InterMat Staff

Two weeks ago, BJJ Fanatics announced a unique 2020 Leap Day event, featuring a wrestler vs. a submission grappler in two different matches featuring two different forms of combat -- freestyle wrestling ... and submission fighting. The results in this two-part main event on Saturday, Feb. 29.: the wrestler - Pat Downey III -- won the freestyle match conducted under freestyle rules ... while Gordon Ryan, ADCC Submission Fighting World Federation Champion, came out the winner in a Brazilian jiu jitsu match with no time limit, with winner to be determined by submission only. The submission fighting match took place first. Pat Downey, Steve Mocco and Gordon RyanHere's how Jiu Jitsu Times opened its coverage of the submission bout: "As the submission grappling match kicked off, the competitors spent a few minutes on their feet fighting for grips. Downey managed to get Ryan to his knees, but the athletes quickly sprung back to their feet, where they stayed for a few more minutes. Although there were a few attempts at arm drags and foot sweeps, it was still some time before Downey was able to force Ryan to his knees again. There was a quick scramble, but the grapplers ultimately returned to their feet. "Downey once again got Ryan to the ground, but this time, Ryan opted to stay down and play guard. The two combatants went out of bounds, so they returned to the competitive area. "Ryan managed to secure a triangle from the back," Jiu Jitsu Times continued. "Although he didn't have a submission locked in, Downey tapped out multiple times, grabbing his shoulder and arm as if in pain. Ryan was declared the winner of the match by submission." In the wrestling match, Downey's mat background -- as a former junior college champ, NCAA Division I All-American, and 2019 U.S. Open Champion and placer at the 2019 World Championships - served him well, as he earned a 11-0 technical fall over Ryan. "Downey wasted no time in getting Ryan to the floor," according to Jiu Jitsu Times. "After the two went out of bounds, they were reset, and Downey was able to get Ryan to the ground again and roll him over multiple times to quickly end the match by tech fall." After the evening's two bouts, Pat Downey posted this on his Instagram account:

Spencer Lee is 15-0 with bonus points in all 15 matches (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) It would not be considered a stretch to say that the Big Ten Conference is the premiere collegiate wrestling conference. This year multiple wrestlers from the 14 member schools will enter the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships with a good chance to win, but none will be as big of favorite as No. 1 Spencer Lee. The Iowa junior will be looking for his third straight NCAA title. For the season, he has been utterly dominant. The following looks at how he has statistically separated himself from the field heading into the Big Ten Conference tournament. Points per minute Lee currently ranks first in match points scored per minute among Big Ten starters. Including all matches, he has scored 3.64 points per minute. Not only does this scoring rate rank first in the Big Ten, but it also puts himself well ahead of the field. No. 6 Devin Schroder (Purdue) currently ranks second in points per minute with only 1.72. The average among Big Ten starters is 1.15. Points against per minute Lee allowed five points in his season-opening match against Fabian Gutierrez (Chattanooga). Through the rest of the regular season he surrendered only eight points total. Three of those points came last weekend in his major decision victory over No. 4 Nick Piccinnni (Oklahoma State). In between those two matches Lee pitched 10 shutouts. For the season Lee has allowed his opponents to only score 0.26 points per minute. Once again the Iowa wrestler outpaces the field as the average for a Big Ten starter is more than twice as high at 0.68. Point differential Since Lee is far ahead of the conference in terms of both points per minute and points against per minute, it should not come as a surprise that he also has the best point differential on the year (match points scored per minute minus points against per minute). His +3.38 differential is more than seven times the average for a Big Ten starter (+0.47). Interestingly enough his differential has actually been better when facing Big Ten opposition. Against Big Ten opponents, Lee has a +4.09 differential. When including matches only intra-conference matches, the average for a Big Ten starter falls to +0.32. Schroder is actually second in all three of the previous categories, and he has clearly cemented himself as the No. 2 seed at this weight class heading into the conference tournament. Lee and Schroder met earlier this year. Lee scored a 15-0 technical fall in the first period. Schroder surrendered only 71 match points during the season, which means that 21% of the points her allowed were scored by Lee in less than a period. Average match length (without forfeits) Lee has scored eight technical falls and three falls on the year. Only his three matches against Gutierrez, Piccininni and No. 17 Jack Medley (Michigan) have gone the full seven minutes. His quickest victory of the year came when he scored a 52-second fall over Christian Moody (Oklahoma) at the Midlands Championships. The average match for Lee has gone only 3:33. The next shortest average match time among starters is 5:45 (Schroder) and the average for a Big Ten starter is 6:10. Saved time (without forfeits) By terminating 11 of his matches early, Lee has saved himself a significant amount of time on the mat. If all of his matches had gone the full seven minutes, he would have wrestled an extra 48:19. The Big Ten Conference tournament will feature six wrestlers currently ranked by InterMat, and there will be eight qualification spots up for grabs. Upsets certainly happen, but it is hard to see how Lee does not work his way through the tournament and enter the NCAA bracket as the No. 1 seed. Last year he finished the regular season with only a +2.08 match point differential, and he went on to win the national title. Then again, Lee has never won a Big Ten tournament despite owning a pair of NCAA tournament titles.

'Beat the Streets returns to Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) NEW YORK -- One of the highlights on the annual amateur wrestling calendar returns for the 11th straight year as Beat the Streets Wrestling (BTS), the largest grassroots inner city wrestling program in the United States, and USA Wrestling today announced that the annual BTS benefit will be held on Thursday, May 28. The thrilling night of wrestling, dubbed "Grapple at the Garden," will again be held at the Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden after making a highly successful, sold-out debut there in 2019 following nearly a decade at various other iconic New York City venues. The bouts will again be followed by the annual Benefit Celebration, which recognizes not only the elite athletes who compete at the event but also the BTS standout youth wrestlers who epitomize the work that the not-for-profit organization does year-round. Expected to compete are BTS wrestlers along with a national high school All-Star match-up, NCAA Champions and international Olympic men and women, and potentially mixed martial arts athletes who began as wrestlers. Ticket information as well as the athletes, matchups, schedule and broadcast details will be announced at a later date. "We couldn't have been more pleased with the response to our first year at Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden," said Beat the Streets Executive Director Brendan Buckley. "The sold-out crowd brought a non-stop energy, fueled by world-class wrestling action from top to bottom. We expect it will be an even hotter ticket this year with the Tokyo Olympics on the horizon." "The Board of Beat the Streets is excited to present another outstanding competition as we raise funds for the youth of New York City," added BTS Chairman of the Board Ray Barczak. "The support we receive from donors, fans and others during our annual benefit allows us to achieve our mission. With more than 3,000 male and female student-athletes participating in more than 150 programs across the region, Beat the Streets is in its 14th year of changing lives and providing opportunities that truly make a difference." Beat the Streets Benefit competitions began in 2010 and have since become a major showcase of the best of international wrestling. This unique and electrifying annual event has helped BTS raise millions of dollars to support local youth wrestling programs which empower young people in New York City. The 2019 event raised $1.3 million for the organization. Appearances by Olympic champions Jordan Burroughs (2012, gold), Kyle Snyder (2016, gold) and J'den Cox (2016, bronze) and local favorites like Nick Suriano (Rutgers University/Paramus, N.J.), James Green (Willingboro, N.J.) and Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers/So. Plainfield, N.J.) were among the night's many crowd-pleasing highlights. The first Beat the Streets Benefit was held on the U.S.S. Intrepid, an aircraft carrier docked on the west side of Manhattan. Since then, the benefit has taken place at other notable New York City spots like Grand Central Terminal and Times Square. Team USA has faced off against teams from around the world including Japan, Cuba, Russia, Iran and Canada, as well as international all-star teams. In 2018, the competition was hosted at the new Pier 17 in the Seaport District and included the highly anticipated Burroughs vs. Frank Chamizo (Italy) match. New York City's Madison Square Garden is one of the most famous sporting and entertainment venues in the world. The Hulu Theater at Madison Square Garden is an impressive venue with the capacity to seat over 5,000. The theater has hosted notable wrestling events including the 1998 Goodwill Games wrestling competition and the 2017 Grapple at the Garden college wrestling event. About Beat the Streets The mission of Beat the Streets is to develop the full potential of the urban youth and to strengthen the culture of New York City wrestling. BTS works directly with the New York City Department of Education in a public-private partnership to bring the life changing sport of wrestling to over 3,000 New York City student-athletes to help them achieve their personal and athletic goals. Through the operation of wrestling programs in middle and high schools in the five boroughs, BTS and the DOE provide a safe, positive atmosphere in which disadvantaged and at-risk youth can learn the essential life lessons of grit, personal responsibility and teamwork, physical fitness and nutrition, and life-long learning. The goal of fostering strong, well-rounded student-athletes is delivered through coaching, after-school programs, life skills workshops, and summer camps. More information can be found at www.btsny.org. About USA Wrestling USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. It has over 250,000 members across the nation, boys and girls, men and women of all ages, representing all levels of the sport. Its president is Bruce Baumgartner, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. More information can be found at TheMat.com

Princeton's Matthew Kolodzik will look to win his third EIWA title (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The nation's oldest college wrestling tournament returns to familiar surroundings after consecutive years at first-time hosts. Lehigh University has hosted 24 times, more than any other school; this will be the twelfth time at Stabler Arena. Two years ago the Mountain Hawks broke Cornell's remarkable record of eleven consecutive team titles, then repeated as team champion at Binghamton. Lehigh hopes to defend on their home mats, while challenges may come from several avenues in a year where it's unlikely any team can run away with the title. The Princeton Tigers beat both Lehigh and Cornell (the winners of the last 18 tournaments) in dual meets this season, took down cross-state rival Rutgers for the first time in 30 years, and claimed the Ivy League title. Can the Orange and Black add an EIWA team title to their haul? Army West Point returns a veteran team that featured several spirited battles for starting positions. Navy moved into contention late in the season, with the return of two top starters to their lineup; they fell by the Dread Criterion C in their season-ending dual loss against Army. Nor can Cornell be ruled out; despite missing three All-Americans due to Olympic redshirt years, the Big Red may still have enough firepower to make a run. If Lehigh or Princeton falter, the competition will be right there to capitalize. In turn, those teams need to keep an eye in their rearview mirrors. The American Eagles, Bucknell Bison, Harvard Crimson, and Penn Quakers may not be able to grab the top prize, but they give out trophies down to third place and hardware always looks nice in the trophy case. Honors extend beyond the team and individual titles. Also to be decided are the outstanding wrestler (coaches' vote), most career points (Fletcher Award), and best pinner (Sheridan Award); the coaches select the top coach and the referees honor the most sportsmanlike team. The EIWA tournament received forty-four automatic qualifying bids for the NCAA Championships at Minneapolis in two weeks; at-large selections to be announced the week after conference tourneys will augment the contingent. The weight-by-weight preview: 125 NCAA bids: 7 Defending champion: Patrick Glory, Princeton A year after this class was led by freshmen the field is populated mostly by veterans. Leading the way is last year's champ, sophomore Patrick Glory, who added an NCAA sixth place to his accomplishments. Last year's runner-up, Cornell's Vitali Arujau, is taking an Olympic redshirt but there's no shortage of competition for Glory; Lehigh's Brandon Paetzell (down from third at 133) and Penn freshman Michael Colaiocco have been in the national top ten much of the year. Knocking on the door are Army senior Trey Chalifoux and American junior Gage Curry who have both placed third; they have five EIWA medals between them. Navy junior Logan Treaster has been ranked in his first year as a starter; Columbia soph Joe Manchio and Harvard senior Nolan Hellickson are past placewinners. Don't rule out soph Dylan Ryder of Hofstra, who's spent a season building a resume that's finally being noticed. 133 NCAA bids: 2 Defending champion: Chas Tucker, Cornell After missing his first two seasons due to injury Chas Tucker has made up for lost time, with two EIWA finals appearances (a title last year). This season he's ranked top 5, has a 28-0 record, and is looking for his second title and first All-American award. Binghamton soph Zack Trampe, fourth a year ago, missed two months but is wrestling again and might provide the best challenge for the top spot. Past placewinners are Navy junior Casey Cobb and Penn soph Carmen Ferrante, up from 125. Lehigh junior Nick Farro makes his first EIWA appearance as will freshmen Andrew Wert of Army, Darren Miller of Bucknell, Angelo Rini of Columbia, Michael Jaffe of Harvard, and Justin Hoyle of Hofstra. Any or all of them could stand on the platform on Saturday, as the EIWA welcomes a collection of freshmen who have quietly been flying under the radar so far. 141 NCAA bids: 5 Past champion: Yianni Diakomihalis, Cornell Two-time EIWA and NCAA champ Yianni is another Big Red wrestler focusing on the Olympics, so we'll have to make do. Not a problem, as no fewer than ten former placewinners return in a deep field. Penn sophomore Doug Zapf moves up from sixth at 133 and has been ranked all year. Moving into the field from a greater distance is American's Sal Profaci, a fifth-year transfer from Michigan; he's a Big 10 and NCAA tournament veteran and looks to challenge for a finals berth. Other finals candidates are Navy junior Cody Trybus, looking for his first EIWA trophy, and Cornell's Noah Baughman, hoping to earn his first trip to NCAAs after placing third and second at 125. Other likely medalists have won them in the past. That includes Army soph Corey Shie, fourth; Binghamton's Anthony Sparacio, third; Franklin & Marshall's Wil Gil, fifth and an NCAA alternate last year; Lehigh's Ryan Pomrinca, sixth; Princeton's Marshall Keller, eighth; Bucknell's David Campbell, eighth at 133 as a freshman in 2018; Hofstra junior Vinny Vespa, fifth at 133 three years ago; and Sacred Heart's Gerard Daley, seventh at 125 back in 2016. If you want to root for someone lacking a medal, try Brown senior Jimmy Pawelski or Harvard junior Lukus Stricker, both with wins over some former placers. Any way you cut it, the blood round will be brutal as some good wrestlers will leave empty-handed. 149 NCAA bids: 4 Past champion: Matt Kolodzik (2018, 149 in 2017) This was supposed to be a weight without a champion in the field. Then 2-time champ, 3-time All-American Matt Kolodzik pulled out of his Olympic redshirt and returned to Princeton's lineup and resumed winning. 10-0 now, he's the favorite to win his third title. But he didn't win last year, as Navy senior Jared Prince derailed him in the semi-finals. Prince also missed most of the season but is back and looking to claim his first title. Laying his own claim is American junior Kizhan Clarke; seventh at 157 a year ago, he's down at his natural weight, 32-5, and has been ranked top ten much of the season. Army soph PJ Ogunsanya, sixth last year, returns hoping to add to his collection of trophies. Juniors Hunter Richard of Cornell and Matt Kolonia of Bucknell, as well as soph Jimmy Hoffman of Lehigh, want to begin their collections. Then there are the freshmen, led at this weight by Ricky Cabanillas of Brown, Reece Heller of Hofstra, Rhise Royster of EIWA newcomer Long Island University, and Penn's Lucas Revano. You can match some names with faces on the medals stand come Saturday. 157 NCAA bids: 3 Defending champion: Josh Humphreys, Lehigh Returning champion: Anthony Artalona (149) Last year three excellent EIWA freshmen debuted in the middle weights. Penn's Anthony Artalona won at 149, Lehigh's Josh Humphreys won at 157, and Princeton's Quincy Monday placed third at 157 after high rankings much of the year. Who will be the top seed? Possibly none of the above, as Army soph Markus Hartman, who missed the fun a year ago, has come into his own and holds wins over Artalona and Monday. While we're discussing potential finalists let's not forget that there's another in this field: Harvard's Hunter Ladnier was second three years ago and has never looked better than he has recently, winning 10 of his last 11 duals. Past placewinner? Drexel's Parker Kropman was seventh three years ago at 149. Surprising freshmen? Columbia's Kyle Mosher dropped from 165 mid-year and has won 12 of 15 since; add in Bucknell's Jaden Fisher, who moved up from 149 early. Other medal contenders? Brown's Jack Bokina, Cornell's Adam Santoro, and Hofstra's Holden Heller can all win a few in a row. 165 NCAA bids: 6 Defending champion: Tanner Skidgel, Navy Wide open a year ago, this class saw neither top seed make it to the finals. Champ Tanner Skidgel of Navy and runner-up Cael McCormick of Army proved that their title matchup was no fluke; both have been ranked high all year. Skidgel missed time in the spring but returned to edge McCormick in the Star Dual. Seeking their own way to the finals are Bucknell's Zach Hartman, a freshman runnerup at 157 a year ago, and top Harvard freshman Philip Conigliaro, ranked behind only the Midshipman. Drexel senior Ebed Jarrell has placed twice (fourth last year) and wouldn't mind another trip to NCAAs. Hofstra junior Ricky Stamm was seventh last year at 174 and he'd like to see what the big show is like too. Next in line are Princeton's soph Grant Cuomo and two veterans, F&M's Emmett LiCastri and Sacred Heart's Brandon Levesque. Cornell's entry was undecided at press time; Lehigh hopes that freshman Brian Meyer gets a boost from the home mats. LIU enters Ohio State transfer Ryan Ferro. 174 NCAA bids: 4 Defending champion: Jordan Kutler, Lehigh Past champion: Brandon Womack, Cornell (165, 2017) Lehigh senior Jordan Kutler heads the first of two weights with two former champions and All-Americans. A two-time champ and All-American, he's ranked in the top three. Cornell's Brandon Womack, second and third the past two seasons, was the 165 champion and an All-American three years ago; he's missed two months but is back just in time. Three-time placewinner Ben Harvey, Army, would like to make the finals, as would Navy senior Spencer Carey, fourth last year in his first tournament. If that sounds familiar it's because it's essentially the same intro as last year when those four were the top seeds. Other past placewinners are senior Kevin Parker, Princeton, seventh last year at 184, and Sage Heller, Hofstra, eighth in 2018. Drexel freshman Michael O'Malley has recent wins over Carey and Parker. Columbia freshman Lennox Wolak also shows promise. Bucknell's Mitch Hartman and Sacred Heart's Joe Accousti have been winning their share and could challenge for spots on the podium. 184 NCAA bids: 4 Past champion: Max Dean, Cornell This is the third weight impacted by Olympic redshirts, as champ and NCAA runner-up Max Dean is MIA. Binghamton soph Lou DePrez, third last year, has been top five much of the year and has the inside track for one finals spot. Likely to head the opposite half of the bracket is Lehigh's Chris Weiler, sixth at 197 two years ago. Weiler has beaten DePrez and several others in the bracket. Those who could challenge for the finals are American junior Tanner Harvey, fourth last year, and Army senior Noah Stewart, sixth. Travis Stefanik of Princeton was sixth at 174 a year ago. He recently upset a 13th-ranked Rutgers rival. Cornell freshman Jonathan Loew has a win against Weiler. Sacred Heart's Kyle Davis has crafted a successful season. Columbia's Joe Franzese won his team's starting job and could challenge for a place. 197 NCAA bids: 6 Defending champion: Patrick Brucki, Princeton Past champion: Ben Darmstadt, Cornell (2018) Ben Darmstadt of Cornell and Princeton's Patrick Brucki head the second weight with two former champions and All-Americans. Darmstadt missed last season with a lower back injury but, if his 13 falls are any indication, his recovery was successful. Among his 11 wins at 197 was a decision over Brucki. Not to say that the Tiger has had a quiet season; both men are ranked in the top 5. Lehigh's John Jakobsen (fifth) and Bucknell's Drew Phipps (sixth, eighth) are the other past placewinners. Jakobsen has a win over Phipps; Penn's Cole Urbas has a default win over Jakobsen; Drexel's Bryan McLaughlin has a win over Urbas; Phipps has wins over Urbas, Brown, and McLaughlin; Navy's Jake Koser has wins over Jakobsen, Phipps, McLaughlin, and Brown (and somehow has struggled to be noticed for the rankings). Koser and Urbas are the freshmen in the group. If any of them falter look for Brown's Nino Bastianelli, Columbia's Sam Wustefeld, or Hofstra's Trey Rogers to challenge. This is another weight where the blood round will be cruel. 285 NCAA bids: 3 Defending champion: Jordan Wood, Lehigh Jordan Wood is the two-time defending champion and returning NCAA fourth, and may not draw the top seed. Harvard freshman (that word again) Yaraslau Slavikouski broke into the rankings in mid-November and just kept climbing. He ended the season with 12 straight wins and has more quality wins than Wood. The two haven't met, setting up a terrific finals clash if they can both make it that far. There's never been a 4-time EIWA heavyweight champion; Wood is halfway home but the final two could be the hardest. Which is not to say that the rest of the field is going to concede the finals. Army's Ben Sullivan, sixth last year, has been ranked all season and Joe Doyle of Binghamton took fifth place. Zachary Knighton-Ward of Hofstra, Ben Goldin of Penn, and Cornell's Brendan Furman have been in and out of rankings. Beyond them look for American's Niko Camacho, Sacred Heart's Connor Fredericks, F&M's Vincenzo Pelusi, and Drexel's Sean O'Malley to battle for spots on the final podium of the tournament. For those planning ahead, the 117th EIWA tournament will return to Newman Arena at Cornell University the weekend of March 5-7, 2021.

Cornell's Chas Tucker is pre-seeded No. 1 at 133 pounds (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) The pre-seeds for the 2020 EIWA Championships at Lehigh University are shown below, subject to change by coaches' vote prior to the tournament. 125: 1. Patrick Glory (Princeton) 2. Michael Colaiocco (Penn) 3. Brandon Paetzell (Lehigh) 4. Trey Chalifoux (Army West Point) 5. Gage Curry (American) 6. Logan Treaster (Navy) 7. Joe Manchio (Columbia) 8. Nolan Hellickson (Harvard) 133: 1. Chas Tucker (Cornell) 2. Zack Trampe (Binghamton) 3. Nick Farro (Lehigh) 4. Casey Cobb (Navy) 5. Darren Miller (Bucknell) 6. Andrew Wert (Army West Point) 7. Carmen Ferrante (Penn) 8. Angelo Rini (Columbia) 141: 1. Sal Profaci (American) 2. Doug Zapf (Penn) 3. Matt Kazimir (Columbia) 4. Cody Trybus (Navy) 5. Noah Baughman (Cornell) 6. Wil Gil (F&M) 7. Ryan Pomrinca (Lehigh) 8. Anthony Sparacio (Binghamton) 149: 1. Kizhan Clarke (American) 2. Jimmy Hoffman (Lehigh) 3. Hunter Richard (Cornell) 4. Matt Kolodzik (Princeton) 5. Matthew Kolonia (Bucknell) 6. PJ Ogunsanya (Army West Point) 7. Ricky Cabanillas (Brown) 8. Lucas Revano (Penn) 157: 1. Markus Hartman (Army West Point) 2. Quincy Monday (Princeton) 3. Josh Humphreys (Lehigh) 4. Anthony Artalona (Penn) 5. Hunter Ladnier (Harvard) 6. Kyle Mosher (Columbia) 7. Jaden Fisher (Bucknell) 8. Holden Heller (Hofstra) 165: 1. Tanner Skidgel (Navy) 2. Philip Conigliaro (Harvard) 3. Zach Hartman (Bucknell) 4. Cael McCormick (Army West Point) 5. Ebed Jarrell (Drexel) 6. Grant Cuomo (Princeton) 7. Ricky Stamm (Hofstra) 8. Brian Meyer (Lehigh) 174: 1. Jordan Kutler (Lehigh) 2. Spencer Carey (Navy) 3. Ben Harvey (Army West Point) 4. Brandon Womack (Cornell) 5. Michael O'Malley (Drexel) 6. Sage Heller (Hofstra) 7. Kevin Parker (Princeton) 8. Mitch Hartman (Bucknell) 184: 1. Lou DePrez (Binghamton) 2. Chris Weiler (Lehigh) 3. Noah Stewart (Army West Point) 4. Tanner Harvey (American) 5. Jonathan Loew (Cornell) 6. Travis Stefanik (Princeton) 7. Kyle Davis (Sacred Heart) 8. Joe Franzese (Columbia) 197: 1. Patrick Brucki (Princeton) 2. Jake Koser (Navy) 3. John Jakobsen (Lehigh) 4. Ben Darmstadt (Cornell) 5. Drew Phipps (Bucknell) 6. Cole Urbas (Penn) 7. Bryan McLaughlin (Drexel) 8. JT (Brown) (Army West Point) 285: 1. Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard) 2. Jordan Wood (Lehigh) 3. Ben Sullivan (Army West Point) 4. Brendan Furman (Cornell) 5. Ben Goldin (Penn) 6. Joe Doyle (Binghamton) 7. Zachary Knighton-Ward (Hofstra) 8. Connor Fredericks (Sacred Heart) The coaches will meet Thursday afternoon at Lehigh to review the pre-seeds and make adjustments. The seeds will remain preliminary until locked in at weigh-ins on Friday morning.

PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- The NCAA Northeast Regional trophy will stay in Providence. Thanks to six wrestlers advancing to the NCAA Championships, the eighth-ranked Johnson & Wales University wrestling team won an unprecedented fourth-straight regional title on Sunday at Rhode Island College. Johnson & Wales took the team title with 168 points. Coast Guard Academy was second with 122.5 points and NYU posted 122 points. Representing the Wildcats at the NCAA Championship will be Hayden Brown (133 pounds), Jordan Robinson (141 pounds), Da'mani Burns (149 pounds), Darius Joyce (157 pounds), Tommy Wrzesien (197 pounds) and Michael DiNardo (285 pounds). Also earning All-Region honors were Justin Lopez at 125 pounds (fourth place), 184-pounder Giovanni Santiago (fifth place) and Tim Higginson at 165 pounds (seventh place). The NCAA Championships are set for March 13-14 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Looking to break the JWU record for wins and pins, DiNardo only needed 1:46 to pin Springfield's Joe Fusco and earn his third trip to the national championships. He captured the regional title by pinning third-ranked Patrick Irwin off Coast Guard in 5:41. DiNardo won the Gorriaran winner for the most pins in the shortest amount of time. The top seed at 133 pounds, Brown earned his spot with a 5-1 win over Tristan Stetson from Wesleyan. He received a medical forfeit in the finals to claim the regional title. Seeded first at 141 pounds, Robinson used a second-period takedown to beat RIC's Nathan Lackman, 3-1. A pair of third-period takedowns against Williams' Joseph Rossetti earned him his first regional championship. After twice losing to Tyler Gazaway from Roger Williams in the regular season, Burns got his revenge in the semifinals. He got out to a 6-0 lead in the first period on his way to the 6-2 defeat. It's his second-straight trip to the NCAA Championships. He won the regional title by holding on to beat #8 Evan Fidelibus of New England College, 10-9. Seeded seventh at the start of the tournament, Joyce dominated Wesleyan's Aaron Goldman, 8-5, to earn his first trip. He fell to third-ranked Sean Lyons of NYU, 16-0, in the championship bout. A takedown just 33 seconds into the third period helped Wrzesien beat the number one seed, Castleton's Mitchell LaFlam, 3-2. Wrzesien came through with a reversal in the third period, but seventh-ranked Jon Wagner from Coast Guard got a late escape to take the regional title, 5-4. Lopez needed two overtimes to beat New England College's Diego Santiago, 4-1, in the consolation quarterfinals. He topped NYU's Tyler Crew with an 11-3 major decision to reach the third-place match. Unfortunately, he lost to Springfield's Joey Manginelli based on riding time. Santiago came up just short of making the trip to nationals. He received a medical forfeit in his consolation quarterfinals match, but lost 7-0 in the consolation semis to defeating national champion John Boyle from Western New England. He earned fifth-place by pinning Anthony Malfitano of Rodger Williams in 2:21. Higginson lost a close 5-2 decision to Castleton's Michael Angers in the consolation quarters. He bounced back to pin Zach Ford from Rhode Island College and secure the team title.

DUBUQUE, Iowa -- After a regular season to remember, the No. 1 Loras College wrestling team engineered a historic performance at the NCAA Division III Lower Midwest regional, qualifying eight wrestlers for the national tournament and securing the program's first ever regional team title, finishing ahead of American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) foe No. 5 Coe College by 15 points. The regional performance was a historic one for the Duhawks. A school-record eight qualifiers and a team title highlighted a strong team performance for Head Coach TJ Miller. For the second year in a row, Miller and Assistant Coach Trevor Kittleson were voted Lower Midwest Regional Tournament Head Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year. "The process of the season led to this performance. It's the toughest regional in the nation hands down. You have to place top-three to qualify. I'm really proud of our guys to get eight through to nationals" said Miller. "We're going to enjoy this, rest up and peak at the right time for the national tournament". Building on a successful regular season, senior and two-time All-American No. 4/6 Clint Lembeck qualified for the National Tournament with a third-place finish at 141 lbs. Recording a pin and a technical fall on day one, Lembeck suffered a setback in the semifinals but rebounded right away by pinning No. 6/4 Brady Fritz of A-R-C rival No. 2 Wartburg College in overtime. Lembeck secured a place at nationals in dominant fashion, scoring a major decision over No. 10 Dan Radcliffe of Central College to grab third place. In his regional debut for the Duhawks, Daniel Ruiz strung together two bonus point victories on day one to reach the semifinals at 149 lbs. In the semifinal bout against No. 7 Sean Sax of Westminster College, Ruiz collected a 13-6 major decision, locking up a national tournament berth for the Duhawks. Squaring off against North Central's honorable mention Anthony Rink in the championship match, Ruiz battled hard but dropped a 4-1 decision to capture second place. Senior All-American No. 4/2 Brandon Murray constructed a dominant performance at 157 lbs. Murray totaled two falls and a technical fall to reach the championship match against Wartburg's No. 10 Martine Sandoval. In the penultimate bout of the bracket, Murray outscored Sandoval 7-3 to earn a first place finish and a ticket to nationals. Senior All-American No. 4/2 Eddie Smith, wrestling in his last regional for the Duhawks, earned a third-place finish and a spot at nationals for the Duhawks at 165 lbs. Smith reached the third-place bout by putting together an 8-4 decision over Central's Collin Groleau. In a rematch of Saturday's quarterfinal bout, Smith defeated University of Dubuque's Zarik Anderson for a second time by way of 12-3 major decision. The victory scored Smith a ticket to the national tournament for a second time in as many years. Returning All-American Jacob Krakow continued his strong season with a second place finish at 174 lbs. Krakow clinched his berth at nationals by reaching the championship match with a technical fall over No. 9 Tristin Westphal of Coe College. In the first place bout, Krakow dropped a hard-fought 3-4 decision to place second. Freshman phenom No. 8/7 Shane Liegel forged together an impressive regional debut, placing third and qualifying for his first-ever national tournament. Winning a hard fought 8-2 decision to reach the third-place match, Liegel came out on top against Coe's Josh Edel 8-5, scoring a late takedown to clinch the victory in a back-and-forth battle. At 197 lbs., three-time All-American No. 1 Guy Patron Jr. compiled a technical fall and two pins to collect his fourth national tournament berth. After pinning Millikin's Logan Hagerbaumer in the semifinals, Patron Jr. finished the day in second place by medical default. Rounding out the qualifiers for the Duhawks, honorable mention Wyatt Wriedt used a fall and major decision to reach the semifinal bout against number one seed No. 2 Jerhett Lee. An 11-4 upset victory over Lee sent Wriedt to the championship match and clinched his spot at nationals. In the final match of the day, Wriedt dropped a 5-6 decision to snatch second place. Rounding out the Loras placers were senior Matt Randone at 125 lbs. and Mason McMillen at 133 lbs. Both captured fifth place for the Duhawks. After collecting the first regional championship in team history, the Duhawks will take a two week break before sending eight grapplers to compete in the NCAA Division III Championships at Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Session I will begin from the US Cellular Center on Friday, March 13th and conclude on Saturday, march 14th.

GRANTHAM, Pa. -- Four student-athletes won individual titles to lead the Stevens Institute of Technology wrestling team to the Southeast Regional title Saturday at Hitchcock Arena. Freshman Kyle Slendorn, senior Troy Stanich, junior Brett Kaliner and sophomore Michael Dooley each won the gold medal in their respective weight classes. Graduate student Thomas Poklikuha, senior Dylan Van Sickell and sophomore Akhil Vega finished in the top-three in their respective weight classes as a program-record seven Ducks advanced to the national championship tournament. As a team, the Ducks finished first among the 20 competing teams, totaling 163.5 points to win the regional title over Washington and Lee University by 33.5 points. Hosting Messiah College placed third with 123.5 points, while Washington & Jefferson College (80.5) and Ferrum College (78) rounded out the top-five. The regional championship is the second in program history. Head Coach Joe Favia was named the Southeast Region Coach of the Year prior to the tournament, while assistant coach Anthony Bonaventura was named the region's top assistant coach. Kaliner was named the regional's Most Outstanding Wrestler. "It was a strong finish on day two," Favia said. "Everyone who competed this weekend contributed to our team's ability to distance ourselves from the pack. This morning, we set the tone, putting six into the finals and the guys never looked back." "Bruce showed no quit, wrestling hard for sixth," Favia continued. "Tom and Dylan dropped their matches in the finals, but put forth the effort necessary to build on going into the NCAA's. The four champions left no doubt as to why they are the best in their class and Akhil showed a level and desire that I've been waiting for him to unleash for two years. Akhil is a true student of the sport and when he puts that fight into his skill set, it's a deadly combination. All in all, we have put ourselves in the position we needed going into the championships. We'll take the weekend to recover then make our final push towards Cedar Rapids." Slendorn captured his first regional championship at 133 pounds. The Howell, New Jersey native began his day with a third-period pin of Ferrum's Levi Englman. Slendorn was ahead 4-2 through two periods before scoring an escape and a takedown in the first 25 seconds of the third period. The takedown led to a four-point nearfall just prior to the pin. Slendorn closed out afternoon with a hard-fought 6-4 victory over Delaware Valley's nationally-ranked Kordell Rush in the championship bout. Rush scored the first points of the bout with a takedown in the opening minute, only for Slendorn to escape. Slendorn scored a reversal to account for the only scoring in the second period, before each side scored two points in the third. Slendorn added the riding time point to account for the final margin of victory. Stanich scored a major decision and a pin to capture his third regional title. Stanich began his day with a 17-2 major over Washington & Lee's Bryce Crew to advance to the championship. The Ducks' 141-pounder accumulated 15 of his 17 points over the final two periods. In the championship bout, Stanich scored a takedown of Greesboro's Hai Slu in the final minute of the opening period, before scoring the pin six seconds later. Kaliner captured his third regional title with a pair of dominating technical falls. The West Chester, Pennsylvania native scored a 26-7 victory over Lycoming's Joe Santomarco when the bout was stopped in the final period. Kaliner was even more impressive in the 149-pound championship, building a 20-2 lead over Washington & Jefferson's Michael Heinl at the time of the second-period stoppage. Each of Kaliner's 26 wins have come with bonus points. After capturing silver in his first season on Castle Point, Dooley advanced to his second straight national tournament after topping the field at 197. The Phillipsburg, New Jersey native began his day with his third straight major decision with a 10-0 shutout of Washington & Jefferson's Alex Donahue. Dooley captured the championship with a first-period pin of Alvernia's Tonee Ellis. Dooley allowed just five points over his four matches Van Sickell advanced to the 157-pound championship with a first-period pin of Lycoming's Trevor Corl. The Little Silver, New Jersey native scored a takedown in the opening seconds of the match and then turned Corl just over 90 seconds in, scoring a four-point nearfall just prior to the pin. In the championship, Washington & Lee's Ryan Luth scored a four-point nearfall in the final minute of the opening period to take a 6-0 lead. An aggressive Van Sickell scored three takedowns in the final period, but Luth totaled four escapes to prevent Van Sickell from scoring additional points en route to a 15-8 decision victory. Van Sickell placed second to reach his third national championship. Poklikuha advanced to the national championship tournament by beginning his day with a 15-1 major decision over Washington & Lee's Shane Connors. The West Creek, New Jersey native compiled a 10-0 lead through two periods before Connors scored an escape in the final minute of the third period. His run to a regional title ended in the championship bout with a 10-2 setback to Johns Hopkins' Dominick Reyes. Poklikuha advances to his third NCAA championship. Needing to win three matches to reach his first national championship tournament, Vega posted a pair of decision victories and a technical fall to qualify for nationals. Vega began his day with an 8-6 victory over Ferrum's J.D. McMillin, accumulating five points in the opening period to claim the victory. The Cupertino, California native posted his second tech fall with a 23-4 victory over Washington & Jefferson's Emmanuel Dovshek; Vega was leading 23-4 at the time of the second-period stoppage. Vega closed out his remarkable run through the consolation bracket with a 9-5 decision over York's Jared Kuhns. Vega used a pair of two-point nearfalls to take a 6-1 lead after the first period. Parola opened his day against the 184-pound bracket's top seed, Rexx Hallyburton of Washington & Lee and fell via a hard-fought 5-3 decision. A takedown in the first minute of the third period proved to be the difference in the match. The Moscow, Pennsylvania native dropped a pair of decisions to finish in sixth. Up Next: Wrestling opens the NCAA Division III Championship on March 13.

A former University of Michigan wrestler has claimed that he was dismissed from the team 45 years ago for alerting the then-head wrestling coach of his being sexually abused by a university doctor at the time. Tad Deluca was one of three former Wolverine wrestlers who spoke at a press conference Thursday hosted by a Denver-based law firm in suburban Detroit. At the press conference, Deluca disclosed that, after writing a nine-page letter which revealed repeated sexual assaults by Dr. Robert Anderson during medical exams, that the Wolverines' head wrestling coach had him booted from the team. Deluca said that he had told his coach, Bill Johannesen, and then-athletics director Don Canham, that "something is wrong with Dr. Anderson ... Regardless of what you go in there for, he always makes you drop your drawers." During these exams, Deluca said Anderson had routinely fondled him and given him unnecessary rectal exams. Deluca went on to say that coach Johannesen humiliated him for speaking out about Anderson by reading his letter out loud to the rest of the team in 1975 ... then, according to NBC News, informing the wrestler that he was no longer on the team and had lost his full-ride scholarship. At this week's press conference, the former Wolverine wrestler then read part of a second letter to the university -- written in 2018 -- where he quoted his former coach as saying, "Mr. Deluca, you will not return to my wrestling room whether your scholarship is in effect. You will not be known as an athlete." "Those few minutes in front of my friends and teammates, the coach stripped away everything I had ever been," Deluca told reporters at the press conference. In an interview with the Ann Arbor News on Tuesday, Feb. 25, Johannesen said he didn't recall any letter about Anderson and has never taken away a full-ride scholarship from anyone. He said the only wrestler he remembers kicking off the team during that time frame was removed for missing practice. Johannesen also said that he had personally seen Anderson for treatment and there was "never any kind of impropriety." "I personally heard nothing in my four years as an athlete there ... and then as a coach ... never any accusations," Johannesen told the newspaper Tuesday. At this week's press conference in Southfield, Mich., Deluca said he was moved by the #MeToo movement to write a letter in 2018 to current Athletic Director Warde Manuel. "I spoke up by letter in July 1975 and was ignored and denigrated by the University of Michigan," Deluca said. "I spoke up again by letter in 2018 ... I'm here today to speak up again to let the University of Michigan know that I will not be ignored again. "Everyone who was abused by this doctor -- the doctor everyone knew was abusing athletes and students -- should speak up and let everyone know they will not be ignored. It has to stop." Police in Washtenaw County -- home to the University of Michigan and the city of Ann Arbor -- launched an investigation into Anderson in 2018 based on Deluca's second letter. But Steven Hiller, the county's assistant chief prosecuting attorney, said no charges could be filed because Anderson died in 2008 and none of the alleged offenses were within the state's six-year statute of limitations. That said, the police investigation noted that University of Michigan employees were "aware of rumors and allegations of misconduct" by Anderson. And last week, University of Michigan President Mark Schlissel issued an apology on behalf of the university to anyone harmed by Anderson, saying, "As a physician, scientist, father and university president, I condemn all sexual misconduct, especially instances that occur under the purview of our public mission. This type of conduct is reprehensible, and whether it takes place now or in the past, it is unacceptable ..." Deluca is one of nearly a dozen other male former Michigan student-athletes who have now come forward to say they too were victimized by Anderson. At least three of them were once wrestlers: Deluca, Thomas Evashevski, and Andy Hrovat, an NCAA All-American wrestler and member of the U.S. men's freestyle wrestling team who competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics, who disclosed his experiences with Anderson last week. Parker Stinar, attorney with the Denver law firm of Wahlberg, Woodruff, Nimmo & Sloane -- which is representing Deluca and several other former Michigan athletes -- said they have not yet filed a lawsuit but has scheduled a meeting with the university's general counsel that will happen "in the near future." Meanwhile, the university has encouraged anyone who may have been affected by Anderson to call the hotline at 866-990-0111 or the Steptoe & Johnson law firm at 202-419-5162 or UofM@steptoe.com. Steptoe & Johnson was retained not to defend the university, but to conduct an independent, external investigation, according to University of Michigan spokesman Mark Fitzgerald.

INDIANAPOLIS -- As familiar as it has become, winning the Regional Tournament is still a great feeling for Notre Dame College wrestling. The Falcons came away with the team victory, scoring 127.5 points on Saturday, while six wrestlers qualified for the NCAA Division II Tournament. Notre Dame has now won four consecutive Regional Tournament team titles and they have taken home the biggest trophy in seven of the eight Regional Tournaments since joining the NCAA Division II in the 2012-13 season. The wrestlers who placed in the top-3 in each of the weight classes qualified for the NCAA DII Tournament. The Falcons had six qualifiers with Hunter Bray (133 lbs.), Kelan McKenna (141), Taylor Misuna (157), Jordon Tague (165), Tony Vezzetti (184) and Jared Campbell (285). Hunter Bray is ranked No. 1 at 133 lbs. and he continues to add to his accolades this season. Bray went up against Ashland's Lawrance Dudgeon in the First Place Match. Not only was Bray going for the win, but Ashland University was also approaching NDC in team points. The Falcons' grappler and Dudgeon were tied at zero after the first period. Bray earned one for an escape in the second period before Dudgeon earned one in third. Bray won the match with a takedown late in the third period. Kelan McKenna entered the day fifth in the nation at 141. He cruised through the first three matches, winning them all by major decisions, including a 12-4 victory over No. 11 Chandler Minnard, of Ashland. Against Branson Proudlock (Findlay) in the First Place Match, McKenna had two takedowns in the first period, totaling four points. He added on and won by a score of 7-2. At 157, No. 6 Taylor Misuna received a bye and then won the next round by decision. His toughest battle came in the semifinal when he went up against No. 9 Dawson Combest, of Indianapolis. In that bout, Misuna was trailing 4-2 after two periods. With less than 10 seconds left, he put two points on the scoreboard with a takedown of Combest. He would win in Sudden Victory-1, with another takedown. Misuna then won the First Place Match against Trey Grine, of Tiffin. Jared Campbell also took home the top spot at 285. The No. 2 ranked wrestler defeated Jeremy Splix (Indianapolis) with a 13-0 major decision before pinning West Liberty's Chase Logan, 35-seconds into the match. He would take the trophy via forfeit. At 184, No. 6 Tony Vezzetti did not receive a bye, but he won by tech fall (17-1), major decision (14-3) and decision (8-5) to get to the First Place Match. He faced No. 5 Aidan Pasiuk, from Ashland. Vezzetti fell behind 4-3 after two periods, and took second place in the region. Jordon Tague is also heading to the National Tournament after he placed third at 165. He went 3-1 on the day and faced Christian Price (Ashland) in the Third Place Match. The two were scoreless after one and then Tague had two takedowns in the second period. He won by a score of 8-3. Alonzo Turner took fourth place at 174 while Sandro Ramirez (149) and Michael Viramontes (197) both earned Fifth Place. "I'm happy for the wrestlers, coaches, parents and fans today for their support and effort," Head Coach Sonny Marchette said. "Everyone of them did what it took to bring home the Regional Championship. The coaches were in sync and the guys did what they came to do. I'm very happy with where the program is heading as a whole and we look forward to seeing what we can do at the National Tournament." Notre Dame heads to the NCAA Division II National Tournament on March 13-14. The tournament will be held in Sioux Falls, S.D. Team Scores 1 Notre Dame 127.5 2 Tiffin 122 3 Ashland 121.5 4 Indianapolis 115.5 5 Lake Erie 87.5

PEMBROKE -- Nick Daggett (125 pounds), Logan Seliga (133) and Nick Kee (197) all posted unblemished runs through their respective tournaments, while three of their teammates registered runner-up finishes, to lead a dominating performance for the UNC Pembroke wrestling team that helped the Braves capture the NCAA Super Region II title on Saturday at Lumbee Guaranty Bank Court. Tyler Makosy (149), Kaleb Warner (165) and Brandon Sloop (184) all fell on the wrong end of close matches in their respective bracket's championship bout, but their performances will still give the Black & Gold six representatives at next month's NCAA Division II Championships in Sioux Falls, S.D. It is the fourth-straight year that UNCP has sent multiple qualifiers to the sport's biggest stage, and the second-most qualifiers under head coach Othello "O.T." Johnson. UNCP's 10 entries in Saturday's event combined to register 18 bonus-point victories – a dominating performance that helped the Black & Gold amass 142 team points across the three sessions. Belmont Abbey claimed the runner-up spot with 95 points, while Limestone was third with 93-1/2 points. The Braves sent nine of its 10 entries to the podium following the event, included in which were fourth-place tallies by Jonathan Miller (141), Sammy Peticos (157) and Ryan Monk (285). The top-3 finishers from each weight class punched their ticket to the NCAA Championships. The 2020 NCAA Division II Wrestling Championships will be held in the Denny Sanford Premier Center, March 13-14, in Sioux Falls. Championship pairings will be announced next week.

Pitt-Johnstown sent six wrestlers into the finals and came away with four champions and a total of eight NCAA national Tournament qualifiers on their way to winning to the 2019-20 NCAA Division II Super Region I Tournament title, Saturday at Mercyhurst University. Pitt-Johnstown, which claimed its 23 NCAA Regional championship and second straight under Head Coach Pat Pecora, finished with 147.5 points, 17 points better than second-place Gannon. Pitt-Johnstown finished first with 147.5 points, while Gannon (130.5 pts.), Mercyhurst (116 pts.), Seton Hill (108 pts.), and East Stroudsburg (52.5 pts.) rounded out the Top-5 in the 11-team field. Brendan Howard (125 lbs.), Jacob Ealy (141 lbs.), Chris Eddins (149 lbs.), and Brock Biddle (174 lbs.) all won individual championships, while Tyler Warner (133 lbs.) and Connor Craig (184 lbs.) were regional runners-up, and Devin Austin (165 lbs.) and Allan Beattie (285 lbs.) placed third to qualify for the National Tournament in Sioux Falls, SD on March 13-14. Pitt-Johnstown also got a fourth-place finish from Alex Delp at 184 lbs. and a fifth-place finish from Jacob Burgette at 157 lbs.). 125: 2019 All-American and top-seeded Brendan Howard received a first round bye, then won a 10-1 major decision over Alderson-Broaddus' Noah Hodges in the quarterfinals. Howard then reach the finals with a 6-2 decision over Seton Hill's Frank Bonura, before winning his second straight Regional Title with a 9-4 win over Jacob Dunlap (Gannon). 133: 2019 National Champion and No. l seeded Tyler Warner picked pinned Mustafa Hamid (American International) and Bodee Tolbert (Shippensburg) in a combined 2:33 to advance to the semifinals, where he held off Seton Hill's Vincent Distefanis, 3-2. However, Kutztown's Collin Wick got a takedown in overtime Eddins, Christo upset Warner, 4-2 , in the title bout at 133 lbs. 141: Jacob Ealy, the No.1 seed at 141 lbs., opened with a bye and a 17-0 technical fall at 5:33 over East Stroudsburg's Matthew Rosa. In the semifinals, Ealy dealt Nick Young (Gannon) a 13-2 major decision loss, then won a regional championship as a true freshman with a 6-4 decision over Mercyhurst's Alexis Soriano. 149: Two-time National Champion Chris Eddins got a first round bye, then coasted into the finals with a 16-0 technical fall over Gannon's Nick Young and 4-0 decision over American International's Joel Morth. In the finals, Eddins scored an 8-0 major decision over Gannon's Dom Means to claim his third regional championship. 157: Jacob Burgette opened with a 9-6 win over Brandon Connor (Millersville), but suffered a 4-3 loss to Seton Hill's Logan McCoy in the quarterfinals. Burgette came back to defeat Mitchell Camp (Kutztown), 6-2 in the second round of the consolations and Alderson-Broaddus' Dalton Pearl, 3-1, in the consolation quarterfinals. However, Mercyhurst's Mike Clark won a 9-7 decision in the consolation semifinals. Burgette answered to place fifth when he defeated East Stroudsburg's Marquan Payne, 11-8. 165: Devin Austin, a two-time All-American, pinned Kutztown's Connor Rogovich at 1:50 in the first round and East Stroudsburg's Nick Weikel at 4:50 in the quarterfinals. In the semifinals, Austin suffered a tough 7-5 sudden victory loss to Gannon's Alex Farenchak which sent him to the consolation semifinals where he reached the third-place match with a 3-2 decision over Alec Shaw (Seton Hill). Austin became a four-time national qualifier after an 8-3 decision over Jarrett Feeney (Millersville). 174: Returning All-American Brock Biddle got a first round bye and a 16-0 technical fall at 2:35 over Kutztown's Anthony Emig to secure a spot in the semifinals. Biddle followed with an 11-2 major decision over Brandon Matthews (Seton Hill) to set up a finals match with East Stroudsburg's Mike Raccioppi, the national No.1-ranked wrestler at 174 lbs. Biddle pulled off the upset and downed Raccioppi, 8-3, to win the championship at 174 lbs. 184: Connor Craig, a 2019 National Champion, eased into the semifinals with a 17-0 technical fall over Isaiah Collins (American International) in the opening round and a fall at 3:52 over Shippensburg's Austin Klucker in the quarterfinals. Craig was tested in the semis, but scored a 3-0 Sudden Victory 1 win over Joel Leise (Gannon). However, Elliot Riddick (East Stroudsburg) upset the defending national champion, 3-2, in the championship bout at 184 lbs. 197: Following a first round by, Alex Delp defeated Alexi Castro (Shippensburg), 8-3 in the quarterfinals, then lost a 9-2 decision to top-seeded Luke McGonigal (Mercyhurst). An 8-5 win over American International's Raul Martinez advanced Delp to the third-place match, where Seton Hill's Nathan Bowlen held off Delp, 10-6. 285: Allan Beattie got an opening round bye, but suffered a 7-2 loss to Josh Walls (Millersville) in the quarterfinals. Another bye in the second round of the consolations set up a matchup with Fairmont State's TJ Boyd in the consolation quarterfinals where he won a 4-1 decision over Fairmont State's T.J. Boyd. Beattie then pinned Shippensburg's Derek Berberick 2:01 into the first period to reach the third-place match, before qualifying for his first national tournament with an overtime takedown to knock off Seton Hill's Jacob Beistel, 3-1. Team Scores 1 Pitt.-Johnstown 147.5 2 Gannon 130.5 3 Mercyhurst 116.0 4 Seton Hill 108.0 5 East Stroudsburg 52.5 6 Kutztown 46.0 7 Millersville 42.5 8 American Int`l 42.0 9 Shippensburg 41.0 10 Alderson Broaddus 28.0 11 Fairmont St. 9.0

KEARNEY, Neb. -- The sixth-ranked Nebraska-Kearney wrestling team won the NCAA Super Region VI Championships and qualified seven for the NCAA's Saturday night at the Health & Sports Center. This was the second straight year UNK hosted the 10-team event. The top three finishers in each of 10 weight classes advance to the NCAA Championships, held March 13-14 in Sioux Falls. UNK tallied 148.0 points to easily outdistance Western Colorado(106) for the team title. Colorado Mesa (88) was third with Colorado School of Mines fourth (84.5). Coming in first was Geneva senior Jarrod Hinrichs (285 lbs.), Lincoln junior Wesley Dawkins (133 lbs.), Iowa junior Josh Portillo (125 lbs.), Colorado junior Sam Turner (149 lbs.) and Pennsylvania junior Jacob Wasser (157 lbs.) with Iowa junior Matt Malcom (165 lbs.) the lone Loper runner up. Battling his way through the backside to finish third was Lincoln junior Jonathan Killingsworth (141 lbs.). Seeing their 2019-20 season come to an end today were Delaware graduate transfer Anthony Mancini (184 lbs.), Illinois sophomore Andrew Demos (197 lbs.) and Kansas sophomore Terrell Garraway (174 lbs.). "These tournaments are tough on the heart of the coaches … very emotional. You have your ups and downs. On a positive note we were projected to have seven qualifiers and we got those through," UNK head coach Dalton Jensen said. Wasser (15-6), heading to his first national tournament, was the most unlikely champion as he trailed in his first two matches. He used a reversal and a 2-point near fall in the final 16 seconds to edge Adams State's Natrelle Demison, 6-4. That proved to be the warmup because Wasser next pinned top-seed and fourth-ranked Maxamillian Schneider of San Francisco State at 2:45. At the time of the fall Schneider was up 10-4. The good day continued for Wasser as Payton Tawater of Colorado Mesa forfeited the first place match. "Both of his wins came against higher seeded guys. That doesn't happen without all the stuff he's dealt with the last two years. He had some things, injuries and defeats, not go his way and he's overcome it. When you look at the whole story, the last three or four years and not just today, we're really proud of him," Jensen said. Ranked 12th-nationally but battling a significant injury, Killingsworth (Lincoln S.E.) managed four wins to punch his NCAA ticket. He came out on top by scores of 2-0, 6-1, 7-3 and 4-2 with a reversal at 1:10 in the third period allowing him to win the third place match over Western Colorado's Jason Hanenberg. The 4-2 victory puts him at 24-7 on the season. "John is probably the standout in my mind because he was in a cast three days ago. We cut it off and threw him out there today and he qualified in a very tough weight class," Jensen said. "Really impressed with his performance but at the same time your heart goes out to the three guys we're leaving at home." AD Marc BauerHinrichs (19-4), also ranked 12th in his class, had a 4:08 fall to start the day but went overtime to outlast CSU-Pueblo's Gavin Nye, 5-3. Hinrichs moved ahead for good with an escape in the second tie-breaking period and then finished Nye off with a takedown. In the finals he used an escape and two penalty points to defeat fourth-ranked Weston Hunt of Colorado Mines. At 125 pounds seventh-ranked Portillo (26-7) didn't have any nail-biters, majoring his first two opponents and then rolling past sixth-ranked Patrick Allis of WCU, 11-4, in the finals. Earlier this year Portillo fell to Allis by a 10-4 score at the Buffalo County Fairgrounds. Next fourth-ranked Dawkins (26-9) had another donnybrook with former Loper= and current CSU-Pueblo ThunderWolve D'andre Brumfield. The two squared off at last year's regional and national tournaments with Dawkins winning 7-6 thanks to a reversal with 25 seconds left. Brumfield had erased a 5-2 deficit with four points in the third but a last second shot came after the clock hit zero. Dawkins then pinned Jonathan Andreatta of Adams State in only 31 seconds to come in first. Finally among the national qualifiers, ninth-ranked Turner (8-1) had a major and tech fall before having to using a third period escape and riding time to beat Chase Clasen of Chadron State, 2-0, in the 149 pounds finals. Malcom (30-8) suffered a rare defeat to a Division II opponent in the 165 pound finals, 7-6. The match featured four video reviews with an early 4-1 Malcom lead being wiped off the board. Colorado Mesa's Fred Green (10-9), formerly of Virginia, won thanks to a five-point third period that featured a takedown and reversal. "Matt wrestled well and got put into a situation where maybe a call didn't go his way. A four-point swing is tough to overcome against a good competitor," Jensen said. "He kept fighting hard." The second-ranked Mancini completes his lone season in Kearney at 15-4 and with a fourth place finish at 184 pounds. Garraway (20-12) came in fourth a weight lower with Demos (21-17) ending up in sixth place. "Anthony had a great season for us and (his losses) are tough to swallow. He probably put a little too much pressure on himself … he's a much better wrestler than he showed today," Jensen said.

The St. Cloud State University wrestling team captured its fourth consecutive NCAA Division II regional championship and its seventh title since 2011 on Saturday, Feb. 29 in Sioux Falls, S.D. The Huskies tallied 155.0 points to earn the team title while SCSU wrestlers claimed seven individual titles at the meet. In addition, St. Cloud State coach Steve Costanzo was named the NCAA Division II Super V Regional Coach of the Year. St. Cloud State SCSU will be sending a total of nine wrestlers to the upcoming NCAA Division II championships as the Huskies look to bring back their third consecutive national title and fifth since 2015. At the regional, SCSU gained a championship in the 133-pound bracket with a 3-2 victory by No. 2 Garrett Vos over No. 3 Justin Folley of Upper Iowa. Vos ended the tournament with a 3-0 record and will be making his second consecutive trip to the NCAA nationals. At 141-pounds, SCSU's Joey Bianchini won top honors with a 15-4 major decision over No. 9 Hunter Burnett of Augustana. Bianchini scored a 3-0 record at the regional and will be making his first trip to the NCAA finals on March 13-14. SCSU's No. 2 James Pleski gained his third consecutive NCAA regional crown with a thrilling 3-2 victory over No. 3 Kyle Rathman of Minnesota State, Mankato in the title bout. Pleski was 3-0 at the regional and is a three-time All-American for the Huskies. The titles continued at 157-pounds with a first place finish by No. 2 Jake Barzowski, who scored a 4-2 win over No. 10 Braydon Huber of U-Mary. Barzowski was 3-0 in regional action and will be making his second consecutive trip to the NCAA finals. At 165-pounds, No. 3 Devin FitzPatrick added a title to his resume with a 10-4 victory over No. 12 Shane Gantz of UW-Parkside. He was 3-0 at the NCAA regional and will also be making his second consecutive trip to the NCAA championships. SCSU's No. 4 Kolton Eischens placed first for the Huskies at 174-pounds as he charted a 10-0 major decisions over U-Mary's No. 8 Phillip Springsteen. Eischens was 3-0 in regional play and is a two-time All-America award winner for the Huskies. At 184-pounds No. 3 Tyree Overton gained bonus points with a 23-10 major decision over Minnesota State's Trevor Turriff in the title bout. Overton posted a 3-0 record at the regional and will be making his second trip to the NCAA finals for SCSU. In action at 197-pounds, Noah Ryan placed second after dropping a close 5-2 decision to No. 2 Nick Baumler of Upper Iowa in the title match. Ryan was 2-1 in regional action and will be making his first trip to the NCAA tournament in 2020. At 285-pounds, SCSU's No. 10 Ezayah Oropeza punched his ticket to the NCAA tournament with a third place finish and a 4-1 record in regional competition. In the bout for third place, Oropeza posted a fall at 1:58 against David Griffet of Minnesota State. At 125-pounds, SCSU's Brandon Betancourt placed fourth with a 2-2 record at the regional. In the third place match, Betancourt lost a 4-3 match against Trenton McManus of Minnesota State. The Huskies will next travel to the 2020 NCAA Division II wrestling championships, which will be held in Sioux Falls, S.D. at the Denny Sanford Premiere Center. For more details on tickets and other information regarding the NCAA championships, please visit: https://goaugie.com/sports/2020/1/10/2020-ncaa-wrestling-championship.aspx Regional Team Scores: SCSU 155.0 Upper Iowa 125.5 Augustana 96.5 Minnesota State 93.0 UW-Parkside 73.0 MSU Moorhead 60.5 Mary 55.0 Northern State 37.0 Minot State 20.0 Southwest Minnesota State 14.5

ADRIAN, Mich. -- The No. 6 nationally ranked Baldwin Wallace University wrestling team placed first out of 18 teams at the NCAA Division lll Central Region Championships, hosted by Adrian (Mich.) College, inside the Merillat Sport and Fitness Center. With the championship, BW has now won two regional titles in the last three years. In addition to BW placing first, head coach Jamie Gibbs and assistant coach Jason Zastrow were named Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year. The Yellow Jackets were led by senior All-American and three-time All-Ohio Athletic Conference 197-pounder Zeckary Lehman (Akron/Revere), as he placed first with 23 points. He grabbed a 13-0 major decision in his first-round bout. For his quarterfinal, he claimed a 5-2 decision and advanced to the championship match after a 3:40 pin in his semifinal bout. The senior seized an 8-0 major decision in his first-place bout to move onto nationals. Junior three-time All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 149-pounder Stanley Bleich (North Ridgeville/Elyria Catholic) placed first with 21 points, and grabbed a 9-3 decision in his opening bout. Bleich seized a 5-3 decision in his quarterfinal match and a 6-3 decision over No. 5 Luke Hernandez of the University of Mount Union in his semifinal to advance to the championship bout. Bleich grabbed an 11-1 medical forfeit over No. 3 Zachary Cooper of Alma (Mich.) College to take first place and a spot in nationals. Bleich is now No. 15 on BW's all-time career wins list with a record of 96-18. Freshman All-OAC 125-pounder Jack Stanley (Brecksville/Brecksville-Broadview Heights) placed second with 17 points and won his first-round bout with a forfeit. The freshman took his quarterfinal match with a 2-0 decision, and with a 6-5 decision over the No. 1 individually-ranked Carlos Champagne of Wabash (Ind.) College, Stanley advanced to the championship bout. Stanley fell in the first-place bout to 4-3 decision for a second-place finish and a trip to nationals. Senior All-American, Academic All-OAC and No. 4 nationally-ranked 133-pounder Charlie Nash (Norwalk) placed second with 16.5 points and started his regional with a 15-0 technical fall, before snagging a 4-3 decision in his quarterfinal bout. In his semifinal match, Nash notched a narrow 7-6 decision. Nash dropped his first-place bout to a 3-1 sudden victory but will advance to nationals. Junior 157-pounder Dalton Leightner (Ravenna/Rootstown) earned a second place spot with 15 points. He started his regionals with a 6-4 decision and followed that up with a 9-5 decision in his quarterfinal bout. With a 2-1 decision over No. 6 Sam Gross of John Carroll University in his semifinal, Leightner advanced to the championship match. The junior dropped the first-place bout to a 6-3 decision, but will move onto nationals. Freshman 184-pounder Doug Byrne (Wickliffe) earned a third-place finish with 16.5 points. He won his first-round match with a 4-0 decision and grabbed his quarterfinal bout with a 4:10 pin. Byrne dropped his semifinal to an 11-6 decision. In his consolation semis the freshman secured a 3:50 pin and punched his ticket to nationals with a 5-2 decision for third place. Freshman All-OAC 174-pounder Luke Salmon (Sandusky/Perkins) placed fourth with 14 points. He seized a 13-0 major decision in his opening round bout, and in his quarterfinal, he seized a 4-2 sudden victory to move onto the semis. Salmon dropped his semifinal to No. 3 Darden Schurg of Wabash by way of an 18-5 major decision. In his consolation semifinals, he won by way of 15-0 tech fall. The freshman dropped his third-place bout to a tight 3-2 decision. Senior All-OAC 165-pounder Benjamin Hooff (Worthingon/Thomas Worthington) placed fourth with 13.5 points. He secured a 43 second pin to open his regionals and in his quarterfinal bout he grabbed a 3-2 decision. In his semifinal bout, Hooff fell to No. 1 Kyle Hatch of Wabash, by way of a 3:46 pin. The senior won his consolation semi with a 2-1 tiebreaker before falling in the third-place bout to a 3-1 sudden victory. Hooff has moved into BW's top-25 career wins list with a mark of 79-47. Sophomore 285-pounder Jarod Miller (Greenville, Pa./Reynolds) earned a sixth place finish with 13 points as he pinned his opponent in 2:22 to start his regionals. The sophomore fell I his quarterfinal to a 10-2 major decision. He won his second-round consolation match with a 2:22 pin and followed that up with a 9-1 decision in his third-round consolation. Miller dropped his consolation semis to an 8-0 major decision. Junior All-OAC and Academic All-OAC 141-pounder Tanner McHugh (New Ringgold, Pa./Tamaqua) earned an eighth place finish with 4.5 points. He secured a 3-1 decision in his opening match before falling in his quarterfinal. He dropped the seventh place bout to an 8-4 decision. BW will hit the mats next on Friday and Saturday, March 13 & 14 for the NCAA Division III Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. Matches are set to begin at 9 a.m on both days.

MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 3-ranked Augsburg University men's wrestling team claimed an NCAA Division III regional title for the 18th straight year, qualifying individuals in eight weight classes, including four regional champions, to the national championships at the NCAA Upper Midwest Regional, completed on Saturday at Si Melby Hall. FINAL TEAM SCORES: 1. Augsburg (Minn.) 196.5; 2. Wisconsin-La Crosse 157.5; 3. Wisconsin-Whitewater 116.0; 4. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 100.0; 5. University of Chicago (Ill.) 85.0; 6t. Concordia-Moorhead (Minn.) 82.0; 6t. Wisconsin-Stevens Point 82.0; 8. Wisconsin-Platteville 79.0; 9. Wheaton (Ill.) 59.0; 10. Elmhurst (Ill.) 50.5; 11. Wisconsin-Oshkosh 44.0; 12. Saint John's (Minn.) 35.5; 13. Concordia-Wisconsin 17.0; 14. Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) 11.0; 15. Pacific (Ore.) 7.5; 16. Lakeland (Wis.) 2.5; 17. St. Olaf (Minn.) 0.5. LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis. HOW IT HAPPENED Tanner Vassar is in position to pin his opponent during a 2019-20 Augsburg mens wrestling match.• Augsburg, ranked No. 3 in the latest National Wrestling Coaches Association Division III national poll, won the 17-team regional with 196.5 points. Augsburg has won the team title in its NCAA regional every year since starting regional competition in the 2002-03 season. • With its eight national tournament qualifiers, Augsburg has had seven or more national tournament qualifiers in 17 of the last 18 seasons. Augsburg had four regional champions, two runners-up and two third-place finishers. The top three finishers in each weight class qualify for the national tournament. • Augsburg wrestlers went 16-7 in Saturday's action, with six pins, a technical fall and two major decisions. In the two-day tournament, the Auggies combined for a 37-8 record, with 17 pins, a technical fall and eight major decisions. • Augsburg Co-Head Coaches Jim Moulsoff and Tony Valek Upper Midwest Regional Tournament Coach of the Year award, while the Augsburg assistant coaching staff shared the Tournament Assistant Coach of the Year award with Adam Latella of Wisconsin-Whitewater. • In qualifying for the national tournament for the second time by winning the regional title at 149 pounds, Augsburg's Aaron Wilson (SR, Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis HS) also earned the tournament's Most Falls in Least Time award, as he claimed four pins among his five victories in the meet in 10:01. Wilson, ranked No. 4 nationally at 149 pounds, reached a career milestone with his 100th career victory in the semifinals, then scored a 5:58 pin of Jimmy McAuliffe of Elmhurst (Ill.) in the finals. Now 101-30 in his collegiate career, Wilson improved to 30-1 on the season, including 14 pins, nine technical falls and two major decisions. He previously qualified for the national tournament in the 2015-16 season at 141 pounds. • Top-ranked 184-pounder Tanner Vassar (SR, Maple Lake, Minn./Maple Lake HS) earned his third trip to the national tournament with his first regional title, scoring a third-period 15-1 technical fall in the semifinals and a medical forfeit win in the finals. Now unbeaten at 31-0, Vassar is 124-29 in his college career. Of his 31 wins, 21 are bonus-point triumphs (17 pins, four technical falls, two major decisions). Vassar is a two-time All-American, having finished seventh at 174 in 2018 and fifth at 174 in 2019. • Defending 141-pound national champion David Flynn (SR, Jordan, Minn./Jordan HS (Scott West)) earned his fourth straight trip to the national tournament with his second regional title. The No. 6-ranked 141-pounder nationally, Flynn scored a 3-1 win in the semifinals, then scored a 4-2 victory over No. 3-ranked Hazen Rice of Wisconsin-Whitewater with a takedown with nine seconds left in sudden-victory overtime. Now 17-3 on the season, Flynn is 90-19 in his three-and-a-half seasons at Augsburg, and 118-33 in his overall college career (including a semester spent at Division I North Dakota State in 2016-17). In addition to his national title last year, Flynn also finished third nationally in 2016-17. Solomon Nielsen attempts to lift his opponent for a throw during a 2019-20 Augsburg mens wrestling meet.• Solomon Nielsen (JR, Luverne, Minn./Luverne HS) earned his second straight trip to the national tournament with his first regional title at 184 pounds. Ranked No. 5 nationally at 174, he claimed two dominant wins over nationally-ranked opponents on Saturday, with a 14-7 triumph over No. 6-ranked Evan Lawrence of Wisconsin-Eau Claire in the semifinals, and an 11-3 major decision win over No. 2-ranked Jaritt Shinhoster of Wisconsin-Whitewater in the finals. Nielsen is now 21-2 on the season and 78-18 in his career. He was a national tournament qualifier at 184 last season. • At 157, two-time defending national champion Ryan Epps (SR, Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls HS) earned his fourth straight trip to the national tournament with a second-place regional finish. Ranked No. 2 nationally at 157, Epps reached the final with a 9-0 major decision win, then suffered a 7-6 overtime loss to top-ranked Grant Zamin of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the finals. After riding the full 30 seconds in his portion of the second overtime, Epps scored an escape four seconds into Zamin's portion, but gave up a takedown with 16 seconds left and could not escape to tie the match. Epps is now 28-2 on the season and 141-13 in his college career. Epps won regional titles in his first three seasons as an Auggie. • Defending 197-pound national champion Lance Benick (JR, Scandia, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) earned his second straight trip to the national tournament with a second-place regional finish. He earned his national berth with a 4-3, come-from-behind win over Colten Cashmore of Wisconsin-Oshkosh in the semifinals, scoring the decisive takedown with two seconds left in the bout. In his first action this weekend after being sidelined for more than a month due to injury, he took a medical default in the title bout. Benick is now 5-2 on the season and 45-10 in his Auggie career. • Two-time defending 165-pound national champion Lucas Jeske (SR, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS), currently ranked No. 3 nationally, suffered a 15-6, major decision loss in the semifinals, but rallied back to gain his fourth straight trip to the national tournament with a third-place finish. He scored a 2:59 pin in the consolation semifinal, then claimed one of the most dramatic come-from-behind finishes of his career in the third-place match against Nathan Wynsma of Wisconsin-Platteville. Trailing 14-0 with 1:45 left in the second period, Jeske scored a reversal and two 2-point near-falls to trail 14-6 after two periods. He then scored a dramatic pin with 58 seconds left in the third period to clinch the national berth. Jeske is now 9-3 on the season and 96-12 in his college career. In addition to his two national titles, Jeske finished third nationally in 2016-17, and has three regional titles to his credit. • In one of the most challenging weight-class brackets of the tournament, No. 2-ranked 133-pounder Victor Gliva (SR, Farmington, Minn./Farmington HS) earned his fourth straight national tournament berth with a third-place finish. He was edged 7-5 by No. 5-ranked Noah Becker of Saint John's in the semifinals, but rallied back with a 1:49 pin in the consolation semifinals, then scored an 8-5 win over Josh Stnger of Wisconsin-La Crosse in the third-place match. Gliva is now 25-5 on the season and 114-27 in his college career. He has earned All-American honors twice in his Auggie career, finishing eighth at 125 in 2018 and fifth at 125 in 2019. • Two Auggie first-year wrestlers saw their seasons end on Saturday. Heavyweight Tyler Kim (FY, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) finished in fifth place, finishing his season at 24-9, and 125-pounder Justin Stauffacher (FY, Belle Plaine, Minn./Belle Plaine HS (Scott West)) finished in sixth place, ending his season at 17-11..

MINNEAPOLIS -- The Augsburg University men's wrestling team was dominant in the first day of the 2020 NCAA Division III Upper Midwest Regional, with nine of its 10 wrestlers alive in championship contention on Friday. TEAM SCORES AFTER DAY 1: 1. Augsburg 107.5; 2. Wisconsin-La Crosse 80.5; 3. Wisconsin-Whitewater 69.0; 4. Wisconsin-Stevens Point 59.0; 5t. Chicago (Ill.) 57.5; 5t. Wisconsin-Eau Claire 57.5; 7. Wisconsin-Platteville 55.5; 8. Concordia-Moorhead 53.5; 9. Wheaton (Ill.) 39.0; 10. Elmhurst (Ill.) 36.5; 11. Wisconsin-Oshkosh 27.5; 12. Saint John's 25.0; 13. Concordia-Wisconsin 16.0; 14. Milwaukee School of Engineering (Wis.) 11.0; 15. Pacific (Ore.) 7.5; 16. Lakeland (Wis.) 2.5; 17. St. Olaf 0.5. LOCATION: Si Melby Hall, Minneapolis. HOW IT HAPPENED • The No. 3-ranked Auggies went 21-1 with 18 bonus-point victories in the first day of the two-day event. Augsburg wrestlers claimed 11 pins, six major decisions and a forfeit on Friday. • Aaron Wilson (SR, Oak Grove, Minn./St. Francis HS), ranked No. 4 nationally at 149 pounds, improved to 28-1 on the season with three wins, all by first-period pin. Of his 28 wins, Wilson has 12 pins, nine technical falls and two major decisions. He is now 99-30 in his collegiate career. • Top-ranked 184-pounder Tanner Vassar (SR, Maple Lake, Minn./Maple Lake HS) remained unbeaten at 29-0 with a pair of pins. Vassar now has 17 pins on the season, and is now 122-29 in his college career. • Two-time defending 165-pound national champion Lucas Jeske (SR, St. Michael, Minn./St. Michael-Albertville HS), currently ranked No. 3 nationally, scored a second-period pin and an 11-1 major decision to advance to the semifinals, improving to 7-2 on the season and 94-11 in his Auggie career. • Defending 141-pound national champion David Flynn (SR, Jordan, Minn./Jordan HS (Scott West)) also had a second-period pin and a 9-0 major decision win on Friday to move to the semifinals. Flynn, ranked No. 6 nationally, is now 15-3 on the season with six pins, two technical falls and four major decisions. • Making his first collegiate postseason appearance, 125-pounder Justin Stauffacher (FY, Belle Plaine, Minn./Belle Plaine HS (Scott West)) claimed a second-period pin and an 11-2 major decision to improve to 17-8 on the year. • At 157, two-time defending national champion Ryan Epps (SR, Cannon Falls, Minn./Cannon Falls HS) improved to 27-1 with a forfeit win and a pin, his 11th of the year. Epps, ranked No. 2 nationally at 157, has won 10 matches in a row and is now 140-12 in his collegiate career. • No. 2-ranked 133-pounder Victor Gliva (SR, Farmington, Minn./Farmington HS) improved to 23-4 on the year with a first-period pin and a 3-2 win on Friday, advancing to the semifinals. • Solomon Nielsen (JR, Luverne, Minn./Luverne HS) moved to 21-2 on the year with a pair of major decisions, winning 11-3 and 11-0. He is ranked No. 5 nationally at 174 pounds. • Defending 197-pound national champion Lance Benick (JR, Scandia, Minn./Totino-Grace HS) returned to the lineup after injuries sidelined him for a month, and reached the semifinals with two victories, including an 11-0 major decision. He improved to 4-2 on the season and 44-10 in his Auggie career. • Tyler Kim (FY, Burnsville, Minn./Apple Valley HS) went 2-1 on Friday to remain in contention for a third-place finish and a national tournament berth. He scored a first-period pin in his opening match, then rallied back in the wrestlebacks with a 3-2 win. Kim is now 22-8 on the season.

Nearly two years after the first victims of former Ohio State team physician Richard Strauss came forward -- and decades after the reported sexual assaults took place -- the Columbus-based school's trustees took a critical step to resolving the matter once and for all. On Thursday, the Ohio State trustees passed a resolution authorizing the board chairman to approve a settlement with Strauss' victims. "The resolution puts the university in a position to expedite a settlement and suggests the parties could be nearing an agreement," the Columbus Dispatch reported Thursday. Dr. Richard Strauss served as team physician at Ohio State from the mid-1970s through the late 1990s. Allegations of sexual misconduct against male athletes in nearly a dozen sports, including wrestling, were first made public in April 2018 ... with the first lawsuit being filed in July of that year. In subsequent years, nearly a dozen suits have been filed, involving more than one hundred plaintiffs, most of them past Buckeye athletes, but also involving at least one college wrestling referee who alleged that Strauss had masturbated in front of the mat official in the shower room at St. John Arena on the Ohio State campus in 1994. On a parallel track, the Ohio House of Representatives is discussing a bill to eliminate the statute of limitations for victims of sexual assault -- including Strauss' victims -- so that they may sue for damages. Strauss died in 2005.

The brackets have been released for the 2020 NJCAA Wrestling Championships. The event takes place March 6-7 at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Link: Brackets Schedule Friday, March 6, 2020 9:30 a.m. First Round Noon* Second Round TBA First Round Consolations/Second Round Consolations 6:15 p.m. Quarterfinals/Third Round Consolations 8:30 p.m.* Fourth Round Consolations Saturday, March 7, 2020 10:30 a.m. Championship Semifinals/Consolation Quarterfinals 12:00 p.m.* Consolation Semifinals 1:15 p.m. Consolation Finals 3rd & 4th, 5th & 6th, 7th & 8th 7 p.m. Championship Finals

Wrestling Twitter was aghast Wednesday after the NCAA revealed a mockup for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships that, putting it kindly, failed to impress. The intention of the graphic was to excite fans about the possibility of 40K-plus wrestling fans packed into a football stadium to enjoy their favorite sport. However, due to Oregon Trail-worthy graphics the net effect for many fans (including me) was to take the mockup literally. Which in our defense you'd expect when the official Twitter account for the host organization released the information less than a month before the start of the action. While the quality was akin to the stick figure drawings, it was all the inconvenient items left out that irked the masses. Prime among the exclusions were the head table, scorer's tables, score clocks, and coaches' chairs. There was also a noticeable lack of TV cameras, photographers, and the staff necessary to escort wrestlers to and from waiting areas. Another concern was the warmup area for the wrestlers. While the mockup still shows eight mats, they are separated by wide gaps of floor space -- a tough pill for anyone who has ever tried to warm up on the mats in previous years and found them already a little tight. But in the end it was the message the image was trying to send about epic crowds and increased exposure that lends itself to constructive critique. The idea of more seats equating to anything more than increased revenue is likely misplaced. There is probably a small bump in secondary news stories that cover the number of people attending, but it'll be marginal especially when compared to the impact of improved fan experience in the arena. Revisiting the setup for the field of play, AV interactions with the audience, and ensuring a full social media experience is available would likely promote the sport (and the NCAA) in a more productive way. Let's also not forget that adding a dual meet championship, moving to a single semester, and avoiding the start of the basketball season would all be better revenue generators for the NCAA and create more opportunities for fans to watch healthy wrestlers compete. Baby steps? Maybe. I can see this being the first big initiative of many more, but to get to a new place college wrestling needs its stakeholders to agree on new initiatives. That, unfortunately, is a gap even wider than the floor space between the mats in Minneapolis. To your questions … Wrestlers from Team Taylor at the inaugral AWL event (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Q: It seemed like AWL had some potential as a professional wrestling league, but seems to have folded. Why has it been so difficult to create a sustainable wrestling league in the United States? Where have the organizations gone wrong or made the biggest missteps? -- Mike C. Foley: In journalism we call this an evergreen topic -- one that will always be relevant to readers. Seven years after the launch of several leagues and we are no closer to implementing a sustainable wrestling league here in the states. Each has failed for their own reasons, but one major reason is there hasn't been proper alignment of incentives between the athletes, networks (streaming and linear), and sponsors. The stakes need to be high enough to interest the athletes to not only participate but to train for and promote the event. In the past the athletes have been focused on maximizing their personal return (fair) but they haven't always delivered proper promotion. Likewise sponsors are adding money, but not activating on those dollars which means they see absolutely zero positive feedback. Our Olympic athletes aren't always able to hop off the four-year cycle and dedicate time. So what's the best solution? It could be a Joes vs. Sports Stars method where local income producing competitions are held between jiu jitsu fighters, strongmen, CrossFit guys, and rugby players. Allow the individuals to dress up how they like and treat it as a festival setting. Use a TBD takedown-focused style and allow for lots of creativity and promotion. Events in major cities will draw sponsors and the best of the best -- usually former wrestlers -- graduate to a national stage where they take on current champions of this TBD style and some of America's biggest mat stars. This system allows for maximum return on sponsorship dollars, IG-worthy events, and a sustainable mode for supporting our sport's biggest stars while also distributing the sport to a larger audience. If interested in making this happen, please send me an email! Greg Kerkvliet wrestling Jordan Wood at the U23 Nationals (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Q: It sounds like there is a possibility Greg Kerkvliet enters the Penn State lineup at heavyweight for the postseason. Do you see him as a game changer, someone who could help put the Nittany Lions in the thick of the team race? -- Mike C. Foley: I don't. I'm all for dramatic WWE surprise walkouts but this would be unprecedented in our sport's history to transfer, sit, and suddenly be eligible come plat season. How is this OK? I could never have transferred from U.Va. to UNC and expected to wrestle in the same season. Kerkvliet is unquestionably very talented but that talent hasn't been on the collegiate mats. To debut at the Big Tens is like never having ice skated and then expecting to impress Michelle Kwan on a first date. That's not to say Kerkvliet couldn't win a match or two more than Nevills at the NCAAs, but does that guarantee Penn State will overcome Iowa? Is risking his redshirt worth the squeeze? Not my call, but I think this isn't a well thought out plan, and it's bound to end with some bruised egos. Q: What did you make of Iowa State not sending most of their starters to a dual meet against Missouri last Saturday, instead sending key starters to their home open? It seems as though there was gaming going on, getting some starters questionable wins to increase their chances to qualify for the NCAAs. -- Mike C. Foley: We all know this was a blatant disregard for how the wrestling world works, but look around you. Look at the world -- nothing matters in a battle of morality. The only thing is winning or the perception that you did everything you could to WIN. We don't have right and wrong. We have winning and losing. Exploitation of anything so long as it helps get another tick in the W column. I'm saddened and disappointed that the Iowa State administration allowed this to happen, and I think that the NCAA should take aggressive measures to ensure than it doesn't happen again and that the results of the tournament are invalidated. Q: Is Zahid Valencia out of the Olympic Team Trials in April? -- Josh K. Foley: Yes. Given the timing and initial reports, his positive test would have been international, which would preclude his participation. However, there is an appeal process and he's very able to submit to that process and possibly be vindicated. The entire episode is regrettable. I hope that there is something pending that could vindicate him or at least dampen the disappointment of his teammates and fan base. Q: There have been a lot of media reports about how the coronavirus could cancel the Olympic Games. Do you see this as a real possibility? -- Mike C. Foley: As of now there is no real indication the Olympic Games will be moved or canceled. Some sporting events, especially those in Asia, are being canceled or reassigned to other nations. The virus is spreading rapidly, but the vitality and severity have yet to be determined. Death rates range from two percent to four percent of infections. In the scope of sports, it's an unrealistic risk to ask for those infections to spread for the benefit of game playing. But if we're honest with ourselves we also have to recognize that that the virus' two-week incubation makes it perfect for a drip-drip of developing news that creates fear. Japanese school closings, unknown transmission sources in the USA, and the quarantine of northern Italy all drive the fear that makes it difficult for political leaders to sanction activity. I think the decision point will be June 1. That's 90 days from now, which would imply a further knowledge of how the disease is behaving and a more accurate indication of its deadliness. If things are still gloomy you could expect that some news might be expected.

INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA has announced the qualifier allocations for the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships as listed in the chart below. Each qualifying tournament was awarded automatic bids per weight class based on current year data. Each wrestler was measured on the following: Division I winning percentage at the weight class; ratings percentage index (RPI); and coaches' ranking. For each wrestler that reached the threshold in at least two of the three categories, his conference tournament was awarded a qualifying spot in that weight class. Each conference was awarded a minimum of one automatic bid per weight class, which will go to the tournament champion, even if they did not have any wrestlers reach at least two of the three thresholds. NCAA tournament spots for each qualifying event will be awarded at the tournament based solely on place-finish. After all of the conference tournaments have concluded, the NCAA Division I Wrestling Committee will meet in-person to select the remaining 47 at-large qualifiers, which will be announced on March 10, while brackets and seeding will be announced on NCAA.com at 6 p.m. on March 11. All weight classes will consist of 33 wrestlers. The at-large selections will be made based on the following criteria: head-to-head competition; quality wins; coaches' ranking; results against common opponents; RPI; qualifying event placement; and winning percentage. Qualifiers per conference The coaches' rankings are determined by a vote of 14 coaches in each weight class with two head coaches from each of the seven conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, EIWA, MAC, Pac-12 and SoCon), which is double the voters that had previously been used for the coaches' panel rankings. For ranking purposes, coaches may only consider a wrestler that has been designated as a starter at a respective weight class. Wrestlers must have participated in at least five matches against Division I opponents in the weight class and have wrestled within the last 30 days to be ranked. The RPI is a calculation that considers a wrestler's winning percentage, opponent winning percentage (strength of schedule) and opponent's opponent winning percentage (opponent's strength of schedule). Only matches against Division I opponents at the designated weight class count towards the RPI and a wrestler needs to have wrestled 15 matches to be ranked. Seth Gross of Wisconsin (133 pounds), Ryan Deakin of Northwestern (157) and Kollin Moore of Ohio State (197) are all ranked No. 1 by both the coaches and in the RPI. The remaining top-ranked wrestlers by the coaches are Spencer Lee of Iowa (125), Nick Lee of Penn State (141), Sammy Sasso of Ohio State (149), Vincenzo Joseph of Penn State (165), Michael Kemerer of Iowa (174), Taylor Lujan of Northern Iowa (184) and Gable Steveson of Minnesota (heavyweight). The remaining top-rated wrestlers in the RPI include Pat Glory of Princeton (125), Luke Pletcher of Ohio State (141), Pat Lugo of Iowa (149), Shane Griffith of Stanford (165), Jordan Kutler of Lehigh (174), Hunter Bolen of Virginia Tech (184) and Mason Parris of Michigan (heavyweight). For tickets or more information about the 2020 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Minneapolis, visit http://www.ncaa.com/wrestling. A full description of the entire selection process is in the 2020 Division I Wrestling Championships Pre-Championships Manual at NCAA.org.

Charles "Biff" Walizer, a man who made a name for himself as a wrestler and wrestling coach within Pennsylvania and beyond, passed away Friday, Feb. 21. He was 78. Charles "Biff" WalizerBorn in Salona, Pa. in September 1941, Walizer wrestled at Bald Eagle Nittany High School in Mill Hall, where he was a 4-year varsity starter with a record of 40-5-0 before graduating in 1959. At Lock Haven State College (now Lock Haven University), Walizer won three College Conference Championships and two NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) championships with a record of 72-10-1. Just as impressive: Walizer was never pinned in high school or college. Beyond success in high school and college, Walizer also qualified to wrestle off for the 1964 Summer Olympics, but unfortunately, due to a car falling on him, he was not able to compete, according to the funeral home obituary. Upon graduating from Lock Haven in 1963, Walizer launched his long and successful coaching career, starting at Alexandria Bay, N.Y. A year later he moved to Titusville, Pa. where he coached from 1964-1969 with a record of 42-19-1. Walizer could claim his first undefeated team in 1968. Walizer moved back to his hometown of Mill Hall where he taught and coached at Bald Eagle Nittany High School from 1970-1995, leading his wrestlers to a record of 252-136-5. Walizer could claim 53 District 6 Champions, 20 Regional winners and seven State Titlists. He coached three undefeated seasons: 1976-77, 1992-93 and 1993-94. Biff also coached the Pennsylvania Cadet and Junior National teams in freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling for eight years. In addition to accumulating winning results, coach Walizer tallied a number of impressive honors. He was a District 6 Coach of the Year for eight years as well as Pennsylvania State Coach of the Year twice. Walizer was inducted into the NAIA National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1993, the Clinton County Sports Hall of Fame in 1994, the District 6 Hall of Family in 1999, the Pennsylvania chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2015, and the West Branch Valley Chapter of the Sports Hall of Fame in 2016. Tom Elling, the dean of Pennsylvania wrestling, shared his thoughts about the legendary wrestler and coach with attendees at the Walizer's funeral service on Wednesday… and with InterMat. "Charles 'Biff' Walizer was a throwback," Elling told InterMat. "He was hard-nosed and lived every day that way. From riding bulls to breaking horses to riding motocross motorcycles to having wrestled an orangutan (and beating it), Biff was a warrior. He was successful as a high school wrestler at Bald Eagle-Nittany High School and as part of the Lock Haven State's 'Fearsome Foursome' of Gray Simons, Fred Powell and Jack Day. "Biff's most notable win was over a West Liberty W.Va. wrestler by the name of Bobby Douglas. Yes, THAT Bobby Douglas. And about a year ago, Bobby heard Biff wasn't doing well so he phoned him. "Wrestlers are tight. Biff's viewing looked like a reunion of Pennsylvania wrestling who's who. Dozens of his former wrestlers lined up to pay their last respects and to tell their favorite Biff stories. There was only one Biff. He will be sorely missed." Walizer is survived the love of his life for 25 years, Becky Smith, along with eight children (including Biff Wilson Walizer who wrestled for Penn State in the late 1990s), eleven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren. Although services have already taken place, memorial contributions may be made to Mat Town Wrestling, the Clinton County S.P.C.A. or any charity of choice.

Mark Hall leads the Most Dominant standings in Division I (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) INDIANAPOLIS -- The NCAA has released updated standings for the 2020 NCAA Wrestling Awards that will be awarded in March at the respective Division I, II and III Wrestling Championships. The inaugural NCAA Wrestling Awards were presented at the 2012 wrestling championships. The three awards, given in each division, honor the Most Dominant Wrestler as well as the student-athletes that have accumulated the most falls and the most technical falls throughout the course of the regular and postseasons. A 2:33 fall by Penn State 174-pounder Mark Hall over American moved him to 4.85 average team points per match and first place in the race for most dominant in Division I. Hall's teammate Nick Lee is second with 4.67 points at 141 pounds, while Princeton's Pat Glory averages 4.65 points at 125 pounds for third. With limited action in Division II over the last week there was no change in the standings for most dominant in Division II. Two-time national champion Chris Eddins Jr., of Pittsburgh-Johnstown leads with an average of 4.74 points. McKendree 197-pounder Ryan Vasbinder and Notre Dame (Ohio) heavyweight Jared Campbell complete the top three in the division. Division III Most Dominant Wrestler is led by Coast Guard 165-pounder Nicholas Moreno with 5.40 team points per match, followed by Troy Stanich of Stevens with 5.32 and Robert Areyano of Central (Iowa) with 5.25. The Most Dominant Wrestler standings are calculated by adding the total number of team points awarded through match results and dividing that number by the total number of matches wrestled with a minimum of 16 matches to be ranked. Points per match are awarded as follows. * Fall, forfeit, injury default or DQ = 6 points (-6 points for a loss) * Tech falls = 5 points (-5 points for a loss) * Major decision = 4 points (-4 points for a loss) * Decision = 3 points (-3 points for a loss)

MINNEAPOLIS, Feb. 26, 2020 -- JROB Intensive Wrestling Camps and Trackwrestling have announced the lineup of featured guests at the 7 IN 7 PRE-GAME PARTY at the NCAA Wrestling Championships, which will take place on Wednesday, March 18, at 7 p.m. at The Barn at Cowboy Jack's Saloon and Restaurant in Minneapolis. Minnesota Vikings Head Coach Mike Zimmer (ESPN: "Wrestling Shaped Mike Zimmer") Olympic Gold Medalist and 15-time National Champion Head Coach Dan Gable Wrestle Like A Girl Founder, Army veteran, and two-time World Bronze Medalist Sally Roberts Four-time Gopher All-American and current undefeated Bellator MMA fighter Logan Storley Spartan Races Founder and best-selling author Joe De Sena Army Ranger, Purple Heart recipient, and former MSU-Mankato wrestler SGT (Ret.) Tom Block Olympic Gold Medalist Randy Lewis National Wrestling Hall of Fame member and medical entrepreneur John Bardis (emcee) The event brings together passionate wrestling fans from across the country to celebrate the NCAA Wrestling Championships. While fans socialize, high-impact personalities with connections to wrestling will share what the sport means to them in seven-minute interviews on stage. "I'm thrilled to be a part of this powerful event that amplifies the best of wrestling before the men's NCAA Championships while growing the sport alongside J Robinson," said Wrestle Like A Girl Founder Sally Roberts. "Wrestling is important because it strengthens the fabric of America and builds our next generation of leaders, regardless of gender, and that's something we can all champion." The guest lineup features speakers from across the wrestling world, including two -- Sally Roberts and Tom Block -- with a military background. "I am beyond excited to be part of this new event that celebrates the impact of wrestling," said SGT (Ret.) Tom Block. "It truly is the best sport because it's unforgiving and immensely rewarding all at once. I'm stoked to be able to share how wrestling gave me the tools to become an Army Ranger and serve in the elite 75th Ranger Regiment." Event proceeds will be gifted to TakeDown Cancer, an initiative of the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund. "All of us at the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund would like to take this opportunity to thank J Robinson for partnering with TakeDown Cancer," said Randy Shaver, KARE 11 news anchor and founder of the Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund. "Each dollar raised makes an impact on the lives of Minnesota's Cancer Community! Thank you to J Robinson." A limited number of tickets for the event are available to the general public at 7in7party.com. Tickets cost $15 and include one free drink per 21+ guest. About JROB Intensive Wrestling Camps Since its founding in 1978, JROB Intensive Wrestling Camps has trained more than 50,000 wrestlers with a training philosophy that focuses on developing technical skill, physical preparation, building mental toughness, and life skills. Founded by three-time NCAA national champion wrestling coach J Robinson, JROB now operates 12 summer wrestling camps in locations across the country. Learn more at jrobinsoncamps.com. About Trackwrestling Trackwrestling is part of SportsEngine, Inc., an NBC Sports Group company, and is considered the go-to resource for the sport of wrestling, providing the latest in wrestling stats and content, in addition to live streaming and archived video services at www.Trackwrestling.com. Trackwrestling is the official event management system for the National Wrestling Coaches Association and is used to manage more than 9,500 wrestling events each year. Trackwrestling's services are used as the official scoring systems for more than 35 state high school tournaments, the NCAA Divisions I, II and III Championships and is the official streaming partner of United World Wrestling. SportsEngine, Inc. is the leading provider of sport relationship management software for more than a million youth sports organizations, leagues, governing bodies, and associations. Learn more at: www.sportsengine.com. About TakeDown Cancer TakeDown Cancer donations contribute to the work of The Randy Shaver Cancer Research and Community Fund which supports cancer research, prevention, treatment and other community needs throughout the state of Minnesota. Learn more at takedowncancer.org.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- (Qualifiers by weight class | Qualifiers by school | Qualifiers by conference) The National Association of Intercollegiate Athletes (NAIA) has officially announced the qualifiers for the 2020 NAIA Wrestling National Championships hosted by Visit Wichita on Tuesday. The 63rd annual event takes place March 6-7 at Hartman Arena in Park City, Kan. Conference champions in their respective weight class earn an automatic berth to the national championship. Conferences received additional allocations based on the amount of wrestlers ranked in each weight class in the final regular-season coaches' poll. In addition to the automatic qualifiers, each conference was allowed three at-large individuals from any weight class. A 14-member national selection committee selected the remainder of the 240-wrestler field. Eight-time defending national champion Grand View (Iowa) will be taking a full roster of 12 grapplers to the national championships. Reinhardt (Ga.) joins the Vikings with a full roster. Menlo (Calif.) is taking the third-most wrestlers with 11, while Campbellsville (Ky.), Life (Ga.), Lindsey Wilson (Ky.) and Southeastern (Fla.) are a close fourth, taking a roster of ten. The Mid-South Conference led all conferences with 61 individual qualifiers. The Cascade Collegiate Conference was second with 51 qualifiers. Preliminary brackets will be announced Friday, Feb. 28.