Takedown Report

Joll Earns Prestigious Schalles Award

By: Alex Pearce, Assistant Athletic Communications Director

NEWTON, IOWA –Scott Joll added one last accolade to his historic season as he earned the prestigious Schalles Award, presented annually by WIN Magazine and awarded to the best collegiate-wrestling pinner.
The Belle Vernon, Pa. native finished his season with a 35-1 overall record and a third-place finish at the NCAA Championships at 174 pounds, and becomes the first non-Division I wrestler to win the award since 2005. Joll led the country with his 21 pins, and brought home the Gregorian Award earlier this year, as well, after recording the most pins in the least amount of time at the NCAA Championships.
The Schalles Award is named for Wade Schalles, a two-time NCAA champion at Clarion (Pa.) University that went 153-6 in his career with 109 pins. … more at … UNCPbraves.com/Joll-earns-prestigious-schalles-award

June 18, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

ACC Summer Roundup

It’s been a minute since we took a step back and examined the conference as a whole and looked at all of the moving pieces. Let’s see what’s happening in the ACC as we enter the summer months. 

West Coast to the Atlantic Coast Conference
The biggest change we will see in the conference this season is the addition of Stanford to the conference (California and Southern Methodist are also joining but do not have wrestling programs). The Cardinal has a strong core with an impressive #2 ranked recruiting class moving into Palo Alto this season. Current North Carolina head coach Rob Koll came to Chapel Hill after a stint as the head coach at Stanford. He was succeeded by Chris Ayres after his long tenure as head coach at Princeton. The addition of a scrappy Stanford team could provide some interesting wrinkles in the conference competition this year. We will take a deeper look at this as schedules are released and logistics are figured out. 

Coaching Changes
Adam Hall left his post as Associate Head Coach at NC State to take the head coaching job at Utah Valley. Replacing Hall in Raleigh is an experienced and highly accomplished Coach Zack Esposito. Pat Popolizio and Esposito both have Oklahoma State ties; Esposito was on staff at OSU for several years, but his most recent post was as the Developmental Coach for the USOPTC.  
Cody Brewer moved north to take the Head Assistant Coach position at Princeton after several years on staff in Blacksburg. Moving south to join the staff is Zach Tanelli who had spent the previous eight seasons as the Head Coach at Columbia University and will serve as the Associate Head Coach for the Hokies. Tanelli wrestled under Jared Frayer in his first year coaching at Wisconsin and they have maintained a close relationship. 
Another former head coach will be joining an ACC staff, this time in Pittsburgh with Lou Rosselli joining as an Assistant Coach. Rosselli was the long-time Head Coach of the Ohio RTC – where he coached Pitt Head Coach Keith Gavin and was most recently the Head Coach for the University of Oklahoma, where Gavin spent a year before coming to Pittsburgh. 

Transfer Portal
There are a lot of new faces joining the ACC via the transfer portal; as of the time of this article, nine wrestlers left the conference for new teams while 10 will be transferring into three teams in the ACC. The portal this year seemed to be very heavy with Ivy League wrestlers who have remaining eligibility after exhausting their allowed time at their schools – the Ivy League doesn’t allow grad students to compete in athletics. 
North Carolina was very active in the portal, adding four new wrestlers to the team. Ethan Oakley (133) will be moving across NC from Appalachian State, while Ryan Boersma (285) will be joining from Mizzou. Two former Columbia wrestlers will be donning a new shade of blue with Josh Ogunsanya (157) and Nolan Neves (285) joining the Tar Heels. 
Pittsburgh also took advantage of the portal; they have been very successful adding talent to their roster since the transfer portal became an option, with multiple starters coming from transfers in the past three years. The Panthers are also adding a Columbia wrestler in talented lightweight Nick Babin (125). They added a second lightweight in Evan Tallmadge (125) from the Naval Academy. Mateo de la Pena (165) transfers from California Baptist and Chase Kranitz (184) from Buffalo. 
Virginia Tech was the final ACC team to add wrestlers from the portal. The two new Hokies will be immediate impact guys in the lineup. Lennox Wolak (174) is the final Columbia wrestler making the move to the ACC; he announced his transfer prior to Tanelli being added to the staff. They also added Connor McGonagle (133) from Lehigh who will slide in at 133 with Sam Latona moving up to 141 next year. 

LIVE WRESTLING!
As we all know, there is no real off-season from wrestling. Usually, freestyle takes center mat during the summer, but we will see ACC wrestlers competing in a couple different folkstyle and folkstyle-esque events in the next few weeks as two organizations are putting on showcase events in hopes of developing a professional wrestling league. … more at … Intermatwrestle/ACC-summer-roundup

June 17, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Love of wrestling leads Fike’s Farmer to Mount Olive

By Paul Durham paul@wilsontimes.com

Wrestling has been part of Jacob Farmer’s life since the newly minted Fike High graduate started school, so he’s happy the end of his high school career isn’t the end on the mat for him, too.
Farmer, who graduated with his senior class at Fike on Saturday morning, signed recently to join the wrestling program at the University of Mount Olive. Farmer, who plans to major in exercise science at the NCAA Division II Conference Carolinas school, said that he took the initiative to contact Trojans head coach Dan Willis after attending a match at UMO to watch some of his friends wrestle for the Trojans. “I have friends that I’ve been wrestling with since I was a little kid from club with Coach Jake Brown at The SPOT in Wilson,” Farmer explained. “Timothy Decatur, Christian Decatur and then Aaron Bancroft (Fike assistant coach George Bancroft’s son) — they all used to wrestle when I was in club and then just seeing them wrestle at UMO and I just wanted to go there and it’s a small school and Christian-based. So that really helps me too.”
Bancroft, a two-time state champion at Fike; and the Decatur brothers helped the Trojans to an 11-3 overall mark and a third-place finish in Conference Carolinas. UMO placed fifth in the NCAA Div. II Southeast Regional tournament.
Farmer, who said he also received interest from UNC Pembroke, graduated in just three years from Fike. The son of Claudia and Percy Arrington of Wilson said that he plans to major in exercise science. … more at … Restorationnewsmedia/Love-of-wrestling-leads-fikes-farmer-to-mount-olive

June 17, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Hixenbaugh Named Wrestler of the Year by TheOpenMat.com

THEOPENMAT.COM RELEASE
MONTEVALLO, Ala. – 2024 133-LB National Champion, Gabe Hixenbaugh has been named the NCAA Division II Wrestler of the Year by TheOpenMat.com, Friday.
Hixenbaugh, who finished the season 31-0 as the 133-LB National Champion, was chosen as the top wrestler, regardless of weight class, in all of Division II by TheOpenMat.com.
Since winning the 133-LB bracket at the Midwest Classic in December, Hixenbaugh has been ranked No. 1 in the 133-LB rankings by TheOpenMat.com.
Hixenbaugh’s historic season saw him become the first All-American in program history and the first National Champion in all of Division-II history at Montevallo – in the wrestling program’s inaugural season.
With his 31-0 record he tallied a team-leading 72 takedowns, … more at … Montevallofalcons.com/Hixenabugh-named-wrestler-of-the-year-by-theopenmat

June 16, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Joey Simcoe Named The Open Mat DII Wrestling Coach of the Year

Grand Valley State first-year head coach Joey Simcoe was named The Open Mat DII Wrestling Coach of the Year it was announced Friday. Simcoe played a major role with the resurgence in wrestling that GVSU made during if first year as a varsity program after a 32-year hiatus. Simcoe took over as the program’s head wrestling coach after spending the previous 11 seasons leading the Tiffin University wrestling program.
It was a groundbreaking season for GVSU. Josh Kenny secured the national title at 174 pounds and Wyatt Miller earned All-America honors with an eighth-place finish at 197 pounds to help the Lakers finish 13th at the 2024 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships. 
Kenny, seeded No. 4, reached the national finals at 174 pounds with an overtime victory, a major decision and a technical fall in the semifinals. In the finals, Kenny pinned Central Oklahoma’s Anthony Des Vigne in the second period, becoming GVSU’s first national champion since 1988. He finished the season with a 32-5 record.
The unseeded Miller defeated multiple All-Americans to reach the podium at 197 pounds. He won his round of 12 match in overtime. … more at … GVSulakers.com/Joey-simcoe-named-the-open-mat-dii-wrestling-coach-of-the-year

June 16, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Joll Racks Up Major Awards To Cap Off Season

By: Alex Pearce, Assistant Athletic Communications Director

INDIANAPOLIS – Graduate student Scott Joll put the final touches on his historic season, as he earned the Division 2 Most Dominant Wrestler Award, Most Falls Award, and Gregorian Award following the completion of the NCAA Championships.

The Belle Vernon, Pa. native finished his season with a 35-1 overall record and a third-place finish at 174 pounds, and becomes the first non-national champion wrestler to win the Most Dominant Award. Joll led the country with his 17 pins against D2 competition to win the Most Falls Award, and brought home the Gregorian Award for good measure, as well, …. more at … UNCPbraves.com/Joll-racks-up-major-awards-to-cap-off-season.

WIN-Magazine
JOLL WINS SCHALLES AWARD – Scott Joll, the 174-pound All-American from UNC-Pembroke, became the first non-Division I wrestler since 2005 to win college wrestling’s pinning award as he secured 21 falls in a 35-win season. … more at … WIN-magazine.com/WIN-magazines-annual-awards-issue-is-now-available

June 8, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Top 100 Teams in Historic Dual Meet Wins

June 4, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Former Navy Wrestling Coach Reggie Wicks Passes Away at the Age of 79

Reginald “Reggie” Paul Wicks, 79, wrestling coach and professor at the Naval Academy, passed away peacefully on April 24 of Parkinson’s and Lyme’s Disease at his home in Crownsville, Md.
A native Iowan from Decorah, Wicks attended Decorah High School where he met Linda Grinna, his future bride and wife of 55 years.  
Wicks had a distinguished career in wrestling.  He was a four-year letter winner in high school and was twice named team MVP.  He was a Northeast Iowa Conference Champion at 154 pounds in 1963.  In 1964, he was a district champion at 154 pounds and finished second at the state championship, finishing with a 19-2 record.  
Wrestling for Iowa State University under head coach Harold Nichols, Wicks was a three-time conference place winner and a three-time NCAA qualifier.  In 1968, Wicks won the NCAA National Championship at 160 lbs and earned All-American distinction.  Wicks, who was also the Iowa State team captain in 1968, finished his career with a 44-12-4 record with six of his losses coming by two points or less.
His coaching career started as an assistant coach at Mankato State from 1969-1971, where he also earned his master’s degree.  Wicks earned his first head coaching job in 1971, where he served for four years and coached two All-Americans.
Wicks coached for 28 years at the Naval Academy, assisting Ed Peery from 1974-1987, before taking the reins of the program from 1987-2000.  During his time as the head coach in Annapolis, the Midshipmen were 175-60-5, winning the EIWA tournament in 1990 and finishing second four times (1988, 1991, 1992 and 1994). Wicks coached 17 EIWA champions, 35 NCAA qualifiers and six NCAA place winners at Navy. He was the EIWA Coach of the Year in 1990. Wicks was 10-1-2 against Army. 
Wicks retired from coaching in 2000 with a career record of 200-80-6. Wicks was inducted in several Hall of Fames: Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame (1998), National Wrestling Coaches Association, 25 years award, National Wrestling Hall of Fame (2001) for Life Service, Iowa High School Hall of Fame (2005), and Iowa State University Hall of Fame (2016).  After retirement from coaching, Wicks continued as a full professor at the USNA until 2010.  He also remained active within both the national and local wrestling community.  Wicks enjoyed working in his garden, traveling, and spending time with his family and Jack Russell Terriers.
Reg will be lovingly remembered by his high school sweetheart, Linda Wicks, … more at … Navysports.com/Former-navy-wrestling-coach-reggie-wicks-passes-away-at-the-age-of-79

June 2, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Legendary MSU wrestling coach Macias dies at 102

The adjectives are numerous — legendary, trailblazer, teacher, coach, champion.
They all apply to former Minnesota State University wrestling coach Rometo “Rummy” Macias, who passed away Monday in Florida at the age of 102.
He is remembered as an affable, loquacious, larger-than-life man who was a pioneer of collegiate wrestling.
Macias founded the MSU wrestling program in 1950 and coached for 38 years. During his tenure, he led MSU to three national championships and nine conference titles.
Perhaps his greatest accomplishment was the number of wrestlers who turned around and gave back to the sport. At least 145 of his wrestling graduates became high school or collegiate coaches in Minnesota and throughout the country.
Current MSU head coach Jim Makovsky said the term legend is appropriate. “Minnesota wrestling has a pretty good reputation and a lot of people give him credit for that,” Makovsky said. “How many people are known by just one name — Rummy.”
Macias was inducted into the MSU Hall of Fame in 1982 — six years before he retired as coach. During his tenure, he coached 93 All-Americans, 19 individual national champions and 74 conference champions. “We knew it was going to happen at some point, but it’s still hard to see him go,” said Jack Eustice, a four-time All-American under Macias in the 1970s, who went on to a standout high school coaching, teaching and administrative career. “It’s disappointing because he was such a quality person. He spent a lot of time encouraging us to figure out what we were going to do after wrestling was done. He was so important to the MSU program.”
A 1948 graduate of the University of Iowa, Macias was an assistant coach there for two years before taking on the challenge of starting up the MSU program. He would recruit farm kids in Minnesota and mold them into quality wrestlers.
Makovsky remembers the first time he met Macias upon arriving in Mankato in 1999. “I already knew of him before I got here. (He may have been short in stature but) he was a big figure, everything about him was intriguing,” Makovsky said. “I golfed with him four years ago and he was so sharp, he’d remember things from years ago. Rummy just loved people and was a great teacher.  … more at … Mankatofreepress.com/Legendary-msu-wrestling-coach-macias-dies-at-102

June 1, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Buffalo Bills announce signing of Olympic champion Gable Steveson

The Buffalo Bills announced the signing of 2020 Olympic champion and two-time NCAA champion Gable Steveson to its roster on Friday afternoon.
Following reports of Steveson’s signing from NFL industry insiders, including ESPN’s Adam Schefter, the Bills issued a formal announcement through its official X account.
According to ESPN and Schefter, Steveson is signing a standard rookie contract for three years to play Defensive Tackle under head coach Sean McDermott, a former wrestler himself. McDermott has a strong history of backing wrestling as a foundation for elite football players.
ESPN article: Olympic gold medal wrestler Gable Steveson signing with Bills
Steveson most recently competed on the wrestling mat at 2023 Final X held at Prudential Center, where he defeated now World bronze medalist and Paris Olympian Mason Parris two matches to none for the 2023 U.S. World Team spot. Steveson did not compete at the 2023 World Championships, leaving open the opportunity for Parris to shine on the World stage.
A native of Apple Valley, Minn., Steveson was a four-time Minnesota state champion for Apple Valley High School and won NCAA titles for his home-state Minnesota Gophers in 2021 and 2022. He was named the Dan Hodge Trophy recipient as the nation’s top college wrestler both years he won the NCAA tournament. … more at … Themat.com/Buffalo-bills-announce-signing-of-olympic-champion-gable-steveson

May 31, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment