TJ Dudley named Campbell wrestling head coach
BUIES CREEK, N.C. – Campbell has elevated assistant coach and former three-time All-American TJ Dudley to head wrestling coach for the Fighting Camels, announced today by University President Dr. William Downs and Director of Athletics Hannah Bazemore.
“TJ Dudley embodies all the qualities that I was looking for as we set out to hire the next head coach of Campbell’s storied wrestling program,” affirmed President Downs. “He is a proven winner. He is a fierce competitor driven by the desire to exceed—not just match—previous heights of excellence. He knows and appreciates our mission at Campbell, where the job is to turn student-athletes into champions on and off the mat. Perhaps most importantly, TJ commands a room with his authenticity…no drama, just a will to succeed. There’s a ton of fight in this Camel…I’m eager to see his impact!”
“I am excited to welcome TJ Dudley as our next head wrestling coach,” said Bazemore. “Through this process, Coach Dudley separated himself through his dedication to our student-athletes and Campbell University. As one of the greatest wrestlers in the history of the region, Coach Dudley also knows this area as well as anyone, and will continue to recruit and develop championship caliber student-athletes at Campbell. He knows Campbell, is a connector, and is a great fit to lead our program.”
“I’m extremely excited and beyond grateful to step into this opportunity as head coach at Campbell University,” said Dudley. “This journey has taken a lot of hard work, faith, and perseverance, and I couldn’t have gotten here without my Lord and Savior, my family and friends, and support from incredible people I’ve met in my time here at Campbell. A special thank you to the President of Campbell University, … more at … https://gocamels.com/news/2025/7/26/wrestling-tj-dudley-named-wrestling-head-coach.aspx
InterMat’s All-Quarter Century Team: NC State
Earlier this week, our All-Quarter Century feature highlighted a Missouri program that really came into its own over the last 25 years. The same can be said for NC State. For the first decade-plus in the 2000’s NC State was a highly competitive team in an ACC that was not at the level that we’ve grown accustomed to. All of that changed in 2013 with the hiring of Pat Popolizio. Shortly after Popolizio’s hiring, NC State became a perennial conference championship favorite and, in many cases, a top ten team.
Since NC State doesn’t have the long, storied history like other teams we’ve featured thus far, their All-Quarter Century teams don’t have quite the depth like others. At the same time, they have seen some superstars and their first team generally matches up with most other programs.
One big decision here was how to handle the logjam at 133-149. Kevin Jack and Tariq Wilson had relatively similar accomplishments and it was difficult to pick between the two. Since Wilson had two years at 133 lbs, we put him there. The other option for Wilson was at 149 lbs and with NCAA champion Darrion Caldwell in the mix, he probably should get that spot.
Wrestlers considered for the three teams had to compete from 2001-25. For the wrestlers early in this timeframe, their entire collegiate body of work … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/acc/intermats-all-quarter-century-team-nc-state-r100401/
Future NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships sites
UW-La Crosse Selected to Host 2027 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships
La Crosse, Wis. – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced today the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has been awarded the bid to host the 2027 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.
The wrestling championships, to be held at the La Crosse Center in downtown La Crosse, will occur on March 12-13, 2027. It will mark the sixth time UW-La Crosse has hosted the NCAA III Wrestling Championships (2011, 2012, 2017, 2021, 2024, 2027).
“We’re so excited to host the NCAA Championships again in 2027,” said UWL Head Wrestling Coach Dave Malecek. “There is no better place to have the championships than downtown La Crosse. The La Crosse Center is an amazing facility that is so convenient not only for the wrestlers and coaches but all of the fans. We appreciate the continued support from our amazing downtown businesses and local hotels that help make this championship possible.”
UW-La Crosse placed third at the 2011 and 2024 NCAA Division III Championships at the La Crosse Center, fourth in 2012 and tied for 11th in 2017. The 2021 championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat. … more at … https://uwlathletics.com/news/2025/7/17/uw-la-crosse-selected-to-host-2027-ncaa-division-iii-wrestling-championships.aspx
Quad Cities selected to host 2028 Division III Men’s Wrestling Championships
Augustana, in partnership with Visit Quad Cities, will host the 2028 national meet
MOLINE, Ill. — Augustana College, in partnership with Visit Quad Cities, has been selected as the host for the 2028 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championships.
The championship, hosted by Visit Quad Cities in partnership with Augustana College, will take place March 10-11, 2028, at Vibrant Arena at The MARK in Moline, Ill. Early projections show the championship is expected to generate nearly $1 million in direct economic impact for the Quad Cities region. This marks the fourth time Augustana College has served as host institution of the NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship, with previous host years including 1985, 1991, and 1995 at the Carver Center.
“Hosting the Division III National Championships has been a goal of mine for years,” said head coach Tony Willaert. “This tournament is one of the most electric events in all of wrestling, and it’s incredibly exciting to bring it back to the Quad Cities for the first time since 1995. Since arriving at Augustana, I’ve driven past Vibrant Arena countless times, always imagining what it would be like to bring thousands of fans downtown for a championship weekend. In 2028, we’re not just looking to host, but want to put on a show and make Moline a staple location for this event for years to come.”
Bidding for 87 of 90 NCAA championships began in September 2023, and more than 1,200 bid applications were submitted. Each sport committee, per division, selected the host sites it believed would provide the ultimate experience for the respective student-athletes, resulting in more than 240 total championship event sites being awarded. During the 2025 national championship, over 200 of the best wrestlers in the country competed in ten weight classes. More than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships each year.
“On behalf of the Visit Quad Cities Board of Directors and professional team, we are thrilled about the opportunity to host the 2028 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships,” said Dave Herrell, President and CEO, Visit Quad Cities. “We are grateful for the confidence of the NCAA and look forward … more at … https://athletics.augustana.edu/news/2025/7/22/quad-cities-selected-to-host-2028-division-iii-mens-wrestling-championships.aspx
Virginia Colleges Coaching changes
Averett promotes Braswell to men’s wrestling head coach as Roulo announces departure
DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University announced the promotion of Sam Braswell to head coach of the men’s wrestling program on Wednesday as Blake Roulo departs for another coaching opportunity. Braswell served as an assistant coach for the past three seasons on Roulo’s staff following a storied career as an All-American with the Cougars. Braswell, who has been affiliated with Averett wrestling since it began in 2018, becomes the Cougars’ third head coach for the storied program which has produced 10 All-America selections, 20 NCAA national qualifiers and five region champions in only eight seasons of existence.
“Sam Braswell has been an integral part of our wrestling program, first as a student-athlete and then as an assistant coach,” Director of Athletics Danny Miller said. “His passion, knowledge and experience not only provides continuity within our program, but also a vision for the continued success and growth of Averett wrestling.”
Braswell had an illustrious collegiate wrestling career at Averett from 2018-2022. A three-time NCAA Division III national qualifier and three-time NWCA All-American, Braswell finished his career at Averett as the program’s leader in wins after going 150-28, including a program single-season record for 42 wins in 2021-22. During his final campaign, Braswell won 39 consecutive matches to start the season and finished fourth nationally while winning the NCAA Southeast Region title at 125 pounds … more at … https://averettcougars.com/news/2025/7/16/mens-wrestling-averett-promotes-braswell-to-mens-wrestling-head-coach-as-roulo-announces-departure.aspx
Roulo Named Wrestling Coach, Assistant Athletic Director at Ferrum
FERRUM, Virginia — Director of Athletics Cleive Adams has announced the hiring of Blake Roulo as Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Ferrum College. Roulo comes to Ferrum from Averett University, where he served the past six years as Head Wrestling Coach.
Roulo posted five consecutive winning seasons at the helm of Averett’s mat program. He racked up 96 career dual meet wins, including 21 over NCAA Division II schools and two over Division I schools. He led the Cougars to an impressive 23-6 overall record in 2021-22, while his 2023-24 team went 20-7.
Roulo’s accomplishments include having coached 20 NCAA qualifiers, 10 All-Americans, 12 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-Americans, 38 regional placewinners, 14 conference champions, 38 wrestlers nationally ranked by the NWCA and/or d3wrestle.com, and one wrestler ranked #1 in the nation two years in a row.
A seasoned recruiter, Roulo brought in large recruiting classes at Averett: 46 wrestlers in 2019-20, 54 in 2020-21, 63 in 2021-22, 65 in 2022-23, and 60-plus in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He also excels as a fundraiser, out-pacing all Averett sports programs during Annual Day of Giving events the past three years. “We’re thrilled to welcome Blake Roulo to Ferrum as our new Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director,” said Adams. “We’re fortunate to have attracted a proven, high-quality coach who can continue to elevate our wrestling program and uphold the elite standards that have been established. In his role as Assistant Athletic Director, Blake will also focus on enhancing game day management as we continue to prioritize the student-athlete and fan experience at Ferrum College.” … more at … https://ferrumpanthers.com/news/2025/7/17/ruolo-named-wrestling-coach-assistant-ad-at-ferrum.aspx
Hidlay puts wrestling world on notice
Budapest might want to check the wrestling mats for scorch marks after Trent Hidlay rolled through town. You could say the city has seen conquerors before–Attila, the Turks, the Soviets. But last weekend, it was a young man from Mifflin County with a will like a locomotive, plowing through the best the sport could throw at him. By the end, all Budapest could do was hand him gold, throw up their hands, and hope he left the place standing.
If you’ve been paying attention–if you have even a distant cousin who ever laced up wrestling shoes in the Juniata Valley–you knew this day was coming. The rest of the world found out the hard way at the Polyák Imre & Varga János Memorial Ranking Series, where Hidlay painted the 92-kilo bracket red, white, and blue.
The folks in Hungary thought they were getting a friendly international exchange. What they got was a lesson in what happens when you mix Pennsylvania grit, an NCAA All-American’s engine, and a year when every time Hidlay gets on a mat, the mat starts to sweat.
They say sports are about moments. Hidlay made a weekend in July feel like D-Day with a scoreboard. He didn’t sneak up on anybody, either.
In the qualification round, he drew Abubakr Abakarov, an Azerbaijani whose name sounds like a Bond villain and wrestles like one. Hidlay beat him 7-2. … more at … https://www.lewistownsentinel.com/sports/local-sports/2025/07/hidlay-puts-wrestling-world-on-notice/
Forrest wins Final X best-of-three series, secures Senior World Team berth in men’s freestyle
FARGO, N.D.— Jax Forrest claimed his first Senior World Team berth on Monday, defeating 2023 Senior World Champion and 2024 Senior World bronze medalist Vito Arujau in two-straight matches. The delayed Final X Wrestle-off was held alongside the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota.
In the first round, Arujau opened the scoring with a slick shot to the left leg, securing the takedown. Forrest quickly scrambled back to his feet, and in a tight exchange, managed to earn two points on a takedown of his own, making the score 2-2 and taking the lead on criteria.
Early in the second period, Arujau pushed ahead with a point from a step out, making it 3-2. With five seconds remaining, Forrest secured the deciding takedown, earning a 4-3 win and a 1-0 series lead.
In match two, Forrest quickly jumped to a 4-0 lead … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/july/14/forrest-wins-final-x-best-of-three-series-secures-senior-world-team-berth-in-men-s-freestyle
N.C. State Freshman Will Denny Earns Gold at U20 Pan American Championships
LIMA, Peru – NC State wrestling’s incoming freshman Will Denny earned the gold medal for 74kg at the U20 Pan American Championships in freestyle over the weekend.
The Manhattan, Illinois native represented the United States on the world stage on Saturday, helping the team bring home the title. All together, the team earned eight gold medals and two bronze medals, pushing their final lead to 77 points.
Denny won all three of his matches with bonus points which included one pin and two technical falls. … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2025/7/14/wrestling-freshman-will-denny-earns-gold-at-u20-pan-american-championships
NECP’s most accomplished wrestler signs with Presbyterian
NECP’s most accomplished wrestler signs with Presbyterian
The most accomplished wrestler in the 13-year history of North East Carolina Prep will be co… … more at … https://www.rockymounttelegram.com/
Tony Dungy: An uncommon bond with Minnesota Gophers Wrestling
By Brian Jerzak
Since 1977, the Gopher Wrestling Club has been supporting the Minnesota Gophers’ wrestling program. The year before, the football program graduated, at the time, their career leader in pass attempts, completions, passing yards, and touchdown passes. Many years later, the Gophers’ wrestling program and its NFL Hall of Fame inductee alumni – former Pittsburg Steelers player and former head coach of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Indianapolis Colts – Tony Dungy will continue their long-time relationship with each other with Dungy as the featured speaker at the Minnesota Gophers’ wrestling gala next month. Dungy grew up in Big Ten country, cheering for the maize and blue of Michigan and the green and white of Michigan State.
“I grew up in Jackson, Michigan, and it is midway between the University of Michigan and Michigan State,” Dungy said. “My dad got his undergrad degree from Michigan, and my mom was a Spartan. They both did graduate work at Michigan State, so I grew up on the Michigan State campus. When I was in middle school and high school, my dad would take me to Michigan games. I felt like I was going to go to one of those places. I fell in love with Michigan State. In the middle of my senior year of high school, [Michigan State head football coach] Duffy Daugherty announced his retirement. His number one assistant, Cal Stoll, got the head coaching job at Minnesota. Coach Stoll talked to me about why he was at Minnesota, how wonderful it was, and how I could set my own legacy. I decided I wanted to get away from those campuses. I visited Minnesota, and it was amazing. I decided this was the place I had to be.” Early in his time at Minnesota, Dungy, who had never wrestled a day in his life, struck up a friendship with Gopher wrestler Pat Neu, starting a nearly fifty-year relationship for Dungy with the wrestling program. “At the University of Minnesota, all of the athletes were kind of together in study hall and in the same dorm, and I got to become friends with Pat,” Dungy said. “He was a dynamic wrestler and a good guy. We hung out together on campus and in study halls. I would see how hard the wrestlers worked. They were not only good guys, but they were also so disciplined. That is what caught me. … more at … https://theguillotine.com/2025/04/tony-dungy-an-uncommon-bond-with-minnesota-gophers-wrestling/?doing_wp_cron=1750739698.2963581085205078125000
It’s Not About You
It’s not about you. That’s right, this might be a hard pill to swallow, but wrestling is not about you. There will always be someone better or someone who has simply accomplished more. There will always be “phenoms” on the rise, other wrestlers who obtain the focus and attention of spectators around the country (or world). However, the fact that it’s not about you is not a suggestion to forgo wrestling glory. It’s not meant to stifle your passion and drive for greatness. If anything, it’s meant to release you. Your mind is freed from the belief that wrestling is about you, that it’s merely a resource for your own grandeur and self-fulfillment. In fact, only then can you really appreciate what is you are engaging.
After obtaining the pinnacles of our sport, so many of our wrestling legends have discovered that the fulfillment is fleeting. Rather than experiencing lasting contentment, they desire more. And this is different from the desire to compete, or even a growing passion for the sport. It’s instead more in tune with initiating another campaign of self-fulfillment, a mission to feed their self-worth.
Well, if wrestling is not about you, then who is it about? Or better yet, what is it? The answer is simple: Wrestling is a “gift”. It’s something to grow in. It’s something that provides the opportunity to experience real, tangible struggle, to test your body and push it to the limits – and not just physically, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually as well. It encourages goal-setting and dedication to the task. It offers the ability to grasp what it feels like to succeed as well as fail – both of which are important in developing as a person of integrity, wisdom, and character. But most of all, wrestling is something to enjoy! Wrestling is something to embrace with delight and passion. It was never meant to serve as a measuring-stick of self-worth or a resource to obtain lifelong pleasure. Have many people gained considerable pleasure from what they’ve accomplished on the mat? Absolutely! But wrestling is bigger than them and their accomplishments. It doesn’t begin and end with Dan Gable, John Smith, Jordan Burroughs or Kyle Snyder. Wrestling is a gift that offers an unparalleled journey. Quite frankly, to wrestle is to be human. Struggle is a part of the human predicament in all its varying degrees and faces. And in the midst of struggle, we can experience overcoming it and enjoy moments of triumph. … more at … https://faithandwrestling.wordpress.com/2023/09/05/its-not-about-you/
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
Takedown Report 