Slippery Rock University announces return of men’s wrestling
Honoring a storied past and celebrating a tradition that never faded, Slippery Rock University has announced men’s wrestling will return as a varsity sport in 2027-28.
SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. – Slippery Rock University today announced the return of men’s varsity wrestling with the goal to begin NCAA Division II competition during the 2027-28 academic year.
Slippery Rock’s wrestling program built its reputation from 1958 to 2006 as a program that emphasized a strong balance between athletics, academics and personal development. The program went 362-294-7 over that stretch with many of those wins coming at the NCAA Division I level.
Eight different men oversaw the team as head coach with the most impactful being Fred Powell, who coached the program from 1967-91 with a winning percentage of 66 percent. He coached some of the best collegiate wrestlers in NCAA history, including world champion and Olympic bronze medalist Stan Dziedzic ’72. Powell earned the “Lifetime Service to Wrestling” award and was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2005.
Slippery Rock expects to launch a national search for a head coach during the 2026 spring semester to allow an academic year for recruiting before the program begins competing in the 2027-28 academic year. “Athletics, in many ways, serves as the front door to our university, and the return of wrestling at The Rock is so exciting,” said SRU President Karen Riley. “We have a long history of excellence in the sport and look forward to adding it back to our compliment of exceedingly successful athletic programs. We are so grateful to members of the SRU community for their advocacy and continued support.”
The Rock will compete at the NCAA Division II level as NCAA rules have changed since the last time SRU fielded a wrestling team and a return to the Division I level is no longer possible. There are currently 70 NCAA Division II wrestling programs competing across the nation in 2025-26. … more at … https://rockathletics.com/news/2025/11/10/general-sru-announces-return-of-mens-wrestling.aspx?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
History Was Made at the 2025 Super 32
As someone who enjoys the historical aspect of our sport, it was a must to be in Greensboro, North Carolina over the weekend for the latest edition of the Super 32. For a tournament that dates back to the 1990’s and has featured countless NCAA All-Americans, national champions, and even Olympic medalists, the Super 32 never had a wrestler win four championships at the high school level. Now there are two. Bo Bassett and Taina Fernandez both dominated their way through Super 32 brackets over the weekend and won their fourth championship belt. In her five bouts, Fernandez only was pushed past the two-minute mark on one occasion. She only allowed a single point while scoring 40 of her own.
Bassett made the finals after six straight tech falls. In the championship match, he defeated Penn commit, Charlie DeSena, via a 13-4 major decision. Two of Bassett’s titles have come over wrestlers that either already earned, or would go on to win, Super 32 titles themselves.
The tournament organizers were prepared in the event that Bassett and Fernandez would win their fourth titles and hand personalized statues made of the two competitors. While each was wrestling in the finals, the tournament stopped so that fans could direct the fullest extent of their attention to these young stars and their attempt at chasing history.
The girls portion of this tournament has only been in existence since 2017, so there isn’t as much history associated with that competition. But for Bassett to be the four-time, in today’s wrestling landscape is quite remarkable. The quality of wrestling and the readiness of young wrestlers is at a much higher level today compared to the early 2000’s.
This should be a high school season full of such milestones for Bassett. He is also on pace to win his fourth title at the Ironman and Powerade. … more at … https://intermatwrestle.com/articles.html/high-school/history-was-made-at-the-2025-super-32-r100583/
Head Coach Nick Mitchell Departs From Grand View University
The Winningest Coach in NAIA Wrestling History
Grand View University Announces the Departure of Nick Mitchell Following His Historic Tenure as Head Wrestling Coach
The winningest coach in NAIA wrestling history led the Vikings to 13 national titles, 157 All-Americans, and the longest dual win streak in collegiate history.
DES MOINES, IOWA – Grand View University announced today the departure of Head Wrestling Coach Nick Mitchell, after a historic tenure that has set the standard for excellence in collegiate wrestling. After 17 seasons leading the Vikings, Mitchell will step away from coaching to pursue an opportunity outside of collegiate athletics. “It is hard to put into words what Coach Mitchell has done for our wrestling program and for Grand View University Athletics,” said Troy Plummer, Athletic Director. “He steps away as the most successful men’s wrestling coach in NAIA history and will leave behind a legacy of remarkable achievement. Nick has been an incredible leader, mentor, and ambassador for Grand View University. His vision and relentless commitment to a championship lifestyle elevated not only our men’s wrestling program but also the entire culture of Grand View Athletics. While we are sad to see him go, we are deeply grateful for the foundation of excellence and integrity he built here. Nick will always be a valued member of the Viking family, and we wish him nothing but the best in his next chapter.”
Mitchell’s impact on Grand View Wrestling and the sport as a whole is unmatched. During his 17 years as head coach, he compiled a staggering 205-12 dual record and guided the Vikings to 13 NAIA National Championships in the last 14 years, along with 12 NWCA National Dual Titles, 7 Central Region National Qualifier Championships, and 9 Heart of America Conference titles. Under his leadership, Grand View produced 157 All-Americans and 45 NAIA Individual National Champions, both NAIA records. His teams also hold the NAIA National Championship Team Scoring Record with 234.5 points in 2017 and achieved the longest collegiate dual win streak in history with 162 consecutive victories from 2011 to 2022.
Mitchell’s personal accolades include being named the 2020 USA Wrestling Coach of the Year, six-time NWCA National Coach of the Year, and nine-time NAIA National Coach of the Year.
Mitchell shared, “As I reflect on the last 17 years at Grand View, … more at … https://gvvikings.com/news/2025/10/9/general-head-coach-nick-mitchell-departs-from-grand-view.aspx
Canadian Collegiate U Sports Changes Transfer Rules
by Jake Bridges 2
September 18th, 2025Canada, College, International, News, Transfers, U Sports
U SPORTS, the governing body for university and college sports in Canada, has updated its transfer rules. First or second-year athletes in the Canadian university system can now transfer schools without penalty. Previously, athletes who transferred in the Canadian system were forced to sit out one calendar year of competition; however, this rule did not apply to all sports. Swimming, cross-country, and track and field had exemptions.
The update also paves the way for easier transfer from NCAA or NAIA schools to a Canadian University, as the 365-day sit-out period previously applied to such transfers.
The new ruleset will come into effect in the 2026-2027 season.
When speaking on the decision, U Sports CEO Pierre Arsenault said, “The landscape of post-secondary sport is evolving, and our role is to ensure our policies reflect the needs of those we serve.”
The change in policy is well timed. In the United States, the House Settlement established new limits on roster sizes across NCAA sports. Most programs are being forced to decrease their size and cut athletes, meaning that as we enter the post-House era, there will be more athletes in the U.S. than roster spots. U SPORTS’ new policy allows them to be a viable alternative for those athletes.
While U SPORTS lagged behind the NCAA in transfer policy, historically, their rulebook has been less restrictive than the NCAA’s.
U SPORTS, for example, does not impose a five-year window … more at … https://swimswam.com/canadian-collegiate-u-sports-changes-transfer-rules/
On the Mat in 2026: IMG Academy to Launch Wrestling Program
IMG Academy Launches 11th Sport Program led by North Carolina Assistant Coach Enock Francios, Adding to its Unprecedented Growth of 4 New Sports Since 2022.
BRADENTON, Fla. (Sept. 17, 2025) – IMG Academy, the world’s leading sports education brand, announced the launch of its newest sports program. This bold expansion marks the fourth sport launched in four years, a testament to IMG Academy’s continued growth and commitment to its mission of empowering student-athletes to win their future both on and off the mat. Driven by its vision to be the global leader in performance and personal development, IMG Academy is expanding access to its world-class resources, providing more student-athletes with the opportunity to pursue their athletic, academic, and personal goals at the highest level.
Following the successful launch of softball and the addition of boys volleyball, the new wrestling program continues IMG Academy’s pursuit to be unrivaled in opportunity and access. As one of the fastest-growing sports in the nation, with a 129% increase in participation in 2021–22, wrestling presents a timely opportunity to deepen IMG Academy’s impact here and beyond. Wrestling is set to begin in 2026 with a series of spring and summer camps, leading up to the official launch of the boarding school program in August.
“At IMG Academy, our commitment to empowering student-athletes to win their future fuels our continuous evolution and has allowed us to grow our campus offering at a revolutionary pace over the last several years,” said Mike Milliron, Chief Operating Officer at IMG Academy Campus. “The launch of wrestling as our 11th overall sport marks an unrivaled milestone for our team, students, and families, and we cannot wait to see what we can accomplish under our wrestling leadership.”
To lead its newly launched wrestling program, IMG Academy has appointed Enock Francois as its Wrestling Director. Francois brings a distinguished track record of athletic and academic excellence, along with extensive coaching experience at top collegiate programs. He comes to IMG Academy from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where he served as an assistant wrestling coach under Rob Koll, an NCAA National Champion, four-time All-American, and three-time ACC Champion. … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14542328-on-the-mat-in-2026-img-academy-to-launch-wrestling-program
The Greatest Women’s College Wrestlers Of All Time
The complete list of the greatest women’s college wrestlers of all time.
Selecting the all-time women’s college wrestling team is tricky.
The first women’s college national championships were hosted in 2004 at Missouri Valley University in Marshall, Missouri, without much fanfare. Some participants thought it was just another tournament, with brackets consisting of four to six participants.
That changed in 2008 with the creation of the Women’s Collegiate Wrestling Association (WCWA). This organization provided women with an opportunity to compete in a formal setting. It included all divisions, and the end-of-the-year tournament was considered the college national championship. The final WCWA championship was held in 2020.
In 2019, the NAIA held an invitational tournament until it sanctioned women’s wrestling for the 2022-23 season. The National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships included all NCAA programs (D1, D2, and D3), and the first national championship was held in 2020. The NCAA sanctioned women’s wrestling as its 91st sport for the 2025-26 season.
Of the four four-year divisions listed above, only the NAIA continues in its original form. Up to 15 wrestlers per team qualified for the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships, and the brackets expanded to 32 per weight class.
The 2026 NCAA women’s wrestling championships feature 18-woman brackets and a maximum of one wrestler per team, per weight. To celebrate the unique history of women’s college wrestling, we have selected the greatest college wrestler at every weight from each era. There is crossover between divisions, of course, and weight shifts, but this provides an overview of how the sport evolved.
A wrestler is evaluated only during the years she competed in college, with caveats. Winning multiple college championships is important, but international success during college factors into a wrestler’s final evaluation. Post-college success is not considered, which is why Olympic gold medalists Sarah Hildebrandt and Tamyra Mensh-Stock did not make the list. Below are the all-time women’s college wrestling teams by era, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/14514726-the-greatest-womens-college-wrestlers-of-all-time
Participation in High School Sports Hits Record High with Sizable Increase in 2024-25
High school athletics participation increased by nearly 200,000 in 2024-25, continuing an upward trajectory since the pandemic and registering an all-time high for participation.
The NFHS High School Athletics Participation Survey indicated that 8,260,891 participants were involved in high school sports in 2024-25, which is up 198,589 from the previous year and tops the previous record of 8,062,302 set in 2023-24. The total includes 4,723,907 boys and 3,536,984 girls – both record highs – according to figures obtained from the 51 NFHS member state associations, which includes the District of Columbia.
The 2024-25 total marked the third consecutive notable increase after numbers fell during the pandemic. Since the initial survey after the pandemic, participation in high school sports has increased 642,837 in three years and represents a turnaround from the decline that started the year before the COVID-19 pandemic.
“It is wonderful to see the interest in high school sports reach new heights,” said Dr. Karissa Niehoff, CEO of the NFHS. “The immense value of high school sports is reflected in these impressive numbers. As high school students have consistently demonstrated their desire to play with their peers and represent their schools and community, state and school administrators have stepped up to offer more participation opportunities to meet that demand.”
The biggest gains in 2024-25 were mainly found in girls sports, with flag football leading the way. The rapid rise of girls flag football programs across the country led to 68,847 girls participating in the sport last year – an impressive 60 percent increase from the previous year. In addition, schools sponsoring the sport increased by nearly 1,000.
Girls wrestling topped 74,000 participants for the first time, jumping 15 percent from a year ago and adding nearly 1,000 schools with a girls wrestling program. Boys wrestling participation is also enjoying a rebound in numbers, recording an increase of 8,340 to top 300,000 for the first time.
The number of participants in Unified Sports and Esports also registered increases in 2024-25. The survey indicated a total of 70,006 participants in the 15 Unified Sports, up from 51,502 in 2023-24. A total of 30,440 students participated in Esports last year – an increase of 2,939 participants from the previous year.
Outdoor track and field, volleyball and soccer all registered increases and remained the top three participatory sports for girls. Track and field participation increased to 513,808, followed by volleyball at 492,799 (up 2.85%) and soccer at 393,048 (up 2.38%). Basketball (356,240) remained in the No. 4 spot followed by fast-pitch softball (331,306). Competitive spirit (206,262) jumped to the sixth-most popular girls sport with a nearly 14-percent increase, while tennis (204,721) also increased by more than four percent. Cross country (189,260), swimming and diving (138,303) and lacrosse (99,292) round out the top 10.
Outdoor track and field, soccer and golf had significant gains on the boys side, and all 10 of the most popular sports held steady or registered gains. After 11-player football (1,031,039) and outdoor track and field (644,235), the rest of the boys top 10 includes basketball (540,704), soccer (484,908), baseball (472,598), wrestling (300,214), … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2025/8/18/national-wrestling-coaches-association-participation-in-high-school-sports-hits-record-high-with-sizable-increase-in-2024-25.aspx
Pennsylvania wins overall team race at U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals, followed by California and Illinois
With the conclusion of the Junior Greco-Roman and 16U Greco-Roman competitions on Saturday night, the overall team championship at the 2025 U.S. Marine Corps Junior Nationals has been determined. Each of the six national tournaments which are part of this extravaganza were completed (16U Girls, Junior Girls, 16U Boys Freestyle, Junior Boys Freestyle, 16U Greco-Roman, Junior Greco-Roman). In fact, Pennsylvania has won the team title in all four tournaments held, sitting with a combined 816 points. Pennsylvania emerged as a dominant team champion, scoring 980 points and winning the team title in four of the national events (16U Girls, Junior Girls, 16U Boys Freestyle, Junior Boys Freestyle). Pennsylvania also had competitive showing in the two Greco-Roman tournaments, placing in a tie for fourth in Junior Greco-Roman, and in a tie for second in 16U Greco-Roman. Pennsylvania placed a full 340 points ahead of the next state association team.
California finished in second with the overall team race with 640 points. Although California did not win any of the six tournaments, the team was a consistent contender in each of them, placing in the top six each time. California was second in Junior Boys Freestyle, third in Junior Girls, fourth in 16U Girls, fourth in 16U Boys Freestyle, Sixth in 16U Greco-Roman and sixth in Junior Greco-Roman.
Illinois made a big jump during the two Greco-Roman tournaments, climbing from fifth in the overall standings after the first four national events up to third in the final overall team standings. Illinois made the biggest jump by winning the Junior Greco-Roman national event with 190 points, a full 101 points ahead of the next team. Illinois had four Junior Greco-Roman champions, Vincent DeMarco (106), Kaleb Pratt (113), Wyatt Medlin (157) and Josh Hoffer (215) and 12 total All-Americans. Their tie for sixth in 16U Greco-Roman featured a champion, Robert Ruscitti (126) and nine All-Americans.
Iowa held on to its fourth place in the final standings with a strong Greco-Roman effort, including winning the 16U Greco-Roman tournament and placing eighth in the Junior Greco-Roman. In the 16U Greco-Roman Nationals, Iowa finished with 138 points, including three individual champions Ty Martin (88), Diego Robertty (106) and Lucas Feuerbach (285) and nine All-Americans.
Ohio claimed fifth place in the overall standings, … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2025/july/21/pennsylvania-wins-overall-team-race-at-u-s-marine-corps-junior-nationals-followed-by-california-and-illinois
Future NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships sites
UW-La Crosse Selected to Host 2027 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships
La Crosse, Wis. – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) announced today the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse has been awarded the bid to host the 2027 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships.
The wrestling championships, to be held at the La Crosse Center in downtown La Crosse, will occur on March 12-13, 2027. It will mark the sixth time UW-La Crosse has hosted the NCAA III Wrestling Championships (2011, 2012, 2017, 2021, 2024, 2027).
“We’re so excited to host the NCAA Championships again in 2027,” said UWL Head Wrestling Coach Dave Malecek. “There is no better place to have the championships than downtown La Crosse. The La Crosse Center is an amazing facility that is so convenient not only for the wrestlers and coaches but all of the fans. We appreciate the continued support from our amazing downtown businesses and local hotels that help make this championship possible.”
UW-La Crosse placed third at the 2011 and 2024 NCAA Division III Championships at the La Crosse Center, fourth in 2012 and tied for 11th in 2017. The 2021 championships were canceled due to the COVID-19 public health threat. … more at … https://uwlathletics.com/news/2025/7/17/uw-la-crosse-selected-to-host-2027-ncaa-division-iii-wrestling-championships.aspx
Quad Cities selected to host 2028 Division III Men’s Wrestling Championships
Augustana, in partnership with Visit Quad Cities, will host the 2028 national meet
MOLINE, Ill. — Augustana College, in partnership with Visit Quad Cities, has been selected as the host for the 2028 NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championships.
The championship, hosted by Visit Quad Cities in partnership with Augustana College, will take place March 10-11, 2028, at Vibrant Arena at The MARK in Moline, Ill. Early projections show the championship is expected to generate nearly $1 million in direct economic impact for the Quad Cities region. This marks the fourth time Augustana College has served as host institution of the NCAA Division III Men’s Wrestling Championship, with previous host years including 1985, 1991, and 1995 at the Carver Center.
“Hosting the Division III National Championships has been a goal of mine for years,” said head coach Tony Willaert. “This tournament is one of the most electric events in all of wrestling, and it’s incredibly exciting to bring it back to the Quad Cities for the first time since 1995. Since arriving at Augustana, I’ve driven past Vibrant Arena countless times, always imagining what it would be like to bring thousands of fans downtown for a championship weekend. In 2028, we’re not just looking to host, but want to put on a show and make Moline a staple location for this event for years to come.”
Bidding for 87 of 90 NCAA championships began in September 2023, and more than 1,200 bid applications were submitted. Each sport committee, per division, selected the host sites it believed would provide the ultimate experience for the respective student-athletes, resulting in more than 240 total championship event sites being awarded. During the 2025 national championship, over 200 of the best wrestlers in the country competed in ten weight classes. More than 54,000 student-athletes compete in NCAA championships each year.
“On behalf of the Visit Quad Cities Board of Directors and professional team, we are thrilled about the opportunity to host the 2028 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships,” said Dave Herrell, President and CEO, Visit Quad Cities. “We are grateful for the confidence of the NCAA and look forward … more at … https://athletics.augustana.edu/news/2025/7/22/quad-cities-selected-to-host-2028-division-iii-mens-wrestling-championships.aspx
Virginia Colleges Coaching changes
Averett promotes Braswell to men’s wrestling head coach as Roulo announces departure
DANVILLE, Va. — Averett University announced the promotion of Sam Braswell to head coach of the men’s wrestling program on Wednesday as Blake Roulo departs for another coaching opportunity. Braswell served as an assistant coach for the past three seasons on Roulo’s staff following a storied career as an All-American with the Cougars. Braswell, who has been affiliated with Averett wrestling since it began in 2018, becomes the Cougars’ third head coach for the storied program which has produced 10 All-America selections, 20 NCAA national qualifiers and five region champions in only eight seasons of existence.
“Sam Braswell has been an integral part of our wrestling program, first as a student-athlete and then as an assistant coach,” Director of Athletics Danny Miller said. “His passion, knowledge and experience not only provides continuity within our program, but also a vision for the continued success and growth of Averett wrestling.”
Braswell had an illustrious collegiate wrestling career at Averett from 2018-2022. A three-time NCAA Division III national qualifier and three-time NWCA All-American, Braswell finished his career at Averett as the program’s leader in wins after going 150-28, including a program single-season record for 42 wins in 2021-22. During his final campaign, Braswell won 39 consecutive matches to start the season and finished fourth nationally while winning the NCAA Southeast Region title at 125 pounds … more at … https://averettcougars.com/news/2025/7/16/mens-wrestling-averett-promotes-braswell-to-mens-wrestling-head-coach-as-roulo-announces-departure.aspx
Roulo Named Wrestling Coach, Assistant Athletic Director at Ferrum
FERRUM, Virginia — Director of Athletics Cleive Adams has announced the hiring of Blake Roulo as Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director at Ferrum College. Roulo comes to Ferrum from Averett University, where he served the past six years as Head Wrestling Coach.
Roulo posted five consecutive winning seasons at the helm of Averett’s mat program. He racked up 96 career dual meet wins, including 21 over NCAA Division II schools and two over Division I schools. He led the Cougars to an impressive 23-6 overall record in 2021-22, while his 2023-24 team went 20-7.
Roulo’s accomplishments include having coached 20 NCAA qualifiers, 10 All-Americans, 12 National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-Americans, 38 regional placewinners, 14 conference champions, 38 wrestlers nationally ranked by the NWCA and/or d3wrestle.com, and one wrestler ranked #1 in the nation two years in a row.
A seasoned recruiter, Roulo brought in large recruiting classes at Averett: 46 wrestlers in 2019-20, 54 in 2020-21, 63 in 2021-22, 65 in 2022-23, and 60-plus in 2023-24 and 2024-25. He also excels as a fundraiser, out-pacing all Averett sports programs during Annual Day of Giving events the past three years. “We’re thrilled to welcome Blake Roulo to Ferrum as our new Head Wrestling Coach and Assistant Athletic Director,” said Adams. “We’re fortunate to have attracted a proven, high-quality coach who can continue to elevate our wrestling program and uphold the elite standards that have been established. In his role as Assistant Athletic Director, Blake will also focus on enhancing game day management as we continue to prioritize the student-athlete and fan experience at Ferrum College.” … more at … https://ferrumpanthers.com/news/2025/7/17/ruolo-named-wrestling-coach-assistant-ad-at-ferrum.aspx
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 