Three-Time All-American McNeil Transfers to Michigan
Three-time All-American Lachlan McNeil has announced his transfer destination. McNeil will get a bit closer to home and finish his career with the University of Michigan.
McNeil earned All-American honors every year he competed for the University of North Carolina – finishing fourth as a freshman, sixth as a sophomore, and fifth as a junior. In each of the last two seasons, McNeil has earned the #6 seed at the NCAA Championships. The ACC has typically been loaded in McNeil’s weight class, so he was third in his first two tries and a runner-up to returning national champion Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech) in 2025.
With two of the top-four finishers at NCAA’s at 149 lbs out of eligibility, McNeil will be the third-highest returning placewinner at the weight. He’ll give Michigan an immediate spark at the weight. In 2025, Michigan saw redshirt freshman Dylan Gilcher make the national tournament after finishing eighth in the Big Ten; however, he went 0-2 in Philadelphia.
Michigan is one of the programs that has benefited the most from seniors in the transfer portal. They had two All-Americans of that variety in 2025 and three in 2024. In 2022, Nick Suriano came aboard for his last year of eligibility and won a national title at 125 lbs. … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/college/big-10/three-time-all-american-mcneil-transfers-to-michigan-r100201/
The 10 Best Wrestlers From Discontinued Programs
Some of America’s best wrestlers competed for dropped programs. Here are the 10 best.
Just because a college discontinued its wrestling team doesn’t mean we should forget about the wrestlers who went there. Here are the 10 best wrestlers from dropped programs.
Click here for JD Rader’s list of new and dropped programs since 1975.
10. Greg Wojciechowski
College: Toledo
Year Dropped: 1994
Wojciechowski competed in the NCAA tournament finals three times at heavyweight from 1970 to 1972, securing a title in 1971. He won 13 AAU national titles (Greco-Roman and freestyle) and made the 1980 Olympic team boycotted by the United States.
9. Gene Mills
College: Syracuse
Year Dropped: 2001
Mills went on a tear after placing third at the NCAA tournament in 1977 and fourth in 1978. Perhaps college wrestling’s most dynamic wrestler, the Orangemen’s wrestling superstar, won NCAA championships in 1979 and 1981 at 118 pounds. He also made the 1980 Olympic team at 52 kilograms but didn’t compete due to a boycott by the United States. Mills secured seven falls in 10 matches during his two NCAA championship runs. His other three matches were 17-2, 16-13, and 28-4 wins.
8. Pete Mehringer
College: Kansas
Year Dropped: 1966
Mehringer placed second at the 1932 NCAA tournament (HWT) to Northwestern’s Jack Riley, then won a gold medal at the 1932 London Olympics (192 pounds). He was the first Kansas University athlete to win an Olympic gold medal.
7. Stan Dziedzic
College: Slippery Rock
Year Dropped: 2006
Before winning the 1977 World Championship and earning a bronze medal at the 1976 Olympics, Dziedzic was a three-time All-American. He placed third at the NCAA tournament in 1970 (150 pounds), first in 1971 (150 pounds), and second in 1972 (158 pounds).
6. Stephen Abas, Fresno State
College: Fresno State
Year Dropped: 2021
After a fourth-place finish as a freshman in 1998, Abas won three NCAA championships (1999, 2001-02) at 125 pounds. His only loss during his final three seasons was when he moved up to 133 pounds to face Oklahoma State’s three-time NCAA champion … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14089528-the-10-best-wrestlers-from-discontinued-programs
Top NAIA Active Coaches by dual wins
ACTIVE Coaches NAIA – Top 25 with at least 50 wins
- Franky James (Georgetown Coll./Campbellsville) 251
- Nick Mitchell (Grand View College) 197
- Corey Ruff (Cumberlands/Lindsey-Wilson) 153
- Tyson Thivierge (Montana State Northern) 124
- Omi Acosta (Life University) — 120
- Jake Stevenson (Morningside College) — 111
- Jeff Bedard (Reinhardt Univ.) — 111
- K.C. Rock (Embry-Riddle College) – 108
- Thomas Pompei (Indiana Institute of Tech.) 104
- Rik Dahl (Northwestern College) — 97
- Joey Martinez (Menlo) — 88 (Menlo moving to D-II)
- James Hicks (Cumberland Univ./Darton — 83
- Dana Vote (Doane, Midland, Concordia) — 80
- Steven Bradley (Marian University) — 71
- Colby Crank (Ottawa University) 68
- Brandon Jorge (Southeastern University) 67
- Beau Vest (Mo. Valley/Dana-Midland) 66
- James Kisgen (McKendree College) — 66 (school moved to Div. II)
- Joe Privitere (Briar Cliff) 65
- Dustyn Azure (Eastern Oregon) 61
- Zach Mullins (Graceland Univ.) 57
- Chuck Kearney (St. Mary, University of) 55
- Steve Komac (Providence Great Falls) 55
- Lennie Zalesky (Calif. Baptist Univ.) — 55 – now a D-I school
- Joel Gibson (Southern Oregon State) 49
Owen Trephan Named EIWA Wrestler of the Year
BETHLEHEM, Pa. – Lehigh graduate student heavyweight Owen Trephan has been named EIWA Wrestler of the Year, the conference announced Monday. Trephan enjoyed an outstanding three-month run in a Lehigh singlet after joining the Mountain Hawks in late December.
Trephan went 25-2 in the 2024-25 season, including a 15-2 mark competing in a Lehigh singlet. He won an EIWA title at 285 at Stabler Arena for his third consecutive conference title and reached the national semifinals at the NCAA Championships, eventually earning his first career All-America honor with a fifth place finish.
With his fifth place finish, Trephan had the highest podium place among the EIWAs four All-Americans. Trephan’s 25-2 season included an 8-0 record in duals for the Mountain Hawks. A 4-2 decision over Arizona State’s five-time All-American Cohlton Schultz secured an undefeated regular season for the Summerville, S.C. native.
In addition to his postseason tournament placements, Trephan won titles at the Battle at the Citadel competing unattached for NC State, and the Sheridan Tournament, competing unrostered. He also won his pool at the Journeymen Collegiate Classic.
Trephan is the fifth Lehigh wrestler since 1998 to win the EIWA Wrestler of the Year award and the first since Darian Cruz in 2017. An Army ROTC graduate while at NC State, Trephan is headed to officer school in Georgia later this spring. … more at … https://lehighsports.com/news/2025/4/2/wrestling-owen-trephan-named-eiwa-wrestler-of-the-year
Vince Robinson Named Wrestling’s ACC Freshman of the Year
CHARLOTTE, N.C. – After finishing his 2024-25 campaign at the top of the 125 pound NCAA podium in Philadelphia, Vince Robinson has been named the 2025 ACC Freshman of the Year for wrestling.
The annual awards are determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
In his first season in the lineup, Vince Robinson tallied seven ranked wins during the regular season, rose to a career-high ranking of No. 3, placed as a runner-up at the 2025 ACC Championship, and secured his first national title at the 2025 NCAA Wrestling Championships.
The Chicago native finished 24-3 and went 9-1 in dual action, while recording four wins by technical fall, and seven by major decision.
After the conclusion of conference tournaments, he was listed as No. 1 in the country at 125 lbs in RPI rankings as well as fifth overall in that weight class by the NWCA. He becomes the sixth Wolfpack wrestler to win the award, … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2025/4/1/mens-tennis-vince-robinson-named-acc-freshman-of-the-year
Caleb Henson and Tony Robie named ACC Wrestler and Coach of the Year
Henson claims honor in back-to-back seasons, and Robie collects fourth straight coaching accolade
BLACKSBURG – After another year of historic milestones, the accolades for Virginia Tech wrestling continue to pour in as national finalist and ACC champion Caleb Henson and head coach Tony Robie took home Atlantic Coast Conference Wrestler of the Year and Coach of the Year to wrap up the 2024-2025 season as announced by the league office on Tuesday.
The annual awards are determined by a vote of the league’s head coaches.
The Hitman goes back-to-back as ACC Wrestler of the Year after a historic junior season in Blacksburg. Entering the season as the defending national champion, Henson boasted an undefeated regular season – including winning the prestigious Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational by beating eventual national champion Ridge Lovett in the finals – en route to his second ACC title. Henson defeated three-time All-American Lachlan McNeil (North Carolina) … more at … https://hokiesports.com/news/2025/04/1/caleb-henson-and-tony-robie-named-acc-wrestler-and-coach-of-the-year
Wolfpack Wrestling Adds Iowa State Transfer Zach Redding
RALEIGH – NC State wrestling head coach Pat Popolizio has signed two-time NCAA Qualifier, Iowa State transfer, Zach Redding to the Wolfpack Thursday morning. The New York native will join the team for the 2025-26 season for his final year of eligibility.
A native of Manorville, N.Y., Redding recorded 44 wins across his five seasons with the Cyclones, qualifying for the NCAA Championships twice (2023 and 2021). While competing for Iowa State he was a 141 pounder, earning second place at the Big 12 Championship in 2023 and third place in 2021.
“We are excited to have Zach added our roster. I’ve watched him since high school, he’s New York native, experienced competitor, and he believes in what NC State stands for. He will be a great addition alongside the returning guys for next year, increasing the already growing excitement around our team in the coming season”, Popolizio stated.
While competing at the national tournament in 2023 he reached the blood round in Tulsa, while his only losses in the bracket were to No. 3 seed, and eventual 2024 national champion, Vito Arujau (Cornell) and No. 8 Aaron Nagao (Minnesota). As a true freshman, he qualified for the 2021 NCAA Championships with a 7-4 dual record … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2025/4/10/wolfpack-wrestling-adds-iowa-state-transfer-zach-redding
New Women’s Teams & Programs
Fighting Scots Announce the Addition of Women’s Wrestling
Edinboro, Pa. – PennWest Edinboro announced on Friday the additions of women’s wrestling and women’s golf to its varsity sports offerings with competition for both slated to begin in the 2025-26 academic year.
Recruitment for both programs will begin immediately. Recruitment questionnaires are available for wrestling and golf, and both programs will compete at the Division II level.
“The introduction of women’s wrestling and women’s golf at PennWest Edinboro represents an ongoing commitment to providing athletic opportunities for our students,” said PennWest President Dr. Jon Anderson. “We are excited to embrace the newest NCAA Championship sport in women’s wrestling and add the Fighting Scots to the rich tradition of women’s golf.”
Women’s wrestling was announced as the NCAA’s 91st Championship Sport in January. There are currently 93 women’s wrestling programs across the country. The first NCAA Championship competition will be in 2026.
“Edinboro has always had a rich wrestling tradition,” said Director of Athletics Dr. Katherine Robbins. “The addition of women’s wrestling continues to build on that legacy of excellence in the sport of wrestling and adds another chapter to the storied history of Fighting Scot wrestling.” … more at … https://gofightingscots.com/news/2025/4/11/general-fighting-scots-announce-the-addition-of-womens-wrestling.aspx
And …
Pitt-Johnstown Announces Historic Addition of 3 New Sports to Boost Enrollments & Competitive Excellence
The University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown is pleased to announce the addition of three new sponsored NCAA Division II sports—Women’s Wrestling, Men’s Swimming, and Women’s Swimming—to strengthen the enrollment of the university and to add to the high level of competitive excellence of our Athletic Department.
“We are thrilled by this historic addition of Women’s Wrestling and Men’s and Women’s Swimming to our athletic programs, which already includes several championship teams in our conference. We are highly confident that these new sports will elevate an already outstanding athletic program, making Pitt-Johnstown an even more compelling destination for prospective students, thereby helping to increase our in-state and out-of-state enrollments,” stated Pitt-Johnstown President Jem Spectar.
The addition of Women’s Wrestling to UPJ Athletics leverages and complements our historic legacy in Men’s Wrestling, providing a significant boost to our student recruitment efforts throughout the Commonwealth and beyond. Women’s Wrestling has rapidly gained popularity across the country and especially in western Pennsylvania, with many local high schools and wrestling clubs fielding women’s wrestling teams and featuring talented student-athletes. Women’s Wrestling was recently approved as the 91st NCAA-sponsored National Championship and is slated to crown its first national champion in the 2025-26 season. Currently, more than 1,200 women wrestlers are competing at 76 NCAA schools across Division I, II, and III, with NCAA projections pointing to an additional 17 programs to be added in the coming years, which was a crucial factor in UPJ’s decision to add the sport as it continues to increase efforts to boost its lagging enrollment of female students. With the addition of Women’s Wrestling at Pitt-Johnstown, the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) will have five universities with Women’s Wrestling … more at … https://pittjohnstownathletics.com/news/2025/4/7/baseball-pitt-johnstown-announces-historic-addition-of-3-new-sports-to-boost-enrollments-competitive-excellence.aspx
And …
Endowment for the pin: Launching women’s wrestling
Just a decade ago few envisioned a women’s wrestling team competing for the Rams. But as the sport exploded at high schools across the nation, our Strategic Planning Committee set it as a priority program.
Cornell became one of the first 29 Division III colleges to add women’s wrestling when we announced our launch on Dec. 1, 2021. The timing was perfect: today girls wrestling is the fastest-growing high school sport. Because we moved quickly, Cornell is in a good position to attract wrestlers who want to continue the sport in college.
We couldn’t have made that choice without Cornell’s endowment.
Although a budget for the program did not exist, the flexibility of unrestricted endowment funds allowed Cornell to pivot and launch the program. “We were able to move quickly and now we’re in a great position to recruit women wrestlers,” says Vice President for Enrollment Management Wendy Beckemeyer. “We’re at the leading edge of this exciting sport, offering women new athletic opportunities, and our enrollment is growing because of this program. It’s a win-win.”
Cornell’s young team landed two place-winners at the Rams’ first-ever women’s wrestling tournament—the Cliff Keen-Mike Duroe Invitational—in January. The team has a roster of 15 women in its second year of competition and shares facilities with the men’s team in the renovated and expanded Richard and Norma Small Athletic and Wellness Center—the SAW.
When Cornell announced the launch, then-Athletic Director Seth Wing called it “a giant step for the college as we continue to enhance the student-athlete experience” … more at … https://news.cornellcollege.edu/2025/Spring/Endowment-womens-wrestling.html
The NCAA desperately needs to optimize its winter championship schedule
While all eyes generally fall on the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament this time of year, a number of other NCAA championships are being contested during the months of March and April. Some collegiate sports, like wrestling and ice hockey, have developed cult-like followings and sizeable television audiences in recent years.
Unfortunately, these championships are likely stunted from an audience-maximization perspective because they often compete directly with the men’s basketball tournament. However, shifting the schedule might allow them to blossom into more significant viewership events.
Wrestling and ice hockey are the most obvious candidates for this treatment. Still, despite the product’s already-built popularity, the women’s basketball tournament should consider it as well.
In this column, we’ll examine how all four of these winter championships—wrestling, men’s and women’s ice hockey, and women’s basketball—could strategically shift their schedules to attract larger television audiences.
As with all NCAA championship events except men’s basketball, ESPN is the exclusive broadcast partner. Last year, it re-upped a media rights deal with the NCAA for $115 million annually.
So without further ado, let’s get to the changes.
Wrestling
This year’s NCAA Wrestling Championships took place over three days from Thursday, March 20, to Saturday, March 22. Wrestling is quite possibly the most egregious scheduling blunder of all NCAA championship events. The three days on which the Championships are contested align with the first three days of the men’s basketball tournament.
Of course, the first two rounds of the men’s basketball tournament take all of the oxygen out of the sports world. … more at … https://awfulannouncing.com/ncaa/optimize-winter-championship-schedule-womens-basketball.html
Dominance on the mat: NHSCA Nationals cown 55 high school wrestling champions in Virginia Beach showdown
With nearly 6,000 competitors, Pennsylvania leads the pack with seven titles across freshman and junior divisions as top-ranked wrestlers battle for national glory; Florida and Georgia also shine.
Last weekend’s NHSCA Wrestling Nationals in Virginia Beach was a tournament of epic proportions with nearly 6,000 wrestlers competing in a girls, middle school, and four high school divisions. There were 14 weights contested in three of the four high school divisions with the seniors not having a 106lb weight class.
A total 55 champions were crowned amongst the high schoolers. We will not be discussing all of them, just the happenings of interest for the national rankings and other intriguing trends or outcomes.
One of the more intriguing of those being Pennsylvania’s tournament high seven champions coming in just two divisions, Freshman and Junior.
Leading the way was Montgomery’s Brandt Harer, whose 138lb title in the junior division made him a three-time NHSCA Champion. Harer, who is ranked 8th in the nation and won his second consecutive state title this year, used a 16-1 technical fall of Kentucky’s two-time state champion, George Dennis (Harrison County), to lock it down. Dennis picked off California’s Joseph Toscano of Buchanan, who is ranked 3rd at 144, 14-12, in the quarters.
At the next junior weight class, 145lbs, West Scranton’s No. 21 Michael Turi, a three-time state placer, defeated North Carolina’s three-time champ Lorenzo Alston, 6-4. Turi won a NHSCA title as a freshman but did not appear last year.
Speaking of not appearing, Turi’s teammate Jake Benyo (106) did not wrestle an official match during the season. In the freshman finals, Benyo faced another wrestler that was mostly inactive during the campaign, New Jersey’s Anthony Curlo (Blair Academy), and slid by on a 1-0 decision. … more at … https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/dominance-on-the-mat-nhsca-nationals-cown-55-high-school-wrestling-champions-in-virginia-beach-showdown-01jqrw289sbj
And …
NHSCA Wrestling Nationals Recap: Part II
Massachusetts crowns three champions, including one from nationally ranked Musa Tamaradze
We are picking up part two of our NHSCA Wrestling Nationals recap with a state not known for their wrestling prowess, Massachusetts. They had three exit the Senior Division with wall charts in hand, Musa Tamaradze (126), No. 18 Elliott Humphries (Northfield Mount Hermon), and Saint John Prep’s Alexander Bajoras (285).
Tamaradze was third at the National Prep Tournament and earned a No. 22 national ranking at 132lbs for the New York Military Academy. Tamaradze won the 126lb bracket over Maryland’s two-time state champ, Tanner Halling (Boonsboro), 9-3, for his second straight NHSCA title. Halling defeated three-time California state placer No. 29 Paulo Valdez (Hespria), 11-0, to reach the finals.
Humphries came on strong last summer with a second-place finish at Fargo in Junior Freestyle after failing to place at National Preps and NHSCAs. This year, Humphries was third at preps and collected his first NHSCA hardware with a 4-1 sudden victory win over Pennsylvania state placer (4th twice), … more at … https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/nhsca-wrestling-nationals-recap-part-ii-01jqshh21xc0
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 