Takedown Report

2024 NC State vs Oklahoma State Wrestling Dual Preview & Prediction

A full preview and prediction for the wrestling dual meet between NC State and Oklahoma State on Friday, January 5, 2024
On Friday, January 5 at 7:00 pm (ET), the Oklahoma State Cowboys will take on the NC State Wolfpack in one of the premier duals of the weekend. This dual will feature several ranked matchups and is sure to be incredible from start to finish. Take a look at the below article to see the projected lineups along with a breakdown and prediction for each match.

Projected Lineups:

125: #15 Jakob Camacho, NC State vs #20 Troy Spratley, OK State
133: #5 Kai Orine, NC State vs #3 Daton Fix, OK State
141: #4 Ryan Jack, NC State vs #7 Tagen Jamison, OK State
149: #4 Jackson Arrington, NC State vs #21 Jordan Williams, OK State
157: #5 Ed Scott, NC State vs #24 Travis Teague, OK State
165: #20 Derek Fields, NC State vs #3 Izzak Olejnik, OK State
174: #32 Alex Faison, NC State vs Brayden Thompson, OK State
184: #12 Dylan Fishback, NC State vs #3 Dustin Plott, OK State
197: #2 Trent Hidlay, NC State vs #14 Luke Surber, OK State
285: #15 Owen Trephan, NC State vs #12 Konner Doucet, OK State

Before we get into the individual matchups, it’s worth pointing out that this dual has the potential to feature 19 ranked wrestlers with 9 of the 10 matches between ranked individuals. 

125: #15 Jakob Camacho, NC State vs #20 Troy Spratley, OK State

125 has been the most unpredictable weight of the season and seemingly every ranked wrestler in the country has a chance to win an NCAA title this season at 125 pounds. Just a few weeks ago, Camacho was #1 before he lost three matches in one day at the Collegiate Duals. However, just because Camacho had a rough day, he’s still incredibly talented and boasts a win over NCAA runner-up Matt Ramos this season. 

Spratley had a solid first half of the season accumulating a 9-3 record with ranked wins over Conrad Hendriksen, Trever Anderson, and Spencer Moore while only losing to Jore Volk, Caleb Smith, and Tanner Jordan. This matchup is a toss-up but I’m picking Camacho to get back into the win category and win a close decision over Spratley. 

Prediction: Camacho by decision

Dual Prediction: NC State 3, OK State 0

133: #5 Kai Orine, NC State vs #3 Daton Fix, OK State

Daton Fix and Kai Orine have only wrestled once in their college careers – all the way back at the 2022 NCAA Tournament. In that match, Fix won 7-4 but Orine has shown he can be competitive with the best in the country at 133 pounds. I expect this to be a highly entertaining bout with a lot of athletic flurries throughout. Fix has a slight edge on his feet and the mat so he’s my pick in a decision victory.

Prediction: Fix by decision

Dual Prediction: NC State 3, OK State 3 … story at … Flowrestling.org/NC-state-vs-oklahoma-state-wrestling-dual-preview-prediction

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

Women’s Wrestling News – Jan. 1st

Coaching Philosophy 101 With North Central Coach Joe Norton
North Central women’s coach Joe Norton outlines five coaching principles that are the foundation of his championship program
Joe Norton is the head women’s coach and assistant men’s coach at North Central – a Division III program located in Naperville, Illinois. The Cardinal women’s team made history last season by becoming the first D3 wrestling program to win a college national team championship against every NCAA division.  The North Central women’s program began during the 2019-20 season and had 15 All-Americans and three national champions at the 2023 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships.  Below are Joe Norton’s five core coaching principles that define North Central’s championship philosophy. 
Coaching 101: Joe Norton
Competitive Response
How we respond to adversity immediately after it strikes will determine the outcome of the situation. Giving up a takedown, getting on the scale and seeing a higher number than expected, getting a flat tire, failing a test, etc. Where does your mind go immediately after something bad happens? We preach having a competitive response to adversity, every time it strikes! Turn your mind immediately away from the bad thing that happened, and toward the solution!
Team First
Always put your team before yourself. Human nature is … story at … Flowrestling.org/Coaching-philosophy-101-with-north-central-coach-joe-norton

Women’s Weekly: NCAA Team Race Heats Up
The NCAA team race is heating up after a memorable US Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas
Olympic Trials spots were on the line at the recent US Nationals in Fort Worth, Texas, with the top five advancing to State College, Pennsylvania, on April 19-20. It also offered clues about the upcoming college season. 
Iowa, King, McKendree, and North Central are locked in a tight four-team NCAA race entering the 2024 NWCA National Duals on January 5-6 in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Below is a breakdown of each of the four teams, their potential best line-ups, and Olympic Trials qualifiers. 
Will The Hawkeyes Soar?
Iowa is 7-0 on the season including a 3-0 record at the Desert Duals where it didn’t send a full team. The Hawkeyes went 39-1 during the first four duals with only one win lasting a full six minutes.  Marlynne Deede reached the US National finals at 76 kg (167 pounds), which is 12 pounds heavier than her college weight. Emilie Gonzalez (101) and Ava Bayless (109) didn’t place at 50 kg (110 pounds), while Brianna Gonzalez (116) didn’t place at 53 kg. Brianna only fell to post-collegiate wrestlers while her twin sister was wrestling up nine pounds.  Nanea Estrella didn’t place, either — but she was injured during her consolation match against Lexie Basham, which was a rematch of the 2022 NAIA Championship finals. Basham won their college match, 3-2, but was behind against Estrella at US Nationals before the injury. … story at … Flowrestling.org/Coaching-philosophy-101-with-north-central-coach-joe-norton

This Bettendorf standout is now wrestling for the #1 team in the country
In high school, Ella Schmit broke barriers as often the only female wrestler in the room. In college, she’s got an entire team of women beside her.

Author: Shelby Kluver (WQAD)
IOWA CITY, Iowa — In high school, Ella Schmit was a breakout star for the Bettendorf Bulldogs Wrestling Team. Now in college, she’s found her place competing for the number one team in the country.  When she began her wrestling journey, Schmit often found herself wrestling against boys. At many tournaments, she would be the only woman competing.  It was a career of shattering records and glass ceilings. As a senior, she went 16-0 with 13 pins. Throughout high school, she held a career record of 70-18 against both boys and girls. 
Schmit also became a three-time state champion in girls wrestling. She previously won two state titles at 106 pounds in Class 3A, where she also qualified for the Iowa boys state tournament, becoming one of four girls in Iowa wrestling history to qualify. Now she finds herself on the University of Iowa’s inaugural women’s wrestling program. 
In fact, when Schmit announced her decision to wrestle for Iowa, she became the first in-state commit for the new program.  The Hawkeyes are currently ranked number one in the country with a perfect 7-0 record. Two of its members are gearing up for the Olympic trials. … story at … Wqad.com/Ella-schmit-female-wrestling-bettendorf-hawkeyes-iowa

Woodmore’s female wrestlers make history on the mat
BY SHERI TRUSTY
A group of Woodmore Middle School girls are not just breaking down barriers; they are blasting through them. At their first competition, two of the girls walked away as champions. The girls are among the first female wrestlers in Woodmore history, and they are paving the school’s new road with gold.
Hope Scherger, competing at 128 pounds, and Tinley Thieroff, competing at 86 pounds, both won their matches and earned the title of champion at the Bryan Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 10. Vida Hernandez, competing at 115 pounds, came in second, and Elana Reif, competing at 98 pounds, came in fourth. The team came to finish second among 20 teams at the invitational.
Scherger said Woodmore’s girls’ team opened the door for her to try wrestling. “I always wanted to do it, but I knew it would be hard with the boys,” she said. “I thought I’d probably be good.” She was right. At the Clyde Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 17, where 50 schools gathered to compete, Scherger came in second at 128 pounds. Hernandez placed third at 110 pounds, Thieroff placed fourth at 92 pounds, and Reif placed fourth at 98 pounds. The team placed 15th overall. Hernandez said she joined the team because she thought wrestling could build strength and confidence. She discovered she walked onto the mat with more natural skill than she expected. “I was better than I thought I’d be,” she said. What Hernandez didn’t expect was the role the mind plays in wrestling. … story at … Thebeacon.net/woodmores-female-wrestlers-make-history-on-the-mat

North Central scores five champs, second-straight women’s team title at Ken Kraft Midlands Championships
BY RICHARD IMMEL, USA WRESTLING
HOFMANN ESTATES, Ill. – The No. 2 ranked North Central College squad delivered its second-straight team title at the Ken Kraft Midlands Championships on the strength of five individual champions, nine finalists and 17 women placing in the top five of their weight classes. Three-time NCWWC national champion Yelena Makoyed led the way for the Cardinals with a masterful performance at 170 pounds. Makoyed, the inaugural recipient of the USA Wrestling Women’s College Wrestler of the Year award, went unscored upon, teching each opponent, on the way to her first Midlands title.
2023 U20 World bronze medalist and two-time NCWWC All-American Amani Jones posted a similar effort for North Central on her way to the 123-pound title. The Junior from Locust Grove, Ga., won two bouts by 10-0 scores before pinning unattached wrestler Carissa Qureshi at the 2:04 mark of the championship match. Also earning top prize for the defending NCWWC team champions were two-time All-Americans Sydney Petzinger at 116 pounds and Tiera Jimerson at 155 pounds, plus returning national runner-up Traeh Haynes at 191 pounds. One area of surprise for North Central came at 101 pounds … story at … Themat.com/North-central-scores-five-champs-second-straight-women-s-team-title-at-ken-kraft-midlands-championships

NCAA No. 1 Iowa women, with five champions, top NAIA No. 1 Life at Soldiers Salute
CORALVILLE, Iowa – NCAA No. 1 Iowa, led by five individual champions, defeated second place NAIA No. 1 Life by 29.5 points to win the Soldier Salute in women’s freestyle on Saturday. The Hawkeyes scored 223 points, with Life finishing with 193.5 points. Iowa extended their 10.5 point lead from Friday. Rounding out the top five were NAIA Indiana Tech with 92 points, NAIA Texas Wesleyan with 87.5 points and NJCAA Umpqua CC with 59.5 points.
Individual champions for the Hawkeyes were Sterling Dias (101), Ava Bayless (109), Brianna Gonzalez (116), Bella Mir (155) and Haley Ward (170). 
At 155 pounds, Iowa’s Bella Mir pinned NAIA No. 2 Latifah McBryde of Life in 2:05. Mir was named Outstanding Wrestler, with six wins including four pins and one technical fall. Iowa wrestlers who also won their finals by fall were Dias and Gonzalez. Ward scored a technical fall in the finals, and Bayless won by injury default. … story at … Themat.com/NCAA-no-1-iowa-women-with-five-champions-top-naia-no-1-life-at-soldiers-salute

Desert Vista, Sunnyside girls win appeals with AIA to compete against boys in wrestling
On Monday, she won a battle with the Arizona Interscholastic Association.
On Tuesday, Phoenix Desert Vista High School sophomore Everest Leydecker pinned her male opponent within a minute of her first 120-pound division match of the season.
It was a victory on and off the mat not only for Leydecker, but for Tucson Sunnyside senior Audrey Jimenez, who also petitioned the AIA and is now allowed to compete against boys this wrestling season at 106 pounds.
A year after girls wrestling became an “emerging” sport under the AIA umbrella, the association sanctioned it as a team sport in spring of 2020 competing in the winter, the same time as the boys compete, due to an increasing amount of girls wanting to wrestle. But for Leydecker and Jimenez, who are among the best female wrestlers in their respective age and weight groups in the world, they weren’t being challenged at the Arizona high school level against other girls. It wasn’t easy to clear a path after last spring the AIA changed a bylaw that wouldn’t allow girls who are at schools with girls wrestling teams to compete on the boys teams.
Former North High wrestling champion Nick Kehagias, who helps young wrestlers and wrote the book “Wrestling With The Truth” with his high school coach, wrote a letter last spring to the AIA suggesting it allow for petitions if a female athlete had the desire to compete with boys. During her freshman year last season, Leydecker was wrestling against boys in dual meets, but her wins weren’t being counted by the AIA, said Shelly Leydecker, Everest’s mom “Everest won every dual meet last year but it counted as a loss for us,” Shelly said. “We started the fight in March and finally got the decision in December. So it’s been many months.” … story at … AZcentral.com/Arizona-female-wrestlers-win-appeals-to-compete-against-boys

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

Abbott Blog: Top 10 wrestling stories of 2023

BY GARY ABBOTT, USA WRESTLING
Easily one of my favorite assignments each year is writing up the Top 10 wrestling stories of the year. The holiday season provides a perfect chance to look back at the year gone by, identify those athletes and stories which made the year special, then look ahead at the year ahead in the sport.

The year ahead is an Olympic year, which is a special time for our sport. Every four years, the world gets together for the greatest activity on earth, the Olympic Games. During the Games, the general public will get a peak at many sports on the Olympic program which may not get this kind of attention in the non-Olympic years. What is great about the year before the Games is that the Olympic quest is already underway. For instance, there are 181 wrestlers already qualified for the April 2024 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Wrestling at Penn State, and only a few more spots available in early 2024. Many of the top stories in 2023 are connected to 2024 Olympic Games in Paris in some way. Even better, the United States is competing at a high level leading into Paris. It should be a fantastic year ahead for wrestling fans.

So what were my biggest stories of 2023? Here we go….

1. USA men’s freestyle team wins back-to-back World titles for first time – This year’s top story was a team, the 2023 U.S. Senior men’s freestyle squad. The USA came into Belgrade as the returning team champions, after beating Iran in the 2022 final standings. What was different in 2023 is that Russian and Belarussian athletes were permitted to compete as neutral athletes, making this the strongest field possible. It was also the first and most important qualifiers for the 2024 Paris Olympics. In addition, Team USA had six first-time Senior World Team members competing in men’s freestyle, adding additional questions about the team strength. It didn’t matter. Team USA started its first day putting all four from Group One in the semifinals and three into the finals and never looked back. When it ended, Team USA won seven medals and beat runner-up Iran by 40 points, the first back-to-back titles in U.S. history and the fifth all-time. Although Russia’s points were not counted due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the USA would have also beaten Russia had their points as Independent Neutral Athletes been counted. Golds were won by Vitali Arujau (61 kg), Zain Retherford (70 kg) and David Taylor (86 kg), a silver from Kyle Dake (74 kg) and bronze medals by Zahid Valencia (92 kg), Kyle Snyder (97 kg) and Mason Parris (125 kg). Three of the medals were won by first-timers. The USA punched four of the six Olympic weights into the Paris Games, with just 57 kg and 65 kg left to qualify in 2023. Kudos go to National Coaches Bill Zadick and Joe Russell, plus the clubs and Regional Training Centers which supported this team of talents. This was a remarkable performance by the American men’s freestylers, the biggest story of 2023.

2. Amazing Amit Elor wins three World titles for second straight year – Amit Elor made history in 2022 by becoming the first U.S. athlete (and only second in World history) to win three age-group World titles in the same year. Since Elor was only 19 when she won 2022 World golds as a U20, U23 and Senior athlete, she was age-eligible to compete in all three World Championships again in 2023. Amit Elor loves to compete, and she set a goal to sweep all three once again. And Amit went out and did it once again. Her toughest victory may have been the first one, the U20 Worlds in Amman, Jordan, when Elor got sick along with many of her teammates. In spite of being greatly impacted by illness, Elor won all four bouts handily, getting three technical falls and a pin and not allowing a point. Next came the Senior Worlds, and Elor was again dominant, shutting out her first two opponents, getting a semifinals technical fall, then finishing it off with an 8-2 win over Enkh Amar of Mongolia in the finals. At the U23 Worlds, she was unbeatable, claiming two pins, a technical fall and a 5-0 shutout. This gives Elor eight UWW World titles during her career (actually nine if you count her U17 World Beach title). The biggest question is where will Elor wrestle in the Olympic year. By throwing her hat into the Pan American Olympic Qualifier wrestle-offs at 68 kg, the answer seems to be that she will drop down in weight for her run at the Paris Games.

3. David Taylor wins Worlds beating Hassan Yazdani again – Wrestling is an individual sport, and there is nothing better than a fierce rivalry between two of the World’s greatest stars. That is what happens every time that 2020 Olympic champion David Taylor of the United States and 2016 Olympic champion Hassan Yazdani of Iran battle it out at 86 kg in men’s freestyle. The finals of the 2023 World Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, gave wrestling fans … story at … Themat.com/December/27/Abbott-blog-top-10-wrestling-stories-of-2023

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

ALL-TIME Coaches (Division II) – Top 50 with at least 125 wins – TDR # 31-17

1. Pat Pecora (Pitt-Johnstown)                 646
2. Doug Parker (Springfield, Mass)              485
3. Don Elia (Carson-Newman)                     461
4. Mike Olson (UNC-Pembroke, Upper Iowa, Monmouth)  428 – II  ??
5. Arthur “Bucky” Maughn (N Dak State)  408     
6. David James (Cent. Oklahoma)                396
7. Mike Denney (Maryville Univ./Nebr.-Omaha)    389
8. Vaughn Hitchcock (Cal-Poly-SLO)         353 – II
9. Jim Makovsky (Minn. St.-Mankato/Valley City St.)   324
10. Steve Costanzo (St. Cloud Univ.&Dana Coll.) 319
11. Robert “Rummy” Macias  (Minn. St.-Mankato)   299
12. P.J. Smith (UNC-Pembroke, Campbell)               299
13. Vince Monseau (West Liberty St./Peru St.)         286
14. Jim Koch (Wisconsin-Parkside)                          277
15. Mike Sterner  (SW Minnesota St.)                       254
16. William “Bill” Corman (Shippensburg State)      243
17. Jason Liles (S.D. State/Montana St.-Northern)    236
18. Robert Fisher (Kutztown Univ.)                             236
19. Doug Henry (Gannon Univ.)                                   233
20. Terry Wetherald (Univ. of Indianapolis – Ind. Central)        230
21. Robin Ersland (Minot St./Cent. Mo. St./Calif. (Pa.), N. Mich.  225
22. Marc Bauer (Univ. of Nebraska-Kearney)                 215
23. Larry Kristoff (So. Illinois-Edwardsville, SW Mo. St.)  212
24. Jason Reitmeier (Augustana College-S.D.)            212
25. Heath Grimm (Upper Iowa Univ.)                          210
26. Mike Wehler (Mercyhurst, West Liberty State)   207
27. Mike Palmisiano (Nebraska-Omaha, Ohio Northern)  200
28. Tracy Borah (Western State College)                        200
29. Jason Valek (Newberry)                                             194
30. Joe Seay (Cal. State Bakersfield)                               187
31. Allan Abraham (Calif. State San Francisco)              176
32. Miles Van Hee (Western State College)                    170
33. Lars Jensen (Calif. State San Francisco)                    170
34. Stamatis Bulgaris (Wright State & Dayton)               169
35. Ray Kowatch (Ashland College)                               167
36. John Oxton (St. Cloud State Univ.)                            167
37. Paul Kendle (Augustana College-S.D.)                     163
38. Howard Westcott (Portland State)                              162
39. Doug Moses (N.M. Highlands, So. Color., Col. St.)  151 – inc
40. John W. Hancock (Northern Col., Col. St. Coll)       152
41. Bill Garland (Minnesota State-Moorhead)                 147
42. Roger Denker (Central Missouri State)                     143
43. Jack LaBonde (Northern Colorado, Col. St. Coll)     142
44. James Kisgen (McKendree College)                       138 D-II since 2013
45. John Sterner (Minnesota State-Moorehead)              137
46. Scott Ritzen (Chadron State College)                        135
47. Warren Williamson (South Dakota State )                 134
48. Dave Shutter  (Truman State, NE Missouri State)     133
49. Mike McGlinchey (Salisbury State)                          133
50. Jack Maughan (Northern Colorado)                           129
51. Chuck Piper (Colorado Mesa St.)                                       129
52. Ken Caudell (Belmont-Abbey)                                127
53. Martin Grahn (Portland State)                                    126
54. Jason Ramstetter(Adams State)                              125

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

Division I News and Notes

No. 2 Wrestling Takes Down Illinois In Mizzou To The Lou Dual, 29-6
ST. LOUIS – The No. 2-ranked University of Missouri wrestling team defeated Illinois in its Mizzou to the Lou match in Stifel Theatre on Thursday, Dec. 21. The Tigers move to 5-0, 3-0 in the Big 12, while the Illini are 3-3 overall. Redshirt junior Noah Surtin earned a 6-1 decision at 125 pounds to get the dual started. Redshirt freshman Kade Moore earned his second consecutive major decision, winning 17-8 at 133 pounds. The Tigers kept it going as No. 20-ranked redshirt sophomore Josh Edmond followed at 141 pounds, defeating No. 18 Danny Pucino by a 10-5 decision. Just before the break, redshirt senior Brock Mauller secured a 14-5 major decision at 157 pounds, giving Mizzou a 14-3 lead. Coming out of intermission, redshirt sophomore James Conway wrestled at 165 pounds, as junior Keegan O’Toole went up to 174 to take on No. 5 Edmond Ruth. O’Toole went to work and upset Ruth 12-7.  … story at … MUtigers.com/No-2-wrestling-takes-down-illinois-in-mizzou-to-the-lou-dual-29-6

Gardner-Webb Splits in Duals with George Mason and Ohio
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Gardner-Webb wrestling squad split matches on Thursday, December 21 with a win over George Mason University, 25-15, and a tough loss to Ohio University, 28-17 in non-conference action.   
Three Runnin’ Bulldogs went 2-0 on the mat including graduate student Drew West, who finished the duals winning by injury default in his first match and a fall against Ohio’s Ryan Meek. Senior Todd Carter picked up a fall in his opening match against Dominic Hargrove and finishing with a tech fall in his final match versus the Bobcats. Redshirt senior Jha’Quan Anderson locked in a sudden victory against the Patriots and a decision over Max Ray for Ohio. 
Gardner-Webb will take a few days off for Christmas break until New Year’s Day, when the ‘Dawgs will travel to Chattanooga, Tennessee for the Southern Scuffle at the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga from January 1-2. … story at … GWUsports.com/Gardner-webb-splits-in-duals-with-george-mason-and-ohio

Ohio Wrestling Wins 28-17 Over Gardner-Webb
BOILING SPRINGS, N.C. – The Ohio wrestling (4-1) defeated Gardner-Webb (2-2) by a score of 28-17 to pick up the team’s fourth dual-meet win of the season.  With the win, Ohio continued its undefeated streak against the Runnin’ Bulldogs. The Bobcats are 6-0 in dual meets against Gardner-Webb.  Sophomore Mason Brugh (Wadsworth, Ohio) picked up the first win of the day for Ohio and his first dual-meet victory of the season. He defeated Tyson Lane by fall at 4:14.  Junior Dan Segura (Columbus, Ohio) picked up the next win for the Bobcats over Tyler Brignola. Segura and Brignola battled back and forth, but ultimately Segura picked up the win by way of a 7-2 decision. Like Brugh, the win gave Segura his first dual-meet win of the season.  Jumping up to 165 from his typical weight of 157, redshirt sophomore Peyten Kellar (Cutler, Ohio) remained undefeated in dual-meet matches, picking up his fourth win of the season and improving his overall record to 11-2. He won with an 11-0 majority decision over Andrew Wilson.  … story at … Ohiobobcats.com/Wrestling-wins-28-17-over-gardner-webb

Cleveland State Wrestling Topples Clarion in Final Dual of 2023
CLARION, Pa. – Cleveland State (1-4, 1-1) sailed past Clarion (3-6, 0-2) 25-11 in their final dual of the first half of the season. The match started at 285 pounds and saw all the points scored in the final period, with No. 25 Daniel Bucknavich winning 6-2 to give the Vikings a 3-0 lead. Ben Aranda extended the margin to 6-0 after picking up a 4-1 sudden victory at 125-pounds. Jake Manley recorded a 7-2 decision at 133 pounds, and No. 25 Dylan Layton notched an 11-2 major decision at 141-pounds to make it 13-0 in favor of the Green and White. Douglas Terry trailed 2-1 with a minute remaining in the third period before scoring five straight points to win 6-2, extending the advantage to 16-0. Clarion notched their first points of the match at 157-pounds behind a pin in 2:57 to trail 16-6. … story at … CSUvikings.com/releases/20231221Wrestling+News

Little Rock Wrestling Earns Program’s First National Team Ranking
LITTLE ROCK – The Little Rock wrestling program is nationally ranked. The team is receiving votes for the first time in the NWCA Division I Coaches Poll, as well as earning nods from wrestling media FloWrestling, InterMat, The Open Mat, and WIN Magazine. The most impressive part? It only took head coach Neil Erisman and associate head coach Javier Maldonado five years to get here.  
“We stuck to our values and the things that make us Trojans,” explained Coach Erisman on the development over the past five seasons. “We set a plan and a vision, and then we went to work for it.” … story at … LRrojans.com/Little-rock-wrestling-earns-program-first-national-team-ranking

January 3, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Motivational speaker Jensen credits wrestling for helping him regain his sobriety and life

By Tristan Warner
When Richard Jensen found himself lying on the floor of a homeless shelter at the age of 34, he never imagined some day he would be traveling the country in a tour bus as a motivational speaker inspiring thousands of people by sharing his story of triumph and perseverance.  The grips of addiction led him to jail, prison and homelessness and the Oregon native found himself at rock bottom.  Jensen remembers a time in which finding the light at the end of the tunnel seemed impossible. But then, lying on that cold, lonely floor, a shell of the man and father he always intended to be, he also remembered a time when he felt a sense of belonging, had an identity, and above all else, had a purpose.

This story appeared in the December issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe.

“I had a lot of hyperactivity as a kid, so one of the local elementary coaches encouraged my mom to sign me up for wrestling,” Jensen recalled. “I quickly found myself falling in love with the sport. It gave me something to be a part of, and the value wrestling brought to my life stuck with me forever.” 
A self-proclaimed “.500 wrestler at best,” Jensen knew the wins he was accumulating by participating in the sport were more intrinsic than anything else.  His mom loved watching him compete. Win, lose, or draw, her favorite thing to do was watch her son wrestle, and that was something special for the two of them to share. 
The sport taught him discipline and toughness, two values that would greatly impact him later in life, though he did not know it at the time.  And, providing a sense of identity and belonging, wrestling under high school coach H.D. Weddel impacted Jensen’s life and story immeasurably.  “We had five or six Division I-caliber wrestlers on that team and I was not one of them, but Coach Weddel treated me the exact same as everyone else,” Jensen remembers. “I needed wrestling more than wrestling needed me. But, he created an inclusive culture where I felt I belonged, and it really stuck with me. It reshaped my life.” So, 16 years after his high school wrestling career ended, Jensen picked himself up and decided to make a change. 
That change involved a return to the wrestling mats, no matter how far-fetched it may have seemed at the time.  “I decided to make a positive change and get away from drugs and alcohol because I wanted to be the father that I dreamed of,” Jensen said. “Within a few years of sobriety, I decided I wanted to get back on the mat because I remembered what kind of value it brought to me.” “I used wrestling to be the vehicle to win my life back. It didn’t matter if I ever won a match or not. I was just trying to be the athlete, coach, and mentor I always dreamed of being.”
So, at the age of 37, Jensen jumped at the opportunity to enroll at Clackamas Community College and join the wrestling team. He saw it as potentially his one-and-only chance to get an education and be a part of something positive again.
Three years sober, Richard Jensen got one last chance to wrestle in college at Oregon’s Clackamas CC in 2006-07.
“A 37-year-old trying to make a comeback in college wrestling is not your everyday story,” he chuckled. “When I stepped in the wrestling room with all that baggage, the wrestling community took me in with open arms, though.” 
Sober three years by that time and on the straight and narrow, Jensen was productive and was well on his way to conquering his past demons, but his on-the-mat prowess was lacking. He recalled only winning one match that first year back, which is when Jensen decided to elevate his focus even one step further.  “I rented a garage and trained that entire summer completely by myself. I came back in the fall in the best shape of my life and had lost 15 pounds. … story at … WIN-magazine.com/Motivational-speaker-jensen-credits-wrestling-for-helping-him-regain-his-sobriety-and-life

January 3, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Examining the growth of high school wrestling participation – Mat Stats 26

The upcoming episode of MatStats, airing on November 15th, 2023, promises a deep dive into the state of high school wrestling. The episode, titled “Rock ‘N’ Roll High School (Part 1),” features special guest Dr. Jackie Paquette from the NWCA, who will discuss recent trends in high school wrestling participation. The episode will explore the growth in the number of high school wrestlers, with particular attention to the increases in both boys and girls participation.
Key insights from the episode include an examination of the relationship between high school wrestling numbers and various factors, such as state population and the number of NCAA & NAIA wrestling teams. The episode will also address the distinction between boys wrestling as a mature industry and girls wrestling as a growth industry, reflecting the historical and emerging trends in the sport.
Listeners can expect detailed statistical analysis and correlations, exploring how these trends have evolved over the years and what they might indicate for the future of wrestling at the high school level. The episode sets the stage for a comprehensive exploration of high school wrestling’s current state, its growth, and its impact on the broader wrestling community.
Full Slideshow: https://www.mattalkonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/11/matstats26.pdf
About Mat Stats
Welcome to the NWCA’s latest venture to help our favorite sport. … story at … Mattalkonline.com/Examining-the-growth-of-high-school-wrestling-participation

And Part 2
Part 2 of the Mat Stats deep dive into participation numbers at the high school level continues, this time focusing on girls high school participation. Joining hosts Jason Bryant, Glenn Gormley and Kevin Hazard is NWCA Deputy Director Dr. Jackie Paquette. … story at … Mattalkonline.com/Examining-the-growth-of-high-school-wrestling-participation-part-2

January 3, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

TDR Top 100 Girls Wrestlers Eastern North Carolina 2024 – part 2 – TDR # 31-16

TDR Notes; The lower six weight classes are listed here with wrestlers included in the weight class where they have wrestled their most recent matches. We welcome input on these Jan. 1st rankings as it will help in the end of the regular season rankings. Send information to martinkfleming@gmail.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rnk Wght.   Name             Team          Gr.  W.  L.   Pct.

January 3, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

TDR Top 100 Girls Wrestlers Eastern North Carolina 2024 – part 1 – TDR # 31-15

TDR Notes; The top 6 (in weight) classes are listed for the January 1st mid-season rankings. Almost all of the teams in the Eastern Regional are included. We welcome input and clarifications from wrestling fans and readers. Send email to martinkfleming@gmail.com ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Rnk  Wght.  Name             Team         Gr.  W.  L.   Pct.

January 3, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

UNI-Dome expects thousands for premier national wrestling event

Collegiate wrestling takes over the Cedar Valley to kick off the new year, as the UNI-Dome hosts the National Wrestling Coaching Association’s National Duals on January 5-6. More than 35 mats will blanket the floor of the Dome, featuring student-athletes from more than 100 men’s and women’s programs across the country. 
The last time the National Duals were held in the UNI-Dome was 2011, bringing more than 5,000 visitors to the Cedar Falls area. The magnitude of the event means a huge boost for business in the Cedar Valley.  “The UNI-Dome is an iconic venue with a rich wrestling history. It’s the only venue in our area that is large enough to accommodate events like these year-round and attract visitors from all over the United States,” said Ashley Johnson of the Cedar Valley Sports Commission, which has estimated a $2.5 million impact for the weekend alone. “The added benefit is the thousands of athletes, coaches and fans staying in area hotels, eating at our fantastic restaurants and visiting our local shops.”

NWCA National Duals by the numbers:

• 5,000+ unique visitors
• 4,000+ hotel nights booked
• 2,250 participants/coaches
• 100+ teams

A full list of competing teams can be found on the NWCA website.

“We are beyond excited to bring the National Duals back on campus in 2024. We can think of no better place than the UNI-Dome to host this wonderful event,” said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. “Our team is hard at work getting things in place already, and we can’t wait to host over 100 collegiate programs in Cedar Falls.”

“As originally envisioned, the UNI-Dome continues to serve as a multi-purpose facility by drawing in local, regional and national events,” said UNI Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs, Jamar Thompson. “Events like the NWCA National Duals are a display of the impact events held in the Dome can have on the community.” … rest of story at … NWCAonline.com/NAIA-women-uni-dome-expects-thousands-for-premier-national-wrestling-event

January 3, 2024 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment