4x State Champions, in North Carolina, and Who is on track?
A running list of North Carolina’s (NCHSAA) 4x State Champions and who is currently on track to accomplish the feat.
TDR Editor’s Notes ; This site has listed the 11 wrestlers who have earned four state championship honors. The list and details are at Rokfin.com/ranking/2769/4x-State-Champions-and-Who-is-on-track
Millner, Miller Win Keystone Classic Titles in Philly
PHILADELPHIA — Led by individual titles from Jon Jon Millner (149 pounds) and Will Miller (174 pounds), App State Wrestling enjoyed a strong showing Sunday at the PRTC Keystone Classic in The Palestra.
With 13 of the Mountaineers’ wrestlers placing, App State totaled 115 points to finish fourth in an 11-team field, as No. 11 Virginia Tech and No. 20 Penn posted the highest point totals. Tommy Askey (157) and Will Formato (165) went 5-1 to place third in their brackets.
Ranked second nationally in his weight class, Millner improved to 10-0 this season and 102-21 in his career with a 5-0 showing in Philly. He became the seventh App State wrestler to record 100-plus career wins and is now at No. 6 on the program’s career wins list.
In a bracket that included three top-15 wrestlers, Millner used takedowns in the first and third periods to secure a 5-2 decision in the 149-pound final against 15th-ranked Doug Zapf, a two-time NCAA qualifier from Penn. Millner opened the event with two first-period pins and two major decisions by a combined score of 24-2, including a 9-1 major decision against 13th-ranked Quinn Kinner from Rider in the semifinal round.
Miller, a sophomore, earned the first tournament win of his college career … rest of story at APPstatesports.com/news/2022/wrestling-millner-miller-win-keystone-classic-titles-in-philly
PC Makes Quick Work of Limestone in 31-Point Road Drubbing
GAFFNEY, S.C. – The 6th-ranked Presbyterian College women’s wrestling team had a minute number of complications during a brief head-to-head with the Limestone Saints on Sunday evening in a true road environment, moving to 5-0 all-time against their in-state adversary since officially becoming a competitive unit. The reason for the brisk nature of the bout was that the Blue Hose racked up eight out 10 victories in rapid succession for a 41-10 triumph in their second dual round of the young season.
Already granted a 15-0 edge with three Limestone forfeits in classes 101-116, PC ensured no comeback would be on the cards for the home side with four straight W’s by Catherine “CG” Bertrand, Olivia Waller, Sierra Marie Miller, and Paige Wehrmeister, all by pinfall. From there, the Blue Hose coasted to a record of 1-1 in dual entries, along with nine top-four placements that have already been claimed from their two neutral-site tournaments sprinkled throughout the November lineup … rest of story at GObluehose.com/news/2022/womens-wrestling-pc-makes-quick-work-of-limestone
Head Wrestling Coach Brian Smith Inducted Into Missouri Sports Hall of Fame
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – University of Missouri Head Wrestling Coach Brian Smith was inducted into the Missouri Sports Hall of Fame Sunday, Nov. 20.
Beginning his career as Missouri’s seventh head wrestling coach, Smith sat down with his team and made a list of goals that he hoped would help the 1998 squad and future Tiger teams. Over the past 24 years, he and the many men that have come through the Mizzou wrestling program have slowly but surely checked items off that original list. Individual Big 12 and MAC Conference Champions, improved grade-point averages, record-setting attendances, a No. 1 national ranking and Missouri’s first-ever NCAA National Champion in wrestling were all on Smith’s “to-do” list. His unique “Tiger Style” training program has molded today’s team into a national powerhouse that continues to pursue the program’s first team NCAA title.
Since being introduced as Missouri’s Head Wrestling Coach on May 5, 1998, Smith owns 21 consecutive seasons with a dual record at or above .500, beginning with the 2001-02 season, and has coached 29 All-Americans to 60 top-eight performances and six Tigers to nine national championships.
The winningest coach in program history, Smith has compiled a 319-114-4 record at Missouri over his 24-plus season tenure. … rest of story at MUtigers.com/news/2022/head-wrestling-coach-brian-smith-inducted-into-the-missouri-sports-hall-of-fame
Unbeaten Terps enter Top 25 for first time since 2013
Manheim, Pennsylvania – It’d been 3,296 days since Maryland occupied space in the nation’s Top 25. Buoyed by this past weekend’s upset win at No. 17 Pittsburgh, coach Alex Clemsen’s Terrapins entered this week’s NWCA Division I Wrestling Coaches Poll ranked No. 24.
Maryland (4-0) was last ranked during the 2013-14 season. They were No. 22 on Nov. 13, 2013 when they were still members of the Atlantic Coast Conference. It’s quite the rise for the Terps, who went 2-17, 0-8 and 7-12 in Clemsen’s first three seasons since taking over as the program’s head coach.
There was a shift in the top five this week as Ohio State moved up to No. 3 after a pair of weekend wins. The Buckeyes (3-0) topped Columbia 33-6 at home before heading to Chapel Hill and beating then-No. 16 North Carolina 33-9. Second-ranked Iowa headed east and won a trio of duals. The Hawkeyes topped Army West Point 28-13 before topping Sacred Heart 35-6 and Buffalo 35-7.
Arizona State improved to 2-0 as nearly 3,000 fans came to the brand-new Mullett Arena in Tempe to see the host Sun Devils knock off then-No. 3 Missouri 19-17 in the season’s first matchup between top-five programs. Arizona State moved up to No. 4, while Missouri slid to No. 6. Michigan moved to No. 5 after a 38-6 win over visiting Columbia.
Iowa State (5-0) moved up one spot to No. 7 after a 40-0 shutout over 10-time NAIA national champions Grand View, snapping the Vikings’ college-wrestling record win streak of 116 duals in a row. N.C. State (5-0) moved up to No. 8 after wins over Central Michigan and Illinois, while Oklahoma State (3-0) topped Wyoming 34-3 to move up to No. 9. … rest of story at NWCAonline.com/unbeaten-terps-enter-top-25-for-first-time-since-2013
UMO claims three dual meet wins at Star City Classic
SALEM, Va. (Nov. 20) – The University of Mount Olive men’s wrestling program secured three dual meet victories over Ferrum, Roanoke, and Greensboro at the USMC Star City Classic on Saturday afternoon.
With the wins, the Trojans improve to 4-0 this season in dual meets after facing three schools from the Old Dominion Athletic Conference (ODAC). Below are the team scores from today’s dual meets
Mount Olive over Ferrum, 38-9
Mount Olive over Roanoke, 27-13
Mount Olive over Greensboro, 43-9
Additionally, the Trojans placed eight wrestlers on the podium following the individual competition.
Mount Olive featured five wrestlers with perfect 3-0 marks in the dual meet competitions. Redshirt freshman Dallas Wilson (149) recorded a 9-0 major decision over Hayden Funck (Ferrum) and collected an 8-7 decision versus Jarrod Pominville (Roanoke) while claiming his final win via forfeit. Redshirt junior Michael Vernagallo (157) went undefeated after securing a 14-11 decision versus Elijah Martin (Ferrum), a win via fall (0:25) against Zane Cox (Roanoke) and a 16-0 technical fall over … rest of story at UMOtrojans.com/news/2022/wrestling-umo-claims-three-dual-meet-wins-at-usmc-star-city-classic
Clack earns weekly league laurel
GREENVILLE, S.C. (Nov. 22) – After posting a 3-0 record in dual meet action over the weekend, sophomore Jonathan Clack was selected the South Atlantic Conference Carolinas (SACC) Wrestler of the Week, as announced by the league office on Tuesday afternoon.
A sophomore from Lake Odessa, Michigan, Clack delivered a dominant performance on Sunday at USMC Star City Classic, as the Trojans posted a 3-0 mark in dual meets. In the 197 weight class, he pinned every opponent he faced to earn maximum points toward the team score. Clack secured a fall (1:47) over Braden Homsey of Ferrum before collecting another result via fall (4:19) against Cam Cavins of Roanoke. He finished undefeated with a pin (1:03) versus Joseph Akers of Greensboro.
Clack is off to a phenomenal start to the 2022-23 campaign … rest of story at UMOtrojans.com/news/2022/11/22/wrestling-clack-earns-weekly-league-laurel
Niesenbaum Named PNC Achievers Student-Athlete of the Week
DURHAM – Duke wrestling senior Jonah Niesenbaum has been named Duke’s PNC Achievers Student-Athlete of the Week, following his individual heavyweight title at the Keystone Classic on Sunday.
Seeded third in the heavyweight bracket, Niesenbaum claimed his first two wins over nationally-ranked opponents after defeating No. 22 Benjamin Goldin (Penn) in the semifinals and No. 19 Hunter Catka (Virginia Tech) in the championship bout.
One week prior, Niesenbaum captured his first career tournament title after defeating Gage Braun of Southeastern in a 4-1 decision for the heavyweight title at the Battle at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C.
InterMat recently tabbed the Allentown, Pa., native as one of its breakout candidates … rest of story at GODUKE.com/news/2022/wrestling-niesenbaum-named-pnc-achievers-student-athlete-of-the-week
Carr Defeats Monday at NWCA All-Star Classic
AUSTIN, Texas – Iowa State’s No. 3 David Carr defeated Princeton’s No. 1 (157) Quincy Monday in a highly-anticipated 165-pound bout, 2-1, Tuesday night at the NWCA All-Star Classic. No. 12 Kysen Terukina opened the event against Minnesota’s No. 3 Patrick McKee but was pinned in the second period.
Cyclone wrestlers are now 49-19-3 all-time at the NWCA All-Star Classic. Terukina and Carr are the first Cyclones to appear in the event since Michael Moreno in 2013 with Carr being the first winner since 2009.
After a scoreless first period, Carr chose down to begin the second and escaped in six seconds. The Cyclone senior took a 1-0 advantage into the final period and put on a tough ride to amass 1:16 of riding time. An escape from Monday put the pair back on their feet with 37 seconds remaining, but Carr would hang on to win a 2-1 decision.
The match was the next chapter in a deep-rooted family rivalry dating back to the 1980s. Carr and Monday’s fathers, Nate and Kenny, were rivals in their college days. Nate, a three-time national champion for the Cyclones in the early 1980s, split his six collegiate matches against Kenny and defeated him in overtime for two of his titles. … rest of story at Cyclones.com/news/2022/11/22/wrestling-carr-defeats-monday-at-nwca-all-star-classic
Alirez topples No. 1 at NWCA All-Star Classic
AUSTIN, Texas—Generating a takedown in overtime, Northern Colorado’s Andrew Alirez defeated the No. 1-ranked wrestler in the country at the NWCA All-Star Classic on Tuesday night.
A late replacement to the event at 141 pounds, No. 4-ranked Alirez scored a 4-2 win over the University of Pittsburgh’s Cole Matthews.
After a scoreless first period, Alirez broke the stalemate with a reversal early in the second. Matthews managed escapes in both the second and third for his only points of the match and to send the bout into overtime.
Taking another successful shot in the extra session, Alirez gained control of Matthews’ left leg for the match-winning takedown.
With the win, Alirez, the Big XII champion from a year ago and undefeated so far this season, will look to capture the No. 1 ranking in the next release. … rest of story at UNCbears.com/news/2022/11/22/wrestling-alirez-topples-no-1-at-nwca-all-star-classic
Match Notes: 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic
All the action from Austin and the 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic, the college wrestling event of the year!
It’s back! An all-star slate of epic proportions! 15 matchs in total, 11 men’s and four women’s bouts will be held today in Austin, TX. Check back here early and often for updates in real-time!
Nov 22 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic
First whistle is scheduled for 8:00PM eastern! Below is the bout order:
125: Pat McKee (Minnesota) vs Kysen Terukina (Iowa State)
133: Lucas Byrd (Illinois) vs Michael McGee (Arizona State)
157: Bryce Andonian (Virginia Tech) vs Will Lewan (Michigan)
197: Jacob Warner (Iowa) vs Rocky Elam (Missouri)
285: Anthony Cassioppi (Iowa) vs Greg Kerkvliet (Penn State) … rest of story at FLOwrestling.org/articles/9017408-match-notes-2022-nwca-all-star-classic
Three Nittany Lion Wrestlers Notch Dominant Wins at NWCA All-Star Classic in Austin, Texas
Kerkvliet, Brooks and Starocci all victorious in exhibition matches
UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. – Three Penn State All-Americans took part in the 2022 NWCA All-Star Classic in Austin, Texas. No. 1 Carter Starocci, No. 1 Aaron Brooks and No. 2 Greg Kerkvliet each participated in the exhibition and all three came away with impressive victories. The NWCA All-Star bouts do not count as official NCAA matches, on the athlete’s win-loss record or towards their RPIs.
Kerkvliet faced No. 4 Tony Cassioppi of Iowa in a rematch of last year’s B1G semifinal match (won 6-4 SV by Cassioppi). Kerkvliet used a clean takedown in the first period to take a one-point, 2-1 lead after the opening stanza with 1:00 in riding time to his side. He chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped for a 3-1 lead. He took Cassioppi down once more and rode him for the bulk of the period before the Hawkeye escaped to 5-3 score. Cassioppi chose down to start the third period and eventually escaped to a 5-4 Kerkvliet lead but the Lion had a riding time point wrapped up. Kerkvliet iced the bout with a final takedown. Cassioppi added one final escape but Kerkvliet, with a riding time point, rolled to the 8-5 win.
Brooks battled No. 2 Parker Keckeisen of Northern Iowa … rest of story at gopsusports.com/news/2022/wrestling-three-nittany-lion-wrestlers-notch-dominant-wins-at-nwca-all-star-classic
RICHARDS, PARKER, SCHULTZ, MACCHIAVELLO, GWIAZDOWSKI WIN MEN’S FREESTYLE TITLES AT BILL FARRELL MEMORIAL INTERNATIONAL
NEW YORK, N.Y. – Five U.S. men’s freestyle wrestlers won gold medals on the final day of the Bill Farrell Memorial International on Saturday night.
Individual U.S. champions were Zane Richards of the Titan Mercury WC (57 kg), Ian Parker of the West Point WC (70 kg), Eric Schultz of the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center (92 kg), Michael Macchiavello of Titan Mercury WC (97 kg) and Nick Gwiazdowski of Titan Mercury WC (125 kg).
Richards, a member of the Senior National Team, won a four-athlete roundrobin with a perfect 3-0 record, all by technical fall. He defeated runner-up Guesseppe Rea Villarroel of Ecuador, 10-0 to clinch the title.
Parker jumped to a 3-0 lead over 19-year-old Cody Chittum of Tennessee, and showed outstanding defense in the second period for a 3-2 win and his first major international title. Parker was a star at Iowa State, and now coaches at Army West Point.
Schultz, who starred at Nebraska, came on strong late in his finals match to beat Morgan McIntosh of U.S. Army WCAP, 6-6. Schultz trailed 6-0 early in the second period, but scored three straight takedowns to tie the match and secure the win by criteria.
Macchiavello, a Senior National Team member, scored the only points in a rugged 3-0 victory over Murazi Mchedlidze of Ukraine. There was a key exchange in the second period which Macchiavello scored, and a Ukrainian challenge was denied.
Gwiazdowski, wrestling for the first time since Final X last June, controlled the action for a 5-2 victory over Dimitrius Thomas of Michigan, 5-2. … rest of story at USA-Wrestling/Features/2022/November/19/Bill-Farrell-Memorial-mens-freestyle
WRESTLING STAR JORDAN BURROUGHS NAMED AS FINALIST FOR THE 92ND AAU JAMES E. SULLIVAN AWARD, RECOGNIZING NATION’S TOP ATHLETE
ORLANDO, Fla. (November 22, 2022) – Five athletes, each at the top of their respective sports, have been named finalists for the 92nd AAU James E. Sullivan Award.
The athletes, voted as top finalists from an initial group of 19 nominees:
• Jordan Burroughs, Wrestling, USA Wrestling, 6x World Champion & Olympic Gold Medalist
• Jocelyn Alo, Softball, University of Oklahoma, 2x Player of the Year & NCAA Champion
• Ivan Melendez, Baseball, University of Texas, Consensus National Player of the Year & Golden Spikes Winner
• Carissa Moore, Surfing, USA Surfing, 5x World Champion & Olympic Gold Medalist
• Bryce Young, Football, University of Alabama, Heisman Trophy & Maxwell Award Winner
The AAU James E. Sullivan Award has been presented annually since 1930 to the most outstanding athlete at the collegiate or Olympic level in the United States.
In addition to athletic excellence, the AAU Sullivan Award aims to recognize the qualities of leadership, citizenship, character and sportsmanship on and off the field.
Jordan Burroughs has won seven World and Olympic gold medals, more than any other U.S. wrestler, surpassing former AAU Sullivan Award winner John Smith and Adeline Gray. … rest of story at USA-Wrestling/Features/2022/November/22/Burroughs-named-as-Sullivan-Award-finalist
GOMEZ SHOWCASES OFFENSE IN NWCA ALL-STAR CLASSIC WIN OVER SASSO; STAROCCI WINS NCAA FINALS REMATCH OVER LEWIS
USTIN, Texas – Austin Gomez charged toward Sammy Sasso and continued to work.
Takedown. Escape. Takedown. Escape.
No. 2 Gomez, Wisconsin’s 149-pounder, let his offense show in an 10-9 win over Ohio State’s Sasso in the NWCA All-Star Classic on Tuesday night in Austin, Texas.
Gomez trailed 4-2 after the second period but added four takedowns in the third to win it. Gomez, a 2022 All-American, became one of 15 winners Tuesday night. Gomez is now 3-0 against No. 5 Sasso.
In the main event, a rematch of the 2022 174-pound NCAA finals, Penn State’s Carter Starocci clipped Virginia Tech’s Mekhi Lewis, 2-0.
The margins were thin, just like they were in March when Starocci won 6-5 on rideouts. After a scoreless first period, No. 1 Starocci immediately escaped. Riding time helped Starocci grab the extra point.
No. 2 Lewis won a national championship in 2019 and remained one of the nation’s best.
The night’s action began at 125 pounds. … rest of story at USA-Wrestling/Features/2022/November/22/NWCA-All-Star-Classic-wrap
Wisconsin’s Austin Gomez tops No. 1 Yianni Diakomihalis in stunning college wrestling upset
Heading into Saturday’s match against Wisconsin’s Austin Gomez, Cornell’s three-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis had just one career L: an early-season 9-6 decision against NCAA finalist Jaydin Eierman back in 2017 that didn’t go his way. But, in a decisive 9-3 decision in Ithaca, New York this weekend, Gomez delivered the senior Big Red star just his second career loss, ending Diakomihalis’ hopes for an undefeated season.
Here’s how it happened:
This was a match these guys have been looking forward to for a long time. For Gomez, the match represented his chance against the champ and an opportunity for redemption after a season-opening loss to Iowa State. For Diakomihalis, it was a chance to start the season with a highly-ranked win. The focus from both athletes was evident as they battled through two scoreless minutes in the first period in front of a sold out crowd in Ithaca. Diakomihalis nearly put himself on the board first with a single-leg in the final minute of the period, but Gomez fended him off. The Big Red senior drove the pace early in this match, though credit belongs to Gomez for remaining unfazed by these attacks. A third shot from Diakomihalis in the first period drew a stall call, but Gomez responded, initiating a scramble that almost took down the champ in the final seconds. The two athletes entered the second period scoreless. … rest of story at NCAA.com/news/wrestling/article/wisconsins-austin-gomez-tops-no-1-yianni-diakomihalis-stunning-college-wrestling
The Most Shocking College Wrestling Upsets of the Last 20 Years
by Earl Smith; Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com
We’re just a few hours removed from one of the most shocking college wrestling… rest of story at Rokfin.com/article/The-Most-Shocking-College-Wrestling-Upsets-of-the-Last-20-Years
Austin Gomez Goes Big, Hands Yianni Diakomihalis Second Career Loss
Wisconsin’s Austin Gomez used a big move in the second period to take control and handed three-time NCAA champ Yianni Diakomihalis his second career loss.
Two weeks after suffering a stunning defeat, Austin Gomez was on the other end of another headline-grabbing result Saturday.
The Wisconsin All-American used a four-point move in the second period to take control on his way to a 9-3 victory against three-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis — the second career loss for the Cornell senior and first since Dec. 30, 2017.
It’s the first time in Division I history that a three-time NCAA champ has been knocked off.
Diakomihalis entered Saturday with a 93-1 career record. His lone setback came as a freshman when a late lead dissolved in the closing seconds against Jaydin Eierman at the South Beach Duals.
Diakomihalis was closing in on Kyle Dake’s school record 77-match winning streak. He entered Saturday with 75 consecutive victories, but he never led against Gomez. … rest of story at Flowrestling.org/articles/Austin-gomez-goes-big-hands-yianni-diakomihalis-second-career-loss
Chocowinity Middle School makes history with school’s first ever wrestling team
CHOCOWINITY, N.C. (WITN) -Team unity and the beautiful sound of victory could be heard Wednesday afternoon at Chocowinity Middle School as they hosted their first ever home wrestling match for the first official team in school history.
The squad is made up of 20 wrestlers in both seventh and eighth grade, all competing in a number of different weight classes.
The sport joins a long list of athletics the school has to offer and head coach Russ Chesson, who is a former wrestler himself, believes it may be the best.
“You know not everyone is going to be a power forward on the basketball team and these guys needed something to do,” Chesson said. “I can’t think of anything that builds character more than a wrestling team.” … rest of story and video at WITN.com/Chocowinity-middle-school-makes-history-with-schools-first-ever-wrestling-team/
NC State picks up two wins in Albany, defeating Central Michigan and Illinois
ALBANY, NY The NC State wrestling team improved to 5-0 overall, earning two victories in Albany, NY.
The No. 9 Wolfpack got the weekend off to a hot start, defeating Central Michigan 26-12. NC State turned around and defeated Illinois, 27-12.
Freshman Troy Hohman picked up a win in his dual debut in the 125 class, defeating Sean Spidle, 4-3 to start the day for the Wolfpack.
Hohman was one of several wrestlers who got their first action last weekend at the Journeymen Wrestling Round Robin event.
Jacob Cox was another young wrestler who got his feet wet at the Journeymen and found himself in the lineup against the Chippewas. Cox was forced to medical forfeit against Jacob Cox, giving Central Michigan a 6-3 lead.
NC State got momentum back when Ryan Jack and Jackson Arrington pulled off back-to-back wins. … rest of story at gopack.com/news/wrestling-nc-state-picks-up-two-wins-in-albany-defeating-central-michigan-and-illinois
Episode 100 features 100 seconds of NC State Trivia with Coach Popolizio and heavyweight Owen Trephan – NCS100
It’s spanned five years, two hosts, dozens of guests, but just one head coach. We’ve finally made it to the milestone 100th episode of the #PackMentality Pop-Ins Podcast. Host Hayden Hidlay speaks with head coach Pat Popolizio to celebrate the mark and talk about the start of the season before getting to the show’s featured guest, heavyweight Owen Trephan. … rest of story at Mattalkonline.com/podcast/pack-mentality/episode-100-features-100-seconds-of-nc-state-trivia-with-coach-popolizio-and-heavyweight-owen-trephan
ACC Week Two Wrap-Up
When I moved to Virginia from Nebraska after college, I came with the expectation of living here for two years before moving on to my next adventure. Fast forward 16 years and now, Charlottesville has been my home for more than a decade. All three of my children have been born and raised here; it’s a part of their identity and mine. Waking up to the news yesterday morning was nothing short of crushing. I have lived in Charlottesville through the highs of everything that makes this town special and the lows of murders and riots painting our town in the national spotlight. Three young men lost their lives. Life will never be the same for their families, their friends, their teammates and their classmates. This has become all too common and an unfortunate reality. In my years as a teacher and a coach, I have lost students and athletes to violence, and have seen them on both sides of the weapon. It is a feeling you cannot describe, and one you hope others will never have to feel. … rest of story at https://intermatwrestle.com/articles
Peaks and valleys’: Niesenbaum’s victory headlines Duke wrestling’s performance at Battle at The Citadel
After a rough start, there is nowhere to go but up.
The Blue Devils did just that as they rebounded from last week’s meet in College Park, Md. Duke senior Jonah Niesenbaum placed first in the heavyweight division at the Battle at the Citadel in Charleston, S.C., with fellow Blue Devils Login Agin (125 pounds) and Drake Doolittle (133 pounds) both placing third, accompanied by Christian Colman (133 pounds) placing fourth.
“The guys wrestled hard, our shape looks good … [our] coaching strategy changed a little bit because you might be working with someone who you really don’t work with that much,” said head coach Glen Lanham. “We just have to hone in on a couple of things that could make some really big gains for us.”
Colman, who wrestled at 141 pounds last weekend, weighed in at 133 pounds Sunday. … rest of story at Dukechronicle.com/duke-wrestling-battle-at-the-citadel-niesenbaum
5 of the most anticipated 1-on-1 college wrestling battles this season
The best of the best. Champions vs. champions. These are the kinds of duals that fans can expect to see at next week’s National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) All-Star Classic, a historic event featuring 15 elite, high-profile weight matches across ten men’s freestyle weights and five women’s freestyle weights.
But, even beyond the All-Star Classic, there are still a number of notable potential matchups this year that breed intriguing storylines and could answer key questions about who might be able to make a run for the top of the podium in March.
Here are five of those exciting possible matchups to anticipate this NCAA wrestling season, all of which include two wrestlers who have not yet faced each other in collegiate competition. Not all of these matches are necessarily scheduled, but they could happen at NCAAs or other winter tournaments.
No. 1 Roman Bravo-Young vs. No. 3 Vito Arujau, 133 pounds
Penn State’s Roman Bravo-Young has separated himself from his competition in the traditionally-deep weight class of 133 pounds. He’s been the kind of consistent, championship performer that Penn State fans expect to see atop the podium. However, Bravo-Young will have a new foe in his weight this year, as Cornell’s Vito Arujau is set to move up from 125 pounds, creating a new storyline down at the lightweights. Arujau, a particularly successful freestyle wrestler, finished second in the Olympic Trials in 2021 to eventual Olympic Bronze medalist Thomas Gilman … rest of story at NCAA.com/news/wrestling/article/5-most-anticipated-1-1-college-wrestling-battles
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
