the athletic community, Nickal doesn’t think he or his teammates will be at much of a disadvantage come go-time. …. story at https://gopsusports.com/news/2020/4/13/wrestling-blessing-in-disguise.aspx?mc_cid=2380a36a7a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Eastern N.C. High School – # 11
New Bern High athletes receive all-Conference awards
The 3A/4A Eastern Carolina Conference released its all-conference teams earlier this week from the winter sports season. New Bern High School had 21 student-athletes receive recognition across the five sports. From boys basketball, freshman Will Brimmer was the only player to make the All-Conference team with Tyriq Hicks and Saiquan Bell being honorable mentions. In girls basketball, Journee McDaniel and Destinee Banks made the team while Janaya Lambert and Keyanna Stewart were honorable mentions. Wrestling was where the Bears had their strongest representation of the season as coach Bo Lansche was named conference Coach of the Year. Michael Baysden, Sam Barnett, Grant Gupton, Jaidon Bennett, Marcus Grist, Jackson Bird and Wyatt Stevens all made the team as wrestlers. …. story at https://www.newbernsj.com/sports/20200319/new-bern-high-athletes-receive-all-conference-awards
Staying alive in Greensboro: Fike’s Bancroft, Settles, CBA duo reach 3-A semis
GREENSBORO — While all seven Fike High wrestlers competing in the North Carolina High School Athletic Association 3-A wrestling championship tournament at the Greensboro Coliseum on Friday afternoon made it to Saturday, only two kept their state championship dreams alive. Golden Demons seniors Aaron Bancroft and Jahmez Settles each won their first two matches to reach Saturday’s semifinals round along with C.B. Aycock’s unbeaten senior duo of Christian Decatur and Tyler Hughes. Nine other area wrestlers are still in action in the consolation bracket. Matches will be held for third and fifth place. The championship semifinals will start at approximately noon once the consolation quarterfinals are complete. The Parade of Champions is set for 7 p.m., followed by the state championship finals matches, once the consolation bracket is done. Bancroft had little trouble collecting his 48th and 49th wins without a loss as he stopped Eastern Guilford’s Isaiah Manning in an 18-3 technical fall in their 170-pound opener and then handed Enka’s Garrett Pugh tech fall by the same score in the quarterfinals. Bancroft, who became Fike’s first state champion last year in the 160-pound division, will face Fayetteville Cape Fear sophomore Jaden Paul (36-8) in the semifinals. …. rest of the story at http://wilsontimes.com/stories/staying-alive-in-greensboro-fikes-bancroft-settles-cba-duo-reach-3-a-semis,202050?newsletter=202054
Curtain lifts Friday on NCHSAA wrestling championships
From staff reports
Eighteen wrestlers from The Wilson Times readership area will launch bids at a North Carolina High School Athletic Association individual state championship when action gets underway at Greensboro Coliseum. The opening round is set for midday Friday after inclement weather forced the NCHSAA to push the start of the tournament back a day. The plan is still to complete the tournament by Saturday, although a formal schedule was not announced by the association in its release addressing the postponement late Wednesday evening. On Saturday, the consolations conclude earlier in the day, with the Parade of Champions and finals in all classifications. Fike High, coming off its first trip to the NCHSAA 3-A East final in the dual team playoffs, leads the pack with seven entries and reigning 160-pound champion Aaron Bancroft. However, Bancroft, who hasn’t lost in 47 matches this season, makes the step up to 170 pounds in 2020. Joining Bancroft from Fike are regional champions Jayleen Bullock and Jahmez Settles. Settles, a senior at 106 pounds, takes a 43-8 record into the proceedings. Bullock, owning a 44-3 ledger, steps onto the mat at 195 pounds as a junior. A quartet of Golden Demons placed third in regional competition including freshman Barrett Klutey (41-17) at 120 pounds, senior Garrett Weaver (24-4) at 138, junior Patrick McCullen (47-6) at 145 and junior Vincent Page (30-7) and 152. Hunt junior Chris Silva, competing in the 195-pound ranks, is the lone Warriors qualifier and takes a 37-7 ledger into the state championships. For Southern Nash, the junior trio of Luke Coble, Jadel Davis and Terrence Raspberry, all qualified. …. story at http://wilsontimes.com/stories/curtain-lifts-friday-on-nchsaa-wrestling-championships,201918?
Friendly sibling rivalry helps fuel Extra Effort winner toward state wrestling record
By Jason Jennings, WRAL sports reporter
PIKEVILLE, N.C. — Wrestling runs in the blood of Christian Decatur. Not only is the C.B. Aycock senior going for his third straight state championship this year, his older brother, Timothy, also won three state titles for Rosewood and earned the Extra Effort Award last year. “I can’t imagine what it was like in their house,” said C.B. Aycock wrestling coach Brian Doyle, this week’s Extra Effort Award winner. “(Christian had) the greatest practice partner in the world right there in the living room,” said C.B. Aycock assistant head wrestling coach Mark Bass. “(Timothy) started Instagram Lives of us having matches so people could watch,” Christian said of his brother. While Christian admits that Timothy — who is one year older, slightly heavier and now wrestles for UNC — usually wins those matches, Christian can still beat his brother in another area: the state’s all-time wins record. Since the “new era” of NCHSAA wrestling (when match limitations have been put in place around the start of this decade), Timothy holds the record with 236 career wins. Christian currently has 221 wins. If he completes a third state title run, Christian will beat his older brother’s record. …. story, video & pictures at https://www.highschoolot.com/friendly-sibling-rivalry-helps-fuel-extra-effort-winner-toward-state-wrestling-record/18904890/
Cape Fear Extra Effort winner takes family’s passion for wrestling to state title again
By Jason Jennings, WRAL multimedia sports journalist
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. — Dallas Wilson is a two-time defending NCHSAA 3A state wrestling champion for Cape Fear High School who is going for his third straight title this Saturday. “I tell people, you can walk up to me and hand me a million dollars, and it still wouldn’t equal what the sport of wrestling has given me,” Wilson said. New Bern High athletes receive all-Conference awards The sport is in Wilson’s blood. His father, Heath, is also his high school coach. Back in 1990, the elder Wilson won a state title wrestling for Cape Fear. Imagine the Wilson’s father-son wrestling matches over the years. “My mother, she would have an absolute fit until we stopped,” Heath Wilson said. “We’ll be in the kitchen and start wrestling, and (family members) will be like, ‘Stop! Stop!'” Dallas Wilson said. While Dallas has his father beat in the number of state title victories, it wasn’t until this year where he could beat Heath on the mat. …. story, video & pictures at https://www.highschoolot.com/cape-fear-extra-effort-winner-takes-family-s-passion-for-wrestling-to-state-title-again/18950521/
UNC’s JAIME HERNANDEZ TALKS ABOUT BREAKOUT SOPHOMORE SEASON
Posted On: April 14, 2020Jaime Hernandez broke into the Carolina lineup in his redshirt sophomore season at 133 pounds and didn’t disappoint – he was an ACC finalist and was set to compete at the NCAA Championships in March. The Aurora, Illinois native went 16-10 with a 9-6 dual meet record in the 2019-20 season.
This week, GoHeels.com spoke with Hernandez about his breakout season and the near future on the mat.
GoHeels: As you reflect on the season, what are your biggest takeaways from the year?
Jaime Hernandez: “This past season there were many achievements both my team and I accomplished that we will always be proud of. Being that it was my first season as the 133-pounder, I knew I had to change my lifestyle completely. Most importantly, I knew my mentality had to change. Every day I was reminded by Coach Ramos about my goals and how important every choice I make is. Through the good and bad days, I knew I could count on Coach Ramos to help me keep my head straight. The relationship I built with him has really helped me become the man I am today. The support I had from all my coaches is my biggest takeaway.”
GH: A lot of people around the program said the team got closer this season. Would you say that is true, and if so, in what ways?
JH: “I would say since the first day I started at UNC, the bond my team has built with each other has grown tremendously. We have all bought into the program and know that every single person plays a role in what we achieve as a team. This season has been one of our best and it came from us pushing each other every day at practice.”
GH: On the mat, what areas specifically do you feel you improved upon most this year?
JH: “My biggest improvement on the mat this year has been focusing on scoring the next point. This is something Coach Scott and Coach Ramos have told me right before every match, and it has helped me stay relaxed and get to my attacks.”
GH: Do you have a favorite moment from this season? If so, what was it and why?
JH: “My favorite moment was the ACC Championships this year. As a team, we had five guys in the finals and a lot of placers. It was great to see everyone’s hard work pay off and make it to the NCAAs. Those are the memories I will always keep and look back on.”
GH: How do you plan to stay active and prepared during this current extended time at home?
JH: “After hearing the news of the NCAAs being cancelled, I took the time to reflect on my season and look at the positive side of it. During this break, my goals remain the same and I know that every day I have to do something to make myself better. …. story at https://goheels.com/news/2020/4/14/wrestling-jaime-hernandez-talks-about-breakout-sophomore-season.aspx?mc_cid=48a895b9a1&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
