Lanham Adds Erkin Tadzhimetov as Assistant Coach
DURHAM, N.C. — Duke wrestling head coach Glen Lanham announced Thursday the addition of Erkin Tadzhimetov as an assistant coach. Tadzhimetov will coach the 125-149 weight classes.
“We are thrilled to be able to add Erkin and his experience working with the 125-149 weight classes to our outstanding group of coaches,” said Lanham. “This is the first time we’ve really focused on trying to add a lightweight coach on our staff. In the past, we really haven’t had a lightweight coach and we all have assumed those duties. But with the way the landscape of things are these days, combined with this great opportunity to get Erkin, we felt like it was the right move. Erkin has put lightweights on the podium and we felt like it was time for us to focus on that area, try to develop guys and get a coach that really knows the feel of being a lightweight. As class gets set to start for the fall, we are excited about getting on the mat and working hard.”
Tadzhimetov arrives at Duke after spending the last 16 seasons at Utah Valley University (UVU), including the final 12 as the associate head coach with the Wolverines.
“I am excited to be an assistant wrestling coach at Duke University,” said Tadzhimetov. “I’m looking forward to working alongside the coaching staff and mentoring student-athletes to achieve their goals on and off the mat. I am eager to contribute my experience to the team’s success and can’t wait to get started!” … more at … https://goduke.com/news/2024/8/22/wrestling-lanham-adds-erkin-tadzhimetov-as-assistant-coach.aspx
Japan wins Olympic wrestling medal count with 11, Iran next with eight, USA in third with seven
Japan won the medal table in the sport of wrestling at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, capturing 11 medals, including an impressive eight individual champions. Japan won six women’s freestyle medals, three men’s freestyle medals and two Greco-Roman medals. Japan won the medal count in the women’s freestyle discipline.
Individual champions from Japan were Akari Fujinami (53 kg women’s freestyle), Tsugumi Sakurai (57 kg women’s freestyle), Sakura Motoki (62 kg women’s freestyle), Yuka Kagami (76 kg women’s freestyle), Rei Higuchi (57 kg men’s freestyle), Kotaro Kiyooka (65 kg men’s freestyle), Kenichiro Fumita (60 kg Greco-Roman) and Nao Kusaka (77 kg Greco-Roman).
Iran was next with eight medals, four in Greco-Roman and four in men’s freestyle. Iran won the medal table for both Greco-Roman and men’s freestyle with four each. Iran had two Olympic champions, Saeid Esmaeili (67 kg Greco-Roman) and Mohammadhadi Saravi (97 kg Greco-Roman).
The United States came in third with seven medalists, including four in women’s freestyle and three in men’s freestyle. The USA had a pair of individual champions, Sarah Hildebrandt (50 kg women’s freestyle) and Amit Elor (68 kg women’s freestyle). … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2024/august/15/japan-wins-olympic-wrestling-medal-count-with-11-iran-next-with-eight-usa-in-third-with-seven
LaHaye Adds Brower and Hall to Coaching Staff
Brower was First Lander National Champion in 2022, Hall was National Finalist in 2023
GREENWOOD – Coming off their second straight runner-up performance at the NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship, head wrestling coach R.C. LaHaye has added two alumni as assistant coaches for the upcoming season. Logan Hall was promoted to a full-time role after serving as the team’s graduate assistant last season and Zeth Brower joins the staff after finishing his wrestling career in the spring.
“I cannot express how excited I am to add Zeth and Logan to our coaching staff here at Lander,” said LaHaye. “Not only are they accomplished student-athletes, but they came through the Lander Wrestling program and understand the expectations and the standards of our program. I know they will have a huge impact on the next generation of Lander wrestlers.”
Logan Hall transferred to Lander after a successful career at Notre Dame College in Ohio where he was a two-time Mountain East Conference Champion and qualified for the NCAA Division II National Championship in 2022. After arriving in Greenwood, Hall set the program record for wins in a season with 34, a record he still holds, won the Super Region II Title at 184-lbs, was named the Super Region II Wrestler of the Year and was a finalist for the NWCA Wrestler of the Year, and made a run to the national championship match at the National Tournament. After graduating, he joined the staff as a graduate assistant last year and helped coach the Bearcats to their third straight conference title and second consecutive Super Region title.
“I’m looking forward to giving back to the program that gave me so much,” said Hall. “Lander has everything to create champions and I’m honored to get to be an asset in making future ones. I’m excited to help the wrestlers on and off the mat and get Lander their first NCAA team championship.”
Zeth Brower kick started Lander’s rise to national prominence by winning the national title at 141-lbs in St. Louis at the 2022 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. The 2022 SACC and Super Region II Wrestler of the Year was a three-time Super Region II Champion and a three-time All-American in his time at Lander. Prior to coming to Greenwood, he was an NJCAA All-American and helped Clackamas Community College win the NJCAA team title in 2019.
“This opportunity hits deeper than what most would think,” said Brower. “Being around a group of like-minded individuals … more at … https://landerbearcats.com/news/2024/8/6/wrestling-lahaye-adds-brower-and-hall-to-coaching-staff.aspx
Lanham Adds Pair of Transfers for 2024-25 Season
DURHAM — After announcing 12 incoming freshmen recently, Duke wrestling head coach Glen Lanham has revealed the addition of two transfers to the mix for the 2024-25 campaign. Tyler O’Boyle of Franklin and Marshall College and Spencer Von Savoye of California Baptist University have signed with the Blue Devils.
Tyler O’Boyle
6’2 * 285
Virginia Beach, Virginia (Norfolk Academy)
Franklin and Marshall College
- Competed in both football and wrestling for two seasons at Franklin & Marshall College
- Redshirted as a freshman
- Starter at offensive guard in football and posted a 3-7 record at 285 pounds as a sophomore
- At Norfolk Academy, played football, track & field and wrestling
- A four-year varsity wrestler and team captain in high school
- Earned All-State honors in wrestling
- As a junior, turned in a first-place finish at the TCIS Conference Tournament and first place at the Prep League. He also placed seventh at the VISAA State Tournament.
- Earned High Honor Roll accolades and was a member of the Honor Council
- Will have two years of eligibility remaining at Duke and will be enrolled in the Duke Fuqua MMS program.
Lanham on O’Boyle
“We want Tyler to push for the heavyweight job, because the better he is the better he is going to make Connor Barket. We need a big body like him in that room, so we are super excited about what he is going to bring to the table. He has two years of experience from his time at Franklin & Marshall, which will help in the transition. He brings more quality depth to our program. Tyler is already on campus with the Fuqua program and is training with our guys.”
Spencer Von Savoye
5’7 * 141/149
Oakdale, California (Chaminade College Preparatory High School)
California Baptist University
- At California Baptist this past year, … more at … https://goduke.com/news/2024/8/7/wrestling-lanham-adds-pair-of-transfers-for-2024-25-season.aspx
Trip to Normandy gives Olympic wrestler new perspective on what great-grandfather endured
COLLEVILLE-SUR-MER, France — He paused to take a picture by the reflecting pool lined with well-groomed trees and walked past a flagpole flying an American flag high in the air.
At one of the first headstones he came to, a white marble cross about waist-high in the 11th row of Plot B at Normandy American Cemetery, Mason Parris stopped to study the name inscribed on its back.
Edwin C. Swinscoe
PFC 357 INF 90 DIV
Colorado June 21, 1944
2024 Paris Olympics: Follow USA TODAY’s coverage of the biggest names and stories of the Games.
Parris perused the names on other headstones as he strolled somberly across the grass.
He snapped a photo of the gold lettering on the headstone of Theodore Roosevelt Jr., the Brigadier General and son of former president Teddy Roosevelt, who died fighting in World War II, then walked to the chapel, said a quiet prayer “and just thanked all those guys for the sacrifices.”
“It’s so beautiful out here right now,” Parris said later as he sat atop a wall high above Omaha Beach overlooking the English Channel. “But I can only imagine the terrors and everything that happened on that day.” … more at … https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/olympics/2024/08/05/us-wrestler-mason-parris-normandy-olympics/74628810007/
University of North Carolina News
Vincenzo Joseph Joins Wrestling Staff
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – Two-time NCAA champion Vincenzo Joseph has joined the North Carolina wrestling staff as the program’s recruiting coordinator, head coach Rob Koll announced Thursday. In his new role with the Tar Heels, Joseph will assist the program in team travel, on-campus recruiting, match day planning and operations, donor relations and all program related events. No stranger to working with Koll, Joseph was an assistant coach at Stanford during the 2021-22 season, Koll’s first season out west. In his lone year working with the Cardinal, the program finished top-20 at the 2022 NCAA Championships, posting multiple All-Americas for the first time since 2016. The 165-pound national champion in 2017 and 2018, Joseph was a three-time NCAA All-America wrestler for Penn State, finishing runner-up as a junior in 2019. The Pittsburgh, Pa. native finished his career with the Nittany Lions with an 89-9 overall record. … more at … https://goheels.com/news/2024/8/8/vincenzo-joseph-joins-wrestling-staff
Ramos Begins Olympic Journey Thursday
PARIS, FRANCE – Ethan Ramos, the first Carolina wrestler to qualify for the Summer Olympics, begins his tournament tomorrow in Paris.
The 𝐅𝐈𝐑𝐒𝐓 Carolina Wrestling Olympian 🗣️
Ethan Ramos has made it to Paris for the 2024 Games! #GoHeels | #TogetherWeWin pic.twitter.com/KjDhXnWRAM— UNC Wrestling (@UNCWrestling) July 27, 2024
Ramos, representing Puerto Rico at 86 KG, is set to face Dauren Kurugliev of Greece in the opening round. The Hawthorne, N.J. product became the first Tar Heel in program history to qualify for the OIympic Games, finishing on the podium in March at the 2024 Pan-Am Olympic Games
Qualifier. Ramos was victorious twice in the event, earning 4-0 and 11-6 victories, earning the right to represent Puerto Rico in the Summer Games. During his time in Chapel Hill, Ramos was a two-time ACC Champion at 174 pounds and 2015 All-America wrestler for the Tar Heels. … more at … https://goheels.com/news/2024/8/7/wrestling-ramos-begins-olympic-journey-thursday
Matt Gentry Appointed Head Coach of UChicago Wrestling
By: Isa Contreras | UChicago Athletic Communications
CHICAGO – University of Chicago Director of Athletics and Recreation Angie Torain announced today the hiring of Matt Gentry as the Maroons new head wrestling coach. Gentry is no stranger to the program, having served as a part-time assistant coach before being elevated to a full-time assistant coach with the program in July of 2022. “I am thrilled to have Matt join us as the head men’s wrestling coach” stated Torain. “Matt is an accomplished wrestler and brings a wealth of knowledge and a focus on the student-athlete experience. He is taking over a program that has great tradition and success. We are excited to watch the program excel under his leadership.”
Gentry is a former student athlete and had a stellar collegiate career at Stanford University. Along with becoming a four-time NCAA national qualifier, he was the first individual national champion in the program’s history after winning the 157-pound title in 2004. As a Cardinal, Gentry studied human biology, graduating with a bachelor’s degree in 2005. He later earned his doctorate in physical therapy.
Following a successful start to his career, Gentry assumed the role as an assistant coach with his alma mater for five years. During that time, he continued to compete in international competition, qualifying for the Olympics on two different occasions. Gentry competed for Canada at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic games and garnered a top five placement in London at 74 kg. In addition, Gentry is also a two-time medalist at the Pan American Games.
During his time with the Maroons, Gentry has already mentored two All-Americans, a University Athletic Associate (UAA) Wrestler of the Year, and eight UAA weight class champions. “I’m grateful to Director of Athletics and Recreation Angie Torain for the opportunity … more at … https://athletics.uchicago.edu/news/2024/8/7/gentry-appointed-head-coach-of-uchicago-wrestling.aspx
USA Women’s Freestyle Preview at 2024 Olympics
The following is a preview of all six Americans who will represent the United States in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, at the Champ de Mars Arena. This also includes what dates each will compete as each weight will last two days: through semifinals on first day and medal matches on second day.
Sarah Hildebrandt • 50k/110 pounds (Aug. 6-7)
Age: 30 (born Sept. 23, 1993), Granger, Ind., New York AC
Sarah Hildebrandt
Other: Two-time WCWA champ and four-time finalist for King University; defeated Audrey Jimenez (SKWC) at Olympic Trials.
Olympic/Worlds Experience: Went 3-1 at 50k and earned a bronze medal at the 2021 Tokyo Games; has competed in six World Championships, going 13-8. Four-time World medalist: silver in both 2018 (53k) and 2021 (50k) and bronze in both 2022 (50k) and 2023 (50k); also finished 10th in 2016 (55k) and ninth in 2019 (53k). All-time record of 16-9. Also competed in the 2012 and ’13 Junior Worlds.
2021 USA result at this weight: Hildebrandt won her first match, 12-1, before losing 10-7 to China’s Yanan Sun. She came back to dominate her repechage, 12-2, and her bronze-medal match over Evin Yavuz (Turkey), 11-0.
All-time USA medalists at this weight: bronze by Patricia Miranda (2004), Clarissa Chun (2012) and Sarah Hildebrandt (2021).
Top Competition: Yui Susaki (Japan), the 2021 gold medalist, remains the favorite after she added World titles in 2022 and 2023 to go along with World titles in 2017 and 2018; Dolgarjavyn Otgonjargal (Mongolia), a two-time World silver medalist, fell to Susaki in both 2022 and ’23 (when she beat Hildebrandt, 7-5); Feng Zigi (China), a 2023 World bronze medalist; Mariya Stadnik (Azerbaijan), the 36-year-old is competing in her fifth Olympics after earning silver medals in 2012 and 2016, to go with bronze medals in 2008 and 2021.
Dominique Parrish • 53k/116.5 pounds (Aug. 7-8)
Age: 27 (born Nov. 5, 1996), Scotts Valley, Calif., Beaver Dam RTC/Sunkist Kids WC
Dominique Parrish
Other: Two-time WCWA champ (2018-19) from Simon Fraser University; two-time California state champ (2014-15) from Scotts Valley High; defeated Haley Augello at Olympic Trials.
Olympic/Worlds Experience: First Olympics; competed in the last two Worlds, winning gold in 2022. Overall record of 4-1. Also competed on three U23 World Teams (2017-19), finishing as high as fifth in 2018.
2021 USA result at this weight: Jacarra Winchester went 2-2 and finished fifth in Tokyo.
All-time USA medalists at this weight: gold by Helen Maroulis in 2016.
Top Competition: Akari Fujinami (Japan) won World championships in 2021 and 2023 and earned the Olympic spot with a win over 2021 Olympic champ Mayu Shidochi in June of 2023. A foot injury kept her out of 2022 Worlds, won by Parrish; Antim Panghal (India) earned a bronze medal in 2023 after beating Parrish; Pang Qianyu (China), 2021 Olympic silver medalist.
Helen Maroulis • 57k/125.5 pounds (Aug. 8-9)
Helen Maroulis
Age: 32 (born Sept. 19, 1991), Rockville, Md., Sunkist Kids WC
Other: Became first female wrestler to place in Maryland boys state tournament for Magruder High before attending Marquette High at Marquette, Mich. Wrestled in college at Northern Michigan, Missouri Valley and Simon Fraser University in Canada; defeated Jacarra Winchester at Olympic Trials. Olympic/Worlds Experience: Career record of 39-10. Became first American woman to win an Olympic gold medal over Japan’s legend Saori Yoshida in 2016 before earning a bronze medal in the 2021 Tokyo Games. 8-1 Olympic record. Competed in 10 World Championships, claiming seven medals (three gold in 2015, ’17 and ’21, two silver in 2012 and ’22 and two bronze in 2014 and ’23). Also wrestled in 2011 (fifth), 2013 (7th) and 2018 Worlds. Career Worlds record of 31-9.
2021 USA result at this weight: Maroulis won two straight matches before losing 2-1 to Japan’s eventual gold medalist Risako Kinjo in the semis. She came back to dominate Mongolia’s Khongorzul Boldsaikhan, 11-0, in the bronze-medal match.
All-time USA medalists at this weight: bronze by Helen Maroulis in 2021.
Top Competition: Tsugumi Sakurai (Japan) has won the last three … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2024/08/03/usa-womens-freestyle-preview-at-2024-olympics/
USA Greco-Roman Preview at 2024 Olympics
The following is a preview of all four Americans who will represent the United States in the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, at the Champ de Mars Arena. This also includes what dates each will compete as each weight will last two days: through semifinals on first day and medal matches on second day.
Kamal Bey • 77k/169.5 pounds (Aug. 6-7)
Age: 26 (born Jan. 3, 1998), Oak Park, Ill., U.S. Army WCAP
Kamal Bey
Other: Got second chance to compete in Olympics when a Russian wrestler failed to meet IOC conditions; missed 2021 Olympic Trials while serving one-year suspension by WADA; the graduate of Oak Park River Forest High (where he was part of two state championship team) spent his senior year at the Olympic Training Center to focus on Greco-Roman wrestling.
Olympic/Worlds Experience: First Olympic team; has competed in three Worlds with overall record of 4-4: finishing seventh (2-1) in 2018; 31st (0-1) in 2022 and 10th (2-2) in 2023; competed in four age-group Worlds, led by U20 gold medal in 2017; also competed in U20 Worlds in 2016 (8th), U23 Worlds in 2017 (21st) and U20 Worlds in 2018 (fifth)
2021 USA result at this weight: USA did not qualify this weight
All-Time USA medalists at this weight: silver medal by Matt Lindland (76k) in 2000.
Top Competition: Nao Kusaka of Japan, the 2023 World bronze medalist, will be the No. 1 seed, but the 2023 World finalists will also be in Paris: 2023 World champ Akzhold Makhmudov of Kyrgyzstan, who also earned an Olympic silver medal in 2021; and 2023 World silver medalist Sanan Suleymanov of Azerbaijan
Payton Jacobson • 87k/191.5 pounds (Aug. 7-8)
Age: 21 (born Sept. 12, 2002), Elkhart, Wisc., Northern Michigan/Sunkist Kids WC
Payton Jacobson
Other: Finished sixth at Wisconsin state tournament for Elkhart High School in 2019; also focused on Greco since high school and trained with Ringers WC; 2020 UWW Junior Nationals champ; defeated Spencer Woods at Olympic Trials.
Olympics/Worlds Experience: First Olympics and Senior-level opportunity; competed in two age-group World Championships, finishing 8thin the 2022 U20 Worlds and 13th in the 2023 U23 Worlds.
2021 USA result at this weight: John Stefanowicz lost his only bout, 5-3, to Ivan Huklek (Croatia).
All-time USA medalists at this weight: none
Top Competition: Zhan Beleniuk (Ukraine), a member of his country’s parliament, is a two-time Olympic medalist, capturing a silver in 2016 and a gold medal in 2021. That goes along with World championships in 2015 and 2019 as well as a silver medal in 2018 and a bronze in 2023; David Losonczi (Hungary) and Ali Cengiz (Turkey) ended up sharing gold-medal honors after a scoring error by officials last fall. This came one year after both men also earned World bronze medals in 2022.
Joe Rau • 97k/213.5 pounds (Aug. 6-7)
Age: 33 (born March 17, 1991), Chicago, Ill., Titan Mercury WC
Joe Rau
Other: Two-time Illinois state qualifier for St. Patrick High School; was a three-time NCAA Division III All-American and 2013 NCAA champ for Elmhurst (Ill.) University; defeated Alan Vera at the Olympic Trials.
Olympics/Worlds Experience: This is his first Olympics after he won the 2016 Olympic Trials but failed to qualify the weight (98k); then qualified the weight in 2021 but failed to win the Trials. Represented Team USA at the 2014 (80k) and 2019 (87k) World Championships but fell short of placing. Overall record of 1-2.
2021 USA result at this weight: G’Angelo Hancock won his first match in Tokyo, 5-1, over Mihail Kajaia (Serbia), before losing his second bout, 4-3, to Tadeusz Michalik (Poland).
All-time USA medalists at this weight: silver by Greg Gibson (1984); bronze by Dennis Kozlowski (1988); silver by Kozlowski (1992); bronze by Steve Lowney (2000); bronze by Adam Wheeler (2008), who is the last American Greco wrestler to place at an Olympics.
Top Competitors: Artur Aleksanyan (Armenia) is a three-time Olympic medalist … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2024/08/04/29106/
Olympic sports we’d be terrified to compete in, from high dive to wrestling
Let’s talk about the most terrifying events in the Summer Olympics for ordinary people to compete in.
The Olympics are the greatest worldwide showcase of athleticism and competition in existence. It’s such a joy to see athletes train their entire lives for a specific event, and then finally get a worldwide audience to show off their talents. We marvel at Olympics athletes because they do things ordinary people can only accomplish in their dreams.
If you really think about it, a lot of Olympic events are absolutely terrifying.
Ordinary people simply aren’t built for the brutality of the Olympics. Just considering the idea of competing in rugby or Judo or distance swimming events is a scary proposition. These are the events in the Summer Olympics we wouldn’t ever want to try.
Wrestling
I keep coming back to the same question: Which of these sports could leave me altered forever? To this end it has to be Olympic wrestling. In every other event I can think of an out, a way to escape danger. There are so many terrifying sports at the games, but there is nowhere to hide in wrestling.
Sure, I could run off the mat, out of the arena, and catch the next plane back to North Carolina — but if I assume I have to compete, then I’m getting absolutely brutalized by a wrestler.
Here’s how things go: I approach the wrestler in the hopes of putting up a fight. I get hit with a fireman’s carry, I’m on my back, now my shoulder is being stretched to the point where I tear my rotator cuff. Then my neck gets stretched to an extent I need to buy a Sleep Number bed just to fall asleep at night.
I return a broken shell of who I once was, all because a modern version of Kurt Angle decided to break me.
— James Dator
The high dive
Let us get one thing out of the way.
I am terrified of heights. … more at … https://www.sbnation.com/2024/8/1/24210470/olympic-sports-scary-terrifying-high-dive-rugby-wrestling-paris
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 