U.N.C. Wrestling Releases 2025-26 Schedule
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Entering year three under the direction of head coach Rob Koll, the North Carolina wrestling program announced its 2025-26 schedule Thursday afternoon.
The slate for the upcoming campaign is highlighted six home duals and the 2025 Carolina Duals inside Carmichael Arena.
In the opening month of November, the Tar Heels begin the season at the Southeast Open (Nov. 2), followed by two-straight home duals versus Northern Colorado (Nov. 9) and Navy (Nov. 15).
The Tar Heels close the month on Nov. 21 hosting the Carolina Duals, squaring off with Davidson, Greensboro College and UNC Pembroke.
Carolina concludes the calendar year with a home date versus West Virginia (Dec. 12), followed by two-straight duals at Nebraska (Dec. 19) and Northern Iowa (Dec. 21). Ringing in the new year, Carolina travels to Iowa for Soldier Salute (Jan. 3-4), prior to beginning the Atlantic Coast Conference slate. The Tar Heels will wrestle Pitt, Duke and Stanford at home inside Carmichael Arena in ACC action, with road dates versus Virginia, NC State and Virginia Tech.
Carolina opens the ACC slate with back-to-back duals on the road, traveling to Virginia (Jan. 16) and rival NC State (Jan. 23). The Tar Heels conclude the month of January with the conference home opener against Pitt (Jan. 30), followed by a home matchup against Duke (Feb. 6).
The program closes the conference portion of the regular season at Virginia Tech (Feb. 13) and the home finale against Stanford (Feb. 20). The 2026 ACC Championships will be held March 8 at Virginia Tech, … more at … https://goheels.com/news/2025/9/11/wrestling-releases-2025-26-schedule
Russell Added to Duke Wrestling Staff
DURHAM, N.C. —Duke wrestling head coach Glen Lanham has added Codi Russell to the coaching staff for the 2025-26 campaign.
Russell, a 2021 Appalachian State graduate, joins the Blue Devils after spending the last two years as an assistant coach at Hofstra. He has also spent time at Army West Point and at the Minion Training Center as a coach following his time in Boone.
“Super excited about Codi,” said Lanham. “Cody comes from App State. We watched him compete for many years, and I was always impressed with how tough he was. I remember one time he came in with a walking boot on, and we’re like, oh, Russell must be out of the lineup. That’s good for us. And then he ends up taking the boot off, whooping us and then putting it back on again. He’s going to bring just a level of toughness to the lightweights and also the ability to get out there and be hands-on with these young guys. With Cody out there, he’s the same size as those guys, so it just really makes it better. We have definitely shown that we’re dedicated to our lightweights by adding another lightweight coach in the mix. With bringing Cody in and coach Erkin before that, it just shows that we’re committed to, developing our lightweights.”
A standout wrestler at Appalachian State, Russell was a four-time NCAA Championship qualifier and three-time Southern Conference Champion. Russell, who wrestled at 125 and 133 pounds, … more at … https://goduke.com/news/2025/9/11/russell-added-to-duke-wrestling-staff
Appalachian State Announces 2025-26 Schedule, Season Ticket Details
BOONE, N.C. — App State Wrestling has announced its 2025-26 schedule, a slate packed with high-profile duals, big-name tournaments and key SoCon matchups that will test the Mountaineers from November through March.
Led by head coach JohnMark Bentley, who is entering his 17th season, the Mountaineers have lost four veteran starters but are returning a large group of accomplished wrestlers from the team that won SoCon regular season and tournament titles last season.
Sunday afternoon visits to Varsity Gym from NC State on Nov. 30 (a day after a home football game closes that program’s regular season) and from The Citadel on Feb. 8 (Super Bowl Sunday) highlight a home schedule with five duals and two tournaments. Season tickets are now available for renewal or purchase.
General admission season tickets with sideline bleacher seating are available at the low cost of $70 for the seven home events. For faculty/staff, the discounted price is $60.
The endline seating introduced last season, facing the new competition mat and the Varsity Gym scoreboard, will again be in place as a premium seating option for the 2025-26 season.
A season ticket in the Premium Gold section … more at … https://appstatesports.com/news/2025/9/8/wrestling-announces-2025-26-schedule-season-ticket-details.aspx
College athletes suing NCAA to extend eligibility to 5 seasons
A pair of Vanderbilt football players are among 10 athletes suing the NCAA in an effort to force the association to allow college athletes to compete for five seasons rather than four.
Linebacker Langston Patterson and defensive lineman Issa Ouattara filed a class action lawsuit in federal court Tuesday, which claims that the NCAA’s eligibility rules violate antitrust law. The NCAA’s current rules allow athletes to compete for four seasons during a five-year timespan that begins when they enroll in college.
Attorney Ryan Downton said in a news release that the players were not aiming to completely remove any eligibility restrictions but believe they should be able to compete in games for all five years that they are allowed to be on the team. “We’re not challenging the five-year [limit],” Downton told ESPN Tuesday night. “The question is why do players have to spend one of those five years sitting on the bench? How does that further any of the NCAA’s goal of moving players toward graduation?”
Patterson and Ouattara are both seniors who played in each of their three previous seasons on campus and will be out of eligibility at the end of 2025 under the NCAA’s current rules. “The NCAA stands by its eligibility rules, including the five-year rule, … more at … https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46141528/two-vanderbilt-players-suing-ncaa-extend-eligibility
More Than a Game: How Newport News Shipbuilding Uses Collegiate Sports to Close the Skills Gap
The following story was written for the Manufacturing Skills Institute newsletter by Wes Smith, the Executive Director of Workforce Solutions at MSI.
NEWPORT NEWS – As student debt rises and the promise of a four-year degree delivering a stable career grows less certain, more young people are rethinking the traditional college path. At the same time, employers nationwide face growing challenges in filling skilled positions. The Apprentice School offers a very innovative solution to this—one that combines accredited education, competitive athletics, and a full-time career into a single, debt-free pathway to career success.
With seven NCAA Division III athletic programs—football, men’s and women’s basketball, men’s and women’s wrestling, baseball, and golf—The Apprentice School delivers the same high-level competition and team experience found at universities, but with a major distinction: graduates leave with nationally recognized trade credentials, years of work experience, and a career at one of the most advanced shipyards in the world.
A Proven Record of Success
- 12 National Championships and 16 Individual National Championships
- 175 current Apprentice Athletes representing 19 states
- Over 500 athletic alumni still with the company—250+ from the year 2000 onward
- 40+ former athletes in upper management at Newport News Shipbuilding … more at … https://www.espn.com/college-football/story/_/id/46141528/two-vanderbilt-players-suing-ncaa-extend-eligibility
NCAA Releases Proposed Women’s Regional Assignments
The NCAA will host six regionals for the inaugural NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships.
Although it’s not official, the NCAA released its recommended regional assignments for the 2025-26 women’s wrestling season. There are six regions, and three wrestlers from each region qualify for the 2026 NCAA Championships in Coralville, Iowa, on March 5-7.
This is the inaugural NCAA Championships for women’s wrestling.
There are 10 weights with 18 national qualifiers per weight. Divisions I, II, and III compete at the same tournament.
Click here for full listings with a map on ncaa.org, or view the charts below. Jamestown is transitioning from NAIA to Division II and is not listed, but based on geography, Region Six seems likely if it competes this season.
Region One teams ….. teams in Northeast — N.Y. and New England
Region Two teams ….. teams in Mid-Atlantic — Penna. & N.J.
Region Three teams
| School | Division |
| Allen, SC | 2 |
| Bluefield State, WV | 2 |
| Delaware State University | 1 |
| Emmanuel University, GA | 2 |
| Emory & Henry, VA | 2 |
| Frostburg State, MD | 2 |
| Greensboro College, NC | 3 |
| Huntingdon, AL | 3 |
| King University, TN | 2 |
| Lincoln Memorial University, TN | 2 |
| Marymount, VA | 3 |
| McDaniel, MD | 3 |
| Mount Olive, NC | 2 |
| Newberry College | 2 |
| Presbyterian, SC | 1 |
| Randolph, VA | 3 |
| Southern Virginia, VA | 3 |
| Waynesburg University, PA | 3 |
… more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14514975-ncaa-releases-proposed-womens-regional-assignments
Gardner-Webb Wrestling Announces Upcoming 2025-26 Schedule
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – Now official, Head Coach Daniel Elliot and the Gardner-Webb wrestling team have announced its 2025-26 competitive slate, featuring eight matches inside Paul Porter Arena.
The Runnin’ Bulldogs open 2025-26 with an exciting event, hosted by Rutgers of the Big Ten. GWU will face hosts Rutgers, as well as Bloomsburg and Centenary on November 2nd.
Throwdown on The Yorktown is next, as the Runnin’ Bulldogs take to the deck of the USS Yorktown in Charleston once again. This year, Gardner-Webb will square off with Big Ten opponent Maryland, as well as Air Force on November 15th.
GWU once again travels to West Point in 2025-26, as the Runnin’ Bulldogs then visit Army for the Black Knight Invite on November 23rd.
After a short break for Thanksgiving, dual meets get started with a bang as the Runnin’ Bulldogs open December with a pair of big home matches. Duke visits Paul Porter Arena on December 3rd, followed by Michigan State on December 5th, before GWU heads back out on the road to face Kent State and Buffalo on December 13th, with both matches taking place in Buffalo, NY. Gardner-Webb rounds out the bulk of non-conference with a trip to Ohio on December 21st.
Into the new year, the annual Southern Scuffle takes place in Chattanooga on January 3rd and 4th. Conference meets then follow, with the Dawgs opening Southern Conference action, at home against Chattanooga, on January 16th. Campbell up next, with the Runnin’ Bulldogs battling the Fighting Camels as well as Clarion head to head on January 23rd in Buies Creek.
From there, Gardner-Webb returns home to host Davidson (date TBA) and The Citadel on February 6th. Bellarmine and Presbyterian each follow on the road on January 8th and 12thin Southern Conference action, before the Runnin’ Bulldogs head back home to face VMI on February 15th … more at … https://gwusports.com/news/2025/9/4/gardner-webb-wrestling-announces-upcoming-2025-26-schedule.aspx
Carr Jr. Adds Scott Joll as Assistant Davidson Coach
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Davidson College wrestling head coach Nate Carr Jr. announced the addition of Scott Joll to his staff as an assistant coach Monday morning.
Joll joins the team after serving as an assistant at his alma mater UNC Pembroke for the 2024-25 season, where he was an NCAA Championship qualifier during his career as a Brave. “We are excited to add Scott to the staff,” said Carr Jr. “He brings a lot of wrestling knowledge and life experience, having had the opportunity to wrestle for WVU in the Big 12 and finish his career at UNC Pembroke. We are looking forward to Scott’s immediate impact on the program.”
Joll wrestled four seasons at West Virginia University, before transferring to UNC Pembroke for his extra year of eligibility. Joll made his lone season as a Braves wrestler a memorable one, finishing third in the 174-pound weight class at the NCAA Championships. The Belle Vernon, Pa. native was also named a DII Most Dominant Wrestler, earned the Most Falls Award and additionally was the recipient of the Gregorian Award following the NCAA Championships. “I’m super excited to be joining the Davidson family … more at … https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2025/9/1/wrestling-carr-jr-adds-scott-joll-as-assistant-coach
Participation in High School Sports Hits Record High with Sizable Increase in 2024-25
High school athletics participation increased by nearly 200,000 in 2024-25, continuing an upward trajectory since the pandemic and registering an all-time high for participation.
The NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey indicated that 8,260,891 participants were involved in high school sports in 2024-25, which is up 198,589 from the previous year and tops the previous record of 8,062,302 set in 2023-24. The total includes 4,723,907 boys and 3,536,984 girls – both record highs – according to figures obtained from the 51 NFHS member state associations, which includes the District of Columbia.
The 2024-25 total marked the third consecutive notable increase after numbers fell during the pandemic. Since the initial survey after the pandemic, participation in high school sports has increased 642,837 in three years and represents a turnaround from the decline that started the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is wonderful to see the interest in high school sports reach new heights,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the NFHS. “The immense value of high school sports is reflected in these impressive numbers. As high school students have consistently demonstrated their desire to play with their peers and represent their schools and community, state and school administrators have stepped up to offer more participation opportunities to meet that demand.”
The biggest gains in 2024-25 were mainly found in girls sports, with flag football leading the way. The rapid rise of girls flag football programs across the country led to 68,847 girls participating in the sport last year – an impressive 60 percent increase from the previous year. In addition, schools sponsoring the sport increased by nearly 1,000.
Girls wrestling topped 74,000 participants for the first time, jumping 15 percent from a year ago and adding nearly 1,000 schools with a girls wrestling program. Boys wrestling participation is also enjoying a rebound in numbers, recording an increase of 8,340 to top 300,000 for the first time.
The number of participants in Unified Sports and Esports also registered increases in 2024-25. The survey indicated a total of 70,006 participants in the 15 Unified Sports, up from 51,502 in 2023-24. A total of 30,440 students participated in Esports last year – an increase of 2,939 participants from the previous year.
Outdoor track and field, volleyball and soccer all registered increases and remained the top three participatory sports for girls. Track and field participation increased to 513,808, followed by volleyball at 492,799 (up 2.85%) and soccer at 393,048 (up 2.38%). Basketball (356,240) remained in the No. 4 spot followed by fast-pitch softball (331,306). Competitive spirit (206,262) jumped to the sixth-most popular girls sport with a nearly 14-percent increase, while tennis (204,721) also increased by more than four percent. Cross country (189,260), swimming and diving (138,303) and lacrosse (99,292) round out the top 10.
Outdoor track and field, soccer and golf had significant gains on the boys side, and all 10 of the most popular sports held steady or registered gains. After 11-player football (1,031,039) and outdoor track and field (644,235), the rest of the boys top 10 includes basketball (540,704), soccer (484,908), baseball (472,598), wrestling (300,214), … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2025/8/18/national-wrestling-coaches-association-participation-in-high-school-sports-hits-record-high-with-sizable-increase-in-2024-25.aspx
Wrestling’s better because weight cutting has improved
y Bryan Van Kley
Do you ever think about how much wrestling has changed and improved over the years? Coming up on my 50th birthday soon, maybe I’m showing my age by starting a column like that! I’m incredibly proud of how our sport has grown and evolved in regards to overall participation numbers and respect in the at-large sports community. Attending USA Wrestling’s Junior Nationals and seeing over 8,500 participants, including 2,245 girls reinforced this.
However, there are moments I cringe when talking to non-wrestling people about the sport; they have that look of disgust and lack of respect when it is brought up, immediately referencing some wrestling friends in high school starving themselves and being miserable.
As wrestling people know, the sport has made huge jumps forward by a healthier approach towards weight management on the youth, high school, and college levels with one and two-hour weigh-ins as well as hydration testing that helps decrease the drastic last-minute cuts which used to be commonplace.
When I was wrestling in high school and college in the early to mid 1990s, weight cutting was a rite of passage. Actually, it seemed it was even a measuring stick as to your dedication and discipline. I weighed 162 pounds as a senior and cut 27 pounds down to 135 the first semester before Christmas. With the scales in our wrestling room located between the gym and the classroom area of our high school, my teammates and I would check weight several times throughout the day between classes. Weigh-ins then were at 7 a.m. for an evening meet, so you could rehydrate during the day of the dual, but of course you still didn’t feel strong that night.
We’d practice wearing a hoodie (or two), sweatpants, and a stocking hat. A majority of our focus was the scale instead of getting better. As you can imagine, by the time the end of the season came around, there was a part of us that couldn’t wait for it to be over.
As a senior, I made the 135-pound class six times before Christmas. Despite plans to go up to 145, I wanted the option to be able to try to make state at 135. The rule then was you needed a minimum of seven weigh-ins at the postseason weight you chose. So, that meant making weight one time after our Christmas-break vacation to California.
My brother who also wrestled and I worked out a number of times while on break and carefully watched what we ate. … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2025/08/28/van-kley-wrestlings-better-because-weight-cutting-has-improved/
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 