Takedown Report

NWCA 2020 Multi-Division National Duals April Airing Times

Manheim, PA – College wrestling fans will now be able to watch the 2020 US Marine Corps/NWCA Multi-Division National Duals presented by Arms Software and Defense Soap on national television when it airs more than 60 times in the month of April on local FCS channels!! A huge thank you to Barbarian Apparel, NUWAY, Resilite, and College Wrestler Recruiting for serving as our television partners to make each of these telecasts possible. Click the button below for the full match airing schedule.

Only the dates from April 15th onward

Air Date Time Show Length Network Episode/Game Territory L/D/R Log Type
31) Wed 04/15/2020 12:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSC 1 – Division II Championship ALL R Primary
32) Wed 04/15/2020 02:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSC 2 – Women’s Championship ALL R Primary
33) Wed 04/15/2020 04:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSC 3 – NAIA Championship ALL R Primary
34) Thu 04/16/2020 06:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSC 4 – Division III Championship ALL R Primary
35) Thu 04/16/2020 08:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSC 5 – NJCAA Championship ALL R Primary
36) Sat 04/18/2020 12:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSP 1 – Division II Championship ALL R Primary
37) Sat 04/18/2020 02:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSP 2 – Women’s Championship ALL R Primary
38) Sat 04/18/2020 04:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSP 3 – NAIA Championship ALL R Primary
39) Sun 04/19/2020 06:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSP 4 – Division III Championship ALL R Primary
40) Sun 04/19/2020 08:00 AM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSP 5 – NJCAA Championship ALL R Primary
41) Mon 04/20/2020 12:00 PM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSA 1 – Division II Championship ALL R Primary
42) Mon 04/20/2020 02:00 PM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSA 2 – Women’s Championship ALL R Primary
43) Mon 04/20/2020 04:00 PM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSA 3 – NAIA Championship ALL R Primary
44) Mon 04/20/2020 06:00 PM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSA 4 – Division III Championship ALL R Primary
45) Mon 04/20/2020 08:00 PM (WRS) NWCA National Duals 2.0 FCSA 5 – NJCAA Championship ALL R Primary …. rest of list at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-2020-multi-division-national-duals-april-airing-times/?mc_cid=87a316c4d5&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 18, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College Wrestling News — # 91

Mike Denney – 7x NCAA Champion Coach
Mike Denney is a 7x national champion coach. Having coached for over 51 years, Coach Denney spent his first 32 years at the University of Nebraska Omaha (UNO). On the night of his 7th national team title, the UNO AD called Coach Denney and told him that wrestling was being cut. It was a shock to the wrestling world. Today, Coach Denney is the head coach at Maryville.
SPONSOR
This episode is brought to you by Gable the GOAT Part 2, which covers the life of Dan Gable from 1987-1993. Unlike our weekly show, this is a fully produced documentary podcast. You can find Gable the GOAT Part 2 in this …. rest of story and audio at https://wrestlingchangedmylife.com/denney/?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

NCAA Div. I won’t extend eligibility for wrestlers and all winter sport athletes which lost championships
BY USA WRESTLING | MARCH 30, 2020 In two sentences, the NCAA Div. I Council squashed the hopes of the wrestlers who were unable to compete at the NCAA Div. I Championships, who hoped to get an extra year to make up for the lost opportunity. This was included in the seventh paragraph of a release entitled: “Division I Council extends eligibility for student-athletes impacted by COVID-19”
Winter sports were not included in the decision. Council members declined to extend eligibility for student-athletes in sports where all or much of their regular seasons were completed.
Let the debate begin.
Complete NCAA news release:
Division I Council extends eligibility for student-athletes impacted by COVID-19
Schools can authorize an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility March 30, 2020
The Division I Council on Monday voted to allow schools to provide spring-sport student-athletes an additional season of competition and an extension of their period of eligibility. Members also adjusted financial aid rules to allow teams to carry more members on scholarship to account for incoming recruits and student-athletes who had been in their last year of eligibility who decide to stay. In a nod to the financial uncertainty faced by higher education, the Council vote also provided schools with the flexibility to give students the opportunity to return for 2020-21 without requiring that athletics aid be provided at the same level awarded for 2019-20. This flexibility applies only to student-athletes who would have exhausted eligibility in 2019-20. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/30/NCAA-wont-give-wrestlers-extra-year-after-Div-I-Championships-cancelled?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Penn State wrestling’s Shakur Rasheed urges NCAA to reconsider winter sport athlete eligibility in lengthy Instagram post
Penn State senior Shakur Rasheed took to Instagram addressing wrestlers, fans and wrestling platforms whom he urged to help fight for an extra year of eligibility for winter sport athletes. The post comes one day after the announcement by the NCAA granting spring athletes an extra year, but not winter athletes. Rasheed started off by stating his understanding of the situation, saying that the season being cut short is “nobody’s fault” and it had to be done. However, he thought the NCAA did not do winter athletes “right” when the organization did not include them in their blanket waiver. “We all go into a year with one main goal and that is to win a national title or All-American or simply compete at the NCAA tournament and give it everything we’ve got,” Rasheed wrote. “While many people dream to have the opportunity to do those things, it was not a dream for us. It was our reality. So no I cannot accept that this is it.” He also stressed the importance of the tournament itself being at the core of the collegiate season, and the coronavirus, which caused the cancellation, “shouldn’t be the end of the 2020 seniors story.” …. story at https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/wrestling/article_1b4de602-739f-11ea-bb82-4b44f14811f8.html?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Tom Brands hints at future legal appeal to recover year of Spencer Lee’s eligibility
Tom Brands is serious about the fight against COVID-19. The Iowa wrestling coach, during a 45-minute teleconference Tuesday, acknowledged that he was in Day 6 of a seven-day quarantine at his Iowa City home because he was informed he had been in contact recently with someone who was diagnosed with the novel coronavirus. “I’m fine,” he said, noting he had no symptoms and has only been out of the house to go jogging. Brands calls COVID-19 “Enemy No. 1” right now, with an eye on future appeals about eligibility relief officially denied by the NCAA Monday night to winter-sports athletes.  …. story at https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/iowa/wrestling/2020/03/31/tom-brands-appeal-recover-spencer-lee-eligibility-iowa-wrestling-coronavirus/5096975002/?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

OSU Wrestling: Kaid Brock Receives Sixth Year of Eligibility
Pistols Firing spoke with Oklahoma State head coach John Smith on Thursday and Coach Smith divulged that Kaid Brock has received his medical redshirt and sixth year of eligibility. Smith came on the Pistols Firing Podcast to discuss the unique end to this wrestling season and a number of other topics as well. I asked about Kaid Brock’s situation and he said he has received a medical redshirt and an additional year. …. story at https://pistolsfiringblog.com/osu-wrestling-kaid-brock-receives-sixth-year-of-eligibility/?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Leistikow: Making sense of NCAA’s spring eligibility vote and the uncertainty still ahead
To grasp how important Monday night’s NCAA Division I Council approval to extend the eligibility for spring sports athletes was, let’s first flash back to the afternoon of March 12.
While the high-profile cancellations of the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments — the end of March Madness — was front and center, a glance to a roadside pit stop in Indiana illustrated the heartache felt among lower-profile athletes. Elise van Heuvelen Treadwell, a senior women’s tennis player at Iowa, and her teammates and coaches were on their way to road matches at Indiana and Purdue once the news hit that their seasons were canceled amid the concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic. A three-time all-Big Ten player from England, van Heuvelen Treadwell assumed that was how her collegiate career would end.
“March 12 is going to be one of those days I’m not going to forget for the rest of my life,” she recalled Monday night. “We were driving two Suburbans, and we just stopped off the highway and stood in this random field in Indiana. And we were just heartbroken.” But on Monday night, van Heuvelen Treadwell and thousands of athletes around the country officially received a lifeline of opportunity, hopefully, to come back to school and compete in college again. “Today’s one of those good days,” she added, “where we can start looking forward and thinking about those options.” For van Heuvelen Treadwell, there’s confidence that scholarship money will be there. But even a star player like her isn’t entirely sure. Others are feeling less confident in the wake of Monday’s decision. Although seniors can come back to school for an additional year without counting against scholarship limits, the key asterisk in blanket eligibility relief was that individual institutions will determine the level of scholarship money available for them. For example, an athlete that had a 50% scholarship might have to be reduced to 25% or zero.  There’s no telling what budgets will look like six or 12 months from now, with growing uncertainty about the ability to execute a season of football — the financial engine that drives all college sports. …. story at https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/columnists/chad-leistikow/2020/03/31/ncaa-athletes-eligibility-extended-spring-vote-uncertainty-ahead-iowa-hawkeyes/5089920002/?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Brands: ‘Let’s Beat This COVID-19’
By DARREN MILLER hawkeyesports.com
IOWA CITY, Iowa — Wrestlers from the University of Iowa will be ready for their next challenge, head coach Tom Brands said Tuesday. First, like everyone else in the world, they are challenged by COVID-19.
“Let’s beat this COVID-19,” Brands said via teleconference. “It is bigger than sports right now. We’re not out of the woods with COVID-19. Let’s get rid of COVID-19 first.”
Tuesday marked 10 days from what would have been the final sessions of the 2020 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis. That event, of course, was canceled March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic known as COVID-19. As a team, Iowa was a unanimous favorite with three No. 1 seeds and seven others in the top 11.
“It sucks, this team was robbed of history,” Brands said. “They were robbed of an opportunity.”
In the meantime, Brands said the Hawkeye wrestlers are focused on academics, being safe and socially responsible, and staying healthy.
“There are a lot of ways to keep an edge or build an edge and keep moving forward,” Brands said. “It’s not ideal because it’s not familiar. It’s not ideal because it isn’t necessarily what they want. They want to be in their domain, sanctuary, comfort zone.”
Brands praised his student-athletes for their maturity and open-minded thinking.
“They are chomping at the bit, of course,” Brands said. “Right now they have to be patient because they don’t know the calendar footprint, they don’t know if there is going to be school next year.” …. story at https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2020/3/31/wrestling-brands-lets-beat-this-covid-19.aspx?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 17, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Wrestling History

Leistikow: NCAA needs to do right thing — vote ‘yes’ on eligibility after mass coronavirus cancellations
There’s a seismic vote planned for Monday that could change the near future of college sports. The NCAA’s Division I Council is set to determine whether athletes whose seasons were cut short from concerns over the COVID-19 pandemic should be granted an extra year of collegiate eligibility. The decision, especially for spring sports athletes whose seasons were just getting under way when the NCAA determined to cancel all winter and spring championships, would on the surface seem to be a no-brainer. And the 40 or so administrators who are convening Monday know that, too. But in this case, the right decision is going to be the most difficult decision. Voting yes to an extra year of eligibility would mean signing off on the possibility of millions of extra dollars in scholarship costs to universities already in more precarious cash-flow positions by the cancellation of the NCAA men’s basketball tournament … with the possibility of a washed-out or shortened football season further crippling budgets. The easiest, cleanest decision for the Council on Monday is to vote “no” — to both winter and spring athletes who saw their seasons (or careers) end. Wash your hands of this, say it was an act of God and this was an unfortunate, extraordinary circumstance. You can go to bed knowing that future competitive balance won’t be thrown out of whack and knowing that America has far greater losses to worry about right now during the coronavirus pandemic.
But the right decision Monday is to vote “yes” to eligibility relief. Vote “yes” to spring sports athletes. Vote “yes” to winter sports athletes whose postseasons were cut short. It was extraordinary and unprecedented for the NCAA to cancel the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments, the wrestling championships, hockey’s Frozen Four, the baseball and softball College World Series and every other spring sport. Likewise, administrators should search for extraordinary solutions in the wake of this pandemic to do what is right for what aligns with their core values. Coaches at all levels encourage their athletes to fight to the finish. Never give up. When the game or match is on the line of when unforeseen circumstances like injuries occur, always search for a path to success. Will administrators hold themselves to the same standard? Probably not. They are too often led by the bottom line, not by what their own core values address. From the NCAA’s website: The missive is about “prioritizing academics, well-being and fairness so college athletes can succeed on the field, in the classroom and for life.” …. story and pictures at https://amp.hawkcentral.com/amp/2938124001?__twitter_impression=true&mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Introducing the Dynasty Duals: Cast your vote to determine the best college team of the last 40 years
How would this year’s Iowa squad stack up against the Hawkeyes of Gable’s glory years? How would the powerhouse Penn State teams fare against some of Oklahoma State’s loaded lineups?  Welcome to the Dynasty Duals. 
We’re taking every national championship team from the past 40 years, plus the top-ranked Iowa squad from this season, and putting them up for a fan vote. The top 16 teams in the balloting will go into a dual bracket that will begin Saturday and play out over the course of a two-week stretch to determine the top team of the past four decades — or at least how wrestling fans see it.  We’ll put each individual matchup up for vote with the winners picking up dual points based on the outcome using the following scale: …. story at  https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1585709491042&twSessionId=hoqlsectkh&postId=779192135&mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

ESPNU to air NCAAs from 2010, 2013, 2016, 2018, 2019 on Saturday
Want to catch some NCAA wrestling on TV while in quarantine? ESPNU will be airing five years of NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships on Saturday, April 4, from noon until 9 p.m.
Saturday, April 4 on ESPNU
Noon 2016 NCAA Wrestling Championships
2 p.m. 2010 NCAA Wrestling Championships
4 p.m. 2013 NCAA Wrestling Championships
6 p.m. 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships
9 p.m. 2019 NCAA Wrestling Championships …. story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23489?mc_cid=c504aeb86a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Breaking Down Oklahoma State’s Legacy in Professional Wrestling
Seth Duckworth looks at former wrestlers with a history in pro wrestling
Collegiate wrestling is a unique animal in that it produces professional athletes in a few different fields. Naturally, Olympians or Senior level wrestlers is the main arena and more recently MMA has been an outlet dominated by wrestling and notably by a number of former Cowboys. Something I haven’t really written much on, but felt was worth discussing with Wrestlemania coming up this weekend, is OSU’s legacy in professional wrestling. Here’s a brief synopsis of a few former Cowboys’ careers in pro wrestling.
1. Earl McCready
Before Chuba Hubbard, Earl McCready was the first “Canadian Cowboy” to make his way to Stillwater. He went undefeated in his college career from 1928-1930 and was the first three-time NCAA champ, and he also played football for Oklahoma A&M at the time. He wrestled for the Canadian Olympic team in 1928 and went on to a professional wrestling career. According to the Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame, he was a “top-notch competitor” during his career that spanned the next three decades before he retired in 1958.  He competed mainly in Canada, New Zealand, and Australia, and worked for Stu Hart’s Stampede Promotion during the time. …. story at https://pistolsfiringblog.com/breaking-down-oklahoma-states-legacy-in-professional-wrestling/?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Dynasty Duals: Iowa 1997 vs. Oklahoma State 2003
First Round 
No. 1 seed Iowa 1997 vs. No. 16 seed Oklahoma State 2003  …. lineups and story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1586054948351&twSessionId=fiqxcdtpaw&postId=779371135&mc_cid=3d6cefac15&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

’92 Iowa downs ’18 Penn State on bonus points after 5-5 split
 ’92 Iowa downs ’18 Penn State on bonus points after 5-5 split
Iowa’s 1992 team used one-sided wins from the first three wrestlers in its lineup to knock off fifth-seeded 2018 Penn State 22-20 on bonus points in the first round of the Dynasty Duals after a 10-match split in the voting.  Chad Zaputil, Terry Brands and Tom Brands won more than 80 percent of the fan vote in the first three weight classes. Terry Brands topped the 90-percent pin threshold by picking up 93.1 percent of the vote — the highest total in the tournament to date.  Penn State’s five national champions — Zain Retherford, Jason Nolf, Vincenzo Joseph, Mark Hall and Bo Nickal — each won their respective votes. …. story at https://www.trackwrestling.com/PortalPost.jsp?TIM=1586314002397&twSessionId=usyfopeeob&postId=779456135&mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 16, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

TDR Editor's Notes — III

The TakeDown Report Awards
For over twenty years The TDR has named a Top 12 listing of the Top 12 wrestlers in each weight class of wrestlers in eastern North Carolina. This year’s list has been delayed, as almost everything has been, by the pandemic crisis. The cancellation of the NCAA National Championships was upsetting, stunning, and hard to fathom. Yet, I am just a fan. Can only imagine that it is much more distressing for wrestlers and coaches and their families.
The big trophy awards will be eventually given to the six wrestlers in eastern North Carolina who completed their season as an undefeated state champion.We have the awards and the engraved wooden plaques that will be presented to the top wrestlers on the Top 12 team. Once the wrestlers are announced on here we will need the coaches or wrestlers or fans to contact us to make it so we can arrange for some sort of presentation or transfer of the awards. May need to use a shovel with a 6′ long handle. To be clear —
The TDR Top 12 Team will be announced along with the ‘Big 4″ Awards (J. Johnson, R. Heaverly, M. Stokes & L. Carroll) before the end of the month.

April 16, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

OId Dominion dropping wrestling may herald grim future for the sport

TDR Editor’s Notes ; This article is truly alarming as it explains the reality of priorities at Division I schools. More than just alarming, it is depressing news in these hectic times. We hope that this school will realize the error of their actions and reverse course on this in the fall.
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By Brad Wilson | For lehighvalleylive.com
So how much of an alarm bell is Old Dominion dropping wrestling for the collegiate mat community? Pretty loud, we’d say. And it might get a lot more alarming depending on what happens with the COVID-19 pandemic. ODU’s move was pitched by its PR flacks as being related to the pandemic, but taking one look at its reasoning and rationale shows that to be a bogus cover story. The Monarchs, located in Virginia’s Tidewater region, were determined to drop wrestling no matter what, and the pandemic became a handy excuse.
It wasn’t like ODU was struggling. They’d qualified four wrestlers for the NCAA Division I tournament, had had an All-American in 2019, and were bringing in top-shelf recruiting classes, perhaps, besides Missouri, the best the Mid-American Conference, which the Monarchs competed in in wrestling.
Their coach, Steve Martin, is familiar to many scholastic wrestling fans as the coach at Great Bridge (Va.), a program often seen at major tournaments such as the Beast of the East, until he took the ODU job in 2004. Old Dominion sits in an area where wrestling is a significant sport and produces plenty of collegiate talent. The annual Virginia Duals are located nearby. But none of that matters to the “consultant” who recommended wrestling get the boot. The usual numbers were cited, with the drop in D-1 programs from 146 in 1981 to 89 in 2007 to 75 now, and the whole Title XI business, all too familiar to wrestling fans. There were two elements, though, that could be new factors in cutting more programs. One was citing that no other Conference USA members — ODU is in C-USA for all other sports — sponsor wrestling.
That angle could cause wrestling a real problem if it gets expanded to, say, “only X teams in our conference have wrestling”. That’s because, outside of the Big Ten, where all 14 members wrestle, and the Ivy League (6 of 8) there’s not a major college conference in the nation where a majority of full members wrestle 6 of 15 in the ACC; 1 of 14 (Mizzou) in the SEC; 4 of 10 in the Big 12; 3 of 12 in the Pac-12, 4 of 12 in the MAC. Grim numbers, and easy for a consultant to grab onto with a we’re-out-of-step-by-having-wrestling argument. The other is this line in the consultant’s report: “Without question, the historic way of ‘doing business’ must be modified if ODU is going to be nationally competitive in NCAA Division I.”
Of course, what that translates to is football and men’s basketball, and it is certainly true that ODU has not been a regular fixture in the Top 25 in either sport of late. Its football team was in the FCS until 2013 after restarting a program in 2009 that had been dormant since 1941. In contrast, wrestling started at ODU in 1957.
But by that standard, no other athletic program should survive at most schools (some universities make money on ice hockey, baseball and the like, but not many), and one suspects the only way many do is by the NCAA standard that requires minimum numbers of teams.
Right now, according to the NCAA, “Division I member institutions have to sponsor at least seven sports for men and seven for women (or six for men and eight for women) with two team sports for each gender. Each playing season has to be represented by each gender as well.” It’s easy to see how wrestling becomes the odd man (so to speak) out here. The real issue at stake is many Division I athletic programs wanting to pump as much money into football and basketball as possible while maintaining minimal standards elsewhere. As Wyoming Seminary wrestling coach Scott Green puts it, we are seeing the “continued minor-league-ization of football and men’s basketball,” and no amount of money is enough. Such pressures are most keenly felt not, perhaps, at established powers such as Penn State and Ohio State, or at smaller universities relatively content with where they fit in the big picture such as Lehigh, say.
But for everybody else, wrestling can become a target — take the mat money and re-do the football weight room! Or add even more $$$ to overpaid coaches and staff. Or, especially, spend more bucks on buildings in the facility arms race that has infected Division I of late. The question becomes just what are college athletics for? Are they, as Green notes, for producing semipro squads in a limited number of sports or are they for the general benefit of the entire student body and the physical education of students?We suspect we know the depressing answer to such questions. And now we have the nightmare of the COVID-19 pandemic striking, with its potentially devastating impact on college athletic budgets.
Old Dominion may have used the pandemic as a convenient cover for its kicking wrestling to the curb, but there is no doubt that the virus’ long-term effect on collegiate sports could be devastating. Just mention the possibility of there being no 2020 football season to a D-1 athletic director and keep the smelling salts handy to revive them after they faint at the thought. And, again, which sports will feel the pain?
Here’s longtime Division I athletic director Bill Bradshaw on likely budgetary priorities as quoted in a terrific Philadelphia Inquirer story: ‘Division I football, Division I basketball, and women’s sports will be the highest priorities, “in that order.”
Guess what that leaves out. …. story at https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/sports/2020/04/oid-dominion-dropping-wrestling-may-herald-grim-future-for-the-sport.html?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 16, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

A kick in the Gut

TDR Editor’s Note : That is what it feels like whenever we hear of a college or university making the choice to cast aside their athletes opportunity to continue wrestling at their school. This time struck particularly hard as the school has had wrestling for over 60 years. The timing of the announcement was a bit underhanded as there was no warning to the wrestling community and there was no one on campus due to the COVID-19 virus. The pandemic was also used as a reason to justify this along with the usual Title IX and having to save money for basketball and football. They did not specifically name those two sports but instead used a euphemism citing the NCAA major sports. No opportunity or option was presented when this was declared. Dozens of schools are adding wrestling on the other levels in the NCAA and NAIA and women’s teams are rapidly growing. Division I NCAA schools are addicted to their football team being a minor league feeder to the pros (who pay nothing to the schools) and thus other sports that do not lose millions of dollars, as most football programs do. This is dispiriting, discouraging, disheartening and I am tired of seeing this happen. We hope that this and the trend in the football addicted Divisio I will change but the doubts are hard to dispel.
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Old Dominion University Discontinues Wrestling Program
NORFOLK, Va. — Old Dominion University Athletics announced it will discontinue the sport of wrestling effective immediately. Currently enrolled students will retain their scholarships through the completion of their fourth academic year if they remain at ODU. Per NCAA rules, the students can be immediately eligible if they transfer to another institution under these circumstances. The students that signed National Letters of Intent for the 2020-21 year will retain scholarships for the upcoming year if they enroll at ODU. Members of the athletics staff have reached out to each of the students impacted and will help with the transition. There are 32 students in the program currently, seven of which are seniors.
 “We are saddened to have to make this decision, but it’s one that was made with the long-term best interest of the athletics program in mind,” said director of athletics Dr. Camden Wood Selig. “No one wants to reduce opportunities for young men to compete and represent Old Dominion, but we are required to be responsible with departmental resources. Our decision became even more clear during this coronavirus crisis, which we know will have significant impact on future athletics budgets. This decision will better allow the remaining sports to compete at a national level.”
The decision in part developed from the findings of a six-month study of the athletics program by an outside consultant. The comprehensive report reviewed the national college sports landscape, identified current and future financial challenges and evaluated Title IX compliance, which led to the recommendation to discontinue a varsity sport. Once completely implemented, it is estimated that athletics will have an expense savings of approximately $1 million. Steve Martin who was an ultra-successful high school coach at Great Bridge High School in Chesapeake before taking over the ODU program, has been the head coach of the Monarchs for the past 16 seasons. He has agreed to remain on staff to assist the currently enrolled and signed recruits with the transition. 
“I would like to thank President Broderick and Wood Selig for the support of the wrestling program over my 16-year career at ODU,” said Martin. “I understand these are challenging times for everyone, not only in athletics, but in every walk of life.  “I care a great deal about the student-athletes and coaches in the wrestling program at ODU, and I’m committed to work with each one of them to assist them during this transition,” Martin continued. “I’m proud of what we were able to accomplish over my tenure in the wrestling program, on the mat, but more importantly, off the mat as we were able to use the sport of wrestling to propel many young men into distinguished professional careers.”  Martin recorded 172 dual meet victories as the head coach at Old Dominion, matching the record set by Peter Robinson, the program’s first head coach. …. Full press release at https://odusports.com/news/2020/4/2/odu-discontinues-wrestling-program.aspx?mc_cid=c504aeb86a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Old Dominion athletics faces drastic cost-cutting measures to remain financially solvent, study says
An independent study of Old Dominion’s athletic department commissioned by the university paints a potentially bleak picture for the future of many of its programs, in part because of the coronavirus pandemic. In a comprehensive examination of the department’s finances by former college athletic director Dr. Richard L. Sander, dated March 30 and acquired by The Virginian-Pilot via the Freedom of Information Act, among the conclusions was that in addition to eliminating the school’s wrestling program, ODU will likely have to take other drastic cost-cutting measures to keep the department financially solvent. The addition of a women’s volleyball program, set to begin competition in the 2020-21 academic year, will come at an annual cost of $1.2 million a year. The wrestling program, which was eliminated Thursday after 63 years of competition, operated at a cost of about $1 million a year. An athletic department spokesman said AD Dr. Wood Selig would not comment on the study or its findings until next week. “Without question, the historic way of ‘doing business’ must be modified if ODU is going to be nationally competitive in NCAA Division I,” Sander wrote. “Each program (sport) must be reviewed and evaluated to determine its value and future. ODU must have a plan where significant resources be identified and allocated or reallocated to insure maximum value. The idea that significant new sources of revenue (and maybe some current resources) are available, is risky and improbable. Continuing sports that bring minimal return on investment will drain the sports that bring value and national recognition and exposure.” Sander is a former AD at Virginia Commonwealth and East Tennessee State who operates his own consulting firm. Among the other conclusions in the study are: …. story at https://www.pilotonline.com/sports/college/old-dominion/vp-sp-odu-athletics-study-20200403-akwhwiad2zfmrbvob7j6dlzcjy-story.html?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Old Dominion eliminates wrestling, forces former Panthers to look elsewhere
Former Washington High wrestlers Tyler Delaware and Jared Head are now looking for a new college home. Old Dominion cited financial challenges, made even more severe by the coronavirus pandemic, for announcing Thursday the elimination of its wrestling program after 63 years.
Delaware, a 2016 Illinois state champion and runner-up in both 2017 and 2018 for the Panthers, had just finished his redshirt freshman year for ODU with a career 10-15 record in limited action. Head, a state runner up in both 2018 and 2019 for Washington, did not compete as a first year freshman because of a shoulder injury. ″“It’s really heartbreaking,” said Head. “I’m still kinda in shock. It hasn’t really hit me that it’s real. I just never thought it would happen to us.” The decision comes with Old Dominion on the rise in wrestling. The Monarchs had two consecutive Top 20 recruiting classes and had four wrestlers qualify for the NCAA tournament. According to an ODU press release, the decision came after a six-month study of the college’s program by an outside consulting firm. The recommendation was to eliminate one sport, which would save an estimated $1 million. The team was informed by coach Steve Martin and his staff through a Zoom online video meeting Thursday evening. “They pretty much told us they were going to do everything they can to help us get to another school, pretty much whatever we need help with they will help to make the transition as smooth as possible,” Head said. “They’re just as heartbroken as we are. They put in just as much work in as we did.” ODU was 10-9 overall this past season, including a 6-2 record in the Mid-American Conference. …. story at https://www.pjstar.com/sports/20200403/old-dominion-eliminates-wrestling-forces-former-panthers-to-look-elsewhere?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Buford’s 4-time state champ Nick Stonecheck in a bind with Old Dominion folding wrestling program
High school seniors nationwide have lamented the loss of events like prom and graduation ceremonies. Nick Stonecheck found out this week he lost something even bigger. The Buford senior and 2020 Daily Post Wrestler of the Year is without a college scholarship because Old Dominion announced Thursday it will discontinue its wrestling program, effective immediately. Stonecheck, a four-time high school state champion, signed with Old Dominion in November and committed to the Virginia school last August. The decision to cut the wrestling program, which began in the 1957-58 season, was made for financial reasons in part because of the coronavirus, but it was based on the result of a six-month study by a consultant that recommended discontinuing a varsity sport for future financial challenges and Title IX compliance for women’s sports. The decision leaves Stonecheck without a college wrestling option barely more than a month away from his high school graduation. He expected to report in June until he got a call from the Old Dominion coach on Thursday. “I honestly thought it was an April Fool’s joke,” Stonecheck said. “The coach called me and said due to corona they had to make budget cuts. I don’t know why they picked wrestling. I feel like that’s always the first one to get cut.   They’ve had success in the past (in wrestling). They’ve been around for 63 years. I’m just taking it as everything happens for a reason. …. story at https://www.gwinnettprepsports.com/sports/bufords-4-time-state-champ-nick-stonecheck-in-a-bind-with-old-dominion-folding-wrestling/article_7478526a-b28d-5cc2-b891-f1d42249d6d0.html?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

End of Old Dominion wrestling program may finally separate Drugac twins
Even before they were born, Luke and Dean Drugac were together. But Old Dominion University may have figured out a way to sever the identical twins’ bond. On Thursday afternoon, athletic director Camden Wood Selig told the wrestlers the program was being cut. There are 32 ODU student wrestlers, including Paulsboro alumnus Santino Morina. They got the news via Zoom meeting, which Dean Drugac described as “a crazy experience… looking at each other on the five-by-seven grid, everyone’s little faces.” By phone from the family’s Hibernia home, Luke Drugac added, “Everything I’d been working toward, all the hard work and all the time we put into it, they swept it under the rug, and took the rug out from underneath us. At the time, there were a lot of emotions, a lot of different thoughts. Right then and there, we knew we were going to have to make a big decision that would make a huge impact on what we were going to do the rest of our lives.” The Drugac twins went from Morris Knolls to the Norfolk, Virginia university together on a five-year plan. They both redshirted as freshmen, so they have one more year of NCAA eligibility. …. story at https://www.dailyrecord.com/story/sports/college/2020/04/06/old-dominion-university-wrestling-cut-drugac-twins-morris-knolls/2950326001/?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Florida wrestlers scramble after Old Dominion suddenly eliminates wrestling program
Moments after Old Dominion freshman Shannon Hanna found out his wrestling program was folding, he called his high school coach Danny Walker. The Lake Gibson coach was on his way to his mother-in-law’s when he answered and at first he thought the Old Dominion freshman was pulling an April Fools prank. “No coach, April Fools’ was yesterday,” Hanna said. On April 2, Old Dominion wrestlers were sent a note from athletics director Wood Selig to join an urgent meeting on Zoom. Because of the coronavirus pandemic, there was no in-person meeting option available. During the videoconference, Selig informed the coaching staff and team the program was being eliminated immediately due to budget issues and economic projections related to the coronavirus pandemic. “We are saddened to have to make this decision, but it’s one that was made with the long-term best interest of the athletics program in mind,” Selig said. “Our decision became even more clear during this coronavirus crisis, which we know will have significant impact on future athletics budgets. This decision will better allow the remaining sports to compete at a national level.” …. story at https://www.orlandosentinel.com/coronavirus/os-sp-hs-wrestling-odu-wrestling-eliminated-20200408-hiqcrwsmsvfc5e7pumdj64o3ay-story.html?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Old Dominion’s canceled wrestling program forces new path for Catholic Central wrestlers
Marc Shaeffer thought it was a poorly-timed April Fools joke.  When the Detroit Catholic Central senior wrestler looked at his phone after finishing his work on his family’s farm, he saw it had exploded: notification after notification, call after call, text after text.  Shaeffer, committed to Old Dominion wrestling at the time, returned the call of his upcoming assistant coach Kevin Beazley, a former All-American wrestler for the Shamrocks. “‘We don’t know many details right now, but yeah, they are shutting us down,’” Shaeffer said Beazley told him. “I’m so sorry.’”  Old Dominion, the wrestling program in Norfolk, Virginia, both Shaeffer and heavyweight Steven Kolcheff committed to join this fall, announced April 2 it would discontinue the sport.  “No one wants to reduce opportunities for young men to compete and represent Old Dominion, but …. story at https://www.hometownlife.com/story/sports/high-school/novi/2020/04/09/old-dominions-canceled-wrestling-program-forces-new-path-catholic-central-wrestlers/5121275002/?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

She’s still fighting for her husband, and to keep ODU wrestling alive
CHESAPEAKE (WAVY) – Many have described Old Dominion wrestling as much more than just a “team.” Jacqueline Kelly, who’s husband wrestled for the Monarchs in the 1990’s, says the sport is “a brotherhood, like no other sport I’ve seen before.” Facing tough financial times due to the Coronavirus pandemic, ODU was forced with the decision to cut the wrestling program after 63 years. For Kelly, losing the program felt like losing family. “My husband immediately came to mind,” said Kelly. Her husband, Jamie, was a team captain and two-time national tournament qualifier for the Monarchs. Before that, he wrestled at Great Bridge High School for a young head coach named Steve Martin. Martin, ODU’s wrestling head man for the past 16 years, recently tied the great Pete Robinson for the most dual meet wins in school history with 172; a record which had stood since Robinson began coaching the Monarchs in 1957. On August 27th of last year, Jacqueline Kelly received a phone call that would change her and her family’s life forever. “I got a call from my daughter that daddy won’t wake up,” said Kelly. “(He) went out for a run, and ended up having a massive heart attack in the garage.” At a perfectly healthy 44 years old, with no history of family illness, Jamie had passed away. “It was probably the saddest day of my life,” said Curt Krazer, who wrestled alongside Jamie at ODU from 1993 to 1997. Now, Kelly is trying to keep the memory of her husband, as well as the Old Dominion wrestling program, alive. “My husband would be putting up a fight,” said Kelly. “Since (Jamie’s) not here, I’m going to do the fighting for him.” She’s looking to spread word throughout the community with the hopes of reviving the program. More than 11,000 have signed a petition to bring ODU wrestling back. An independent analysis found ODU would save $1 million without the program. “There are people out there who would be donors. We didn’t know we needed to,” said Kelly. An an email to another former ODU wrestling alum, Dr. Wood Selig, the school’s athletics director, explained he would need a $25 million endowment in order for wrestling to come back. “I think if Jamie Kelly were sitting here right now, I think Jamie would tell you…they handled it in the wrong way,” said Krazer. Whether anything will come out of Kelly and Krazer’s efforts is yet to be determined. Either way, Kelly will continue to fight for ODU wrestling, and for Jamie. “If he was here, he’d be fighting,” she said. “I’m going to show my two kids that mom can do it for dad too.” …. story and video at https://www.wavy.com/sports/shes-still-fighting-for-her-husband-and-to-keep-odu-wrestling-alive/?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Wrestling with the news: Old Dominion fans, alum upset with decision to discontinue wrestling program
NORFOLK, Va. – Wrestling no longer has a home at Old Dominion University after the school announced Thursday it would discontinue its wrestling program. Since the news was released, the school has drawn plenty of criticism from fans and alum. “I was really angry and disappointed,” former ODU wrestler Buddy Scarborough said. “Really blindsided like I think everyone else was,” former ODU wrestler Tristan Warner added. “I don’t know whether or not to take everything that was blue and silver in this room and toss it into a heap,” NCAA/Olympic PA Announcer and ODU alum Jason Bryant said. “It felt like I was mourning something,” former ODU wrestler Chris Mecate said. “A heartbreak, like my heart hurt.” Before the athletes reached the stage of heartbreak, each former ODU wrestler we talked with admitted they thought they were on the receiving end of an April Fools joke. “I was like good one. Ha Ha,” Mecate said. “My buddy who actually sent it to me works in the athletic program still,” Warner said. “So I thought maybe he found a way to type it up as a joke.” Instead, the announcement was real and shared that ODU brough in a consultant for a 6-month study. Financial Challenges and Title IX compliance were cited as factors in a report’s recommendation to discontinue a varsity sport. ODU athletic director Dr. Wood Selig addressed the decision in a statement released by the school.
“We are saddened to have to make this decision, but it’s one that was made with the long-term best interest of the athletics program in mind,” Selig said. “No one wants to reduce opportunities for young men to compete and represent Old Dominion, but we are required to be responsible with departmental resources. “Our decision became even more clear during this coronavirus crisis, which we know will have significant impact on future athletics budgets. This decision will better allow the remaining sports to compete at a national level.” The discontinuation of wrestling, which has been an ODU sponsored varsity sport since the 1957-58 season, is expected to save the school roughly $1 million. The end of ODU wrestling means an end to head coach Steve Martin’s 16 years as a Monarch. …. rest of story at https://www.wtkr.com/sports/wrestling-with-the-news-old-dominion-fans-alum-upset-with-decision-to-discontinue-wrestling-program?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 15, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College Wrestlers’ Awards

Lee named InterMat Wrestler of the Year
Spencer Lee — University of Iowa junior who was crowned 2020 Big Ten champion at 125 pounds (and named 2020 Big Ten Wrestler of the Year at the conference championships) — has been named the 2020 InterMat Wrestler of the Year, the amateur wrestling website announced Monday. Presented each year since 2006 to the best collegiate wrestler in all divisions, the award is based exclusively on the balloting of writers at InterMat. Each writer is asked to select five wrestlers and rank them from first to fifth. Point values are assigned to each placement, ranging from one point to a wrestler listed fifth on a voter’s ballot, up to nine points for a first-place vote. Spencer Lee received all ten first-place votes from InterMat writers, to garner a total of 90 points to run away with 2020 InterMat Wrestler of the Year honors. Lee just completed his third season wrestling for the Iowa Hawkeyes, where he tallied a perfect 18-0 record. As impressive as that statistic is, it doesn’t reveal all its dimensions behind it. Lee outscored his 18 opponents by a mind-blowing 234-18, putting an NCAA best 5.0 average team points in each match. He earned bonus points in all but two of his matches, racking up four pins (all in the first period) … nine technical falls (four of those in the first period)… and a team-high 58 dual points for the season. For all these accomplishments, Spencer Lee found himself ranked as the No. 1 wrestler in the 125-pound weight class the entire season. …. story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles/23471?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

and Spencer Lee Wins Dan Hodge Trophy
IOWA CITY, Iowa — University of Iowa junior Spencer Lee has been named winner of the 2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s most dominant college wrestler. He earned 52 of a possible 57 first-place votes.
The award was announced Monday by Win Magazine publisher, Bryan Van Kley. “Winning the Hodge Trophy and being recognized by fans, past winners, and members of the media is certainly an honor,” Lee said. “The criteria behind the trophy is in line with the values of the Iowa Wrestling program, and I want to thank my teammates, coaches, and fans for their endless support. I also want to congratulate the other finalists. No one got the end they wanted, but this is still a season we should all be proud of.” …. story at https://hawkeyesports.com/news/2020/3/30/spencer-lee-wins-dan-hodge-trophy.aspx?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Detwiler Named NEWA Wrestler of the Year to Highlight Postseason Awards
NEW LONDON, Conn. – Sophomore Paul Detwiler has been named the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) Wrestler of the Year as the organization’s postseason awards were announced. Detwiler, the Bears 184 pounder, compiled a 28-0 record this season that included 18 bonus point victories. He also became only the second Coast Guard wrestler to win the All Academy Championship.  He won championships at the Doug Parker, Ted Reese, and Jim Aguilar tournaments, was the Most Outstanding Wrestler at the NEWA Dual championships, won the Northeast Region tournament, and was the #2 seed at the NCAA Championships.  The Marine and Environmental Science major sports a 3.74 GPA and was named to the Scholar All-American team. …. story at https://uscgasports.com/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20200330g57eb8?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

EIWA Awards: Glory named Wrestler of the Year; Slavikouski named Freshman of the Year
The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association named its major athlete award winners for the year over the weekend.
Patrick Glory Named the EIWA Wrestler of the Year
Patrick Glory of Princeton University has been named the 2019-20 EIWA Wrestler of the Year by the head wrestling coaches of the member institutions. Glory capped an undefeated season by winning the 125-pound weight class at the recent EIWA wrestling championships held at Lehigh University in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. It was the second straight title for the 2019 All-American. He is the first Princeton wrestler to receive this award, first presented in 1998. Glory won his first three bouts at EIWAs with bonus points before securing the title with a 3-0 shutout decision. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/30/EIWA-Award-winners?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

WVU’s Adams Named Wrestler of the Year
West Virginia’s Noah Adams has been named the 2019-20 Big 12 Wrestler of the Year, as voted on by the league’s 12 head coaches. He is the first recipient of the award in Mountaineer history. Adams finished the 2019-20 campaign 32-0, marking the third time a West Virginia wrestler finished a season undefeated. He became the second person in program history to win a Big 12 title, earning a 5-1 decision in the finals to claim the 197-pound title. …. story at https://big12sports.com/news/2020/3/31/wrestling-wvus-adams-named-wrestler-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

NWCA DIVISION III COACHES GROUP ANNOUNCES 2020 ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association has announced the 2020 Division III All-American teams.  Each year the NWCA recognizes the outstanding work of the DIII 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 regional tournaments and up to the national championships.
First Team All-Americans
Second Team All-Americans
Third Team All-Americans
“These athletes deserve to be recognized for their outstanding body of work during the 2019-2020 season.  I’m proud of the NWCA Division III leadership group working so diligently to review the candidates and for developing a meaningful process for recognizing this elite group of young men. “ 
Lonnie Morris, NWCA Division III President & Johnson & Wales Head Coach …. story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-division-iii-coaches-group-announces-2020-all-america-teams/?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Spencer Lee talks a lot about the Olympics and freestyle during his Hodge Trophy media conference
BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING | APRIL 06, 2020, 
The big news in college wrestling last week was the announcement that Spencer Lee of Iowa was named the winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy, the top award given in college men’s wrestling. In a media teleconference organized by the University of Iowa, Lee answered numerous questions about his undefeated junior senior, which was cut short by the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Div. I Championships in Minneapolis due to COVID-19. Lee was honest, informative and interesting during the teleconference, explaining his thoughts about what happened to both him and the top-ranked Hawkeye program, which both lost the opportunity to win the national title due to the virus. But throughout his press conference, either based upon a specific question or unsolicited, Lee also talked often about the Olympic Games and his freestyle wrestling career. As the reigning U.S. Senior Open champion at 57 kg and a three-time age-group World champion, Lee is a legitimate contender to make the U.S. Olympic Team. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/06/Spencer-Lee-talks-Olympics-and-freestyle?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Bolen named VaSID Wrestler of the Year
Bolen, McFadden earn first-team all-state honors
FERRUM, Va. – After a stellar sophomore season, Virginia Tech wrestling’s Hunter Bolen was named the Virginia Wrestler of the Year, announced by the Virginia Sports Information Directors on Thursday.
Bolen had a breakout campaign in 2019-20 where he went 24-2 on the season, capped off with the 184-pound ACC Championship and being named the No. 2 seed at the 2020 NCAA Championships. The Floyd, Va. native ended the season ranked No. 1 in the country by InterMat.
This is the second VaSID honor for Bolen after he was named Rookie of the Year following the 2017-18 season. …. story at https://hokiesports.com/news/2020/4/9/wrestling-bolen-named-vasid-wrestler-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

NWCA DIVISION II COACHES GROUP ANNOUNCES 2020 ALL-AMERICA TEAMS
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association has announced the 2020 Division II All-American teams.  Each year the NWCA recognizes the outstanding work of the DII 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 super-regional tournaments and up to the national championships. 
Division II All-Americans 
“With the cancellation of the national tournament the NWCA Division II leadership group thought it was still very appropriate to name All-Americans this year. The leadership group did a great job of weighing different options and polling the membership.  We are happy that we can make the most out of an incredibly unfortunate situation. Although this is not the same as having a national tournament, these individuals should be recognized for their amazing season results and super-regional tournaments. Congratulations to the 2020 All-Americans and National Qualifiers.
“Jason Warthan, NWCA Division II President & University of Indianapolis Head Coach  ….. story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-division-ii-coaches-group-announces-2020-all-america-teams/?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

MAC Announces Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team With 49 Honorees
CLEVELAND, Ohio – The Mid-American Conference announced its 2020 Academic All-MAC Wrestling team today as 49 students were named to the team.  Highlighting the 2020 Academic All-MAC Wrestling Team is four-time Academic All-MAC selection graduate senior Tim Rooney of Kent State.  A native of Columbus, Ohio, Rooney is an exercise physiology major with a 3.813 GPA and was the MAC Champion at the 133-pound weight class on March 8 at the 2020 MAC Wrestling Championship.
Central Michigan’s Drew Hildebrandt and Dresden Simon are both three-time Academic All-MAC honorees.  Hildebrandt, a native of Granger, Ind., is a finance major with a 3.64 GPA and was the MAC Champion at the 125-pound weight class, while Simon, a native of Dansville, Mich., is a sport management major with a 3.50 GPA and was the MAC Champion at the 141-pound weight class and was named the MAC Tournament Outstanding Wrestler at the 2020 MAC Wrestling Championship on March 8. In addition, Ohio senior Zac Carson is also a three-time Academic All-MAC selection.  Carson previously earned the honors in 2017 and 2018 with Eastern Michigan.  There were also six two-time Academic All-MAC honors earned Derek Spann of Buffalo, Drew Marten and Landon Pelham of Central Michigan, Bryce West of NIU and Killian Cardinale and Shane Jones of Old Dominion.
Central Michigan led the way with six wrestlers …. story at https://getsomemaction.com/news/2020/4/8/mac-announces-academic-all-mac-wrestling-team-with-49-honorees.aspx?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 15, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

More College Coaches’ Changes

RUDIS Wrestling Podcast #139: Campbell Wrestling Head Coach Scotti Sentes
On this special edition of the RUDIS Wrestling Podcast, Matt Dernlan is joined by new Campbell wrestling head coach Scotti Sentes. Sentes, a two-time NCAA All-American for Central Michigan University, served as head assistant coach at Cal Poly before spending five seasons at Campbell under then head coach Cary Kolat. Together, they brought the Campbell program back from the ashes, transforming the SoCon team into a regional powerhouse. Dernlan and Sentes discuss the transition from head assistant to head coach, how Sentes has been leading his team virtually and what the future looks like for the Camels. …. story at https://therudis.com/rudis-wrestling-podcast-139-campbell-wrestling-head-coach-scotti-sentes/?mc_cid=c504aeb86a&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

PLETCHER JOINS WRESTLING STAFF AS VOLUNTEER ASSISTANT
PITTSBURGH – University of Pittsburgh head wrestling coach Keith Gavin announced the addition of two-time All-American Luke Pletcher to the staff as the volunteer assistant coach.
 “We couldn’t be more excited about Luke joining our staff,” Gavin said. “He is obviously a very skilled and accomplished wrestler, but on top of that, I have always respected him for his approach to the sport, the way he competes and his character. Luke is from Western Pennsylvania and is a great overall fit for us. He will have an immediate impact here.”
 Pletcher will join the staff following his graduation from the Ohio State University this spring.  
“I’m really excited to join the team and start working with the guys,” Pletcher said. “Getting a chance to come back home to chase my Olympic dreams and help the guys on the team attain their goals was something that I couldn’t pass up.”  
A native of Latrobe, Pa., Pletcher spent four seasons as a Buckeye, reaching All-American status in 2018 and 2019 and was a four-time NCAA qualifier. The 141-pounder earned his first Big Ten title this season after reaching the finals as a sophomore and junior.
 Pletcher was hoping to earn All-America status one last time this season, as he would’ve been the No. 1 seed at 141 pounds at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. He finished his senior campaign with a 26-1 record and leaves Ohio State with a 108-21 career record. …. rest of story at https://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2020/4/8/pletcher-joins-wrestling-staff-as-volunteer-assistant.aspx?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Catching Up With Head Wrestling Coach Cary Kolat
Navy host Breanna Sorensen interviews Coach Kolat on his reaction to becoming Navy wrestling’s new head coach, his own wrestling journey, and more!: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7nZRayb7E0A
Story or release at https://navysports.com/news/2020/4/7/catching-up-with-head-wrestling-coach-cary-kolat.aspx?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Four Time All-American and Olympian Frank Molinaro Set to Join ASU Wrestling Staff
TEMPE, Ariz. – Arizona State head wrestling coach Zeke Jones announced the addition of former four-time All-American and 2016 Olympian Frank Molinaro to the coaching staff on Thursday. 
 “Frank Molinaro is an outstanding addition to our staff and will now leave his mark by adding to the history and tradition of Sun Devil Wrestling,” Head coach Zeke Jones said. “As an NCAA, Pan Am, and World Cup Champion, and one who also represented his country on the 2016 US Olympic team – he has competed at the highest level and will share those experiences. He also has a considerable track record as an assistant coach. We look forward to watching him guide our team.”
 Most recently, Molinaro trained with Oklahoma RTC to prepare for a chance at making it back on Team USA’s roster for the upcoming Olympics in Tokyo before the Olympic Committee announced postponement of the games to 2021. Now, he hangs up his wrestling shoes and will make his way back into coaching with the Sun Devils after previously working as an assistant coach with Virginia Tech in 2017-2018. 
 “I am excited to work with Zeke (Jones) and coach (Lee) Pritts,” Coach Frank Molinaro said. “They have a ton of experience and they have a great pedigree of success. I’m joining a staff with two really good coaches and also the opportunity to be able to win an NCAA Championship. Arizona State’s trajectory has gone up every single year and I feel like I can bring a lot of enthusiasm, energy, experience, and a positive impact as soon as possible to this team.” 
 During his time in Blacksburg, he played a key role in the development of four individual ACC champions while also helping guide the Hokies to their second consecutive ACC title …. story at https://thesundevils.com/news/2020/4/9/four-time-all-american-and-olympian-frank-molinaro-set-to-join-asu-wrestling-staff.aspx?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

‘Daddy day care’: IU wrestling head coach learns to handle life away from sports
Angel Escobedo has a new job now. One that doesn’t require countless hours in a wrestling room dripping in sweat. Instead, he coordinates a small but daunting program he dubbed “Daddy day care.” The IU wrestling season is over. The schools are closed, and the YMCA’s are deserted. That means the head coach is home with his kids: Malachi, 4, Saniyah, 3, and Zoe, 1.  He picks up assignments from pre-school. He colors pictures of the Little Mermaid. He helps them learn to count. Malachi is up to 30 and Saniyah has reached 15. They’ve been revisiting the ABC’s.  He’s played a lot of Bad Guy. Malachi and Saniyah dress up in their new Power Ranger costumes and Escobedo, 33, and his kids go tearing around the house as he pretends to take away their superpowers. Malachi and Saniyah finally catch their enemy and send him to jail — a corner in the house. 
He is a four-time All-American, three-time Big Ten champion and NCAA national champion. When he is in jail, his kids beat him up.  His wife Pauli, who’s swamped with work at home, yells at the misfits to calm down. Sometimes Escobedo thinks being at home is more exhausting than running a collegiate program. Nothing has been broken yet. But there’s still time. On the night of March 23 in the Escobedo household, the coach couldn’t hold back anymore. Malachi climbed onto Escobedo’s lap and caught him staring at his screen watching wrestling. …. story at https://www.idsnews.com/article/2020/03/daddy-day-care-iu-wrestling-head-coach-learns-to-handle-life-away-from-sports-power-rangers-angel-escobedo?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 14, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

High SchoolOT Honors

Fans, coaches, athletes, and athletic pundits, your input is requested.

April 14, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

College Wrestling News — # 90

Moving Forward
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — In all six years of his collegiate wrestling career, Shakur Rasheed never thought it would end like this.  The 197-pound senior battled injury after injury, fluctuated his weights to meet the team’s needs and surmounted every conceivable obstacle thrown his way. And as the NCAA Championships loomed ahead, Rasheed buckled down for his final career performance.  Stepping into a starting position previously occupied by Kent State transfer Kyle Conel, Rasheed always felt like he had something to prove. His eyes were dead-set on the March tournaments and little could shift his focus – that is until an unprecedented pandemic swept through the nation. “We went from preparing for the biggest tournament of the year to going home and doing pretty much nothing,” Rasheed said. “There’s not much to do because everything’s shut down. I am able to go to the field and work out, but it’s hard to find motivation without a tournament to look forward to. You just have to do it for yourself.” Luckily, six years of constantly overcoming adversity have prepared Rasheed, both mentally and physically. He’s been taking time to relax with family but finds himself missing the structure and discipline he had during the season. To stay motivated, Rasheed plans on continuing his rigorous workout regimen. …. story at https://gopsusports.com/news/2020/4/6/wrestling-moving-forward.aspx?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Pat Lugo reflects on 2019-20 wrestling season, Hawkeye career
Pat Lugo did not get the storybook finish to his career that he had hoped for, but he won’t let that define his character or his career.
After a long day of practice, a short walk is all that stands between Pat Lugo and the comforts of his apartment. On March 12, the short stroll from Carver-Hawkeye Arena proved to be agonizing. At practice, Lugo had learned that the NCAA was forced to cancel its 2020 Division I Wrestling Championships as the threat of the COVID-19 pandemic continued to grow. The senior’s season and career were both taken away from him. “To be honest, I didn’t really feel it until I left Carver,” Lugo said. “I remember walking back to my apartment from Carver. It’s usually a quick walk, like a five-minute walk. I would stop and think. I felt a lot of emotions there. A couple tears were shed. I felt a little down. I wanted to be alone after that.” Lugo is a Homestead, Florida, native, and wrestled for two seasons at Edinboro in Pennsylvania before becoming a Hawkeye. As a senior, he rose to the top of the 149 pound weight class and was the top seed at that weight going into the NCAA Championships. Coming off of a Big Ten title March 8 in Piscataway, New Jersey, Lugo had all the momentum with him going into the biggest meet of the season.  He didn’t get to carry that momentum out. “I told [Lugo] point blank, with very much emphasis placed on it, what he means to our team, what he continues to mean to our team, and how big a part he was in all this,” head coach Tom Brands said. “I told that to all our seniors, even the ones that weren’t in the lineup. I told [Lugo] that very directly and didn’t beat around the bush. I told him that two or three days after the NCAA canceled. Then, I told him two or three days later that he’s not going to get another year left, count on it.” The NCAA decided to give its spring sport athletes an extra year of eligibility March 30. It did not extend the same offer to winter sport athletes like Lugo. …. story at https://dailyiowan.com/2020/04/06/pat-lugo-reflects-on-2019-20-wrestling-season-hawkeye-career/?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Video Q & A with Scott Goodale and Anthony Ashnault
All is quiet on the NCAA wrestling front because of the restrictions put in place in response to the COVID-19 public health crisis. Rutgers wrestling came to a premature halt before six Scarlet Knights could try their luck at the 2020 NCAA Championships. On Friday, Rutgers wrestling head coach Scott Goodale and reigning NCAA champion at 149-pounds Anthony Ashnault jumped online to host a LIVE chat, which allowed fans to ask questions. The chat was a presentation of Malka Sports and the complete video is available. Goodale has been running the Rutgers wrestling program since 2007 and strung together another Top 25 finish this past season. Ashnault finished off his Rutgers career in 2019 by dominating the NCAA final at 149 pounds in what was an undefeated season. “First and foremost, I just want to thank everybody for jumping on or even if you are just listening. I know this is a very, very tough time with the virus going around and this pandemic,” Goodale said to start the chat. “…Hopefully, this hour gets you away from it for a little bit and you can talk wrestling and anything else you would like to ask us. So we’re here for you.” Goodale is the winningest coach in the history of Rutgers wrestling as he now has 173 victories to his credit. Last year, he earned the honor of Goodale NCAA Tournament Coach of the Year after seeing two of his wrestlers win national championships. Goodale was unable to return to the NCAA Championships as they were canceled on March 12th, less than two weeks before they were set to commence. Rutgers finished this past season with a 10-7 record in what was a bit of a rebuilding year. …. story at https://247sports.com/college/rutgers/Article/WATCH-Video-Rutgers-Wrestling-Scott-Goodale-Anthony-Ashnault-145714183/?mc_cid=3d6cefac15&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

30 and No: Drew Kasper’s Admirable Journey
WESTERVILLE, Ohio – Undefeated Drew Kasper (30-0) never got his final chance to win a national title, but he’s been told no before. He battles depression. He was cut from a travel wrestling team. He’s overcome a learning disability and will soon graduate college. He never got to take the elevated center mat on NCAA Championship Saturday night, but hopes his story can help the next kid accomplish that.. and so much more. FULL STORY AT https://otterbeincardinals.com/news/2020/4/6/wrestling-30-and-no-drew-kaspers-admirable-journey.aspx?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

A Quarantine Marathon: Mizzou Wrestling’s Allan Hart Inspires Fans Everywhere With Impromptu Marathon
Without any formal training, Mizzou’s Hart completed the 26.2-mile trek Monday. After placing second at 133 pounds at last month’s Mid-American Conference Wrestling Championships, Mizzou redshirt sophomore Allan Hart earned his first-ever berth to the NCAA Championships. Unfortunately, that was taken away from him and Mizzou’s other eight qualifiers as the COVID-19 pandemic brought sports at all levels to a standstill. So, during a time of social distancing and quarantining, athletes around the country are trying to fill the void left by their daily competitions. Hart, in a very on-brand venture, found a pretty incredible way to continue to challenge himself during social distancing: without any formal or informal training, he was going to take a crack at running his first-ever marathon. “You always see people driving around town with the 26.2 stickers, and in my head I’m like ‘if all of these people can do it, it can’t be that hard’ and honestly I just wanted to challenge myself,” Hart said.
Sunday @alllan_hart decided he wanted to run a marathon. Today he went out and did it!!!  #Tigerstyle @MizzouWrestling pic.twitter.com/AmxFx9xW44— Brian Smith (@mutigerstyle) April 7, 2020
So like that, Hart turned in his wrestling shoes for a pair of worn-down Nikes and messaged the team’s GroupMe Sunday night to let them know he was going to run a marathon Monday. To the ordinary person, running a marathon without any training or any cardio since the end of the wrestling season may seem crazy, to the wrestling program that preaches an expectation of winning, the entire team was completely behind him. “I put it in the GroupMe and everyone started to get hyped up, I was like: I guess I gotta to do it now!” Hart said. So Monday afternoon, with nothing but a belly full of ramen, oatmeal and other carbs, Hart left from his house and ran three miles to Columbia’s Cosmo-Bethel Park with Rodrigo Diaz and Wyatt Koelling – his roomates and teammates – on bikes behind him. “There was very little thought in the route, actually,” Hart said. “We pretty much just pulled up a running app that tracked the miles and just kinda went.” After running a few laps – okay, a lot of laps – on the track at the park, he headed back to his home and in about two hours, he had completed the first 13 miles. He was halfway done. “I cruised through that,” Hart said. “I was feeling good, had a little fuel break and got some Gatorade and granola bars and then after that was when it really started to hurt.” …. story at https://mutigers.com/news/2020/4/9/a-quarantine-marathon-mizzou-wrestlings-allan-hart-inspires-fans-everywhere-with-impromptu-marathon.aspx?mc_cid=e9d5e5bec8&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

Cole Erickson ponders life beyond wrestling
By Matt Levins for The Predicament
CEDAR RAPIDS — Cole Erickson was supposed to be wrestling for a national championship this weekend, completing his senior season on the mat for Coe College at the NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships at the U.S. Cellular Center. Instead, the Mediapolis High School graduate was sitting in his apartment, trying to wrap his head around all that had transpired in the past 24 hours after the NCAA canceled all of its winter and spring championships because of the coronavirus outbreak. And it left Erickson to ponder what the future holds, both short term and long term after his wrestling career came to an abrupt halt. “(Thursday) was interesting, to say the least. I am still shell-shocked as to how everything played out,” Erickson said. “You feel like the carpet has been pulled out from underneath you, but there’s nothing you can do about it.” Erickson, along with every other qualifier for the tournament, was at the arena on Thursday afternoon awaiting weigh-ins. Two hours later, the tournament was canceled, leaving hundreds of wrestlers, coaches and fans wondering what to do next. “The whole thing is really weird,” Erickson said. “The weirdest part is the DIII’s is that everyone was already here. Everyone was in the arena before they made the decision. We had to be here by two o’clock for weigh-ins and then around four o’clock they canceled it.” Erickson did go out on a winning note, beating Rafael Roman of North Central, 12-0, in the 157-pound third-place match at the Lower Midwest Regional in Dubuque on March 1. But it wasn’t the way Erickson wanted to end his wrestling career. …. story at https://www.thepredicament.com/2020/04/cole-erickson-ponders-life-beyond-wrestling/?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

R.I.P. Former Edinboro All-American Shaun Shapert
EDINBORO, Pa. – It is with great sadness that the Edinboro University Athletic Department sends its condolences to the family of Shaun Shapert. A former wrestler at Edinboro, Shapert’s body was found on a hillside in Shaler Township, Pa., a suburb of Pittsburgh, on Monday night.  He had turned 42 on January 1. Shapert was originally a native of Glenshaw, Pa. and attended Shaler Area High School. He would join the Edinboro wrestling program in 1997 along with twin brother Ryan. Shaun would go on to post a 60-28 career record and was a two-time national qualifier, in 1999 and 2000, while competing at 157 lbs. The highlight of his career came in the 1999-2000 season, as he finished third at the EWL Championships at 157 lbs. to earn a berth in the NCAA Division I National Championships. He went on to earn All-American honors with a seventh-place finish, upsetting third-seeded Bryan Snyder of Nebraska along the way. …. story at https://gofightingscots.com/news/2020/4/7/wrestling-r-i-p-former-edinboro-all-american-shaun-shapert.aspx?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

For Maryland wrestling and Youssif Hemida, new uniforms mean more than style
It all started with a tweet. On Feb. 16, Team USA wrestler Pat Downey III quote-tweeted a video posted nearly a month prior from Maryland wrestling. That original tweet, from Jan. 20, showed a video about the program’s switch to “Fight Kits,” a newly-allowed uniform style with tight-fitting t-shirts and loose-fitting shorts. Downey, a 2016 All-American with Iowa State at 184 pounds and a member of the 2019 US Senior World Championships team, summed up his response in the first two sentences of his tweet: “This is an awful focal point. Usually winning precedes becoming the trailblazer for anything.” A day later, former Maryland wrestler Youssif Hemida responded. A two-time All-American while in College Park, Hemida opted for a more positive outlook on the Terps’ new digs. “I know a lot of people have their views on the two-piece,” Hemida said. “Anything new, anything out of the status quo is always going to get hated on, whatever it is. My idea was that let’s make the sport be more modern and appeal to more people.” …. story at http://dbknews.com/2020/04/07/maryland-wrestling-youssif-hemida-new-uniforms-more-than-style/?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

April 14, 2020 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment