VFMC Announces Rob Hjerling as Head Coach to Lead the Return of Wrestling
Valley Forge Military College (VFMC) announced today that Rob Hjerling, one of the most accomplished coaches in Southern Conference wrestling history, has been appointed Head Wrestling Coach as the College reinstates its wrestling program.
Hjerling brings more than two decades of NCAA Division I coaching experience, national-level success, and a proven track record of developing high-performing cadet-athletes. He joins VFMC after a distinguished career at The Citadel, where he served as head coach for 21 years.
During his tenure, The Citadel achieved some of its strongest competitive results. Hjerling coached four NCAA Division I All-Americans and more than 30 NCAA qualifiers. His 2004 squad captured both the Southern Conference tournament championship and the dual-meet title, marking one of the program’s best seasons. He was named SoCon Coach of the Year twice. “Rob is exactly the leader we want building this program,” said Colonel Stuart B. Helgeson, USMC (Ret.), President of Valley Forge Military College. “He understands the balance of athletic excellence, academic … more at … https://vfmcollege.edu/hjerling-reinstateswrestling/
No. 2 Ohio State Downs No. 3 Iowa State, Little Rock Sunday
COLUMBUS, Ohio – No. 2 Ohio State (10-0) opened the 2025 Journeymen Collegiate Duals in Nashville Sunday with a 34-9 win over Arkansas-Little Rock (2-5) before knocking off No. 3 Iowa State (2-1) in the nightcap, 21-13.
The Top 3 matchup with the Cyclones started with the Buckeyes taking a 9-0 lead after the opening three bouts. No. 1 Jesse Mendez won for the second time this year against Iowa State’s No. 4 ranked Anthony Echemendia when the pair met again Sunday in the 141-pound match. Mendez prevailed 5-1 after winning a preseason match 7-3 against Echemendia at the 2025 NWCA All-Star Championships.
No. 2 Ben Devino took down No. 3 Evan Frost at 133 with a 4-2 win by decision after No. 3 Nic Bouzakis got things started against the Cyclones at 125 with a 9-2 win over No. 13 Stevo Poulin. After Iowa State won a close battle at 149, Brandon Cannon turned the tide for good for the Buckeyes with a late pin at 157 to help send Ohio State to victory.
The Buckeyes own three dual wins this season against Top 3 teams and five overall against Top 10 opponents. … more at … https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/news/2025/12/21/wrestling-no-2-ohio-state-down-no-3-iowa-state-little-rock-sunday
Wolfpack Wrestling Adds Citadel Transfer Patrick Brophy
RALEIGH – NC State wrestling head coach Pat Popolizio has officially added Citadel transfer Patrick Brophy to the Wolfpack roster. As a redshirt-junior, the South Carolina native is immediately eligible to compete for the remainder of the 2025-25 season.
After being added to the roster last week, Brophy already competed for the Pack on Sunday, December 21 where he went 3-0 on the day.
A native of Chapin, South Carolina, Patrick Brophy competed at The Citadel for his first three years of college, where he was consistently in the individual rankings by InterMat at 197 lbs and qualified for the 2025 NCAA Championships in Philadelphia back in March.
He claimed the silver medal at the Southern Scuffle last season after winning four matches, two of which were via major decision. At Chapin High School he competed in … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2025/12/22/wolfpack-wrestling-adds-citadel-transfer-patrick-brophy
UNC’s Terukina Named ACC Wrestler Of The Week
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – North Carolina wrestling 125-pounder Kysen Terukina has been named the Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Week, the league office announced Tuesday afternoon.
Terukina, in his first season with the Tar Heels, earned conference honors for the first time in his career, following last weekend’s 2-0 stretch against Nebraska and Northern Iowa.
Against the Cornhuskers, Terukina defeated Alan Koehler by decision, 4-1, followed by Sunday’s ranked decision over No. 26 Trever Anderson of Northern Iowa, 5-3. Terukina helped Carolina defeat No. 12 Northern Iowa, 19-13, the highest ranked road victory since the 2017-18 campaign.
This season, Terukina is 6-0 with all six victories coming … more at … https://goheels.com/news/2025/12/23/wrestling-terukina-named-acc-wrestler-of-the-week
Nebraska Cruises Past North Carolina, 27-9
The No. 6 Nebraska wrestling team earned a 27-9 victory over No. 16 North Carolina on Friday night at the Devaney Center. The Huskers recorded three major decisions and a pin in the heavyweight division to improve to 6-2 on the season.
Nebraska opened the dual with a strong start at 157 pounds, as No. 6 Antrell Taylor picked up a 13-2 major decision to give NU an early 4-0 lead.
At 165 pounds, redshirt freshman No. 10 LJ Araujo earned a hard fought 2-0 decision over Bryce Hepner after three tightly contested periods. No. 6 Christopher Minto followed at 174 pounds with a dominant performance securing a 17-3 major decision against Collin Carrigan.
North Carolina picked up its first points of the night at 184 pounds after No. 24 Jake Dailey defeated Tyler Eise by decision. Nebraska responded at 197 pounds after No. 10 Camden McDanel took a 10-2 major decision win and secured the Husker’s third major of the night.
In the heavyweight match, No. 4 AJ Ferrari accentuated the Husker’s lead with a dominant match leading to his first pin of the season before Alan Koehler fell by decision at 125 pounds to No. 16 Kysen Terukina. At 133 pounds, No. 8 Jacob Van Dee put up a strong contest to win 5-1 and secure his 50th career victory while No. 3 Brock Hardy (141 pounds) pulled out a 5-1 decision over No. 19 Luke Simcox.
The dual concluded at 149 pounds where Scott Robertson and Nate Askew were tied 1-1 at the end of the third before Askew secured a 4-1 win in sudden-victory.
Up Next
The Huskers will take on No. 5 Oklahoma State on Sunday, Dec. 21. The top-10 dual is set for 1 p.m. (CT), and will be televised on BTN.
No. 6 Nebraska 27, No. 16 North Carolina 9
157 | No. 6 Antrell Taylor (N) major dec. No. 33 Laird Root (UNC) 13-2 (NEB 4, UNC 0)
165 | No. 10 LJ Araujo (N) dec. Bryce Hepner (UNC) 2-0 (NEB 7, UNC 0) … more at … https://huskers.com/news/2025/12/19/nebraska-cruises-to-a-27-9-victory-over-north-carolina
Wrestling’s Biggest Dual Event Returns as 100 Plus Teams Hit the UNI-DOME
Manheim, PA – More than 100 teams will converge on Cedar Falls, Iowa, as the University of Northern Iowa hosts the 2026 NWCA/USMC Multi-Division Dual Meet Championships inside the UNI-Dome on January 9-10. A total of 113 men’s and women’s collegiate wrestling teams will compete across 36 mats placed on what is typically the Panthers’ football field. This year’s sponsors include A Better Way, Capitol Construction, Defense Soap, and the United States Marine Corps.
Competition will feature the following divisions, including the new NCAA Division III Women’s bracket. A complete list of participating teams by division can be viewed here.
2026 Divisions
- NAIA Men – 16 teams
- NAIA Women – 16 teams
- NCAA DI Men – 10 teams
- NCAA DII Men – 16 teams
- NCAA DIII Men – 24 teams
- NCAA Women (Combined Divisions) – 16 teams
- NCAA DIII Women – 15 teams
Notably, 71 of the 113 teams competing in this year’s event have been established since 2000, underscoring the continued growth of collegiate wrestling across all divisions. In addition, 43 teams that placed at last year’s championships return to the field, including the following defending champions:
- NAIA Men: Grand View
- NAIA Women: Life
- NCAA Division I Men: Northern Iowa
- NCAA Division II Men: St. Cloud State … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2025/12/18/national-wrestling-coaches-association-wrestlings-biggest-dual-event-returns-as-100-plus-teams-hit-the-uni-dome.aspx
Kent State University Adds Women’s Wrestling as 20th Varsity Sport, Planned to Compete in 2027
KENT, Ohio — Kent State University announced today that women’s wrestling will become the athletics department’s 20th varsity sport, marking a historic addition to the Golden Flashes athletics lineup and a milestone for collegiate athletics in Ohio. Kent State becomes the first NCAA Division I institution in the state and fifth in the nation to sponsor women’s wrestling.
The program will begin competition in fall 2027. Hiring for the program’s first head coach is expected to take place by summer 2026, following ongoing planning and facility renovations that will include updated locker rooms and coaches’ offices.
This is an exciting day for Kent State University and for the continued advancement of women’s sports, said Kent State Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Randale L. Richmond. Women’s wrestling is one of the fastest-growing sports in the country, and establishing this program allows Kent State to support that growth while creating new opportunities for female student-athletes in Ohio and beyond. We are proud to lead the way as the first Division I program in the state to sponsor the sport. We are thrilled to add women’s wrestling, which continues our leadership in intercollegiate athletics in Ohio and the nation, said Kent State President Todd Diacon. Women’s wrestling has seen a surge of participation nationally. According to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the 2024–25 academic year included 8,100 girls’ high school wrestling programs nationwide and 74,064 girls participating in the sport.
Ohio has been a leader in the sport’s growth regionally. The state held its first sanctioned Girls’ High School Wrestling State Championship in 2023, and participation continues to rise. During the 2024–25 academic year, Ohio featured 507 high schools sponsoring girls’ wrestling and 2,535 girls competing statewide. Those numbers are projected to continue increasing as sanctioned collegiate pathways expand. The establishment of Kent State’s women’s wrestling program is supported through state appropriations. As part of House Bill 96, the university received funds that will help support program development, staffing, and facility preparation.
For more information, you can visit our FAQ page here.
Women’s Wrestling Timeline for Sport Sponsorship:
June 2020 — Women’s wrestling added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program, giving the sport formal recognition and a pathway toward full championship status.
October 2023 — The sport surpassed the threshold of 40 schools sponsoring varsity programs … more at … https://kentstatesports.com/news/2025/12/18/womens-wrestling-kent-state-university-adds-womens-wrestling-as-20th-varsity-sport-planned-to-compete-in-2027
When can Penn State wrestling make history, break an NCAA win streak?
The ever-dominant Penn State wrestling machine is on the verge of making Division I history this weekend in Tennessee.
Of course, Cael Sanderson, it’s low-key, publicity-aversive head coach, would rather not even talk about it. That’s the style and tenor of the team that has dominated one opponent after another for the past six years.
One that expects to set a new major college win streak Saturday at the Journeyman Collegiate Duals in Nashville, Tenn. Penn State can tie the decades-old record by beating North Dakota State, then break it immediately after by beating Stanford. Penn State’s 77th straight dual meet victory will pass Oklahoma State, which set its mark in 1951.
Sanderson’s Lions haven’t lost since falling 19-17 at Iowa in 2020, before COVID. They haven’t lost at home in nearly … more at … https://www.ydr.com/story/sports/college/penn-state/2025/12/17/when-can-penn-state-wrestling-cael-sanderson-break-ncaa-win-streak/87716445007/
Girls wrestling is on the rise across Michigan high schools
Cameron Maldonado didn’t know what to expect when a friend invited her to a girls wrestling tournament in 2023.
She sat in the student section in awe, watching her friend Adeline Tuccini – then a junior at Allen Park – compete. Maldonado knew then: She wanted to join the team. “It’s a space I’ve never seen women in,” Maldanado, 17, of Romulus, said. “There’s not a lot of places that girls can be … more at … https://www.freep.com/story/sports/high-school/2025/12/17/michigan-high-school-girls-wrestling-surge-mhsaa/87481240007/?gnt-cfr=1&gca-cat=p&gca-uir=true&gca-epti=z116528p119450c119450d00—-v116528d–47–b–47–&gca-ft=180&gca-ds=sophi
Koy Buesgens Moving Up Rankings In Sophomore Year With NC State Wrestling
Koy Buesgens is off to a 10-1 start and moving up the 149-pound rankings during his second year as a starter at NC State.
As somebody who enjoys coding while majoring in computer science, NC State sophomore Koy Buesgens has a knack for solving problems by turning ideas into step-by-step instructions that a computer can understand and execute.
That ideology correlates perfectly with a wrestling mat, where learning from your mistakes and continually thinking of ways to make constant improvement is key.
After a rookie campaign that saw him earn a podium finish at the 2025 ACC Championships and advance to the NCAA Championships, Buesgens has taken the next step and transitioned this year into a top-10 wrestler at 149 pounds. “Being in the lineup after facing so many top guys was not only a huge jump from high school, but it was also a huge jump from my redshirt season,” Buesgens said. “At NC State, you know you are walking in, and you’ve got top-level guys that are just ready to scrap with you.
“It was a big switch, and I feel good now. I feel acclimated. Last year was a great opportunity to continue to acclimate to it and really get in there and find where I was among those top guys in the country.” Buesgens was known as being a tough wrestler to score on last year, and over the summer the NC State coaches challenged him to work on his offense and find more attacks from neutral. “I worked a lot on my offense and a big part of creating offense was the ability to pressure and keep pressure on my opponent,” Buesgens said. “I’ve been feeling really good about it recently. I was able to open up on some guys, create a lot of offense on the feet.”
He has opened the season with a 10-1 start. The first weekend of the season, he brought home the title at the Southeast Open after a top-10 win in the final. He then continued with three ranked wins at the National Duals Invitational. “He’s made some huge gains mentally and physically, and we always knew that he could wrestle, and he has the technique behind it and the mindset to be great,” NC State coach Pat Popolizio said. “It’s tough. Anytime you’re a freshman in our lineup, expectations are … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14982250-koy-buesgens-moving-up-rankings-in-sophomore-year-with-nc-state-wrestling
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
