Takedown Report

Five Things You Need To Know About NAIA Wrestling This Season

Grand View and Life are set to stage another battle, a collection of top stars return, several top newcomers are joining the NAIA wrestling mix this season.
NAIA wrestling is back with a lot of familiar storylines heading into the season. Grand View and Life University are set to stage another championship battle, a collection of top stars are back, several decorated newcomers are joining the mix and some new programs are debuting this season. 
Here’s a look at what to watch this season:  

Team To Beat 

Grand View won its 11th national title in 12 years in March, and while the Vikings remain the favorite, this could be one of the tightest team races in NAIA history this year. Grand View returns six starters, including national champions Owen Braungardt at 197 and Greg Hagan at 285. The Vikings have three other wrestlers who placed third or better at the national tournament coming back, including national finalists Carson Taylor at 133 and Isaiah Luellen, who is moving up from 174 to 184.  “We’re looking forward to finding out what’s unique about this team,” Grand View coach Nick Mitchell said. “After graduating a lot of seniors from last year’s team, it will be fun to see who steps up as leaders for us in all aspects.”

Top Contenders

With the current projected starters, Life University is neck-and-neck with Grand View, although that is likely to change for both teams by the second semester. Life is led by returning national champion Brevin Balmeceda at 149 and 2022 national champion Zane Lanham at 197. Along with those two, the Running Eagles return five other returning or former All-Americans. Life tested itself at the always-tough Southeast Open to start their season.  “Our guys fought hard and had some good moments, but we also had some moments that opened our eyes,” Life coach Omi Acosta said. “I have high expectations for this team and we still have a long way to go to reach our goals.” 
Several other teams are in the trophy chase, along with Grand View and Life. Southeastern and Menlo — which finished third and fourth, respectively, at the NAIA Championships in March, will be in the hunt again. Campbellsville, Morningside, and Ottawa each have balanced teams, which will require all starters to pull their weight to earn a trophy. Lindsey Wilson, Montana State-Northern, Doane, and Cumberland each have a few big hitters who can help win a team trophy if they reach their potential.

Top Returning Stars 

There’s no shortage of returning stars at the NAIA level this season. … rest of story at … Flowrestling.org/Five-things-you-need-to-know-about-naia-wrestling-this-season

And
2023-24 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 – No. 1 (November 9)
Nov 09, 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Life (Ga.) claimed the No. 1 spot in the first regular season NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 rating. Menlo (Calif.) and Grand View (Iowa) both sit at No. 2 and No. 3, respectively. Southern Oregon climbed this week, up two spots to No. 4 as William Penn (Iowa) hangs onto the fifth spot. Four new teams joined the top 20 this week with Vanguard (Calif.) in at No. 14, Missouri Valley in at No. 15, Ottawa (Kan.) at No. 17, and Lourdes (Ohio) at No. 20.

Rating Methodology

• The ratings were voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the five conferences.
• Two days prior to the national rating, each qualifying group rater submits the top 10 individuals from each weight class in the conference into the system. Only wrestlers listed on a conference ballot are considered for the national ballot.
• The top 20 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 20 points for each first place vote, 19 for second place and so on through the list. This same point system is used to determine the team ranking.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot
• Teams that receive only one point in the ballot are not considered “receiving votes.”
• For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.

And
2023-24 NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 – No. 1 (November 9)
Nov 09, 2023
KANSAS CITY, Mo. – In the first regular season NAIA Men’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20, Grand View (Iowa) found themselves in a similar position leading the nation. Life (Ga.) continued in second place followed by Southeastern (Fla.) in third and Menlo (Calif.) in fourth. Morningside (Iowa) moved into the Top 5, edging out Doane (Neb.) who moved up five spots. Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Marian (Ind.) also leaped up the standings with Saint Mary (Kan.) being ranked for the first time this year. 

Rating Methodology

• The rating was voted upon by a panel of head coaches representing each of the eight conferences/groups.
• Two days prior to the national rating, each qualifying group rater submits the top 10 individuals from each weight class in his conference into the system. Only wrestlers listed on a conference ballot are considered for the national ballot.
• The top 25 individuals in each weight class is based on how each voter ranks the best individuals. An individual receives 25 points for each first place vote, 24 for second place and so on through the list. This same point system is used to determine the team ranking.
• The highest and lowest ranking for each team (a non-rating is considered a low rating) is removed and the team’s ranking will be recalculated with an additional point added to each team for every ballot
• For the complete Top 20 calendar, click here.

November 11, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Wolfpack Wrestling and Oklahoma State to Compete in Home and Home Duals

Two of nation’s top programs to meet in Reynolds on Jan. 5
NC State and OklahomaState, two of the most successful programs in college wrestling, will square off in homeand home duals in 2024 and 2025. The Cowboys will compete in Raleighon Jan. 5, 2024, and the Wolfpack will make the trip to Stillwater in 2025. The teams were originally slated to compete in Italy in December but decided jointly to replace that matchup with the home and home competitions.
The Wolfpack entered the season with nine straight top-20 NCAA finishes, including back-to-back top 10 finishes in 2022 and 2023. The Cowboys, who have won five national titles under renowned head coach John Smith, finished 18th.  In this week’s NWCA Coaches Poll, the Pack is ranked third nationally while the Cowboys sit at 11th.
NC State head coach PatPopolizio, now in his 12th season at the helm of the program, competed for Smith at Oklahoma State from 1998-2002, helping lead the Cowboys to top-five national finishes in each of his four seasons with the program. “We’re very excited about the opportunity for two of the top programs in college wrestling to compete in front of the two best fanbases in college wrestling,” said Wolfpack head coach Pat Popolizio. “Oklahoma State has a rich and successful history with 34 NCAA titles and it’s huge for our program to bring a team of that caliber to Reynolds. I know the atmosphere will be electric.”
The Jan. 5 dual is slated for a 7 pm start. … rest of story … GOpack.com/Wolfpack-wrestling-and-oklahoma-state-to-compete-in-home-and-home-duals

November 11, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Helen Maroulis exclusive: “Wrestling helped me to heal”

In 2019, two-time Olympic medallist and three-time world champion Helen Maroulis was on the verge of retiring from wrestling after sustaining numerous concussions throughout her career. But the 32-year-old told Olympics.com that her focus on her mental health, dancing, and love of the sport, helped bring her back to the top of the wrestling world.
Helen Maroulis is on a spectacular medal-winning streak. In September, at the 2023 Wrestling World Championships in Belgrade, Maroulis won bronze in the women’s 57-kilogram class — her 17th medal at a major international tournament in the last 15 years. It’s an incredible achievement for the 32-year-old American, one that is testament to her skill, character and sheer force of will – especially when you consider all that Maroulis has battled through these past four years: anxiety, post-traumatic stress (PTSD), vertigo, light sensitivity, and suicidal thoughts. Several of these issues developed as a result of the numerous concussions Maroulis has sustained throughout her career, which would eventually push her to the brink of leaving the sport altogether … rest of story at … Olympics.com/Helen-maroulis-exclusive-interview-wrestling-helped-me-heal

And
Little sis Jaclyn Bouzakis is making a name for herself
By Mike Finn

As the youngest of three siblings in a well-known wrestling family, Jaclyn Bouzakis is neither a spoiled brat nor princess to her older brothers Nic and Vince. Even at age 15, Jaclyn already knows that she is her own person, especially on the wrestling mat. “Growing up, I was always referred to as Nick’s little sister or Vince’s little sister,” she said. “When I was little, that was OK because they were pretty big names and had accomplished a lot. But I want to accomplish my own goals and make a name for myself. I want to become my own person and not be referred to as someone else’s little sister. I am Jaclyn Bouzakis.” Jaclyn is a freshman at Wyoming Seminary, which sits five miles from her home in Shavertown, Pa. She has tons of respect for Nick — also a U20 World bronze medalist and 133-pound redshirt freshman at Ohio State — and Vince, a junior at Wyoming Seminary and ranked No. 3 by WIN at 150 pounds after winning a Junior national freestyle championship this past summer in Fargo, N.D.

This story appeared in the Nov. 2 issue of WIN Magazine. Click on the cover or call 888-305-0606 to subscribe. The next WIN will be printed Nov. 22.

On the mat, Jaclyn also has her accomplishments, including winning a U17 World bronze medal this past summer and most recently a Super 32 Challenge title at 95 pounds last month in Greensboro, N.C. She was also ranked No. 2 nationally in the USA Wrestling/Flowrestling/NHOF preseason poll. She also understands she is different than her brothers when it comes to wrestling. “Nick has always been like short, stocky and muscular,” she said. “Vince is the total opposite in that he’s more tactical and smoother. Growing up with them, I became a combination of both. When you see us wrestle, there are three different styles.”
She knows she has to stay grounded to find mat success. “I try to stay humble,” she said. “I know what I may be doing is pretty great, but there are so many more things I am working towards. Each thing I win and everything I succeed in is one more step in the big picture, which is wrestling at the 2028 Olympics in Los Angeles. That is my biggest goal, but I can’t get there until I finish the smaller steps.” There is certainly a lot more to this young woman than just succeeding on the mat. She shows a maturity well beyond her years. “Growing up and watching my brothers and trying to do what they’ve done, it kind of made me snap into reality faster,” she said. “Especially when my other brother passed away from cancer on the brainstem.”
She is referring to her late brother Greco, who died in 2016 at the age of 5 from diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma; a story that has inspired many in wrestling, including Nick who continues to wear a stocking cap with the words “Team Greco” after many of his wrestling matches. … rest of story at … WIN-magazine.com/Little-sis-jaclyn-bouzakis-is-making-a-name-for-herself

November 10, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NCAA Division I Results & Rankings

Top 10 teams roll in opening weekend; Top 25 sees few changes
Lock Haven and Purdue also enter the Top 25
Manheim, Pennsylvania – With just a limited number of duals with ranked teams competing during the first week of action, there was minimal movement in the first regular-season NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Coaches Poll released on Tuesday.
Four teams ranked in the Top 10 opened up with victories, including second-ranked Iowa, ninth-ranked Nebraska and 10^th-ranked Iowa State. Third-ranked NC State had a pair of victories to start the season 2-0, beating Presbyterian at Fort Liberty, North Carolina 48-0 and Appalachian State 40-3 in Boone.
Iowa trekked to the Pacific Coast and shut out California Baptist 40-0, while Nebraska went to Fargo and dispatched North Dakota State 31-12. Iowa State went to the old high school gym of national champion David Carr at Perry High School in Massillon, Ohio and beat Cleveland State 43-3.
The only matchup of ranked teams came in North Carolina as then-No. 20 Oregon State topped former No. 25 North Carolina 24-13. The Beavers also shutout Division III Greensboro College and transitional Division I Queens University.
Elsewhere in the Top 25, Rutgers started the year 2-0 with a trip to Cal Poly, beating the host Mustangs 31-10 and Duke 47-0. Wisconsin beat Lindenwood 41-3 in Madison. Like Queens, Lindenwood is also in the midst of a transition to NCAA Division I. Illinois fell out of the rankings after splitting a pair of duals last week. … rest of story … NWCAonline.com/11/7/national-wrestling-coaches-association-top-10-teams-roll-in-opening-weekend-top-25-sees-few-changes

And
WIN announces first regular-season NCAA Div. I rankings and TPI
NEWTON,  Iowa — The 2023-24 college wrestling season has officially begun and WIN Magazine has produced its first national weekly individual rankings and Tournament Power Index, presented by Cliff Keen Athletic.
WIN’s TPI is based on a point total associated with individual placement and advancement points that could be scored in the 2024 NCAAs if wrestlers finish where they are ranked. The following is a breakdown of those points: 20 for 1^st place, 16 for 2^nd, 13.5 for 3^rd, 12.5 for 4^th, 10 for 5^th, 9 for 6^th, 6.5 for 7^th and 5.5 for 8^th. Wrestlers ranked 9-12 earn two points each, followed by one and a half points for wrestlers ranked 13-16 and one point for those ranked 17-20.
Also, it should be noted that WIN’s individual rankings are not necessarily an update of recent wins and losses, but more of a prediction at this point in the season of where wrestlers would seeded at the 2024 NCAAs, which will be held in Kansas City, Mo., next March, if that event was held now.
In the team race, defending champ Penn State — which begins its season this Sunday at the Journeyman Collegiate Classic in Bethlehem, Pa. — holds the No. 1 TPI ranking with nine ranked wrestlers. That includes four Nittany Lions — Levi Haines (157), Carter Starocci (174), Aaron Brooks (197) and Greg Kerkvliet (Hwt) — who are ranked No. 1 at their weight classes. The Nittany Lions are followed by Virginia Tech, … rest of story … WIN-magazine.com/2023/11/06/win-announces-first-regular-season-rankings-and-tpi

And
Dozens Of Upsets Kick-Off Week 1 Of The NCAA D1 Wrestling Season
All the upsets between D1 NCAA wrestlers from week 1 of the 2023-24 season.
Just one week into the 2023-24 NCAA D1 wrestling season (technically just five days) and already we’ve got dozens of upsets!
Check out all the upsets based on our national rankings.

Top Ten Upsets

133: Gabe Whisenhunt, Oregon State over #4 Sam Latona, Virginia Tech – D;10-9
133: Vincent Santaniello, Pittsburgh over #8 Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State – D;11-4
133: #17 Angelo Rini, Columbia over #8 Nic Bouzakis, Ohio State – D;14-8

Top Twenty Upsets

125: Spencer Moore, North Carolina over #14 Brandon Kaylor, Oregon State – D;2-0
125: Jett Strickenberger, West Virginia over #14 Brandon Kaylor, Oregon State – D;4-1 SV
165: Garrett Thompson, Ohio over #14 Peyton Hall, West Virginia – D;8-5
184: #19 Caleb Hopkins, Campbell over #14 Benjamin Pasiuk, Army West Point – M;8-0 … rest of story … Flowrestling.org/Dozens-of-upsets-kick-off-week-1-of-the-ncaa-d1-wrestling-season

And
Notable upsets and ranked team wins headlined Week 1 of the 2023-2024 college wrestling season
How all the Division I wrestling teams fared in this week’s dual meet competition, formatted in a How The Top 25 Fared breakdown.
College wrestling is back, and with the start of the season inevitably comes fun new faces, exciting storylines and early dominance from some of the best teams in the country. Here’s what we learned after Week 1 and who made early, impressive statements in their 2023-2024 debut. 

🤼 MORE COLLEGE WRESTLING 🤼
🚨 Alerts and updates on Bleacher Report
🎥 Wrestling on YouTube
🍎 Follow on Apple News

N.C. State, Stanford, Iowa, Rutgers, NIU start strong with DI shutout wins

Five men’s programs earned at least one DI shutout win this weekend, with the Wolfpack of NC State earning the first of those notable victories with a 48-0 performance against Presbyterian on the opening day of the season. Redshirt freshman Dylan Fishback and Chase Horne led the Pack in this bout with first period falls, while Jacob Cox, Jackson Arrington, AJ Kovacs and Christian Knop added big points to the team score with techs at 133, 149, 165 and 197 pounds. 

PRE-SEASON RANKINGS: Breaking down the best teams in the country ahead of the 2023-2024 season

Fishback and Arrington picked up their second bonus point wins of the weekend against App State as well, notching a fall and a tech fall respectively as part of the Pack’s 40-3 win over the Mountaineers, the team’s largest margin of victory this century. Jakob Camacho and Trent Hidlay also contributed tech falls in N.C. State’s dual against App State, while heavyweight Owen Trephan notched a fall. App State’s lone win came at 133 pounds when Ethan Oakley stopped Jarrett Trombley 4-2. Neither Oakley nor Trombley was ranked coming into this bout, though both have previously qualified for the NCAA tournament, with Trombley advancing as far as the Round of 16 in 2023 and 2021. N.C. State will travel to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania next weekend for “WrangleMania” where they will take on Bloomsburg and Purdue in duals the Pack will be expected to win with dominance, especially after this weekend’s performance. … rest of story … NCAA.com/news/wrestling/2023-11-06/notable-upsets-and-ranked-team-wins-headlined-week-1-2023-2024-college-wrestling

And
How the Top 25 (and more) Fared: Nov. 1-5
How all the Division I wrestling teams fared in this week’s dual meet competition, formatted in a How The Top 25 Fared breakdown. … rest of story … Mattalkonline.com/Top-25-fared/how-the-top-25-and-more-fared

November 10, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Ghadiali & Baker take top spots, 15 Camels place at Southeast Open

SALEM, Va. – Camel heavyweight Taye Ghadialiand 165 Dom Baker each went 4-0 to claim top spots on the podium at the Southeast Open hosted by Virginia Tech at the Cregger Center on the campus of Roanoke College on Saturday. Ghadiali controlled all four of his matches on the day, starting with a 17-1 tech fall (4:04) over B. Jackson from VMI and Z. Lanham (Life University) in 5:16 (19-4). He followed that up with two consecutive fall victories over Oregon State’s No. 21 B. McDermott (6:26) in the semifinals and in the finals over No. 22 ranked M. Wolfgram (3:13) from West Virginia University. Baker also had two tech falls to start his competition, the first at 5:43 over Maryland’s A. Rodrigues. He followed that with a last second tech fall over J. Palmucci from Franklin & Marshall (7:00). His semifinal victory was a 16-7 major decision of P. Brooks (Life University). In the finals, he faced K. Munro from UT-Chattanooga. The two were tied at 5 after three periods. Baker earned the takedown to take the 8-5 sudden victory. Along with Ghadiali and Baker, 13 other Camels finished in the top-6 of their respective divisions. True freshman Chris Earnest continued … rest of story at … GOcamels.com/news/2023/11/4/wrestling-ghadiali-baker-take-top-spots-15-camels-place-at-southeast-open

And
NC State Wrestling Piling Up Early-Season Points | Wolfpack Insider
College wrestling’s new three-point takedown has helped NC State pile up points early in the season and the Wolfpack have an in-house battle at 165 pounds.
There were plenty of rule changes that went into effect this collegiate season for athletes and coaches to grasp before the action started hitting the mat with duals on Nov. 1. The purpose of many of these scoring changes was to see an increase in scoring and activity.  Coming off a fifth straight ACC Championship last year, the NC State Wolfpack is one squad that welcomes the chance to light up the scoreboard a bit more now. “Offensive takedowns are obviously going to get rewarded, and if you are good on top you can now get a set of two, three or four points this year,” said head coach Pat Popolizio as he enters his 12th year at the helm of the program. “If you are good in both of those positions, you are going to win a lot of matches at the college level (with the new scoring rules). “We are confident we can score both on our feet and on the mat. So, if we can’t find a takedown from our feet, we feel confident starting on top and getting a turn.”
It has been only a small sample size, but the Pack outscored its first two dual opponents last week 88-3 … rest of story at … Flowrestling.org/NC-state-wrestling-piling-up-early-season-points-wolfpack-insider

And
Walker Added To Wrestling Coaching Staff, Joins Daggett
PEMBROKE –  UNC Pembroke head wrestling coach, OT Johnson, has announced the addition of former #BraveTough wrestler, Bryce Walker, to his coaching staff. Walker joins another former Braves wrestler, Nick Daggett, to make up the assistant coaching staff for the Black & Gold.
Walker, a two-time NCAA qualifier, wrestled five seasons for UNCP, logging a 66-50 career record, as well a 27-22 record in conference duals. “I am really excited about what Coach Walker is bringing to the program from his time as an athlete, and I am really looking forward to him bringing his strong skills and energy to the this side of the team,” said Johnson. “I am looking forward to learning from him as well.” … rest of story at … UNCPbraves.com/11/7/walker-added-to-wrestling-coaching-staff

And
Wrestling Dominates Emory & Henry To Take Conference Carolinas Opener
EMORY, VA.– Homestanding Emory & Henry was no match for the Braves wrestling team Wednesday night, as the Black & Gold used seven pins, two tech falls, and a forfeit to take a 58-0 victory in their Conference Carolinas dual match opener.  
The Braves (1-0, 1-0 CC) moved to 2-0 all-time against the Wasps (0-1, 0-1 CC) after taking a 54-3 win last season in Pembroke. UNCP’s Logan Seliga got the night off to a good start with a pin in just 49 seconds in the 125 pound match. Logan Robinson (133), Keegan Roberson (157), Will Lowery (165), Scott Joll (174), Jose Zambrano Canuto (184), and Ryan Walker (285) would all follow Seliga with pins of their own. Chance Cottingham picked up five points via tech fall … rest of story … UNCPbraves.com/11/8/wrestling-dominates-emory-henry-to-take-conference-carolinas-opener

November 10, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Mount Olive wins thrilling conference opener at Emmanuel, 20-19

FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. (Nov. 8) – Redshirt sophomore Jayln McClammy anchored the Trojans with a critical 12-4 major decision at heavyweight, as the University of Mount Olive men’s wrestling team edged Emmanuel by a 20-19 margin in Conference Carolinas action on Wednesday night.
With the win, the Trojans improve to 1-0 overall and earned its first win in league action after being selected fourth in the Conference Carolinas preseason poll. It marks the first season that the Conference Carolinas will solely sponsor the sport between two divisions with 14 programs competing. Meanwhile, the Lions drop to 0-1 in dual meets with an identical record in conference play.
At 125, junior Lens Mathurin built an early 3-0 advantage for the Trojans following an 11-5 decision over Alex McMiller in the first match of the night. He established a 5-1 advantage following the first period and a four-point near fall in the third sealed the win. In the 133-weight class, redshirt freshman Logan Tortual held a 6-5 edge after the initial period before Eli Holton registered a fall at the 4:30 mark to put the Lions ahead, 6-3. Redshirt sophomore Taylor Robinson, a 2023 national qualifier, responded with an 11-7 win at 141 to tie the meet at 6-6 before Davin Lundquist of Emmanuel posted a narrow 13-12 decision against senior Isaiah Olive in the 149-weight class.
With the Lions leading 9-6, No. 12 nationally ranked junior Jake Nicolosi made his first appearance of the season and dominated with a first-period pin at 157 to flip the advantage back to UMO, 12-9. At 165, Emmanuel registered an 8-3 decision to tie the meet at 12-12. No. 7 ranked Calan Staub also made his debut for Mount Olive this season and delivered a critical 17-8 major decision with eight points in the third period to give the edge back to UMO, 16-12. The Lions answered back with a 2-1 decision at 184 … rest of story at … UMOtrojans.com/11/8/wrestling-umo-wins-thrilling-conference-opener-at-emmanuel-20-19

And
No. 12 UMO drops dual meet at No. 16 Emmanuel, 39-11
FRANKLIN SPRINGS, Ga. (Nov. 8) – Despite claiming the initial two matches via fall, the No. 12 Trojans fell by a 39-11 margin to No. 18 Emmanuel in a dual meet contest on Wednesday night. With the loss, the University of Mount Olive women’s wrestling team drops to 0-1 in dual competition. It marked the second meeting between the sides, as the Lions earned their second straight win in the series. Meanwhile, Emmanuel begins the 2023-24 campaign with a 1-0 record following a 13-8 mark the previous year. Junior transfer Samantha Miller had a strong start to her career at Mount Olive after registering a victory by fall in the first period over Lynnlie Rountree at 101 to put UMO ahead by a 5-0 margin. Miller joined the Trojans after being a three-time All-American at Presbyterian and opened the season No. 5 nationally in her weight class. At the 109-weight class, freshman Mallory McDonald delivered another stellar performance after recording a first-period fall over Giavanna Ablonsky to extend the advantage to 10-0. The Lions countered with three consecutive pins over the next three matches before Gianna Anaya posted an 18-7 technical fall to take a 19-11 lead. Emmanuel would register four more victories by fall to close out the contest, … rest of story at … UMOtrojans.com/11/8/womens-wrestling-no-12-umo-drops-dual-meet-at-no-16-emmanuel

And
King edges #18 in Conference Carolinas opener
BRISTOL, Tenn. – The King University men’s wrestling team came back from a deficit against Belmont Abbey College to take the Conference Carolinas opener 23-22 on criteria. The dual turned as Ashtan Hendricks pinned second-ranked John Carayiannis, starting a 22-0 run for the Tornado. King then held off three straight Crusader wins at the end of the dual and took the win on criteria.
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: King 23, #18 Belmont Abbey 22 … rest of story at … Kingtornado.com/11/8/mens-wrestling-king-edges-18-in-conference-carolinas-opener

November 10, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Newberry Wrestling Dominates at UNC Pembroke Open

PEMBROKE, N.C. – Men’s wrestling comes back to Newberry with four weight class champions and 15 place winners after competing in the UNC Pembroke Open earlier today. With a team score of 224.5 points, the wolves took first in the 149, 157, 184 and 285Ibs weight class. Four wolves registered as unattached and claimed 72 points collectively on two third place finishes (Ethan McCullough and Dennis Virelli), a fourth (Keagan Judd) and a sixth (Hunter McCullough) place finish.
Devon Rice won the team 18 points after sweeping his two rounds and quarter/semifinal rounds. Rice solidified his finish after taking the decision over Mount Olive’s John Demencic, 5-1. Zebrandon Grant earned 19 points after receiving a first round by and flying through the second, quater and semi final rounds. Grant was met in the finals by fellow wolf Jacoby Benjamin, securing first with a 4-1 decision.
PJ Wunderlich earned the wolves 20 points after receiving a first round by and clearing the second and semi/quarterfinal rounds. Wunderlich won in the finals against Reinhardt in sudden victory. Devan Moore earned the second most points by a wolf today with 20.5. Also receiving a first round by, Moore won the second round by fall over UNC Pembroke in 1 minute and 2 seconds. Moore then went on to dominate the quarters with a 19-3 tech fall win over Reinhardt and a major decision in the semis against Reinhardt again, 10-2. Moore completes in the Reinhardt sweep in the finals with 4-2 decision.
Second place came in the 184 and 197 pound classes and third in the 174 pound class. At 184 Jacoby Benjamin earned 14 points after clearing UNC Pembroke in the second and quarterfinal rounds then Reinhardt in the semifinal. John Parker earned 19 points in the 197 pound class after wrestling two unattached and one Mount Olive wrestler. … rest of story at … Newberrywolves.com/11/5/wrestling-dominates-at-unc-pembroke-open

And
Seliga Named Conference Carolinas Wrestler Of The Week
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Redshirt junior and 11^th-ranked 125 pounder Logan Seliga added to his hot start this season, picking up Conference Carolinas Wrestler of the Week honors, the league announced Tuesday afternoon.
Seliga posted a perfect 4-0 showing at the Pembroke Classic, rattling off four straight first-period pins to take first place in the 125 pound tournament. The Belle Vernon, Pa. native pinned Reinhardt’s Angel Banda in the championship match to claim the top spot.  
A two-time NCAA Championships qualifier for the Black & Gold, Seliga has compiled a 45-14 (.763) career record in Pembroke, and has now earned the weekly award four times as a member of the Black & Gold. … rest of story at … UNCPbraves.com/11/7/wrestling-seliga-named-conference-carolinas-wrestler-of-the-week

And
Hoosiers Open Season with Team Title, Three Individual Champions at The Citadel
CHARLESTON, S.C. ––– Indiana Wrestling opened its 2023-24 campaign at The Battle at The Citadel tournament on Sunday in McAlister Fieldhouse. The Hoosiers took first place in the tournament with 118.5 points and three individual champions winning their weight class’ bracket, along with seven total Indiana wrestlers placing. Indiana’s Dan Fongaro (141), No. 6 Graham Rooks (149) and Gabe Sollars (197) each won the bracket for their weight class. Tyler Lillard (165) took second place while No. 22 Cayden Rooks (133), Nico Bolivar (157) and Roman Rogotzke (184) each finished in third. Indiana entered 16 total wrestlers in the tournament, and they faced opponents from The Citadel, American, Appalachian State, Drexel and George Mason … rest of story … IUhoosiers.com/11/5/wrestling-hoosiers-open-season-with-team-title-three-individual-champions-at-the-citadel

November 9, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS WIN 31-12 AT NDSU

Fargo, N.D. – The No. 9 Nebraska wrestling team dominated North Dakota State, recording five bonus-point victories to defeat NDSU (0-1, 0-0 Big 12) 31-12 on Saturday afternoon.
#14 Caleb Smith (125) started the day off strong for the Huskers as he used a reversal, two takedowns and an escape to claim the 9-5 decision and his first career Husker victory. Jacob Van Dee then got the start at 133 as he recorded a takedown, escape and the riding time point for the 5-1 victory.
At 141, NDSU tallied its first win of the day as sophomore Blake Cushing was tied with Gavin Drexler 4-4 after two periods, but fell by decision 9-4. #1 Ridge Lovett (149) got the Huskers back on track as he earned the first bonus-point victory for NU. Lovett used a takedown in each period to claim the 11-1 major decision win over NDSU’s #11 Kellyn March. 
With the 10-3 overall team lead, #3 Peyton Robb kept the Huskers rolling at 157. The Husker senior scored two takedowns and two nearfall points in the opening period and added a reversal and a takedown in each of the following periods en route to the 18-3 tech. fall against NDSU’s Landen Johnson. Next up at 165, Antrell Taylor came out quickly as he tallied a pin in the opening period of the match to help the Huskers hold the 15-3 advantage with four matches remaining. 
At 174, sophomore #20 Elise Brown Ton got the start. He recorded an opening-period takedown, but it was not enough as NDSU’s Aidan Brenot topped Brown Ton by decision, 8-3. The next two matches of the day saw the Big Red rack up two-straight tech. falls. #9 Lenny Pinto used six takedowns in his match at 184 to claim the 19-4 fall in Period 3. #7 Silas Allred followed suit at 197 as he tallied five takedowns and four nearfall points to earn the 20-4 victory. … rest of story at … Huskers.com/news/2023/11/4/huskers-win-31-12-at-ndsu

And
Chadron State College defeats NJC in season opener, 46-9
CHADRON, Neb. — The Chadron State College men’s wrestling team pinned six of its opponents on Friday night in the Chicoine Center, boosting them to a 46-9 season opening win against Northeastern Junior College.  
The Eagles points were scored with six pins and two tech falls. The Plainsmen nine points were from a forfeit and one decision. At 125 pounds, CSC forfeited the weight class, giving NJC six team points to start the match.
Fans in attendance didn’t have to wait long for the Eagles scoring to start with returning national runner-up Quen Campbell opening the match at 133 pounds. Campbell, a senior from Tifton, Georgia, opened his season with a 22-3 tech fall early in the second period, lowering CSC’s deficit to 6-5. He recorded nine takedown points, twelve nearfall points, one point for an escape and a riding time point. Due to a rule change in NCAA Wrestling, takedowns are now worth three points instead of two.
Chadron State won the 141- and 149-pound weight classes with pins by Ethan Leake and Brody Lamb. Leake, a graduate student from Clovis, California, pinned his opponent in 3:56 while Lamb, a senior from Wellington, Colorado won in 0:38. … rest of story at … Chadroneagles.com/11/3/mens-wrestling-csc-defeats-njc-in-season-opener-46-9

And
New, Returning Talent Fueling Nebraska Wrestling Hopes | Husker Insider
Top-ranked Ridge Lovett returns, along with three other Big Ten finalists and a couple key newcomers to boost the confidence of the Nebraska wrestling team.
Last season didn’t end as Nebraska had hoped. With a chance at a team trophy going into the third day of NCAAs, Peyton Robb and Brock Hardy were both lost to injuries. The Huskers still finished in eighth in the team race, but their sights were set higher than that. In contrast, things have been looking up for the Huskers ever since. Robb is ready to roll at 157, while 2022 NCAA finalist Ridge Lovett returns from redshirt. Hardy is fully healthy and just won a bronze medal at the U23 World Championships at 65 kilograms. On top of that, Nebraska saw one of its up-and-comers nearly make the U20 World Team in Antrell Taylor before winning gold at the U20 Pan-Am Championships.
With nine wrestlers currently ranked at their weight class, Nebraska boasts top-end talent and depth — four of its wrestlers are ranked in the top six. This past weekend, the Huskers opened their season against North Dakota State and notched a 31-12 win with five of their wins coming with bonus points.

Robb Returns to the Mat

Less than eight months since having to medically forfeit out of NCAAs due to a rare skin infection in his leg that required multiple surgeries and skin grafts, Robb took the mat in Nebraska’s season-opener. He took off right where he left off with an 18-3 tech fall over NDSU’s Landon Johnson. “You never would have thought in early April that Peyton Robb would be wrestling in early November,” Nebraska coach Mark Manning said. “It’s just miraculous. It’s just a testament to his courage and his intestinal fortitude. It was really cool to see, it was just like back to normal.”
In what can only be described as inspirational, Robb’s rapid recovery has been a morale boost for his teammates. … rest of story at … Flowrestling.org/New-returning-talent-fueling-nebraska-wrestling-hopes-husker-insider

November 9, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

‘It was super special’: Iowa State’s David Carr returns to Perry to wrestle Cleveland State

PERRY TWP. — David Carr doesn’t lack for accolades. The 2018 Perry graduate is a four-time All-American, four-time Big 12 champion, national runner-up and national champion for Iowa State.
He’s a five-time — yes, five-time — high school state champion and an Ironman and Fargo freestyle champion. That said, there’s just something about coming home that matters the most.
The Cyclones senior got to do just that when Iowa State coach Kevin Dresser brought his team to Perry’s gymnasium to wrestle Cleveland State on Sunday. The Cyclones won 43-3 and Carr pinned former Stow standout Daniel Patten in 1:47 in front of hundreds of fans. “I have a lot of good memories here,” Carr said. “Being a senior and coming back here to create one more good memory in front all of these Ohioans, it’s pretty special. “I talked to all the Perry wrestlers and all the young kids coming up and told them anything is possible. You just have to work hard and believe. Trust in God and he’ll do the right things. This was super special. It was awesome having my teammates here. Having coach Dresser and the staff put this together, this is something I’ll remember forever.”
Kyle Dake, Shane Sparks among stars who come out to see Iowa State national champ David Carr wrestle
… rest of story at … Beaconjournal.com/11/06/david-carr-massillon-perry-high-school-iowa-state-wrestling-national-champion

And …
No. 10 Iowa State Defeats Cleveland State in Carr’s Return Home
MASSILLON, Ohio– No. 10 Iowa State opened its season with a 43-3 victory over Cleveland State Sunday afternoon inside David Carr’s high school gymnasium at Perry High School. Carr capped the Cyclones’ season-opening win with a fall in 1:47, earning himself UFC Fight Pass Most Outstanding Wrestler.
Four Cyclones – Caleb Helgeson, Nando Villaescusa, Evan Frost and Anthony Echemendia – made their debuts in the ISU dual lineup against the Vikings, all securing wins. Iowa State won the takedown battle against Cleveland State, 47-6. All nine of ISU’s individual bout victories came with bonus points. MJ Gaitan started his redshirt freshman season with a commanding 19-3 major decision over Cleveland State’s Ronald Dimmerling. The California native used five takedowns, four of which came in the first period, and three near fall points in the win.
At 184 pounds, Helgeson picked up a 14-3 major decision over Joey Lyons to give Iowa State a 9-0 advantage in the team score. Villaescusa was solid in a 16-8 upset over No. 24 Ben Smith at 197 pounds. Villaescusa gave up an early takedown but controlled the rest of the way, racking up over two minutes of riding time in the win. Yonger Bastida put on a takedown clinic at heavyweight. He took down No. 28 Daniel Bucknavich eight times in a 26-10 tech fall in 6:03. A takedown at the buzzer paired with a riding time point gave Kysen Terukina a tech fall against Ben Aranda in 7:00. Iowa State led, 23-0, at the halfway point in the dual. Evan Frost got stronger throughout the match in a 17-3 major decision … rest of story at … Cyclones.com/11/5/wrestling-iowa-state-defeats-cleveland-state-in-carrs-return-home

And …
Heart of a Cyclone – David Carr
Cardinal & Gold runs deep through David Carr’s blood.
Being a Cyclone means everything to David. The No. 2 overall recruit in the class of 2018, Carr came to Ames to help rebuild a struggling program and bring Iowa State wrestling back to national prominence. Five years later – after an individual national title, two other top-three NCAA tournament finishes and four Big 12 Championship rings on his fingers – he chose to ignore other suitors to stay at ISU for his final season. After all, being a Cyclone does run in the family.
The Carr family legacy at Iowa State is well documented. David’s father, Nate, is one of the most decorated wrestlers to ever wear the colors. Nate won three consecutive NCAA titles from 1981-83 and piled up 122 career victories. After his college wrestling days were finished, Nate went on to capture a bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics in Seoul. David’s brother, Nate Carr Jr., wrestled at Iowa State from 2009-11 and their uncles, Solomon and Michael Carr, were Cyclone wrestlers in the 1980s. Nate and David are among rare company in the collegiate wrestling world. They are one of six father-son duos in NCAA history to win Division I national titles and one of two pairs to do it at the same school.

“Being an NCAA Champion father-son duo was a dream of mine ever since I was a little kid,” David said. “My dad was legendary, explosive and a bit of a showman. Those are things I have really tried to emulate in my style of wrestling. The way he entertained the crowd and gave people their money’s worth, I try to do the same thing.” Nate hasn’t only influenced David’s style on the mat, but also how he carries himself off the mat and how to properly attack the day-to-day grind of being a student-athlete. “He always gives me advice,” David said. “He’s always telling me to make sure that I’m feeling good and giving full effort in everything I do. And it’s not just wrestling we talk about, but school, faith and life. He is there through all the highs and lows and has helped me tremendously.”
As David enters his final season at Iowa State, the final chapter of their unique story is still unwritten – goals not yet reached. Under head coach Kevin Dresser, Iowa State has shown steady improvement throughout David’s time in Ames. The year prior to David’s arrival, ISU tied for 45^th at the NCAA Championships. Since then, the Cyclones have placed 16^th, T-13^th, 17^th and 11^th at the national tournament. But David didn’t come to Iowa State for top-15 finishes. … rest of story at … Cyclones.com/10/26/wrestling-heart-of-a-cyclone-david-carr

November 9, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

IOWA HAWKEYES SELL OUT CARVER-HAWKEYE ARENA FOR THIRD CONSECUTIVE SEASON

IOWA CITY, Iowa – The University of Iowa Athletics Department announced Friday that season tickets for the 2023-24 Hawkeye wrestling season are sold out for a third consecutive season.
Capacity for wrestling duals at Carver-Hawkeye Arena in 2023-24 is 14,847. The Hawkeyes have led the nation in attendance in every season since 2006-07, head coach Tom Brands’ first as head coach. Iowa set an NCAA record, averaging 14,905 fans in 2021-22. Iowa is coming off a 2022-23 season where it posted a 15-1 overall and 7-1 Big Ten mark. The Hawkeyes placed second at both the Big Ten and NCAA Championships. Iowa crowned two Big Ten champions and had six All-Americans. The program had 14 Academic All-Big Ten selections for a second straight year — tied for the second highest total in school history.  … rest of story at … Hawkeyesports.com/2023/hawkeyes-sell-out-carver-hawkeye-arena-for-third-consecutive-season

November 9, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment