Women’s Collegiate Wrestling News (June 2024)
Transfer Portal Update
There have been some additional commitments since my last article that will have big impacts on lineups for the coming season.
Commitments
Kendall Bostelman – from North Central to William Penn
William Penn made a big splash last season with the arrival of Coaches Wilcke and Kadel from the now-closed Iowa Wesleyan along with many of their former teams top talent including Adaugo Nwachukwu and Mia Palumbo. The team went from 33rd place to 4th place at NAIA Nationals in one season. In addition to their strong recruiting class so far (keep an eye out for a lineup preview article), Kendall Bostelman will be another super charge for the Statesman program to keep them winning. Bostelman comes from last season’s NCWWC runner up North Central where she competed for two seasons. During her freshman season she became an All American, finishing sixth at the tournament after finishing third in her region. She has also earned a sixth place finish at the U23 World Team Trials in 2023. In her last season, she competed at 143 lbs and went 20-5, including 9 tech falls against her opponents. Bostelman’s offense can be lethal, so it will be exciting to see what momentum she adds to the already climbing William Penn squad.
Kaelani Shufeldt – from Lock Haven to North Central
While the Cardinals may have lost Bostelman from their lineup, they picked up an instant-impact competitor in Kaelani Shufeldt. Shufeldt was Lock Haven’s first two-time All American and first national finalist after coming up just short against Iowa’s Ava Bayless in the finals of NCWWCs. In the semifinals, Shufeldt pinned the No. 1 seed from North Central, Kendra Ryan. In fact, Shufeldt pinned every opponent in the tournament outside of Bayless. Shufeldt will head into her junior season with a career record of 50-8 with 18 pins last season. Back in December, … more at … Intermatwrestle.com/Womens-collegiate-wrestling-news-june-2024
Fargo Rosters: Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina, Ohio
Starting on June 26, USA Wrestling began publishing the state team rosters for the 2024 USMC Junior and 16U Nationals set for Fargo, N.D. State teams will be posted whenever a final roster has been submitted and confirmed with the state association.
In addition to the list of athletes (by age-group, style and weight), boys who are included in the most recent FloWrestling rankings, as well as girls who are included in the most recent National Girls High School rankings, will be identified.
We add the following rosters today: Massachusetts, Mississippi, North Carolina and Ohio. Ohio has one of the largest and most powerful rosters in Fargo each year, a challenger for team titles with both their men and women. North Carolina and Massachusetts are building stronger programs with some talented individuals. Mississippi, which is just now developing wrestling in the state, will be represented in Fargo this summer, a step forward for the sport.
NORTH CAROLINA
Junior Boys freestyle
120 Ethan Brownlee
120 Elijah Dorsey
126 Devon Conner
132 Layne Armstrong
138 Jackson Rowling
138 Alexander Schweitzer
138 Kaleb Flores
138 Shawn Bass
144 Ashton Shields-Adams
150 John Schulz
157 Jeremiah Johnson
157 Braden Reynolds
157 Luke Osborne
165 Troy Shannon
175 Dominic Blue
175 Connor Reese
175 Noah Michael
190 Harrison Compton
190 Brock Sullivan
190 Troy Deniz
190 Tayshaun Glover
215 Hayden Haynes
215 Dantrell Williams
285 Sebastian Rivera
285 Austin Rivera
285 Damien Couture
Junior Greco-Roman
120 Ethan Brownlee … rest of story at … Themat.com/Fargo-rosters-north-carolina-ohio
Legendary OU Head Coach Stan Abel Passes Away at 87
OWrestle.com has learned that longtime OU Head Coach and Hall of Famer Stan Abel passed away yesterday at the age of 87. The legendary Sooner coached OU to a National Title in 1974 and three other team runner-up finishes. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1990.
His bio from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame: “With two national championships as a wrestler, and another as a coach, Stanley Abel reached across five decades with a career marked by continuing success. Vigorous, vehement and volatile, he was one of the best known figures in the sport. Abel always was out in front for his wrestlers, fighting as hard for them off the mat as he ever asked them to fight on the mat.
In 29 years as a head coach, he amassed more than 350 dual meet victories and a consistent 73 per cent winning record against the toughest possible lineup of opponents. Abel became coach at the University of Oklahoma in 1973, successor to three other Hall of Fame coaches. His Sooners won the NCAA championship in 1974, placed second three times and only once finished out of the nation’s Top 10.
He coached 15 NCAA champions and 74 All-Americans. One of his proudest moments came in 1984 when his son, Darren, earned All-America honors as an OU wrestler. The Sooners captured three Big Eight trophies and Abel was conference coach of the year three times. He was elected Man of the Year in 1974, … more at … Owrestle.com/legendary-ou-head-coach-stan-abel-passes-away-at-87
Weekly Recruiting Update (6/28/2024)
With a few months before the high school preseason, the top recruits from the Class of 2025 continue to fly off the board. Before this week, only five of the top-60 recruits in the nation were uncommitted. That number dropped to four as North Carolina snapped one of those prospects up and added to an already impressive recruiting class.
Even though fans and us in the media have started paying attention to the Classes of 2025 and 2026, some schools are still looking to solidify their incoming freshmen classes. Two of them recently picked up notable commitments. Those are all listed below in our latest recruiting update.
#54 Matthew Botello (Wyoming Seminary via Massachusetts) to North Carolina
One of the highest remaining uncommitted recruits from the Class of 2025 is off the board as #54 Matthew Botello has committed to North Carolina. … more at … Intermatwrestle.com/Weekly-recruiting-update
2024-25 NC State Wrestling Early Lineup Look
A breakdown of the potential starting lineup for the 2024-25 NC State wrestling team.
NC State finished 11th at the 2024 NCAA Tournament and has a lineup filled with potential All-Americans for next season. The Wolfpack will be one of the most exciting teams to watch throughout next year and will be one of the main contenders to win a team trophy. Check out the below article for a full breakdown of NC State’s starting lineup next season.
NC State Projected 2024-25 Lineup:
125: #10 Jakob Camacho
133: #6 Kai Orine
141: #5 Ryan Jack
149: #6 Jackson Arrington
157: #8 Ed Scott
165: #17 Derek Fields
174: Matthew Singleton
184: #9 Dylan Fishback
197: Christian Knop/Chase Horne/Isaac Trumble
285: #9 Isaac Trumble/Owen Trephan
125: #10 Jakob Camacho
Jakob Camacho is entering his final year of college as one of the best wrestlers in the country who hasn’t earned All-American honors. Camacho finished one win shy of All-American honors in 2021 and was two wins short at the 2022 and 2024 NCAA Tournaments. Despite those disappointing finishes, Camacho was ranked #1 in the country early last season after he defeated 2023 NCAA runner-up Matt Ramos, 8-5. Along with the win over Ramos, Camacho also has career victories over All-Americans Drake Ayala, Caleb Smith, Sam Latona, Dylan Ragusin, and Jack Mueller. Camacho has an extremely high ceiling and will be right in the mix with several wrestlers next year to win a national title at 125 pounds.
133: #6 Kai Orine
Kai Orine is now a two-time All-American after finishing 8th place at 133 pounds at the last two NCAA Tournaments. Orine is one of the more exciting wrestlers in the country and recorded victories last season over #7 Aaron Nagao, #11 Jacob Van Dee, and #4 Evan Frost. At the 2024 NCAA Tournament, Orine dropped matches to #5 Dylan Shawver, #2 Nasir Bailey, and Vito Arujau resulting in his #6 ranking entering next year. Despite those losses, both Vito Arujau and Daton Fix have graduated and leave 133 pounds a little more wide open … more at … Flowrestling.org/NC-state-wrestling-early-lineup-look
Army veteran’s journey from ‘derelict’ to champion wrestler
Sally Roberts is an athlete, Army veteran and the founder of Wrestle Like A Girl. On this week’s episode of The American Legion Tango Alpha Lima podcast, she delivers her message: “It’s OK to suffer, it’s OK to endure, it’s the lessons we learn from it.”
Roberts, the first in her family to graduate from high school, had a troubled childhood and found her salvation in wrestling. Admitting she got into wrestling because she was a “derelict,” who was committing break-ins and getting into fights, Roberts credits wrestling for changing her life and helping her to build a winning mindset. “Regardless of our limitations the only thing that holds us back is our mind,” says the three-time wrestling national champion and two-time world bronze medalist. “And it is up to us to determine, are we driving ourselves and are we going to drive that positive mindset narrative or is there going to be a different narrative that tells us we are unworthy, we are incapable, we are limited, we have a disability and it is going to hold us back? “I’ve seen time and time again that people who show up and hit life hard and get hit hard by life, nothing holds them back but their mind.”
After not making the 2008 Olympic team, she joined the Army, went into Special Operations and volunteered for deployment in Afghanistan. “My wrestling career really set me up for success in the military,” she said. “Foremost, it made me appreciate and find the joy in suffering. And depending on what you are doing in the military, there is a fair amount of suffering.”
Upon redeployment, she joined the world class athlete program. After concluding her military and athletic career she founded Wrestle Like a Girl, the national advocacy organization for girls and women in wrestling. Her mission-driven organization aims to empower girls and women using the sport of wrestling to become leaders in life. “Anyone can do hard things,” she says. “From my perspective, … more at … Legion.org/Army-veterans-journey-derelict-champion-wrestler
OSU Wrestling: Making an All-Time Lineup from the John Smith Era
It’s hard to imagine John Smith will never put together another lineup for Cowboy Wrestling.
Smith retired after leading Oklahoma State for 33 seasons. During his tenure, Smith coached 153 All-Americans, 33 individual NCAA champions and two Dan Hodge Trophy winners. Since those numbers will no longer be added to, I thought it was a perfect time to create an all-time lineup from the John Smith era.
Here’s how it worked: I filled out a lineup just like a coach would for a dual using 10 of the greatest wrestlers to compete under Smith. However, weight classes have fluctuated since Smith started his three-plus decade coaching career, so I used modern-day weight classes and used the weight that was closest to where that wrestler found the most success.
Below is the full lineup, followed by an explanation of why I chose who for each weight.
125: Eric Guerrero
133: Johnny Thompson
141: Dean Heil
149: Jordan Oliver
157: Pat Smith
165: Alex Dieringer
174: Chris Perry
184: Daniel Cormier
197: Jake Rosholt
285: Steve Mocco
125: Eric Guerrero
Guerrero would be the first to step on the mat for this lineup in a dual, and, boy, what a start. Speaking of duals, Guerrero has the fourth-most dual wins in OSU history with 69. Overall, he was 117–13 in his career as a four-time All-American. He placed fifth as a freshman before finishing his career with three NCAA titles in a row. Guerrero was dominant during that stint, too, with 74 bonus-point wins (10th-best all-time), 28 of which were technical falls (second-most all-time). In this theoretical dual, it’s almost a lock the Pokes would start this thing with more than three points.
133: Johnny Thompson
The recency bias urged me to put Daton Fix here, but at the end of the day, Thompson won a pair of NCAA titles while losing only once in the finals. Thompson was a four-time All-American, … more at … Pistolsfiringblog.com/osu-wrestling-making-an-all-time-lineup-from-the-john-smith-era
For Kyle Snyder, Third Trip To Olympics A Different Kind Of Special
Woodbine native Kyle Snyder will head to his third Olympic Games this summer, as the wrestler will travel to Paris in search of the second Olympic gold medal of his career.
This trip to the Olympics takes on a little different meaning for Snyder than the previous two. His son, Judah, will be along for the ride for the first time. “I’ve always wanted to be a dad, so I wouldn’t say that it’s really changed my perspective on wrestling too much other than an added emphasis on competing the way that God wants me to and competing as hard as I can and winning,” Snyder said. “I want to be a good example to him. There aren’t a lot of kids that get to watch their dad compete. I feel like it’s a great way to show them the way that you think and that you’re not afraid and you’re willing to put it on the line every time and go as hard as you can.”
Snyder, 28, won the 97kg freestyle title at the 2024 U.S. Olympic Wrestling Trials at Penn State to qualify for the same competition at the Paris Games this summer. His family and friends, including Judah and his wife Maddie, sat mat side. He didn’t know exactly where they were sitting as he locked up his spot in Paris, but he found them after. His first hug was for Judah, who turns 2 in October.
“It’s fun, but also I’m used to wrestling overseas,” Snyder said. “My family isn’t there, so after you wrestle you’re not really used to seeing them, so it takes a second to really take that in.”
Snyder will look to complete some unfinished business in Paris. The 5-foot-11 grappler became the youngest gold medalist in U.S. Olympic wrestling history at the Rio Games in 2016, taking home the 97kg freestyle title. However, he fell just short at the Tokyo Games in 2021, losing to rival Abdulrashid Sadulaev (Russia) in the 97kg freestyle final.
Snyder quipped that he “learned in Tokyo that gold is a lot better than silver.” “Being an Olympic year does add even more motivation because it’s only every four years and nothing is guaranteed that I’ll be on the team in another four years, so I want to make the most of this opportunity and wrestle like my life depends on it,” Snyder said.
Typically, Snyder trains Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday on the mat, in the weight room and for his conditioning work. Wednesday and Sunday serve as recovery days. The State College, Pa., resident trains at Penn State, but he still has a lot of family in Maryland. … more at … Pressboxonline.com/Kyle-snyder-third-trip-to-olympics-a-different-kind-of-special
Never Too Early Lineup Look: North Carolina
In our new series, “The Never Too Early Lineup Look,” we’ll preview a potential lineup for a particular school. Since we’re a few months away from even the preseason, there will likely be plenty of moving parts at most schools. And that’s okay. Fans enjoy debating how their favorite teams (or rivals) could look in the upcoming season.
Today, we’re moving down south to the ACC and the North Carolina Tar Heels. The Tar Heels were recently mentioned in InterMat’s recruiting rankings as signing the eighth-best recruiting class in the country. During Rob Koll’s first full recruiting class, he was able to ink nine top-250 prospects and six of the top-100. The Tar Heel staff must have been very in tune with every twist and turn in the recruiting process as six of those prospects flipped commitments to UNC.
Not only did the North Carolina staff work hard on the recruiting trail, but they also paid close attention to the transfer portal. They’ve added a pair of wrestlers with multiple NCAA Tournaments under their respective belts, along with a potential starter at heavyweight. Without those transfers, Koll’s staff could have a lineup with a few holes or be forced to start true freshmen – maybe before they’re ready. Now, they’ll likely start the year in the top-25 and probably rise from there.
This is a UNC team that features a pair of All-Americans along with three others with past NCAA experience. … more at … Intermatwrestle.com/Never-too-early-lineup-look-north-carolina
Duke Wrestling to Compete in WrangleMania in November
DURHAM — The Duke wrestling team will compete in WrangleMania on Nov. 9, 2024, which will take place at Liberty High School in Bethlehem, Pa.
The event is organized by Journeymen Wrestling.
Other programs set to compete are Rutgers, Illinois, Long Island, Campbell, California Baptist, Arizona State, Franklin & Marshall, Bloomsburg, VMI, Buffalo, Sacred Heart and NC State.
The schedule for the Blue Devils features a 10 a.m., contest against Long Island on mat three followed by a 2 p.m., bout versus Rutgers on mat two.
To stay up to date with Blue Devils wrestling, follow the team on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook by searching “DukeWRES”.
Duke Centennial
In 2024, Duke celebrates its Centennial, marking one hundred years since Trinity College became Duke University. … more at … Goduke.com/Wrestling-to-compete-in-wranglemania-in-november
And …
Walter Rings Bell and is Cancer Free Heading into the Summer
DURHAM — Through the Team IMPACT program, the Duke wrestling team was paired with a special young man for the 2023-24 campaign, James Walter.
Walter is a student at Holly Ridge Middle School in Holly Springs, N.C., that had been diagnosed with early T-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia lymphoma in December of 2021 and has been fighting the terrible disease since.
Recently Walter’s fight paid off as he rang the bell at the Duke Children’s Hospital and heads into the summer cancer free. He plans to resume more normal activities and hopes to resume playing basketball and football for the Holly Ridge Hornets.
“James and his family have been a great addition to the Duke wrestling program,” said Duke head coach Glen Lanham. “When our guys are competing in the classroom and on the mat, the struggles that James and his family go through on a daily basis put a lot of what our student-athletes are going through in perspective. James has just given us a great example for living each day to the fullest.” … more at … GOduke.com/Walter-rings-bell-and-is-cancer-free-heading-into-the-summer
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 