UNC Wrestling Sweeps Duals, Three Collect Open Championships Saturday
ANNAPOLIS, Md. – North Carolina wrestling (2-0) began its dual portion of the 2024-25 schedule Saturday, collecting wins over Drexel (33-0) and Navy (23-16).
Against the Dragons, Carolina completed the sweep, earning seven decisions and three major decisions. Lachlan McNeil (149), Nicholas Fea (165) and Cade Lautt (197) collected bonus point victories for the Tar Heels.
With the win, Carolina began the season 1-0 for the seventh-straight season, the second-longest streak in program history (1973-74 to 1980-81).
In the nightcap, the Tar Heels collected four bonus point victories, courtesy of Spencer Moore (125), Lachlan McNeil (141), Sonny Santiago (157) and Aydin Guttridge (285).
The Tar Heels begin the home portion of the schedule on Friday, hosting No. 4 Nebraska inside Carmichael Arena.
No. 25 North Carolina 33, Drexel 0
November 9, 2024 | Alumni Hall | Annapolis, Md.
125: No. 26 Spencer Moore (UNC) over Desmond Pleasant (Drexel): 10-5 Dec
133: No. 17 Ethan Oakley (UNC) over Kyler Waterman (Drexel): 8-2 Dec
141: Jayden Scott (UNC) over Jordan Soriano (Drexel): 5-2 Dec
149: No. 6 Lachlan McNeil (UNC) over Dom Findora (Drexel): 14-4 MD … more at … https://goheels.com/news/2024/11/9/wrestling-sweeps-duals-three-collect-open-championships-saturday
Historic House-NCAA settlement leaving hundreds of Olympic sport athletes in peril
On Nov. 13, college athletes across the country can sign financial aid agreements with their chosen university.
While the NCAA eliminated the National Letter of Intent program, signing day remains in place as a seminal moment for college-bound athletes to make their verbal commitments binding. It is traditionally a celebrated day. For some, that’s not the case this year.
Hundreds of college prospects, many of them participating in Olympic sports, are in a precarious position as the signing date approaches. Schools have eliminated roster spots and, for some, scholarship offers that they were once promised. Meanwhile, several dozen current college athletes are being notified that they are no longer part of their teams — some of the notifications arriving after the fall semester even began.
The actions are a result of a significant and overshadowed roster change affiliated with the NCAA’s historic settlement of an antitrust lawsuit (House). While the NCAA and power conferences agreed to expand upon scholarships as part of the settlement, they also imposed roster limits for sports, many of which did not previously exist.
Such a change will result in thousands of lost roster spots for mostly walk-on athletes and those on partial scholarship — a consequence that, while previously reported by Yahoo Sports, has now sparked outrage … more at … https://sports.yahoo.com/historic-house-ncaa-settlement-leaving-hundreds-of-olympic-sport-athletes-in-peril-125238713.html
Wolverines defeat #23 CSUB, fall to #12 Stanford in season-opening duals
PALO ALTO, Calif. – Utah Valley wrestling started the Adam Hall era with a 25-15 victory over No. 23 CSU Bakersfield, but fell later to No. 12 Stanford, 29-19. UVU (1-1) ranked wrestlers No. 7 Terrell Barraclough and No. 32 Haiden Drury both picked up two wins on the night in their season debuts. First-year head coach Adam Hall earned his first dual victory at UVU. “I’m really encouraged about the future of our team. Although we lost our last dual against Stanford, we showed heart and fight. I’m excited for Terrell to get a top three nationally-ranked win! I wanted to see effort and urgency, and it helped us win a few matches. We have a group of fighters, and it will be demonstrated each week that we are blessed to compete. Our staff is very dedicated to making this team better, and it will show as the season goes on,” said UVU head coach Adam Hall.
The Wolverines fell in the first two bouts of the evening but got on the board and took the lead with back-to-back technical falls, first from Kase Mauger at 133, who scored 12 first-period points to set the tone for his first victory of the season. No. 32 Drury followed up with a takedown in the first period and then poured it on in the second and third periods, outscoring CSUB’s Hayden Zinkin 13-1.
The Wolverines led 10-7 when freshman Ryker Fullmer took the mat and picked up UVU’s third bonus point win of the night and his first collegiate victory with a 9-1 major decision, as they won four straight bouts. No. 7 Barraclough scored three takedowns over Guillermo Escobedo to pick up an 11-1 major. They continue to add on with 174-pounder Mark Takara and 184-pounder Caleb Uhlenhopp, each picking up wins on the night.
In the nightcap against Stanford, Eli Stafford made his regular season debut and led after the first period after scoring on a takedown and an escape. The match was tied at six heading to the third period when Jackson Mankowski pulled away for a 13-9 decision. … more at … https://gouvu.com/news/2024/11/1/wrestling-wolverines-defeat-23-csub-fall-to-12-stanford-in-season-opening-duals.aspx
UNC Wrestling: Season Preview
The Tar Heels will look to build on last year’s 3rd place ACC finish
The Carolina wrestling team opens their season this week with a Blue and White Showcase on October 26. Their first tourney will be November 2 at the Southeast Open. With the first matches only a few days away, let’s see what the team will look like this year.
Last year recap:
The Heels finished third in the ACC in duel standings (out of six teams) and tied for 30th in the 2024 NCAA Tournament. They somewhat overachieved as they had been picked fourth in the ACC in most preseason rankings. They finished with an 11-7 duels record, including wins over solid Oregon State and Navy clubs. The Heels had seven national qualifiers compete in the 2024 NCAA tournament. They also had one wrestler earn All-American honors, Lachlan McNeil (149lbs).
Notable losses:
The Heels will lose two key contributors from last year’s team. Tyler Eischens qualified for the national tournament four times (once at 157 lbs, the last three at 174 lbs); Max Shaw was a three-time national qualifier at 197 lbs as well as the ACC Tournament runner-up. Both graduated in the spring. Eischens was on the U23 World Team and is the U23 Nationals 82kg Greco-Roman champion.
Key Additions:
The Heels picked up a pair of transfers that should contribute immediately. Ethan Oakley (133 lbs) is an Appalachian State transfer who won the SoCon championship and qualified for the 2024 NCAA tournament. He went 2-2 in the tournament, pulling an upset win over Virginia Tech’s Sam Latona along the way. He holds a 67-35 career record, including a sparkling 21-1 record in duels. Joshua Ogunsanya (174 lbs) transferred from Columbia University, … more at … https://www.tarheelblog.com/2024/10/24/24277994/unc-north-carolina-tar-heels-wrestling-season-preview?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
This Week in ACC Wrestling
Five Teams Ranked in the first NWCA Division I Coaches Poll
CHARLOTTE, N.C. (theACC.com) – The Atlantic Coast Conference kicks off the 2024-25 wrestling season with a new look, as long-time Pac-12 member Stanford joins the mix, giving the league seven schools that sponsor wrestling.
The ACC begins the season with five schools ranked in the top 25. Rivals Virginia Tech and NC State are ranked No. 7 and No. 8, respectively. Newcomer Stanford enters the conference at No. 21, while North Carolina and Pitt are ranked No. 24 and No. 25, respectively.
All seven ACC teams will be in action this weekend, beginning on Friday, November 1, with Virginia hosting North Dakota State at 4 p.m. ET and No. 7 Virginia Tech taking on Chattanooga in Salem, Virginia, at 6 p.m. ET. Stanford will hit the mat for the first time as a member of the ACC with a pair of dual matches versus Utah Valley (8 p.m. ET) and CSU Bakersfield (10 p.m. ET) with both matches airing on ACCNX.
On Saturday, November 2, No. 25 Pitt will host Navy at 2 p.m. ET on ACCNX, while the Hokies, No. 24 North Carolina and Virginia will have individuals compete at the 2024 Southeast Open. On Sunday, November 3, No. 8 NC State and Duke will open up their seasons at the Battle at The Citadel in Charleston, South Carolina, while Pitt will return to the mat to compete at the Clarion Open in Clarion, Pennsylvania. … more at … https://theacc.com/news/2024/10/31/this-week-in-acc-wrestling.aspx
Why Penn State Wrestling Coach Cael Sanderson Spoke With the Nittany Lions Football Team
Sanderson, who has led Penn State wrestling to 11 NCAA team titles, brought his message to the No. 3 Nittany Lions football team.
Penn State wrestling coach Cael Sanderson begins his quest for a 12th national championship in November. Penn State football coach James Franklin is looking for his first. So why not solicit advice from the best?
During Penn State’s bye week, Franklin invited Sanderson back to the Lasch Football Building to speak to his unbeaten and third-ranked Nittany Lions football team. Consider it a refresher course in consistent messaging, Franklin said.
“His message is really very consistent with the messages that we give our guys all the time,” Franklin said Monday at his weekly press conference. “It’s just a different voice delivering that, which is powerful. So it’s not the same message that we’re delivering from the same people. It’s a similar message. I think a lot of it is about being present, being appreciative, and then the other one is controlling the things that you can control and not inhaling or reading or listening to outside voices
or words was really the message.”
Franklin, a major wrestling fan, has been a fixture at Penn State wrestling matches for years. He has invited Sanderson to speak with his team before about the power of process and did so again this past summer. With the Nittany Lions off to a 6-0 start and on a bye week, Franklin had Sanderson back to address the players once more. … more at … https://www.si.com/college/pennstate/football/why-the-penn-state-ohio-state-game-isn-t-a-must-win-for-the-nittany-lions-01jbdchjnawd
Penn State, Iowa begin season ranked atop NWCA Division I Men’s Wrestling Coaches Poll
Manheim, Pennsylvania – For the third straight year, Penn State will start the college wrestling season ranked No. 1 in the country.
The Nittany Lions garnered all 16 first-place votes as the season’s first poll was released by the National Wrestling Coaches Association on Wednesday. Penn State won its third straight national championship and 12th overall last March, setting a new NCAA tournament scoring mark in the process with 172.5 points and outdistancing runner-up Cornell by an unprecedented 100 points.
Coach Cael Sanderson’s team is also riding a dual meet win streak of 55 in a row, which currently sits as the 13th longest all-time in college wrestling history and the sixth-longest in major college history.
Iowa starts the year ranked second after finishing the regular season 12-2 in duals and fifth at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. The Hawkeyes are followed by Oklahoma State, Nebraska and Ohio State in the top five.
Oklahoma State went 14-1 last season and for the first time in nearly 30 years, will be led by a new head coach. World and Olympic champion David Taylor assumed the role over the summer as the Cowboys’ head coach and brings a new feeling of excitement to Stillwater. The Cowboys finished a disappointing 10th at last season’s NCAA championships.
Nebraska went 12-2 in duals and finished ninth at the NCAA championships, while the Buckeyes were 15-2 in duals and finished eighth. The Big Ten, as usual, has an abundance of teams ranked in the Top 25, with eight of the conference’s 14 wrestling schools starting the year in the poll, including four in the top five. Michigan (8-4 in 2023-24) gives the Big Ten a fifth team in the Top 10, coming in at No. 10.
While the Big Ten was unaffected on the wrestling side of things by the continuing world of college realignment, other conferences find themselves with changing membership.
Oklahoma State is one of eight Big 12 teams ranked in the Top 25 to start the season, … more at … https://mail.google.com/mail/u/0/#label/INBOX%2FaaResponseNeeded/FMfcgzQXJswdRXkXhZpHCFlpJWpHlCXs
Davidson Wrestling Releases 2024-25 Schedule
DAVIDSON – The Davidson College wrestling team and head coach Nate Carr Jr. have released the 2024-25 schedule. This year’s slate features nine home dual matches, the second annual Davidson Duals and the end-of-year Wildcat Open. “We’re excited to announce this year’s schedule,” said Carr. “Getting the opportunity to be at home for nine home dual matches and also host two home tournaments is a great opportunity for our program to showcase the progress we’ve made.”
The Wildcats begin the season with a pair of tournaments, starting with the Southeast Open in Salem, Va., on Nov. 2 hosted by Virginia Tech. The following weekend, the ‘Cats head to App State for the Mountaineer Invitational on Nov. 9.
Davidson’s first home action will come on Nov. 14 with a doubleheader dual against Belmont Abbey and Saint Andrews starting at 6 p.m. The team then travels to Presbyterian for an early SoCon dual on Nov. 17, then to Duke on Dec. 6. Two more home duals wrap up the 2024 calendar year, as the Wildcats welcome Edinboro on Dec. 8 and American on Dec. 15.
After the new year, Davidson will compete at Chattanooga’s Southern Scuffle on Jan. 4-5 before returning home for four straight events. The second annual Davidson Duals will be held on Jan. 16-17, with the full slate of teams and matches yet to be announced.
On Jan. 24, the wrestling team resumes SoCon action when … more at … https://davidsonwildcats.com/news/2024/10/18/wrestling-releases-2024-25-schedule
Big Ten Network Announces 2024-25 Big Ten Wrestling Broadcast Schedule
CHICAGO, Ill. – The Big Ten Network today announced the 2024-25 Big Ten wrestling broadcast schedule, as the nation’s premier wrestling conference looks for an 18th consecutive NCAA Championship. This season, 24 duals and Big Ten Wrestling Championships coverage will air live on the Big Ten Network and the FOX Sports App, with more than 80 contests airing on B1G+. Coverage begins on Saturday, Nov. 9, with No. 2 Iowa hosting No. 15 Stanford from Iowa City.
Conference wrestling on BTN begins on Friday, Dec. 6, with a matchup between No. 12 Illinois and No. 30 Indiana. Coverage continues in the new year with a primetime doubleheader on Friday, Jan. 10, featuring No. 14 Michigan hosting No. 27 Maryland at 6 p.m. ET, followed by Michigan State traveling to face No. 1 Penn State at 8 p.m. ET. Throughout January and February, Friday night wrestling will be featured on BTN with primetime matchups between the best programs in the country, including a battle between No. 1 Penn State and No. 2 Iowa at 7 p.m. ET on Friday, Jan. 31.
Other highlights of the wrestling season on BTN include a tripleheader on Friday, Feb. 7, beginning with No. 1 Penn State hosting No. 14 Michigan at 6 p.m. ET. The second leg of the tripleheader features No. 3 Nebraska visiting No. 2 Iowa at 8 p.m. ET, followed by Wisconsin hosting No. 29 Purdue at 10 p.m. ET. … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2024/october/17/big-ten-network-announces-2024-25-big-ten-wrestling-broadcast-schedule?utm_source=Wrestling+News&utm_campaign=0fad89b8d0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_09_28_09_07_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_44607e8210-0fad89b8d0-245314521&mc_cid=0fad89b8d0&mc_eid=2ef7cbca4b
Hodge Preseason Front-Runners
The Dan Hodge Trophy, sponsored by WIN Magazine and Culture House and presented by ASICS, will be awarded after the 2025 NCAA Championships to the most dominant college wrestler.
Created by WIN founder Mike Chapman in 1995, the award is named after the late Dan Hodge, the three-time NCAA champion from the University of Oklahoma (1955-57) who never allowed a takedown in his career and pinned 36 of 46 opponents.
In addition to the fan vote, the Hodge Trophy Voting Committee, made up of past winners of the award, former coaches and national media members select the winner each year. Criteria for winning the award includes a wrestler’s record, dominance/bonus-point percentage, quality of competition and sportsmanship.
There are 10 NCAA Division I wrestlers who have won NCAA championships and are considered preseason front-runners to win the 2025 Dan Hodge Trophy.
The following is a breakdown of their bonus-point victories in their career, including pins (P), technical falls (TF) and major decisions (MD), and what percentage of their total matches are bonus-point wins. … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2024/10/08/who-will-be-the-top-contenders-to-win-the-2025-dan-hodge-trophy/
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 