Takedown Report

Amateur Wrestling Reports

Induction for The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum – Jeff Queen

May 17, 2026 · W.C. Friday Center in Chapel Hill, NC.
2026 honorees for “Lifetime Service to Wrestling”:

Jeff Queen – Born in Morganton, Queen’s family moved to Greensboro during his childhood. He was introduced to wrestling in elementary school and would serve as the wrestling and baseball scorekeeper at Page High School.  Graduating in 1988, he continued his education at Elon University, earning a degree in accounting with a minor in marketing in 1992. He then completed a five-year graduate program at Pfeiffer University, earning two master’s degrees in business and health administration.

While in college, Queen was encouraged by his brother Mike, a wrestler at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, to begin officiating. This marked the start of what is now 35 consecutive years of officiating wrestling as a member of the Piedmont Wrestling Officials Association. He has officiated in the NCHSAA state tournament for 18 years, worked multiple state dual team playoff matches, and called two dual team state championships. Queen was the recipient of the Dick Knox Distinguished Official Award in 2019.

Known for his professionalism, preparation, and impartiality, Queen has built a strong reputation throughout the North Carolina wrestling community. Wrestlers, coaches, and fans respect him for his fairness, consistency, and ability to make tough calls with confidence. His calm demeanor, ability to listen, and pleasant nature have made him a trusted presence on and off the mat throughout his career.

Beyond officiating, Queen has given back extensively to the wrestling community. He has donated uniforms to the Page High School wrestling program, provided meals and snacks for officials during NCHSAA state tournaments, and actively mentors young officials. Queen is a corporate accountant and serves as Chief Executive Officer of Vecoplan LLC, a company that focuses on industrial shredding and recycling equipment. His nephews, Hunter and Mike were both state champions for Northwood High School.  He currently lives in Greensboro and enjoys spending time with his son, Carter.

National Wrestling Hall of Fame website.  https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame 

May 27, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

Induction for The National Wrestling Hall of Fame and Museum – David Siler

(above David Siler and Milt Sherman)
David Siler – Siler was born in Winston-Salem and his family moved to Raleigh at a young age. He attended Broughton High School, where he wrestled, served as a student athletic trainer, and was a member of the Service Club. After graduating high school in 1981, he attended North Carolina State University, where he earned a varsity letter in sports medicine and worked as an athletic trainer with the Wolfpack wrestling team. By his senior year, Siler was on a full athletic scholarship for sports medicine. He graduated from NC State in 1986 with a degree in mathematics education. While attending NC State, he traveled to Mexico, Guatemala, and the Dominican Republic with Athletes in Action, finishing third in an international freestyle tournament.

Siler taught and coached at Havelock High School from 1986 to 2002, where he served as head wrestling coach and athletic trainer for 16 years. He then moved to Havelock Middle School, coaching wrestling and serving as the school’s athletic trainer until his retirement in 2015 after 29 years as an educator. When he was hired at Havelock High School, he became only the second wrestling coach in the program’s history, replacing Wilber Sasser.

During his 14 years as head coach at Havelock High School, Siler built one of the state’s elite wrestling programs. His teams won state tournament championships in 1996, 1997, and 2001, finished as dual team state runner-up in 1996, and captured the dual team state championship in 1997. Havelock also won three consecutive east regional championships in 1995, 1996, and 1997. His teams also reached the regional dual finals multiple times. Siler compiled a dual meet coaching record of 205-68-1 and coached 26 state medalists, six individual state champions, and 11 state finalists. His accomplishments earned him recognition as NC Mat News Coach of the Year in 1996 and 2001, along with USA Wrestling’s North Carolina coach of the year honors in 2001. Known as a man of character and leadership, Siler emphasized mentorship and personal development alongside success on the mat.

 Following his retirement from Havelock, Siler continued his work in education for 10 more years as a math teacher at The Epiphany School of Global Studies. Now fully retired, Siler still supports the Havelock wrestling program and enjoys watching practices and matches when he can. Siler and his wife, Donna, have been married since 1987 and have a son, Andrew, and a daughter, Ashley.

National Wrestling Hall of Fame website.  https://nwhof.org/hall_of_fame 

May 26, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

Women’s College Wrestling Is Better With Jason Moorman In It

Jason Moorman is a transformational women’s college wrestling coach. And we need that to continue.
If actions speak, then Jason Moorman’s college coaching career is worth examining. 
Moorman landed at Tarleton State after his surprise departure from King University on October 18, 2024. It should surprise no one that an influx of talent followed him to Stephenville, Texas. 
Aine Drury was the biggest get. She finished second and fifth at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships after winning a California Community College title. She also reached Final X and won the 2025 U.S. Open. 
Tarleton State competes in the NCWA division, which is sort of like a club division, despite spirited debate about its place among women’s college wrestling. It’s the only women’s college division with a national folkstyle championship.
So, when Dury won the 2026 NCWA at 145 pounds, it was folkstyle — not freestyle.  Again, no surprise that Tarleton State won back-to-back NCWA team titles. 
“(Jason) is the best collegiate women’s wrestling coach in the country. And it’s not close.” – North Central coach Joe Norton
There are others, like California’s Piper Pike. She watched Moorman coach at the National Collegiate Women’s Wrestling Championships as a high schooler and decided she’d follow him to whichever college he was the head coach at.  “When we watch the NCAA finals, I noticed his girls were in quite a few of them,” Pike said. “He’s a really good coach. I like everything about his style and his honesty, and I definitely gelled with that.”
Tarleton State was expected to add a Division I women’s wrestling program, but it hasn’t happened yet. And there’s no timeline on whether it will.
That leaves Moorman in wrestling purgatory. He wants to coach, and he wants to win, but we can’t expect him to stick around forever if the Texans don’t have a sanctioned program. The NCWA is a good option for some, but it isn’t the NCAA or the NAIA.  That’s where Moorman needs to be. That’s where women’s wrestling needs him to be. He’s too valuable on the sidelines. 
“Jason took me in and taught me how to utilize my talent and not let it go to waste.” – 2016 Olympian Haley Augello
His track record speaks for itself.  Moorman started … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15844605-womens-college-wrestling-is-better-with-jason-moorman-in-it

May 3, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

New Girls Post-Season Wrestling Rankings Shake Up After Women’s Nationals Results

With post-season performances reshaping the landscape, High School On SI’s latest rankings reveal rising stars, tough calls and why every match—win or loss—matters.
This update contains everything since the high school season ended up through the Women’s Nationals. That took us well over a week to go over and led to new candidates emerging and farther research, which led to other shifting in the weight classes.
No Formulas, No Bias—Just Results on the Mat
A few things we want to point out are next. They are procedural and address our approach to the rankings. There is no formula. We don’t have any numerical system. Our rankings are 100% based off the results on the mats. We keep detailed sheets for every wrestler and use ALL matches, not just one result.
Why Losses Matter More Than You Think
You can’t cherry pick and your losses count too. If you have four to five “bad” or losses to unranked girls, one or two, heck sometimes three wins can’t negate those. You will certainly move up but might be behind someone you have a win over because you have losses that outweigh that one win.
Recency Rules: The Weight of Fresh Results
We typically honor the most recent wins over older results. The old results are still there but their importance fades over time as new date takes precedence. Sometimes the only meeting between two wrestlers is an old one, and we will use it. Why not? It’s a data point to be used in the analysis process.
95-Pound Division Still Taking Shape
The 95-pound weight class is growing (up to 17 now). We will not speculate to fill the slots. Eventually, the results on the mat will give us the other candidates. Girls who have been 95 pounds in the past may have grown out of the weight, so we are taking a wait and see approach.
Who’s Eligible—and Who Has to Wait
The last big thing to point out is we are “High School On SI”, so therefore, only high school wrestlers will appear in our rankings unless you reside in a state that allows middle school grapplers to compete with the high school squad. … more at … https://www.si.com/high-school/wrestling/new-girls-post-season-wrestling-rankings-shake-up-after-women-s-nationals-results-01kpv3x5xhca

April 28, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

Team USA Qualifying Schedule: The Meets To Know In 2026

Here’s the 2026 Team USA wrestling qualifying schedule, including the U.S. Open, Senior World Team Trials and Final X.
he road to Team USA looks a little different depending on the style, but for senior-level world team qualification in 2026, three events matter most for freestyle fans: the U.S. Open, the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament, and Final X. All three are broadcast on FloWrestling. 

Each event plays a different role in the process, from setting the field to deciding who earns a spot on the U.S. Senior World Team. For men’s and women’s freestyle wrestlers, these events make up the key stops on the road to Team USA.
*For Greco-Roman, the process is different, with the world team determined in Las Vegas rather than at Final X.
Here’s what to know about the meets that will decide Team USA in 2026.

Team USA Qualifying Schedule 2026

U.S. Open Championships

April 21-26, 2026 – Las Vegas, Nevada

The U.S. Open is the first major stop in the senior world team process. In men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle, champions at each weight advance directly to Final X, making it one of the most important events on the domestic calendar.

U.S. Open champions who earn Final X berths are not entered into the Senior World Team Trials.

Senior World Team Trials

May 14-15, 2026 – Louisville, Kentucky

The next stop for senior freestyle wrestlers is the Senior World Team Trials Challenge Tournament. This event is the final qualifying step into Final X for men’s freestyle and women’s freestyle athletes who did not win the U.S. Open.

The Challenge Tournament winner advances to Final X in weights where there is no returning 2025 World medalist already sitting in that Final X spot, … more at … https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/15787159-team-usa-qualifying-schedule-the-meets-to-know-in-2026

April 24, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

Legendary Coach J Robinson Passes Away at 79

The wrestling community lost one of its all-time greats. J Robinson, a National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member, passed away on March 29 at the age of 79.
A 1972 Greco-Roman Olympian, three-time Dan Gable Coach of the Year (including twice by WIN Magazine), and proud Army Ranger veteran, Robinson built Minnesota into a national powerhouse — winning three team titles, developing 65 All-Americans and 14 individual national champions over three decades.
His .753 winning percentage and 440 dual-meet victories both stand as the best marks in Minnesota wrestling history.
Off the mat, his J Robinson Intensive Camps trained over 60,000 wrestlers across more than four decades, becoming the largest camp system in the country.

“On behalf of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Board of Governors and staff, I want to extend our sincere sympathies to J’s wife, Sue, his family, friends and the thousands of wrestlers and coaches across the country whose lives were shaped by his influence, friendship, mentorship and leadership,” said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the NWHOF. “A legendary Olympic wrestler, esteemed coach, and proud Army Ranger veteran, J’s impact on wrestling began in the 1960s and spanned more than seven decades. Throughout his remarkable career, he built a legacy defined by an unwavering work ethic, visionary leadership, and a lifelong commitment to elevating the sport and inspiring generations of athletes.”
A tenacious competitor, championship coach, innovative leader and a driving force in the sport of wrestling, Robinson’s competitive spirit and “give-it-your-all” attitude emerged during his days as a prep wrestler in California. He won SDIF titles in 1963 and 1964 and was named Outstanding Wrestler in 1964. His flair for international competition and being on the “cutting edge of the sport” began when he became a member of the inaugural California International Team. Competing in Japan, the pioneer team paved the way for young wrestlers of the future.
In the next years, Robinson made his mark in not just one style of wrestling, but three. He honed his collegiate style skills under the instruction of the legendary coach Myron Roderick at Oklahoma State University. Shifting his focus to the international arena, he was a member of two World teams, finishing fourth in 1970 and fifth in 1971. He competed as a member of the 1972 Greco-Roman Olympic Team and was named to WIN Magazine’s All-Olympic Team of the Century. During this time, he won four national titles: … more at … https://www.win-magazine.com/2026/04/03/legendary-coach-j-robinson-passes-away-at-79/

April 3, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

Hayden Hidlay Returns to NC State Wrestling

RALEIGH – NC State wrestling’s first-ever five-time All-American is returning to Raleigh to rejoin the NC State wrestling staff, this time as an assistant coach, as announced by head coach Pat Popolizio on Tuesday.
One of the most decorated athletes to come out of the NC State wrestling program, a Raleigh reunion will be had with Hayden Hidlay as he returns to his alma mater.
Hidlay joins the Wolfpack staff after spending the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons as an assistant coach at Stanford, as well as the 2023-24 season at North Dakota State. Immediately following his graduation from NC State back in 2022, the five-year member of the Pack served as the student-athlete development coordinator for NC State wrestling.
“Hayden was one of the most impactful student-athletes we’ve ever had, not only just within our program, but both at the conference and national levels too,” said head coach Pat Popolizio. “As one of the winningest wrestlers in NC State school history, he was our program’s first-ever five-time All-American, all while accumulating academic accolades across the board as well.
He’s spent the last few seasons growing, as a coach and as a man, at Stanford and North Dakota State. Just days ago, he guided Aden Valencia to his first national championship as a 10th-seeded redshirt-freshman at the 2026 NCAA Wrestling Championships in Cleveland.
Hayden will continue to instill our program’s culture that he helped build as an athlete. We are thrilled at the opportunity to have him back in Raleigh, back in the wrestling room that he accomplished so much in.”
Over the last two seasons, Hidlay helped the Cardinal produce tremendous results during their first inaugural years in the Atlantic Coast Conference. The squad is coming off a historic season with its highest-ever finish at the NCAA Championships in sixth place and the third national champion in program history, a wrestler whom Hidlay closely oversaw.
“I am honored to be returning to NC State wrestling,” said Hayden Hidlay. … more at … https://gopack.com/news/2026/3/24/hayden-hidlay-returns-to-nc-state-wrestling

March 28, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

Nebraska-Kearney Wins 2026 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship

The University of Nebraska-Kearney claimed the 2026 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championship tournament, leading all teams with a score of 83 points. The University of Wisconsin-Parkside finished as the runner-up.
The 2026 DII wrestling championships were held at Denny Sanford PREMIER Center in Sioux Falls, SD, on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14. Here is everything you need to know for the 2026 championship.
Below you can find the complete schedule of the 2026 DII wrestling championship.

2026 NCAA DII wrestling championship schedule 

  • Monday, March 2
  • Friday, March 6
    • Brackets released
  • Friday, March 13 — Results
    • Preliminaries and first round
    • Quarterfinals and first- and second-round consolations 
  • Saturday, March 14 — Results
    • Semifinals, wrestle-backs | 11 a.m. 
    • Championship finals | 8 p.m. 
    • 🏆 Nebraska-Kearney wins the 2026 DII wrestling championship

NCAA DII wrestling championship brackets

The brackets for the 2026 DII wrestling championships were released on Friday, March 6.
👉 Click or tap to see the final brackets

NCAA DII wrestling championship history 

Nebraska-Kearney defeated Augustana (SD) for the championship last year. Below is the complete history of the DII wrestling championships … more at … https://www.ncaa.com/news/wrestling-men/article/2026-03-14/nebraska-kearney-wins-2026-ncaa-division-ii-wrestling-championship

March 16, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

Cowgirls Wrestling Club Claims Inaugural USA Wrestling Women’s Collegiate Club Nationals Title

NORTH LIBERTY, Iowa – Oklahoma State’s Cowgirls Wrestling Club won the first-ever USA Wrestling Women’s Collegiate Club Nationals championship at The Palestra in North Liberty, Iowa.
In the 10 weight classes, the Cowgirls had four champions for a total of 192 points. Columbia finished second with 85 points, followed closely by Arizona State with 83 points.
The quartet of Brooke Corrigan, Molly Allen, Hannah Henderson and Kaiulani Garcia led Cowgirls Wrestling Club with national title performances. 
Corrigan (103 pounds) and Henderson (131 pounds) went unbeaten in their round-robin brackets. The pair combined to go 6-0, with each victory being a bonus-point win. At 124 pounds, Allen pinned her finals opponent with just 19 seconds left in the opening frame and ended the tournament with three victories. Garcia capped off the national champions for the Cowgirls after she collected a 9-1 decision for the title and finished 3-0 on the day. 
Runner-up Columbia has two national champions in Mia Collins at 138 pounds and Kaylie Musard at 207 pounds. Musard went a perfect 3-0 in her round robin, collecting two pins and a technical fall. Collins posted a shutout in her title bout and won a 10-0 contest. Collins outscored her opponents 24-0 in three matches, recording two technical falls and a pin.
Purdue, Army West Point, Arizona State and Jamestown each had one national champion crowned on Thursday afternoon.
At 110 pounds, Purdue’s Adriana Sanchez went 2-0, with both victories coming via pin, in her round robin bracket. Clare Booe of Army West Point notched a 4-0 record at 117 pounds. Each of Booe’s four contests ended in the first period (two technical falls, one pin, one medical default).
Trinity Bouchal of Arizona State and Emily Novak of Jamestown rounded out the championship finals with back-to-back pins. Bouchal’s run to the title at 160 pounds featured just 3:40 minutes of mat time in her three victories. Novak pinned he way to the title at 180 pounds, where all three of her contests resulted in falls in the first 90 seconds of each bout. … more at … https://nwcaonline.com/news/2026/3/6/national-wrestling-coaches-association-cowgirls-wrestling-club-claims-inaugural-usa-wrestling-womens-collegiate-club-nationals-title.aspx

March 15, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , | Leave a comment

Women’s College Notebook: As championship season continues, a look back on the historic NCAA’s, and a preview of NAIA’s to come

Amidst back-to-back championship weekends for women’s college wrestling, it could be easy to get lost in the whirlwind of it all – walking away at its conclusion with nothing but vivid, emotional remnants of the experience that was.
And who’s to say that’s a bad thing?
Perhaps the very purest form of consumption is to simply allow oneself to become swept up in the wave of sensations – never stopping to overanalyze one moment lest the next one pass you by.
I’m certainly not going to argue if that’s your approach.
But as I sit here at my desk during the brief hiatus between last weekend’s inaugural NCAA Championships and this weekend’s forthcoming NAIA national tournament, I find myself wanting to pause – at least briefly – and reflect upon this ongoing moment for the sport.
There’s never been a better, more competitive/appreciated time to be a women’s college wrestler – or women’s wrestler of any age, for that matter. This, after decades spent by trailblazers and advocates to open up the deserved opportunities now being seized by today’s athletes. And just as those pioneers before them offered hope and inspiration to the current generation, so too will this group of young women to those following in their footsteps.
With that in mind, allow me to begin this latest women’s wrestling notebook by highlighting just some of the names to remember from a historic NCAA Championships in Coralville, Iowa. After that, we’ll wrap with some names to look forward to at what will be an equally compelling NAIA Championships this weekend in Park City, Kansas.

Etched in history 

180.
That’s how many women – representing 54 different schools – will forever hold the distinction as the first participants at an NCAA Women’s Wrestling Championships. Among them, Sloane Kruger (Presbyterian) registered the first-ever win (and pin) at NCAAs just 1:03 into her preliminary bout at 103 pounds.
80.
That’s how many All-Americans – representing 27 different schools – stood on the podium. … more at … https://www.themat.com/news/2026/march/12/women-s-college-notebook-as-championship-season-continues-a-look-back-on-the-historic-ncaa-s-and-a-preview-of-naia-s-to-come

March 15, 2026 Posted by | Uncategorized | , , | Leave a comment

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