Bentley’s Contract Extended Through 2028-29 Season
BOONE, N.C. — App State Wrestling head coach JohnMark Bentley has received a contract extension through the 2028-29 season, Director of Athletics Doug Gillin announced Tuesday after it was approved by Interim Chancellor Heather Norris and the Appalachian State University Board of Trustees.
“App State Wrestling has been a championship program for many years under JohnMark’s leadership, and we look forward to that continuing and elevating for years to come,” Gillin said.
Named the Southern Conference Coach of the Year seven times in his first 15 seasons as head coach, Bentley was named a national coach of the year finalist for the fourth time earlier this year, when he helped lead the Mountaineers to a second straight SoCon Championship tournament title and a final ranking of No. 24 in the national dual-team poll.
With a career record of 144-79-1 in 15 seasons, including an 86-16 record in SoCon duals, Bentley has led App State to a combined 11 SoCon championships. The Mountaineers have won six regular-season titles and four tournament titles in the last nine years alone. “I am extremely grateful for all the support and confidence that the Board of Trustees, Chancellor Norris and Doug Gillin have shown in me,” Bentley said. “It is an honor to be able to lead this program and continue building something special in Boone. I am excited for the challenges and opportunities ahead and am thankful to continue leading App State Wrestling.”
While attracting some of the nation’s top teams to Boone, the Mountaineers have consistently wrestled in front of standing-room-only crowds at Varsity Gym. In the last nine seasons, Bentley’s program has posted 12 victories against teams from Power Five leagues.
App State’s 66-6 conference record over the last decade ranks No. 3 among the best league records in Division I wrestling, and the program has a national-best 17 dual shutouts since the calendar flipped to 2020. The Mountaineers are one of just four mid-major programs to finish each of the last two dual seasons ranked in the top 25 of the NWCA Coaches Poll.
There’s also been plenty of individual success, as App State produced five NCAA Championship qualifiers in 2024, bringing the total to 29 over the last five seasons and 61 in Bentley’s 15 seasons as head coach. … more at … Appstatesports.com/Bentleys-contract-extended-through-2028-29-season
Davidson Wrestling Adds Ten in 2024 Recruiting Class
DAVIDSON, N.C. – Following his second season at the helm, head wrestling coach Nate Carr Jr. has announced his 2024 recruiting class. This year’s group features ten future Wildcats that hail from five different states, have combined for seven state titles and have made 30 individual state tournament appearances.
Coaching Staff’s Thoughts
Nate Carr Jr. – “We are extremely excited about the 2024 recruiting class. It’s a class that brings a lot of potential and talent to the room. Adding ten more Wildcats to our roster will provide depth, and it should raise the level of competition in the room.”
Ty Eustice – “This is a really an elite group of wrestlers. I’m so excited to get in the room and get to work with them. One thing that stands out with this group is where they are coming from. It’s great to see some of the strongest wrestling states being represented on our roster.”
2024 Recruiting Class
Bryce Griffin
Hometown: Bethalto, IL
High School: Civic Memorial High School
High School Record: 166-15
Projected Weight: 165 lbs
High School Career: Four-time IHSA 2A state placer (4th, 3rd, 2nd, 1st )… Won the state title at 157 his senior year with a 54-2 record… Two- time team MVP and broke a school record with 37 pins in a season in 2023… Finished seventh in the 165-pound weight class at Super 32… Second overall seed at 165 at the Beast of East… First team St. Louis Post Dispatch All-Wrestling team selection… National Honors Society, Spanish Honor Society, Mu Alpha Theta Math Honor Society member… Silver Medallion Male Athlete of the Year.
Marley Washington
Hometown: Roswell, Ga.
High School: Mount Pisgah Christian School … more at … Davidsonwildcats.com/Wrestling-adds-ten-in-2024-recruiting-class
HIDLAY JOINS STANFORD STAFF
STANFORD, Calif. – Former NC State standout and North Dakota State assistant coach Hayden Hidlay has been named an assistant coach for the Stanford wrestling team, as announced by Chris Ayres, The Matt Gentry Head Wrestling Coach. “I could not be more excited to welcome Hayden Hidlay to the staff,” said Ayres, who enters his second season on The Farm in 2024-25. “Hayden had an amazing career at NC State and helped his team’s meteoric rise in the NCAA ranks. He is a young coach, but through the interview process as well as speaking to those who know him well, it became crystal clear that he was wise beyond his years and was going to become one of the best coaches in the nation.”
Hidlay replaces Ryan Deakin, who is stepping down to pursue career opportunities outside of coaching. Patrick Brucki, who joined the staff last fall, will assume the Patricia Miranda Assistant Wrestling Coach title previously held by Deakin. “I would like to thank Ryan for his work with the program this year,” said Ayres. “Personally, I faced a huge challenge travelling across the country to take over as head coach alone. Ryan was a huge help in my transition and we would not have had the success we did without his work. He will be incredibly missed by not only the Stanford wrestling program, but also the college wrestling community as he moves into a career outside of coaching.”
Hidlay was a five-time All-American, four-time ACC champion and one of the winningest wrestlers in NC State history. He spent the 2023-24 season as an assistant coach at North Dakota State after serving one season as the Student-Athlete Development Coordinator at NC State. “I’m extremely grateful for the opportunity to join the Stanford wrestling staff,” said Hidlay. “Coach Ayres is one of the most respected leaders in our sport and getting to work alongside him and the rest of the staff is an exciting endeavor. “Stanford University has a world class pedigree and championship culture that is evident as soon as you step foot on campus. I am ecstatic to get started developing student-athletes, and for my wife and I to be involved in this community.”
Hidlay finished his career second in Wolfpack history in winning percentage (.909), while his 110 career victories … more at … GOstanford.com/Hidlay-joins-staff
Gable: Taylor should follow model created at Penn State, Iowa
Note: Similar to David Taylor being named head coach at Oklahoma State, Dan Gable was also hired to coach a college program (Iowa) shortly after a stellar career as a wrestler in the 1970s. Gable, who won 15 NCAA titles in 20 years with Iowa, recently spoke to WIN Editor Mike Finn about Taylor’s new position and the comparisons.
WIN: What did you think when you heard Oklahoma State hired Olympic/World champ David Taylor?
GABLE: Historically, Oklahoma State has been on the top of the list when it comes to all-time NCAA team championships (34). That record is impressive. But other schools have been catching up while Oklahoma State has not won a title for awhile (2006). I like to think the administration at Oklahoma State knew this and had to make something big happen when it came to naming a new head coach. He made a smart move because he had “blueprints” of what other schools have done to get back into contention … and that includes when Iowa hired me. And the same thing could be said when Penn State went after Cael Sanderson.
Like at Iowa and Penn State, Oklahoma State took their administration people full force and their money people full force and they had a name out there they went after. And David Taylor was among the most current credentialed wrestlers out there. Also, Penn State is dominating college wrestling now and who was tied with that domination? David Taylor.
WIN: Was it a gamble to hire David Taylor considering he has never coached college wrestling?
GABLE: He has coached young wrestlers at his academy, including some who are now at Penn State like Levi Haines. When Iowa hired me, I had the title of a graduate assistant at Iowa State while I was training to compete in the 1971 Worlds and 1972 Olympics. Taylor has been around college wrestlers while training at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club.
But the one thing that Iowa and Penn State provided was a model for programs to go after names like David Taylor. I have to give Oklahoma State a lot of credit. It was right in front of their face and now they are taking that model.
I also don’t think it’s a gamble by Oklahoma State. Everything is a gamble, but some things are so proven that the gamble becomes a reality. This does not mean Oklahoma State will take over college wrestling like Iowa and Penn State did. Because there are other places that also want to make that model come true. Kevin Dresser at Iowa State and Sean Bormet at Michigan are two examples and all coaches should be looking at this model of how to be successful. Even Little Rock has shown that by getting money people to invest in its program.
WIN: Similar to what happened at Iowa and Penn State in hiring you and Sanderson, Oklahoma State went outside its program to hire Taylor. Why is that important?
GABLE: Iowa State, hiring Dresser, a former Hawkeye, was also a good example of … more at … WIN-magazine.com/Gable-taylor-should-follow-model-created-at-penn-state-iowa
Lynchburg adding men’s wrestling program
Lynchburg, Va. — University of Lynchburg Director of Athletics Jon Waters announced the addition of men’s wrestling which will compete as an NCAA varsity sport during the 2025-26 academic year. “We are excited to offer men’s wrestling here at Lynchburg,” Waters said. “Wrestling has grown dramatically with the addition of several ODAC programs in recent years and continues to thrive in many of the geographic areas where we are actively recruiting students.”
The Hornets will compete in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference along with seven other schools in 2025-26. Roanoke, Washington and Lee, Averett, Ferrum, and Shenandoah sponsor the sport along with Southern Virginia and Greensboro as associate members.
Lynchburg opened its nationwide search for a head wrestling coach immediately. The new program will operate out of Crosswhite Athletic Club in Lynchburg, Va., just a few minutes from Lynchburg’s campus. The space features a newly enclosed 12,000-square-foot facility dedicated to the Lynchburg wrestling program, complete with locker rooms and a strength and conditioning area. “The opportunity to partner with Crosswhite on a high quality space to facilitate our program gives us a great opportunity to be successful,” Waters said.
Men’s wrestling will be Lynchburg’s 26th intercollegiate sport and the sixth addition to the athletic department in the last five years. Lynchburg added men’s and women’s swimming in 2018 and women’s golf in 2019. Beach volleyball completed its second season in 2024, and the men’s volleyball program starts up January 2025.
Lynchburg has a history of wrestling on campus thanks to hall of fame athletic director, coach, and teacher Dr. James C. Fox. He brought wrestling to campus in the 1960s and coached until 1984. The Hornets won the ODAC championship in 1980, and Fox was a three-time ODAC coach of the year in the sport. Lynchburg produced 11 individual ODAC champions during its time in the league from 1976-80. The ODAC dropped the sport in 1980, and Lynchburg lost its wrestling program five years later. The ODAC began sponsoring the sport again ahead of the 2022-23 school year … more at … NWCAonline.com/NWCA-lynchburg-adding-mens-wrestling
The NWCA: Developing coaches, advancing wrestling, ensuring sustainability
MISSION STATEMENT: The NWCA brings the wrestling coaching community together to advance the sport and ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to engage in a safe and educationally-based wrestling experience. This is primarily done by strengthening existing programs, creating new programs, and providing coaches with progressive educational opportunities.
VISION: NWCA is focused on growing the sport through its core competencies:
- Coaching Development
- Advocacy
- Student-Athlete Well-Being
- Ensuring the financial sustainability of the NWCA
SUPPORT OUR CAUSE:Spark Progress, Support the NWCA (Link) … more at … NWCAonline.com/NWCA-developing-coaches-advancing-wrestling-ensuring-sustainability
National Wrestling Hall of Fame inducts Class of 2024, led by Distinguished Members Stieber, Scott, Montgomery, Hatta
STILLWATER, Okla. – The 47th Honors Weekend at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame concluded with the Induction Ceremony on Saturday night at the McKnight Center for the Performing Arts.
Class of 2024 Distinguished Members were honored at the end of the formal program, each receiving a smaller version of their portrait which will now be displayed on the walls of the Hall of Fame. This year’s Distinguished Members were World or Olympic medalists Coleman Scott, Logan Stieber, Toccara Montgomery plus legendary coach Tadaaki Hatta,
Scott was a 2012 Olympic bronze medalist in men’s freestyle, and an NCAA champion and four-time All-American for Oklahoma State. A two-time Junior National champion and three-time Pennsylvania high school champion, Scott has transitioned into a college coach, including a stint as head coach at Div. I North Carolina.
Scott talked about the many of the ups and downs in life and in wrestling, and how it made him the person that he has become.
“When I think about how I got here, it was the selflessness of others. For 32 years, I have chased a dream. I have done everything in my power to achieve it. As I progress through this, I will be thankful for this sport and what it has done to shape me,” said Scott.
Stieber was 2016 World champion in freestyle, and was the fourth wrestler in history to win four NCAA Div. I titles, which he won for Ohio State. Stieber was a member of the U.S. team which won the 2017 Senior World Championshipes Team, and also led the Ohio State team which won an NCAA team titles in 2015. A four-time Ohio state champion, he is now an assistant coach at his alma mater Ohio State.
Stieber thanked a number of influential people, but chose to spend the majority of his speech thanking his parents.
“I want to talk about my mom and my dad. They sacrificed for us, but I think they enjoyed it. They gave their time, their money and their heart for us. As children, we went on a lot of trips. Two of them were for fun, but the rest of them were for wrestling. Thank you to my mom, my dad and everyone else in my life. I couldn’t be happier,” said Stieber.
Montgomery was a member of the historic 2004 U.S. Olympic team which competed in the Athens Games. Three of the four members of that team are now Distinguished Members, and Montgomery was the first African American woman to wrestle in the Olympics. A two-time Senior World silver medalist and a Junior World silver medalist, she was also a two-time college national champion for the University of the Cumberlands. She first learned to wrestle in Ohio. She was a head coach at Lindenwood University.
Montgomery recalled the time that she heard in high school the announcement inviting boys and girls to join the wrestling team. She is hopeful that more girls will answer that invitation and become part of this great sport.
“Wow. Thank you. This honor is absolutely monumental. It is crazy to see my career come full circle. My list of thank yous is too large to call out here tonight, but that says a lot about the support group that has been behind me,” said Montgomery.
Hatta came from a legendary wrestling family in Japan, and came to the United States to wrestle for Oklahoma State, where he was an NCAA champion and two-time All-American, wrestling for two OSU teams which won national team titles. He became a respected coach at many levels, and coached both men and women at the Olympic Games and World Championships. An art teacher who has done many wrestling paintings, he gives back to the sport by working with youth wrestlers often.
Hatta had numerous people that he thanked … more at … Themat.com/NWHOF-inducts-class-of-2024-led-by-distinguished-members-stieber-scott-montgomery-hatta
NWCA Announces Inaugural Trailblazer Award Recipients
MAINHEIM, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association announces the inaugural honorees for the Trailblazer Award, honoring those who have championed the sport of women’s wrestling in the collegiate space.
Gary Abbott, Clarissa Chun and Ashley Flavin are the 2024 Trailblazer Award honorees, as nominated by the NWCA’s member women’s wrestling coaches. The Leadership Group members from both the NCAA and NAIA then voted on the honorees, with Abbott, Chun and Flavin rising to the top of those nominated. “There is so much great work that has been done to lay the foundation for the growth of women’s wrestling and it is bolstering our sport overall,” NWCA President Tony Ersland said. “Honoring these individuals for their part in building our sport is something the NWCA is proud and excited to do.”
Gary Abbott, Director of Communications and Special Projects at USA Wrestling, has been involved with the promotion and development of women’s wrestling since its inception, nationally and internationally, in the late 1980s. In his 35 years serving the sport, Gary has provided coverage of all United States Women’s World and Olympic teams, as well as every women’s collegiate national championship. He also created both the North American women’s collegiate wrestling rankings as well as the ASICS Girls High School All-American Team.
A National Wrestling Hall of Fame Order of Merit honoree in 2020, Abbott also received the NWCA Meritorious Service Award in 2005. He has also served on the Committee for the Advancement of Women’s Wrestling, the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championship committee, and is a liaison for the women’s collegiate wrestling coalition to the NCAA Committee on WOmen’s Athletics to champion women’s wrestling as an NCAA championship sport.
Clarissa Chun, the first women’s wrestling coach at Power 5 institution and head coach of the 2024 NCWWC Champions in the Iowa Hawkeyes, was the first girl’s high school wrestling state champion in Hawaii in 1998. After a collegiate career at Missouri Valley College, she went on to represent the United States at 48 kilograms at both the 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Olympics. Chun won the bronze medal in London, and also wrestled at five Senior World Championships, taking the gold medal at the 2008 Worlds in Tokyo.
One of only four females to earn Distinguished Member honors as a National Wrestling Hall of Fame inductee, Chun won five U.S. Open titles. She was a 2011 Pan American Games … more at …. NWCAonline.com/NWCA-announces-inaugural-trailblazer-award-recipients
10 Iconic Moments In U.S. Olympic Wrestling History
These American Olympic wrestling moments have stood the test of time. Will we get another at the 2024 Paris Games?
Iconic wrestling moments are just that — a moment.
This list does not represent lasting impact or domination, although several fit those criteria. Rather, these singularly unique U.S. Olympic wrestling memories stand the test of time.
Here’s a look at 10 memorable moments as we prepare for the 2024 Paris Olympic Games.
10. Bill Smith’s Surprise Olympic Gold Medal
Smith famously took the bronze medal spot during the awards ceremony at the 1952 Helsinki Olympics when tournament officials had to point him to the top of the podium. The former Northern Iowa star lost to Sweden during the round-robin format but the Iranian beat Sweden and Smith beat the Iranian. Because the matches happened so quickly, Smith didn’t look at his bad marks — the system used to determine the winner. The Council Bluffs, Iowa, native thought he won bronze when he didn’t pin the Iranian. To his surprise, Smith won the 73-kg men’s freestyle Olympic gold medal.
9. Jack VanBebber Runs To His Olympic Final
VanBebber had to run four miles and hitchhike to his gold medal match at the 1932 Los Angeles Olympics. The former Oklahoma State star learned that the schedule was changed and his finals bout was in an hour. No transportation was provided, so he started on foot before snagging a ride. He defeated Finland’s Eino Leino — a four-time Olympic medalist (one gold, one silver, and two bronze) — for the title.
8. Doug Blubaugh Pins Iran’s Emaili Habibi
Blubaugh’s pin over Iran’s returning Olympic champion Emam-Ali Habibii in the fifth round of their 73 kg match at the 1960 Rome Olympics continues to be a memorable moment in American wrestling history. The Iranian tossed his American foe several times before Blubaugh countered an attack and pancaked Habibi to his back for the fall. Blubaugh eventually won gold. … rest at … Flowrestling.org/10-iconic-moments-in-us-olympic-wrestling-history
Nine Oklahomans Named to Wrestling USA Senior All-American Team
One of the oldest publications in wrestling media, Wrestling USA Magazine, named their Senior All-American team and nine Oklahomans made the cut. Beric Jordan from Noble was named to the “Dream Team” at 120 lbs. Stillwater’s JJ McComas was named to the “Academic Team” at 132 and seven others were named All-Americans. Bixby’s Gage Walker got the nod at 126 while his teammates Jace Roller(138) and Clay Giddens(175) both also got the nod. Layton Schneider(144) was one of three Edmond North recipients of the award alongside Oscar Williams(215) and Ricky Thomas(HWT). Landyn Sommer of Stillwater got the nod at 157 and two more Edmond North standouts, Hunter Hollingsworth(138) and Talon McCollom(190), picked up Honorable Mention honors. You can see the whole list from each state, with bios of each wrestler, at the link below. https://wrestlingusa.com/ewExternalFiles/2024AAPoster.pdf … story at … Owrestle.com/nine-oklahomans-named-to-wrestling-usa-senior-all-american-team
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 