Takedown Report

GoHeels Exclusive: O’Connor Ready For Spotlight

By Joe Wedra, UNC Athletic Communications
Austin O’Connor can’t avoid the national spotlight, so it’s a good thing that the redshirt freshman isn’t afraid to embrace it fully.
Expected to lead the way for Carolina at 149 pounds this season, O’Connor enters the year with a somewhat unprecedented amount of national attention. The Lockport, Illinois, native hasn’t seen time in a Carolina wrestling regular season dual quite yet, but he’s already had his fair share of success since he’s been with the program.
This year, he not only collected a UWW Junior Freestyle national title at the U.S. Open in April, but he also went to Brazil and brought home gold at the 2018 Junior Pan American Championships at 70 kg.
Needless to say, he’s earned the right to both be an expected leader in the Carolina starting lineup and a candidate to break out on the national scene. There’s a reason a deep run at NCAAs isn’t an unrealistic goal.
“We couldn’t be more excited to see Austin out on the mat,” head coach Coleman Scott said, noting his ability to step in and be a clear difference-maker. “He’s the kind of guy who fans are going to want to root for. We’re all expecting him to come in immediately, add a lot of excitement and perform at an extremely high level.”
For O’Connor, he credits his readiness to someone Tar Heel fans might be familiar with – 2018 All-American and current assistant Troy Heilmann. The two worked together throughout the entirety of last season, and O’Connor actually began the year with a win over Heilmann in the season-opening wrestle offs.  Rest of the story at https://goheels.com/news/2018/10/12/wrestling-goheels-exclusive-o-connor-ready-for-spotlight.aspx?mc_cid=1e42fc3340&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

October 14, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Binghamton Duo paving way for women’s wrestling

Normally, happenings at Presbyterian College in South Carolina and King College in Tennessee wouldn’t warrant attention in these parts.  But as women’s wrestling continues to gain traction at the college level, a duo with local ties enjoys a front-row seat.  Binghamton North graduate Mark Cody took a job in December as Director of Wrestling at Presbyterian College, the lone school in the nation to offer Division I wrestling for women.
Maine-Endwell graduate Cheyenne Sisenstein will wrestle for King College this winter after spending a year at Wyoming Seminary, a prep school in Pennsylvania.  They’re on the ground floor for a sport that has seen eye-opening growth in recent years.
In New York, girls started showing up on high school mats and wrestling boys about two decades back. In those days, it was something of an oddity.
More: M-E girl finds respect, success on the wrestling mat
More: Centorani: Section 4 needs more wrestlers 
More: Longest six minutes in high school sports?
It’s become much more mainstream.
Cody said 15,000 girls wrestle at the high school and club level in the United States. Twelve states offer girls high school state championships, up six from last year and 50 colleges have women’s wrestling programs.
Chenango Forks coach Rick Gumble said of the 140 wrestlers New York sent to the Marine Corps Cadet and Junior National Championships in Fargo, North Dakota, last month, 40 were girls.  The year before, Sisenstein earned All-America honors at the same tournament.
“Now that women’s wrestling is getting larger, I do believe a greater number of naturally-gifted females will take up opportunities to wrestle,” said Sisenstein, who nearly placed in the Section 4 Division II tournament as a senior in 2017. “I think it took some guinea pigs to get it rolling, but over the years we have had a tremendous amount of great athletes. … It really is a blessing to be able to watch this sport grow first hand.”
Cody, former men’s head coach at Oklahoma and American, said though Presbyterian is the first D-I to offer women’s wrestling, he expects others to follow suit. Oklahoma State and Iowa are among schools considering adding women’s wrestling, he said.
Rest of the story at https://www.pressconnects.com/story/sports/high-school/2018/08/25/womens-wrestling-gaining-traction-u-s/1093886002/?mc_cid=37026a08ed&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b

October 14, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2018-19 Truman Wrestling Schedule Finalized

TDR Editor’s Notes;  This is more than just another college team’s schedule but also an announcement that the program has been successful in raising funds to be reinstated.  It was announced last spring that the wrestling team was to be discontinued.  We are quite glad to see that has changed and wrestling will continue at another college.+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
KIRKSVILLE, Mo. – The Truman Wrestling team will compete in the 2018-19 season after reaching their fundraising goal. The Bulldogs have begun practicing and will start the season on November 1 with a dual at Upper Iowa University.
“I would like to thank everyone who donated to the program and to each of the student-athletes that stayed,” said Head Coach David Schutter. “Now it’s on to the season. These student-athletes have a great love for wrestling and for Truman.”
The season schedule features 10 regular season dual matches with two at home. The Bulldogs will wrestle the University of Central Missouri and Graceland (Iowa) on consecutive nights in Pershing Arena on February 6-7 starting at 7 p.m.
Truman will also compete in the two-day Great Lakes Valley Conference dual championship tournament on February 2-3 in Indianapolis. The seven GLVC teams will compete in a round-robin format to crown the league champion.
Rest of the story at https://trumanbulldogs.com/news/2018/10/11/2018-19-truman-wrestling-schedule-finalized.aspx?path=wrestling

October 13, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

The plan to save Truman State wrestling

Over the years, wrestling mats have been littered with the remains of far too many college wrestling programs that were unceremoniously eliminated by school presidents and athletic directors, too many times without any clear explanation … and no real opportunity for wrestlers, coaches and alumni to reverse the decision.  In early May, Truman State University administrators announced their Bulldog NCAA Division II wrestling program would be eliminated, effective immediately.   Now there is a plan — a written memorandum of understanding — put together by school administrators, head wrestling coach Dave Schutter, and wrestling team captain Samuel Reeves, which is described as “a proposal to provide possible funding for the wrestling program.” The plan was signed by the participants just last week.  Originally, Truman State had planned for its more-than-a-half-century-old wrestling program to shut down at the time of the announcement in early May. Upon receiving word that the school located in northeast Missouri had planned to axe the mat program right away, coach Schutter and his wrestlers requested an opportunity to develop a strategy to compete for one more season, and, also, a strategy for the wrestling program to continue as an intercollegiate sport at Truman State into the future.  Rest of the story at http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/20186

October 13, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Open Workout at ECU for all on Oct. 14th

We are having a free Open Workout at ECU for all h.s., middle school, and youth wrestlers on October 14 from 2:00 – 4:00.  We will mostly do technique with a little live situation wrestling.

location:  Student Rec Center on campus at 7th & Cotanche Streets
parking:  college lot at 9th & Cotanche, across from McDonald’s

Let’s get ready to wrestle!  I’ll be running the session with help from ECU wrestlers.

Milt Sherman sherman@ecu.edu
member:  ECU Athletics Hall of Fame
member:  National Wrestling HOF – NC chapter

October 11, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

All Time College Wrestling Teams – Ranked by Most Dual Meet Wins

October 10, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | 1 Comment

All 33 wrestlers in each weight class will now be seeded at NCAAs

October 10, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Patacsil named Mount Olive head wrestling coach

MOUNT OLIVE, N.C. — Jake Patacsil has been named the inaugural head men’s wrestling coach, it was announced by Vice President for Athletics Jeff Eisen.
Jake Patacsil

“Jake has an outstanding wrestling and coaching background, and we are excited to have him become our first head men’s wrestling coach. His experience, energy, and enthusiasm make him the ideal coach for starting a new program,” said Eisen.
“I am honored to be given the responsibility of leading and developing Mount Olive’s first wrestling team. I look forward to bringing in student-athletes in that will set a great example for the future of the program and will look to achieve their goals in college and beyond. I want to thank President Dr. David Poole, Director of Athletics Jeff Eisen, and the rest of the search committee for giving me this opportunity. I am thrilled to be joining the University of Mount Olive’s community and it’s athletic program,” said Patacsil.
Patacsil comes to Mount Olive after spending the last four years as an assistant coach at Division I Hofstra University. During his time at Hofstra, Patacsil helped coach two two-time NCAA National Qualifiers and one All-American. His responsibilities at Hofstra included recruiting, working with the team on top and bottom positions, and running practices. He helped the wrestling team win the Pride Cup (given to the most social/academically/athletically successful team) three years in a row.
Prior to his time at Hofstra, Patacsil was an assistant at Duke University from 2013-14 where he assisted in recruiting top-level talent, assisted in planning and running practices, and worked heavily with the Blue Devils NCAA All-American Connor Hartman.  Rest of the story at http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/20607

October 10, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

All-American Tariq Wilson to Wrestle in NWCA All-Star Classic

Wilson to face national champion Gross in 2018 NCAA semifinal rematch
RALEIGH, N.C. – 2018 All-American Tariq Wilson will kick off the 2018-19 NC State wrestling season by competing at the annual NWCA All-Star Classic Nov. 2 in Denver. Wilson will face-off against 2018 NCAA champion Seth Gross of South Dakota State, a rematch of their overtime battle that took place in the semifinals at the 2018 NCAA Championships.  The event will be streamed by TrackWrestling.com.  This marks the fifth straight year NC State has been represented in the event. Last season at the NWCA All-Star Classic, the Pack won all three of its bouts: Kevin Jack over Bryce Meredith of Wyoming, Pete Renda over Drew Foster of Northern Iowa, and Michael Macchiavello over Frank Mattiace of Penn.  The battle between the top-seeded and eventual national champion Gross and the unseeded Wilson in the 2018 NCAA semifinals was one of the top bouts of the tournament.
WATCH the highlights here: https://www.flowrestling.org/video/6144311-133-lbs-s-seth-gross-sdsu-vs-tariq-wilson-nc-state
Wilson took Gross to overtime with a takedown in the final seconds of regulation, but Gross got a takedown in extra time and converted it for the pin. Wilson stuck Gross with a pair of takedowns in the first period, and after a Gross four-point near fall in the second, Gross took a 7-4 lead into the third. Wilson scored three takedowns in the third, in the final 1:15 and the bout was tied 10-10 at the end of regulation. Gross’ pin came 16 seconds into extra time.
Results of the All-Star Classic not count towards season records.  From Brian Reinhardt
Director of Athletics Digital Communications, North Carolina State Press Release

October 9, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Current Coaches Tenure and Longevity

TDR Editor’s Notes;  The following is our first effort in making a listing of coaches by longevity as a head coach.  The list below has coaches that were active at the end of the 2016-2017 season or close to then.  Will expand this list and categories within it.  Will also update it once last season is included.
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Active ALL Coaches (by longevity) –   Level
1.) Ned McGinley (King’s)                          48                   III
2.) Don Murray (SUNY-Brockport)         47                    III
3.) Pat Pecora (Pitt-Johnstown)                           41                    II
4.) Gary Taylor (Rider Univ.)                    39                    I   * = retired in 2017
5.) Mike Denney (Maryville U./Univ. Nebrasksa Omaha)          38   II
6.) Leo Kocher (Chicago, University of)              38       III
7.) Bill Racich (Ursinus College)                         37        III
8.) Lars Jensen (Cal. State San Francisco)         34        II
9.) Don Henry (Gannon University)                               33        II
10.) Doug Moses (N.M. Highlands, So. Colorado, Col. St.)      33        II
11.) David Pacheco (Sacramento City College)               33                    Calif. Jr. Coll.
12.) Tom Borelli (Cent. Mich./Lake Super. St.)             31                    I/II
13.) Bruce Haberli (N.Y. Univ./Manhattan Coll.)         30                   I/III
14.) J Robinson (Minnesota Univ.)                                  30                   I    — retired in 2016
15.) Ron Beaschler (Ohio Northern Univ.)                     29                    III
16.) Harry McGinnis (Triton Comm. Coll.)                    29                    JuCo
17.) Mike Howard (SUNY-Oswego State)                                    28                   III
18.) Jim Makovsky (Minn. St.-Mankato/Valley City)  28                   II
19.) Tom Minkel (Mich. State/Cent. Mich.)                   27                    I — retired in 2016
20.) Dave Shutter (Truman State/NE Missouri)                      27                    II

October 8, 2018 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment