InterMat Staff

Acrobatics and tumbling and women's wrestling will be added to the NCAA Emerging Sports for Women program in Division I, the Division I Council decided Wednesday. The Council met virtually. Members noted that some schools already have committed to adding these sports as part of their strategic plans for athletics, and having these sports part of the emerging sports program could convince others to do the same. "The Council acknowledged the need to give maximum flexibility to schools as they make decisions surrounding sport sponsorship," said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Penn. "Acrobatics and tumbling and women's wrestling have both done everything required to be named to the emerging sports for women list, and some schools may choose to augment their programs with these new sports." The sports were recommended for the emerging sports program by the Committee on Women's Athletics. The program is a pipeline supporting the advancement of women's sports to NCAA championship status. The program also provides athletics opportunities for women and sport-sponsorship options for colleges and universities. Schools also may use an emerging sport to help meet minimum sports-sponsorship and financial aid requirements. A sport must have a minimum of 20 varsity teams and/or competitive club teams that have competed in a minimum of five contests to be considered for the emerging sports program. The sport must reach 40 varsity programs to move forward to the NCAA governance structure for championship consideration. The National Collegiate Acrobatics and Tumbling Association currently has 30 NCAA colleges and universities sponsoring the sport, which is a discipline of gymnastics involving tumbling, tosses, acrobatic lifts and pyramids. The Wrestle Like a Girl organization, in conjunction with USA Wrestling, indicated there are 35 NCAA schools currently sponsoring the sport. The Emerging Sports for Women program has been in existence since 1994. In the past 21 years, several sports have reached championship status, including beach volleyball, rowing, ice hockey, water polo and bowling. Before the latest additions, the program had three sports: equestrian, rugby and triathlon. Sports have 10 years to gain championship status or make meaningful progress toward that goal in order to remain on the list.

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY -- The United World Wrestling bureau voted Tuesday on a large number of changes to the 2020 and 2021 competition calendars, including a blanket delay on all competitions until no earlier than September 1, 2020. The changes are an optimistic outlook to the return of competition and will be reviewed again in August. The recommendations reviewed by the bureau were first considered and drafted by the Technical Commission. “I thank the Technical Commission for their hard work and consideration in this difficult time,” said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. “We will only return to the mat when it is safe for our athletes, coaches, referees, and spectators.” The Cadet, Junior, and U23 Continental Championships will be the first to potentially return to competition, with a window of September 1 to October 30 to organize a competition. A continent may also choose to cancel their championships depending on the pandemic status of each region. Due to the athletes' schooling requirements there will be no Cadet World Championships in 2020, nor will there be U15 championships organized in 2020. The Junior World Championships are being proposed for the end of November in Belgrade SRB or beginning of December, while the U23 will remain in Tampere, FIN and be competed on the same dates in November. Due to the increased risk of travel and transmission for the age group, the Veterans World Championships will be postponed to 2021 where Greece will be the host of the competition. Two Beach Wrestling World Series events in 2020 will remain on the calendar for Romania and Greece, with one of the nations to also host Cadet & Junior World Beach Wrestling Championships. The Beach Wrestling Commission is currently reviewing all dates and details. The “Best Wrestler of 2020” awards will only be handed out if there is a Senior World Championships in 2020. A bid process will take place immediately for all new competitions including the Senior World Championships and postponed events where the organizer can no longer host. All competitions are conditional based on the ongoing situation of the global pandemic. If the World Championships do not take place, the money for Best Wrestler will be shifted to the 2021 season. The 2021 calendar has also been impacted by COVID-19 and the delay of the 2020 Olympic Games. It's been proposed to change the current 2021 schedule to reflect what occurred in 2020, with the Senior Continental Championships scheduled before the Continental Olympic Qualifiers. The seeding system for the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games will consist of results from the following tournaments: 2019 Senior World Championships, 2020 Ranking Series in Roma (ITA), 2020 Senior Continental Championships. Ranking Series Events 2021 will not be included into the seedings of the Olympic Games due to IOC qualification criteria already fixed. Members also approved to adjoin the ranking of the 2021 Senior Asian Championships for wrestlers from China, North Korea and Turkmenistan because they were not able to participate in the 2020 Senior Asian Championships. The Ranking Series will consist of two events in 2021, both will provide points to be factored into the “Best Wrestler of 2021” awards but again will not be factored into seeding at the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The 2021 Senior World Championships are scheduled for October 2-10 in Oslo. There will be no World Cups in 2020 or 2021.

The list of 21 things I've learned could be 51 or 101. I have learned so much over the years about coaching and working with people that it easily could consume an entire book (which I am working on). Below are 11 of the 21 most impactful concepts, ideas, and practices I have learned in my 23-year coaching career, the last 21 being as a head high school coach. 1. Actions speak louder than words My dad would say this to me often. In the context of coaching, it means your actions will make more of an impact than what you say. If you want your team disciplined, you have to be the first to demonstrate discipline. Your actions have to reflect your words. Young men and women respond well to visual models. If you talk too often without a concrete backing, eventually your team will not listen. I want my wrestlers to be at every practice on time and ready. Therefore, I am at every practice on time and prepared. It is a simple philosophy that has paid significant dividends over the years. 2. Rapport is a better motivator than yelling I learned this from some of my high school and college coaches. Later the idea was cemented by a fellow coach and teacher I had the opportunity to talk at length about coaching, athletes, and teaching. Your team "will run through brick walls for you" (her comment) if you develop a relationship with them and show them that you care about them. Building rapport is not a difficult task but does require conscious effort. Sometimes we "live" in our agendas and practice plans, and we neglect to talk to our athletes about their life, school, and family. By the time they are juniors and seniors, I usually know much about their hobbies, interests, family, and goals. It takes time for you and them to open up about matters, not about wrestling. Each of us has our "story" and background unique to us. The more you learn about each of them, the more you will be able to push them later on. 3. Lead from the front Set the example for your team. Be the first to get "in the fight." Like actions speak louder than words, your team will come to expect from what you consistently demonstrate to them. If you routinely model what you want from your athletes, your team will fall in line. Setting the examples entails doing first what you want from others and then helping them do the same. 4. Focus on developing people first This concept has changed my belief and love for coaching. For too long, early in my career, I focused on winning. More accurately, not losing. Admittedly, I probably dislike losing more than I like winning. As a competitor, the exhilaration from winning fades more rapidly than the feelings you have when you lose. Losing kind of haunts you and leaves you with the dialogue of "what if, why didn't I, or I should have." Once I changed my belief or focus, it became much easier to try to make "Jimmy" better than winning or losing a wrestling match. I can control making Jimmy or Sally better. I cannot always control the outcome of a wrestling match. More interesting though, once I changed my goal of coaching from winning to developing young men and women, it became much more fun, and ironically we won more. Go figure. 5. Enthusiasm is contagious, and so is negativity You can practically change the perspective of any situation (wrestling or non-wrestling) with having an enthusiastic attitude. Your view of every situation is dependent on your perspective. I make it a point on Saturday morning practices to be upbeat, play some loud music, and be a little "hyped." I know if I went into it with negativity, the practice would not be effective. Your team will feed off of the attitude you have, good and bad. 6. Mental toughness is more important in skill Don't get me wrong. Athletic ability and talent are good traits to be successful. However, when working with athletes with varying abilities and skills, mental toughness will take an athlete to a higher level than an athlete who is more gifted without the mindset of determination, grit, and perseverance. Each day, incorporate lessons to learn mental toughness- challenges, activities, or literature. 7. You can teach people to be tough I believe there are varying degrees of toughness. With that, you can take a person to a higher degree with training. Each of your athletes comes from different backgrounds and different degrees of toughness. Some have become hardened and calloused at a young age from adversity or struggle. Others may not have had to deal with challenging situations. Regardless, with training, you can affect their toughness. Consistently putting them in situations that are difficult for them will grow their "toughness muscle." I have seen kids come into our room with little toughness and resiliency, leave badasses. There is a mind-body effect on training toughness. As they become physically tough, they become mentally tough, and they want to challenge themselves more and more. 8. Teaching positions are more important than technique Granted, if they do not know a double leg takedown, teaching them how to scramble out of a bad shot is pointless. As they learn the prerequisite technique, showing them where to be at certain times becomes more important than the technique. Teaching positions create a "feel" in their body that something is not right and needs to be adjusted. Newer wrestlers do not have that "feel." Therefore, you have to teach it to them. If wrestler A does this, then wrestlers B does this. Drilling and repeating positioning in practice lead to chain wrestling and the ability to scramble and counter-attack. One drill we do regularly is closing our eyes on our feet, and in a tie-up, a wrestler shoots on their legs. With repeated practice, the wrestlers will "feel" when their opponent lowers their level and attacks. 9. Kids are kids They do not see life the same as adults. How many times have you heard, "The kids don't care about it as much as the coach?" They do care, but some kids are more committed than others. Others play multiple sports or are in various activities. Kids haven't experienced life as a coach has. They can't relate to "regret, hindsight, and consequences" like adults. Their experience is limited. Some kids will not get your message until long after they leave your program. It can be personally frustrating trying to get your athletes to devote the time needed to be a successful wrestler. You still push and focus on making them better, but you keep it in your mind that they are kids and have a lot of "growing up to do." 10. Accountability is the secret to achievement I wished I learned this earlier in my career. To be honest, it probably wasn't until ten years into coaching that I learned the significance of accountability when coaching an athletic program. My "epiphany" spawned out of anger. I assigned my team of nearly 40 wrestlers to take a paper home and get signed by their parents. The following day when only four of forty returned the signed paper, I was livid. Immediately, without any thought, I told them to get against the "short" wall to do Strittmatters (an exercise involving a knee run, bear crawl, and a sprint). We did one for each person who did not turn in the paper and a few more to emphasize my disgust. The next day everyone returned their paper. Since then, I have learned not to make idle threats. If I say it, I need to do it. The athletes quickly understand the meaning of accountability. I incorporate some form of accountability practice into almost every drill, conditioning activity, assignment, or off-season workout. I believe the level of our program changed when we become more accountable. 11. Teach to the top 1/3 I stole this from Coach John Fritz. Coach Fritz is an NCAA champion and former head wrestling coach at Penn State. For many years, we went to his Keystone Wrestling Camp. While listening to a meeting with his counselors and instructors, I overhead him tell them that during camp, "Teach to the top 1/3." Some fifteen years later, his words still stick in my mind each season when teaching technique. Teaching to your highest performing athletes raises the level of all your athletes. You can always go back and review and revisit techniques later if needed or work with some individuals to catch them up.

Jordan Oliver before his Senior Nationals finals match (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) NEW YORK -- FITE will showcase the world's best freestyle wrestlers in a once-in-a-lifetime event at an undisclosed location to be streamed live on pay-per-view. The unparalleled matchups include 10 matches featuring the main event, two-time national champ Jordan Oliver wrestling three-time national champ Jason Nolf. Other matches include two wrestlers who finished the year ranked No. 1 in the nation, Pat Lugo and Luke Pletcher, and current world team member Pat Downey versus World Greco team member Joe Rau. This event will be streamed live on FITE, the global digital platform known for its combat sport expertise. We encourage the wrestling community to get behind these guys as they continue to chase down their dreams of Olympic Gold. With all proceeds going to the athletes, the RTCs, and Chicago Beat the Streets, this won't just be a great night of wrestling but also a great cause. "I am starved," said Dan Gable, the world and Olympic gold medalist who coached the University of Iowa to 15 NCAA national championships. "I missed a couple of tournaments that I love. I have heard a lot about this event, and I think it could be huge. There is a lot of talk going on, but I think we need to make it a reality and get wrestling. This will be a great start to get us going again." FITE will provide these athletes a platform to not only support themselves but the Regional Training Centers that have become the lifeblood of USA Wrestling. This is the first of many events that will help the wrestling community build on what is an already strong, loyal foundation. The event will be live streamed on FITE.TV on June 28 at 6 p.m. CT. Matchups: Jordan Oliver (Tarheel WC) vs. Jason Nolf (Nittany Lion WC) Luke Pletcher (Pitt WC) vs. Pat Lugo (Hawkeye WC) Pat Downey (New Jersey RTC) vs. Joe Rau (Illinois RTC) Dylan Palacio vs. Dylan Ness (Minnesota TCS) Zane Richards (Illinois RTC) vs. Zac Sanders (Minnesota TCS) Brett Pfarr (Minnesota TCS) vs. Zach Braunagel (Illinois RTC) Nazar Kulchytskyy (Titan Mercury WC) vs. Danny Braunagel (Illinois RTC) Nick Dardanes (Illinois RTC) vs. Mitch McKee (MTCS) Beat the Streets Chicago Matchups: TBA vs. TBA TBA vs. TBA About FITE FITE is the premium global platform for sports and entertainment. FITE is available worldwide through its iOS and Android mobile apps, Apple TV, Android TV, ROKU, Amazon Fire TV. In addition, FITE supports Chromecast, PS4, Xbox, Netrange, Vidaa/Hisense, Xfinity 1 and Xfinity Flex as well as 7,000 models of TVs. Available online at www.FITE.tv. Follow us @FITETV on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. If it Happens, it's on FITE.

Tommy Castle, credited with taking the Scott County High School wrestling program from the ground up a decade ago -- turning it into a major force within the state of Kentucky -- died last week after a long illness. He was 59. Tommy CastleA native of Lexington, Ky., Castle began crafting a successful mat career in the heart of Bluegrass, having wrestled on the 1977 KHSAA team and as a 1978 individual state champ at Woodford County High School. Although he spent much of his time as a wrestler and coach in Kentucky, Castle wrestled his collegiate career at Indiana University, under legendary Hoosier head coach (and 1960 Olympic gold-medal-winning wrestler) Doug Blubaugh, who prior to wrestling at the Rome Games, had earned NCAA honors at Oklahoma State. When hired as head coach at Scott County High in 2011, Scott told the News-Graphic -- the local newspaper serving that region -- that his own character was a reflection of his coach at Indiana U., Blubaugh. That same newspaper included powerful quotes from some of Scott's own wrestlers. "One of the greatest honors of my life has been the opportunity to have been coached by this man," wrote Nick Lolli. "The lessons he taught transcend the wrestling mat and have truly made an impact on everyone he's ever coached. Not only was he a good coach, he was an even better man." Another accomplished Cardinal grappler, Lucas Harrison, wrote, "God gained one of the greatest men I've ever known." Tommy Castle is survived by his wife Ellie, their four children, and one granddaughter. Funeral services will be private. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests Memorial Contributions be made to Scott County Wrestling Boosters C/O Allan Bryan, 143 Anne Jennings Way, Georgetown, KY 40324. A 501c3 charitable organization.

Lizette Rodriguez rides Brianna Gonzalez in a girls state championship match in California (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) When Afsoon Roshanzamir joined her high school wrestling team in the late 1980s, more than 100 people showed up for the first practice. But she was the only girl. The days of girls having to wrestle boys are finally starting to come to an end. Florida and South Dakota recently joined the growing list of states to sanction girls' wrestling. And that's music to the ears of Joan Fulp and Andrea Yamamoto. They serve as co-chairs for USA Wrestling's Girls High School Development Committee. Joan Fulp with daughters Sara Fulp-Allen and Katherine Shai (Photo/Larry Slater) "We're up to 25 states now," Fulp said. "We're halfway there, but we still have work to do. We're not going to stop until girls have an opportunity to wrestle in every state." After decades of struggling for acceptance and equality in the sport, girls are starting to receive the same types of opportunities to compete in the spotlight as the boys. Sixteen states, not yet sanctioned, held girls-only state tournaments in 2020. Those are still prestigious events as they are sponsored by officials and coaches' associations in their respective states. The decision to add female state wrestling tournaments have contributed to the number of female participants skyrocketing in recent years at the prep level. In the 2018-19 school year, participation for female wrestling increased 27.5 percent at the high school level. There were 21,124 girls who wrestled for high school teams last season. Two states that are on the verge of sanctioning girls' wrestling at the prep level are Iowa and Nebraska. The number of participants at the Iowa girls' state tournament increased from 87 in 2019 to 350 this year. The first two state tournaments were organized by the Iowa Wrestling Coaches and Officials Association. Charlotte Bailey, Iowa's women's director for USA Wrestling, said the girls' state meet is scheduled to move to a bigger venue in 2021. The first two state meets were held at Waverly-Shell Rock High School. "Our numbers are really growing, and we've experienced a big jump in the interest level for girls," Bailey said. "We are definitely moving closer to gaining sanctioning from the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union. We have gained momentum and we have over 500 high school girls wrestling in Iowa right now. We still have a way to go, and we need to keep building." Nebraska looked to be on the verge of sanctioning girls' wrestling after falling short by just one vote in 2019. Female wrestling was recently approved as an emerging sport, but it fell three votes short of sanctioning in Nebraska in 2020. Tahner Thiem, who has coached David City High School's boys to three Class C state titles in Nebraska, is a big proponent of girls' wrestling. "I think eventually we will have it as a sanctioned sport in Nebraska," he said. "I think there will be a mat or two down at the state tournament right alongside the boys. We tell people to get your tickets early now. But I'll tell you what, if you put a couple of mats and have a girls state championship going on at the same time, I think that event center will sell out even more than it does now." Thiem said adding female wrestling makes perfect sense to him. "I think it's going to happen in our state," he said. "At some point, 15 or 20 years from now, people are going to think it was foolish it was this hard to pass. The reason I'm behind it, sports are good for kids, extracurricular activities are good for kids and being a part of a team is awesome. Why are we not giving these girls an opportunity to compete?" Fulp and Yamamoto have traveled around the country while encouraging states to sanction girls' wrestling. Yamamoto was a member of five U.S. World Teams in women's freestyle wrestling in the 1990s. Fulp's husband, Lee Allen, was a two-time Olympian and their daughters, Sara and Katherine, wrestled on the U.S. National Team. Fulp said just six states sanctioned girls' wrestling when she and Yamamoto started the USA Wrestling committee in 2016. That number has now more than quadrupled. "We educate people on female wrestling - and we give them data and information," Fulp said. "We've reached out to someone in every state. We talk to administrators, athletic directors, coaches and anyone who will listen." Afsoon RoshanzamirYamamota said once states sanction girls' wrestling, the numbers of participants typically jumps. And leads to girls having opportunities to win championships at the state level. "It's incredible when we hear success stories like that - it's so gratifying to hear," Yamamoto said. "There has been a shift in the narrative where girls' wrestlers are being taken more seriously now. It was a long process of changing people's minds about female wrestling. We eventually opened their eyes to the idea that not only can girls do this, but they should do this. The girls deserve their own state championship, just like the boys have." And for pioneers of the sport like Afsoon Roshanzamir, the first U.S. women's world medalist who was an Olympic coach in 2016, that is great to see. "Women's wrestling has come so far and I'm proud to be part of it," she said. "I'm honored to have helped pave the way for women to have these kinds of opportunities. They deserve it." Craig Sesker has written about wrestling for more than three decades. He's covered three Olympic Games and is a two-time national wrestling writer of the year.

JaMarr Billman Less than two weeks ago -- May 29 -- JaMarr Billman learned he would no longer serve as head wrestling coach at Easton Area School District. Now Billman, who was once a successful wrestler for the Easton Rovers who later served as head coach for the storied prep program for four seasons, has filed a lawsuit against his high school alma mater which, until early this month, had been his employer. Billman, who resides in nearby Allentown also in northeast Pennsylvania, says he "was subjected to a barrage of racist and discriminatory conduct," during his four-year tenure as a coach, according to LehighValleyLive.com. Billman seeks back pay, front pay, punitive damages, compensatory damages and attorney fees in the lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of the United States. District Superintendent David Piperato said the district hasn't been served with the lawsuit yet. "We look forward to reviewing the claim with our counsel and vigorously defending the district against any and all accusations of racism," he said Wednesday. Piperato issued a statement Tuesday after Billman's rally saying Billman wasn't technically fired. He wasn't invited back when his contract lapsed but can apply for the vacant position if he wants to. Billman's last day at work was May 29, the lawsuit says. Piperato blamed the coaching decision on "numerous problems including rules compliance, overall management of the program and general leadership," not racial animus against Billman. By contrast, Billman claimed that he had an adversarial relationship with athletic director James Pokrivsak who "proudly identified himself as a racist," according to the lawsuit. Billman blamed Pokrivsak for blocking a raise and preventing him from getting equipment he requested. As the York Dispatch reported June 7, this is not the first time "the controversy has found the Easton Area School District for a second time in two years regarding wrestling coach JaMarr Billman." A number of individuals came to a protest last Friday to consider action concerning Billman's firing...including some members of the Easton wrestling program who are supportive of Billman. "We're all lost dogs now," rising junior Braxton Appello, one of three Easton state medalists in 2020 under Billman, said. "We don't have our leader anymore. In every aspect I'm better now than I was two years ago thanks to [Billman]. The girls love him. Many of us love him." JaMarr Billman offered his unique perspective on the situation in an exclusive interview with The Morning Call, the Allentown community newspaper: "As a minority coach, I experienced pains and hurdles by the athletic department and administration that no other coach faced," Billman said. "I thought in 2018 that Easton could not discriminate against me, as I was an alumni and former student-athlete. "In 2020, I truly believe that I was discriminated [against] due to the color of my skin." Easton wrestling has a long legacy of success. The Rovers rank second all-time in Pennsylvania with 968 victories ... while, in his four years as coach at his alma mater, compiled a 42-26 record.

Johnny Sebastian takes a shot on Minnesota's Owen Webster (Photo/David Peterson) Johnny Sebastian has been added to the Wisconsin RTC staff. He will be joining the WRTC in the roll of assistant coach, where he will help the RTC in many ways. "Johnny brings so many assets to the table in terms of wrestling, education and leadership," said Wisconsin head wrestling coach Chris Bono. After finishing his sixth year of NCAA eligibility, Sebastian knew that he still had the passion and drive to stay involved with wrestling in Wisconsin. "It's an exciting time to be affiliated with wrestling in Wisconsin and I am grateful for the opportunity to be joining the Wisconsin RTC staff in effort to continue building the program," said Sebastian. Sean Smalley, Executive Director of the WRTC, said, "It is perfect timing. Johnny is finishing up his third Master's degree this July and will be able to immediately apply his education towards the goals of growing the RTC." Before transferring for his sixth year of eligibility, Sebastian finished his Bachelor's degree in Business and Organizational Policy in 2018 and followed that up with a Master's degree in Business in 2019 from Northwestern. In addition to assisting Ben Askren, with the day to day workouts, Sebastian will focus on helping fundraise for the RTC. Sebastian said, "I look forward to utilizing my experiences within education and athletics to generate and raise money for the Regional Training Center. I also look forward to maintaining and creating new relationships with donors, recruiting post-grad athletes to come train and growing the RTC!"

Korbin Myers wrestling Pitt's Micky Phillippi (Photo/Virginia Tech Athletics) BLACKSBURG -- After missing the entirety of the 2019-20 season due to injury, Virginia Tech wrestling's Korbin Myers has been granted a medical redshirt for the lost year and will be eligible to wrestle this upcoming season. Myers, a three-time qualifier for the NCAA Championships, will return to the Hokies for the 2020-21 season. The 133-pounder adds to the team's depth at the lower weight classes which already includes last season's 133-pound starter Collin Gerardi, 125-pound starter Joey Prata and redshirt freshman Sam Latona. A transfer from Edinboro, Myers qualified for the 2019 NCAA Championships after placing third at the 2019 ACC Championships. He went 20-10 in his first season in maroon and orange and earned ACC Wrestler of the Week honors in January of 2019. Prior to Tech, Myers was a two-time NCAA qualifier and EWL Champion at Edinboro. He came to Blacksburg after going 74-34 with the Fighting Scots.

Mark Hall (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) The Pennsylvania Regional Training Center (PRTC) is thrilled to announce that Mark Hall II will join the program as a resident athlete to continue his freestyle wrestling career. Mark took the time to make a personal statement to express his feelings on his decision to join the PRTC upon his graduation from Penn State University. Mark Hall Statement on Joining the PRTC: "On November 11th, 2015, at only 18 years old, I made the biggest decision of my wrestling career. It was that day that I made a commitment to sign with Pennsylvania State University and become a Nittany Lion. Since making that decision, I have not regretted a second at Penn State. Being a part of this Blue & White family has been an absolute dream come true. For four years I pursued my goal of being the best wrestler I could be on the best team in the country. Three Team Titles and an individual NCAA Championship later, I can say I did just that. I am and will always be proud to be a Nittany Lion. My last four years wearing that bold white stripe across my waist was nothing short of iconic. As the saying goes, nobody loves Penn State like Penn State loves Penn State. Throughout my life, I have moved around the country to find the best living and training environment to grow as a competitor, and to be a part of something great. From Apple Valley to Happy Valley, I have always been a "team first" kind of man. And I know my next stop will be no different. 2020 has been difficult to say the least. Countless seniors watched helplessly as their folkstyle careers came to an abrupt end. My head has been in so many places, but my heart is still in wrestling. I've decided to continue my freestyle career, but in a new home. I will be joining the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center in Philadelphia in January of 2021. I am committed to giving my 100% effort and attitude as the newest member of the PRTC. Their vision for their athletes reaches far beyond wrestling, and I believe the PRTC will put me in position to be the best wrestler in the world, and continue my quest to be a champion on and off the mat. Faith Over Fear, Mark Hall II" Mark's wrestling honors and accomplishments are numerous. During his career at Penn State, he was a three-time NCAA Finalist, an NCAA Champion in 2017, and helped the Nittany Lions win three NCAA Team Titles. He is also a four-time Big Ten finalist, a three-time Big Ten Champion, and a three-time Southern Scuffle Champion. He finished his collegiate career with 122 wins, 42 pins, and 74 bonus point wins. Mark was favored to win another NCAA Championship his senior season until the NCAA Tournament was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic. Internationally, Mark is a Cadet and a two-time Junior World Freestyle Champion and he reached the quarterfinals of the 2016 Olympic Team Trials as a high school senior. While in high school, he won six Minnesota State High School Championships and helped guide his team to six straight team titles. "I first got to know Mark when his father trusted us to train and mentor him during his high school summers at the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, Colorado. I had the privilege to coach Mark as the USAW Development Coach during his 2014 Cadet and 2016 Junior World Titles. As one of the most experienced and savvy wrestlers in the country, Mark expects to be the best, but more importantly, he hungers for wisdom and brings a positive, faith-based attitude to our team. He deeply represents our core values and further enhances our commitment to enrich lives locally and globally through the sport of wrestling," said Brandon Slay, executive director and head coach of the PRTC. Mark will train with current PRTC athletes Mauro Correnti, Ben Honis, Ethan Lizak, David McFadden, Joey McKenna, Richard Perry, Dan Vallimont as well as wrestlers from the rapidly rising programs at Penn and Drexel. At the PRTC, our mission is to enrich lives locally and globally through the sport of wrestling, and we do this by living out our core values of Faith over fear, Full effort, Struggle well, and Serve others.

For now much of the wrestling world has stopped. The padded walls of small workout rooms around the nation remain mostly dormant. But where once our time was spent toiling for takedowns, turns, and falls we've since replaced with the activation of our community's civic responsibility. The wrestling community is filled with powerful and effective leaders. But only this week have many in the community seen, heard, and read the stories of turmoil and aspirations from members of our black leadership class. Theirs is a voice the community had long needed to hear. Whether through Victoria Anthony, Kyven Gadson or Jordan Burroughs, the black experience and insight is finally being given respect and the wrestling community is better served by experiencing these glimpses. That people of color are feeling comfortable to express their viewpoints without fear of pushback in a largely white, conservative community means this moment has heft. There is significance to what is happening here, and there is a real opportunity for a more inclusive future -- one that recognizes and corrects the mistakes of the past. Let's all continue to support members our wrestling community this week, next week, and next year. We have the strength to make compassion a habit and no excuses to sit this out. To your questions … Q: What did you think of Seth Gross, Anthony Ashnault and Jason Nolf ending their sponsorship deals with ScrapLife? -- Mike C. Foley: Last Friday, ScrapLife executive Don Beshada posted an indefensible screed about race, activism, and other topics on the brand's official social media account. The post was quickly deleted but not before being screen captured and shared widely in the wrestling community. Beshada was fired, ScrapLife is attempting to push him out of his partnership, and the wrestling community reacted strongly to the language. What's so interesting to me is that it took the confluence of events for our community to directly address the racism and illiberalism in the community. Even last week I mentioned that our community had a history of saying angry, racist things but that it often progressed without being called out. Like clockwork, Beshada's post brought out the necessary conversation. I don't know if the conversation will continue with as much passion, but I'm hopeful that there are changes in the leadership structure of many leading clubs, teams, and brands. Representation matters because it helps inform those who otherwise may resist change, or growth. Also, to ensure the betterment of our society it's essential to have black voices in the room to instruct on how to reach new athletes and markets. As for the individual wrestlers, I commend their decisions and statements. Money is tight in wrestling and with COVID-19 I think that these wrestlers will miss the extra income. In that one way I wish this incident hadn't happened, or better said I wish these wrestlers had been associated with better leadership from the jump. This is a time of reflection for us all and action for some. These wrestlers didn't hesitate in acting, which I think shows courage and leadership. Kerry McCoy (Maryland Athletics) Q: What are your thoughts on Kerry McCoy returning to Stanford to coach the RTC? -- Mike C. Foley: Kery McCoy -- former head wrestling coach at Stanford and the University of Maryland -- is an excellent club hire for Stanford. McCoy is known as a good mat coach and has extensive connections with high school and club coaches around the country. He is a selling point for the Cardinal program and is another indication that Coach Borrelli is on his way to creating a West Coast contender. Stanford has advantages, largely that of affluence and alumni structure, but also faces challenges such as admissions standards and lack of quality competition nearby. To have someone like McCoy help you navigate the myriad issues a college program can face will mean a lot to Borrelli and further increase his growth and improve relationships with the alumni, staff, and his wrestlers. Congrats to Coach McCoy and the Stanford wrestling program. Multimedia Halftime Give it a once-over: Bad Blood: Dake vs Burroughs On Reparations (MUST WATCH) Link: NASCAR Boots the Flag of a Traitor Nation Q: I saw an advertisement for a youth wrestling tournament called Youth Crush COVID. Any idea if it's still on? And what are your thoughts on a wrestling tournament taking place right now? -- Mike C. Foley: Not intelligent. What is the purpose in creating a wrestling tournament to combat COVID-19 when you're likely creating a situation in which the athletes are then at greater risk of catching the illness? I see no good outcomes in a multi-day wrestling event in the middle of pandemic. Even the guidelines in place are horribly insufficient and toothless. There were plenty of "recommendations" and very few hard rules. One example is spectators over 60 are encouraged not to attend. Encouraged. Face masks are not required, merely suggested. Those over 99.9 will need "further" evaluation. And they "ask" that anyone with cough, sore throat, or runny nose not wrestle or attend. This is not the opening event that will make the sport look good. There are only bad outcomes and it's disappointing that so many people in states yet-to-be-effected by COVID-19 somehow think that the disease has been vanquished. This week was the single highest week for new infections in several states and around the world. There are epidemiologists suggesting that another 100,000 people will die by September. Truly a terrible idea. Q: When do you think we will know for sure whether there will be a college wrestling season in 2020-21? -- Mike C. Foley: First, a delay to the start of the season is almost certain, with Jan. 15 or so a target date set by the NWCA and their constituents. Should that be decided as the start date then it's also highly likely that the St. Louis location and date will remain unchanged. That leaves the wrestling community with something like an eight-week season, which would consist largely of regional travel, only dual meets, and a controlled conference tournament. When will it be decided if that goes forward? I think the opposite question is most likely the case: When will the season most likely be canceled (or when is it most at-risk of cancellation)? The best guess there would be during the end of the football season, or as late as December. Schools will be trying to figure out in real time what plans they can make past football, and right now that is only to decide what they can achieve in basketball. The other consideration is that not all schools will participate. Some will have COVID-19 outbreaks and need to cease their season, while others will be forced to close due to local governmental restrictions brought on by bad outbreaks in certain locations. Finally, there is the possibility that the NCAA forgoes the risk altogether and cancels all the seasons -- a highly unlikely outcome but one to consider. I'm hopeful, but also extremely cautious in voicing that optimism.

USA Wrestling has updated its "Return to the Mat Guidelines" document, which are guidelines and recommendations for the wrestling community as it makes decisions on a local level regarding when and how to safely resume wrestling activity. Link: Updated USA Wrestling Return to the Mat Guidelines The reason for the update is to make the guidelines better align with the ways that state and local governments and public health departments are implementing their requirements concerning the COVID-19 pandemic. The changes appear in the Phase 3 portion of the document (pages 10-14), a period when public health authorities allow small group activities. The changes in Phase 3 reflect the fact that some states are allowing facilities to open, but with restrictions regarding the number of participants. The first version of this document only covered the situation of small group activities when facilities are closed. In addition, the Phase 3 guidelines recommend that in regard to direct or indirect contact between athletes, coaching activities and inside/outside training, that local and state requirements are followed. In this updated document, there could be some coaching activities, as well as direct or indirect contact between athletes, during Phase 3 if state and local requirements do not restrict it. One other change is in the Summary Chart on page 22, reflecting that Phase 3 includes a period when facilities may be either open or closed. The chart also reflects that state and local requirements should be followed concerning decisions regarding coaching, inside/outside training and contact level. USA Wrestling received requests for clarification regarding the application of Phase 3 guidelines in certain local situations, and the changes are designed to provide additional clarity. The original document was posted by USA Wrestling on May 14. The updated document is being released on June 11. As USA Wrestling has suggested since the pandemic began, all individuals should keep themselves updated with the most recent information from their state and local public health department, and follow those local regulations. Club leaders, coaches, parents and individuals must make their own assessments as to the safety of their situations in conjunction with this document. As noted when the guidelines were originally posted, USA Wrestling expects the document may be revised as the pandemic progresses and new or updated information becomes available. The wrestling community is asked to review this document from time to time to assess the guidelines and recommendations

Tanner Hall wrestling in the semifinals of the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) SAN FRANCISCO -- Tanner Hall is a 2019-20 Pac-12 Tom Hansen Medal award winner from Arizona State, as announced by the conference on Thursday. The honor is given annually to an outstanding senior male and female student-athlete from each of the conference's 12 institutions for "the greatest combination of performance and achievement in scholarship, athletics, and leadership." Hall becomes the sixth Sun Devil wrestler in program history to receive the conference honor and the first since Anthony Robles in 2011. Named the Pac-12's 2020 Scholar-Athlete of the Year in wrestling and a member of ASU's Barrett, The Honors College, Hall completed both his undergraduate (2019/3.60 GPA) and master's (2020/3.60 GPA) degrees in electrical engineering. He was also a two-time NWCA All-Academic selection and a 2020 NWCA Scholar All-American in addition to twice being named to the Pac-12 All-Academic First Team and the 2020 Pac-12 Winter Honor Roll. The graduate senior from Meridian, Idaho, was an important cog to the Sun Devils success since stepping foot on campus back in 2015. He compiled more than 100 wins in an ASU singlet and won a pair of Pac-12 titles at heavyweight. He notched his first All-American honor at the 2017 NCAA Championships with a third-place finish. In April, Hall became the first ASU heavyweight wrestler to clinch two All-American awards since Cain Velasquez (2005, 2006). In 2020, Hall's title helped ASU garner its third Pac-12 title in four seasons while scoring the highest conference tournament point total (141.5) since 1993. Hall's contributions were integral in the team earning a 15-2 dual mark in 2002 (highest win total since 1989-90), including seven wins over Top 25 teams, punctuated by its upset of top-ranked Penn State. During his time at ASU, Hall participated in numerous Sun Devil Caravans and Sparky's Tours which included character presentations at elementary schools and participation in various service projects.

Garrett Berg A GoFundMe page has been set up for Garrett Berg, 17, a junior-class student/wrestler at Farmington High School who died Monday, June 8 while up on a cliff overlooking Lake Byllesby in Goodhue County in Minnesota. The GoFundMe page started by Austin Patterson and Owen Zahn was created June 9 to raise money for Berg's funeral costs. On the first day, over $17,000 was raised. According to multiple news reports, the Goodhoe County Sheriff's Office got a call at 5:25 p.m. that a teen had jumped off the cliffs at Lake Byllesby and hadn't surfaced. A second juvenile reportedly jumped immediately after Berg, landing on the wrestler. Berg never surfaced, the sheriff's office reported. The district said school counselors have made themselves available to the entire community though school is not in session. "He will be greatly missed by his teachers, classmates, teammates, and friends at Farmington High," the district said in a statement. "We encourage our families to reach out to school staff if they have a specific concern regarding their child or would like additional assistance in dealing with this tragic loss," the district said. "Our sincere and deep sympathies are with Garrett's family and friends during this very difficult time." Garrett Berg was an active, athletic young man. In addition to participating on the Farmington High School wrestling team, he was also a member of the school's baseball and football teams. He was also active in 4H for the past 11 years, including as a camp counselor for younger 4Hers. What's more, Garrett was a member of Messiah Lutheran Church LCMS his entire life, where he was baptised as an infant and completed confirmation as a true believer. Garrett Berg is survived by his parents Lori and Steve, his sister Hailey, grandmothers Florence Schafer and Ella Berg, and many aunts, uncles, and cousins. He was preceded in death by his cousin Joshua Schafer, and his grandfathers, Elmer Schafer and Dick Berg. A visitation is scheduled for 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday, June 12, at Messiah Lutheran Church in Lakeville, Minn. Funeral service details for Saturday, June 13 are pending. In lieu of flowers, memorials in honor of Garrett accepted.

Seth Gross (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) MADISON, Wis. -- Wisconsin head wrestling coach Chris Bono announced on Thursday that former Badger wrestler and NCAA champion Seth Gross would be joining his coaching staff for the 2020-21 season. "I am very excited to have Seth Gross on staff," said Bono. "He brings a wealth of wrestling knowledge and is well respected throughout the country. He is very familiar with Coach Reader and myself and loves Madison. He is the definition of hustle, effort, and attitude." Gross will begin his coaching career with the Badgers while still training for the 2021 Olympic games. "I am beyond grateful that I get kick of my coaching career at such an amazing university," Gross added. "Coaching is something I have always been passionate about and I am looking forward to helping our guys reach their goals both on and off the wrestling mat." Gross is very familiar with Bono and associate head coach Jon Reader. The duo recruited him to South Dakota State as a transfer in 2015. As a redshirt freshman, Gross went 27-13 and competed at the NCAA championship for the Jackrabbits. Moving onto his sophomore year, Gross was never ranked below seventh in the country at 133 pounds and earned a second-place finish at the 2017 NCAA Championships. Seth Gross Photo Gallery | Seth Gross: My Words In his junior season at South Dakota State, Gross was the top-ranked wrestler in his weight class for the entire season. He took his 29-1 record to the NCAA championship and claimed the 133-pound title over Michigan's Steven Micic. The following year, Bono and Reader left South Dakota State to take over the Wisconsin program while Gross wrestled one match before he was ruled out for the rest of the season with a back injury. Following back surgery, Gross was granted a sixth year of eligibility from the NCAA and transferred to Wisconsin. In his time in a Badger singlet, Gross earned Big Ten Wrestler of the Week honors after winning his weight class at the 2019 Midlands Championship and earning Outstanding Wrestler of the Tournament in December. Gross never fell below second in the national rankings at 133 pounds with key victories over Penn State's Roman Bravo-Young, Northwestern's Sebastian Rivera, and two victories over Iowa's Austin DeSanto. Gross finished his collegiate wrestling career with a third-place finish at the 2020 Big Ten Championship and qualified for the NCAA championship, which were not held due to COVID19. In freestyle wrestling, Gross won the Bill Farrell Open in November, earning him an automatic spot at the USA Olympic Team Trials and USA Wrestling's Wrestler of the Week honors. Gross will look to compete for a spot on Team USA's 2021 Olympic wrestling team at 57 kilograms.

"Guess what?! I'm goin' to state!" Raising Cane's River CenterFor a high school wrestler, there are no more exciting words to say! Just as long as you know where your state tournament is being held this year. And in 2021, two state wrestling championships will be held in Louisiana, and in West Virginia.in locations with names you might not recognize This week, both the LHSAA (Louisiana High School Athletic Association) and the WVSSAC (West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission) announced new names for the homes for their respective state wrestling championships. Louisiana The Louisiana High School Athletic Association approved a measure that will move the state meet to the Raising Cane's River Center in Baton Rouge after a five-year run at the CenturyLink Center in Bossier City. The move puts the meet in closer proximity to the Interstate 10 corridor cities of New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Lafayette and their surrounding areas, home to many of Louisiana's most successful high school mat programs. West Virginia The West Virginia high school wrestling state tournament is staying in Huntington through at least 2024, according to an announcement from the West Virginia Secondary School Activities Commission. The 2020-21 West Virginia state wrestling championships is scheduled to take place March 4-6 at Mountain Health Arena in Huntington.

Stipe Miocic and Daniel Cormier have met each other in the Octagon twice ... splitting the difference. Daniel Cormier and Stipe MiocicNow the two former college wrestlers might just settle things for a third and final time this summer at UFC 252 on August 15, 2020 ... at a location to be determined. UFC President Dana White announced the fight on ESPN's first take on Tuesday. Miocic and Cormier have split their first two fights. In their first meeting in the Octagon in 2018 -- at UFC 226 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas on July 7, 2018 -- Cormier came out with the victory and the UFC heavyweight title -- with an opening-round knockout at 4:31 of the first round. In 2019, Miocic avenged his initial loss to Cormier a year earlier with a fourth-round TKO in their second title bout at UFC 241 on August 17, 2019 in Anaheim, California. Miocic has put his heavyweight belt up for contention in a third meeting with Cormier in mid-August in what Cormier claims will be his final fight in his long and successful MMA career. Miocic, 39, brings a 19-3 pro MMA record; Cormier, 41, is 22-2 overall in his pro MMA career. Stipe Miocic was born in August 1982 in Euclid, Ohio in suburban Cleveland. A product of Lafayette, Louisiana, Daniel Cormier was born March 20, 1979. Both Miocic and Cormier bring amateur wrestling backgrounds -- and strong professional MMA records -- to what is expected to be their third and final meeting in the Octagon. Miocic is ranked No. 3 in UFC for pound-for-pound competitor ... while Cormier is No. 5 in the same UFC ranking. Miocic, participated in a number of sports early in his life, including Golden Gloves boxing, and as a wrestler at Eastlake High School outside Cleveland. He also wrestled at Cleveland State University, an NCAA Division I school. Wrestling at Northside High School, Cormier, won three Louisiana state championships. He then headed north to Kansas to study at Colby Community College, where he was a two-time junior college national champion at 197 pounds, in 1998 and 1999, earning a perfect 61-0 record. Cormier then transferred to NCAA Division I Oklahoma State University, where earned NCAA All-American honors, placing second at 184 pounds (losing to Iowa State's Cael Sanderson, earning his fourth title.) Cormier then moved onto freestyle competition, winning a national title each year from 2003-2008, and representing Team USA in world competition each of those years. He was a member of the men's US freestyle team for the 2008 Olympics but was pulled from competition due to kidney issues. The Miocic-Cormier 3/UFC 252 event for August 15 is expected to feature additional matches to be announced in the next two months.

Competitive opportunities just became brighter for young women wrestlers in the Sunshine State, as the board of directors of the Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) voted to officially sanction girls wrestling as a state championship sport on Tuesday. The vote was unanimous: 13-0. While the move towards sanctioned girls wrestling in Florida seemed to move at lightning speed (first proposed by the FHSAA in late April this year), some student-athletes hoping to be able to wrestle in Florida's first fully-sanctioned girls state championship next spring in 2021, the FHSAA answered concerns from some schools who had already set their budgets for girls' wrestling programs for the next school year, so the executive board approved as one to have the first girls' wrestling season to take place during the 2021-2022 school year. It appeared to be a winning schedule for high school girl wrestlers throughout Florida, whether at brand-new girls-only wrestling programs, or for schools still in the process of setting up new girls-only programs right now, so, in the meantime will have girls compete on existing boys teams. "For the almost 800 girls and 100 plus schools that are already doing this, they are already prepared and they'll do what they have to do, even if they have to wrestle with boys for one more year, they are down to do that." Tallahassee Lincoln wrestling coach Mike Crowder told the Orlando Sentinel. "I assume our numbers will grow astronomically, even this year." To back up Coach Crowder's sentiment ... girls wrestling continues to grow exponentially in recent years, with no signs of letting up. As recently as the beginning of 2018, six states had six separate state championships: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas, and Washington State. Two-and-a-half-years later, Florida just became the 24th state to fully sanction girls championship wrestling. That means nearly half of all states will now have girls wrestling.

Cody Garbrandt Another weekend, and another successful UFC event. After a significant hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is officially cranking again. As the sporting world at large remains quiet, the world's biggest MMA promotion seems to be finding its footing in terms of holding events in a post-COVID-19 world. This past weekend's UFC 250 pay-per view featured quite a few wrestlers up and down the card. Several of them with impressive resumes. To my knowledge, of the 24 featured fighters on the billing, eight of them wrestled successfully at the high school level or beyond. Of those eight wrestlers, seven were victorious on Saturday night. Here's what we learned about these former matmen. Cody Garbrandt What we learned: After suffering three very rough losses in a row, not only is the former bantamweight champion back, but likely a better, more dangerous fighter than ever before. The former Ohio high school state champ wrestler (two-time state finalist) who also won a freestyle state title and placed fifth at NHSCA Senior Nationals, is at least as explosive as ever, but is now demonstrating a whole new layer to his skill set. A mainstay of Urijah Faber's Team Alpha Male in Sacramento, California, Cody "No Love" trained for this most recent fight in New Jersey. Having guys like Frankie Edgar, boxing coach Mark Henry, BJJ coach Ricardo Almeida, and the rest of the Jersey guys at his disposal, Garbrandt became a better fighter in a single training camp. Saturday night against the very savvy, very tough Raphael Assuncao, Garbrandt eschewed his usual raging bull style and implemented a much more complete, much more composed attack. Instead of storming out of the gate ultra-aggressive and highly emotional with a boxing-based offense, he took his time, established range with some very slick low kicks, and let the fight unfold organically. Even when stung by Assuncao's punches, Garbrandt stuck to the script. If Garbrandt can build on this win, he may very well find his way back to the top. With his extreme strength, blinding speed, fantastic striking, and incredible wrestling that we have still seen very little of, things are looking up for Cody Garbrandt. Aljamain Sterling What we learned: The "Funk Master" Aljamain Sterling is absolutely on fire! Now nine years into his pro MMA career, after a few setbacks, the wrestler from Long Island has now entered his combative prime. A dedicated high school wrestler, Sterling pursued success on the mats vigorously. And though a New York state championship eluded him, he did manage a bronze and a silver medal at the 2007 and the 2008 Empire State Games in Greco-Roman wrestling. Sterling wrestled collegiately at the Division III level, ultimately finding success and All-America honors at SUNY Courtland by way of notching fourth and sixth-place finishes in his final two years of college. As a fighter, Sterling has used his wrestling skills magnificently. Not only can he score takedowns almost at will, his funky style blends seamlessly with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling. This was on full display Saturday night, as a confident, determined Sterling completely outclassed his top-five ranked opponent, choking him out inside of two minutes. It was a performance that all but assured the Team Serra-Longo representative next crack at the UFC bantamweight title. Well done, Aljamain! Devin Clark What we learned: Man! Devin Clark is a grinder. A true fighter's fighter. In his 10th UFC fight, Clark pushed through and leveled up as an MMA fighter. Possessing a wrestling resume that includes first and second-place finishes in the South Dakota Class A state tournament, and a junior college national title, Clark no doubt leaned on lessons and skills forged in the wrestling room to carry him through an absolute dogfight on Saturday night. Despite the fact that Clark only successfully converted 1 of 9 takedown attempts and spent much of the fight pressed up against the cage, I still count this fight in the win column for wrestling in mixed martial arts. Clark won on Saturday by way of being the immovable object to opponent Alonzo Menifield's irresistible force. Hit by strikes that surely would've separated most men from their consciousness, Clark may have had takedown attempts stuffed, and he lost some positional clinch battles, but the heart, focus, strategy, fearlessness, and unwavering conditioning of a wrestler carried him to victory and he found ways to make lemons into lemonade. It was his sustained shot attempts more than any one takedown that helped win him the fight. And as he found himself being pressed against the cage, it was his subtle clinch offense consisting of nifty low kicks, knees to the body, and big punches on the break that drained his formidable foe. Clark expressed disappointment in this performance after the fight, but I expect it will give him the confidence and seasoning needed to take things to the next level. Ian Heinisch What we learned: Athletic, big for the weight, energetic, and powerful, Ian Heinisch is dangerous. He may not be the most technical or the smoothest operator in the cage, but the Colorado native has an abundance of physical tools at his disposal and he has the guts to let them fly. Unfazed by a two-fight losing streak going into Saturday (another useful quality), Heinisch headed to Thailand for training camp and emerged with his confidence and his skill solidified. He looked great out there against a more experienced, more polished opponent on Saturday night. Heinisch got Gerald Meerschaert's attention early with some painfully effective low kicks, and then, after dropping levels and faking the shot, he finished him off with a BIG overhand right and follow-up ground-and-pound. Heinisch was a three-time state finalist, two-time champ for Ponderosa High School in Colorado, also becoming a two-time Fargo All-American on the Greco side before briefly wrestling for North Idaho College. It was a very solid performance from the former wrestler. Alex Perez What we learned: This California native may be a wrestler, but the dude sure can crack. Perez once qualified for the California high school state tournament before becoming a placewinner at the California Junior College State Championships -- a very tough tournament that has spawned a ton of top MMA fighters. After college, Perez briefly wrestled in the Olympic styles for Mexico before focusing solely on MMA. Perez is now 6-1 in the UFC and looking fantastic. The man he defeated Saturday was once the top ranked flyweight fighter in all of MMA. Cody Stamann What we learned: Major props to Stamann. The Michigan high school wrestler who then wrestled for the same Grand Valley State wrestling program that produced UFC studs Tony Fergsuon and Kevin Lee, fought and won on Saturday night despite his brother passing away just a couple weeks ago. In doing so he defeated a very game veteran and improved his UFC record to 5-1-1. Herbert Burns What we learned: Brother of UFC welterweight contender Gilbert Burns, Herbert continues to impress as he fights nothing but dangerous veterans. A BJJ fighter who fell in love with wrestling while training in Singapore under U.S. Olympian Heath Sims, Burns won Singapore's 74-kilo freestyle national title under Sims. Now fighting out of Florida, largely under NCAA legend Greg Jones, the Brazilian prospect ran through UFC veteran Evan Dunham like a hot knife runs through butter.

Mike Roumph (Photo/CSU-Pueblo Athletics) Mike Roumph, assistant wrestling coach for the past dozen seasons at Colorado State University-Pueblo was killed late Friday in a rafting accident in Fremont County in Colorado. Roumph was 53. Sheriff deputies told KKTV that Roumph was rafting on the Royal Gorge portion of the Arkansas River when he flipped out of his raft and landed on rocks. Narrows Rapid in the Royal Gorge section of the Arkansas River about 5 miles west of Canon City. The rapid is a class IV to V rapid, which is considered very difficult to extremely difficult, and the river was running at 2,780 cubic feet per second at the time of the accident. According to Fremont County Sheriff Allen Cooper, Roumph was on a private raft with friends when the raft hit a river hydraulic known as a hole and threw him from the raft. Roumph, who was wearing both a personal flotation device and a helmet, fell into the water and was pulled from the river downstream. Rescuers started CPR on-site and Roumph was transported by emergency medical service personnel to the hospital where efforts to revive him were unsuccessful. Fremont County Coroner Randy Keller said Roumph was taken for autopsy Monday and his cause of death is listed as accidental drowning. Mike Roumph (Photo/CSU-Pueblo Athletics) Authorities have not released any other details about Roumph's death at this time. Roumph's primary duties as assistant coach was to mentor wrestlers within the upper weight classes at CSU-Pueblo, helping to develop one NCAA champion and eight All-Americans during his 12 years on staff. In addition, Roumph ran a business completely separate from his work as a wrestling coach at CSUB-Pueblo. In fact, he was described as a longtime assistant wrestling coach as well as "an influential Pueblo businessman." Mike Roumph (Photo/CSU Pueblo Athletics) Roumph also combined his love of coaching and knowledge of financial management. As vice president and co-founder of Friends of Football, a non-profit organization with a mission to enhance the athletic programs at CSU-Pueblo and in Southern Colorado, he helped raise nearly $14 million to restart football, wrestling and women's track and field in 2008 and the construction of the the Neta and Eddie DeRose ThunderBowl, considered one of the top Division II football and track facilities in the country, according to the CSU-Pueblo website. Dr. Paul Plinske, CSU-Pueblo Director of Intercollegiate Athletics said, "Our entire Department stands in utter shock and sadness over the sudden and untimely passing of Mike. He lived life to the fullest and gave us all so much. This loss impacts more than wrestling. Mike was a supporter of all things Pack Athletics. He was a special person who touched many lives and will be greatly missed." ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ADDED 6/10/20 Mike Roumph leaves behind his children Connor, Max, Chayse Roumph, and his stepson Josh Moser. As well as his brother Eric Roumph (Aimee), sister Diane Roumph both from Denver. As well as his mother Judy Roumph of Sterling, Colo. He is also survived by his granddaughter Remi Moser, nephews Alec, Sam and Austin and nieces Olivia, and Tessa. In lieu of flowers and gifts, contributions may be made to: Friends of Football CSUP Wrestling Fund 504 Grand Ave Pueblo, CO 81003 No memorial service has been scheduled as of now. However, there is an option to send flowers or plant a memorial tree in Coach Roumph's honor. 855-329-5806; Davis Mortuary - Pueblo; 128 Broadway Avenue; Pueblo, CO 81004

Kerry McCoy (Photo/Maryland Athletics) Kerry McCoy has been named the next head coach and executive director of the California Regional Training Center at Stanford in Palo Alto. It's a homecoming of sorts for the 42-year-old McCoy, who served in his first head wrestling coach position for the Stanford Cardinal from 2005-08. McCoy then helmed the University of Maryland mat program from 2009-19 before announcing his departure from the Terrapins just before the end of the 2018-19 season. Upon being announced to head up the California RTC, McCoy told Andy Hamilton of Trackwrestling.com, "We want to be the premier place. When people think about success in wrestling, we want them to think about Palo Alto and the California Regional Training Center. That's the ultimate goal. We want to create Olympic and World champions at every level. That's my goal -- to have a successful organization that's going to win championships at a high level, but also build strong character and put our athletes and coaches, as we expand, on a path to be successful in life overall." "It's really a 360-degree, full-fledged commitment to excellence at all levels and I'm excited to get moving with it," McCoy continued. "We're going to build a strategic plan to not just have a couple good performances here and there but sustainable excellence over time." McCoy seeks to make that happen ... bringing an impressive and varied career as a coach and wrestler to this new position heading up the California RTC. He was a two-time NCAA heavyweight champ for Penn State, compiling a 150-18 mat record, winning three Big Ten conference crowns, and NCAA individual titles in 1994 and 1997. McCoy concluded his Nittany Lion mat career by receiving the 1997 Dan Hodge Trophy from WIN Magazine as the nation's top collegiate wrestler. After graduating from Penn State, McCoy joined the Nittany Lion coaching staff as an assistant, then was an assistant at Lehigh before taking the helm at Lehigh, then Maryland before retiring one year ago. McCoy also crafted a successful senior international mat career, including appearances at the back-to-back Olympics (fifth place in 2000 Olympics; seventh place at 2004 Games, both in freestyle) ... and a nine-time National Team member.

Twelve bouts. One hour, ten minutes of actual fight action. Five former wrestlers win their matches. Amanda Nunes holds onto her women's featherweight title (in a whole 'nother set of impressive stats). By all these measures, UFC 250 at UFC APEX held Saturday night in Las Vegas was an evening to remember. Nunes still champion In the end-of-the-evening main event, women's featherweight champ Amanda Nunes held onto her UFC title belt vs. Felicia Spencer via in a unanimous-decision, five-round top-of-the-card matchup, (50-44, 50-44, 50-45). By the numbers, there's more to Nunes' performance at UFC 250. Nunes became the first fighter in UFC history to record title defenses in two divisions while simultaneously holding multiple belts. Nunes' eight victories in UFC title fights are tied with Jose Aldo for third most in company history behind Jon Jones (14) and Anderson Silva (11). Nunes' eight victories in women's UFC title fights are most in company history. Nunes' 11-fight UFC winning streak is tied for second longest among active fighters in the company behind Khabib Nurmagomedov (12). What's more, Nunes' 11-fight UFC winning streak in women's competition is the longest in company history. A handful of ex-wrestlers as winners At least five former amateur wrestlers left the Octagon in Las Vegas in victory at UFC 250. Cody Garbrandt: In a bantamweight bout on the main card just prior to the championship Nunes vs. Spencer, Garbrandt faced off against Raphael Assuncao. Garbrandt-- who once wrestled at Claymont High School in eastern Ohio -- scored a second-round knockout over Assuncao at 4:59 in Rd. 2. Aljamain Sterling Aljamain Sterling: Another main-card bantamweight match featured yet another wrestler whose mat career spanned high school and college within the state of New York. Abjamain Sterling first took to wrestling in Uniondale High School, then continued on at Morrisville College before enrolling at Courtland -- SUNY (State University of New York) where he was a two-time NCAA Division II All-American. (It was at Courtland where Sterling really launched his MMA career, having worked out with Jon Jones.) In the first round, Sterling dragged Cory Sandhagen to the floor, putting him in a body triangle. Sandhagen struggled to survive. Sterling applied the triangle choke and Sandhagen struggled to stay awake ... but then tapped out just before passing out at 1:28 of Round 1. (Want to know more about how Abjamain Sterling's wrestling background has helped him find success in MMA? Click here to read this ESPN article.) Earlier in the evening -- in the preliminary set of bouts -- Ian Heinisch faced Gerald Meerschaert in a middleweight match. Prior to launching his pro MMA career, Heinisch wrestled the Rocky Mountain States. He started in Colorado, where he was a state champ and two-time Colorado state All-American. Heinisch then continued his mat career at North Idaho College. At UFC 250, Heinisch faced Meerschaert, knocking him to the floor. Heinisch followed, starting to unleash punches. Meerschaert tried to recover, but Heinisch was unrelenting with the strikes, and this fight was over at 1:14 of Round 1. Alex Perez brought his impressive wrestling resume into the Octagon in Las Vegas ... and demonstrated his dominance with a first-round TKO (leg kicks) in his flyweight bout vs Jussier Formiga. Perez wrestled collegiately at West Hills College, where he was a runner-up at the 2013 CCCAA State Wrestling Championships. And, among the heftiest former wrestlers in the Octagon was Devin Clark, competing at light-heavyweight. Clark brought a multi-dimensional combat sports skills set to his UFC 250 bout to his unanimous decision -- 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 -- vs. Alonzo Menifield. Clark started boxing as a kid, then took on wrestling in high school. Clark made it to the South Dakota State Finals match as a junior (placing second) and as a senior (winning the 189-pound title). Clark attended Minnesota's Rochester Community and Technical College where he was a two-time NJCAA All-American, winning a national title once. Results: Amanda Nunes (c) def. Felicia Spencer via unanimous decision (50-44, 50-44, 50-45) Cody Garbrandt def. Raphael Assuncao via second-round knockout (punch) Aljamain Sterling def. Cory Sandhagen via first-round submission (rear naked choke) Neil Magny def. Anthony Rocco Martin via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28) Sean O'Malley def. Eddie Wineland via first-round knockout (punch) Alex Caceres def. Chase Hooper via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Ian Heinisch def. Gerald Meerschaert via first-round TKO (punches) Cody Stamann def. Brian Kelleher via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27) Maki Pitolo def. Charles Byrd via second-round TKO (punches) Alex Perez def. Jussier Formiga via first-round TKO (leg kicks) Devin Clark def. Alonzo Menifield via unanimous decision (30-27, 29-28, 29-28) Herbert Burns def. Evan Dunham via first-round submission (rear-naked choke)

Willie Miklus rides Iowa's Jacob Warner (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) EAST LANSING, Mich. -- Michigan State wrestling head coach Roger Chandler announced the addition of Willie Miklus (Mick-luss) to the Spartans' coaching staff as an assistant coach. "Willie no doubt raises the level of this program in so many ways," Chandler said. "He brings a long line of competitive success from being a four-time NCAA All-American, along with being of a program that earned a trophy at the NCAA Championships, combined with his leadership of being a captain of not just two different programs, but two very successful, nationally competitive programs. We have very high goals as a program, and I know Willie's experiences will translate well here at Michigan State and take Spartan wrestling to the next level." Miklus comes to MSU from Iowa State, where he spent one season as a graduate assistant coach under head coach Kevin Dresser. "I am incredibly excited to be joining the Michigan State staff," Miklus said. "Being a coach has been my dream since I was 15. I think MSU has a great culture and an amazing amount of unity. I couldn't have picked a better place to begin my coaching career! I can't wait to meet the guys and get to work! Go Spartans!" Miklus was a four-time All-American, including three at Missouri (2014-18), before transferring to Iowa State (2018-19) for his senior season. He won the 2018 Mid-American Conference Championship at 197 pounds, finishing eighth at the NCAA Championships. Miklus was sixth at 184 pounds at the 2016 NCAA Championships, before missing a majority of 2016-17 season with an injury. He was also the 2015 MAC Freshman of the Year, before going on to finish seventh at 184 pounds at the NCAAs. While at Iowa State, Miklus won his 100th career match, coming at the Big 12 Championships, while also capturing his 50th career dual match during the season. Miklus finished his career with a 105-28 overall record and 55-9 ledger in dual matches. He was the 2019 Big 12 Runner-Up at 197 pounds, finishing sixth at the NCAA Championships. In the classroom, Miklus was a four-time NWCA All-Academic Team honoree, along with a three-time Academic All-MAC selection and also on the SEC First-Year Honor Roll in 2014. Miklus earned his bachelor's degree from Mizzou in 2017, before his first master's degree in educational and counseling psychology in 2018. Miklus is currently finishing up a second master's degree in family financial planning from Iowa State. A native of Altoona, Iowa, Miklus was a four-time all-state honoree (119 pounds, 145, 171 and 220) at Southeast Polk High School, winning state titles his junior and senior seasons at 171 pounds and 220 pounds, respectively. Miklus posted a perfect senior season, going 47-0 with a total of 368 takedowns on the season. He was also the 2011 Folkstyle Nationals runner-up at 171 pounds, and also took eighth place at 189 pounds at the Junior Freestyle Nationals. Miklus also had a one-year training period at the Olympic Training Center for the year immediately following high school (2011-2012) before joining the Missouri squad. Miklus replaces Wynn Michalak, who left to become an associate head coach at Campbell University.

When it comes to spectacular sporting events, it doesn't get any bigger that the Summer Olympics. Every four years, the event brings together the greatest number of athletes, the largest number of athletic events, and the greatest number of viewers. Those bigger-and-better attributes may not hold true for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics coming in just less than 14 months -- in late July 2021 -- as some recent news features seem to be pointing toward a downsized mega-event. Here's the headline -- and opening sentence -- for the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation's feature : Postponed Tokyo Olympics could be downsized, simplified The possibility of a reduced Tokyo Olympics is now being floated in Japan by politicians, and in unsourced news stories. The themes include limited seating -- if any fans at all. "The Japanese public is being prepared for the reality of next year's postponed Olympics, where athletes are likely to face quarantines, spectators will be fewer, and the delay will cost taxpayers billions of dollars," according to the cbc.ca preview for the first week of June. "In the last several weeks, International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach has given selected interviews outside Japan and hinted at empty stadiums, quarantines and virus testing." The preview article goes on to state, "The stark message about a very different, reduced Olympics is now being floated in Japan by politicians, and in unsourced news stories. The themes include the possibility of reduced seating at the Olympics -- if any fans at all -- tests for all athletes, fans and staff, and a quarantine-like situation at the Athletes Village." The article went on to predict next year's Tokyo Olympics will be "downsized," "simplified," or "very different." (Note that 2021 Olympic sports venues have already been completed. In fact, the structure that will host freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling events was originally built as a convention center.) Part of that concern mentioned in these recent preview articles: total Olympic seating capacity could be reduced ... meaning that millions of tickets already sold many simply not be available for fans to witness actual sporting events. "Tickets are going to be a major battleground," according to the Canadian Broadcasting article. "But once again these countermeasures will be discussed in more depth from this autumn onward." Postponing the Tokyo Olympics to 2021 has its costs Hosting an Olympics is an incredibly expensive act even in the best of times ... such as "no coronavirus pandemic." Add in a one-year delay, and Olympic costs have soared even more. In fact, the cost of that delay has been estimated at $2 billion to $6 billion. Neither the IOC nor event organizers have given a figure for the costs to Japan, or who will ultimately pay for them. Other possible ways to trim the overall budget for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics have also been discussed. One idea kicked around that's sure to raise the ire of sports fans from around the world: hosting the Games without fans in the stands. Before the postponement, Olympic organizers said they were spending $12.6 billion to host the Games. However, a government audit last year said the total dollar amount to put on the event would be twice that amount. To put that in perspective: when Tokyo was awarded the games in 2013, back then, the total cost was anticipated to be $7.3 billion. Yet another way to cut costs: possibly combining ceremonies In recent times, the Summer Olympics and Paralympics have been held at about the same time on the calendar … yet as separate events. "Many discussions are ongoing covering various areas, including the ceremonies," Craig Spence, a spokesman for the Paralympic Games, said in an email. "A lots of things are still at a discussion stage and therefore it's not appropriate to provide comment on things until they are finalized." Olympic Minister Seiko Hashimoto acknowledged costs must be cut, but said safety for athletes could drive them up. "Unless safety and security are ensured, there will be uncertainty for the athletes-first point of view," she said Thursday. "We must study measures including virus testing in order to ensure safety and security." The Opening Ceremonies for the 2021 Tokyo Olympics will take place less than 14 months from now -- July 23, 2021. There are a lot of issues to be determined in the meantime. Stay tuned.

Jordan Burroughs at the 2020 Pan American Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) This week, the wrestling community joined with many citizens to acknowledge the voices of Black America and people of color in acknowledging the ongoing pervasive racial injustices in America. From social media posts to articles, podcasts and television appearances, personalities and politicians of all types have acknowledged that racial inequalities in America have been ignored for far too long and that the damage caused is both real and inter-generational. Wrestling is a simple sport, but a complex community. On one hand we encourage diversity, but many of those in our community work hard to prevent women's wrestling. We celebrate Jordan Burroughs, James Green, Tamyrah Mensah, and more but there are only a handful of black Division I head wrestling coaches. Why the disconnect in career advancement? Mostly it's the privilege of white people to hand jobs to their friends and those in their social circle, rather than forcing themselves to expand their social networks and take chances on more young black professionals, coaches and administrators. But is that something we can blame on anyone? Am I to blame because United World Wrestling doesn't have any full-time media members from the Black community? Yes. I know that we hire freelancers from all communities, but nobody full-time. That's on me to improve. The wrestling community also faces a lack of positive leadership from its most powerful youth coaches. We've dealt with anti-vaccine movement, Sandy Hook deniers, Alex Jones wannabes, and a pervasive culture of general white supremacy and selfishness. Not all of it in-your-face, but all of it strikes the same chord -- I matter, you don't and your failures are OK by me. But they aren't. White Americans hold a tremendous amount of wealth and power and it won't be until we decide to share it with our community members that we will see any positive change. There has been plenty of opportunity to make positive change, but most of it has been squandered. What can we do moving forward? I commend USA Wrestling for having hired black Americans, supporting their black athletes and having absolutely zero tolerance for poor behavior. The statement written this week with the input of several athletes is the standard bearer for how to go about creating positive solutions and acknowledging struggle. There is no perfect solution or magic bullet, but the efforts of their staff to be inclusive was impressive and will have a lasting impact. Black America has been telling America with incredible clarity and consistency that they are being hunted, beaten, and murdered by law enforcement and racist white people. Those with means and those who have privilege need to advocate on their behalf in a meaningful way. I know that there are members of our community who will come out of this with a drive to effect positive change and I include myself in that group. I benefit every single day from the fact I'm white. This is not a neutral treatment by society, but an active display of opportunity and ease in almost all my interactions. I know almost nothing of the black experience in America, but what I have seen through friends and teammates is a world that is far different than the one I passively enjoy each and every day. Like many I've only seen their world through a keyhole -- this moment in American history is jarring because what we see now is something larger, the picture is wider and enhanced by the voices of Black Americans explaining very clearly all the ways in which they are targeted and oppressed. To do nothing now is to willfully neglect our responsibility as American citizens. There is no nationwide healing until we peel back the layers of racism in our society and start indicting those around us for being too selfish to consider the emotions of others. That goes double for the wrestling community. We've lacked the empathy necessary to understand the journeys of our Black athletes and people of color. From cutting dreads to racist language in the locker room, we all know racist sentiments exist in our community and those need to be immediately addressed and corrected. The good news is that the architecture of the racism in the United States will be demolished and replaced. The youth of America are interconnected, motivated and hungry for positive change. The leadership class will expand and strengthen in the black community so long as we remain active. For now, that's enough from the middle-class white guy with a weekly column for ten years. It's probably better if we listen to those who have been directly affected by racism. And read this.