GRAY SIMONS | SEVEN: Masterful MiteG
From 1961-1964, Gray Simons was one of the best wrestlers in the World. Heading into his junior season at Lock Haven, Simons had already won two NAIA national championships and an NCAA championship, beating Olympian Dick Wilson in the finals as a sophomore.
EPISODE 1: Unrolling Granby
After his trip to Rome saw him come away from the Olympics without a medal, Simons continued his tear through college wrestling. Would injuries or wrestlers from more dominant programs stop him from his place in wrestling history? Would old friends and teammates be the ones who would knock Simons from his path?
Find out in the second installment of Seven.
Seven is the story of one of America’s great wrestling minds – a stellar athlete with two Olympic appearances – and a dynamic technical mind – delivering next-level techniques learned at Granby and tweaked for the college wrestling world.
Episode 2: Masterful Mite looks at Simons’ run into the record books, becoming the first collegiate wrestler to win four national college championships and the 20th to win three NCAA titles. The journey also runs through his second Olympic appearance. … rest of story at … Mattalkonline.com/podcast/etched-in-stone/gray-simons-seven-masterful-mite
Toledo wrestling is “On the Rise” in the NCWA
By Mike Finn
Bryan Knepper credits his love for the Detroit Lions as one of the reasons he has such a passion to rebuild a college wrestling program like few others could. “I’m almost an apologist,” laughed Knepper. “We are not really fans, but those who have been beaten down over the years.”
But that opinion of his beloved NFL team has changed as the Lions had a winning record last year and led their division this fall after eleven weeks. What’s more, the HBO-produced “Hard Knocks” series on the Lions inspired him to use such a medium in his higher goal to rebuild the University of Toledo wrestling program. “It got me so pumped up about the Lions and believing in (Lions coach) Dan Campbell and his message,” said the 44-year-old Knepper. “I was so pumped up I said this is what we have to do for our program. We need to get the message out there and let people see what happened in the past, what we are doing right now and where we are trying to move in the future.”
That’s why Knepper (in association with LoudKid Films out of Toledo) is creating the documentary, “Rise: The Fall and Rebirth of College Wrestling” which spotlights Toledo’s program being cut and the misintended consequences of Title IX. And, uses their story of building it as a test case for growing the sport again at the NCAA level. The coach hopes to have it streamed on a platform like Netflix as soon as funds are raised. Until then, LoudKid Films has created a trailer:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DHGh7Qer4E.
This story appeared in the latest issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe.
“I had that lightbulb moment that this is something we can do because so many more people watch these documentaries,” he said. “It’s real. It’s not just some scripted drama. It’s real pain, real people involved. Maybe that’s the way to get to people’s hearts is through this type of media.”
For those who do not know, the Toledo program now competes in the National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) and Knepper has served as its unpaid head coach for 16 years in two different stints since 1997, three years after the school dropped men’s wrestling as an NCAA program in 1994. Working as a structural engineer, Knepper left Toledo in 2005 to work at an Air Force base in Tennessee, but returned to Ohio in 2013 and eventually became the Rockets coach again in 2015.
Before the sport was dropped, Toledo had qualified wrestlers for the NCAAs in all but three years and produced 22 all-time NCAA All-Americans. Meanwhile, the Ohio community had served as the host site for many national and international events, including the first World Cup in 1973 and 17 of the first 19. This history is part of the documentary.
Knepper grew up in Toledo, and his father, Dale, wrestled for the Mid-American Conference school as a freshman in 1969 when it was a varsity program. He was teammates with Greg Wojciechowski, the two-time NCAA finalist at heavyweight, who became the school’s second national champion in 1971. (The other Toledo NCAA champ was 191-pound Harry Lanzi in 1952.) “I grew up with these guys who became mentors and had heard all their stories of how great they were,” said Bryan, who has also created banners for those great wrestlers which hang in the Toledo wrestling room. “I like recognizing them and rebuilding our alumni base and getting them involved in our program. … rest of story at … WIN-magazine.com/Toledo-wrestling-is-on-the-rise-in-the-ncwa
No. 3 Missouri Wrestling Wins in Style Over No. 18 Oklahoma
COLUMBIA, Mo. – The No. 3-ranked University of Missouri wrestling team took care of No. 18 Oklahoma, 30-12, Friday, Dec. 1, in front of 2,454 fans inside the Hearnes Center. The Tigers improved to 2-0 (1-0, Big 12) in the young season, while the Sooners stumbled to 3-1 (0-1, Big 12).
The Tigers got things rolling with back-to-back decisions. First, redshirt senior Zach Elam (285) got Mizzou on the board by winning a tight 2-1 contest. Following the opening act, redshirt junior Noah Surtin (125) kept the momentum going with a 10-1 major decision, his fifth bonus-point victory of the year. Missouri took a step back as redshirt freshman Zeke Seltzer (133) fell short against Jace Koelzer, 4-1. The Sooners attempted storm back after No. 14 Mosha Schwartz defeated redshirt sophomore Josh Edmond (141) in overtime. However, right before intermission, redshirt junior Logan Gioffre (149) upset No. 22 Willie McDougald with a 4-1 sudden-victory decision to give MU a 10-6 cushion at the halfway mark. The decision was the first win over a ranked opponent for Gioffre as a starter. After the break, it was all Mizzou. Redshirt senior Brock Mauller (157) started the second half with a 12-4 major decision win, recording his fourth bonus-point victory of the season. Missouri put its foot on the gas with junior Keegan O’Toole (165) pinning his opponent in the second period. Back-to-back technical falls by redshirt senior Peyton Mocco (174) and redshirt freshman Clayton Whiting (184) truly separated the hosts from the opposition, leading them to a comfortable 30-12 victory over Oklahoma. … story at … MUtigers.com/news/No-3-wrestling-wins-in-style-over-no-18-oklahoma
Don’t tell wrestlers that their matches don’t count
By Tristan Warner
The 53rd edition of the NWCA All-Star Classic proved to be another successful early-season showcasing of some of the nation’s most promising collegiate wrestlers on Nov. 21 in State College, Pa. Pitting some of the highest-ranked individuals against each other in mid-November annually, the All-Star Classic accomplishes several feats simultaneously for fans, coaches, and contestants. It gives fans a small taste of elite collegiate folkstyle wrestling action and quenches that thirst which has been accumulated since the previous March. It also potentially foreshadows some big-time matchups for the upcoming postseason, especially ones that would not otherwise occur based on schedules.
This column appeared in the latest issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe.
For coaches, the event is not only a prestigious honor in which to have their program represented, but it provides a measuring stick for said coaches’ athlete(s) against high-level foes. From the athletes’ perspective, this event provides wrestlers the opportunity to rise to the occasion and stake their claim early in the season, perhaps setting the tone for the rest of their season. But one ongoing debate that has encircled this distinguished event for years is whether or not these matches should actually count toward the wrestlers’ records? Or, in other words, is this event an actual competition or merely an exhibition?
An exhibition as it stands today, the NWCA All-Star Classic provides these athletes the risk-free opportunity to duke it out without affecting their record or seed, at least in theory. But some argue that the result of a seven-minute match between two collegiate wrestlers with all the same scoring guidelines in place should count just like any other wrestling match would. While I know there are many arguments for or against standardizing the NWCA All-Star Classic as an official match, my stance on the matter is that the event is already accomplishing the aforementioned feats as it is, so there is no need to change it. Evolving the sport of wrestling has been a hot-button topic for a while now and seems to have gained even more steam after the near scare of wrestling being temporarily excluded from the Summer Olympics back in 2013. Surely, as is the case with any sport, continuing to make adaptations and adjustments to better the longevity of the sport are important. However, in some ways, changing things about the sport simply for the sake of changing them is worse. That is a whole separate issue, but the concept is not lost on the topic of the All-Star Classic.
Let’s face it: to the group of constituents that would be most affected by the change, the wrestlers themselves, this already is a real match. No wrestler at this level and of this caliber is treating any wrestling match, whether it is labeled as “exhibition” or not, any differently than he or she would a formal match. Wrestlers pour too much of their mind, body and soul into their preparation for competition than to take this event for anything less than another wrestling match against a high-level opponent. However, in theory, this match does provide the athletes the opportunity to “let it fly” with a little less pressure than a typical match may pose since their record and potential future postseason seeds are unaffected, also in theory. Meanwhile, the quality of matches presents the fans with one of the most exciting contests in college wrestling just as the traditional season is gearing up. By standardizing this event, the risk is that higher-ranked wrestlers, or their coaches, may tend to shy away from accepting the invitation in order to protect their record or future NCAA seed. … rest of story at … WIN-magazine.com/Dont-tell-wrestlers-that-their-matches-dont-count
Augsburg remains #1 while UW-Eau Claire Jumps from 9th to #3
NWCA Division III Men’s Coaches Poll – Regular Season #1
Manheim, PA – The National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) released the first regular season Division III Men’s Coaches rankings. These include the team tournament poll and national and regional individual rankings.
Augsburg (89.5 pts) remains solidly in first place ahead of archrival Wartburg (54.5 pts). UW-Eau Claire is making the massive jump from 9th to #3 (39.5 pts). Completing the Top Five are #4 UW-La Crosse (39 pts) and #5 Alvernia (38 pts), who each slide up one spot.
In the individual rankings, Augsburg leads the country with three top-ranked wrestlers (141, 184, 285). Wartburg has two (174, 197), while Johnson & Wales (125), UW-Eau Claire (133), McDaniel (141), UW-Lacrosse (157), and Alvernia(165) each have a single wrestler at the top of their respective weight class. There is a new number one at 149 in Thomas Monn of McDaniel, with defending national champion Michael Petrella of Baldwin Wallace moving up to 157. Petrella is ranked #2 behind Nolan Hertel, also a defending national champion. Just last week, Hertel won 3-1 in a marathon overtime match (TB2-2) over returning D2 national champion Nick Novak of St. Cloud State in the NWCA All-Star Classic.TOP RANKED INDIVIDUALS | NATIONAL RANKINGS | REGIONAL RANKINGS
125 Joziah Fry, Johnson & Wales
133 Tyler Fleetwood, UW-Eau Claire
141 Sam Stuhl, Augsburg
149 Thomas Monn, McDaniel
157 Nolan Hertel, UW-La Crosse
165 Matt Lackman, Alvernia
174 Zane Mulder, Wartburg
184 Bentley Schwanebeck-Osterman, Augsburg
197 Massoma Endene, Wartburg
285 Tyler Kim, Augsburg … rest of rankings and story at … NWCAonline.com/NCAA-division-3-men-augsburg-remains-1-while-uw-eau-claire-jumps-from-9th
Making history at Morgan State: Q&A with wrestling coach Kenny Monday
In October 2021, Morgan State University announced that its historic wrestling program, one that was cut in the late 1990s, would return after over two decades to become the only Division I historically black college and university (HBCU) in the NCAA. The administration then hired Olympic gold medalist Kenny Monday to lead the program, inspiring even more excitement in the revitalized team.
🤼 MORE COLLEGE WRESTLING 🤼
Flash forward to 2023, the Bears have just nearly completed their first month of competition and will head to the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational this weekend to compete against some of the best teams in the country.
NCAA.com caught up with Monday to talk about the team, the challenges he’s experienced in rebuilding the program and his goals for the future of Morgan State wrestling. This interview has been edited for length and clarity.
I want to talk about your team, some of your standout athletes and your competitive dual schedule this year, but before I get to all of that, I’d love to go back to when you took this job at Morgan State. What drew you to the program?
I think just the historical opportunity [to bring] the program back after 25 years. In 1996, I was training for the Olympics, and it broke my heart to know that a program was dropping, so when I really thought about it, I just felt like, me being in that position [to be the head coach], I could have a bigger impact than anywhere else.
You’ve coached at a ton of places. What have been some of the biggest challenges in bringing this program back and in starting this program in general?
I think, first of all, just getting the administration and the school up to speed on what wrestling looks like it, what it entails — that was one of the challenges. Then, just the recruiting process, starting from scratch, going out and recruiting student athletes to Morgan State and believing in the journey and believing in the process of starting a program. … rest of story at … NCAA.com/news/Making-history-morgan-state-qa-wrestling-coach-kenny-monday
Hidlay and Orine Win It All, Team Finishes 4th at Cliff Keen Invitational
Las Vegas, Nev. – The second-ranked NC State wrestling team tallied six individual placements, including first place championships from Trent Hidlay and Kai Orine to secure the team fourth overall at the 41st annual Cliff Keen Invitational on Saturday, December 2nd.
NC State accumulated 115 team points, following behind Iowa State (130.5), Nebraska (125.5), and Ohio State (123.5). Six athletes for the red-and-white found themselves on the podium: Kai Orine at 133lbs (1st place), Trent Hidlay at 197lbs (1st place), Ryan Jack at 141lbs (2nd place), Ed Scott at 157lbs (3rd place), Dylan Fishback at 184lbs (7th place), and JacksonArrington at 149lbs (8th place).
Hidlay’s championship at 197lbs made him a back to back winner at this tournament, however, last season he won at 184lbs. Currently ranked fifth in the nation by FloWrestling, the team veteran dominated his bracket with four ranked wins: No. 6 Cardenas (Cornell), No. 8 Jaxon Smith (Maryland), No. 18 Bockman (Utah Valley), and No. 27 Rademacher(Oregon State).
Orine, also currently ranked fifth in the nation by FloWrestling, claimed his championship in the 133 class. His wins over the weekend included three ranked victories over No. 11 Evan Frost (Iowa State), No. 18 Derrick Cardinal (South Dakota State), and No. 25 Gabe Whisenhunt (Oregon State).
Seventh-ranked Jack placed second after coming up short, 2-5, in the finals to No. 5 Jesse Mendez of Ohio State. In the previous rounds he collected three ranked wins over No. 3 Lachlan McNeil (UNC), No. 17 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa), and No. 32 McKenzie Bell (Rider).
Despite losing in the second round to No. 17 Peyten Kellar of Ohio, eighth-ranked Scott battled back to claim his third place decision at 157lbs. He picked up four ranked wins: No. 5 Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech), No. 6 Will Lewan (Michigan), No. 12 Trevor Chumbley (Northwestern), and No. 16 Tommy Askey (App State). Other notable wins from the Pack include Fishback defeating No. 4 Trey Munoz (Oregon State), Troy Hohman defeating No. 25 Tucker Owens (Air Force), and Owen Trephan defeating No. 30 David Szuba (Rider). … rest of results at … GOpack.com/Hidlay-and-orine-win-it-all-team-finishes-4th-at-cliff-keen-invitational
Home / Featured / Here’s to the ‘kid sisters’ who never got a chance to wrestle
By Mike Finn
This column appeared in the latest issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe.
An emotional Felicity Taylor worked to hold back her tears as she spoke about how great it was to be part of women’s wrestling history on Nov. 12, when the Iowa women’s wrestling team held its first-ever home event before a record 8,207 fans in Iowa City.
And considering what the 5-foot, 116-pound native of Spillville, Iowa, had gone through in her wrestling past to earn such a moment, it was not surprising to see her emotions. Sure, she won over 100 high school matches competing against boys, before earning All-American honors and a national title at McKendree in Illinois, before making history as part of the first-ever NCAA Div. I Power-5 team. There had to be plenty of tough times considering she started wrestling when few other girls did and dealt with plenty of doubters … as well as boy wrestlers who forfeited to, rather than wrestle her.
After spending four years at
McKendree, where Felicity Taylor (top) earned three All-American honors and
a national title, the Iowa native is part of Iowa’s first-ever varsity team. (John Johnson photo)
The Trailblazer Duals provided Taylor an opportunity to focus on what’s right about the growth of women’s wrestling … while also looking back at those before her who might have had a tougher time in gaining acceptance from others. “Our team motto is, ‘For Her,’,” Taylor said. ‘We are doing this for ‘her’, the people who paved the way for us and for the people who are to come after us. To see all these little girls wanting our autographs or just being here and supportive was amazing.”
Taylor is the oldest of three siblings. And as a former Level 8 competitive gymnast, she was strong enough to wrestle with her younger brother Zach until she took up wrestling. I’ve been covering wrestling for 35 years and the noise emitted from these fans was no different than if the legendary Hawkeye men were wrestling. … story at … WIN-magazine.com/Wrestling+News
‘It’s time that we join in’: Alfred State launches first women’s wrestling program in SUNY schools
ALFRED, N.Y. (WKBW) — Over the past few years, women’s sports has gained more popularity and recognition than it ever has. Just this year alone, we’ve seen multiple record-breaking events that caught the nation’s attention. Iowa Women’s Basketball — playing in front of over 55,000 fans, Nebraska Women’s Volleyball — selling out a crowd of over 98,000 fans and the WNBA Finals — breaking attendance and viewership records.
The idea that “no one watches women’s sports” is simply not true. As the advocacy for and commitment to excelling women’s sports reaches a national level, it’s helping pave the way for younger athletes to find their place in a sport. Alfred State is leading the charge in excelling women’s sports here in New York State as the school launched its women’s wrestling program, the first in the SUNY school system. Next year, Buffalo State will be joining the Alfred State as the second-active SUNY program. This a very unique program. Along with the team being the first of its kind in SUNY, there are a list of firsts with this team. First time wrestlers, like Sophomore Judiely Ventura.
She’s a transfer student from The Bronx and has never participated on an athletic team before. Neither has she lived away from home. The idea of joining a team of some sort, was just what she needed. “What better way to have a family away from family, a home away from home than joining a sports team,” Ventura said. “Now some of these girls have become my close friends here.” … story at … WKBW.com/Its-time-that-we-join-in-alfred-state-launches-first-womens-wrestling-program-in-suny-schools
Limestone Wrestling Picks Up 28-12 Conference Win Over Montevallo
GAFFNEY, S.C. – The Limestone University men’s wrestling team handed visiting Montevallo a 28-12 loss on Friday evening inside the Timken Center. The Saints improve to 2-0 at home this season and 3-2 overall. Limestone jumped out to an early 19-0 lead after wins in the first five weight classes. After earning decisions at 125, 133, and 141, the Blue and Gold received tech falls from seniors Brandon Seawright (Birmingham, Ala.) and Markeith Drakeford-Yegge (Fort Mill, S.C.) to push ahead of the Falcons. Montevallo made a bit of a push, taking 165 and 174 while trimming the deficit to 19-9, but graduate JaQuez Bostic (Columbia, S.C.) tallied an impressive 18-2 tech fall at 184 before freshman Jack Trautman III (Rochester, Wisc.) secured 197 with a 15-2 major decision, pushing the advantage to 28-9. The Falcons earned the victory in the heavyweight division, but it was too little, too late as Limestone took home the 28-12 conference win.
FINAL RESULTS
125: Trey Finnearty (LIME) over Colt Brown (UM) (Dec 6-2)
133: Jaqion Williams (LIME) over Cory Jones (UM) (Dec 5-4)
141: Kaleem Heard (LIME) over Chad Strickland (UM) (Dec 7-1)
149: Brandon Seawright (LIME) over Trent Gilham (UM) (TF 21-5 6:10) … story at … GOlimestonesaints.com/Wrestling-picks-up-28-12-conference-win-over-montevallo
Crusaders Earn Second Conference Win Over Emory & Henry
BELMONT, N.C. – The Belmont Abbey wrestling team earned its second straight Conference Carolinas victory thanks to a 48-3 win over Emory & Henry Thursday evening at the Wheeler Center.
Belmont Abbey earned three pins on the night, including two in consecutive bouts from Will Cline and Skyler Caban. Justin Wright closed out the match with a pin in the heavyweight division.
Brett Balzan improved to 3-0 in dual matches with his win via technical fall as the Crusaders won nine of the 10 bouts on the evening.
The Crusaders improved to 2-1 on the season and in conference play while the Wasps are 0-3 overall and in the league.
RESULTS
125 Brett Balzan (BAC) def. Tito Hernandez (E&H) (TF 24-7)
133 Logan Arnold (E&H) def. Max Buico (BAC) (Dec 13-7)
141 Will Cline (BAC) def. Avery Almany (E&H) (Fall 0:36)
149 Skyler Caban (BAC) def. Collin Davidson (E&H) (Fall 2:12) … story at … Abbeyathletics.com/Crusaders-earn-second-conference-win-over-emory-henry
Coker University Cobras Shutout Bluefield State at Home
The Coker wrestling team had an impressive performance against Bluefield State, winning by a dominant score of 53-0. Here is a recap of the individual matches:
– In the 125-pound weight class, Jonte Crumpton from Coker defeated Luke Roberts from Bluefield State by decision, with a final score of 9-6.
– Stephen Spitko from Coker had a strong showing in the 133-pound weight class, earning a technical fall victory over Sebastiano Spina from Bluefield State. The match ended with a score of 18-2, with the win coming at the 6:47 mark.
– Omar Armengol from Coker dominated his opponent, Enrique Sanchez from Bluefield State, in the 141-pound weight class. Armengol secured a technical fall victory, with a final score of 18-1. The match concluded after 5 minutes.
– In the 149-pound weight class, Trey Weinell from Coker won the match by forfeit, as Bluefield State did not have a competitor in this weight class.
– Noah Korenoski from Coker had a quick and decisive victory in the 157-pound weight class. He defeated Jacob Latorre from Bluefield State by technical fall, with a score of 18-2. The match ended in just 2 minutes and 37 seconds.
– The 165-pound weight class also resulted in a win for Coker, as their opponent from Bluefield State did not compete.
– Benjamin Newton from Coker showcased his strength in the 174-pound weight class, securing a pinfall victory over Sherman Franklin from Bluefield State. The pin occurred at the 4:20 mark of the match. – Duffy Mista from Coker had an impressive performance in the 184-pound weight class. He earned a technical fall victory over Landon Marquis from Bluefield State, with a final score of 25-8. The match ended after 4 minutes and 7 seconds. … story at … Cokercobras.com/sports/wrestling
SSG McIntosh of the U.S. Army claims gold at CISM World Military Championships
BAKU, Azerbaijan – The U.S. effort at the 2023 CISM World Military Championships opened with a valiant gold medal effort from Staff Sergeant Morgan McIntosh of the U.S. Army WCAP.
McIntosh won three matches against international opposition at 86 kg in men’s freestyle to claim his first World Military title. His tournament concluded with a 5-5 criteria victory over Reza Ebrahim of Iran in the championship bout. His path to the gold medal match included impressive wins over seasoned international competitors. McIntosh eased into his day with a 12-2 technical fall victory against Italy’s Aaron Caneva, who has competed at three Senior World Championships and owns a handful of international event medals. The semifinals saw McIntosh claim a 5-1 decision over up-and-comer Farid Jabbarov of Azerbaijan. Jabbarov finished in fifth place at the 2022 U20 European Championships and came in ninth place at the U23 Europeans this year.
McIntosh joined the U.S. Army in 2017 following a successful collegiate career at Penn State University where we was a three-time NCAA All-American and national finalist under coach Cael Sanderson. Baku marks McIntosh’s second Senior level international medal, adding to his silver medal from the 2022 Bill Farrell Memorial International. He finished in sixth place at the U.S. Open at 92 kg earlier this year. … story at … Themat.com/news/SSG-mcintosh-of-the-u-s-army-claims-gold-at-cism-world-military-championships
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 