Oklahoma University Wrestling to Remain in Big 12 Conference as Affiliate Member

NORMAN – The University of Oklahoma Athletics Department announced Thursday that upon the university’s move to the Southeastern Conference on July 1, 2024, OU’s wrestling program will remain in the Big 12 Conference as an affiliate member.
The announcement followed a vote by the Big 12 Conference’s governance group, which consists of university presidents and athletics directors.
The seven-time national champion Sooner wrestling program has won 24 conference championships, including three in the Big 12 era (1996-present). Oklahoma has produced 35 individual Big 12 champions in addition to its 64 All-Americans and eight individual national champions since the league was established.
Starting July 1, 2024, in addition to OU, the Big 12’s wrestling membership will include legacy programs Iowa State, Oklahoma State and West Virginia, and affiliate programs Air Force, Cal Baptist, Missouri, Northern Colorado, North Dakota State, Northern Iowa, South Dakota State, Utah Valley and Wyoming, as well 2024 conference newcomer Arizona State. 
“We’re thrilled to remain in the Big 12 Conference as an affiliate member starting in the 2024-25 season,” … rest of story at … Soonersports.com/OU-wrestling-to-remain-in-big-12-conference-as-affiliate-member

October 30, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Iowa men’s wrestling notebook | Head coach Tom Brands discusses gambling scandal, newcomers

Despite losing Spencer Lee, Iowa returns last season’s national runner-up Real Woods and standout heavyweight Tony Cassioppi, who finished fourth in last season’s NCAA Championships.
The Iowa men’s wrestling team kicks off its 2023-24 season on Nov. 4 with an away dual against California Baptist.  Despite losing three-time NCAA champion Spencer Lee, the Hawkeyes are expected to be a national contender once again. In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, head coach Tom Brands and Iowa wrestlers discussed the upcoming season.

Gambling scandal
During the summer, several Iowa and Iowa State athletes were under investigation for gambling on college sports, most notably former Iowa State quarterback Hunter Dekkers.  Many of these athletes were charged, and some are still fighting through waivers and suspensions from the NCAA, such as Iowa defensive lineman Noah Shannon. The NCAA Division I Council Coordination Committee postponed its vote on proposals for changes to current student-athlete reinstatement guidelines related to sports gambling violations until Nov. 8.
The wagering scandal has also trickled down to the Iowa wrestling program.  “We are in the middle of a situation here regarding sports wagering reinstatement,” Brands said. “We’ll know more on Nov. 8.” Iowa’s first dual is on Nov. 4, so some wrestlers will most likely be unable to participate in the first dual of the season. Brands did not specify which athletes were involved in the scandal but is proud of the way the Hawkeyes have handled themselves during the process. “It has never been an issue where these guys have not been accountable. They told the truth, and the punishment fit the crime,” Brands said. 

Losing Lee hurts, but several studs remain 
In Lee’s final year of eligibility, the 125-pounder was upset in the national semifinals by Purdue’s Matt Ramos. … rest of story at … Dailyiowan.com/2023/10/26/iowa-mens-wrestling-notebook-head-coach-tom-brands-discusses-gambling-scandal-newcomers

Iowa men’s wrestling emphasizes opportunity with impact transfers and roster uncertainty
IOWA CITY — Iowa Coach Tom Brands emphasized the importance of opportunities. Opportunities for some new faces that popped out of the transfer portal, ones in front of younger Hawkeyes with the potential to break through and the possibility to reclaim opportunities for some Hawkeye veterans. “When you look at where we go from here now, it’s about opportunities,” Brands said Thursday during the men’s wrestling program’s annual media day at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. “It always is. Our guys, every one of them that you’re going to see downstairs, have an opportunity.” The Hawkeyes return three All-Americans from last year’s NCAA and Big Ten Championships runner-up team, including national finalist Real Woods. Iowa also welcomed four notable transfers in All-Americans Jared Franek and Michael Caliendo from North Dakota State to fortify depth, which could be crucial this season. Multiple Iowa programs, including men’s wrestling, have dealt with an investigation into gambling by student-athletes. The athletes and how many involved have not been made public, officially, however, Nelson Brands confirmed in a message with The Gazette that he has been included in the sports wagering investigation. The Des Moines Register reported that Abe Assad confirmed he was under investigation also.
Status updates are expected within the next two weeks. “As you know, we are in the middle of a situation here regarding sports wagering reinstatement,” Tom Brands said. “The (NCAA) Division I Council, President (Charlie) Baker, they’re working hard to get it right. That’s a good thing. “We know that November 8 we’re going to know more, and we’re hopeful that we’ll have a decision then.” … rest of story at … Thegazette.com/hawkeye-wrestling/iowa-mens-wrestling-emphasizes-opportunity-with-impact-transfers-and-roster-uncertainty

October 30, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

FloWrestling’s 2023-24 NCAA D1 Broadcast Schedule

All the NCAA D1 college wrestling events that will be broadcast live on FloWrestling with links to the streams and archives.
The season is here, and you can watch a lot of it on FloWrestling!

All times are Eastern.

October 30, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

NWCA Releases NCAA Women’s Coaches Preseason Rankings

MANHEIM, Pa. – With the start of 2023-24 women’s wrestling season nearing, the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) released their NCAA Women’s Wrestling Preseason Coaches’ Poll. Defending national champion North Central College sits atop top poll with 14 individuals ranked while six schools have individuals ranked for the first time. 

For the second straight year, North Central is ranked atop the poll in the preseason rankings with 128 points. The Cardinals finished won the 2023 National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Coalition (NCWWC) National Championships and have 13 individuals ranked, including seven ranked No. 1. 

They are followed by 2022 runner-up and NWCA National Duals champion King University who has 67 points. These two programs are the only two that have at least 10 individuals ranked as the Tornado have 10 ranked individuals. 

McKendree University is ranked third with 60 points and nine ranked individuals while Colorado Mesa University has eight ranked individuals and checks in at fourth with 51 points. Sacred Heart University is fifth with 29 points with four individuals ranked while Gannon University has four individuals ranked and is ranked sixth. 

East Stroudsburg checks in at seventh with 25 points and three individuals ranked before Lock Haven University and the University of Iowa are tied for eighth with 22 points. Each have two ranked individuals. Adrian College rounds out the top 10 with 16 points and three ranked individuals. 

New schools to the rankings this year are Emory & Henry College, Elmira College, Ursinus College and Simpson College who all have one individual ranked for the first time and the University of Mount Olive and the University of Iowa who each have two individuals ranked. In all, 26 schools have at least one individual in the rankings. 

Three individuals return after winning national titles a season ago, North Central’s Maddie Avila and Jaslynn Gallegos at 101 pounds and 116, respectively. Cameron Guerin of McKendree won the national title 130 pounds a season ago. Each are ranked atop those weight classes to start the year. … rest of story at … NWCAonline.com/news/2023/10/26/national-wrestling-coaches-association-nwca-releases-ncaa-womens-preseason-rankings

October 29, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

2023-24 NAIA Women’s Wrestling Coaches’ Top 20 – Preseason

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Menlo (Calif.) sits atop the NAIA Women’s Wrestling Preseason Top 20. Life (Ga.), Grand View (Iowa), William Penn (Iowa), and Providence (Mont.) round out the top 5 to jump-start the 2023-24 women’s wrestling season. Reigning national champion Southern Oregon starts the fresh season in sixth.

Poll 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.

October 29, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Pleasantville’s Adriana Palumbo is first female New York wrestler to win Super 32 title

It’s nice to surprise others, and sometimes, it feels even better to surprise yourself. Wrap both feelings inside a highly-esteemed championship belt, and you might come close to how Pleasantville junior Adriana Palumbo felt after capturing the Super 32 title at Greensboro, North Carolina this past weekend.
“My anniversary for when I started wrestling is on Thanksgiving, actually, so it’ll be the two-year mark then,” Palumbo said. “If you’d ask me two years ago, what I would be doing in two years, I definitely would not say winning a national title. I’d probably tell you playing volleyball or something like that. I’ve definitely grown a lot in that aspect as a wrestler, but I’ve also grown as a person and learning how to take losses and use them to my advantage and motivate me to work harder. I’m just excited for what comes next.”
Palumbo became the first female wrestler from New York to ever capture a Super 32 championship, as she emerged on top in the 160-pound division.
She defeated Colorado native Matilda Hruby by tech fall midway through the second period in the championship match.
“She’s just been working really hard and improving every week,” Pleasantville wrestling coach Bob Bernarducci said. “Last year, she went to that tournament and she didn’t place, so I think she was very disappointed last year and she went down there with a certain goal in mind to win a tournament.”
The Super 32 is one of the biggest wrestling tournaments in the country. Each weight class is stacked with some of the best wrestlers in the nation. The Super 32 girls tournament was first added in 2017 to complement the boys.
Palumbo is an acclaimed grappler, entering the tournament as the No. 8 nationally-ranked 155-pound wrestler according to FloWrestling. There were eight other wrestlers nationally-ranked in the top 30 also competing in her weight class. The Pleasantville native was not going to be denied. She made her run to the title as the No. 4 seed and only gave up one point throughout the entire tournament.

Palumbo pinned Alabama’s Teegan Robinson to start her journey, and followed up with a tech fall of Missouri native Jayci Shelton in the quarterfinals.
Her semifinal bout with Ohio’s Erie Prep Academy top-seeded Alexandria Alli, a former Wyoming Seminary standout and No. 4 nationally-ranked wrestler at 170, was her biggest of the tournament. … rest of story at … Lohud.com/story/sports/high-school/wrestling/2023/10/25/pleasantville-adriana-palumbo-new-york-wins-super-32-national-wrestling-title

October 28, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Greensboro College Will Host Ukraine Women’s National Wrestling Team

GREENSBORO, NC (10/25/2023) Greensboro College will host the Ukraine Women’s National Wrestling Team November 16-20. Winners of the 2022 United World Women’s Freestyle Wrestling World Cup, the team is currently spending two months in the United States promoting the sport and sharing the struggles the country is facing at home.
Founded in 1838 as a college for women, Greensboro College is also the first institution in North Carolina to offer women’s NCAA wrestling at the intercollegiate level. The Ukrainian athletes will visit the University of Iowa, the University of Dubuque, Cornell College, Avila University, and the USA Wrestling Training Center in Colorado Springs before arriving at Greensboro College next month.
Greensboro College President Dr. Lawrence Czarda sees the team’s visit as a community event to broaden connections and foster a deeper understanding of our world. “Hosting the Ukraine Women’s National Team is a wonderful opportunity, not only for the students and staff on campus, but also for the City of Greensboro and all of North Carolina to show our support for women in athletics and the people of Ukraine.”
Greensboro College athletes will train side-by-side with the world champions, and the greater college community will have opportunities to better understand the world through the eyes of these inspiring young women. The college will host a community clinic, a college panel discussion with the athletes, and the team will spend time learning about Greensboro’s connection to the U.S. Civil Rights movement. Young athletes interested in meeting and training with the Ukraine National Team are invited to a free clinic and exhibition on Saturday, November 18 8:30 a.m.-12 p.m at the Reynolds Athletic Center on the Greensboro College campus. Elementary, middle, and high school athletes can register by emailing gcwrestlingclinic@gmail.com.

A pride of lions symbolizes the strength and unity of Greensboro College Athletics. “We believe that we are one world and one pride, no matter from where you come,” says Dr. Czarda. “We are all One Pride.”
Greensboro College provides a contemporary liberal arts education grounded in the traditions of the United Methodist Church and fosters the intellectual, social, and spiritual development of all students while supporting their individual needs.
Founded in 1838 and located in downtown Greensboro, … rest of story … Yesweekly.com/education/greensboro-college-will-host-ukraine-womens-national-wrestling-team

October 28, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

UNC WRESTLING CONCLUDES PRESEASON WITH BLUE/WHITE WRESTLE-OFFS FRIDAY

CHAPEL HILL, N.C. – The North Carolina wrestling program finishes off its preseason for the 2023-24 campaign Friday, while giving fans the first opportunity to see the Tar Heels this season, hosting the annual Blue and White Wrestle-Offs. 
Free and open to the public, the action with begin at 7 PM inside Carmichael Arena. 
Entering year one under former Carolina national champion Rob Koll, the program welcomes seven new faces to the mat. 

Blue/White Wrestle-Offs Lineup: 
174: Nolan O’Boyle vs. Omaury Alvarez
125: Spencer Moore vs. Marco Tocci
133: Jace Palmer vs. Caden McCrary
141: Lachlan McNeil vs. Derek Guanajuato
149: Connor Alexander vs. Jayden Scott
157: Danny Nini vs. Cullen Kane
165: Isaias Estrada vs. Marcus Murabito
174: Sabino Portella vs. Winner
184: Wilson Major vs. Chris Salazar
285: Adam Honis vs. Alberto Hernandez … GOheels.com/news/2023/10/26/wrestling-concludes-preseason-with-blue-white-wrestle-offs-friday

October 28, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Isaac Trumble wins Gold Medal at U23 World Championships

RALEIGH, NC – NC State’s Isaac Trumble will have a little something extra in his luggage when he returns to US soil.
Wednesday afternoon Trumble earned a technical fall victory, 12-2, over Radu Lefter (Moldova), earning a gold medal (97 kg) at the U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania.
He’s the first gold medal winner for NC State in any age division.
Trumble is a part of the first freestyle championship for the United States. Team USA earned first place with 148 points, followed by Turkey (113) and Azerbaijan (87).
Trumble blazed through the opening day, outscoring his opponents 35-4. 
He jumped out to a commanding 8-0 lead at the break in the gold medal match and never looked back. Lefter scored a two-pointer and Trumble bounced back with a counter to go up 10-2.
Last season the Springfield, Nebraska native finished 21-6 as a 197-pounder. … rest of story at … GOpack.com/news/2023/10/25/wrestling-isaac-trumble-wins-gold-medal-at-u23-world-championships

October 27, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment

U.S. Men’s freestyle wins team title, Trumble gets gold, Hardy earns Bronze, Jimenez, Blades to finals

OCT. 25, 2023, 04:13 P.M. (ET)
BY SAVANNAH ASMANN, USA WRESTLING
The United States locked up the team title in men’s freestyle Wednesday night at the 2023 U23 World Championships in Tirana, Albania. Team USA had six medalists for men’s freestyle, a new record for the U23 age group. Women’s freestyle began competition on Wednesday and saw Audrey Jimenez (50 kg) and Kennedy Blades (76 kg) reach the finals.
The United States men’s freestyle team has its fourth World champion of the tournament. Isaac Trumble (97 kg) bested Radu Lefter of Moldova in a 12-2 dominating technical fall. Trumble led early, taking Lefter down twice, forcing him out of bounds, and adding a takedown to lead 8-0 through the first three minutes. Lefter responded with a takedown, but it wasn’t enough as Trumble locked in the victory with two more takedowns. The Nebraska native, who wrestles for NC State, captured gold in his first international competition.
Cooper Flynn’s tournament came to an end in the repechage match at 57 kg. Flynn led early on a passivity call after Germany’s Niklas Stechele was put on the shot clock. In period two, Stechele scored on a step out, then added a point after Flynn was put on the clock. The match was back-and-forth, with Stechele getting the 3-2 win on a late step out point.
At 65 kg, Brock Hardy won his repechage match 7-4 over Moldova’s Pavel Grauer, advancing to the bronze medal match. Hardy, who wrestles for Nebraska, is heading home with a World bronze medal as he defeated Georgia’s Goga Otinashvili in a rough 8-5 decision. The Georgian was first on the board with a throw that scored four. Hardy fired back with a takedown but there was debate about Otinashvili’s knee to the mat, so the United States challenged the call. The officials ruled in favor of Georgia, and it was a 5-2 match. Hardy responded with three gritty takedowns to capture the bronze.
Doug Zapf fell in a close bronze medal match at 70 kg. Kanan Heybatov … rest of story at … Themat.com/U-S-men-s-freestyle-wins-team-title-trumble-gets-gold-hardy-earns-bronze-jimenez-blades-to-finals

October 27, 2023 Posted by The TakeDown Report | Uncategorized | Leave a comment