InterMat Staff

Nanea Estrella STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced that Nanea Estrella of Makawao, Hawaii, is the 2020 national winner of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). "I am so excited to receive this award. There were so many amazing female wrestlers up for this award and I am blessed to be a part of this group," said Estrealla. "Tricia Saunders was a leader for female athletes and is a true role model for people like me, who are just starting their career and hope to be the best one day. I hope to one day inspire female wrestlers like she has inspired me. Thank you to all who helped me achieve this honor and I want to thank the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for this tremendous award." First presented in 2014, the TSHSEA is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women's wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011. The TSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. "We are excited to honor Nanea Estrella as the national winner of the 2020 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award," said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. "This award and honor represents the Hall of Fame's pride in a young woman who has demonstrated a commitment to balancing her pursuit of excellence on the wrestling mat with academics and community service." The national winner of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award will be announced on Thursday. The daughter of Isaac and Johanna Estrella, she was a four-time state champion for Lahainaluna High School. Ranked second at 132 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings, she has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Menlo College. Estrella was team captain for three years and has been ranked in the Top 10 nationally since her sophomore year. Estrella had runner-up finishes at the Cadet Nationals in 2018 and the Junior Nationals in 2019, and won both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2019 Western Regionals. She earned a triple crown and was named Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman at the Turf Wars in Pocatello, Idaho, and placed third at the 2019 Cadet World Team trials. She also lettered in track and field and was a two-time Hawaii state qualifier in the 4x100-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay, 400-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump. Estrella tutored fourth-grade students and is also a member of Lahainaluna High School's Aloha Club, which performs community outreach activities including beach cleanups, food drives and preparing and serving meals to the homeless. She is also a finalist for the 2020 Pele Award, which honors creative excellence in the art of advertising and design. Estrella submitted a PSA video called "Don't Be A Drip" about water conservation. She has received the A&B scholar athlete award and is a CTE pathway completer in broadcast media. For the third consecutive year, the Hall of Fame recognized a record number of state winners for the TSHSEA with 46, up from 35 winners in 2019 and 32 winners in 2018. Winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. Women's wrestling is one of the fastest growing high school sports and there are more than 27,000 female high school wrestlers competing across the nation. From 1998-2015 there were six states with a sanctioned girls state wrestling championship: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Since 2015, 16 additional states have created an official girls wrestling state championships, or have started the path leading to official sanction: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah. Georgia, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri and New Jersey held their first official state championship in 2018-19 while Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland and New Mexico held an official state championship for 2019-20. Colorado voted for a two-year pilot program for 2018-19 with an official state championship for 2020-21. Arizona voted girls wrestling as an emerging sport for 2018-19 and will host an official state championship in 2020-21. Connecticut held a girls wrestling invitational tournament in 2019-20. Sixteen states have held unofficial girls state championships, organized and run by coaches, state wrestling associations or officials associations. The 16 states with unofficial girls state championships are: Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. There are 81 intercollegiate women's wrestling teams. The NCAA has approved "Emerging Sport Status" for women's wrestling at the Division II and Division III levels, and women's wrestling supporters are hopeful that it will approve it for Division I this summer. The NAIA also recognizes women's wrestling as an emerging sport. The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners. All-Time National Winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award 2020 - Nanea Estrella, Lahainaluna High School, Makawao, Hawaii 2019 - Emily Shilson, Mounds View High School, North Oaks, Minnesota 2018 - Alleida Martinez, Selma High School, Selma, California 2017 - Cierra Foster, Post Falls High School, Post Falls, Idaho 2016 - Katie Brock, Sequatchie County High School, Whitwell, Tennessee 2015 - Marizza Birrueta, Grandview High School, Grandview, Washington 2014 - Marina Doi, Kingsburg High School, Kingsburg, California National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

Just fourteen months before the Opening Ceremonies of the 2021 Tokyo Olympics, will the Summer Games -- including men's and women's wrestling -- be able to take place ... and what issues must be resolved in the meantime? Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (Photo/Uichiro Kasai)At a news conference in Tokyo, Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced lifting a coronavirus state of emergency for Tokyo and four other remaining areas, ending COVID-19 pandemic restrictions throughout Japan ... a critical first step toward the 2021 Olympics being held as planned starting on July 23, 2021. Abe went on say that the swift development of vaccines and effective treatments for COVID-19 are priorities towards achieving the Tokyo Olympics next year. However, Abe says recovery from the coronavirus pandemic cannot be limited only in Japan ... because the Games involves athletes and spectators from all over the world. The Japanese prime minister reiterates that his government hopes to hold the Tokyo Games "in a complete form" with spectators as a proof of human victory against the coronavirus. All that said, medical experts say that developing safe-but-effective vaccines for participating athletes and fans in the stands in the next 14 months -- before the 2021 Olympics get underway -- will be a difficult task. These issues again came to the forefront last week, as the Tokyo Olympic organizing committee CEO Toshiro Muto spoke Thursday about the need to take "countermeasures" to combat the coronavirus at next year's postponed games. Muto was responding to a BBC interview in which International Olympic Committee President Thomas Bach said a 2021 Tokyo Olympics without fans "is not what we want." "Regarding president Bach's remarks," said Muto, speaking through an interpreter in an on-line news conference, "there are other people in Japan as well that (believe the Olympics) need to take place behind closed doors. However, our point of view is that we have more than one year until the games take place. And we think it's too early at this point in time to have that discussion." "Obviously, we are aware that it will be inevitable to have some sort of countermeasures for COVID-19 when we hold the Tokyo Olympic Games and Paralympic Games next year," Muto said. "This is all we can say at this point in time. For detailed questions about specific countermeasures for us to take, it may not be the right timing to answer."

Josh Bird, two-time WIAA (Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association) state wrestling champ for Burlington High, was killed in a two-vehicle crash Friday evening in the Town of Mukwonago. The Waukesha County Sheriff's Office and Wisconsin State Patrol said a 23-year Burlington man was killed in a motor vehicle accident at 4 p.m. Friday on State Highway 83 and Sugden Road in the Town of Mukwonago, according to the Journal-Times. Josh Bird (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Officials said a vehicle headed north on Highway 83 turned west on to Sugden and hit a vehicle -- reportedly a motorcycle driven by Bird -- which was heading south on Highway 83. Bird was pronounced dead at the scene, officials said, while the driver of the northbound vehicle, a 70-year-old Mukwonago man, sustained minor injuries. Josh Bird graduated in 2016 from Burlington High School in southeast Wisconsin, just west of Kenosha and Racine. Bird was a three-time WIAA state finalist, winning the 120-pound title as a freshman and being crowned the 132-pound champ as a junior, while placing second in the finals of the 132 bracket as a sophomore. Overall, Bird compiled a prep record of 152-10. Beyond won-loss records and titles, Josh Bird was richly awarded with honors. He was voted the All-Racine County Wrestler of the Year by the county's wrestling coaches each of his first three years in high school. Bird's death left its mark on the entire prep wrestling community in the state of Wisconsin. Jade Gribble, Bird's coach at Burlington High School, confirmed Bird's death on Saturday evening, telling the Journal-Times, "Unfortunately it's true," said an emotional Gribble. "Josh was something special. It will be hard not to have him here. I found out Friday night and have just been in shock since then." The same newspaper shared that reports of Bird's death were also were posted on the Wisconsin Wrestling Online Facebook account on Saturday afternoon, and tweeted out on several accounts. "Bird was a monster on the mat," tweeted Abigail Ruckdashel, the managing editor of Wisconsin Wrestling Online, where several others commented on Bird's death. Through his Twitter account, Burlington Standard Press reporter Mike Ramczyk remembered Bird as funny and friendly. "And the best wrestler I've had the privilege of covering," he wrote. In the years since Bird had graduated from high school, the two-time Burlington High state champ returned to his hometown and was training to become a carpenter, according to Bird's wrestling coach Gribble said, adding that his star wrestler had purchased a house, living in town and happier than ever, Gribble said. Funeral arrangements have just been announced. A Celebration of Joshua's Life will be held on Saturday, May 30, 2020, at 10 a.m. at the Burlington Chocolate Festival Grandstand, 681 Maryland Ave. Please enter grounds off Maryland Ave. Schuette-Daniels Funeral Home & Crematory 625 S. Browns Lake Drive Burlington, WI 53105 (262) 763-3434 www.danielsfamilyfuneral.com To honor Joshua's life, in lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the family and will be split up amongst the family's favorite charities.

Abdulrashid Sadulaev after winning a world title in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Olympic champion Abdulrashid Sadulaev has revealed that he is infected by the coronavirus. Sadulaev, arguably the world's top pound-for-pound freestyle wrestler, shared the news on an Instagram video. Sadulaev won the gold medal in freestyle at 86 kilograms at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. He went undefeated at the senior international level for nearly four years from 2013 until 2017, when he was beaten by American Kyle Snyder in a world championships final dubbed the "Match of the Century." He came back to win world titles in 2018 and 2019. The Dagestan wrestling superstar admitted that he did not take the pandemic seriously and got infected. "I admit like most of my countrymen I too did not attach importance to the coronavirus," Sadulaev. "We really underestimated the disease, we began to feel its danger and threat only when it knocked on our door. I myself transferred it." Sadulaev has now recovered from the infection, and has urged the public to responsibly approach the threat, and adhere to the recommendations of doctors and specialists. He has also asked to keep social distancing and minimize contacts during the Uraza-Bayram holiday. The "Russian Tank" is at least the second known 2016 Olympic champion wrestler to test positive for COVID-19. Greco-Roman Olympic gold medalist Ismael Borrero of Cuba also tested positive.

Joe Dubuque, a two-time NCAA champion at Indiana and the current associate head coach at Princeton, joins Chad Dennis on Episode 55 of The MatBoss Podcast. They talk about the state of wrestling with the COVID-19 global pandemic and what the impact is on college wrestling, Princeton and the sport overall. Dubuque also looks at the season that was, upending Cornell to win the Ivy League championship and the decisions that impacted the Princeton lineup this season. The MatBoss Podcast is also sponsored by Barbarian Apparel. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Podcasts | RSS

NCAA Division I wrestlers -- as well as student-athletes in other D1 college sports -- will be permitted to participate in voluntary athletics activities beginning June 1, the Division I Council voted electronically this week. The decision was announced late Thursday afternoon. The current waiver allowing for eight hours of required virtual nonphysical activities in all sports also was extended. "The return of voluntary activity in addition to the extension of the waiver to allow virtual, nonphysical activity shows sensitivity to local, state and regional differences in how Division I campuses are reopening," said Council chair M. Grace Calhoun, athletics director at Pennsylvania. "We will continue to be considerate of these differences with wise and flexible administration of our regulations, and we expect schools to keep the well-being of student-athletes as a priority." The NCAA Division I announcement RE volunteer activity went on to say, “The Council will continue to consider the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on college sports in the coming weeks and months.”

It was a tale of two sports within the state Nebraska, as the NSAA -- the Nebraska Scholastic Athletic Association, the governing body for student athletic activities in the Cornhusker State -- came to two different conclusions about rules for two different high school sports this week. The NSAA Board of Directors voted Thursday that bowling will become a sanctioned sport in Nebraska, but girls wrestling will have to wait longer to become fully sanctioned, which would include an official, separate state tournament. Here's an explanation of what happened at the NSAA regarding creating more opportunities for Nebraska high school student-athletes. The NSAA Representative Assembly voted 31-20 Thursday to add bowling as the first new championship sport in the state since softball joined the Nebraska high school state championship roster in the 1990s. Girls wrestling fell three votes short (28-23) of the three-fifths threshold needed to join fully-sanctioned status. However, girls wrestling gained approval as an emerging sport by a 7-1 vote earlier in the day at the NSAA Board of Directors meeting. That emerging status allows girls over the next three seasons to participate in both their school's existing co-ed wrestling program and the emerging girls wrestling program. There would not be a separate girls tournament at the start, but the NSAA board could adopt one within a three-year window. With the NSAA decision this week concerning the decision NOT to officially sanction girls wrestling in Nebraska (while leaving the door open to that eventuality in the next three years), girls' high school wrestling has enjoyed tremendous growth in the past couple years. At the end of 2019, Utah became the 20th state to add girls' wrestling as an officially sanctioned sport. During calendar year 2019, five other states announced the addition of sanctioned girls' wrestling, including New Mexico, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas and Maryland. To provide some additional perspective ... as recently as the beginning of 2018, six states had separate state wrestling championships for girls: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas and Washington State. During 2018, eight additional states announced the establishment of a girls' state championships. it remains that 23 states have sanctioned separate wrestling competitions for girls at the high school level. That is a tremendous growth for girls wrestling in recent years; less than a handful of years ago -- in fact, as recent as in 2018 -- just six states had sanctioned separate girls state wrestling championships.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Kollin Moore earned the right to represent The Ohio State University as a 2020 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient. He named Ohio State's male recipient, while Jincy Dunne, a hockey player, was the female recipient. The Big Ten Conference's most exclusive award was the first of its kind in intercollegiate athletics to recognize academic and athletic excellence. The Big Ten Medal of Honor was first awarded in 1915 to one student-athlete from the graduating class of each university. B1G schools currently feature nearly 9,500 student-athletes, but only 28 pick up the recognition on an annual basis. Moore, a native of Burbank, Ohio, finished as the Dan Hodge Trophy runner-up in his final season after sitting atop the 197-pound national rankings from start to finish. He garnered a 27-0 season record and was the NCAA Championships top seed. Moore ranks eighth in Ohio State history with a .909 career winning percentage (110-11). He is a three-time Big Ten champion and reached the NCAA finals in 2019. In the classroom, Moore earned a bachelor's degree in business operations management and is closing in on completion of a kinesiology master's degree during his five years as a Buckeye. He picked up Academic All-Big Ten and Ohio State Scholar-Athlete honors as well.

VILNIUS, Lithuania -- With few cases of COVID-19 nationwide, Lithuania's top wrestlers are returning to the mat, albeit with safety precautions in place. Lithuania has only seen 1600 total cases of COVID-19 and 60 deaths. Despite the lower numbers the wrestling federation and the athletes are taking every precaution they can to ensure the health and safety of the wrestlers on the mat. The new guidelines for practice includes increased cleaning protocols, temperature checks, hand sanitization and face masks (for anyone not actively wrestling). Athletes' Commission member Mindaugas EZERSKIS mentioned the practices during Monday's Athlete Webinar with the commission and UWW President Nenad Lalovic. Ezerskis said the team is training during the week and taking weekends off with a focus on preparing for the Olympics and Olympic Qualification events. You can watch the full video, here.

Henry Cejudo takes his shoes off, signaling his retirement from wrestling, after losing at the 2012 Olympic Team Trials (Photo/Larry Slater) After Henry Cejudo announced his retirement from MMA on May 9 at UFC 249, speculation swirled about what was next for the 2008 Olympic gold medalist. One thing appears to be certain: Cejudo won't be making a wrestling comeback. "I'm a fan of wrestling, but I could never see myself coming back," Cejudo told United World Wrestling's Eric Olanowski in a UWW Live interview. "I respect the game so much. I respect it so much that I don't think I could do that." As for a return to the Octagon, the 33-year-old Cejudo said the only fight that would interest him is against UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski for a chance to become a three-division champion. "It would only be that fight because I have done so much in the sport," said Cejudo. "It's beautiful to leave the way I'm leaving, to leave on top. In wrestling, a lot of Olympic champions, when they win the Olympics, they retire. The majority of them, and it's beautiful." Cejudo reached the pinnacle of wrestling at the age of 21 while training under two-time world champion Terry Brands. He hopes to return to Iowa City to visit Brands and train with Olympic hopeful Spencer Lee. He believes Lee is special. "He's a special human being because of what he's done in wrestling, but he's also special to me because of who is teaching him. It's almost like we become part of that same lineage."

There was promising news this week as it was announced that several Division I football programs were growing closer to bringing their athletes back to campus for what would be summer training camps. With COVID-19 there are no perfect scenarios, only slightly less bad options. While bringing football players back signals the possibility of a season it would likely be truncated, definitely without fans, and likely with a pushed off start date. Still, any sign that the revenue from televised football could enter athletic departments should be celebrated. Without that money there is high likelihood that wrestling programs around the country could be eliminated. The cuts have already started. According to Jason Bryant, 110 college sports teams have been eliminated (60 from schools that have completely closed) since the outbreak of COVID-19, a sobering reminder that even with some restaurants opening up there is a significant distinction between a taste of normalcy in daily life and financial stability within higher education. The next several weeks will be instructive as to how the virus operates in the warmer months and how well social distancing guidelines are followed. Will the face masks, distance, and handwashing have a positive effect? Yes. Will it be enough to allay the fears of those in the larger school systems as to allow the return of students and athletes? That's still to be determined. For those who can afford the expense, now is a great time to send funds to your respective programs. If you can collect monies from a group of donors, all the better. Make it known you support the program in both the size of the gift and in the number of donors. Being active is a positive sign that gets transmitted up the ranks and helps protect programs if and when cuts are to be made. To your questions … Matt McDonough (left) coaching Wisconsin against Army West Point (Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: There was a job posting for a Wisconsin assistant coaching position. Did Matt McDonough leave? Any details? Are they making room for Seth Gross to join the staff? -- Mike C. Foley: Yes, Seth Gross is staying in Wisconsin, but no information if he is getting the job. However, Jon Reader (associate head coach) and Ben Askren (RTC coach) just got extensions so it would seem somewhat clear that McDonough is leaving and that the short application window means they are keeping Gross. Q: Where do you see NCAA and international wrestling in four years? -- Bobby P. Foley: That's a tough question because with every setback due to COVID-19 I remember all the progress we'd been making on both fronts. On one hand, wrestling has never been watched by a larger, more enthusiastic audience at home and abroad. The international federation has something close to a dozen distribution deals with TV outlets and OTT providers on every continent. Just this week Eurosport replayed the 2019 World championships from Nur-Sultan. There is also increased participation as seen through the number of licenses at USA Wrestling and United World Wrestling, as well as an expansion of Division II programs and the addition of Division I women's wrestling seemingly imminent. There are women's programs being added in state after state and the possibility of being in all fifty by 2026. The international governing body is floating women's beach wrestling as a possible addition to the 2024 Games in Paris. On the other hand there is COVID-19 and what might be an extended economic recession at home and abroad that will absolutely affect all of the above mentioned gains. Where do we fall in four years? I remain really hopeful. The entire focus of human intelligence and ingenuity is laser-focused on finding a cure, or vaccine, for COVID-19 and there is no way it will elude us much longer. There will be short term economic pain and the heartbreak of losing those we love, but in four years I think we will be in a place that has tremendous focus on public health and a vibrant worldwide wrestling community to witness and enjoy. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Henry Cejudo on UWW Live Top wrestlers of the 2000s Q: Henry Cejudo said he wants to be in the UWW Hall of Fame. Do you think there is any chance of that happening? -- Mike C. Foley: Maybe. Really it depends on who is running the committee and if Cejudo dedicates more time and energy to the sport of wrestling. He's been an incredible advocate for the sport while fighting in the UFC and will be successful at whatever he chooses, but the UWW Hall of Fame typically inducts those with multiple Olympic and world medals. Could change, but that's the current standard. One more caveat, there is the option of a different category for those who have made a large impact through MMA and/or celebrity. Q: Kaori Icho and Aleksandr Karelin both had 13-year unbeaten streaks. Do you think we will ever see an international winning streak like those again in our lifetime? -- Mike C. Foley: One of the reasons wrestlers were able to stay undefeated so long is that the international calendar was pretty sparsely populated with events. Typically, competitors in the 80's and 90's would show up to the continental and a world championships and sometimes they'd skip entire years. Really that was the trend until the last few years where there was more incentive to compete on a semi-regular basis with Ranking Series events and more clear outcomes for competitions. If someone competes enough, and with the reduced number of weight categories, it's very difficult to think anyone could go more than 4-5 years undefeated. The quality of the athletes, the spread of Russian wrestlers worldwide, the increase in women's wrestling participation, and the advent of technical coaching on the internet means there is much more parity at the top ranks of the sport. So, summarily, not zero, but very close to zero.

The 2019 NCAAs were held in Pittsburgh and attracted 109,405 fans (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) In more than a century of college wrestling, the competitive season has always taken place in the winter, usually starting in late fall, and concluding in mid- to late March ... going back to the first NCAA wrestling championships in 1928. However, some within the collegiate wrestling community are seriously considering shifting the wrestling season later in the school year, to take place in the spring. The idea -- which springs from the current coronavirus pandemic which disrupted the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis this past March -- is already being discussed by the National Wrestling Coaches Association, according to Oklahoma State head wrestling coach John Smith. In an exclusive interview with the Stillwater News Press -- the community newspaper for the town that's home to Oklahoma State -- John Smith said, "We're looking at right now, real closely, to moving (the start of) our season to January, for a lot of reasons. "The main one being that extension of time of maybe, making sure that we get situated early on as we return to school and following guidelines that we need to follow, but also giving us additional time in our sport to prepare in preparation of the virus in our sport. ... "The NWCA, along with the coaches, are looking at maybe moving the season to January and beyond. That would be definitely something that would have to get approval from the NCAA, and we'll see how it goes." There are existing scheduling factors which would make shifting the NCAAs a bit later in the season more challenging. For starters, the 2021 and 2022 NCAAs have already been scheduled on the national sports schedule, with the 2021 NCAAs already booked for St. Louis (March 18-20, 2021), and the 2022 NCAAs on the calendar to take place in Detroit March 17-19 in 2022) ... both scheduled for the second weekend of the traditional Spring Break holiday. What's more, those dates correspond with the opening weekend for the NCAA Men's Basketball "March Madness" Tournament. Smith told the Stillwater paper that, while the current pandemic may be initially fueling the idea of possibly revising the college wrestling season later in the school year, the Oklahoma State coach said that there is hope among some wrestling coaches that the NCAA will push the season back within the school year, making it ultimately a spring sport. "I think it's temporary now, but we've learned a lesson that we might choose to be a spring sport rather than a winter sport and start our season in early January and end somewhere in mid- to late-April," Smith said. "I'm not saying that's going to happen right away -- definitely not in the next three years it can't happen, because NCAA championships scheduled out." While the focus right now centers of athlete and fan health in the midst of a pandemic, John Smith has a potentially more powerful reason for making wrestling a spring sport: academic purposes. "We get so many wrestlers on campus who are first-generation college students, and for that reason, we need to focus on retaining them and maintaining our APR," Smith said. "So rather than competing over two semesters, competing over one semester might help those student-athletes have greater success academically." This isn't the first time Smith has been a proponent of moving the wrestling season. According to the Cowboy coach, who is quickly approaching his 30th year at the helm, he had pushed for a move to have college wrestling be a fall sport back in the '90s. "This has been proposed several times," Smith said. "I brought up back in the mid-90s, proposing a one-semester sport. I really wanted to go first semester -- I wanted to tie our season into football. "And for a lot of reasons, it didn't materialize." A seasonal shift may still end up happening. Stay tuned.

John Smith (left) coaching at the 2019 NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Earlier this week, Seth Duckworth of the "Pistols Firing" blog which covers Oklahoma State sports, reported on a "teaser tweet: suggesting that the Oklahoma Hall of Fame would be officially announcing that legendary Oklahoma State wrestler and head coach John Smith would be a member of that Hall of Fame's Class of 2020 to be announced this week… becoming the first-ever wrestler to be welcomed into that Hall in its 93-year history. Thursday afternoon, the Hall made that announcement official -- while making history -- by revealing that John Smith is one of eight Oklahomans to be announced for induction into the Oklahoma City-based facility. The award ceremony will take place Thursday, November 12, 2020 at the at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Norman Hotel and Conference Center in Norman, Okla. John Smith, Del City, Okla. native who The Oklahoman -- who the daily newspaper of Oklahoma City -- described as "one of the most accomplished Olympic wrestlers in U.S. history who turned into one of the winningest college coaches in the sport headlines the 93rd class of inductees into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame." Smith, a native of Del City just outside Oklahoma City, was most appreciative -- and rather philosophical -- about this latest honor. "It feels strange being the first person inducted in the sport of wrestling. I think there are a lot of people who paved that way, and hopefully, one day we might see them as well. I'm humbled to be the first. I'm not sure that I should be, but I'm definitely humbled." The four-time World champion and two-time Olympic gold medalist has spent the entirety of his life in Oklahoma and more years than not at Oklahoma State. "I think being raised in Oklahoma, my family being raised in Oklahoma, it has always been something in the back of my mind," Smith said. "These things that you get at home have always been most valuable to me. This is home, and I think this is probably one of the greatest honors you could receive as a resident in the state of Oklahoma. For that reason, I always hoped it was something I could be a part of. I've been fortunate enough to get to spend my career in one place, in Oklahoma. A lot of people don't get to do that, especially in the career I'm in." "It feels strange being the first person inducted in the sport of wrestling. I think there are a lot of people who paved that way, and hopefully, one day we might see them as well. I'm humbled to be the first. I'm not sure that I should be, but I'm definitely humbled." In addition to being named to the Oklahoma Hall of Fame this week, John Smith is also already a member of the Oklahoma Sports Hall of Fame and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, located in Stillwater, hometown for Oklahoma State University. www.nwhof.org In a speech announcing the Class of 2020, Shannon L. Rich, president and CEO of the Oklahoma Hall of Fame and Gaylord-Pickens Museum, said, "We proudly continue our mission in honoring Oklahoma's best and brightest with our state's highest honor. Since the first induction ceremony in 1928, the Oklahoma Hall of Fame has celebrated the inspiring stories of our native sons and daughters who committed their lives to overcome challenges for the betterment of Oklahoma, our nation and the world. The outstanding class of 2020 is no exception and we look forward to sharing their unique stories that bring an overwhelming sense of pride to communities throughout our great state." One year ago, there was some hubbub when many in the amateur wrestling community realized that there were no honorees from the sport installed in the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. Here's an InterMat article, listing some worthy wrestling candidates for future consideration.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Thursday announced the regional winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award (DSHSEA). The DSHSEA was established in 1996 to honor Olympic and World champion Dave Schultz, whose career was cut short when he was murdered in January 1996. He was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1997 and as a member of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2016. The award recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior male wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. Winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. The national winner of the DSHSEA will be announced on May 28. The regional winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA) were announced on Tuesday. The TSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. The TSHSEA national winner will be announced on May 26. The regions and the states that they are comprised of are: West (11) - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming Midwest (10) - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin Central (7) - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas Southeast (10) - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia Northeast (11) - Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and Vermont 2020 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award Regional Winners Central Region: Rocky Elam of Kansas City, Missouri, is a two-time Missouri state champion and four-time state qualifier, finishing third in 2018, for Staley High School. The top-ranked wrestler in the country at 195 pounds, Elam has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at the University of Missouri. The son of Bryant and Cherise Elam, he won United World Wrestling's Junior Austria Flatz Open in 2020 and captured USA Wrestling's Preseason Nationals and Junior Folkstyle Nationals in 2019. Elam was USA Wrestling's Cadet Freestyle Nationals champion in 2018 and Preseason Cadet Folkstyle Nationals champion in 2017. He also trains at the Olympic Training Center as a member of USA Wrestling's Elite Accelerator Program. Elam was a member of the Missouri State High School Activities Association All-Academic team three times after placing in the Top Six in the state tournament and having over a 3.5 GPA. His older brother, Zach, wrestles heavyweight at Missouri and was the Missouri state winner of the DSHSEA in 2018. Midwest Region: Patrick Kennedy of West Concord, Minnesota, is a four-time Minnesota state champion and six-time state qualifier, finishing sixth as a seventh grader and third as an eighth grader, for Kasson-Mantorville High School. The top-ranked wrestler in the country at 182 pounds, he has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Iowa. The son of Matt and Tammy Kennedy, he is a two-time Post Bulletin Wrestler of the Year winner and was named the Rochester Area Male Athlete of the Year in 2020. Kennedy won USA Wrestling's Junior National Freestyle championships and the Who's #1 tournament in 2019. He was a member of the Minnesota Wrestling Coaches Association All-Academic team in 2019 and 2020 and had a cumulative GPA of 3.64. Kennedy won his last 112 matches to finish with 223 career victories, trailing only Brady Berge's 287 for the most victories in Kasson-Mantorville history. Berge was also a four-time state champion and was the Minnesota and Central Region winner of the DSHSEA award in 2017. Northeast Region: Anthony Clark of East Hanover, New Jersey, is a three-time New Jersey state champion and four-time state finalist for Delbarton School, compiling a 140-10 career record. The son of Bobby and Deana Clark, he will continue his career at Princeton University. He was named NJ.com's New Jersey Athletic Conference Wrestler of the Year and was instrumental in Delbarton School having its best season in school history. After missing the first month of the season with an injury, Clark returned to help the Green Wave take over the top spot in the NJ.com Top 20 after a resounding win over Bergen Catholic, ending the perennial powerhouse's 96-match winning streak against New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association opponents. Delbarton also captured the Non-Public A championship, its second state championship and first since 2011. He had a cumulative GPA of 3.25 and was a member of the I.T. Club, the Stock Exchange Club and the E.P.O.C.H. club. Clark volunteers at the Oasis Center and for the Autism Awareness Organization while also assisting at Belleville Fire Department functions. Southeast Region: Braxton Amos of Mineral Wells, West Virginia, is a three-time West Virginia state champion, who did not surrender a takedown, near fall or reversal during his career for Parkersburg South High School. The son of Tim and Anika Amos, he has signed a letter of intent to wrestle for the University of Wisconsin. He is the top-ranked wrestler in the country at 220 pounds and the top-ranked wrestler pound-for-pound. Amos, who did not wrestle because of injury as a freshman, set school records for wins in an undefeated season, recording 48 victories twice; most wins in three seasons with 142; highest winning percentage with 100 percent; and most consecutive wins with 142. He was named Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament twice and is a two-time recipient of the Dutton Award, presented to West Virginia's Outstanding Wrestler for all classes. He also received the Hercules Award, presented for the most pins in the least amount of time. He won the USA Wrestling Freestyle Junior Nationals in 2019 after capturing both the freestyle and Greco-Roman titles at the USA Wrestling Cadet Nationals in 2016 and 2017. Competing with sprained ligaments in his knee, Amos reached the finals in Greco-Roman in 2019 before defaulting because of his injury. He did not compete in Fargo in 2018. Amos also has three Super 32 titles, three Ironman crowns and three Powerade championships. He was named Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman at Fargo while also earning Outstanding Wrestler at Super 32 and the Most Pins award at Powerade. Amos, who was first team All-State in football, was president of the United Way Student Board and student council vice president while also organizing an annual community clean-up day. He was Academic All-State all three years that he competed and a member of the National Honor Society with a 4.05 GPA. West Region: Haiden Drury of Toppenish, Washington, is a four-time finalist and three-time Washington state champion. The son of Micah and Sabina Drury, he has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Fresno State University. Drury had a career record of 168-8, breaking the year-old Toppenish High School record of 155 wins set by three-time state champion Andres Aguilera. Drury won the USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Junior Nationals in 2019 after capturing the USA Wrestling Greco-Roman Cadet Nationals title in 2018. He won the silver medal at the Junior Pan American Championships in 2019 and also won a bronze at the Austrian Open. Drury also qualified for state in cross country all four years. He is a member of the National Honor Society with a 3.77 GPA while also being a member of MEChA, a Mexican American student group. The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners. National winners of the DSHSEA award have combined to win 19 NCAA Division I individual titles led by four-time champion Logan Stieber (2010), three-time winner Zain Retherford (2013) and two-time winners Steven Mocco (2001), David Taylor (2009) and Teyon Ware (2002). The 2016 winner of the DSHSEA Mark Hall won an NCAA title as a freshman in 2017 while 2015 winner Zahid Valencia won back-to-back championships in 2018 and 2019. 2020 Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award State Winners State - Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending Alabama - Dylan Pearson, Auburn High School, Auburn Alaska - Hayden Lieb, Bethel Regional High School, Bethel, University of Wyoming Arizona - Jesse Ybarra, Sunnyside High School, Tucson, University of Iowa Arkansas - Landon Valdez, Searcy High School, McRae California - Jesse Vasquez, Excelsior Charter High School, Corona, Arizona State University Colorado - Isaiah Salazar, Windsor High School, Greeley, University Of Minnesota Connecticut - Ryan Jack, Danbury High School, Danbury, North Carolina State University Delaware - Jackson Dean, Caesar Rodney High School, Hartly, University of Pennsylvania Florida - Bretli Reyna, South Dade Senior High School, Homestead, University of Iowa Georgia - Andrew Eller, Evans High School, Evans, Lander University Hawaii - Kysen Terukina, Kamehameha Schools - Kapalama, Ewa Beach Idaho - Sawyer Hobbs, South Fremont High School, Saint Anthony, Utah Valley University Illinois - David Ferrante, Huntley High School, Huntley, Northwestern University Indiana - Silas Allred, Shenandoah High School, Anderson, University of Nebraska Iowa - Cael Happel, Lisbon High School, Lisbon, University of Northern Iowa Kansas - Cade Lautt, Saint James Academy, Olathe, University of North Carolina Kentucky - Thomas Deck, Madison Central High School, Richmond, United States Military Academy Louisiana - Alexander Yokubaitis, St. Louis Catholic High School, Lake Charles, Oklahoma State University Maine - Sam Martel, Noble High School, Lebanon Maryland - Dominic Solis, McDonogh School, Odenton, University of Maryland Massachusetts - Hunter Adrian, Melrose High School, Melrose, Brown University Michigan - Austin Boone, Lowell Senior High School, Ada, Penn State University Minnesota - Patrick Kennedy, Kasson-Mantorville High School, West Concord, University of Iowa Missouri - Rocky Elam, Staley High School, Kansas City, University of Missouri Montana - Leif Schroeder, Bozeman High School, Bozeman, University of Iowa Nebraska - Maxx Mayfield, Lincoln East High School, Lincoln, Northwestern University Nevada - Tommy McCormick, Churchill County High School, Fallon, University of Idaho (football) New Hampshire - Beau Dillon, Salem High School, Derry, Edinboro University New Jersey - Anthony Clark, Delbarton School, East Hanover, Princeton University New Mexico - Andrew Trujillo, Robertson High School, Las Vegas, New Mexico Highlands University New York - Greg Diakomihalis, Hilton High School, Rochester, Cornell University North Carolina - Kobe Early, Cary High School, Cary, Appalachian State University North Dakota - Garrett Jangula, Napoleon Public School, Napoleon Ohio - Mick Burnett, Elyria High School, Elyria, University of Pittsburgh Oklahoma - Konner Doucet, Comanche High School, Comanche, Oklahoma State University Oregon - Santos Cantu III, Crescent Valley High School, Salem, Indiana University Pennsylvania - Ed Scott, DuBois Area High School, DuBois, North Carolina State Rhode Island - Mason Clarke, Coventry High School, Coventry, Columbia University South Carolina - Walker Stephenson, Hillcrest High School, Simpsonville, United States Military Academy South Dakota - Nash Hutmacher, Chamberlain High School, Oacoma, Nebraska (football) Tennessee - Noah Horst, Baylor School, Gallatin, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga Texas - Parker Decker, Keller High School, Keller, Duke University Utah - Stockton O'Brien, Wasatch High School, Kamas, Utah Valley University Vermont - Sam Wilkins, Mount Anthony Union High School, Bennington, Castleton University Virginia - Samuel Fisher, Fauquier High School, Jeffersonton, Virginia Tech University Washington - Haiden Drury, Toppenish High School, Toppenish, Fresno State University West Virginia - Braxton Amos, Parkersburg South High School, Mineral Wells, University of Wisconsin Wisconsin - Keegan O'Toole, Arrowhead High School, Hartland, University of Missouri Wyoming - Jace Palmer, Kelly Walsh High School, Casper All-Time National Winners of Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award 2019 - Cohlton Schultz, Ponderosa High School, Parker, Colorado (Greco-Roman Cadet World Champion) 2018 - David Carr, Perry High School, Massillon, Ohio (Junior World Champion) 2017 - Daton Fix, Charles Page High School, Sand Springs, Oklahoma (Junior World Champion) 2016 - Mark Hall II, Apple Valley High School, Apple Valley, Minnesota (NCAA Champion and 2X Junior World Champion) 2015 - Zahid Valencia, St. John Bosco High School, Bellflower, California (2X NCAA Champion and Junior World Silver Medalist) 2014 - Chance Marsteller, Kennard-Dale High School, Fawn Grove, Pennsylvania 2013 - Zain Retherford, Benton Area High School, Benton, Pennsylvania (3X NCAA Champion) 2012 - Taylor Massa, St. Johns High School, St. Johns, Michigan 2011 - Morgan McIntosh, Calvary Chapel High School, Santa Ana, California 2010 - Logan Stieber, Monroeville High School, Monroeville, Ohio (World Champion and 4X NCAA Champion) 2009 - David Taylor, Graham High School, St. Paris, Ohio (World Champion and 2X NCAA Champion) 2008 - Jason Chamberlain, Springville High School, Springville, Utah 2007 - Zachary Sanders, Wabasha-Kellogg High School, Wabasha, Minnesota 2006 - David Craig, Brandon High School, Brandon, Florida 2005 - Troy Nickerson, Chenango Forks High School, Chenango Forks, New York (NCAA Champion) 2004 - Coleman Scott, Waynesburg High School, Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (NCAA Champion and Olympic bronze medalist) 2003 - C.P. Schlatter, St. Paul Graham High School, Urbana, Ohio 2002 - Teyon Ware, Edmond North High School, Edmond, Oklahoma (2X NCAA Champion) 2001 - Steven Mocco, Blair Academy, Blairstown, New Jersey (2X NCAA Champion and Olympian) 2000 - Ben Connell, Lugoff-Elgin High School, Lugoff, South Carolina 1999 - Zach Roberson, Blue Valley North West High School, Overland Park, Kansas (NCAA Champion) 1998 - Garrett Lowney, Freedom High School, Appleton, Wisconsin (2X Olympian) and Justin Ruiz, Taylorsville High School, Salt Lake City, Utah (Olympian) 1997 - Jeff Knupp, Walsh Jesuit High School, Akron, Ohio 1996 - David Kjeldgaard, Lewis Central High School, Council Bluffs, Iowa National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

CORSIER-SUR-VEVEY, Switzerland -- United World Wrestling has launched #ThisIsWrestling, a multi-platform social media campaign asking athletes, fans, coaches, and members of the wrestling community to share photos and videos of themselves as it relates to wrestling. The social media driven celebration is in recognition of "World Wrestling Day" on Saturday, May 23 and will continue throughout the month, known widely as 'World Wrestling Month." Images for #ThisIsWrestling are meant to be personal to each person's journey in the sport. Maybe an athlete reflecting on teamwork, doctors tending to their wrestlers, or mothers nervously watching the action at home -- wrestling effects us all in a unique way. United World Wrestling wants it fans to share those special moments with the world and relive the moment on and off the mat that makes the sport special. "This Wrestling Day is about you, the fans, the athletes, the coaches, doctors, mothers and fathers," said United World Wrestling president Nenad Lalovic. "With #ThisIsWrestling you show the sport as you experience it and share it with us, your wrestling family." Though the COVID-19 pandemic has hampered the wrestling community's ability to compete on the mats there is still plenty of enthusiasm about the sport's Olympic qualification tournaments, continental and world championships. "I'm so excited to get back on the mats," said Rio Olympic champion Erica WIEBE (CAN). "We do this for the big moments when the world is watching and we it for the tiny moments when no one is watching. It's a true joy for me to train and compete and I cannot wait to get back to doing what I love." With over 180 member national federations the sport's global reach is evident, but without events for referees, coaches, athletes, and stakeholders to see each other it can be difficult to remember the number of people involved in our sport. "I miss everyone," said three-time world medalist Bajrang PUNIA (IND). "These are my friends and my competitors. I wish them the best during this time. This is our worldwide family and want to see everyone pursuing their dreams - at their happiest." Bajrang, whose become a popular figure in the wrestling world because of his never-quit style, posted photo with some of the top wrestlers in the world including Olympic champions Jordan BURROUGHS (USA), Abdulrashid SADULAEV (RUS) and Soslan ROMANOV (RUS). Four-time Greco-Roman heavyweight world champion Riza KAYAALP also reflected on his #ThisIsWrestling saying, "I' want to get back on the mats. We do this because we love the sport and I want to show the fans what the sport means to me and my loved ones." To participate, or follow along, simply search the hashtag #ThisIsWrestling on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and TikTok. "This is a good reminder of what it feels like to be together again," said Lalovic. "This love we feel for the sport. That is wrestling."

Lou Miloni, long-time, former head wrestling coach at Westside High School in Omaha until his retirement in 2000, died this week at his home in Arizona. He was 79. Lou MiloniMiloni took the helm of the Westside mat program in 1964. Over the course of his time at Westside, Miloni coached 24 individual state champions, 16 District Team Titles, and two Class A State Championships in 1976 and 1977. He guided his teams to an overall record of 244-88-7 in his time at Westside from 1964 through 2000. According to WOWT-TV, Miloni coached one of the best wrestlers ever to come out of the state, Westside's Brad Metzler became the first Nebraska high school wrestler to complete four consecutive undefeated seasons from 1997-2000. Coach Miloni retired in 2000 and was welcomed into the Westside Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017 the Westside State Wrestling Championship teams from 1976-77 were also inducted into Hall of Fame. Prior to becoming a coach, Miloni had a successful on-the-mat career. At Central High School, Louis C. Miloni compiled a 75-5-1 record, winning two Nebraska state titles, three All-Metro titles, and being chosen as the team's most outstanding wrestler. At Omaha University (also known as University of Nebraska-Omaha), Miloni continued his remarkable success, compiling a 39-3 record, was selected as the university's Athlete of the Year in 1962. Miloni was welcomed into the university's Wresting Hall of Fame in 1998. The Miloni family plans a "Celebration of Life" later this summer. Those wishing to offer tribute to Lou Miloni may do so in a number of ways, including sending donations to: Louis J. Miloni Legacy Fund, Westside Foundation, 909 South 76th Street, Omaha, NE 68114, or via email: westside.foundation@westside66.net , or by phone: (402) 390-2133.

Ethan Kyle, the Cowboy wrestler who later became a Cowboy coach at another school will now coach the Pioneers at Stillwater High School in Oklahoma. Ethan KyleKyle, who once wrestled for the Oklahoma State Cowboys then served as associate wrestling coach of the University of Wyoming Cowboys for the past decade or so, is now taking the head coaching job of the Stillwater High School wrestling program in the same town where he spent his college years in the mid-2000s. The high school in Stillwater, Okla. announced earlier this week that it had hired Ethan Kyle to be its head wrestling coach. A native of St. Charles, Missouri, Kyle wrestled for Oklahoma State from 2003-07 while Branch was an assistant coach there. Kyle was a member of OSU's four national championship teams from 2003-06. When Branch was hired as the 14th head coach in University of Wyoming program history, it didn't take long to recruit Kyle to the state university in the capital city of Laramie, Wyoming, a decision Coach Branch has never regretted. "He's definitely been a guy I've leaned on a lot through the years," UW head coach Mark Branch told WyoSports.net, "and he's kind of been a staple." "He was one of the first guys that came to my mind as somebody that I could utilize and help me build this program," Branch said. "He followed me out here after my first year. Ethan's just a smart guy and a great wrestling technician, and a guy I could trust and rely on. He's always been very loyal and very responsible and trustworthy, and I knew he didn't really have any coaching experience, but I knew that he was going to develop into a great coach. "He's obviously going to be sorely missed here, not only by the guys on our team, but our coaching staff, as well." "He had an opportunity and felt like the timing was as good as it was going to get, and I don't think it was an easy decision for him," Branch added. "He has a lot of love for Stillwater, Oklahoma, and that was one of the things he told me right away, He said, 'I love Stillwater, and if there's one place that I could pick to live, Stillwater's one of those places.' "He still has a lot of teammates and friends back in that area, so it's not like he's just jumping ship to something unfamiliar. He's very familiar with that program and the resources and the things that are surrounding that program." As of this week, Wyoming head coach Mark Branch has yet to fill the opening made by the departure of Ethan Kyle. However, Branch hopes to find the right replacement for Kyle early this summer.

Cody Runnels was a successful high school wrestler before becoming a pro wrestler It might be an understatement to say that wrestling is in the blood for Cody Runnels. However, it might not be the type of wrestling that takes place in high school gyms and wrestling rooms across the country. Before Runnels was ever born, his father made a name for himself by winning multiple professional wrestling world titles as Dusty Rhodes. Eventually the youngest son of the internationally famous "son of a plumber" would follow his father into the so-called squared circle, but his own extensive wrestling career began on the amateur mats. Runnels began wrestling at the youth level, and his family name quickly attracted attention. By the time he was in middle school, he had become accustomed to opponents and parents realizing he had a famous father. "In middle school, I remember seeing this father grab his kid and give him a pep talk, almost shaking him, 'You've got to wrestle Dusty Rhodes' son. If you win, you beat Dusty Rhodes," Runnels to The Tennessean newspaper. "I guess they assume that if they beat me, they've crushed some legacy. Southern kids, their parents are such big fans." Runnels played football and wrestled during his first two years at Lassiter High School. The school, which opened in 1981, sits about 35 minutes outside of downtown Atlanta and hosts around two thousand students a year. In his first year on the mats, he spent most of the year on the junior varsity squad, but he got the nod at 160 pounds for the Cobb County tournament. Runnels showed signs of a bright future as he knocked off the No. 1 seed Daniel Cornett of South Cobb. He dropped his next two matches and failed to place, but the potential was evident. As a sophomore in 2002, he finished second at both the county tournament as well as the Region 6AAAAA tournament, losing both finals against Mike Hudson of Sprayberry. Runnels then rebounded and finished sixth at the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) AAAAA state tournament. Following the season, he was awarded honorable mention status for the All Cobb County wrestling team at 171 pounds. After placing at the state tournament, Runnels decided to focus solely on wrestling for his final two seasons and leave football behind. That decision seemed to start paying off right away in his junior season. Runnels moved up to 189 pounds, and by the time the Cobb County tournament rolled around in mid-January, he held an undefeated 18-0 record. He won his first Cobb County title at 189 pounds with a 3-1 victory over Gerald McRath of McEachern in the finals. He followed that up with a championship performance in the regional tournament, where he knocked off defending state champion Shane Gearing of Cherokee via a 5-4 score. At this point, Runnels found himself totally immersed in the sport. "Until I got into high school, I'd never found anything that could make me feel so good or make me feel so bad as wrestling," he told the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "It's the one-on-one part and the emotional roller-coaster. If you win, you take credit; if you lose, it's your fault. It's kind of taken over my life." Runnels' father echoed his sentiments in the same article. "This is the purest form of one-one-one competition and character building I've ever seen," he said. "I've enjoyed watching Cody as much as anything I've done and that includes being in Madison Square Garden or the main event anywhere else." When it came time for the state tournament, Runnels had improved his record to 42-0. He ran through the field on his way to his first state title. In the finals, he scored a 6-2 victory over Matty Ory of Chattahoochee. After the tournament, he spoke once again with the Atlanta Journal Constitution. "I didn't think anyone out there could beat me. I wanted to go out there and do what I said I was going to do. I could just do 100 laps around this place, I'm so excited." At the end of the season, Runnels was named first team All Cobb County as well as the Marietta Daily Journal Cobb County Wrestler of the Year. He entered his senior season as the clear favorite to win yet another title at 189 pounds. Somewhere along the way during his junior season, Runnels faced off against Austin Watson of Sprayberry. Watson would eventually follow Runnels into professional wrestling and currently performs as Xavier Woods for World Wrestling Entertainment. The two discussed the match at length during an appearance on the Talk Is Jericho podcast. Watson apparently bumped up from 160 to 189 pounds hoping to impress Runnels' famous father. He then facetiously claimed that he allowed his opponent to win to avoid disappointment. Regardless of how it happened, they both agree that it was a one-point match in favor of Runnels. Despite his status as the clear favorite during his senior season, he was forced to deal with adversity early in the season. After finishing the previous year undefeated, Runnels had built an extensive winning streak. However, on Dec. 6, 2003, he dropped a 3-1 match against Wade Hudson of Parkview in the finals of the Knoxville Catholic Invitational. Per the Marietta Daily Journal, the bout was voted "Match of the Tournament" by the coaches. As Runnels described, wrestling is an emotional roller coaster. He was able to correct himself following that loss. He went on to win another Cobb County championship and headed to the state tournament on a new winning streak. Runnels spoke with the Marietta Daily Journal on the eve of the state tournament. "It was almost like Hudson took a piece of what I have in that match," he said. "The feeling of being undefeated didn't go right away. It took awhile before I realized what had happened." Once again he ran through the tournament and made his way to the finals. In the final match at 189 pounds, Runnels faced off against Hudson once again. This time he got the better of the match and finished his high school career with a 7-1 victory and a second state championship. Following his last match, Runnels once again spoke with his hometown paper. "This is the way I wanted to do it; I'm so happy right now," he said. "It feels good to get a piece of your life back." The elder Rhodes reflected on his son's high school wrestling career in his book "Dusty: Reflections of Wrestling's American Dream." "When he walked into a high school gym, in his junior and senior years, you knew who he was. He was like a rock star and he owned it, he owned that place. He would walk around for two to three hours before his match, with headsets on, just walking around the gym, while everybody else was laughing and joking and training, and of course the guy he was going to wrestle never took his eyes off Cody, and so he was already beat. The guy was so intimidated because Cody was the most menacing wrestling I think I've ever seen on an amateur scale, ever. So to beat him, you had to beat him. He wasn't going to beat himself." Rhodes also mentions in the book that a Penn State coach contacted him about recruiting Runnels, but at the time he was focused on starting an acting career after high school. That thespian career never materialized, and Runnels eventually followed his father and older brother into the professional wrestling ring. He had his first match a little bit over two years after the end of his high school wrestling career on June 16, 2006. He worked his way up the WWE developmental system and eventually wrestled 1,451 matches for the company before leaving in 2016. Runnels now performs for All Elite Wrestling under simply the name Cody since the "Cody Rhodes" moniker is technically still the intellectual property of WWE. In addition to his wrestling duties, he is also an executive vice president for the promotion, which hosts their Double or Nothing pay-per-view event this Saturday. In 2013 longtime Lassiter wrestling coach Steve Day announced his retirement. Runnels was one of Day's 13 state champions, and he spoke with the Marietta Daily Journal about what his coach and the sport of wrestling meant to him growing up. "He was the catalyst as to why I grew up," he said. "He was with me every step of the way. Wrestling wasn't my strong suit -- it was football. I had no real background in the sport, even though I was around it all the time because of my father. Coach Day made me into a wrestler. He didn't treat guys like kids. He was perfect because he made it your match. He taught guys how to be men and talked to us like we were men. He was someone you could talk to and knew your family and was dead-honest with you." Match and tournament results as well as biographical information sourced from the Marietta Daily Journal and Atlanta Journal Constitution unless otherwise noted.

John Smith recently completed his 29th season as Oklahoma State's head wrestling coach (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) A wrestling wrong is about to be made right, as legendary wrestler and Oklahoma State head coach John Smith is about to become the first inductee with impressive wrestling credentials to be welcomed into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in its 92-year history… in a state that is truly one of the hottest of the amateur wrestling hotbeds in the nation. Last year, Seth Duckworth, who pens the "Pistols Firing" blog which covers Oklahoma State sports, wrote that the Oklahoma Hall of Fame had never inducted any Oklahoma individual with hall-of-fame-worthy credentials -- including giants in the sport from the state, including John Smith, 1950s Oklahoma Sooner mat superstar Dan Hodge, and Ed Gallagher, pioneering Oklahoma State wrestling coach from World War I to World War II. By contrast, a number of former athletes have been welcomed into the Oklahoma City-based Hall -- including, just last year, former football stars turned politicians Steve Largent and J.C. Watts - installed just last May. That oversight appears about to be righted. In anticipation of the time the Hall normally reveals its annual class of nominees, Duckworth shared a "Sneak Peek" tweet last Friday from the Oklahoma Hall of Fame which featured a photo of John Smith. Sources have confirmed that Coach Smith is expected to be announced as a part of the 2020 class this Thursday. Stay tuned.

Thirteen Fab 50 teams competed at the Doc Buchanan Invitational in Clovis, Calif. (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The 2019-20 scholastic wrestling season saw a plethora of excellent multi-team, i.e. not straight-on dual meet) wrestling events, be them of the dual meet or individual bracket format. Below is a listing of 16 such events that would be ranked among the better ones in the country. Please note that events which would be considered part of a state tournament series were not considered, even if they were coaches' association sponsored events, i.e. the "state duals" in California or Indiana). The list sought to include events from a cross-section of the country, while capturing those that had the highest levels of quality in their field. This article does not rank the events, as there are many criteria to consider when ranking events, and opinions differ as to which criterion should be weighted more heavily. The nationally ranked teams reflect the final Fab 50 rankings that were published on March 18, 2020. The listing of ranked individuals is from the final rankings published on March 18, 2020. It counts any individual from a school that was in the field for the event, whether or not they participated in the event itself. Beast of the East Dates/Location: 12/21/2019 & 12/22/2019, Newark, Del. Teams: Top 10: 5, Top 25: 8, Fab 50: 14 Individuals: No. 1: 1, Top 3: 11, Ranked: 56 from 14 weight classes Beat the Streets Duals Date/Location: 1/18/2020, Oak Park River Forest, Ill. Teams: Top 10: 2, Top 25: 5, Fab 50: 6 Format: eight team event, four rounds, two pools of four with a crossover match Individuals: No. 1: 0, Top 3: 2, Ranked: 18 from 10 weight classes Brecksville Invitational Holiday Tournament Dates/Location: 12/29/2019 & 12/30/2019, Brecksville, Ohio Teams: Top 10: 2, Top 25: 2, Fab 50: 5 Individuals: No. 1: 1, Top 3: 5, Ranked: 22 from 13 weight classes Cheesehead Invitational Dates/Location:1/3/2020 & 1/4/2020, Kaukauna, Wis. Teams: Top 10: 0, Top 25: 3, Fab 50: 3 Individuals: No. 1: 2, Top 3: 3, Ranked: 14 from 11 weight classes Detroit Catholic Central Super Duals Date/Location: 1/11/2020, Novi, Mich. Teams: Top 10: 3, Top 25: 5, Fab 50: 6 Format: seven team event, four rounds, teams have 3 or 4 selected matches Individuals: No. 1: 1, Top 3: 3, Ranked: 11 from 8 weight classes Doc Buchanan Invitational Date/Location: 1/3/2020 & 1/4/2020, Clovis, Calif. Teams: Top 10: 5, Top 25: 8, Fab 50: 13 Individuals: No. 1: 2, Top 3: 6, Ranked: 56 from 14 weight classes Escape the Rock Wrestling Tournament Dates/Location: 1/18/2020 & 1/19/2020, Council Rock South, Pa. Teams: Top 10: 1, Top 25: 1, Fab 50: 4 Individuals: No. 1: 0, Top 3: 4, Ranked: 21 from 12 weight classes Gardner-Edgerton High School Invitational Date/Location: 12/7/2019, Gardner-Edgerton, Kansas Teams: Top 10: 0, top 2) 2, Fab 50: 4 Individuals: No. 1: 1, Top 3: 1, Ranked: 6 from 5 weight classes Notable: One-day event with only 16 teams, 4 x 4, semifinal and final) Garlic City Rumble Date/Location: 12/31/2019, Gilroy, Calif. Teams: Top 10: 4, Top 25: 5, Fab 50: 8 Format: eight-team event, four from California and four from out of state, two matches per team, California teams vs. out of state teams) Individuals: No. 1: 1, Top 3: 2, Ranked: 22 from 12 weight classes Geary Invitational Dates/Location:1/10/2020 & 1/11/2020, Geary, Okla. Teams: Top 10: 0, Top 25: 1, Fab 50: 3 Individuals: No. 1: 0, Top 3: 0, Ranked: 9 from 7 weight classes Kansas City Stampede Dates/Location: 12/20/2019 & 12/21/2019, Kansas City, Mo. Teams: Top 10: 0, Top 25: 1, Fab 50: 4 Individuals: No. 1: 0, Top 3: 0, Ranked: 13 from 8 weight classes Knockout Christmas Classic Dates/Location: 12/27/2019 & 12/28/2019, Osceola, Fla. Teams: none were ranked Individuals: No. 1: 0, Top 3: 0, Ranked: 10 from 7 weight classes Minnesota Christmas Tournament Dates/Location:12/20/2019 & 12/21/2019, Rochester, Minn. Teams: Top 10: 0, Top 25: 2, Fab 50: 4 Individuals: No. 1: 1, Top 3: 1, Ranked: 9 from 8 weight classes Powerade Wrestling Tournament Dates/Location:12/27/2019 & 12/28/2019, Canon-McMillan, Pa. Teams: Top 10: 2, Top 25: 2, Fab 50: 4 Individuals: No. 1: 4, Top 3: 8, Ranked: 40 from 14 weight classes Reno Tournament of Champions Dates/Location: 12/13/2019 & 12/14/2019, Reno, Nev. Teams: Top 10: 0, Top 25: 2, Fab 50: 6 Individuals: No. 1: 2, Top 3: 3, Ranked: 18 from 11 weight classes Walsh Jesuit Ironman Dates/Location: 12/13/2019 & 12/14/2019, Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio Teams: Top 10: 7, Top 25: 10, Fab 50: 16 Individuals: No. 1: 4, Top 3: 13, Ranked: 74 from 14 weight classes

MARYSVILLE, Ohio -- RUDIS is proud to announce the signing of its newest sponsored athlete, Kollin Moore. Moore joins RUDIS at the culmination of a storied wrestling career at The Ohio State University, where he was a four-time NCAA All-American, 2019 NCAA finalist and the runner-up for the 2020 Hodge Trophy. On the international stage, Moore is a 2018 U23 world silver medalist, 2017 Junior world bronze medalist and a member of the 2017 Junior World Championship team which edged out Russia by a single point. RUDIS Co-Founder and President Jesse Leng speaks about Moore and the significance of his joining Team RUDIS. "Kollin is a relentless competitor and a humble servant to our sport. Not only is he a remarkable athlete, but also an incredible human who uplifts the sport of wrestling. We couldn't be happier that he's joined our team." Moore started his wrestling career at the age of six at a local youth club in Ohio. He then went on to become an OHSAA Wrestling State Champion for Norwayne High School, in addition to playing football, soccer and running track. Racking up a 204-11 high school record, Moore is one of only eleven Ohioans to win over 200 wrestling matches. At The Ohio State University, Moore compiled a 110-11 career record at 197 pounds. A three-time Big Ten champion and four-time NCAA qualifier, Moore served as a team captain on the Buckeye Wrestling Team his senior year. On the international circuit, Moore made his first Junior World Team in 2016 in just his second-ever freestyle tournament. In 2017, Moore made the Junior World Team yet again and scored an average of 10 points in three wins to claim a bronze medal at 96 kilograms, helping the men's freestyle junior world team win its first title since 1984. In 2018, Moore returned to the freestyle stage once again at the U23 World Championships where he came out victorious over opponents from Russia, Turkey, Canada and Ukraine en route to earning a silver medal at 97 kilograms for the United States. Joining Team RUDIS, Moore accompanies an impressive roster of elite senior-level athletes that includes two-time world and Olympic champion Kyle Snyder, world champion Tamyra Mensah-Stock and four-time NCAA finalist and two-time NCAA champion Isaiah Martínez, to name a few. RUDIS Chief of Staff and Director of the Senior Athlete Program Matt Dernlan comments on the addition of Moore to the RUDIS team. "We're proud to have one of Ohio's greatest wrestlers join the RUDIS family. Kollin has always been a fierce competitor and exemplary leader in the sport of wrestling, and we're honored to have him continue his career with RUDIS." Serving the amateur wrestling community, RUDIS honors some of the greatest names in the history of the sport including Dave Schultz, Cary Kolat, Russ Hellickson, Kenny Monday, Lincoln Mcllravy and more. The company states: "Born from wrestling and built for wrestling. RUDIS was created with a single vision in mind: be the most accurate and authentic expression of the sport through apparel. The core values of wrestling govern our every action and drive us to continually innovate, serve, and connect with those who love this sport." To receive important updates, follow RUDIS @the_rudis and Kollin Moore @moore_of_kollin on social media. For inquiries, please contact info@therudis.com.

STILLWATER, Okla. -- The National Wrestling Hall of Fame on Tuesday announced the regional winners of the Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award (TSHSEA). First presented in 2014, the TSHSEA is named for Tricia Saunders, a four-time World Champion and women's wrestling pioneer. Saunders was the first woman to be inducted as a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006 and was inducted into the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2011. The TSHSEA recognizes and celebrates the nation's most outstanding high school senior female wrestlers for their excellence in wrestling, scholastic achievement, citizenship, and community service. The national winner of the TSHSEA will be announced on May 26. Regional winners of the Dave Schultz High School Excellence Award will be announced on Thursday and the national winner on May 28. For the third consecutive year, the Hall of Fame recognized a record number of state winners with 46, up from 35 winners in 2019 and 32 winners in 2018. Winners are evaluated and selected on the basis of three criteria: success and standout performances and sportsmanship in wrestling; review of GPA and class rank, academic honors and distinctions; and participation in activities that demonstrate commitment to character and community. The regions and the states that they are comprised of are: West (11) - Alaska, Arizona, California, Hawaii, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Washington and Wyoming Midwest (10) - Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin Central (7) - Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Missouri, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Texas Southeast (10) - Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia and West Virginia Northeast (8) - Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island 2020 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award Regional Winners Central Region: Camille Fournier of Weatherford, Texas, is a three-time Texas girls state folkstyle champion and a four-time finalist. Ranked third at 117 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings, she has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Texas Wesleyan University. The daughter of Mervin and Alicia Fournier, she was the Weatherford High School Wrestler of the Year all four years and served as team captain as a junior and senior. She was named Most Outstanding Wrestler for the University Interscholastic League 6A Regional and the 6A Girls State in 2019-20. Fournier was also named High School Spotlight Athlete of the Year by Fox Sports Southwest and is a nominee for USA Today's Dallas Wrestler of the Year. She finished fifth in the senior division at the 2020 Lady Klippan Open. Fournier finished third at Fargo and at the UWW Freestyle Cadet Nationals in 2019. She was the 2018 USA Wrestling Cadet Folkstyle Nationals champion and USMC Folkstyle champion while finishing second at Fargo, fourth at the Junior Folkstyle Nationals and eighth at the 2018 UWW Cadet Nationals. Fournier won a bronze medal at the 2016 Schoolgirl Pan American Championships. A member of the National Honor Society, she volunteers at Northside Baptist Church and is a leader assistant for Revive Class, which helps children with special needs. Midwest Region: Leilah Castro of New Lexington, Ohio, won the 121-pound state title at the inaugural Ohio girls wrestling state tournament in 2020 and was named Outstanding Wrestler after pinning every opponent. The daughter of Josh and Angie Castro, she was selected to be the inaugural recipient of the Toccara Montgomery Most Outstanding Wrestler Award from the Ohio High School Wrestling Coaches Association. Castro finished second in the boys league conference tournament in 2019 and qualified for the boys district tournament in 2018. Ranked third at 122 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings, Castro has verbally committed to Campbellsville University. She won the USA Folkstyle Nationals in 2019 and finished fifth at the 2018 Cadet World Championships. Castro was a two-time Super 32 champion and also lettered in soccer for New Lexington High School, where she was team captain and named Most Valuable Player. A member of the National Honor Society, she received a Perry County proclamation from Mayor Trent Thompson and was honored by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio. Northeast Region: Mia Macaluso of Otisville, New York is a two-time girls New York Public Schools Athletic League state champion and a three-time New York State freestyle state champion. Ranked second at 127 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings, she has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at East Stroudsburg University. The daughter of Heath and Nikki Macaluso, she finished fourth at the boys 2020 Section IX, becoming the first girl in the section to make the semifinals. She won the Woodlands Varsity boys tournament, earning Most Outstanding Wrestler honors, and the Gene Brigham tournament, becoming the first girl in Section IX to win a varsity tournament. Macaluso was the first girl in history to make the Minisink Valley High School varsity team, lettering five years, and helping the team win the 2020 NYS Championship D1 boys dual team title and the Section IX D1 boys dual team title in 2018, 2019 and 2020. She received the Robert Feldmeier Award from the Upstate New York Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame for being the outstanding female wrestler in NYS. Macaluso won a gold medal and the Golden Boot, awarded to the Outstanding Wrestler, at the 2019 Pan American Cadet Championships and a bronze medal at the 2019 Pan American Junior Championships. Macaluso won a silver medal at the 2019 Austrian Flatz Open and also competed in the German Open and the Russian Open. She won the Cadet title at Fargo and the USA Folkstyle Nationals in 2018 and finished second at USA Folkstyle Nationals and fourth at Fargo in 2019. Macaluso won the NYS-USA freestyle state championship three times and was the 2019 National High School Coaches Association national champion. She also started four years on the varsity lacrosse team and played on the varsity soccer team since eighth grade. Macaluso is a member of Future Business Leaders of America and "Study Buddies," an after-school club where high school students assist middle, intermediate and elementary school teachers in the classroom. Southeast Region: Jessica Corredor of Orlando, Florida, was a two-time state champion and a four-time state finalist for Dr. Phillips High School. Ranked seventh at 100 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings, she has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Missouri Baptist University. The daughter of Carlos and Dianna Robles, Corredor finished seventh at the 2017 UWW Cadet Nationals and sixth at the 2018 UWW Cadet Nationals while finishing second at the 2019 Wyoming Seminary International. She won the 2018 Gotham Open and finished fourth in 2019 while finishing second at the Super 32 in 2019 after a sixth-place finish in 2017. Corredor was team captain for two years and received the Dr. Phillips High School Female Sportsmanship award. She also lettered four years in weightlifting, setting the school bench press record for 101-pound and 110-pound weight classes while capturing district and regional titles and qualifying for state twice. Corredor assisted and tutored special needs students while also working on school sock and school supply drives. West Region: Nanea Estrella of Makawao, Hawaii, was a four-time state champion for Lahainaluna High School. Ranked second at 132 pounds in the National Girls High School Rankings, she has signed a letter of intent to wrestle at Menlo College. The daughter of Isaac and Johanna Estrella, she had runner-up finishes at the Cadet Nationals in 2018 and the Junior Nationals in 2019, and won both freestyle and Greco-Roman at the 2019 Western Regionals. She earned a triple crown and was named Outstanding Wrestler in Greco-Roman at the Turf Wars in Pocatello, Idaho, and placed third at the 2019 Cadet World Team trials. Estrella was team captain for three years and has been ranked in the Top 10 nationally since her sophomore year. She also lettered in track and field and was a two-time Hawaii state qualifier in the 4x100-meter relay, 4x400-meter relay, 400-meter dash, 200-meter dash and long jump. Estrella tutored fourth-grade students and is also a member of Lahainaluna High School's Aloha Club, which performs community outreach activities including beach cleanups, food drives and preparing and serving meals to the homeless. She is also a finalist for the 2020 Pele Award, which honors creative excellence in the art of advertising and design. Estrella submitted a PSA video called "Don't Be A Drip" about water conservation. She has received the A&B scholar athlete award and is a CTE pathway completer in broadcast media. Women's wrestling is one of the fastest growing high school sports and there are more than 27,000 female high school wrestlers competing across the nation. From 1998-2015 there were six states with a sanctioned girls state wrestling championship: Alaska, California, Hawaii, Tennessee, Texas and Washington. Since 2015, 16 additional states have created an official girls wrestling state championships, or have started the path leading to official sanction: Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Connecticut, Georgia, Kansas, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, Montana, New Jersey, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Oregon and Utah. Georgia, Oregon, Maine, Massachusetts, Missouri and New Jersey held their first official state championship in 2018-19 while Arkansas, Kansas, Maryland and New Mexico held an official state championship for 2019-20. Colorado voted for a two-year pilot program for 2018-19 with an official state championship for 2020-21. Arizona voted girls wrestling as an emerging sport for 2018-19 and will host an official state championship in 2020-21. Connecticut held a girls wrestling invitational tournament in 2019-20. Sixteen states have held unofficial girls state championships, organized and run by coaches, state wrestling associations or officials associations. The 16 states with unofficial girls state championships are: Florida, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, South Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia and Wisconsin. There are 81 intercollegiate women's wrestling teams. The NCAA has approved "Emerging Sport Status" for women's wrestling at the Division II and Division III levels, and women's wrestling supporters are hopeful that it will approve it for Division I this summer. The NAIA also recognizes women's wrestling as an emerging sport. The Hall of Fame accepts nominations for its high school excellence awards from state chapters and coaches. The nominations are reviewed by a committee, which selects state and regional winners. The committee then determines the national winners from the regional winners. 2020 Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award State Winners State - Name, High School, Hometown, College Attending Alabama - Shelby Fugate, Russell County High School, Fort Mitchell, Central Methodist University Alaska - Rayana Vigil, Homer High School, Fritz Creek, Southern Oregon University Arizona - Stefana Jelacic, Chandler High School, Fountain Hills, Lourdes University Arkansas - Riley Holman, Pulaski Academy College Preparatory School, Little Rock California - Francesca LoPresti, Albany High School, Richmond Colorado - Tristan Kelly, Springs Studio for Academic Excellence, Erie, Colorado Mesa Connecticut - Lilly Schwartz, Northwestern Regional School District No. 7, Salisbury Florida - Jessica Corredor, Dr. Phillips High School, Orlando, Missouri Baptist University Georgia - Tiyhana Askew, Collins Hill High School, Lawrenceville, Emmanuel College Hawaii - Nanea Estrella, Lahainaluna High School, Makawao, Menlo College Idaho - Payton Lanningham, Columbia High School, Nampa Illinois - Louisa Schwab, Joliet West High School, Plainfield, Menlo College Indiana - Larresha Bryant-Coleman, New Haven Jr./Sr. High School, Ft. Wayne Iowa - Tateum Park, Davenport North High School, Davenport Kansas - Elisa Robinson, Junction City High School, Junction City Kentucky - Savanna Bacon, Union County High School, Sturgis, University of the Cumberlands Louisiana - Anya Broussard, University View Academy, Baton Rouge, Wayne State University Maryland - Maggie Palmore, Northwest High School, Germantown Massachusetts - Marisol Nugent, Phillips Academy Andover, Boxford, Lehigh University Michigan - Rayana Sahagun, Sparta High School, Rockford, University of Jamestown Minnesota - Kya Rybacheck, Hibbing High School, Mountain Iron, Augsburg University Missouri - Autumn Flanigan, Troy Buchanan High School, Troy, Augsburg University Montana - Brooke Cicierski, Billings West High School, Billings, University of Providence Nebraska - Jerzie Menke, Bridgeport High School, Bridgeport Nevada - Tehani Soares, Shadow Ridge High School, Las Vegas, Indiana Tech New Hampshire - Shandria Waters, Keene High School, Surry, East Stroudsburg University New Jersey - Jewel Gonzalez, Phillipsburg High School, Phillipsburg, Gannon University New Mexico - Selvi Gallegos, Sandia High School, Albuquerque, Oklahoma City University New York - Mia Macaluso, Minisink Valley High School, Otisville, East Stroudsburg University North Carolina - Brooklyn Hermel, Havelock High School, Havelock, Oklahoma City University North Dakota - Sierra Ramberg, West Fargo High School, Fargo Ohio - Leilah Castro, New Lexington High School, New Lexington, Campbellsville University Oklahoma - Janene Perry, Stilwell High School, Welling Oregon - Olivia Robinson, Glencoe High School, Hillsboro, Eastern Oregon University Pennsylvania - Caitlyn Walker, Wyoming Seminary Prep School, Hatboro, Columbia University Rhode Island - Amber Aguilar, Central Falls High School, Central Falls South Carolina - Elisha Thaxton, West-Oak High School, Westminster South Dakota - Alisha Van Scoy, Stevens High School, Rapid City, University of Saint Mary Tennessee - Emma Walker, Rossview High School, Clarksville, Campbellsville University Texas - Camille Fournier, Weatherford High School, Weatherford, Texas Wesleyan University Utah - Kathleen Janis, Layton High School, Layton, King University Virginia - Elizabeth Dosado, Caroline High School, Ruther Glen, University of the Cumberlands Washington - Molly Williams, Redmond High School, Redmond West Virginia - Samantha Miller, Parkersburg South High School, Parkersburg, Presbyterian College Wisconsin - Marta Jasperson, Hudson Senior High School, Hudson Wyoming - Charmayne DeLong, Moorcroft High School, Weston, Indiana Tech University All-Time National Winners of Tricia Saunders High School Excellence Award 2019 - Emily Shilson, Mounds View High School, North Oaks, Minnesota 2018 - Alleida Martinez, Selma High School, Selma, California 2017 - Cierra Foster, Post Falls High School, Post Falls, Idaho 2016 - Katie Brock, Sequatchie County High School, Whitwell, Tennessee 2015 - Marizza Birrueta, Grandview High School, Grandview, Washington 2014 - Marina Doi, Kingsburg High School, Kingsburg, California National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum America's shrine to the sport of wrestling, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame & Museum was founded as a nonprofit organization in 1976 to honor the sport of wrestling, preserve its history, recognize extraordinary individual achievements, and inspire future generations. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame has museums in Stillwater, Oklahoma, and Waterloo, Iowa. The Stillwater, Oklahoma, location reopened in June 2016 following a $3.8 million renovation while the Waterloo, Iowa, location reopened in March 2019 after undergoing a $1.4 million renovation. Both museums now feature interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. Stillwater also has the John T. Vaughan Hall of Honors where the greatest names in wrestling are recognized, including iconic granite plaques presented to Distinguished Members since the Hall of Fame opened in 1976. The museum has the largest collection of wrestling artifacts and memorabilia in the world, including the most collegiate and Olympic wrestling uniforms. Wrestling truly is for everyone and the diversity and accessibility of the sport continues to be highlighted through exhibits featuring females, African-Americans, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and Latino Americans. There is also a library featuring historical documents, including NCAA guides and results, as well as books on the sport. For more information about the Hall of Fame, please visit www.NWHOF.org.

Tom Ryan coaching against Stanford (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Tom Ryan has experienced the euphoria of coaching a team to a national championship. And experienced the heartache and devastation of losing a young son. Ryan shares his compelling, emotional and inspiring story in his new book: "Chosen Suffering: Becoming Elite in Life and Leadership." The process to complete the book took a year. "I'm really glad I decided to do it," Ryan said. "I had been approached about doing a book before, but I didn't think I had enough time. It was something I thought I might do after I retired. But a couple of donors and supporters who are good friends encouraged me to write a book. It was an interesting and very emotional process. The book is about my life story with leadership lessons through what I've learned and mistakes I've made. And it's about some of the challenges that I've faced." Ryan, the head wrestling coach at Ohio State, has been on quite a journey during a life that has included its share of peaks and valleys. One of those peaks came when Ryan coached the Buckeyes to their first NCAA wrestling title in school history in 2015. Shortly after his team wrapped up the championship for the Ohio State wrestling program, Ryan's phone was flooded with congratulatory text messages. Of all the messages and comments Ryan received and heard on that magical March night in 2015, one stood out most. It was from actor and former wrestler Billy Baldwin, who helped broadcast the NCAA tournament for ESPN. "How elated Teague must be for his dad," Baldwin said on the air. Ryan's son, Teague, had shockingly passed away from a heart attack as a 5-year-old in 2004. "Billy's announcement shot agonizing pain through my heart," Ryan wrote in the book. "Two types of suffering collided in that moment. Upon hearing Billy's comment, I quickly moved to a quiet corner under the bleachers and dropped to my knees. Searing, gut-wrenching tears burst from the depths of my soul -- the pain of indescribable loss, unfulfilled potential, and erased dreams stung. Eleven years is not enough time to heal deep loss. How is it that pain stirs us more than success? How can a human experience this type of pain? What good can it produce? How could I, in this pinnacle moment of my career and dreams, be both ecstatic yet devastated?" It was an emotional night of reflection for Ryan, who has emerged as one of the premier college coaches in the country. "In this summit moment of my career, resulting in extreme joy and happiness, another life track ran concurrently -- the most profound personal grief," Ryan wrote in the book. "Time had passed, which helped but never completely heals. Two sufferings collided -- chosen and unchosen. It takes a deep yearning to find the meaning in unchosen suffering. Chosen suffering I understood and longed for because its roots were deeply embedded in my life. Chosen suffering by so many led us to this national title. Unchosen suffering is different. It's the ever- present reminder that we are here to manage the painful things we didn't cause but happen to us and those we love. Unchosen suffering transformed me. It exposed a blind spot. On this evening, I was present and aware that pain and happiness live side-by-side. While experiencing the gifts from sustained hard work over time, the deepest grief overwhelmed me. Chosen and unchosen suffering revealed. This emotional competition lasted for a few intense minutes. I ached. Then, it was time to celebrate with the men who set the standard for all other teams to follow." Ryan said the book title applies to many facets of life. "Chosen suffering is so powerful," he said. "We live in a world where people want everything to come quick, fast and easy, and with no patience, but that's not the way it works. It's the world we live in and it's not anyone's fault. Something worthwhile takes a lot of work and commitment. The suffering I relate to is love and sacrifice. Wrestling is a great example of it. There is no way to progress without constant, consistent suffering and discomfort -- that's the hard work you have to put in to become successful. Part of the suffering also is overcoming injuries and adversity, and learning how to deal with it." In Ryan's new book -- co-written with author Kirsten D'Samuel -- he walks readers through the stages of his life and shares his moments of "chosen and unchosen suffering." Ryan talks about, even in his darkest hour, how he and his family discovered joy, peace and hope. Ryan wrestled under the legendary Dan Gable at the University of Iowa and was an NCAA runner-up for the Hawkeyes. He had a successful run as the head coach at Hofstra University before taking over at Ohio State. "I have so much gratitude toward Dan Gable," Ryan said. "He treated me extremely fairly. The way he imparted his knowledge and his life experiences to me has helped me so much. It changed the course of my life. I don't know if I get the Hofstra job if I didn't wrestle for Dan Gable. I have a tremendous amount of respect for him." Tom Ryan with four-time All-American Kollin Moore (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Ryan has built the Buckeyes into one of the best wrestling programs at the NCAA Division I level. Among the wrestlers he has coached are Olympic gold medalist and two-time world champion Kyle Snyder, along with four-time NCAA champion and world champion Logan Stieber. Ryan tries to keep the success he has achieved in the proper perspective. "We all have an empty space in our lives -- what are we filling it with? Is it titles and championships?" he said. "I want to win at everything I do, but am I filling my life with relationships and things that matter? What I fill that space with is the hope of eternal life and with my creator. I have found a faith and peace. I still want to win as much as the next guy, but you have to fill that space in your life with something truly meaningful." In his book, Ryan shares his formula for escaping average and embodying greatness. "Elite isn't by accident," Ryan wrote. "It's the intentional outcome of chosen suffering." Teague RyanRyan said in an interview Monday that he still becomes emotional when talking about his son, Teague. "It always brings me to tears when his name comes up," Ryan said. "Whenever I think about him, it's always painful. It's never easy." Shortly after his son's death, Ryan developed a strong faith. "At 36 years old, I began to explore whether or not God is real or isn't real," he said. "The reason I explored it was that I was in such a place of pain that nothing in my life mattered more than getting an answer. I discovered that God is definitely real. I eventually found my answer, but it took some time." Ryan often shares his personal story when he speaks at churches and schools. "It's worth sharing it because I think it helps people who are in a bad place and are suffering," he said. "I have talked to so many people who are in the same situation where they've lost a child. We can relate to each other. "I tell people it's alright to grieve and be mad and hurt. In time, there will be a new normal. I believe Teague's in Heaven and he's in a good place. It took a long time, but I came out of this as a much stronger person. When you get through it and have faith and hope, you can live again." Ryan hopes sharing his powerful story in a book will positively impact people in a variety of ways. "I hope people are moved to explore their purpose," he said. "I hope they learn that consistent hard work is non-negotiable. And I hope they find peace and something resonates with them toward having a better understanding of their time on earth. "I know I had to go through something so deeply troubling to have the perspective I have." Ryan's book is available in both hard copy ($24.95) and paper back ($14.95). Books can be ordered at www.chosensuffering.com. 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.

Mitch Moore wrestling Ohio State's Luke Pletcher (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) NORMAN -- University of Oklahoma wrestling head coach Lou Rosselli announced the addition via transfer of two-time NCAA qualifier and ACC Freshman of the Year Mitch Moore to the roster on Monday. Moore comes to Norman from Virginia Tech where he was named ACC Freshman of the Year in 2019 after compiling a record of 18-9 and finishing as the runner-up at the ACC Championship at 141 pounds, earning an NCAA berth. His 10 falls as a freshman were the 10th most in a single season at Virginia Tech. As a sophomore in 2020, Moore once again tallied a record of 18-9 and an impressive 11-2 record in dual action. He collected a team-high six wins via fall and earned an at-large bid to the NCAA Championship. "We're really excited to welcome Mitch to our OU family." Rosselli said. "He's been successful at this level and he will help us build our program to an elite level." The St. Paris, Ohio, product is expected to compete for the Sooners at 149 pounds. Oklahoma returns nine of its starters from a 2019-20 campaign that saw six Sooners qualify for the NCAA Championship.

Isaiah Martinez battling Jordan Burroughs at Final X (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) CORVALLIS, Ore. -- Oregon State wrestling coach Chris Pendleton has announced the additions of Isaiah Martinez and Nate Engel to the Beaver coaching staff. "I'm excited to officially announce the hiring of two outstanding men," Pendleton said. "From the start, I knew that I was looking for like-minded people that would help me with the holistic development of young athletes, and build a culture that places an emphasis on doing things the right way." ISAIAH MARTINEZ The most decorated wrestler in Illini history, Martinez joins the Beavers after spending his last two seasons as an assistant coach in Champaign. He concluded his Illini wrestling career with the highest winning percentage in school history, winning 97.5 percent of his matches. The 116 victories by Martinez is also tied for 10th all-time in Illinois history. Martinez, a two-time NCAA Champion and four-time Big Ten Champion, was named a 2018 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient. Additionally, Martinez is a two-time Illinois Dike Eddleman Male Athlete of the Year winner and a two-time Big Ten Wrestler of the Championships. "I'm so excited to be working with Coach Pendleton and the OSU team," Martinez said. "I believe Oregon State has all the makings to be a special place for wrestling. I can't wait to get to work and help guys achieve their goals!" "Isaiah is a unique hire because we both come from a blue collar town in the Central Valley of California," Pendleton said. "I previously had the distinction of being the best wrestler from Lemoore until he showed up. As a two-time NCAA champion and four-time All American, Isaiah has been a force on the world level and will be a great guide for our athletes to follow. Personally, I've loved seeing his development as a scrappy young kid in the youth program to the man he is today" Career Highlights Four-time NCAA Finalist (2015, 2016, 2017, 2018) Two-time NCAA Champion (2015, 2016) Four-time Big Ten Champion (2015, 2016,2017,2018) Two-time Midlands Champion (2014, 2016) US Open Champion (2018,2019) U23 National Champion Three-time CIF State Champion (2011, 2012, 2013) USAW Junior National Champion (2012) USAW Cadet National Champion (2010) NATE ENGEL Engel joins the Beavers after two seasons with the Stanford Cardinal and serving as an assistant at Navy from 2014-18. Recognized as an excellent recruiter, Engel landed consecutive top-20 recruiting classes and two recruits ranked first in the nation with the Midshipmen. "I want to thank Chris Pendleton as well as Oregon State University's athletic director, Scott Barnes, for this opportunity," Engel said. "Chris has a proven record of success in developing athletes and I am looking forward to working alongside of him. Oregon State University has a rich tradition in their wrestling and we have big plans to keep building a powerhouse program in the Pacific Northwest. Engel has extensive ties with USA Wrestling and currently serves as the Director of the California Regional Training Center (RTC) program. He coached the U.S. Junior Greco World Team at the Junior World Championships in Slovakia in September 2018. During his first season at Stanford, he helped lead the Cardinal to its first Pac-12 team title. Stanford had two individual champions and sent five wrestlers to the NCAA Championships in Pittsburgh. Engel was an All-American at Missouri Valley College and a four-time NAIA qualifier. An elite senior level competitor, he pursued a Greco career full-time, training at Northern Michigan under Ivan Ivanov. A two-time member of the U.S. National Team, Engel was the runner-up at the 2013 World Team Trials. He won the 2012 Haparanda Cup and took silver at the 2013 Haavisto Tournament. He was also the Maccabiah Games champion in both Freesyle and Greco-Roman at 55 kg in 2013, while taking home two bronze medals in 2017. "Speaking with other head coaches across the country, a name kept coming up as someone I should look at immediately and that was Nate Engel," Pendleton said. "I had the pleasure of getting to know Nate and his wife McKayla last fall in Estonia at the world championships, and knew that he was someone I would love to work with one day. His strengths as a recruiter, technician, and mentor is exactly what our program needs." Career Highlights USA Wrestling Greco Roman Coach of the Year (2019) Maccabi Games Bronze Medals Freestyle and Greco-Roman 57kg (2017) World Team Trials Qualifier (2014) Silver Medal 55kg - St. Petersburg, Russia (2013) Bronze Medal 60kg - St. Petersburg, Russia (2013) Silver Medal 55kg - Havvisto Tournament (2013) Maccabi Games Champion Freestyle and Greco-Roman 55kg (2013) Two-time U.S. National Team Member (2010, 2013) Seven-time U.S. Open All-American Sunkist Kids International Champion and Outstanding Wrestler (2009) University Greco-Roman National Champion 55kg (2007) Third place NAIA Nationals (2005) Four-time NAIA National Qualifier