College Dual Meet Results
Drexel Earns Dominant Victory Over Clarion, 31-3
CLARION, Pa. – The Drexel wrestling team took down Clarion on the road Wednesday night in dominant fashion, 31-3. The victory was the first of the season for the Dragons after facing off against three ranked opponents. Desmond Pleasant, Kyle Waterman, Jordan Soriano, Luke Nichter, Cody Walsh, Giuseppe Hoose, Mickey O’Malley, and Dom Petracci all earned wins for the Dragons.
The dual started at 125, as Pleasant picked up his first win of the season against Scott Clawson. The redshirt junior found himself in a hole early in the contest, falling behind 5-0 after a takedown and near fall in the final seconds of the first by Clawson. Pleasant made a comeback in the second period, securing an escape and takedown to trail by just two. The Piscataway, N.J. native recorded two takedowns in the final two minutes to take the decision win, 10-6.
Soriano followed up his win against No. 1 Penn State with a major decision win at 141 pounds. The Westbury, N.Y. native managed two takedowns in the first period to take the early 6-2 lead. Soriano carried the momentum to get win, 17-5
Nichter got back in the win column in a hard fought battle at 157 pounds. A takedown and an escape point in the opening period was enough to record the decision win, 4-2.
Walsh earned another win over Wesley Barnes at 165 pounds. Both wrestlers went scoreless heading into the third period. Barnes was able to take Walsh down with nearly one minute remaining to take a 3-1 lead. The Cherry Hill, N.J. native responded with a quick reversal and was able to take the 4-3 win with riding time.
Hoose recorded his first technical fall of the season. The graduate student led 10-0 after the second period, recording two takedowns and four near-fall points. Hoose eventually managed to take his opponent down twice more for the 16-1 win. … more at … https://drexeldragons.com/news/2024/12/4/wrestling-drexel-earns-dominant-victory-over-clarion-31-3?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
And …
Mavs use quick start, strong finish to win at Western in top-20 match-up
No. 14 Mavs move to 4-0 with 31-12 win over No. 17 Mountaineers
GUNNISON, Colo.— The nation’s 14th-ranked Colorado Mesa University men’s wrestling team won the first three matches without conceding a takedown to build a 12-0 team lead and went on to win the last three and seven of the ten total bouts, including five by bonus-point margins to claim a comfortable 31-12 dual win over arch-rival and 17th-ranked Western Colorado University on Wednesday night here in the Mountaineers’ Paul W. Wright Gymnasium.
The Mavericks improved to 4-0 on the season and defeated the Mountaineers (1-2) for the fourth straight dual, a new CMU record winning streak in the rivalry that has seen the teams dual 29 times since 2007.
CMU’s five nationally-ranked wrestlers were all victorious in the dual that did not count in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference standings. The teams will square off again in their conference-counting dual on Feb. 13, 2025 in Grand Junction in CMU’s Bank of Colorado Battle in Brownson.
The two nationally-ranked Mountaineer wrestlers that were in Wednesday’s lineup were also winners and combined for two of the Mountaineers’ three wins and nine of their 12 team points. The quick start was keyed by seventh-ranked 125-pound sophomore Dayson Torgerson, who registered a 17-0 technical fall win three seconds before the end of the first period. Oran Huff, ranked 12th in the country at 133 pounds, …more at … https://cmumavericks.com/news/2024/12/4/wrestling-mavs-use-quick-start-strong-finish-to-win-at-western-in-top-20-match-up.aspx?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
And …
Johnson’s pin lifts No. 13 Wrestling to thrilling 21-20 OAC victory at John Carroll
UNIVERSITY HEIGHTS — Freshman Myles Johnson (Springboro) registered a first period pin to lead the No. 13-ranked Ohio Northern wrestling team to a come from behind 21-20 victory at John Carroll on Tuesday night. This is the Polar Bears’ second conference victory this season.
The Basics
- Records: #13 Ohio Northern (7-3 Overall, 2-0 OAC), John Carroll (4-3 Overall, 1-1 OAC).
- Venue: DeCarlo Varsity Center – University Heights, Ohio.
ONU Individuals
Johnson won by pin at 2:42 to give the Polar Bears the win
Senior Cael Vanderhorst (Covington) began the scoring for the Polar Bears with a major decision at 149 lbs Senior Jayden Jones (Ashland) followed with another major decision at 157 to cut into the lead. Senior Adam Myers (Springfield/STEM Academy) with a major decision at 174 for the Polar Bears. Senior Gavin Layman (Chesterton, Ind.) won by decision at 197 to pull the Polar Bears within 20-15. … more at … https://www.onusports.com/sports/wrest/2024-25/releases/20241203sovc3h
New WIN Rankings released; Ten Top-15 teams and 100 nationally-ranked wrestlers at Vegas Invite
NEWTON, Iowa — The Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational has historically pitted the nation’s best college wrestlers against each other early in the season as this weekend’s 42nd annual tournament features over 100 nationally-ranked wrestlers and 10 teams that are rated among the Top-15 schools in WIN Magazine’s Dec. 2 NCAA Div. I rankings, presented by Cliff Keen Athletic.
Led by Oklahoma State, rated No. 3 in WIN’s Tournament Power Index, the other notable teams in WIN’s latest TPI that will wrestle this Friday and Saturday, Dec. 6-7, in the Las Vegas Convention Center, include No. 4 Nebraska, 5 Ohio State, 6 NC State, 7 Virginia Tech, 9 Cornell, 10 Iowa State, 11 Michigan, 12 Northern Iowa and 15 South Dakota State.
Depending exactly on which wrestlers enter, this could mean as many as 27 wrestlers ranked in the top five of their weight class:
- 125 – No. 1 Richard Figueroa (Arizona State); No. 2 Matt Ramos (Purdue); No. 3 Caleb Smith (Nebraska); No. 5 Troy Spratley (Oklahoma State);
- 133 – No. 3 Dylan Ragusin (Michigan);
- 141 – No. 1 Jesse Mendez (Ohio State); No. 4 Brock Hardy (Nebraska); No. 5 Cael Happel (Northern Iowa);
- 149 – No. 1 Caleb Henson (Virginia Tech); No. 3 Ty Watters (West Virginia); No.5 Ridge Lovett (Nebraska); … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2024/12/02/new-win-rankings-released-ten-top-15-teams-and-100-nationally-ranked-wrestlers-at-vegas-invite/
11 reasons why everyone should wrestle, the sequel
By John Klessinger (former SouthWest Edgecombe coach)
Almost five years ago to the day, I wrote my first article for WIN magazine. The article was entitled “11 Reasons Why Everyone Should Wrestle.” Plenty of things have changed in my life since then. At the time, my daughter was a sophomore in high school. Now, she is a junior in college. My son was in middle school and now he is only a few months away from graduating high school.
The team I coach won its first state dual championship in 2022, which we repeated in 2023. Last year, we lost in the state dual final 33-30. The dual came down to the last match. We were down 33-27. We needed a fall to tie. A fall would give us the win by criteria. My kid pushed around his opponent for six minutes. His opponent did his job. He fought and stayed off his back, securing the match and state title for his team.
I wrote a book, “A Coach’s Manual: Everything You Need to Be a Successful Coach”, which was published by Championship Productions. Last fall, I was inducted into the Maryland Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame.
On a different level, while things were going well professionally as a teacher and coach, both of my kids blew out their knees. In 2020, my daughter tore her ACL. Then, in 2022, my son tore his ACL. That left a few years of constant encouragement and attempts at optimism for them both. Ironically, I ruptured my quad tendon in 2023. The doctor said it was the “old man’s version of a torn ACL.” Subconsciously, I guess I wanted to know what it was like.
On a personal level, the past five years have been very challenging. Beyond injuries, things have been difficult at times. It is a part of life. We go through difficult times. I do. You do. We all do. Which brings me back to the first article I had written for WIN, “Why Everyone Should Wrestle.”
If it wasn’t for wrestling, I am certain the last five years would have been much more difficult. Wrestling has been my anchor. It has and continues to teach me the mental toughness to deal with the challenges and continue to keep getting up over and over.
To commemorate our great sport and to celebrate my five-year anniversary writing for WIN, here is part II of 11 Reasons Why Everyone Should Wrestle.
1. Friendships and Community
Once you’ve wrestled, you become part of a special group of people. All wrestlers know the difficulty of the sport. When you meet a wrestler, you become instant friends. You share similar experiences. It is tough to explain, but wrestlers are good people. Hardworking people. Honest people. The sport teaches you the value of struggling and sacrifice. That is why most walk around with humility.
2. Physical Toughness
In some ways, this reason was in the first article — not explicitly stated but implied. However, I don’t know many wrestlers who shy away from things due to bumps and bruises. Wrestlers are physically tough. We don’t sit out because we aren’t feeling great. We do things when we are hurt and sick. Most people I know who aren’t wrestlers are quick to “find a soft place to land.” … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2024/12/03/11-reasons-why-everyone-should-wrestle-the-sequel/
Dozens of wrestlers will battle to be crowned first girls champs
After years of lobbying, girls finally get their own wrestling division in DODEA-Europe.
Those hitting the mats will be making history when the season begins Saturday at Ramstein, Wiesbaden and Vicenza.
They also will be seeking the first titles for girls at the European championships Feb. 6-8 at the Wiesbaden Sport and Fitness Center in Wiesbaden, Germany, after a few of their female predecessors fell just short over the last decade. Some have a leg up on the competition, having grappled with the boys for years, while others are giving the sport a try for the first time. They will compete across eight weight classes – 105, 110, 115, 120, 130, 140, 155 and 170-and-above. Those designations could change during the season, according to DODEA European athletic director Kathy Clemmons. Here’s a team-by-team look at the first girls wrestling season, based on responses from coaches across Europe: Alconbury The Dragons don’t have a large contingent, but they can boast having one of the most experienced wrestlers across Europe. Originally a gymnast, senior Richele Reyes switched over to wrestling when her family moved to the Netherlands. She’s qualified for the European meet three times in her high school career, finishing sixth at 120 pounds her sophomore year. … more at … https://www.stripes.com/sports/europe/2024-12-04/dodea-europe-girls-wrestling-preview-16056145.html
Iowa Coach Tom Brands approaches 300 career dual victories
Brands could hit win milestone against Army and Princeton Friday; Questions remain at 157 for Iowa; ISU’s Euton suffered season-ending inury; UNI’s Keckeisen earns Big 12 honor
IOWA CITY – Iowa Coach Tom Brands is approaching a milestone.
In his 20 th season as college wrestling head coach, including the last 18 with the Hawkeyes, Brands is just two from 300 career dual victories. Second-ranked Iowa will face Princeton and Army in a double-dual at Journeymen Wrestling’s “Uncivil War” on Friday at Francis Howell High School in St. Charles, Mo. Brands could join Dan Gable (355-21-5) as the only Iowa coaches to reach the 300-win plateau.
Brands said he had no idea about the chance to reach the feat. “Sometimes you’re aware of it more,” Brands said. “On this one, this is the first time I’ve heard that.”
Iowa has opened the season 4-0. Brands improved his overall career record to 298-47-1. He owns a 281-27-1 record with the Hawkeyes. He is 134-14 in Big Ten Conference duals and 135-14 at Carver-Hawkeye Arena. “That’s not a big deal,” Brands continued. “What’s the big deal is that we got a lot of work to do and we got a lot of guys in that wrestling room that like doing the work and get better every day.
“So, that’s the most important thing. From there, we have to keep getting better. All these guys are coming.”
Brands has led Iowa to at least 11 dual wins in each season not shortened by the Covid pandemic. The Hawkeyes went 5-0 in that 2020-21 season limited to Big Ten duals. Iowa is 4-1 all-time against Army, including a 2-0 mark under Brands. The Hawkeyes are 4-0 in duals with Princeton.
QUESTIONS AT 157 FOR IOWA
Iowa’s probable lineup has a couple of interesting either/or weights. At 125 pounds, Joey Cruz and Kale Petersen are both listed again. All-American Nelson Brands and Patrick Kennedy, who posted an impressive technical fall against Iowa State, are both included at 174. Cullan Schriever is added as an option with Ryder Block at 141.
The odd listing is TBA (to be announced) at 157 pounds. Top-ranked Jacori Teemer injury defaulted during the win over the Cyclones. The roster has … more at … https://www.thegazette.com/hawkeye-wrestling/mens-college-wrestling-notes-iowa-coach-tom-brands-approaches-300-career-dual-victories/
Fresno City Men’s Wrestling Dominates Simpson Duals as Coach Keysaw Celebrates 300 Wins
Fresno City College’s men’s wrestling team went undefeated at the Simpson Duals, marking head coach Paul Keysaw’s 300 dual wins. This milestone was earned over the nearly three decades of Keysaw’s career, showcasing not only his personal dedication but the team’s resilience. “Milestones mean I’m getting old,” Keysaw said, “But they’re a reminder of the hard work that goes into every win.”
Starting his career at Moorpark College in 1996, Keysaw joined FCC as a coach in 2006. Known for his straightforward style and focus on building highly competitive teams, he instills a relentless work ethic in his athletes. “If you want to be successful, you have to work harder than everyone else,” Keysaw said.
Under his guidance, FCC men’s wrestling team has consistently placed in the top three of California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA) state championships since 2008. His ability to adapt his coaching style has been key. For sophomore Jake Prudek, ranked first in the state, the event was another stepping stone on his journey to secure a second state title.
Despite setbacks from a car accident and injury recovery, he credits his resilience to the relentless training methods instilled by Keysaw and the team’s culture of valuing hard work. “We practice until we don’t want to do one more rep,” Prudek said. … more at … https://www.therampageonline.com/sports/2024/12/04/fresno-city-mens-wrestling-dominates-simpson-duals-as-coach-keysaw-celebrates-300-wins/
Walsh Jesuit Ironman 2024: What to know about this year’s wrestling tournament
CLEVELAND, Ohio — When the Walsh Jesuit Ironman comes around you know it’s wrestling season in Northeast Ohio. One of the nations biggest in-season high school wrestling tournaments is back this season for its 30th edition.
More than 130 schools will be represented as wrestlers from 27 different states make their way to the tournament. The boys tournament will run throughout the day on Friday and Saturday, while the second annual girls tournament runs from Saturday to Sunday.
There are more than 55 Division I college commits scheduled to be in attendance as well as a handful of national powerhouse programs. That includes last season’s team champion, Wyoming Seminary (N.J.), which is always a team favorite, though it’s yet to be seen if anyone can come anywhere near the tournament record 297 points set by St. Edward in 1997.
Here’s everything you need to know about the 30th Ironman:
When: Doors open at 7 a.m. on Friday and Saturday. On Sunday doors open at 9 a.m. following an 8 a.m. Mass in the Chapel. Friday, 10 a.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. (championship matches begin at 4 p.m.). A full schedule with … more at … https://www.cleveland.com/highschoolsports/2024/12/walsh-jesuit-ironman-wrestling-preview-2024-what-to-know-about-this-years-tournament.html
2024-25 Preseason National High School Wrestling Rankings: Final Update
Several states have already hit the mats, but the high school wrestling season gets underway in earnest after the Thanksgiving holiday; check out the final update to our preseason national wrestling rankings
By Billy Buckheit, Nov. 26th.
We’re here—the 2024-2025 high school wrestling season is officially underway! Georgia, Louisiana, North Carolina, and Texas have been active for a few weeks already. Illinois has joined them with a few events before Thanksgiving. Following the holiday break, every state in the country will kick off their season, except for New Jersey, which begins in mid-December.
With our final edition of the rankings before things kick off, we’ve narrowed it down to one wrestler per team, per weight. Additionally, we’ve removed Valiant Prep wrestlers since they don’t compete during the regular season. They will be added back in come March when they return to the mats in an official capacity.
The Walsh Ironman takes place next weekend (Dec. 6-7). The Ironman is widely regarded as the most challenging high school tournament in the country. It promises to deliver a ton of excitement and is sure to shake up these carefully cultivated rankings.
We say “carefully cultivated” with all the humility possible. We conduct an incredible amount of research and maintain detailed records on not just every wrestler in our rankings, but also every wrestler on our radar—probably 60 to 70 at each weight class. This level of research and record-keeping allows us to be highly accurate.
Instead of speculating or vaguely remembering results, we always have every match right in front of us. This wealth of data enables us to fine-tune the rankings. We can explain every placement. These rankings are not randomly thrown together; there’s a rationale behind where every wrestler is ranked.
One big win shouldn’t—and won’t—erase a series of bad losses. Similarly, a single bad loss doesn’t necessarily cancel out a string of significant victories. National rankings are always subject to change, as upsets are a constant factor. That’s where our detailed record-keeping comes into play.
Because we document every match for each wrestler, it’s easy for us to compare multiple athletes side by side and arrive at the most logical rankings order based on all outcomes—not just recent ones. Of course, recent results take precedence, but as we mentioned, a wrestler’s past record doesn’t disappear due to one new result, whether it’s positive or negative.
Our next update will come before Ironman. Once we have the seeds for the Ironman and the Dan Gable Donnybrook, which also takes place next weekend, we’ll make any necessary changes to weight classes. While we’ve seen lineups for many of the top teams, we know adjustments will be needed over the first few weeks of the season. … more at … https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/2024-25-preseason-national-high-school-wrestling-rankings-final-update-01jdnte76p05
Seventh-Ranked Gophers Trounce No. 17 South Dakota State, 30-3
MINNEAPOLIS – No. 7 Minnesota (4-0) won nine of the 10 matches, including six ranked bouts, as it trounced No. 17 South Dakota State (1-2) by a score of 30-3 Sunday afternoon at First Bank & Trust Arena in Brookings, S.D.
After the last two duals were decided by a combined nine points, Minnesota left little doubt Sunday as it won the first six matches and ended up holding the Jackrabbits to their lowest point total in the series since 1974 (31-2).
Minnesota now leads the all-time series with South Dakota State, 29-5, including 13 straight wins. The 13-match win streak ties for Minnesota’s second-longest active streak, along with 13 straight wins over Michigan State. The only streak longer is 19 in a row against North Dakota State. The 29 wins are the Gophers’ second most against all non-Big Ten schools, behind only the 33 wins they have against Northern Iowa. In Brookings, the Gophers are 10-1 all-time and have won the past seven meetings there. Minnesota has also won 10 straight duals dating back to last season. During the current streak, Minnesota has outscored opponents 329-54 and hasn’t allowed more than 12 points in any contest.
The tone was set in the first match of the day at 125 pounds as No. 14 Cooper Flynn upset No. 4 Tanner Jordan, 7-2. Both of Flynn’s takedowns came in the opening period, giving him a 6-1 lead. After no scoring in the second, Jordan gained a point on Flynn’s second stall warning, but riding time improved Flynn to 6-1 on the season and 4-0 in duals.
At 133 pounds, No. 8 Tyler Wells and No. 28 Derrick Cardinal met for the third time in the last two seasons. After splitting the two matchups a year ago, Wells took lead in the series with a 10-2 major decision Sunday. After a scoreless first period, Cardinal escaped to lead 1-0 but Wells got a takedown in the final seconds to lead 3-1. The final period was all Wells as he added an escape and two more takedowns to secure his second major decision of the year.
The first non-ranked matchup came at 141 pounds with No. 5 Vance VomBaur topping … more at … https://gophersports.com/news/2024/12/1/wrestling-gophers-trounce-south-dakota-state-30-3?utm_source=substack&utm_medium=email
What to Watch: Week five of the college wrestling season
Week five of the college wrestling season is a short one. Many of the teams are taking time off this week to allow their athletes to enjoy Thanksgiving with family and friends. There are enough college events over the weekend to give a wrestling junkie a chance to stay connected with the sport, between kickoffs and turkey leftovers. Not all of these events are streamed, so you might decide to go in person. Here are some highlights from week five.
No. 9 Minnesota at No. 14 South Dakota State
Date: Sunday, December 1
Time: 3:00 p.m. ET
Location: First Bank and Trust Arena, Brookings, S.D.
With Olympic champion and two-time NCAA champion Gable Steveson again anchoring the lineup at heavyweight, No. 9 Minnesota travels to No. 14 South Dakota State for the top Div. I dual meet of the weekend. The Gophers are 3-0, and are rolling after back-to-back shut out victories, stomping North Dakota State 39-0 and Campbell 44-0 last weekend. The Jackrabbits come into the event at 1-1 and are fresh off a tough 16-15 road loss to Big 12 rival Northern Iowa on Sunday. Steveson is the new No. 1 in the FloWrestling Pound-For-Pound rankings, one of 10 Gopher wrestlers in the current FloWrestling rankings. The Jackrabbits have nine ranked wrestlers as well. South Dakota State head coach Damion Hahn was a star for the Gophers and would love to knock off his alma mater in his gym to help the Jackrabbits climb in the rankings. This is a “Teddy Bear Toss” meet, as well, where fans throw teddy bears onto the mat at intermission to be given to children in the community.
Carolina Clash … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2024/november/27/what-to-watch-week-five-of-the-college-wrestling-season
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 