International Wrestling News — # 4
IOC, IPC, Tokyo 2020 announce Olympics set for July 23 – August 8, 2021
BY INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE | MARCH 30, 2020,
THE INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITTEE (IOC), THE INTERNATIONAL PARALYMPIC COMMITTEE (IPC), THE TOKYO 2020 ORGANISING COMMITTEE, THE TOKYO METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT OF JAPAN TODAY AGREED NEW DATES FOR THE GAMES OF THE XXXII OLYMPIAD, IN 2021. THE OLYMPIC GAMES TOKYO 2020 WILL BE CELEBRATED FROM 23 JULY TO 8 AUGUST 2021. THEY ALSO AGREED ON NEW DATES FOR THE PARALYMPIC GAMES, WHICH WILL BE CELEBRATED FROM 24 AUGUST UNTIL 5 SEPTEMBER 2021.
The leaderships of the key parties came together via telephone conference earlier today, joined by IOC President Thomas Bach, Tokyo 2020 President Mori Yoshirō, Tokyo Governor Koike Yuriko and Olympic and Paralympic Minister Hashimoto Seiko, and agreed on the new schedule. This decision was taken based on three main considerations and in line with the principles established by the IOC Executive Board (EB) on 17 March 2020 and confirmed at its meeting today. These were supported by all the International Summer Olympic Sports Federations (IFs) and all the National Olympic Committees (NOCs):
1. To protect the health of the athletes and everyone involved, and to support the containment of the COVID-19 virus.
2. To safeguard the interests of the athletes and of Olympic sport.
3. The global international sports calendar.
These new dates give the health authorities and all involved in the organisation of the Games the maximum time to deal with the constantly changing landscape and the disruption caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/30/IOC-announces-dates-of-Tokyo-Olympic-Games?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
‘That fire is burning as strong as ever’: Penn State legend David Taylor is fueled by his desire for more greatness
It’s that tale of painful irony we’re all familiar with. Someone does something which, by all accounts, they’ve come to perfect and has become routine for them — only to have that very same thing lead them astray and contribute to downfall or hardship. This became the story of much of the last year of David Taylor’s life. He was on top of the wrestling world and one step closer to achieving his ultimate goal of being an Olympic champion. Then, the same sport which he admits has been his near-singular focus since he was eight, seemingly played a cruel trick on him. The 2018 World champion at 86 kilograms, Taylor was wrestling at a charity event at Madison Square Garden last year when he tore his ACL and couldn’t finish the match he was competing in. It was the first major injury of the 29-year old’s career and one which sidelined him from competition for nearly a year. “I’ve been wrestling at the highest level since I was eight years old. I was wrestling in national tournaments and I’ve wrestled in every big event since that time and I’ve been pretty serious with wrestling,” Taylor told The Daily Collegian. “Wrestling’s been the primary focus really every day since that time.” As much as there was a ‘Why me?’ moment that crept into Taylor’s thoughts after he got injured, it was his past experiences and the fact that he was never injured before that served as a counterbalance on that scale. “You look at it two ways. Man, why is this happening when I was at the top of my game coming off a world championship?” Taylor said. “But the other way it’s like, well, I’ve been pretty fortunate to progress at the level I have and never be injured. So, I didn’t really dwell on that.” …. story at https://www.collegian.psu.edu/sports/wrestling/article_a452f6f8-721f-11ea-94ab-c735c9fb4ffa.html?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling postponed until 2021: information and directions for ticket holders updated
BY USA WRESTLING, PENN STATE, USOC AND BRYCE JORDAN CENTER | MARCH 31, 2020, USA Wrestling, Penn State Intercollegiate Athletics, the Bryce Jordan Center and U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee have collectively decided to postpone the U.S. Olympic Team Trials – Wrestling, scheduled for April 4- 5, 2020 at the Bryce Jordan Center. The International Olympic Committee has set the new dates for the Olympic Games in 2021. At this time, organizers are working closely with local officials and health experts in hopes of rescheduling the event at the Bryce Jordan Center in 2021. Updated event information will be shared as soon as it is available.
After a new date is determined, tickets will be updated to reflect the rescheduled dates/time
o Previously purchased physical tickets will be reissued to the original purchaser
o Previously purchased mobile tickets will be automatically updated
For fans who are unable to attend future dates, refunds are available by request to the original purchaser now through June 1, 2020
Deadline to request a refund: June 1, 2020
An email was sent to original purchasers notifying them of the postponement in early March. Stay tuned for additional information via email regarding rescheduling. …. full story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/31/Olympic-Trials-to-2021-and-ticket-holder-information-update?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Dake reflects on Olympic postponement
By Dan Doherty, ESPN Ithaca
Had the world not been turned upside down by the coronavirus, this would be a very busy weekend for Lansing’s own Kyle Dake. The U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials were scheduled to take place on April 4 and 5 inside the Bryce Jordan Center at Penn State University. Instead, it is one of many events in the sports world to either be postponed or canceled in an attempt to minimize large gatherings. Two weeks after that, it was announced that the Olympics as a whole would be moved to 2021, still set to take place in Tokyo, Japan. Dake, who is seeking his first-ever spot on the Olympic roster, was not surprised by the news of the delay.
“I found out about the postponement pretty much the same time everyone else did,” Dake said. “I had a feeling it was going to be postponed, especially with everything going on. … We had some hope that it would be Memorial Day Weekend and we’d still be able to make a push for the Olympics and it would be on schedule.”
That hope waned quickly for Dake after he was part of a video conference call with over 300 United States athletes. He found out that athletes from swimming and track and field were not given a chance to qualify for the Olympics. The sailing team would have been unable to get their equipment to Japan. The United States had no choice but to come out in favor of not holding the games. Some athletes came out and said they would love to participate in the games this year, in spite of the pandemic. Dake would rather be on the safe side of history. …. story at https://www.tompkinsweekly.com/stories/dake-reflects-on-olympic-postponement,3775?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
N.J. Olympian Frank Molinaro announces retirement from wrestling
By Bill Evans | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
There won’t be another miracle run to the Olympics for Frank Molinaro. The three-time state champion from Southern Regional High School and 2016 Olympian announced his retirement from wrestling on Tuesday morning in an interview on FloWrestling. Molinaro had qualified for the Olympic Trials with a fifth-place finish at Senior Nationals and was planning to either qualify for the Olympics or retire at the Trials which would have been held this weekend at Penn State – where Molinaro was a four-time All-American and NCAA champion.
But the Olympics were postponed – and on Tuesday USA Wrestling announced the Trials wouldn’t be held until 2021 as well – because of the coronavirus.
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“There wasn’t a date set (for the Olympics) when they first canceled the (Olympic) Trials,” Molinaro told FloWrestling. “When they postponed the Olympics a year, I really took some time to download the information and process it, I thought it through and decided to hang them up.” The 31-year old Molinaro has been a college coach at Rutgers, Penn State and Virginia Tech. He left Virginia Tech at the end of 2018 to give his competitive career one last chance and he hooked on with the Oklahoma RTC. …. story at https://www.nj.com/sports/2020/03/nj-olympian-frank-molinaro-announces-retirement-from-wrestling.html?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
USA Wrestling suspends sanctioned events and national events through May 10
BY USA WRESTLING | MARCH 31, 2020, – With unanimous support of the USA Wrestling COVID-19 Advisory Committee, USA Wrestling has suspended all sanctioned events and national events through May 10. This is an extension of a previous suspension of activities announced on March 16, which discontinued sanctioned events through April 6 and postponed or canceled national events through April 20. For USA Wrestling, 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. This decision aligns USA Wrestling with the U.S. Center for Disease Control’s guidance from March 16 that no gatherings of 50 or more people take place for the following eight weeks. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/31/USA-Wrestling-suspends-sanctioned-and-national-events-through-May-10?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
USA Wrestling for Peace sets up in the Middle East, with Dan Russell living in Jordan for months so far
BY USA WRESTLING FOR PEACE | APRIL 03, 2020
USA Wrestling for Peace Ambassador Dan Russell moved to Amman, Jordan about six months ago to establish Wrestling for Peace in the region. He has formed a joint committee with the Jordanian Wrestling Federation to serve the needs of those in the wrestling match of life. Everyone wrestles. For the people of Jordan, the Middle-East and throughout the Asia region, wrestling bridges the gap to greater understanding and respect that can positively impact local communities. Why would we establish a USA Wrestling for Peace base in Amman, Jordan? With ongoing war in the region and animosity, Jordan is one of the few countries that has remained focused on keeping peace and living in harmony. Jordan is the poorest Arab country with widespread unemployment. Refugees from Syria and Iraq have flooded its borders and much of its resources and attention are directed toward the refugees, while Jordanians suffer as well. Plagued with water shortages, Jordan ranks second in the world with least access to clean water. With tremendous partners like “Make it Rain,” we can also provide much needed Humanitarian Aid where the needs are great and develop grass roots wrestling programs that can play a big role in teaching character and values. …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/April/03/USA-Wrestling-for-Peace-in-Jordan?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Top Canadian wrestlers urge community to stay home
Canadian wrestlers Erica Wiebe, Danielle Lappage, and Sam Stewart are encouraging Canadians to stay at home and practice social distancing and Canada works to minimize the spread of the COVID-19 virus. “I’m at home doing my part to physical distance,” said Wiebe, 2016 Olympic Champion and qualifier for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, now set for 2021. “That means no wrestling for a little while. I know it sucks for everybody at home who feels like their season has ended and all the hard work they put in is gone. I just want to send a reminder that the hard work you put in this season will stay, it will always be there. You are the athlete you’ve always been.” …. story at https://wrestling.ca/top-canadian-wrestlers-urge-community-to-stay-home/?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Alumni Spotlight: Ashnault’s Olympic Goal Continues Despite Postponement
PISCATAWAY, N.J. – As a professional athlete vying for a spot in the next Olympic Games, Anthony Ashnault has access to some of the best facilities, practice partners and coaching the wrestling community has to offer. Training alongside standouts such as Jordan Burroughs, Kyle Snyder, Yianni Diakomihalis, Tyler Graff and Tony Nelson as a member of the U.S. men’s freestyle team, Ashnault most recently locked up a spot in the 2020 Olympic Trials after he won gold at the Pan American Championships on March 9 in Ottawa, Canada. He became the second Scarlet Knight to earn a spot at the upcoming trials, as Nick Suriano secured his place at the tournament with his fourth-place finish at Senior Nationals on Dec. 22, 2019 in Fort Worth, Texas. …. story at https://scarletknights.com/news/2020/3/31/wrestling-alumni-spotlight-ashnaults-olympic-goal-continues-despite-postponement.aspx?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Virginia Tech’s Ty Walz’s Olympic dreams on hold
Walz was set to compete in the Olympic Trials
BLACKSBURG, Va. – Former Virginia Tech wrestler Ty Walz should be at Penn State on Friday at the Olympic Trials, wrestling for a spot on Team USA. Instead, he’s at his home in Blacksburg. “We were actually prepping to start cutting weight, getting in really, really good shape, zoning in on our focus and our training, and preparing for competition,” Walz said. Walz’s progress was at its peak as it came to a screeching halt just weeks away from his biggest stage to date. “Then they postponed trials, after that the Olympics obviously,” he said. “I felt like I was extremely prepared and 100% ready to start dialing in and getting ready to compete, so it was a little disheartening to see it was postponed.” …. story at https://www.wsls.com/sports/2020/04/03/virginia-techs-ty-walzs-olympic-dreams-on-hold/?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Toby Erickson’s Olympic dreams on hold after trials postponed
By: Tom WyliePosted Apr 07, 2020
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — East Helena’s Toby Erickson has always dreamed of competing in the Olympics. “This has been my dream since I was 5 years old,” he said. ”I’m 100 percent totally invested in this.” In December, Erickson finished third at the US Open wrestling tournament at 130 kilograms and qualified for the US Olympic Team Trials for the third time in his career in the Greco-Roman discipline. But his training is on hold while he waits in limbo for competition to resume following the postponement of the Trials and the Olympics due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Erickson was near the end of the eight-week training cycle and ready to compete. The Trials were originally set for April 4-5 at Penn State but were officially postponed on March 13. …. story at https://www.montanasports.com/more-sports/toby-ericksons-olympic-dreams-on-hold-after-trials-suspended?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Columbia native Eierman awaiting chance at Iowa, Olympic trials
Next weekend was supposed to be Jaydin Eierman’s chance at qualifying for the 2020 Summer Olympics. The Columbia native and former Missouri wrestler was primed to take to the mats for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials in University Park, Pennsylvania, home of Penn State University. Eierman was training every day since the middle of November for this opportunity in Iowa City, Iowa. But due to the coronavirus, Eierman’s possible place on the world stage will have to wait a year as the Tokyo Games have been postponed to 2021. Eierman, who took an Olympic redshirt this past year after three straight All-American seasons at Missouri, announced in November he would be transferring to Iowa for his final collegiate campaign. He sat out this past season to train for the Olympics and figures to be a key member of the Hawkeyes’ lineup next winter. Eierman’s plan — should no further wrestling be delayed due to the pandemic — is to wrestle at Iowa at either 141 or 149 pounds this coming season and help the Hawkeyes contend for a national team title. …. story at https://www.columbiatribune.com/sports/20200328/columbia-native-eierman-awaiting-chance-at-iowa-olympic-trials?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Olympic postponement gives Durango wrestler Nick Tarpley time
Nick Tarpley could barely move his neck. The clock was ticking. He wasn’t going to be at his best. Then, the world changed in a matter of a month. The new coronavirus swept the planet as COVID-19 cases soared and brought the sports world to a standstill. The 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo were postponed. Suddenly, Tarpley was given time. …. story at https://durangoherald.com/articles/319568?mc_cid=b9ab82d4d9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Cancellation News — 5th & Last group of stories
Past adversity helps Kent State’s Andrew McNally cope with NCAA cancellation
Former Lake state wrestling champion Andrew McNally saw his junior season at Kent State cut short when the NCAA Championships were canceled. His even-keeled ability to handle that news has come, in part, from past situations which he has gone through during his career.
UNIONTOWN The news that ended Andrew McNally’s junior season wrestling at Kent State University didn’t come as a surprise. That didn’t mean he wasn’t disappointed, either. McNally had earned his second consecutive bid to the NCAA Wrestling Championships. It was the second consecutive year both he and his former Lake High School and Eastern Michigan University teammate Zac Carson, now at Ohio University, had qualified for the tournament. However, on March 12, the NCAA announced the tournament would be canceled due to concerns over the spread of coronavirus. Thus McNally, Carson and the other 328 wrestlers saw their season ended in an instant. “I mean, obviously it sucks,” McNally said this week. “It was not the news you want to get. I really saw it coming after they canceled the NBA stuff. Once I heard that, I was like, they’re definitely going to cancel our stuff. It’s just a matter of time.” McNally’s even-keeled approach to handling the news that his chance at earning All-American status had been taken from him may surprise some. Those people, however, may not be familiar with the various hurdles which have sprung up over the course of his wrestling career. Two in particular, McNally believes, have helped to provide perspective even in a situation such as a pandemic. In both cases, they brought the end to at least one chapter of his wrestling career. After winning a Division I state championship as a junior at Lake, McNally’s senior season was ended when he failed a pre-state tournament skin check in 2016. Then, after his redshirt freshman season at Eastern Michigan in 2018, the university announced it was folding the wrestling program, among others, due to budget issues. “I compared this to some other things that have happened in my career,” McNally said. “Like when I didn’t past skin checks at state and when the team got cut at Eastern. It’s not like it’s the worst thing that has happened to me, so far. So, I was able to handle it pretty well, I think.” McNally admits he’s lived his life, especially since the Eastern Michigan situation, to, in his own words, “expect the unexpected.” That’s even if the unexpected turns out to be a worldwide pandemic which had altered life not just for athletes, but virtually everyone in society. What has changed, though, is a certain perspective. Part of that is simply maturation that comes with growing up, but the other part comes through personal experience. “Compared to how I react now compared to then, when I was in high school and it happened, I was like, almost felt like it was the end of the world,” McNally said. “I took it really hard and was really sad about that for a while. But as I’ve gotten older and I realize that things just happen and, when we got cut at Eastern, I was pretty sad about it, but I picked myself up. This time, same thing. I was upset about it for a couple of days, but you just kind of accept it and realize there’s nothing you can do to prevent that.” The natural frustration for McNally comes from the fact he believed he was primed for a podium push when the tournament started March 19. After going 33-11 in his first season at Kent State last year, including a win during his NCAA Championships debut, he had come back this past season to find his groove heading into March. McNally posted a 31-7 record, while finishing second in the Mid-American Conference at 174 pounds. He was seeded 21st in the NCAA Championships, and was slated to open against Oklahoma State’s Joseph Smith. …. story at https://www.cantonrep.com/sports/20200327/past-adversity-helps-kent-statersquos-andrew-mcnally-cope-with-ncaa-cancellation?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Leistikow: Tom Brands still seeking closure for an Iowa wrestling season cut short
Tom Brands, like most of us these days in our new isolated world, is trying to focus on the things he can control. Like housework. “I’ve mopped the floor three or four times at home,” the Iowa wrestling coach says. “I haven’t mopped the floor in 10 years.” Beyond spending more time with wife Jeni in their east-side Iowa City home, Brands has spent the past two weeks coping with and “moving forward” — his commonly used coaching mantra — from the NCAA’s cancellation of all winter and spring sports championships over the global COVID-19 pandemic. Perhaps no Division I program in any sport had as much stripped from its grasp than Iowa wrestling. When word of the cancellation hit, the top-ranked Hawkeyes were seven days away from starting what was expected to be a long-awaited title coronation. With three wrestlers seeded No. 1, two more in the top three and another four in the top eight, they were poised to unseat Penn State and win the storied program’s first NCAA wrestling title since 2010. …. story and video at https://www.hawkcentral.com/story/sports/college/columnists/chad-leistikow/2020/03/27/leistikow-tom-brands-still-seeks-closure-his-iowa-wrestlers-covid-19-cancellation/5082224002/?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Replay the winter sports season? The NCAA is wrestling with that question and others
By Terry Pluto, The Plain Dealer
CLEVELAND, Ohio – Should the NCAA allow seniors on basketball teams, wrestling teams and other winter sports to return next season for another year of eligibility? That’s one of the questions the NCAA will consider when it holds a vote on Monday. The NCAA also will consider extending an extra year of eligibility to those playing spring sports, since those were wiped out by the virus. Cleveland State athletic director Scott Garrett believes the measure to let seniors who planned to play spring sports this year return for another season “make sense” and is likely to pass. Not every player will want to return. Some elite baseball players were expecting to enter the Major League Baseball draft in June. That also assumes MLB has its draft on schedule. That probably will happen, but who knows in this climate of uncertainty. The other element is cost. Spring sports are much cheaper than Division I basketball. As Duquesne coach Keith Dambrot said, “We played 30 games, but we didn’t have our conference tournament. We didn’t finish our season, but we had a long season. It’s a hard one to figure out.” Dambrot said some teams such as his were preparing for their conference tournaments. Others had already secured an NCAA berth. Yet for others, the season was over. …. story at https://www.cleveland.com/sports/college/2020/03/replay-the-winter-sports-season-the-ncaa-is-wrestling-with-that-question-and-others.html?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Jordan’s Kelvington battled his entire career
Augustana senior wrestler Ben Kelvington wanted to end his career at the Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. He was able to do that, just not in the way he dreamed of. The NCAA Division II wrestling national championships were ready to start last week and Kelvington, who attends Augustana University, was set to compete for a national championship at 174 pounds. But the NCAA canceled all winter national championships due to concerns over the novel coronavirus. Kelvington’s wrestling career was over. “My reaction was pretty much disappointment and sadness,” he said. “Everyone in the arena seemed pretty stunned, and it was eerily quiet on the floor for a few minutes. Most people were in disbelief. I sat down and called first my girlfriend then my dad to let them know what had happened. Teammates, coaches, and administrators came up and gave me hugs.”
Kelvington, a Jordan High School graduate, got his wish to finish his career at the Premier Center because soon after they canceled the tournament, he was awarded the prestigious Elite 90 Award on the center’s floor. …. story at https://www.swnewsmedia.com/jordan_independent/news/sports/jordan-s-kelvington-battled-his-entire-career/article_9efb8277-a702-5d93-a56b-db3c7cf230c7.html?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Futile trip: Howard, UPJ teammates ‘shocked’ when Division II Championships canceled
Brendan Howard and his University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown teammates had completed two workouts and were ready to take the mat the next day at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships when a startling development occurred. Mountain Cats head coach Pat Pecora had a meeting with his eight national qualifiers and informed them that the championships had been canceled because of the coronavirus pandemic. “Obviously, it was a big shock,” Howard said. “I was about a pound-and-a-half off weight and we had two practices in at the facility. We were ready to go, but we had a meeting around 3. We kind of had a feeling of what was going to happen, but we hoped that they would let us compete, even if it was under certain restrictions.” Howard, who is a Jefferson-Morgan graduate, would have competed in his last collegiate wrestling matches in the national tournament, as he was the third seed at 125 pounds, but had to leave the Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and fly back home as his career came to an unprecedented end. He finished his senior season at 27-2 and was eighth place in the national tournament last season. Howard transferred to Pitt-Johnstown from Clarion University during the second semester of his sophomore year. “We had gone through an entire season and worked to get to this level, and then, we can’t wrestle the last two days,” Howard said. “You are not able to get closure on your career as a wrestler. It is also tough for the underclassmen that were here because you never know what will happen down the road in their careers.” One of those underclassmen for UPJ was freshman and Hopewell graduate Jacob Ealy, who was the top seed at 141. …. story at https://observer-reporter.com/sports/futile-trip-howard-upj-teammates-shocked-when-division-ii-championships/article_a69e4166-8128-566f-bc95-e776b283c45d.html?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
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. …. story at https://amp.hawkcentral.com/amp/2938124001?__twitter_impression=true&mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Mark Johnson empathizes with NCAA athletes’ lost opportunities
Mark Johnson knows what it’s like to seemingly work your whole life for one opportunity — and for that opportunity to be ripped away for reasons outside of your control. Johnson, a two-time NCAA All-American wrestler at Michigan and two time Big Ten Coach of the Year during his long Illini coaching tenure (1992-2009), was a member of the 1980 U.S. Olympic Team — one that never competed due to the United States’ boycott of the games in the Soviet Union. So Johnson immediately empathized with the thousands of collegiate athletes who were robbed of competition earlier this month when the NCAA canceled the winter and spring sports seasons due to the spread of infectious disease COVID-19. “When you’re in the middle of it, it is devastating,” Johnson told Illini Inquirer. “You put everything into it. You’re a student-athlete. I was a good student, so I get that part of it. But when you’re an athlete, that part of kind of takes over during the season. You just feel bad for these guys.” Thousands of NCAA student-athletes were robbed of postseasons or the majority of their regular seasons due to the shutdown of college sports during this pandemic. Many likely missed out on their greatest opportunities for individual and team athletic success. Forty years ago, Johnson experienced the same thing. In total, 65 nations did not participate in the 1980 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow, many due to the protestation of the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The United States and President Jimmy Carter led the effort with about 97 percent of the U.S. Congress approving resolutions for the boycott — a measure with which the United States Olympic Committee complied. …. https://247sports.com/college/illinois/Article/Coronavirus-Illinois-wrestling-Mark-Johnson-1980-Olympic-boycott-145424033/?mc_cid=b9ab82d4d9&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Brands: Hawkeyes deserve more than an asterisk
Tom Brands knows the moment will never be the same, but the Iowa wrestling coach believes the 2019-20 season deserves to be more than an asterisk in a record book. Acknowledging the COVID-19 pandemic is “enemy No. 1” at the moment, Brands said Tuesday he believes the NCAA needs to take a closer look at eligibility relief for winter sports student-athletes who were not awarded an additional year of competition on Monday by the NCAA. Brands, who completes a quarantine today after coming into contact with someone who has been diagnosed with the coronavirus, said during a teleconference he believes there should be some sort of appeals process available for competitors who were dealing with extraneous circumstances. He pointed to Hodge Trophy winner Spencer Lee as an example. Unlike a number of his top-tier peers, Lee opted to compete at the college level this past season instead of using an Olympic redshirt year that would have been available to him to train as an Olympic hopeful without using a year of eligibility. Among the reasons Lee opted to do that was to give himself an opportunity to compete for a third consecutive NCAA championship at 125 pounds this year and position himself for the chance as a senior to become the sport’s fifth four-time champ. Brands realizes that any appeals process is something that will take place down the road, adding that experience has taught him to fight that fight at an appropriate time. Lee said on Monday he plans to compete for Iowa again next season, providing time for any sort of eligibility appeal to take place. “Four (championships) is very important to him,” Brands said. “But he has to win three before he can win four, so regardless of how he goes about moving forward to get an opportunity to win four, he’s first got to win three.” …. https://qctimes.com/sports/college/wrestling/brands-hawkeyes-deserve-more-than-an-asterisk/article_71270ca8-6d88-54a4-a238-730c327c946b.html?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Dunn’s quest for 2nd national title ended abruptly in South Dakota lobby
By Desmond Boyle | For lehighvalleylive.com
Collegiate wrestlers who reach the national tournament often do so, in part, because they have a level of toughness and emotional control that few others possess. When defending NCAA Division II heavyweight champion Andrew Dunn, a Bethlehem Catholic graduate, looked around a hotel lobby in South Dakota, less than 24 hours away from the national tournament, he saw a crack in his fellow wrestlers’ emotional steel. “It just seemed like things were moving quick and then I went to the lobby of my hotel. I just had to get out of my room when I started feeling worked up … I walked with this group of wrestlers to their coach and he basically confirmed that the tournament was called off,” Dunn said. “In that moment a lot of guys, a lot of other athletes competing that weekend in the lobby — big, strong, tough guys — (were) crying and just really upset. This is the weekend you work all year for, and it was just poor timing with the coronavirus.” Poor timing might be an understatement. The coronavirus outbreak forced the NCAA to cancel the Division I, II and III individual wrestling tournaments, after brackets were set and competitors were ready. Forced to cope with the reality that a year’s worth of work wouldn’t culminate in another national championship, Dunn, along his coaches and a few teammates from Kutztown University, decided they didn’t want to stay in Sioux Falls for a second longer after hearing the news. …. story at https://www.lehighvalleylive.com/highschoolsports/2020/04/for-wrestlers-like-andrew-dunn-the-cancelled-ncaa-tourney-leaves-a-cruel-what-if.html?mc_cid=3d6cefac15&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Tom Ryan adamant about All-American wrestlers being recognized
Many winter sports ended abruptly due to COVID-19, and wrestling was left in a particularly odd place, having yet to announce All-Americans due to the NCAA Tournament getting shelved. Ohio State’s Tom Ryan is not ok with that, and it’s anything but an act of selfishness. He just wants his players recognized for their hard work. A top-five wrestling program in the nation, Ohio State, if Ryan’s concept would have been adopted, would have numerous All-Americans. “There’s a possibility that you simply do like college football did before there was a playoff: whatever you were ranked in the last ranking, that’s where you finish. If you were ranked 1, you finish the season No. 1; if you were ranked 2, you’re No. 2; if you were ranked 7, you’re No. 7,” he noted on The Eleven Dubcast, an Eleven Warriors podcast. For Ohio State, that’s like naming them the third-best team in football, although that really wouldn’t do much given the structure of their All-American selections. Ohio State wrestling coach Tom Ryan, currently on a teleconference with reporters, said he believes wrestlers should be awarded All-American honors based on what their seeds were in the NCAA Tournament since winter sports athletes were not granted any additional eligibility. — Dan Hope (@Dan_Hope) April 1, 2020
It would matter greatly for wrestling. If Ryan’s ways were adopted, the program would have three first-team nominations, Luke Pletcher, Kollin Morre and Sammy Sasso. They’d have a second-team and third-team All-American as well in Kaleb Romero and Ethan Smith respectively. “If you were ranked from No. 1 to No. 4, you’re considered first-team All-American,” Ryan continued. “If you’re ranked from No. 5 to No. 8, you’re second-team. And 9 to 12, you were third-team.” …. story at https://buckeyeswire.usatoday.com/2020/04/03/ohio-state-wrestling-tom-ryan-wants-all-americans-recognized/?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Coaching Changes
Sentes named head wrestling coach
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – After helping Campbell’s wrestling program to unprecedented heights, Scotti Sentes has been named head coach, announced today by director of athletics Omar Banks. Since arriving at Campbell, Sentes has helped the Camels to three Southern Conference tournament championships, as well as back to back dual titles over the last four seasons, the program’s first NCAA Division I championships. “I am thankful to Omar Banks, Wanda Watkins, and Hannah Bazemore and the entire CU athletic department for affording me this incredible opportunity,” said Sentes. “I would also like to thank Cary Kolat and the CU alumni who encouraged and recommended me for this position. Campbell is a special place and I will do everything I can to continue making this program proud.” “The Campbell community is very pleased to have Coach Sentes as our next head wrestling coach,” …. story at https://gocamels.com/news/2020/3/26/sentes-named-head-wrestling-coach.aspx?mc_cid=97441c20ca&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Chris Pendleton to Lead Beaver Wrestling
Corvallis —Chris Pendleton, one of the most successful collegiate wrestlers in the history of the sport, has been selected to lead the Oregon State program, Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced Monday. His appointment is contingent on the completion of all university hiring processes. Coach Pendleton arrives at Oregon State after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach at Arizona State. The Sun Devils have won three of the last four Pac-12 titles, including scoring 141.5 points (most by ASU since 1993) on its way to the conference crown earlier this month. ASU finished the shortened season ranked No. 6 in the country and defeated seven top 20 teams, including snapping No. 1 Penn State’s 60-match win streak. “The interest in this position was incredibly high, but as the process moved forward Coach Pendleton quickly rose to the top,” Barnes said. “Coach Pendleton’s focus on the development of student-athletes on and off the mat aligns with the Oregon State culture. …. story at https://osubeavers.com/news/2020/3/30/chris-pendleton-to-lead-beaver-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Mike Evans and Blaize Cabell Join Navy Wrestling Coaching Staff
ANNAPOLIS, Md. — Navy head wrestling coach Cary Kolat announced today that former Campbell assistant coaches Mike Evans and Blaize Cabell have joined his coaching staff at the Naval Academy. Mike Evans, a former three-time All-American at the University of Iowa, begins his tenure in Annapolis after spending the last three seasons on the Campbell wrestling staff, including last season as head assistant coach. Serving alongside Kolat, he helped lead the Campbell wrestling program to unprecedented success in recent years. The Camels wrapped up the 2019-20 season by posting an 11-2 record that featured wins in each of their last nine duals. Among that nine-match winning streak, CU put together an undefeated mark (7-0) in Southern Conference action. Campbell secured its second straight and third overall SoCon Tournament Championship in four years thanks to crowning five individual champions. A program-record six wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Championship for a second consecutive year. Among those qualifiers were three wrestlers seeded among the top 10, including 133-pound Noah Gonser, a three-time NCAA qualifier who was named the 2020 SoCon Wrestler of the Year. …. story at https://navysports.com/news/2020/3/30/mike-evans-and-blaize-cabell-join-navy-wrestling-coaching-staff.aspx?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
TIGER ATHLETICS ANNOUNCES THE ADDITION OF CONTOS TO THE IOWA WESLEYAN WRESTLING PROGRAM
Mt. Pleasant, IA – March 27, 2020 – To continue to expand the Tiger Athletics Department and to give our students the best opportunities possible to succeed, IW announced on May 9, 2019, that Men’s and Women’s Wrestling would be added to the athletic department. Robert Powell was hired as the wrestling coach this past September to get the program going and begin recruiting for the fall of 2020. To give the programs the best ability to become successful, plans were in place to hire a second coach in the spring of 2020. After a national search, the Iowa Wesleyan Athletics Department would like to announce that Shawn Contos has been given the title of Head Coach of the Tiger Men’s Wrestling program. “I am thrilled to announce the addition of Coach Contos to our coaching staff. His wealth of knowledge in freestyle and folkstyle wrestling, combined with his high energy and professionalism, make him an ideal candidate for this position”, said Director of Athletics, Derek Zander. “Under the combined leadership of Coach Contos and Coach Powell, I expect the Iowa Wesleyan wrestling program to grow and produce high-quality results, both on and off the mat.” Coach Powell will take over the reins for our newly formed women’s program, as Coach Contos will lead the men’s program. Both will work collaboratively to lead and grow men’s and women’s wrestling at Iowa Wesleyan University. Contos brings with him over 20 years of experience as a wrestling coach. He has coached and competed alongside many notable wrestlers throughout his years. Contos coached at Iowa State with Cael Sanderson and at Penn State with both Cody Sanderson and Casey Cunningham. While at PSU, Contos helped lead the team to four NCAA National Championship Titles. At ISU, he was with the team when they won the Big 12 Conference Championship, were third in the NCAA, and as they produced a USA NCAA National Champion. …. story at https://www.iwtigers.com/article/2751?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Roanoke Tabs Nate Yetzer to Lead Wrestling Program
Salem, Va. – Roanoke College Director of Athletics Scott Allison has announced the hiring of Nate Yetzer to serve as the College’s first Head Wrestling Coach. Allison announced in January the addition of wrestling as the College’s 22nd NCAA Division III sponsored athletic program. The Maroons will begin competition in the Fall of 2021.
“We’re fortunate to have Nate Yetzer lead our wrestling program,” said Allison. “His ability to build a program is proven. The energy he brings to the table is off the charts. We know he’ll fit in well with his colleagues on our hallway!” Yetzer joined the Ferrum coaching staff in July 2012 as Head Wrestling Coach. In the last eight years at the helm of the new Panther mat program, Yetzer has sent 13 individuals to the NCAA Div. III Wrestling National Championships. Four wrestlers have earned All-America honors under Yetzer, Logan Meister in 2016 and Zach Beckner in 2017, with Beckner being the College’s first-ever NCAA finalist in any sport. Levi Englman and Mario Vasquez became the third and fourth All-Americans in 2019. Yetzer’s 2017 team won the NCAA East Regional and he was named NCAA East Region Coach of the Year. …. story at https://www.roanokemaroons.com/general/2019-20/releases/20200325k7mkzo?mc_cid=97441c20ca&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
OSU wrestling search committee got its man in Chris Pendleton: ‘No doubt, we got the right guy’
Oregon State has hired a wrestling coach who will bring the Beavers back in prominence, members of the selection committee say. Arizona State assistant coach Chris Pendleton was named Monday to replace Jim Zalesky as the man in charge of OSU’s mat wars. “Chris has the experience and the name, he can recruit, and he has good vision for where the program can go,” said Greg Strobel, a two-time national champion for the Beavers in the 1970s. “That vision coincides with what we as alums would like to see — consistent top-10 teams, All-Americans and national champions. He has the ability to make that happen.” “He is going to bring an exciting brand of wrestling to Oregon State,” ex-OSU All-American Bob Tomasovic said. “He has a great philosophy on how to wrestle. …. story at https://pamplinmedia.com/pt/12-sports/459794-374152-osu-wrestling-search-committee-got-its-man-in-chris-pendleton-no-doubt-we-got-the-right-guy?fbclid=IwAR3_zCzET5zx2jWrYvd07i8ykqFkFOZQhgXi3U3ITs6_Z25FiPzHh1MwzM0&mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Chris Pendleton to Lead Beaver Wrestling
Corvallis —Chris Pendleton, one of the most successful collegiate wrestlers in the history of the sport, has been selected to lead the Oregon State program, Vice President and Director of Athletics Scott Barnes announced Monday. His appointment is contingent on the completion of all university hiring processes. Coach Pendleton arrives at Oregon State after spending the last six seasons as an assistant coach at Arizona State. The Sun Devils have won three of the last four Pac-12 titles, including scoring 141.5 points (most by ASU since 1993) on its way to the conference crown earlier this month. ASU finished the shortened season ranked No. 6 in the country and defeated seven top 20 teams, including snapping No. 1 Penn State’s 60-match win streak. “The interest in this position was incredibly high, but as the process moved forward Coach Pendleton quickly rose to the top,” Barnes said. “Coach Pendleton’s focus on the development of student-athletes on and off the mat aligns with the Oregon State culture. …. story at https://osubeavers.com/news/2020/3/30/chris-pendleton-to-lead-beaver-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Coronavirus outbreak has Oregon State wrestling coach Chris Pendleton waiting for his campus debut and a job he says ‘is big’
Chris Pendleton says he worked more than a decade as an assistant wrestling coach to find the right college head coaching job. In recent years, he’s passed on several opportunities. When Oregon State had an opening, it felt right. The former Arizona State assistant applied, won over the interview committee and earlier this week, accepted the job. But it wasn’t until Monday around noon that Pendleton fully understood what he had agreed to do. The former two-time NCAA wrestling champion was simply trying to order lunch, but text messages and phone calls continually interrupted the process. …. story at https://www.oregonlive.com/beavers/2020/04/coronavirus-outbreak-has-oregon-state-wrestling-coach-chris-pendleton-waiting-for-his-campus-debut-and-a-job-he-says-is-big.html?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Aurora University announces addition of Men’s and Women’s Wrestling
Aurora University, an NCAA Division III institution, announced the return men’s wrestling and addition of women’s wrestling to the varsity sport offerings at AU. The Spartan wrestling program’s will begin in the 2021-2022 season and become AU’s 23rd and 24th collegiate sport. “We are thrilled that women’s and men’s wrestling will be the newest programs at AU,” said Assistant Vice President / Director of Athletics Jim Hamad. “It is exciting to be a part of both the rapid growth of women’s wrestling and the steady resurgence of men’s wrestling. We have been able to start new programs that quickly find success in recent years and we are confident that our wrestling programs will follow a similar timeline. Our goal is to become successful in the competitive national wrestling landscape.” AU will see men’s wrestling return to campus after a 35 year hiatus, becoming an official NCAA Division III program and according to the NCAA, in the 2020-2021 season a total of 116 men’s wrestling programs will compete in NCAA Division III. Men’s and women’s wrestling is currently classified as a winter sport, with competition beginning in October and running through February with the men having a NCAA Division III Championship in March. …. story at https://athletics.aurora.edu/news/2020/3/27/general-aurora-university-announces-addition-of-mens-and-womens-wreslting.aspx?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
A Look Back at 1983
Well, we had planned on today, Sunday – March 22, to be a travel day for the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team. Junior Fabian Gutierrez and sophomores Tanner Smith and Matthew Waddell, along with the coaches and staff, were set to make the trip home from the 2020 NCAA Championships in Minneapolis, Minn.
All three had favorable draws in the brackets that were released on March 11, so who knows what could have happened over three days in U.S. Bank Stadium. With all NCAA sports being canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there is not much news coming out of college athletics. We thought it would be a good time to take a look back at the Mocs’ most successful showing at the NCAA Division I Championships. The Mocs had some really strong Division II squads in the 1970s, but made the jump to Division I for the 1977-78 season. UTC had some individual success early in the 1980’s, including the 1983 squad that seven qualifiers to the national tournament in Oklahoma City, Okla. The Mocs scored 20¼ points, tying for 14th overall in the team race with Arizona State. It is still the highest Division I finish in school history at UTC. That year was highlighted by junior Charlie Heard’s runner-up at 118 pounds. It was the second of three All-American honors for the LaGrange, Ga., native and 1992 inductee into the UTC Athletics Hall of Fame. …. story at https://gomocs.com/news/2020/3/22/wrestling-a-look-back-at-1983.aspx?mc_cid=e20a7e57a4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
College Coaches’ Awards
NWCA ANNOUNCES NCAA DIVISION I NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR WINNER
Manheim, PA – On Wednesday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year Award winner. This award was scheduled to be presented at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis, MN, however, the championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This award, presented annually to a coach who has demonstrated outstanding effort in developing and elevating their program on campus and in the community, is presented by Defense Soap, the official Hygiene partner of the NWCA. “In continuing our mission, Defense Soap is proud to partner with the NWCA, to keep wrestlers on the mat with our products and education in hygiene.” Guy Sako, Founder and CEO of Defense Soap
The recipient of this year’s NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year is Tom Brands from the University of Iowa, his second time to win the award as he took home this honor in 2008. Coach Brands is in his fourteenth year as head coach and his 2020 squad captured the Big Ten team title and held the #1 Ranking in the NWCA Division I Coaches Poll much of the season and leading up to the NCAA Championships. …. story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/NWCA-ANNOUNCES-NCAA-DIVISION-I-NATIONAL-8-4-2020
NWCA ANNOUNCES NCAA DIVISION II NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR WINNER
Manheim, PA – On Wednesday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year Award winner. This award was scheduled to be presented at the NWCA 2020 Jim Koch Division II Hall of Fame Banquet on the eve of the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships at the Denny Sanford Premier Center. Unfortunately, the event was canceled along with the Division II Championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Presented annually, this honor goes to a coach who has demonstrated outstanding effort in developing and elevating their program on campus and in the community. The coach of the year awards program is presented by Defense Soap, the official Hygiene partner of the NWCA.“In continuing our mission, Defense Soap is proud to partner with the NWCA, to keep wrestlers on the mat with our products and education in hygiene.” Guy Sako, Founder, and CEO of Defense Soap The recipient of this year’s NCAA Division II National Coach of the Year is Steve Costanzo of St. Cloud State University. Coach Costanzo is in his fourteenth year as head coach and his 2020 squad captured its fourth consecutive NWCA Division II National Duals championship and his teams have won four of the past five NCAA Division II National Titles. …. story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-announces-ncaa-division-ii-national-coach-of-the-year-winner/?mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Shawn Nelson Wins Bob Bubb Coaching Excellence Award
Findlay, Ohio – On Tuesday, April 7, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the Bob Bubb Coaching Excellence Award for the 2019-20 season. University of Findlay wrestling coach Shawn Nelson has been named as the recipient of this year’s award, which was scheduled to be handed out at this year’s NWCA Jim Koch Division II Hall of Fame banquet which was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Bob Bubb Coaching Excellence award is presented annually to one coach across each division of collegiate wrestling and is intended for an outstanding coach who epitomizes the qualities and characteristics of a role model and mentor for developing young student-athletes. This season, a pair of Nelson’s wrestlers were named all-G-MAC and three were headed to the NCAA Division II National Championship before the event was cancelled. As a team, Findlay had a GPA of 3.19 which ranked 15th in the country and placed six athletes on the Academic All-American list. …. story at https://athletics.findlay.edu/sports/wrest/2019-20/releases/20200407gwd5f9?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
NWCA ANNOUNCES NCAA WOMEN’S NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR WINNER
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association has announced the 2020 NCAA Women’s Wrestling Coach of the Year Award winner. The award was given following the conclusion of the inaugural Cliff Keen WCWC National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships hosted by Arian College. The award, which is presented to a coach that has demonstrated outstanding effort throughout the season in developing and elevating their program on campus and in the community, is presented by Defense Soap, the official Hygiene partner of the NWCA. “In continuing our mission, Defense Soap is proud to partner with the NWCA to keep wrestlers on the mat with our products and education in hygiene.”
Guy Sako, Founder, and CEO of Defense Soap
The recipient of this year’s NCAA Women’s National Coach of the Year is Sam Schmitz of McKendree University. Coach Schmitz has served as the head coach since the announcement of the program in 2013. The 2020 campaign was a banner year for the Bearcats as they captured both the NWCA National Duals Championship (NCAA Women) as well as the WCWC National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship title with five athletes winning individual titles. …. story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-announces-ncaa-womens-national-coach-of-the-year-winner/?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
NWCA 2019-2020 NAIA MEN’S SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS
Manheim, PA – On Friday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the full slate of 2019-2020 Scholar All-American Team and Individual honorees for NAIA Men with awards going to 80 individuals representing 30 institutions.
LINK: Top 15 Scholar All-American Teams
LINK: Individual Scholar All-Americans
“On behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors, I am excited to honor the amazing academic achievement demonstrated by this year’s Scholar All-American teams and individuals,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. In the team race, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University finished atop of the field with a 3.397 GPA followed by Montana State University-Northern (3.368) and Morningside College (3.358). For the individual awards, Reinhard University led the list of honorees with eight All-Americans, while Grand View University and Menlo College followed with five honorees receiving recognition. …. story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-2019-2020-naia-mens-scholar-all-american-awards/?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Jones Named ECWC Rookie of the Year, Nichols Tabbed ECWC Coach of the Year
ECWC Year-End Awards
ITHACA, N.Y. – The Empire Collegiate Wrestling Conference (ECWC) officially announced its annual year-end major award winners on Monday afternoon. For a fourth consecutive year, Ithaca had representation in the release, as the Bombers took home two of the three major awards from the conference this season. First-year Travis Jones was tabbed ECWC Rookie of the Year, while head coach Marty Nichols was selected as the Coach of the Year in the conference. The announcement comes after a week-long process of voting amongst the conference’s head coaches and athletic communications personnel. …. story at https://athletics.ithaca.edu/news/2020/4/6/wrestling-jones-named-ecwc-rookie-of-the-year-nichols-tabbed-ecwc-coach-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
DeVoe Repeats As Regional Coach of the Year
MANHEIM, Pa. – Colorado School of Mines head coach Austin DeVoe has been named the NWCA’s Super Region VI Coach of the Year for the second consecutive season. DeVoe guided the Orediggers to their second straight RMAC championship as Mines compiled a 9-2 overall dual record and a perfect 7-0 conference season for the first time ever. Mines hit its highest-ever national ranking this year (#9) and qualified four wrestlers for the NCAA Championships. DeVoe was also named the RMAC Coach of the Year. Mines ultimately finished fourth at the NCAA Super Region VI Championships on Feb. 29, a spot better than 2019 and an exceptional 10-place jump from 2018. The Orediggers qualified four to nationals for the second straight season; prior to the last two years, Mines hadn’t sent that many to NCAAs since 2001, and the last time the program had eight qualifiers over two seasons was in 1989 and 1990. …. story at https://minesathletics.com/news/2020/4/1/wrestling-devoe-repeats-as-regional-coach-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Lee Miracle named 2019-20 NWCA NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coach of the Year
MANHEIM, Pa. — On Thursday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) announced the NAIA Women’s Wrestling National Coach of the Year Award and Campbellsville’s Lee Miracle earned the honor. Coach Miracle is in his seventh year as head coach and his squad took home a runner-up trophy from the NWCA National Dual Championships while capturing their second Mid-South Conference and WCWA National Championships. “The NWCA is proud to honor Coach Miracle, and for the amazing job he has done at Campbellsville. He has built the CU Tiger program into a national powerhouse,” said Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director. Presented annually, this honor goes to a coach who has demonstrated outstanding effort in developing and elevating their program on campus and in the community. The coach of the year awards program is presented by Defense Soap, the official Hygiene partner of the NWCA. Miracle has led the Lady Tigers to two WCWA National Championships and now has 14 WCWA Individual National Champions in just seven seasons. In 2019-20, the Lady Tigers won their second WCWA National Championship including three individual national titles – Mariah Harris, Abby Nette, and Alexandra Castillo. Campbellsville ran away with the national title by over 130+ points over Life University, which finished runner-up. CU set a new WCWA record with 13 All-Americans as well. …. story at https://campbellsvilletigers.com/news/2020/4/3/lee-miracle-named-2019-20-nwca-naia-womens-wrestling-coach-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=1f1b7bdc6e&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
NWCA ANNOUNCES NCAA D – I NATIONAL COACH OF THE YEAR
Manheim, PA – On Wednesday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the NCAA Division I National Coach of the Year Award winner. This award was scheduled to be presented at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis, MN, however, the championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This award, presented annually to a coach who has demonstrated outstanding effort in developing and elevating their program on campus and in the community, is presented by Defense Soap, the official Hygiene partner of the NWCA. ….. award finalists and story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-announces-ncaa-division-i-national-coach-of-the-year-winner/?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
College Wrestlers’ Awards — # 2
NWCA 2019-2020 NAIA MEN’S SCHOLAR ALL-AMERICAN AWARDS
Manheim, PA – On Friday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the full slate of 2019-2020 Scholar All-American Team and Individual honorees for NAIA Men with awards going to 73 individuals representing 25 institutions.
LINK: Top 10 Scholar All-American Teams
LINK: Individual Scholar All-Americans
“On behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors, I am excited to honor the amazing academic achievement demonstrated by this year’s Scholar All-American teams and individuals.”
Mike Moyer, NWCA Executive Director
In the team race, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University finished atop of the field with a 3.397 GPA followed by Montana State University-Northern (3.368) and Morningside College (3.358).
For the individual awards, Grand View University and Menlo College led the list of honorees with 5 All-Americans. In addition, seven other institutions had four honorees receiving recognition. …. story at https://portal.nwcaonline.com/articles/NWCA_News/NWCA-2019-2020-NAIA-MEN-S-SCHOLAR-3-4-2020
Eight undefeated wrestlers named Hodge Trophy finalists
Despite the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Championships, it is once again time to select the top wrestler in the collegiate ranks as voting will soon begin for the 2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy.
Eight Division I wrestlers, who finished the season undefeated going into the NCAAs, have been named as finalists for the award, which is presented each year by ASICS and called by many the “Heisman Trophy of wrestling”. This year’s finalists are (alphabetically) West Virginia sophomore Noah Adams (197), Northwestern junior Ryan Deakin (157), Princeton sophomore Pat Glory (125), Stanford freshman Shane Griffith (165), Iowa junior Spencer Lee (125), Ohio State senior Kollin Moore (197), Minnesota sophomore Gable Steveson (Hwt) and Cornell senior Charles Tucker (133). Official ballots for the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee made up of past all past Hodge winners, a retired college coach from each region, and national media members will begin on Monday, March 23. The ballot will include a breakdown of each wrestler’s record from this past season. …. story at https://www.win-magazine.com/2020/03/eight-undefeated-wrestlers-named-hodge-trophy-finalists/?mc_cid=db245e6947&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy Fan Vote
Fan voting for the 2020 WIN Magazine/Culture House Dan Hodge Trophy has begun. The Hodge Trophy is the top award in college wrestling and has been presented annually since 1994 to the nation’s most dominant collegiate wrestler.
The award is named after Dan Hodge, the former three-time (1955-57) NCAA champion from the University of Oklahoma, who did not allow a takedown in his career and pinned 36 of 46 victims.
Voting Criteria
Criteria for the award include:
A wrestler’s record;
Number of pins;
Dominance on the mat;
Quality of competition;
Past credentials;
Sportsmanship/citizenship; and
Heart
The first four criteria are the primary criteria. Number of pins is an extremely important criteria. Part of the reason the award was created was to elevate the importance of the pin, and to motivate top collegians to go for the fall. The Hodge Trophy is a single-season award. However, if you have two candidates who are virtually equal, consideration can be given to past credentials, which is criteria No. 5. The last two criteria should be used to help guide voters to select a winner who also is a good representative of the sport. …. story at https://www.win-magazine.com/2020/03/hodge20/?mc_cid=e20a7e57a4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Spencer Lee named finalist for James E. Sullivan Award
BY CHRISTOPHER BREWER, UNIVERSITY OF IOWA | MARCH 23,
IOWA CITY, Iowa – University of Iowa junior Spencer Lee has been named one of 10 finalist for the AAU James E. Sullivan Award, presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. Lee’s 2019 season included a NCAA wrestling championship and a United States Senior Nationals tournament title. He was a 2019 Academic All-Big Ten honoree and a member of the NWCA Academic All-America team. Fans can vote for finalists by visiting aausports.org. The public voting portal is open from Monday, March 23 at 11 a.m. (CT) through Monday, March 30 at 11 p.m. Fans can vote once per day. During the final round, hashtag voting will also count. Tweets and RTs using #VoteForSpencer and #AAUSullivanAward will count in the final tally.
The winner is determined by public vote, media vote, and committee vote.
The 10 finalists include Lee, Evita Griskenas (USA Rhythmic Gymnastics, Grant Holloway (Florida track & field), Markus Howard (Marquette basketball), Sabrina Ionescu (Oregon basketball), Trevor Lawrence (Clemson football), Dana Rettke (Wisconsin volleyball), Kyla Ross (UCLA gymnastics), Megan Taylor (Maryland Lacrosse), and Abby Weitzeil (Cal swimming & diving). …. story at https://www.teamusa.org/USA-Wrestling/Features/2020/March/23/Spencer-Lee-named-Sullivan-Award-finalist?mc_cid=3137d16555&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Nick Baumler Named NSIC Co-Wrestler of the Year
Nick Baumler was named the NSIC’s Co-Wrestler of the Year along with Kolton Eischens of St. Cloud State University. Both seniors are two-time NCAA Division II All-Americans and won their respective weight class titles at the NCAA Division II Super Region V Championships at the end of February. …. story at https://uiupeacocks.com/news/2020/3/24/wrestling-nick-baumler-named-nsic-co-wrestler-of-the-year.aspx?mc_cid=a94878ac8d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4bhttps://gopack.com/news/2020/3/24/wrestling-packwrestles-night-of-champions.aspx?mc_cid=a94878ac8d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
St. Cloud State’s Bianchini, Costanzo & Eischens earn NSIC Awards
The St. Cloud State University wrestling team made a clean sweep of the 2019-20 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference awards as the Huskies claimed the league’s top three honors. SCSU senior Kolton Eischens (Pierz, Minn./Healy H.S.) was named the 2019-20 NSIC Co-Wrestler of the Year, freshman Joey Bianchini (Elk Grove Village, Ill./Immaculate Conception H.S.) was named the NSIC Rookie of the Year and SCSU’s Steve Costanzo was named the NSIC Coach of the Year. …. story at https://scsuhuskies.com/news/2020/3/24/wrestling-st-cloud-states-bianchini-costanzo-eischens-earn-nsic-awards.aspx?mc_cid=a94878ac8d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
NCAA announces the 2020 NCAA wrestling award winners
INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA has released the winners and final standings for the 2020 NCAA wrestling awards in Divisions I, II and III.
The three awards, given in each division, honor the Most Dominant Wrestler as well as the student-athletes who have accumulated the most falls and the most technical falls throughout the course of the regular season, conference tournaments and NCAA super regionals.
Leading the way as the Most Dominant Wrestler in each division are Spencer Lee of Iowa in Division I, Jared Campbell of Notre Dame (Ohio) in Division II and Troy Stanich of Stevens in Division III.
2020 RECAP: Here’s how Iowa won the Big Ten wrestling tournament
The award for most falls went to Jacob Schwarm of the University of Northern Iowa with 16 in Division I, Hayden Bronne of Tiffin in Division II with 20 and Marvin Cunningham of Johnson & Wales University (Providence) with 24.
The most tech falls award was earned by Alex Madrigal of George Mason with 14 in Division I, Ryan Vasbinder of McKendree with 10 in Division II and Stephen Maloney of Messiah with 16 in Division III.
Iowa’s Lee went 18-0 in Division I matches at 125 pounds for an average of 5.00 team points per match to edge out Mark Hall of Penn State (4.70) and Pat Glory of Princeton (4.54) for most dominant in Division I. The two-time NCAA champion had nine tech falls and four falls, while only having one match all season where he did not accumulate bonus points for the Hawkeyes. …. full list and story at https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling/article/2020-03-24/ncaa-announces-2020-ncaa-wrestling-award-winners?mc_cid=a94878ac8d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
NWCA 2019-2020 NJCAA Scholar All-American Awards
Manheim, PA – On Thursday, the National Wrestling Coaches Association announced the full slate of 2019-2020 Scholar All-American honorees for the NJCAA with awards going to 94 individuals representing 28 institutions
LINK: Individual Scholar All-Americans
“On behalf of the NWCA and our Board of Directors, I am excited to honor the amazing academic achievement demonstrated by this year’s Scholar All-Americans,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “We are proud to work with our NJCAA member coaches to honor outstanding student-athletes from across the country.”
The West Central District paced the field, with 27 individuals receiving honors followed by the North Central District with 15. The remaining districts were Eastern-A (11), Eastern-B (11), North (11), Central (8), Rocky Mountain (6), and West (5).
Pratt Community College (KS) led the list of honorees with 9 All-Americans. At the same time, Henry Ford College (MI) and Western Wyoming Community College had six honorees, and four other institutions had five. …. story at http://www.nwcaonline.com/nwca-2019-2020-njcaa-scholar-all-american-awards/?mc_cid=97441c20ca&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Pac-12’s Best
Griffith named Newcomer and Wrestler of the Year
STANFORD, Calif. –Shane Griffith has been selected the Pac-12 Wrestler and Newcomer of the Year, the conference announced Thursday. Griffith becomes the third Cardinal to be named Pac-12 Wrestler of the Year, joining Matt Gentry (2004) and Nick Amuchastegui (2012), and the fifth to earn the Newcomer of the Year honor along with Gentry (2002), Zack Giesen (2007), Jim Wilson (2014) and Joey McKenna (2016). “Shane is a tremendous student-athlete and an overall great example of someone that does the little things right,” said head coach Jason Borrelli. “He is very disciplined and consistent. He works hard, has tremendous passion, and is incredibly competitive.” Griffith was 28-0 in his rookie campaign – the best start to a career in program history. The Westwood, New Jersey, native, is also a finalist for the Dan Hodge Trophy, presented annually to the nation’s top collegiate wrestler. The Pac-12 champion at 165 pounds, Griffith’s 28-match winning streak is the second-longest in school history. He led the team in wins and falls (9) this season. Eighteen of his 28 wins were by bonus points and he registered six wins over ranked opponents. In addition to his conference title, Griffith won the Battle at The Citadel, the Roadrunner Open and the Southern Scuffle. He earned Co-Most Outstanding Wrestler honors at the conference championships and was twice named Pac-12 Wrestler of the Week. …. story at https://gostanford.com/news/2020/3/26/wrestling-pac-12s-best.aspx
Berlin Earns WIAC Wrestler of the Year Nod
MADSION, Wis. – UW-Stevens Point wrestling junior Matt Berlin (Oak Creek, Wis./Oak Creek) was named the WIAC Wrestler of the Year, the league office announced on Friday (March 27). Berlin becomes the second-straight and sixth overall UWSP recipient of the top honor in the conference.
WIAC Release
Berlin went 32-0 on the year at 133 for the Pointers, the second UWSP wrestler to go an entire season undefeated. He had win over foes from Division I, Division II and an NAIA two-time All-American. Berlin was the only WIAC wrestler to go undefeated on the year with 30 or more wins.
He was the WIAC Champion at 133 and won the Upper Midwest Region in the only weight class with four nationally-ranked wrestlers. Along the way, Berlin was the 133 champion at the Pointer Open, Dan Gable Open and Pete Willson Invitational. Berlin was headed to the NCAA Championships as the No. 2 ranked wrestler in his weight class and the only undefeated competitor in the 133 bracket. …. story at https://athletics.uwsp.edu/news/2020/3/27/wrestling-berlin-earns-wiac-wrestler-of-the-year-nod.aspx?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Checking in with Duke Wrestling: Ben Anderson
DURHAM, N.C. – GoDuke.com recently caught up with redshirt sophomore wrestler Benjamin Anderson to see how he’s adjusting to online classes and life away from Durham.
Despite missing much of the early part of the 2019-20 season due to injury, Anderson battled back and won four of his final seven bouts. He finished 3-1 against ACC opponents during the regular season and took No. 10 Thomas Bullard of No. 3 NC State into a tie breaker 1 overtime period at the ACC Championships.
Anderson sits second on the team with 24 career victories to his name.
Where are you now?
“I am currently at home in Highland, Utah.”
What are you doing to stay active?
“Wrestling with my brother (outside on the grass, for the most part), going on runs, and lifting weights that are available.”
How are you adjusting to online classes?
“Pretty well! It hasn’t been an issue for me and I feel like I’ve been learning all of the material very well.”
What was your favorite memory from this season?
“My favorite memory is from when we wrestled Virginia and I pulled off an upset, pinning my opponent.”
What do you miss most about being at Duke?
“I miss all of my teammates and the campus. It’s such a beautiful campus that I could never get sick of.” …. rest of story at https://goduke.com/news/2020/4/8/checking-in-with-duke-wrestling-ben-anderson.aspx?mc_cid=8b4f87fbcb&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
College News # 89
CJ LaFragola enjoyed, however briefly, being a rare 3-sport college athlete
CJ LaFragola sat on the bench in the top of the ninth inning. There was no guarantee he would make his collegiate baseball debut in the 0-0 game March 6 in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina. But Sacred Heart University coach Nick Restaino called LaFragola’s No. 11 to pinch run after Stephen Thibault walked. The 22-year-old from Little Egg Harbor Township persisted through several pickoff attempts, stole second base and then scored for a 1-0 Pioneers win over Ball State. Almost a year ago to the day, LaFragola wasn’t digging into the dirt looking to make a break for second base. He wasn’t even at Sacred Heart. LaFragola was rolling around the mat at Brown University preparing for his third and final appearance in the NCAA Division I wrestling championships. Last fall, the 2015 St. Joseph High School graduate wasn’t taking batting practice during fall baseball sessions. He donned a Pioneers football helmet and participated in thud contact practices in preparation for the season. …. story at https://www.pressofatlanticcity.com/sports/cj-lafragola-enjoyed-however-briefly-being-a-rare–sport/article_b7076d61-e9fb-5a3a-a13e-1d619126d1d9.html?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
WolfPack Wrestling Sweeps ACC Season Honors
Hidlay brothers named Wrestler and Freshman of the Year, Popolizo top coach
RALEIGH, N.C. – Led by a historic first by brothers Hayden and Trent Hidlay, ACC champion NC State has swept the league’s season honors for the 2019-20 season. Hayden Hidlay (157 pounds) was selected the ACC Wrestler of the Year in a vote by the league’s head coaches, while younger brother Trent (184) earned ACC Freshman of the Year honors. In addition, the Wolfpack’s Pat Popolizio was chosen by his peers as the ACC Coach of the Year. Hayden and Trent Hidlay are the first pair of brothers to claim both ACC major season wrestling awards (in the same year or otherwise). It marks the 10th time that an NC State student-athlete has been voted the ACC Wrestler of the Year and the fourth time a Wolfpack wrestler has been named the ACC Freshman of the Year. Three NC State coaches have earned ACC Coach of the Year honors a total of nine times. …. story at https://gopack.com/news/2020/3/31/-packwrestle-sweeps-acc-wrestling-season-honors.aspx?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Southeastern University Wrestling Battles Through Peaks and Valleys during Historic Season
The 2019-20 Southeastern University wrestling started and finished with the program’s best rankings at those two points, but there’s much more to the story than that. In Brandon Jorge‘s first season as the head coach, the Fire recorded their highest preseason, in-season, and postseason NAIA rankings, the first top-ranked wrestler, most national qualifiers, and most dual meet victories in program history. Again, there’s much more to the story than that. Southeastern entered its annual Fire Duals tournament ranked seventh nationally and sporting a 6-0 record, and played host to three of the Top 20 programs in the NAIA. The Fire scored just 21 points in the three matches, and lost two-time All-American and top-ranked Ethan Owen for the season. The Fire dropped out of the Top 10, and easily could have folded up camp for the season, but the team bounced back with an excellent showing in the second half of the season. “I am most proud of how hard this team worked towards our goals,” said Jorge of his maiden voyage as head coach. “Even through all the ups and downs of the season, through all the injuries, and through all the big wins we had – we stayed focused and worked hard. “We broke a number of program records this year, but most importantly we had our highest ever team GPA in the fall semester.” In the tournament following the Fire Duals, Southeastern went 4-0 at the Cascade Duals in Arizona, which featured a pair of Top 15 victories and was highlighted by Dylan Chatterton’s convincing win over then-No. 1 Casey Dobson of Providence (Mont.). …. story at https://fire.seu.edu/news/2020/3/31/wrestling-battles-through-peaks-and-valleys-during-historic-season.aspx?mc_cid=1f2298c90d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Penn State Keeping Busy
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Going from weeks of carefully-crafted practices to self-isolation in an eerily empty State College, Vincenzo Joseph faced the largest match-up of his career – quarantine. The 165-pound senior was weeks away from his last NCAA Championships appearance where he planned on making his third trip to the top of the podium. Joseph, who clinched two NCAA titles and a runner-up finish last year, had one last shot before he’d pursue a post-graduate wrestling career with the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. But as the tournament neared, Joseph worried his biggest obstacle wouldn’t just be the top-notch competition, but instead, a pandemic rapidly spreading through the nation. It felt like every day the wrestlers would gradually hear more rumors about possible delays, postponements and cancellations of the season. Coaches pushed for consistency in practices. Athletes continued with their training routines. But Joseph had his own reservations. “I was walking to practice the day that they canceled the tournament,” …. story at https://gopsusports.com/news/2020/3/30/wrestling-keeping-busy.aspx?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Rutgers’ Alvarez reflects on 1st collegiate season in interview
After a regular season that saw him compile a 26-10 record, true freshman 133-pounder Sammy Alvarez was able to claim the 10th seed at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships before the event was canceled due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Alvarez was already having a successful season. Wrestling at the Rutgers Athletic Center (RAC), Alvarez earned sixth place in his weight class at the Big Ten Championships. During the regular season, Alvarez was crowned the Southern Scuffle champion. He defeated No. 4 Micky Phillippi from Pittsburg and No. 9 Cam Sykora from North Dakota State. Additionally, Alvarez claimed victory against eight ranked opponents. Alvarez recalls important lessons learned and experiences gained from his first year on the Rutgers wrestling team.
Q: Besides the season ending early, what did you think about your first year at Rutgers?
A: I thought it was a big growing period. I learned a lot on the mat as well as off. It was a good year. It was important to my development as a wrestler and it will definitely carry into the next season.
Q: What was the significance for you to stay home and wrestle instead of going to North Carolina State?
A: Staying home and wrestling for your home state is definitely a big factor. It’s a huge difference, rather than being eight hours away and in a totally different conference. It’s a different scale. I think it’s more important to me to stay home and wrestle in front of the people I’ve wrestled in front of my entire life.
Q: Did you feel like you had big shoes to fill with the departure of Anthony Ashnault and Nick Surino redshirting?
A: It was definitely more of an expectation that we set as a team and a program. It wasn’t just about me, it’s always more than one guy … I think it was definitely exciting, and it was definitely something that was always in the back of our minds, that we’re capable of putting Rutgers on the map and competing at a high level. …. rest of story & interview at https://www.dailytargum.com/article/2020/04/rutgers-wrestling-sammy-alvarez-reflects-feature-2020?mc_cid=3d6cefac15&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Drury University wrestling head coach featured on the Panthers Podcast
On this week’s Drury Panthers Podcast, we visit with wrestling head coach James Reynolds. The Panthers had two wrestlers set to compete at the NCAA-II championship tournament in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, but the event was canceled the day before it was scheduled to start. Coach Reynolds talks with us about dealing with the cancellation, the accomplishments of Peter Kuster and Jared Rennick in getting through a tough SuperRegional bracket to qualify for nationals, and why he’s excited about next season. We also start our Senior Day recognition. On this week’s show – we’ll acknowledge seniors …. story at https://drurypanthers.com/news/2020/4/4/general-du-wrestling-head-coach-featured-on-the-panthers-podcast.aspx?mc_cid=3d6cefac15&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
FOR BARONE, LESSONS LEARNED AS ILLINI WILL CARRY OVER
By Matt Daniels, The News-Gazette
mdaniels@news-gazette.com
Read on News-Gazette.com
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Jim Heffernan described Eric Barone in a pretty apt way. “If there’s something to do,” the Illinois wrestling coach said of his fifth-year senior, “he’s not going to procrastinate.” Case in point: Barone’s future job prospects. The Crystal Lake native earned his bachelor’s degree in accounting last May from Illinois. By August, he had a job lined up at Deloitte, where he will work in the financial company’s tax division. Even with one season of eligibility remaining to wrestle with the Illini before the start of the 2019-2020 season. “My parents were definitely happy that I had a job before starting my last year of school,” Barone said with a laugh of the job he’s planning on starting in July. “It was a relief, too.” Barone has extra time on his hands, now, to prep for his entry into the business world after his final season wrestling at Illinois was cut short. Barone was one of three seniors at Illinois, along with Travis Piotrowski and Joey Gunther, who had qualified for the NCAA Championships before the event in Minneapolis – scheduled for last week – was canceled on March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic. …. story at https://fightingillini.com/news/2020/3/23/illinois-wrestling-and-academics-prepared-barone-for-future.aspx?mc_cid=a94878ac8d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Women’s Wresling News — # 32
2021 Iowa High School Girls State Wrestling Championships
CORALVILLE (March 23, 2020) – Think Iowa City is pleased to announce that the 2021 Iowa High School Girls State Wrestling Championships presented by the Iowa Wrestling Officials and Coaches Association will take place at Xtream Arena – the new 5,100 seat venue and adjacent 58,000 square foot GreenState Family Fieldhouse set to open this fall in Coralville’s Iowa River Landing. The 2021 Iowa High School Girls State Wrestling Championships presented by the Iowa Wrestling Officials and Coaches Association will take place January 22 and 23, 2021 and will be hosted by Waverly-Shell Rock High School, Iowa City West High School and Iowa City City High School.”The new facilities set to open next August in Coralville are perfect for this event,” said Bob Murphy, Executive Director, Iowa Wrestling Officials and Coaches Association. “We’ll be utilizing both Xtream Arena and the GreenState Family Fieldhouse both state of the art and first class facilities for our high school athletes.” “I’m excited to work with Luke, Josh and their team at Think Iowa City,” added Eric Whitcome, Head Coach at Waverly-Shell Rock. “They know how to put on top notch events like the USAW Olympic Team Trials, 2018 UWW World Cup, and next season’s Dan Gable Donnybrook. I know our high school girls will receive the red carpet treatment.” The Iowa High School Girls State Wrestling Tournament has taken place during its inaugural two years at Waverly-Shell Rock. In 2019 the event attracted 87 wrestlers and in 2020 the event grew to 376 wrestlers. …. story at https://www.thepredicament.com/2020/03/2021-iowa-high-school-girls-state-wrestling-championships/?mc_cid=3137d16555&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
2019-20 Jim Wade Award winner: Rachel Watters, women’s wrestling
Rachel Watters guzzled her soda in February like she had after every tournament she has wrestled in since she was a sophomore in high school.
But as Watters gulped her Mountain Dew at the Cracker Barrel in Marietta, Ga., she downed her pop for the first time as a national champion.
Watters celebrated with her father and teammates after winning the 155-pound national championship in the Women’s College Wrestling Association Championships on Feb. 7-8. Watters took the fourth all-American nod of her career. In 2019-20, Watters picked up the Jim Wade Award for Oklahoma City University women’s wrestling. In addition to her national crown, Watters snared the 155-pound Sooner Athletic Conference title, SAC wrestler of the year and outstanding wrestler of the inaugural SAC women’s championships Feb. 29 in Plainview, Texas. Watters became USA Wrestling/TheMat.com athlete of the week, NAIA wrestler of the week and two-time SAC wrestler of the week as a senior. …. story at https://www.ocusports.com/news/2020/4/6/2019-20-jim-wade-award-winner-rachel-watters-womens-wrestling.aspx?mc_cid=91538a90c1&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Eight coaches talk 2019-20 season, seniors and the NAIA
The opportunity lost for athletes at the canceled NAIA National tournament doesn’t take away from the real achievements and growth from this season. Flavia Weedn said, and I quote, “If one dream should fall and break into a thousand pieces, never be afraid to pick one of those pieces up and begin again.” There were close to 200 women ready to take the mats in search of a title at the 2020 NAIA National Invitational. Women from 28 programs across 13 states—that’s who this is for. In the first part of the show we hear about the NAIA, and then in the second part we hear more about the season from 8 different head coaches: Lee Miracle (Campbellsville), Joey Bareng (Menlo), Joel Gibson (Southern Oregon), Ashley Sword (Life), Carlene Sluberski (Providence), Nicole Tyson (Oklahoma City), Kevin Corbett (Lyon) and Aaron Meister (Wayland). …. story and podcast at https://www.transitionwrestling.com/podcast-eight-coaches-talk-2019-20-season-seniors-and-the-naia/?mc_cid=864912e0e4&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. …. story at https://www.wreaperwrestling.com/how-to-take-down-quarantine-resources-and-suggestions-for-tackling-social-distancing/?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
McCaskey High School approves first ever groundbreaking women’s wrestling program
By Connor Mirabella || Staff Writer
Wrestling is one of the oldest sports in human history. Since the first olympics, wrestling has been a challenging and developing art held in high regard by many. Socrates is known for having said “I swear it upon Zeus an outstanding runner cannot be the equal of an average wrestler.” Wrestling has a powerful legacy in the United States, where folkstyle wrestling (the style of wrestling seen at NCAAs) originated. Pennsylvania has been long-known as one of, if not the most competitive states to wrestle in, particularly at the high school level. Since there are no professional leagues of folkstyle and freestyle wrestling, the pinnacle of performance can most often be found at the Olympics where the US has garnered significant respect for its performance in both men’s and women’s freestyle wrestling. Helen Maroulis became the first American woman to win a gold medal for the US in 2016 with a dominant performance in her final match. Her story mirrors the story of every other woman on the US team: Helen never had a girls team until she had reached high level international competition. Growing up, she and all the other women representing our country had no other choice but to wrestle boys in order to earn their chances at competition. Wrestling is a sport divided by weight classes, where it is in the wrestlers’ best interest to have the most possible muscle mass at any given weight. …. story at http://www.the-college-reporter.com/2020/03/29/mccaskey-high-school-approves-first-ever-groundbreaking-womens-wrestling-program/?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Despite postponement of Tokyo Olympics, USA Wrestling’s Whitney Conder stays on course
Story content at …
https://gazette.com/sports/despite-postponement-of-tokyo-olympics-usa-wrestling-s-whitney-conder/article_bfc55380-71ee-11ea-802d-77f737d0d147.html?mc_cid=864912e0e4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Topics you don’t want to miss from women’s wrestling in March
How do I even intro this month? In the right context, a lot of great things have happened, so that’s going to be the focus for this quasi-newsletter for March.
Women’s Wrestling at the NCWWC
NCAA programs competed at the first-ever exclusive NCAA postseason event March 6-7. The Cliff Keen National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships were hosted by Adrian College and the event was superb. The weekend will forever be a marker in the history of NCAA women’s wrestling. McKendree won the team title with five individual champions, and head coach Sam Schmitz was awarded coach of the year. Simon Fraser placed second to McKendree by just 12.5 points and had three champions of their own. Augsburg and UW-Stevens Point were the only two programs with title winners that advanced over McKendree and Simon Fraser on the way to the top of the podium. Finalist bouts at 109 and 170 pounds were also the only two weights without a McKendree or Simon Fraser wrestler. Archived video is free to watch on Trackwrestling—be sure to listen for commentary by Wrestle Like A Girl’s very own Sally Roberts in the finals. Top 5 teams: 1) McKendree University 2) Simon Fraser University 3) King University 5) Colorado Mesa university 5) Emmanuel College …. story at https://www.transitionwrestling.com/topics-you-dont-want-to-miss-from-womens-wrestling-in-march/?mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Women’s Wrestler of the Year Mensah Headlines Women’s Wrestling Rankings
CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland (April 1) – After a stellar 2019 campaign where she won United World Wrestling’s “Women’s Wrestler of the Year” Tamyra MENSAH (USA) heads into the 2020 season as the top-ranked 68kg wrestler in latest worldwide women’s wrestling rankings. Mensah, a returning world champion at 68kg, has the most points (92) of any women’s wrestler in any weight category and is one of two American women ranked No.1 in the world. She is joined by fellow American Adeline GRAY, a five-time world champion, who tops the rankings at 76kg. Women’s wrestling power Japan has five wrestlers ranked in the top 10 in their respective weight categories, with two of the five wrestlers being 2016 Olympic champions, Risako KAWAI (No.1 at 57kg) and Sara DOSHO (No.10 at 68kg). Complete rankings at https://unitedworldwrestling.org/article/womens-wrestler-year-mensah-headlines-womens-wrestling-rankings?mc_cid=2b0e4cf56d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
THE FALLOUT FROM COVID-19: SIX QUESTIONS WE HAVE ABOUT HOW COVID WILL IMPACT THIS COMING YEAR.
With the Coronavirus impacting life as we know it, we have some serious questions about the state of the wrestling world. Many questions, however, we may not have answers to for a very long time. With COVID-19 changing on a daily basis, it’s hard to predict wrestling will look like several months from now. The USOC and USA Wrestling are hard at work trying to put procedures in place in light of the recent circumstances, but regardless, there’s still much we don’t know.
Who’s qualified?
In 2019, athletes qualified at the Bill Farrell International tournament and the U.S Olympic Trials Qualifier in Fort Worth, Texas. Previous world team members from earlier in the quad and junior world medalists also automatically qualified for trials. Will these athletes remain qualified? …. rest of the story at https://www.wreaperwrestling.com/the-fallout-from-covid-19-six-questions-we-have-about-how-covid-will-impact-this-coming-year/?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
GOHEELS EXCLUSIVE: FOCUSING ON PROGRESS
By: Joe Wedra
While spending time away from campus and at home during the country’s efforts to slow the spread of COVID-19, many in athletics are taking the opportunity to sit and reflect upon some of the great moments from the past year.
That’s held particularly true for Austin O’Connor, Kennedy Monday and Zach Sherman, all of whom played key roles in UNC Wrestling’s dominant 2019-20 season. With a down period of returning home and taking classes online, the three Tar Heel starters have been able to spend time thinking about not only the athletic accomplishments from the past season, but appreciate the team’s family-oriented culture.
“Obviously a lot of us on the team are really different because we all come from different places. In the past, it seemed like there may have been different goals and not everyone was on the same page with everything, but this year the camaraderie picked up,” said Sherman, a redshirt sophomore who finished the season with a 27-5 record and an ACC title at 141 pounds.
“Everyone just rallied around the common goal that we wanted to be something for people to remember,” Sherman said. “I think it affected everything in a really good way.”
Monday, a redshirt junior, said the news of the cancelation of the NCAA Championships came as an abrupt surprise for everybody, even with the national awareness of COVID-19 growing in the days prior.
However, Monday noted that the situation offered a time for reflection upon the year. The mission of UNC Athletics is to “educate and inspire through athletics”. For those in UNC Wrestling’s program, last season certainly provided plenty of moments that embodied that mission.
“I didn’t find out until the middle of my workout,” Monday said. “We were going like a regular practice. I looked over and guys were looking really sad, so I found out right in the middle. “It was really sad for everybody, but I took some time to myself just to reflect on it and the season. I had some good wins, some losses, but overall, as a team, we did well. …. story at https://goheels.com/news/2020/4/7/wrestling-goheels-exclusive-focusing-on-progress.aspx?mc_cid=9b0303e966&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
International Wrestling – # 3
Hidlay brothers stay ready for shot at the Olympics
Loss of NCAA Championships cuts deep
By Andrew Kalista (FOX43)
Published: March 23, 2020
RALEIGH, N.C. — This past weekend was supposed to be a celebration of the college wrestling season with the NCAA National Championships in Minneapolis. That did not happen. The Hidlay brothers from Mifflin County High School were two of seven area wrestlers set to compete for college gold. A opportunity lost for them and so many others. “You kind of want to think it is not real, I think that is what a lot of us were feeling leading up to it” That was the reaction of Hayden Hidley, when the NC State junior heard about the cancellation of the NCAA Wrestling Championships which was like a take-down on the entire wrestling community. “You train all year for it and to have it not happen is heart breaking'” says Wolfpack freshman and younger brother Trent. “You know in our sport the NCAA Championships are the pinnacle of the season.” …. story and video at https://www.fox43.com/article/sports/hidlay-brothers-stay-ready-for-shot-at-the-olympics/521-4a6f4b69-7424-4e41-9ba5-147ab950e2a9?mc_cid=a94878ac8d&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
How Olympic hopefuls are dealing with uncertainty and training interruptions, from baking to online Zumba classes
U.S. wrestling champion Joe Rau is learning to bake. Three-time Olympic long jumper Tyrone Smith is binge-watching Netflix and building a Lego race car. Rhythmic gymnasts Yelyzaveta Merenzon and Elizaveta Pletneva — teammates in a sport in which synchronization is paramount — are taking online Zumba classes alone in their respective homes. As the calls grow for the Summer Games to be postponed because of the coronavirus and the International Olympic Committee gives itself until mid-April to make a decision, local Olympic hopefuls have been forced to find creative ways to train and keep their minds off a potentially devastating blow to long-held dreams. It’s a task undertaken amid great uncertainty, as the athletes no longer can access their training facilities, practice with their teams or compete in qualifying competitions. “Everything I’ve done with my life over the past four years has been with the Olympics in mind,” said Rau, a Chicago native and the United States’ top Greco-Roman wrestler in the 87-kg weight class. “And all of a sudden, I have no idea what’s going to happen. I can’t practice. I can’t work out like I normally do. What am I supposed to do with all this free time?” …. story at https://www.chicagotribune.com/coronavirus/ct-coronavirus-olympic-athletes-tokyo-20200322-2axzl4vzzrdulced2dppwmdx3i-story.html?mc_cid=0750227b4f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
‘It’s bigger than sports right now’: Former OSU wrestling champion supports postponing Olympics
Amar Dhesi clinched a spot with Team Canada after his performance at the Pan American Olympic Qualifiers.Author: Orlando Sanchez
March 24, 2020
PORTLAND, Ore. — Corvallis, Oregon is a special place for Amar Dhesi. “Oregon State will always be a part of my life and my journey. I thank my coaches so much for giving me the opportunity. I was just a small-town kid from a place that never had anyone go to a Division 1 school.” From Surrey, B.C., to Oregon State University, Dhesi is an all-american, PAC-12 champion and now an olympian, clinching a spot with Team Canada after his performance at the Pan American Olympic Qualifiers. “It was a surreal moment for me. I really didn’t grasp what I had done because it was just such a big moment leading up and waiting for it for so long,” said Dhesi. “I’m more excited for my family and everybody than for myself really, just because they put so much time and work into me.” Reality hit after returning home from the event and experiencing the impact coronavirus was having on the world. “It was tough because I had to self-isolate when I came back home. I was even reluctant to give my dad a hug after I made the Olympics, so it’s been a tough process altogether.” …. story at https://www.kgw.com/article/sports/former-osu-wrestling-champion-supports-olympics-postponement/283-0f88982a-7f48-4a65-8dac-4687ab1af530?mc_cid=0750227b4f&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Coronavirus NJ: Wrestler Frank Molinaro says Olympic postponement was ‘right decision’
Frank Molinaro had the ending to his brilliant wrestling career all planned out. “My plan was to wrestle at Bryce Jordan Center (the Penn State University arena where the U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials were going to take place April 4-5) and it was Tokyo or bust,” Molinaro said, referring to the site of the Olympic Games originally planned for this summer. “I was either going to make it to Tokyo, and I felt like I was in a great position to do that, or I was going to take my shoes off and retire at Penn State.’’ All those plans are now on hold, with the Summer Olympics being postponed to 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. “It was shaping up to be a great ending to my career,” Molinaro laughed. Molinaro has had one of the most decorated careers in the history of New Jersey wrestling. He won three NJSIAA championships at Southern Regional from 2005-2007. He won his first state title by defeating a Winslow Township junior named Jordan Burroughs 2-1 on an escape in the final seconds of the ultimate tiebreaker in the 2005 125-pound final. …. story at https://www.app.com/story/sports/2020/03/26/coronavirus-nj-wrestler-frank-molinaro-says-olympic-postponement-right-decision/5080966002/?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Cox gears up for new challenge amid Olympics chaos
J’den Cox doesn’t usually like to express his opinions on social media. But on Sunday, with nearly all of the sports sphere shut down from COVID-19 and the 2020 Summer Olympics still up in the air, the former Missouri wrestler and Olympic medalist shared on Twitter that he would not be a part of the Games in Tokyo, as scheduled. Two days later, the International Olympic Committee announced its decision to postpone the Games. “I’m not going to put somebody’s life or health behind my dream,” Cox told the Missourian on Wednesday. “I’ve never told any of the athletes or anyone that they can’t be angry or they can’t be sad. It’s with a heavy heart that I say these things. It’s not like it doesn’t affect me.” While Cox said that he wasn’t trying to use his high-profile platform to speak for everyone, he is certainly someone people in the sports world look up to, according to Missouri volunteer assistant coach and United States wrestler Dom Bradley. Both Cox and Bradley, who also intended to compete in the Olympic wrestling qualifiers this summer, said that while their health is important, they don’t want to risk the lives of those who might be more vulnerable to the virus. …. story at https://www.columbiamissourian.com/sports/mizzou_sports/cox-gears-up-for-new-challenge-amid-olympics-chaos/article_56805996-6ef7-11ea-9d83-57810c6b27b1.html?mc_cid=5dfdb1c828&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Qualified athletes for Tokyo 2020 to keep places at rearranged Olympic Games
Athletes who had qualified for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will keep their places at the rescheduled event after it was postponed until no later than the summer of 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) gave the guarantee on a teleconference call with 33 International Federations yesterday, multiple sources familiar with the talks told insidethegames. It is expected that the athlete quotas for each sport will remain the same following the decision to delay the Games after the World Health Organization warned the COVID-19 pandemic was accelerating. The IOC said last week that 57 per cent of the 11,000 athletes had qualified for Tokyo 2020. …. story at https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1092472/ioc-confirm-athletes-keep-olympic-places?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Olympic dream delayed one year for Brighton wrestler representing San Marino
When the disappointing news broke, Myles Amine leaned upon the mindset that helped him become a world-class wrestler. “I try to stay optimistic at all times,” he said …. story at https://www.livingstondaily.com/story/sports/olympics/2020/03/29/olympic-dream-delayed-one-year-brighton-wrestler-myles-amine/2921161001/?mc_cid=1270ffe756&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Vallimont’s last chance to make U.S. Olympic Wrestling team in limbo
Dan Vallimont made up his mind that this would be the last chance to fulfill his dream of competing at the Olympics. The 33-year-old wrestler, who was a two-time All-American at Penn State and won a pair of state titles at Jefferson, knows that time is running out. Vallimont competed in the U.S. Olympic trials in 2016 at 74 kilograms (163 pounds), but fell short in the quarterfinals. Four years later, he was ready for one last shot to reach his dream. Vallimont was set to compete in the Last Chance Qualifier for the Olympic trials at that same weight this past weekend in Millersville, Pa., until the coronavirus pandemic forced qualifying to be postponed. Then, on Tuesday, the International Olympic Committee made the call to postpone this year’s Olympic Games in Tokyo to 2021. “There’s two sides to it: There’s a lot of things that are bigger than sports. The health of the entire world is obviously one of them. At the same time, it’s saddening that it has to be this way,” Vallimont said Wednesday after the news. “There’s athletes, coaches and families and people all over the world that were looking forward to this event as something to rally around and get behind and really enjoy. It’s unfortunate that that’s not going to be able to happen as scheduled.” It was a difficult realization for Vallimont, who acknowledged that this Olympic cycle will likely be his last. …. story at https://www.njherald.com/sports/20200328/vallimonts-last-chance-to-make-us-olympic-wrestling-team-in-limbo?mc_cid=1270ffe756&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
