National Wrestling Hall of Fame Announces Class of 2024
The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Monday announced that its Class of 2024 is Distinguished Members Tadaaki Hatta, Toccara Montgomery, Coleman Scott and Logan Stieber, Meritorious Official honoree J.R. Johnson, Order of Merit recipient Darryl Miller, Medal of Courage recipient Jonathan Koch, and Outstanding American honoree retired United States Army Infantry Colonel Steve Banach.
“We are thrilled with the exceptional quality of this year’s inductees and eagerly await their enshrinement into the Hall of Fame in the spring,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. “From pioneers to visionary thinkers, these esteemed honorees have paved their own paths of excellence, whether it be on the mat or on the battlefield. “In addition, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to the selection committees for their meticulous and rigorous efforts in the process.” The Hall of Fame’s Board of Governors approved the selections at their annual fall meeting on October 24.
The Class of 2024 will be honored and officially inducted during the 47th Honors Weekend on May 31 and June 1, 2024 in Stillwater, Oklahoma. For more information on Honors Weekend, please telephone (405) 377-5243.
Montgomery, Scott and Stieber were chosen as Distinguished Members for the Modern Era while Hatta was selected by the Veterans Committee. The newest honorees will bring the number of Distinguished Members to 212, since the Hall of Fame began in 1976.
Montgomery becomes the first Black female and the sixth female overall to be inducted as a Distinguished Member, joining Clarissa Chun (2022), Kristie Davis (2018), Sara McMann (2022), Patricia Miranda (2023) and Tricia Saunders (2006). It marks the third consecutive year that a female Distinguished Member has been inducted.
Hatta becomes the second Japanese wrestler to be inducted as a Distinguished Member, joining Oklahoma State teammate Yojiro Uetake Obata (1980).
Scott (2004) and Stieber (2010) become the first two national winners of the Hall of Fame’s Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award to be inducted as Distinguished Members. Presented annually since 1996, the DSHSEA is awarded to a male high school senior and based equally on outstanding wrestling success, scholastic achievement and citizenship or community service.
Hatta and Scott bring the number of Distinguished Members from Oklahoma State to 38, the most of any college. The University of Iowa is second with 17 while Iowa State University and the University of Oklahoma are tied for third with 14 each. … rest of story at … NWHOF.org/news/national-wrestling-hall-of-fame-announces-class-of-2024
Penn State begins 2023-24 NCAA Division I Men’s wrestling season ranked No. 1
Nittany Lions gain all 14 first-place votes in first NWCA Division I Coaches Poll of 2023-24
Manheim, Pennsylvania – Penn State, winners of six of the last seven contested NCAA Division I national championships, starts the year where it left off last season, a unanimous No. 1 as the NWCA released its first Division I Coaches Poll of the season on Tuesday.
The Nittany Lions finished last season 16-0 and the only undefeated team in Division I. The Big Ten has five teams overall in the Top 10 with Iowa starting off the year second, Michigan sixth, Ohio State eighth and Nebraska ninth. The Hawkeyes are coming off a 15-1 dual meet season.
Overall, nine of the 14 current Big Ten schools start the year in the Top 25.
The ACC has two teams in the top five to start the season, led by third-ranked NC State. The Wolfpack ended last season 14-1. Rival Virginia Tech starts the year ranked fifth after a 10-3 season. Fourth-ranked Missouri leads a field of five Big 12 schools in the rankings to start the season. Iowa State also starts the year in the Top 10. The Cyclones went 16-3 last season.
Oklahoma State and South Dakota State also sit in the Top 15. The Cowboys start the year at No. 11, while South Dakota State starts the year ranked 12th, tying its highest ranking in school history. The Jackrabbits were previously ranked No. 12 for five weeks during the 2017-18 season.
Cornell is one of three EIWA teams ranked in the Top 25. The Big Red start the season at No. 7, followed by No. 19 Lehigh and No. 22 Penn. Arizona State starts the year at No. 13 and is the top Pac-12 squad to start the Sun Devils’ final year in the conference. Oregon State begins the year tied for 20th with Oklahoma of the Big 12. … rest of story at … NWCAonline.com/news/2023/10/31/d1-coaches-poll-october-31-2023
5 college wrestling duals to watch during the opening week of the 2023-24 season
Wednesday, Nov. 1 marks the first day of the 2023-24 college wrestling competition schedule, and two programs — Campbell and Army — are wasting no time in kicking off their dual seasons.
These two teams will meet on Wednesday night at 5 p.m. on a military hanger at Fort Liberty for a dual that will be streamed on UFC Fight Pass and feature 11 ranked wrestlers. This match will be followed by another dual between NC State and Presbyterian for a unique double-header event in North Carolina.
These kinds of unconventional, creative matches are just the beginning for what will be a season of exciting developments in the college wrestling space. Between new venues, fresh faces and growing fanbases around the country, this year has the potential to be a memorable one for the sport.
BEST VENUES IN COLLEGE WRESTLING: Results from the latest fan vote
For now, though, here’s what you need to know about opening weekend, including the Army vs. Campbell dual as well as four other high-profile events happening this weekend:
November 1: Army vs. Campbell, 5 p.m. ET, UFC Fight Pass
Army and Campbell are two teams that know how to market a dual. These programs have been clapping back at one another on social media for the last few weeks, setting the stage for what should be a fairly evenly matched contest to start the year.
The Camels finished 16-9 in the 2022-23 season, sending five athletes to NCAAs in Tulsa, while the Black Knights went 6-7 with three national qualifiers. All eight of those total qualifiers return, with Army’s Ben Pasiuk holding the highest preseason rank among them at No. 11 at 174 pounds.
CAMPBELL WRESTLING: How the Camels have built themselves into a force within the SoCon
If all expected starters compete, Pasiuk could meet Campbell’s No. 30 Austin Murphy, a redshirt senior and 2021 Round of 12 finisher. These two athletes have never met in college despite competing in the same weight class together for the last four years.
The 174-pound matchup is potentially the only weight where both teams will field ranked wrestlers, as Army boasts ranked athletes at 125, 149, 157, 165 and 174 pounds, while Campbell has ranked athletes at 133, 141, 174, 184, 197 and 285. The Camels have the slight edge, with six ranked wrestlers compared to Army’s five, but, on paper, both teams are favored in five matches each.
This won’t be the only unique wrestling setting for a Camels dual this year either. Following the Army dual, Campbell will compete at the Southeast Open and in a dual against Nebraska before traveling to Wyoming to wrestle in a barn. Yep, you read that right. A barn. First, a military hanger, then a barn. Stay tuned.
Nov. 2: Oregon State vs. North Carolina, 5 p.m. ET, ACC Network Extra
Just 90 minutes north of Fort Liberty, another North Carolina team will take on a non-conference foe, as the Tar Heels host Oregon State the following day for a battle between two teams that finished on the verge of breaking into the top 25 rankings last year. The Beavers have steadily been on the rise under fourth-year head coach Chris Pendleton, while the Tar Heels are looking to reset and reload under the new leadership of first-year head coach Rob Koll.
OREGON STATE WRESTLING: Here’s how the program is growing under Pendleton’s leadership
The dual will feature eight ranked wrestlers total, but all eyes will be on 184 pounds as All-Americans No. 3 Trey Munoz and No. 6 Gavin Kane could potentially meet for one of the biggest early season matchups of the year. Munoz finished sixth last year while Kane ended up eighth, though these two wrestlers never met for a head-to-head dual.
In addition to Munoz vs. Kane, North Carolina All-American Lachlan McNeil could also have a ranked opponent in No. 22 Cleveland Belton, a junior who finished 18-10 last year after going 0-2 at the NCAA tournament with losses to Parker Filius and Saul Ervin. … rest of story at … NCAA.com/news/wrestling/023-10-31/5-college-wrestling-duals-watch-during-opening-week-2023-24-season
#3 North Carolina State Dominates at #26 Appalachian State
Boone, N.C. – Third-ranked NC State Wrestling (2-0) picked its second win for the week with a 40-3 dub against 26th-ranked Appalachian State (0-1) on the road Friday, November 3rd.
The Wolfpack won nine of 10 matches over the Mountaineers, including two via pins, two via technical falls, and two via major decisions.
149 lbs
Seventh-ranked Jackson Arrington (sophomore) started off the night for the Wolfpack with a major decision to set the pace. After leading, 5-0 at the conclusion of the second period, he picked up the pace with a 15-2 finish over App State’s 25th-ranked Cody Bond.
NCSU 5, APP 0
157 lbs
Fifth-ranked Ed Scott (junior) kept things going with his own decision over App State’s 20th-ranked Tommy Askey. By the end of the second period he was already leading 11-2 and completed with a 13-6 score.
NCSU 8, APP 0
165 lbs
33rd-ranked AJ Kovacs (sophomore) extended the teams lead when he took down App State’s Will Miller in a third period comeback. … rest of story at … GOpack.com/11/4/-3-wrestling-dominates-at-26-appalachian-state
also
Blue Hose Defeated by Third-Ranked NC State to Start Off Fifth Season
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Presbyterian College men’s wrestling squad unwrapped a new campaign on Wednesday night to start the month of November with a juggernaut standing in their way, competing against #3 NC State at a neutral military site dubbed the “Battle at Fort Liberty”. The Wolfpack proved its lofty preseason hype by downing PC 48-0.
All nine wrestlers who suited up for the Blue Hose saw action in the 2022-23 stint (with the program now in its fifth year underneath head coach Mark Cody), although unable to slow NC State on the path to their 28th dual victory since the fall of 2021.
The Battle at Fort Liberty – which also included a bout between Campbell and Army earlier in the evening – was promoted by Cage Fury Fighting Championships (CFFC) in partnership with the U.S. Army on an active military installation.
NC State was able to cruise to their fifth consecutive one-on-one win dating back to the spring, ending victorious in 15 out of their past 16 encounters over the last 12 months.
Sophomore Ryan Luna and junior Eli Holiday came the closest to a personal win against a powerhouse foe, both falling by standard decision in a two-point difference (6-4 for the former and 3-1 for the latter). … rest of story … GObluehose.com/2023/11/1/mens-wrestling-blue-hose-defeated-by-third-ranked-nc-state-to-start-off-fifth-season
and
NC State Weight-by-weight Preview – NCS112
As the calendar turns to November host Brian Reinhardt and NC State head coach Pat Popolizio get Wolfpack fans ready for the upcoming season on episode No. 112 of the #PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast. The duo go weight-by-weight through the 2023-24 NC State lineup as the Pack opens with a pair of duals this first week of the season. Popolizio also revisits Isaac Trumble’s Gold medal performance at the U23 World Championships in Albania. … podcast story at … Mattalkonline.com/podcast/pack-mentality/nc-state-weight-by-weight-preview
#29 Campbell defeats Army on UFC Fight Pass to open season, 25-9
FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Campbell Fighting Camels began the 2023-24 season on UFC Fight Pass winning 7 of 10 bouts on their way to a 25-9 victory over the Army Black Knights in the Battle at Liberty held at Fort Liberty Wednesday evening.
The match was highlighted by Taye Ghadiali‘s win by fall (3:47) over Lucas Stoddard. Caleb Hopkins challenged his teammate for the biggest victory on the night, defeating No. 13 ranked Ben Pasiuk at 184 pounds by major decision, 8-0.
“I was just excited that I got to put on for Campbell, win, and do some big things for UFC Fight Pass,” said Ghadiali. “There was a lot of hype around this event. It feels good to get the first one out with all the jitters and to prepare ourselves for this weekend. Now it’s time to forget about this and start thinking about the next match.”
The evening began with the 157 match. True freshman Chris Earnest faced off against Nate Lukez, ranked #25 on Intermat. After falling behind 6-2 after the first period, Earnest kept it close in the second. With 35 seconds left in the third period, Earnest scored a takedown to make the score 6-5. He accumulated over a minute of ride time throughout the match to give him the extra point needed to push the match to overtime.
Earnest scored the winning takedown just seconds into the overtime period to earn his first collegiate victory, 9-6. “It was pretty nerve-wracking, not going to lie,” Earnest said after the match. “I just tried to take in the whole experience, running out of the plane, the announcers, all of it and just enjoy the experience. Afterwards, getting that win, just amplifies it to the next level.”
Four other Camels recorded wins on the mat. Austin Murphy returned after a year away with a 4-2 win over Gunner Filipowicz. Levi Hopkins scored a 4-point near fall in the third period on way to a 6-0 victory over Danny Lawrence.
Domenic Zaccone and Chris Rivera rounded out the victories … rest of story at … GOcamels.com/news/2023/11/1/wrestling-campbell-defeats-army-to-open-season-25-9
Citadel Dominant in Opening Slate, Overwhelms Montreat, Allen
CHARLESTON, S.C. — Powered by a grand total 10 falls over a two-match sequence, The Citadel (2-0, 0-0 SoCon) opened the 2023-24 campaign on a monumental high note, initially downing Montreat College (0-1) behind a 50-4 margin before doubling up on team victories via a 57-0 shutout over Allen University (0-1) on Wednesday evening at McAlister Field House.
FINAL RESULTS — MATCH ONE
The Citadel def. Montreat College, 50-4
Wednesday, Nov. 1 | Charleston, S.C.
125 —Malik Hardy (CIT) over XXXXX (MC), FOR
133 —George Rosas (CIT) over Alexander Grabowski (MC), FALL (1:04)
141 —Thomas Termini (CIT) over XXXXX (MC), FOR
149 —Carson DesRosier (CIT) over Ethan Bennett (MC), TF (15-0, 3:46)
157 —Thomas Snipes (CIT) over Daniel Bennett (MC), MD (16-4)
165 — Mohamed Ben Hafsia (MC) over Justin Hayes (CIT), MD (12-2)
174 —Josh Stillings (CIT) over Zechariah Wallace-Turner (MC), FALL (1:02)
184 —Adam Ortega (CIT) over Tyler McDonald (MC), FALL (2:41)
197 —Patrick Brophy (CIT) over Miloz Gargol (MC), TF (19-4, 4:32)
285 —John Chesser (CIT) over Lucian Thomas (MC), FALL (1:44)
FINAL RESULTS — MATCH TWO
The Citadel def. Allen University, 57-0
Wednesday, Nov. 1 | Charleston, S.C.
125 —Malik Hardy (CIT) over Reco Robinson (ALLEN), TF (15-0, 1:43)
133 —George Rosas (CIT) over Nyshaad Hannon (ALLEN), FALL (2:14)
141 —Brayton Killiri (CIT) over XXXXX (ALLEN), FOR … rest of results at … Citadelsports.com/news/2023/11/1/wrestling-dominant-in-opening-slate-overwhelms-montreat-allen
DUNN NAMED WRESTLING DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS
CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – North Carolina wrestling head coach Rob Koll has announced the addition of Andrew Dunn, joining the Tar Heels as the program’s director of operations.
Dunn arrives in Chapel Hill after spending the past year as an assistant coach and operations assistant with the California Regional Training Center and Cardinal Wrestling Club.
The 2019 NCAA Division II National Champion at 285-pounds, Dunn was a three-time All-America wrestler at Kutztown, also qualifying for the title bout in 2022. During his time at Kutztown, Dunn was a two-time Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Athlete of the Year honoree, as well as being named Kutztown’s Male Athlete of the Year three times.
Prior to arriving at Kutztown, Dunn began his collegiate career at fellow Atlantic Coast Conference member, Virginia Tech, qualifying for the 2018 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland, Ohio. … rest of story at … GOheels.com/news/2023/10/31/dunn-named-wrestling-director-of-operations
2023-24 North Carolina Preview
The Tar Heels ended the season last year on a high note – crowning Austin O’Connor with his second NCAA title and freshman Lachlan McNeil and sophomore Gavin Kane earning All-American honors, while finishing in 12th place as a team. They return a solid nucleus from last year’s squad that will provide much-needed stability and leadership for a program under new leadership. Previous Head Coach Coleman Scott announced his resignation and returned to his alma mater at Oklahoma State, leading to the return of UNC alum and well-established and successful Head Coach Rob Koll. Koll has shaken up the coaching staff by bringing two coaches with him from Stanford in Enock Francois and Ben Darmstadt. They maintained the consistent leadership of Associate Head Coach Tony Ramos, who has been a lynchpin in the growth of this program. North Carolina will have a much different look to their lineup this year after the graduation of four multi-year starters; Zach Sherman, Austin O’Connor, Clay Lautt, Brandon Whitman and transfer Jack Wagner; we will see some very talented younger Tar Heels taking to the mat. I am very interested to see how the team fares under the leadership of Koll, who has an incredible resume and track record of success across all weight classes.
TOP RETURNERS
Lachlan McNeil navigated a challenging freshman season well; he took some tough losses early in the season but rounded into form before ACC duals. In one of the tougher weights in the ACC, he went 3-2 in duals, falling to All-American Cole Matthews and Ryan Jack. He dropped a tight match to Jack in the ACC semifinals and finished in 3rd. … rest of story at … Intermatwrestle/college/acc/2023-24-north-carolina-preview
2023-24 SoCon Preview (Part Two)
The season kicks off tonight, November 1 at The Battle at Liberty – hosted by Campbell University, streaming on UFC Fight Pass.
Campbell University
The Camels are coming into the ’23-’24 season with a bang – kicking off their dual season with The Battle at Liberty, where they’ll face off against Army. They’ll also likely settle the debate of “who’s America’s team?” In the SoCon preseason poll – five returning members were named to the all-conference team, Shannon Hanna (141), Austin Murphy (174), brothers Caleb (184) and Levi Hopkins (197), and heavyweight Taye Ghadiali, with the program coming out on top in the preseason poll. This schedule is absolutely stacked this season – the Camels head out West to Wyoming where they’ll actually wrestle in a barn. The Fighting Camel Duals will take place in December, where Gore Arena will be host to Purdue, Stanford, and North Dakota State’s programs for an action-packed day of duals. It’ll be a fierce Fight Pass Friday in February when App State travels to The Creek for a dual meet. This conference rivalry has been so fun to watch develop and continue – the wrestling keeps getting better and the energy between these two fan bases is unmatched. The Fighting Camels will also host conference foes Chattanooga to cap off their home dual series. This lineup (if we’re looking at returning starters) is filled with well-seasoned competitors, it’ll be exciting to see how this more mature team matches up with the younger rosters in the conference.
Preseason rankings:
133: Domenic Zaccone (12)
141: Shannon Hanna (23)
174: Austin Murphy (30)
184: Caleb Hopkins (20)
197: Levi Hopkins (27)
HWT: Taye Ghadiali (15)
VMI
Wrestle-offs, intrasquad matches, whichever you prefer to call them, used to be more low-key events. Programs like VMI have gotten creative, hosting their intrasquad match in the barracks. The Keydets are headed into the ’23-’24 season following a 9-8 season, with a 2-6 conference record, picking up victories against Presbyterian and Davidson. Home duals begin at Cormack Hall in November against Limestone and Marymount – DII and DIII program, and will kick off conference competition in January, hosting Chattanooga. The Keydets will see upperweight stars Tyler Mousaw and Josh Evans return to the mat this season, alongside SoCon placewinners Braxton Lewis and Ryan Vigil. Both were freshmen in 2022-23. A crowd favorite is the rivalry between VMI and The Citadel – which will be held in Charleston this year. The Keydets will also be in attendance at the Soldier Salute, hosted by the University of Iowa.
Gardner-Webb
The Runnin’ Bulldogs kick off their season hosting Kent State and Ohio University, the conference season will begin for them in February, when the Chattanooga Mocs travel to Boiling Springs for a SoCon showdown. Gardner-Webb will also host Davidson, The Citadel, and will round off their hosting duties for the season with a dual against VMI. … rest of story at … Intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/socon/2023-24-socon-preview-part-two
New Teams for 2023-2024 TDR #31-1
More wrestlers. That is our desire.
Wrestling can be an effective life-changing practice for not only the student-athletes and also the fans. Wrestling can boost school spirit and be a positive force for the campus at large. The strong growth in the number of colleges and universities that are adding wrestling in recent years is encouraging. We pass along the news of new teams as an encouragement to others to join in on the high school and post-secondary levels.
For the 2023-2024 season colleges and universities have announced at least 45 new teams. Over 30 women’s teams will enter competition this fall for the first time. A few schools will stop having wrestling such as Iowa Wesleyan, which closed thus discontinuing both Men’s and Women’s teams. Alderson-Broaddus College in West Virginia closed this fall due to financial difficulties. They had restarted their program ten years back after an over a 30 year absence. Limestone University in South Carolina also dropped their women’s team.
Several schools are making the bold step of adding both Men’s and Women’s teams. They are Blackburn College in Illinois, College of the Redwoods in California, Evergreen State College in Washington, Frostburg State in Maryland, Illinois Wesleyan University, Sioux Falls University in South Dakota, Southeast Community College in Nebraska, Utica University in New York and William Woods University in Missouri. Many other schools with a Men’s program will be adding a Women’s team to their athletic departments.
New Women’s Teams will be started at ; Adams State University in Colorado (Division II), Allen University in South Carolina (D-II), Alma College in Michigan (D-III), Baldwin-Wallace University in Ohio (D-III), Buena Vista University in Iowa (D-III), Cedar Crest College in Pennsylvania (D-III), Centenary College in New Jersey (D-III), Central College in Iowa (D-III), Cornell College in Iowa (D-III), Dickinson State in North Dakota (NAIA), Dubuque University in Iowa (D-III), Grand Valley State in Michigan (D-II), Iowa Lakes Community College (JuCo), University of Iowa (D-I), John Carroll University in Ohio (D-III), Joliet Junior College in Illinois (JuCo), Loras College in Iowa (D-III), Marymount University in Virginia (D-III), Morningside University in Iowa (NAIA), Northland Community & Technical College in Minnesota (JuCo), Southern Virginia University (D-III), SUNY-Alfred State (D-III), and Westcliff University in California (NAIA). D’Youville University in New York (D-II) will become one of a handful of schools that will have a Women’s team but not a Men’s team! We look forward to when they will add that opportunity for wrestlers.
While a majority of new teams are for Women there are some other schools adding or restarting a Men’s Wrestling team. They include Arkansas Community College at Rich Mountain (JuCo), University of Montevallo in Alabama (D-II), Morgan State University in Maryland (D-I), and Saint Vincent College in Pennsylvania (D-III). A majority of the new teams are at NCAA Division III schools that see the benefits of adding sports teams that increase the enrollment of motivated students. Wrestling opportunities are also steadily increasing in Division II and NAIA schools. The increase in Division I schools has been lagging in pace compared to the other divisions. This can not be simply explained away by Title IX or limited budgets or other excuses. The decision is made by athletic directors and administrators who choose to pour more money into ravenous football budgets. Yes, we are biased in favor of wrestling teams and can be cynical in our lack of empathy and understanding for schools who can afford to provide wrestling yet refuse to do so. We hope that more schools will see the wisdom in expanding their sports offerings. This listing could be missing other new programs, and if so, we welcome news about these other new teams.
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 