Road Comeback Gives App. State Third Straight SoCon Title
Editor’s Note; Great to see another conference title won by Coach Bentley and the Mountaineers. Look forward to seeing them in Cleveland.
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CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. — A memorable comeback at Chattanooga has propelled Appalachian State’s wrestling team to another Southern Conference championship. Match-ending wins from Randall Diabe and Cary Miller lifted App State to an 18-16 road victory that secures at least a share of a third straight SoCon title for the Mountaineers (8-3, 6-0). They face Duke at Varsity Gym on Thursday before wrapping up their SoCon schedule at The Citadel (1-9, 0-4) on Feb. 18. “I’m so proud of our guys,” App State coach JohnMark Bentley said. “It was a match that kind of went back and forth, back and forth. There were a lot of matches that I thought we were favored in that we came out on the short end, but we had some guys really step up, and I’d say their coaching staff would say the same. Rest of the story at http://appstatesports.com/news/2018/2/4/road-comeback-gives-wrestling-third-straight-socon-title.aspx?mc_cid=a78a107bb4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Queens Announces Transition in Wrestling Program
Editor’s Note; Surprised here. We hope that the program continues as it can help grow wrestling in the Carolinas.
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CHARLOTTE, N.C. – Queens University of Charlotte Director of Athletics Cherie Swarthout announces the departure of head wrestling coach Ken Chertow. “I want to thank Ken for his efforts to lay a foundation for Queens wrestling,” Swarthout commented. “Ken is internationally recognized in amateur wrestling and his enthusiasm for collegiate wrestling will pay dividends at Queens for years to come. We wish him well as he pursues a different coaching opportunity.” Rest of the story at http://www.queensathletics.com/news/2018/1/31/mens-wrestling-queens-announces-transition-in-wrestling-program.aspx?mc_cid=3a968cc763&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Small school in Nebraska big on female wrestlers from Hawaii
Editor’s Note; Interesting recruiting connection and probably unexpected when the school added this emerging, growing sport of Women’s Wrestling. It is expected that over 40 colleges and universities will sponsor women’s team next season.
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Welina Tong tried wrestling for the first time six years ago and loved the sport so much she was willing to move 4,000 miles from her home in Hawaii to the snowy plains of Nebraska to compete. She’s not alone. She and two other women from the Aloha State are competing this season for Midland University, a 1,400-student private school that is among three dozen small four-year or junior colleges sponsoring varsity women’s wrestling programs. Tong got into the sport quite by accident. She was late for the first day of varsity basketball tryouts her junior year in high school and afraid of facing repercussions from the coach. On her way to the gym she bumped into a friend who persuaded her to try out for wrestling instead. The next year Tong won the state championship at 175 pounds, and Midland assistant coach Antonio Barber was on the phone trying to recruit her. Rest of the story at http://abcnews.go.com/Sports/wireStory/small-school-nebraska-big-female-wrestlers-hawaii-52732194
With participation down, forfeits up, high school wrestling searches for solutions
Editor’s Notes; Distressing news and something that should be addressed and dealt with.
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High school wrestling is enduring some tough times. Everyone involved in the sport knows that. Participation is down and forfeits are up. Take last Thursday, Jan. 11, as just an example. It was a full night of York-Adams League competition. Results for nine matches involving 17 league teams could be tracked down. Those matches featured 47 forfeits, or more than five forfeits per match. In nearly 19 percent of the weight classes, the local teams didn’t field a competitor. And this is in Pennsylvania, which has long been considered a wrestling-mad state. Nationally, the situation is even worse. Rest of the story at https://www.yorkdispatch.com/story/sports/columnists/2018/01/16/heiser-participation-down-forfeits-up-high-school-wrestling-searches-solutions/1037804001/?mc_cid=27ba681e76&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Rivalry Week Dual vs. UNC on Friday evening
Editor’s Notes; The match starts at 7:30 in Reynolds Coliseum. Should be exciting and well attended. Unfortunately it will be the same night as the first round of Regionals on the high school level.
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RALEIGH, N.C. – With the Super Bowl completed, the big event that has people talking in Raleigh is the upcoming rivalry dual against that school in Chapel Hill. Episode 12 of the #PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast has host Brian Reinhardt break down the Pack’s recent victory at Pitt and teases some big happenings coming up in Reynolds Coliseum against, North Carolina this Friday night in Reynolds. We then visit with 184-pounder Pete Renda, a a redshirt-senior nearing 100 career wins and former pet pig owner.
Rest of the story at http://gopack.com/news/2018/2/7/wrestling-packmentality-pop-ins-podcast-ep-12-preview-of-rivalryweek-dual-vs-unc-and-guest-pete-renda.aspx
#6 WolfPack Wins 8 of 10 Bouts in 32-6 Win at Duke
Editor’s Notes; An earlier rivalry dual meet result in the Triangle. Next Carolina goes to Raleigh for the biggest rivalry match in North Carolina.
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DURHAM, N.C. – The sixth-ranked NC State wrestling team won eight of the 10 bouts, and started ACC action with a 32-6 win at Duke Friday night. The Wolfpack (11-1) won the first six bouts to jump out to a 24-0 lead, and had four bonus point wins on the night against the Blue Devils (2-4). The teams drew and the dual started at 125 pounds.
So. Tommy Cox started the Pack with a 6-3 decision at 125 pounds. After falling behind in the first, Cox scored a reversal in the second and added a takedown in the third for the win. #26 R-Fr. Tariq Wilson picked up the first bonus point win of the night, scoring a first period pin at 133 pounds. On his third takedown of the period, Wilson secured a cradle and the pin at the 2:35 mark. Rest of the story at http://gopack.com/news/2018/1/19/wrestling-6-packwrestle-wins-8-of-10-bouts-in-32-6-win-at-duke.aspx?mc_cid=0ff91f59b4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Arsen Aleksanyan to Lead Newly Established NAIA Program at Life Pacific College
Editor’s Notes; Interesting article from the other far coast about a new college program. It highlights or emphasizes how much of the recent growth in wrestling opportunities has been at NAIA schools.
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Since the early 1980s, the sport of wrestling has seen a significant decline in the number of programs offered at the collegiate level; more specifically at the NCAA Division I level. In the state of California, the impact was huge. Not only did we see a major decline at the D1 and D2 levels, the number of programs at the community college level was cut virtually in half. It was not for a lack of interest at the kids and high school levels, which has seen a significant increase over the last several decades, but due to the implementation of Title IX (more specifically proportionality) and other factors that I rather not go into detail in this article. The good news, the sport has seen a significant increase of programs nationwide in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) division. To date, California has fielded programs at Menlo College, Simpson College, Cal Baptist University (now NCAA Division II), and there is talk about fielding more programs in the near future.
Rest of the story at http://thecaliforniawrestler.com/arsen-aleksanyan-to-lead-newly-established-naia-program-at-life-pacific-college-in-san-dimas-california-qa/?mc_cid=0ff91f59b4&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Pitt Wrestling Icon Rande Stottlemyer Passes Away
Editor’s Note; Our belated condolences for the family and wrestling fans of former Pittsburgh University coach Rande Stottlemyer.
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PITTSBURGH—Rande Stottlemyer, whose name is synonymous with the rich history of wrestling at the University of Pittsburgh, passed away today, his family announced. Stottlemyer was 62. Stottlemyer’s association with Pitt wrestling spanned nearly four decades. He was a three-time All-American for the Panthers from 1974-78. Following his 1978 graduation from the university, Stottlemyer served Pitt as an assistant coach for one year before taking over as head coach in 1979. He led the Panthers for 34 seasons and retired in 2013 as the winningest coach in program history with a 304-231-12 record. Stottlemyer produced 56 Eastern Wrestling League (EWL) individual champions, 33 All-Americans and three national champions. He also was selected the EWL Coach of the Year five times. Rest of the story at http://pittsburghpanthers.com/news/2018/1/28/pitt-wrestling-icon-rande-stottlemyer-passes-away.aspx?mc_cid=cf52924de2&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Gannon University Adds Women’s Wrestling As 22nd Sport; Becomes First Pennsylvania School to Offer
Editor’s Note; The news keeps rolling in about schools seeing how adding wrestling is a wise move for their enrollment numbers and for their students. We look forward to hearing of more.
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ERIE, Pa. – Gannon Director of Athletics Lisa Goddard McGuirk has announced the addition of women’s wrestling as the University’s 22nd varsity sport with 2018-19 serving as the inaugural season. Gannon is the first school in the state of Pennsylvania to offer women’s wrestling as a four-year intercollegiate program.
“We are excited for the opportunity to support a growing sport and provide an opportunity for women to continue to compete at the varsity collegiate level,” said Goddard McGuirk. “Gannon’s wrestling program has a history of excellence that continues today and under Don Henry’s leadership, that success and tradition of excellence will be experienced by our women’s wrestling student-athletes.”
Rest of the story at http://gannonsports.com/news/2018/1/26/gannon-university-adds-womens-wrestling-as-22nd-sport-becomes-first-pennsylvania-school-to-offer.aspx?mc_cid=f69b11ecee&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Conference Carolinas and The South Atlantic Conference Partner to Sponsor Field Hockey and Wrestling
Editor’s Note; The sponsorship of a sport by college conferences is a key step in the growth or decline of the number of schools with that sport. Just look at how rapidly wrestling declined in the southeast after the SEC pulled the plug on wrestling. It is much more possible and important that colleges are competitive for their all sports conference championships. Yes a National championship is a great goal to reach but when conferences add sports it helps that sport grow.
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HIGH POINT, N.C. – Conference Carolinas is pleased to announce that it has joined with the South Atlantic Conference to sponsor joint championships for field hockey and wrestling beginning in 2018-19. In a historic partnership, member institutions from both conferences will be able to compete for a co-branded ‘South Atlantic Conference Carolinas’ Championship in the sports of field hockey and men’s wrestling. “Conference Carolinas is proud to be working with the South Atlantic Conference to provide two amazing championship experiences for our student-athletes,” said Commissioner Dr. Alan Patterson. “This endeavor will allow our programs to compete against high-caliber competition and build the regional footprint of our two conferences. We are really running with the Division II initiative of ‘Make It Yours’ with this collaboration .”
Rest of the story at http://www.conferencecarolinas.com/sports/Misc./2017-18/FHWR?mc_cid=97a65485c3&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
