InterMat Staff

Larry Sciacchetano, who received the Order of Merit from the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2006, passed away on Tuesday, at the age of 77. Information about funeral arrangements will be posted when received. Larry Sciacchetano"Larry Sciacchetano left a large footprint upon the sport of wrestling, and he was one of the best spokespeople the sport has ever had," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "He was instrumental in the formation of the United World Wrestling Hall of Fame, while also serving on the Board of Governors for the National Wrestling Hall of Fame board which helped create a collaborative partnership. "I know from experience that he cared about the athlete's needs and aspirations, both on and off the mat, as a coach and as a visionary leader," he added. "Family meant everything to Larry and I want to share our most sincere sympathies with his wife Kathy and their family members." Sciacchetano served as president of USA Wrestling and as a member of the United World Wrestling Bureau while also enjoying success as a coach and wrestler. Well-liked and respected around the world, he made a huge difference in the sport in many different ways throughout his life. "Larry Sciacchetano was one of our sport's great contributors, making an impact at every level of wrestling, as an athlete, coach and an administrator at the highest levels," said Rich Bender, Executive Director of USA Wrestling. " USA Wrestling owes much to Larry Sciacchetano, serving as our president and then with the United World Wrestling Bureau. Our heart goes out to his wife Kathy and his entire family, as well as all of his friends around the world." Sciacchetano served two terms as president of USA Wrestling, from 1994-98. During his tenure, the USA won the 1995 World Championship team title in freestyle wrestling and captured the most freestyle medals of any nation at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Under his leadership, USA Wrestling experienced growth in its membership at all levels as well as an expansion of its programs and services to the membership. He also served on a number of USA Wrestling committees. He was also elected to the United World Wrestling (then FILA) Bureau, the governing council of the international wrestling federation, serving a number of terms. He was a driving force for the development of a Hall of Fame for international wrestling, which is located in the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in Stillwater, Oklahoma. FILA Commissions that Sciacchetano served on included the Hall of Fame Commission (which he chaired), the Promotions Commission, the TV and Marketing Commission, the Coaches Commission and the Internet Hall of Fame Commission. He was also a Secretary of the Pan American Amateur Wrestling Committee (CPLA). In 1998, he led the U.S. wrestling delegation to the Takhti Cup in Tehran, Iran -- the first time in the nearly 20 years since the Iranian Revolution that a U.S. sports team traveled to that country to compete. Sciacchetano was also a tremendous wrestling coach on the college level, as well as within international freestyle wrestling circles. He served as assistant coach of the 1993 World Team, which won the first World Championship team title for the United States. He guided U.S. teams on tours of international competition and served as team leader of the 1994 U.S. Freestyle World Team in Istanbul. On the collegiate level, Sciacchetano coached nine years at Louisiana State, leading the Tigers to seven Southeast Conference titles and two eighth-place finishes at the NCAA tournament. He was also head wrestling coach at Montclair State and New York Maritime College. Sciacchetana was named the NCAA National Coach of the Year in 1970 and 1975 and was the NCAA Rookie Coach of the Year in 1965. While at LSU, Sciacchetano coached Kevin Jackson, a Distinguished Member inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2003. Jackson won a gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Games and is also a two-time World Champion. He is currently the National Freestyle Developmental Coach for USA Wrestling, and previously served as USA Wrestling's National Freestyle Coach. At LSU, Sciacchetano also coached Joseph Atiyeh, who won an Olympic silver medal for Syria at the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles with Sciacchetano in his corner. "I was so blessed to have the opportunity to spend last Friday with him at the LSU Hall of Fame induction," said Jackson, who was inducted into the LSU Athletics Hall of Fame on October 11. "He presented me with my award. He was the best coach I ever had. "He cared more about my personal life than any athletic accomplishments," he said. "I had an opportunity to tell him how much I love him and care about him, how great a coach he was and a better man. He will be truly missed. My heart and prayers go out to his family." Sciacchetano coached the Syrian wrestling team at the 1984 and 1988 Olympic Games and assisted the U.S. staff at the 1992 Olympics. He coached many New York Athletic Club champions and served five years as the State Chairman of New Jersey. He wrote three books on wrestling. Undefeated as a high school wrestler in New Jersey, he was a three-time NCAA All-American for Montclair State and was also a finalist in both styles at the 1964 Olympic Trials. Sciacchetano was twice awarded the FILA Gold Star, the top honor in international wrestling, and also earned the FILA Merit of Honor Award. Originally from Teaneck, New Jersey, Sciacchetano became a successful businessman, serving as CEO of Pentagon Petroleum Inc., an international oil exploration company.

BLACKSBURG -- Virginia Tech wrestling announces that for the first time in its history the Hokies will hold a meet outside on English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park. The Hokies welcome Northwestern Nov. 10 for the first Mat on the Mound at 1 p.m. "As a program we are always looking for new ways to improve the experience for both our student-athletes and our fans," said Tech wrestling head coach Tony Robie. "Much like wrestling at the Moss Arts Center, I think that English Field at Atlantic Union Bank Park offers a very unique opportunity for us to do something different and continue to be creative in how to showcase wrestling at Virginia Tech. "I want to thank Coach John Szefc [Tech baseball head coach] for his willingness to work with us on this. I think that Atlantic Union Bank Park is the ideal outdoor venue for this type of event. We need the Hokie Nation to come out and pack the park on Nov. 10." The wrestling mat will be placed in the infield between the pitching mound and the backstop. Admission will be free for the historic event. This won't be the first time Hokies wrestling holds a match in a unique venue. The team has made a tradition of wrestling at Tech's Moss Arts Center once a year since 2015. This season's Moss match is on Feb. 8 vs. Duke. In the case of inclement weather, changes to the time or location will be communicated if necessary.

Wrestlers from New Zealand visited Carmel, Ind. No doubt about it: wrestling is very much a global sport. Some wrestlers get to participate in international tournaments, see the world, and make friends well beyond their hometowns. The cool thing is, these opportunities aren't limited to uber-talented mat superstars. Any wrestler can expand his or her horizons on and off the mat, thanks to wrestler exchange programs. InterMat recently talked to Ed Pendoski, wrestling coach in suburban Indianapolis who is actively involved in wrestler exchange programs that make it possible for local wrestlers to compete with fellow athletes -- and experience new cultures -- well beyond what they would normally experience on a typical road trip on a school bus to a local dual meet or tournament here in the U.S. Ed PendoskiCoach Pendoski: Your guide to exchange programs Ed Pendoski is an Indiana native, through and through. He first took up wrestling as a youngster in northwest Indiana, then continued his academic and athletic career in his home state at Purdue University. Pendoski launched his coaching career at Purdue, then remained in Indiana to coach at Portage High School, where, in eleven seasons, his teams compiled an overall record of 327-27, with eight individual state champs and eight wrestlers who went on to Division I programs. Seven years ago, Pendoski took on two new assignments at once: becoming wrestling coach at Carmel High School, a 5,500-student school located in the northern suburbs of Indianapolis ... and launching Carmel USA Wrestling Club, which can claim 11 Indiana state championships medalists, and numerous athletes that have gone on to compete at the collegiate level. One of the hallmarks of Pendoski's Carmel USA Wrestling Club is its participation in international wrestler exchange programs, offering opportunities for local wrestlers to travel to other countries ... as well as hosting athletes from outside the U.S. All with the idea of experiencing new competitive opportunities, expand their personal knowledge of the world, and make new friends well beyond the Midwest. "I've participated in exchanges with three different nations," Pendoski told InterMat. "We've hosted Turkey and Japan twice in the past. And just this summer, we welcomed wrestlers from New Zealand for the very first time." (True to the definition of "exchange", Pendoski took nearly half of his club's wrestlers to New Zealand prior to this summer's exchange where they hosted the New Zealanders.) The three New Zealanders, who range in age from 20 to 31, stayed at Pendoski's home. "We're all on a first-name basis," said Pendoski. "They have guys who are very talented but some of their training partners aren't quite as good, and don't provide as much of a quality workout/training session as they can get here." "The business model is so simple" How does the wrestler exchange program work? "The business model is so simple," according to Pendoski. "The host is responsible for providing accommodations for their guests as well as their meals. The visiting wrestlers pay for their airfare." "It's normal to be a bit hesitant about participating if you haven't done it before. However, hosting is the easiest thing to do. After all, the wrestling family is truly international." Pendoski pointed out that the Indiana State Wrestling Association has a state cultural director (Lou Silverman) who sets up cultural exchange trips. (Your state association may have similar resources, or be able to put you in touch with coaches who have participated in international exchange programs.) Pendoski also said cultural exchanges work well, no matter how many wrestlers participate. "We've had success with setting up what I'd call 'mini-trips' with fewer athletes -- say, two or three wrestlers." "Our club's long-term goal is to connect with and make friends with other clubs in other countries, especially when the numbers are small." "Our community understands the value of international travel," Pendoski added. Coach Pendoski is not only a believer, but also a long-time participant. In fact, Pendoski was introduced to the idea of wrestler exchange programs as a young coach. "I got to go to Turkey in the 1990s," said Pendoski. "I read at least three books before getting on the plane." Since that first overseas exchange trip nearly three decades ago, Pendoski is still a strong believer in the value of wrestlers experiencing the world. Not just to gain new opportunities to compete on the world stage ... but also to experience new cultures and make new friends. To learn more about the Carmel USA Wrestling Club, check out their official website ... and, to learn more about international wrestling exchange opportunities, contact coach Don Pendoski directly at ed.pendoski@carmelusawrestling.org.

OTTUMWA -- Indian Hills Community College has a coach to lead its men's and women's wrestling programs when the sport debuts on the IHCC Centerville Campus. Cole Spree, the head wrestling coach at Ellsworth Community College in Iowa Falls for the past eight years, has been tapped to be the first coach of the fledgling programs at Indian Hills. Spree, a very successful coach and an accomplished wrestler in high school and college, will come to Indian Hills immediately to get the programs for men and women ready to compete in the 2020-21 academic year. "To be able to help grow wrestling, and especially women's wrestling, has always been a goal of mine," Spree said. "Women's wrestling is one of the fastest emerging sports at all levels and it's exciting to be a part of it. The chance to work for an institution and community that puts a priority on success made this a 'can't miss' opportunity. My family and I can't wait to get to Centerville and begin establishing Indian Hills' first wrestling program." Cole SpreeA Parkersburg, Iowa native, Spree became the head wrestling coach at Ellsworth before the 2011-12 season and helped develop 29 All-Americans and 11 national tournament finalists. The Panthers finished in the top 10 at the national tournament in each of the past six seasons, with a third-place showing in 2016 and a fifth-place last spring. They were also runners-up at the 2016 NWCA duals tourney and in the top four in four consecutive years. Spree was named the ICCAC coach of the year in 2013 and 2019. Prior to his head coaching experience at Ellsworth, Spree was an assistant for one year at Minot State University in Minot, North Dakota, and for a year at Ellsworth. At Minot State he worked with a team that produced 10 national qualifiers and ranked as high as 15th in the nation as the program was restarted after being dormant for nearly 20 years. "I'm excited to add Cole to our athletic department," said IHCC athletic director Dr. Brett Monaghan. "During the search process Cole quickly became our top target. His success at the NJCAA level speaks for itself, but his commitment to the college he works for, his student-athletes and the community he lives in really stood out to me. I believe Cole and his family will be an outstanding addition to the Centerville community and I look forward to getting to work with him right away to begin building both our men's and women's wrestling program." On the mat, Spree was a three-time state placewinner for Aplington-Parkersburg High School before enrolling at Ellsworth, where he became an All-American. He was a two-time national qualifier for Northwestern College before beginning his coaching career. The new IHCC coach earned his associate degree from Ellsworth, a bachelor's degree at Northwestern and a master's in business management from Minot State.

Pat Whitcomb lifts Taylor Kornoely after winning the NCAA title at heavyweight (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Pat Whitcomb, former wrestler and long-time head wrestling coach at North Idaho College who was fired in January, has filed a lawsuit against his alma mater and employer. Whitcomb's lawsuit claims discrimination, reputation harm, retaliation and misconduct. The former coach is seeking a jury trial, but has not asked for a monetary settlement. Last summer, Whitcomb filed a tort claim with estimated damages of between $50,000 and $100,000. Whitcomb said he was fired on January 7 for what he believes are his efforts to upgrade facilities to accommodate double-amputee wrestler Hassan Hawthorne, 2016 Alabama 145-pound state champ, for speaking up for a co-worker who was assaulted on campus, and because school leaders want to drop wrestling -- arguably NIC's most successful varsity sport (the program was ranked fourth in the nation at the time of his firing) -- in favor of launching a baseball program. The college claims Whitcomb was fired for academic integrity violations. Whitcomb served as the NIC head wrestling coach from 1997 to early 2019, leading the program to four team national championships and 18 individual national championships before being let go mid-season. He was honored as National Coach of the Year twice and Region 18 Coach of the Year eight times. Prior to heading up the program, Whitcomb earned back-to-back NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) titles as a NIC wrestler in 1986 and 1987. Founded in 1933, North Idaho College is a public, two-year community college located in Coeur d'Alene. It has a total enrollment of approximately 7,800 students.

Braxton Amos won his third straight Super 32 Challenge title (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) GREENSBORO, N.C. -- The 20th anniversary edition of the Super 32 Challenge came to its conclusion on Sunday afternoon in Greensboro, N.C. It was also the 10th year of it being held as a two-day event on Saturday and Sunday. Milestone events throughout the finals program from the beginning to the end. Nine wrestlers still competing in high school came into 2019-20 having already won a title at this prestigious tournament. However, just one was entered in the tournament. Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.), the No. 2 overall wrestler in the Class of 2020, entered the weekend as the clear anchor figure in the 220-pound weight class. He would also leave the weekend in such position, after winning a third consecutive Super 32 title at this weight. The University of Wisconsin commit did not give up an offensive point over five bouts, which included an 8-2 finals victory over No. 36 overall Class of 2022 wrestler Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.). Amos used two first-period takedowns and one second-period takedown to spark that finals victory. Eighth-grader Mason Gibson won the title at 106 pounds (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Right at the beginning of the finals program, Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa.) won the 106-pound weight class. He is currently ranked No. 1 overall among junior high wrestlers. Two years ago Ryan Crookham (Notre Dame-Green Pond, Pa.), who is currently ranked No. 1 overall in the Class of 2022, won this tournament at 113 pounds. Gibson joined him as an eighth grader to win the high school division at the Super 32. In the finals, Gibson would jump out to a 5-0 lead midway through the second period via a pair of takedowns; however, Cory Land (Moody, Ala.) did surge in the second half of the bout, but the No. 32 overall Class of 2022 fell by the score of 5-4. The depth of this tournament was clear and obvious, as demonstrated by the Sunday journey of 145-pound weight class champion Bretli Reyna (South Dade, Fla.). The senior, a three-time state champion, made it to the quarterfinal round on the strength of four major decision victories. In the quarterfinal round, it was a 9-6 victory over No. 71 overall Class of 2020 wrestler Joseph Zargo (Bergen Catholic, N.J.). The semifinal round saw Reyna earn a 9-7 overtime decision over Ed Scott (DuBois, Pa.), who is No. 75 overall in the senior class. Reyna then outlasted No. 6 overall senior Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) in the finals. Bretli Reyna knocked off Joshua Saunders to win the title at 145 pounds (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Two first-period takedowns for Reyna, followed by a Saunders reversal, and then Reyna escape made it 5-3 Reyna after a period. A third-period takedown for Saunders with just over one minute remaining tied the proceedings at 6-6, but Reyna escaped with 28 seconds remaining. A second stalling call against Reyna with one second remaining created sudden victory, which went scoreless. Then in the tiebreaker period, Saunders was called for locking hands to cement the 8-7 Reyna victory. Four other weight class champions ran through very strong Sunday gauntlets: Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, Ill.) at 132 pounds, Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) at 138, Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.) at 152, and Greyden Penner (Liberty, Mo.) at 170. Joel Vandervere came through to win the title at 132 pounds with a victory in the finals over Kenny Herrmann (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) Vandervere beat No. 3 overall sophomore Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.) 2-1 in the tiebreaker during the quarterfinal round, and then beat No. 28 overall senior Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.) 6-2 in the semifinal bout. Ranked No. 24 in the Class of 2021, Vandervere used a double-leg takedown with 23 seconds remaining and subsequent near fall points to break open a tied bout into a 6-2 finals victory over No. 66 overall senior Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.). Ranked No. 33 in the senior class, Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) beat Nick Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio), who is No. 47 overall in the junior class, 2-1 in the tiebreakers during the quarterfinal round. The 138-pound lower bracket semifinal was a battle of Junior National freestyle All-Americans, with McNeil using a first-period takedown and second-period escape to counter the late third period takedown of No. 43 overall senior Mick Burnett (Elyria, Ohio) in a 3-2 victory. The championship bout saw McNeil score a scramble takedown with just under 30 seconds remaining to counter the shot attempt of No. 57 overall senior Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) in a 3-1 victory. Saldate, who is the No. 31 overall wrestler of the senior class, started Sunday with a narrow 3-2 decision over No. 90 overall senior Cameron Robinson (Council Rock North, Pa.). The 7-1 win over No. 58 senior A.J. Kovacs (Iona Prep, N.Y.) represented the most decisive of his three wins on the second day; while the Michigan State commit upended No. 79 senior Peyton Hall (Oak Glen, W.Va.) 3-2 in the championship bout. A takedown during the first period made the difference. Saldate had two subsequent chances to get a margin-extending takedown, while he had to fend off a late leg attack from Hall to seal the belt. Oklahoma University verbal commit Penner entered the tournament ranked No. 53 in the senior class. Third-period takedowns were the difference in 3-2 victories over Trey Kibe (Mifflin County, Pa.) and Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin, Pa.) during the quarterfinal and semifinal rounds. Kibe is ranked No. 38 in the junior class, while Ulrey is No. 60 in the senior class. (The wrestlers finished third and fourth respectively.) It should be noted that Ulrey beat Penner in the semifinals of the UWW Cadet Nationals in Akron on the way to qualifying for the World Team in freestyle at 69 kilograms. Takedowns in the first and second period of the championship match yielded Penner a decisive 5-3 finals victory over No. 42 overall senior Gavin Kane (Cambridge, Ga.). Two other elite seniors won Super 32 titles on Sunday afternoon: No. 16 overall Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) at 182 and No. 29 Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) at 285. Gerrit Nijenhuis gets his hand raised after winning the title at 182 pounds (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) In the 182-pound championship bout, Nijenhuis scored a takedown with just over 30 seconds remaining in the first period to take a 2-0 lead after that stanza. No. 38 overall senior John Poznanski (Colonia, N.J.) escaped to start the second and scored a takedown right after, while Nijenhius escaped within 20 seconds to level the bout at 3-3. A third-period escape for Nijenhuis yielded the final point in a 4-3 victory that enabled him to elevate from last year's runner-up finish in this tournament, though Poznanski was in very deep on a leg attack for the last thirty seconds of the bout. Cadet World Team member in freestyle Catka, a Virginia Tech verbal commit, entered the championship bout with four bonus point wins from four bouts. The championship match came against No. 39 overall junior Hayden Copass (Westville, Ill.), a two-time 16U freestyle champion. The first period of the final was scoreless, while Catka scored a second period takedown sandwiched by two Copass escapes. Catka got an escape, takedown, and three-point near fall in the third to confirm the 8-2 championship victory. Last among the seniors to win weight classes were Jacob Rivera (Selma, Calif.) at 113 pounds and Santos Cantu (Crescent Valley, Ore.) at 195. Rivera was untested but for a 4-3 round of 16 victory over state champion Carter Dibert (Franklin Regional, Pa.). Rivera needed a pair of third-period near falls to rally for that victory over the eventual third-place finisher. Most notable of those dominant wins for him was the 13-6 result over No. 49 overall senior Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.) in the semifinal round. The championship bout started with a five-point move for Rivera off a shin whizzer before a second period takedown would help cement his 9-3 victory over Nico Provo (Green Farms, Ct.). Three-time state champion Cantu used a takedown midway through the third period to outlast two-time state champion Brandon Hoselton (Prairie Central, Ill.) 3-2 in his championship bout. Rounding out the weight class champions were a pair of elite sophomores in No. 2 Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) and No. 6 Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) at 126 and 120 respectively, while No. 11 overall junior Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) won at 160. Placement Match Results 106: 1st: Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa./8th grade) dec. Cory Land (Moody, Ala.), 5-4 3rd: Maxximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) dec. Dylan Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), 3-0 5th: Charlie Farmer (Moline, Ill.) dec. Spencer Moore (Walton Verona, Ky.), 8-4 7th: Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, Mo.) dec. Mac Church (Waynesburg, Pa.), 8-6 113: 1st: Jacob Rivera (Selma, Calif.) dec. Nico Provo (Green Farms, Ct.), 9-3 3rd: Carter Dibert (Franklin Regional, Pa.) dec. Braxton Brown (Allen, Texas), 3-2 5th: Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.) major dec. Erik Roggie (St. Christopher's, Va.), 10-2 7th: Joziah Fry (Coventry, R.I.) dec. Brady Hankin (Woodland Park, Colo.), 8-6 OT 120: 1st: Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) dec. Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.), 5-3 3rd: Alex Almeyda (St. Joseph Regional, N.J.) dec. Jordan Titus (Center Morinches, N.Y.), 1-1 TB 5th: Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney, N.J.) dec. Dominic Chavez (Arlington Martin, Texas), 6-3 7th: Troy Spratley (Collinsville, Okla.) dec. Nicholas Babin (Emerson-Park Ridge, N.J.), 3-1 126: 1st: Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Nico Nardone (Delbarton, N.J.), 7-3 3rd: Jacob Rundell (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) dec. Caleb Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.), 5-1 5th: Conor Knopick (Millard South, Neb.) dec. Antoine Allen (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio), 1-0 7th: Zach Redding (Eastport-South Manor, N.Y.) dec. Ethan Oakley (Wheatmore, N.C.), 8-6 132: 1st: Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, Ill.) dec. Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), 6-2 3rd: Wyatt Henson (Francis Howell, Mo.) dec. Patrick Noonan (Stroudsburg, Pa.), 8-4 5th: Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.) dec. Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.), 3-1 7th: Skylar Smith (Liberty Christian, Texas) dec. Julian Farber (Veterans, Ga.), 5-3 138: 1st: Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), 3-1 3rd: Alek Martin (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) dec. Josh Edmond (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), 5-4 5th: Mick Burnett (Elyria, Ohio) dec. Caden McCrary (Woodland, Ga.), 4-0 7th: Nick Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) by forfeit over Sam Hillegas (North Hills, Pa.) 145: 1st: Bretli Reyna (South Dade, Fla.) dec. Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), 8-7 TB 3rd: Austin Boone (Lowell, Mich.) dec. Ed Scott (DuBois, Pa.), 4-3 5th: Manzona Bryant (Hudson WRA, Ohio) dec. Francis Morrissey (Veterans, Ga.), 4-3 7th: Jagger Condomitti (Northampton, Pa.) dec. Avery Bassett (Midd-West, Pa.), 8-6 152: 1st: Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.) dec. Peyton Hall (Oak Glen, W.Va.), 3-2 3rd: Brayden Roberts (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) dec. Luke Odom (Edwardsville, Ill.), 4-2, OT 5th: A.J. Kovacs (Iona Prep, N.Y.) dec. Cameron Robinson (Council Rock North, Pa.), 7-6 7th: Jaxon Garoutte (Pueblo County, Colo.) dec. Dominic Isola (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), 6-1 160: 1st: Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) dec. Thayne Lawrence (Frazier, Pa.), 7-5 3rd: Brian Soldano (High Point, N.J.) dec. Jaxon Smith (Woodland, Ga.) 5th: Derek Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) by forfeit over John Martin Best (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) 7th: Joseph Martin (Buchanan, Calif.) dec. Caleb Fish (Eaton Rapids, Mich.), 4-1 170: 1st: Greyden Penner (Liberty, Mo.) dec. Gavin Kane (Cambridge, Ga.), 5-3 3rd: Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin, Pa.) dec. Trey Kibe (Mifflin County, Pa.), 3-1 5th: Leonard Pinnedto (Stroudsburg, Pa.) dec. Tyler Stoltzfus (St. Joseph's Catholic, Pa.), 5-1 7th: Graham Calhoun (Plymouth, Ind.) dec. Bennett Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.), 3-0 182: 1st: Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) dec. John Poznanski (Colonia, N.J.), 4-3 3rd: Joseph Walker (Mishawaka, Ind.) dec. Nathan Warden (Christiansburg, Va.), 7-5 5th: Gavin Bell (Beavercreek, Ohio) dec. Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio), 4-2 7th: Giuseppe Milano (Spring-Ford, Pa.) dec. Quayin Short (Simley, Minn.), 12-7 195: 1st: Santos Cantu (Crescent Valley, Ore.) dec. Brandon Hoselton (Prairie Central, Ill.), 3-2 3rd: Isaac Trumble (Millard South, Neb.) pinned Bennett Tabor (Simley, Minn.), 4:43 5th: Evan Bates (Chesterton, Ind.) dec. Jack Wimmer (McDonogh, Md.), 1-0 7th: Michael Misita (St. Augustine Prep, N.J.) dec. Austin Walley (Ellwood City, Pa.), 7-2 220: 1st: Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) dec. Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.), 8-2 3rd: Chad Nix (Jensen Beach, Fla.) dec. Dorian Crosby (Erie Cathedral Prep, Pa.), 3-1 5th: Cody Goodman (Deerfield, Ill.) pinned John Meyers (Greensburg-Salem, Pa.), 4:00 7th: K.J. Miley (Whitfield, Mo.) dec. Charles Swiggett (Western Guilford, N.C.), 12-8 285: 1st: Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) dec. Hayden Copass (Westville, Ill.), 8-2 3rd: Isaiah Vance (Hempfield Area, Pa.) pinned Skylar Coffey (Brentwood, Tenn.), 1:53 5th: Colby Whitehill (Brookville, Pa.) by forfeit over Garrett Kappes (McDonogh, Md.) 7th: Alex Coleman (Hamilton Ross, Ohio) dec. Tyler Delooff (Lowell, Mich.), 9-4

Brock Lesnar and Cain Velasquez fought at UFC 121 on Oct. 23, 2010 (Photo/Getty Images) Two former big men of college wrestling who fought in the UFC Octagon and in a pro wrestling ring -- Cain Velasquez and Brock Lesnar -- will meet each other at a WWE event in Saudi Arabia this Halloween. Velasquez, who has participated in two lucha libre Mexican pro wrestling events in recent months, signed with WWE in Las Vegas Friday to face Lesnar at WWE Crown Jewel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Thursday, Oct. 31 -- Halloween, according to ESPN.com. ESPN reported that the former Velasquez had signed a lucrative, multiyear contract with WWE. He also notified the UFC of his retirement, which led to Velasquez being removed from the UFC's United States Anti-Doping Agency drug-testing pool and the UFC heavyweight rankings. "I am so excited to be joining the WWE," said Velasquez -- a former junior college national wrestling champion -- at the press event held in Las Vegas Friday. "Brock Lesnar crossed the wrong familia, and for that, he needs to pay. ' "I know Brock is big. He's the biggest. But he ain't the baddest. I've beat him once before the UFC, and I'm ready to do it again." At the same press conference, Lesnar -- 2000 NCAA heavyweight champ for University of Minnesota -- said, "Words can't describe the feelings that I have in the ring when Cain Velasquez comes walking down this ramp. Cain, this is my world. This is my house. This is my kingdom, and I am the conquerer." Velasquez and Lesnar met in the UFC's octagon nine years ago at UFC 121, with Velasquez scoring a first-round knockout of Lesnar to claim the UFC heavyweight title. Velasquez lost the belt in a subsequent fight against Junior Dos Santos, but won it back in 2012 in a rematch. He defended the title twice before a submission loss to Fabricio Werdum. Fast-forward to a week ago Friday night. Velasquez made his WWE on-screen debut on SmackDown last Friday, confronting Lesnar ... setting the stage for the two former college big men -- and UFC rivals -- to meet again, not in the UFC Octagon, but a WWE ring. Prior to entering the worlds of professional wrestling and MMA, Velasquez and Lesnar made names for themselves in amateur wrestling. The 36-year-old Velasquez, who compiled a 14-3 record (12-3 in UFC) in a pro MMA career launched in December 2006, was a two-time Arizona high school state wrestling champ who started his collegiate career at Iowa Central Community College, where he won the 2002 NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) heavyweight title. Velasquez then transferred to Arizona State where he was a 2005 Pac-10 conference champ, then went on to earn NCAA Division I All-America honors by placing fifth in the heavyweight (285-pound) bracket at the 2005 NCAAs. He was welcomed into the Arizona State Athletics Hall of Fame in 2018. Lesnar, 42, was a football and wrestling star at Webster High in South Dakota. He continued his mat career at Bismarck Community College in North Dakota, where in two years he built a 56-3 record, culminating in the 1998 NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association) heavyweight title. J Robinson, then head coach at University of Minnesota, saw Lesnar in action at a tournament, and signed him to complete his collegiate career with the Gophers, where Lesnar became a two-time Big Ten champ and two-time NCAA finalist, winning the national heavyweight title at the 2000 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships.

OWENSBORO, Ky. -- The Kentucky Wesleyan College wrestling program has added Evansville native, Chad Cook to its staff, as announced by Head Coach Rob McCabe on Friday. Cook will primarily work with the upper weight classes. Chad CookCook comes to Wesleyan after three years at Wayland Baptist in Plainview, Texas. The Pioneers compiled a 18-16 record in duals in that span as well as posting two top-40 finishes in the NAIA National Tournament. The highest was 29th during the 2016-17 season. He was a collegiate wrestler at the University of Dubuque where he was a two-time NCWA national qualifier, earning 2008 NCWA All-American (sixth place) at 165 pounds. He was a member of the University of Dubuque coaching staff when the wrestling program set the school record for most national qualifiers (5) in 2013. He coached 12 national qualifiers and two all-Americans in 2012-14 and from 2005-11 as an assistant at Evansville Reitz High School coached 20 state qualifiers and 10 state place winners. Cook graduated from F.J. Reitz High School in Evansville before attending the University of Southern Indiana and the University of Dubuque (Iowa), having earned a degree in physical education with a special education minor in 2013.

DEKALB, Ill. -- Northern Illinois University wrestling head coach Ryan Ludwig announced the addition of Kyle Springer to his coaching staff Friday. "We are excited to welcome Kyle to the pack," Ludwig said. "He's a great example of high character and work ethic. Those are values we preach to the team. He was a fine competitor in the MAC and brings a wealth of experience as a successful student-athlete that will translate well to the squad." Kyle SpringerA graduate of Eastern Michigan where he earned a bachelor of science in exercise science, Springer was a member of the Eagles' wrestling team from 2014-18. While at EMU, Springer posted an 84-57 record and was a three-time Academic All-MAC honoree. "I worked for a former NIU assistant at Lake Erie, so being here is kind of like coming full circle," Springer said. "I've known coach Ludwig for quite awhile with my own recruiting process. I'm just excited to be here and see what the season brings." Springer comes NIU after spending the last two seasons as a graduate assistant coach at Lake Erie College under former NIU assistant coach Jeff Breese. During his tenure with the Storm, Springer assisted in all areas of program management including designing and administering strength and conditioning programs, competition scheduling and donor relations. The NIU wrestling team will hold its annual season kickoff event on Saturday, October 12, 2018. The event will be held at Hobnobbers Food & Spirits at 2030 Baron Dr. in Sycamore, Ill., from 12-3 p.m. and will feature food, a silent auction and an autograph session with the Huskies. Cost is $15 per adult and $8 per child (12 and under) with all proceeds going directly to the Huskie wrestling program. The Huskies begin their season with the annual Red/Black Dual on Oct. 24 in Victor E. Court before traveling to East Lansing, Mich. for season opener at Michigan State Open Nov. 2. NIU will play host to Bucknell Nov. 15 as part of an eight-match home slate, which includes the always competitive conference schedule.

Hunter Catka defeated Hayden Copass to claim the title at heavyweight (Photo/Sam Janicki, SJanickiPhoto.com) 106: 1st: Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa./8th grade) dec. Cory Land (Moody, Ala.), 5-4 3rd: Maxximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) dec. Dylan Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), 3-0 5th: Charlie Farmer (Moline, Ill.) dec. Spencer Moore (Walton Verona, Ky.), 8-4 7th: Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, Mo.) dec. Mac Church (Waynesburg, Pa.), 8-6 113: 1st: Jacob Rivera (Selma, Calif.) dec. Nico Provo (Green Farms, Ct.), 9-3 3rd: Carter Dibert (Franklin Regional, Pa.) dec. Braxton Brown (Allen, Texas), 3-2 5th: Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.) major dec. Erik Roggie (St. Christopher's, Va.), 10-2 7th: Joziah Fry (Coventry, R.I.) dec. Brady Hankin (Woodland Park, Colo.), 8-6 OT 120: 1st: Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) dec. Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.), 5-3 3rd: Alex Almeyda (St. Joseph Regional, N.J.) dec. Jordan Titus (Center Morinches, N.Y.), 1-1 TB 5th: Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney, N.J.) dec. Dominic Chavez (Arlington Martin, Texas), 6-3 7th: Troy Spratley (Collinsville, Okla.) dec. Nicholas Babin (Emerson-Park Ridge, N.J.), 3-1 126: 1st: Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Nico Nardone (Delbarton, N.J.), 7-3 3rd: Jacob Rundell (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) dec. Caleb Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.), 5-1 5th: Conor Knopick (Millard South, Neb.) dec. Antoine Allen (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio), 1-0 7th: Zach Redding (Eastport-South Manor, N.Y.) dec. Ethan Oakley (Wheatmore, N.C.), 8-6 132: 1st: Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, Ill.) dec. Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.), 6-2 3rd: Wyatt Henson (Francis Howell, Mo.) dec. Patrick Noonan (Stroudsburg, Pa.), 8-4 5th: Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.) dec. Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.), 3-1 7th: Skylar Smith (Liberty Christian, Texas) dec. Julian Farber (Veterans, Ga.), 5-3 138: 1st: Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), 3-1 3rd: Alek Martin (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) dec. Josh Edmond (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), 5-4 5th: Mick Burnett (Elyria, Ohio) dec. Caden McCrary (Woodland, Ga.), 4-0 7th: Nick Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) by forfeit over Sam Hillegas (North Hills, Pa.) 145: 1st: Bretli Reyna (South Dade, Fla.) dec. Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.), 8-7 TB 3rd: Austin Boone (Lowell, Mich.) dec. Ed Scott (DuBois, Pa.), 4-3 5th: Manzona Bryant (Hudson WRA, Ohio) dec. Francis Morrissey (Veterans, Ga.), 4-3 7th: Jagger Condomitti (Northampton, Pa.) dec. Avery Bassett (Midd-West, Pa.), 8-6 152: 1st: Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.) dec. Peyton Hall (Oak Glen, W.Va.), 3-2 3rd: Brayden Roberts (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) dec. Luke Odom (Edwardsville, Ill.), 4-2, OT 5th: A.J. Kovacs (Iona Prep, N.Y.) dec. Cameron Robinson (Council Rock North, Pa.), 7-6 7th: Jaxon Garoutte (Pueblo County, Colo.) dec. Dominic Isola (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), 6-1 160: 1st: Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) dec. Thayne Lawrence (Frazier, Pa.), 7-5 3rd: Brian Soldano (High Point, N.J.) dec. Jaxon Smith (Woodland, Ga.) 5th: Derek Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) by forfeit over John Martin Best (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) 7th: Joseph Martin (Buchanan, Calif.) dec. Caleb Fish (Eaton Rapids, Mich.), 4-1 170: 1st: Greyden Penner (Liberty, Mo.) dec. Gavin Kane (Cambridge, Ga.), 5-3 3rd: Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin, Pa.) dec. Trey Kibe (Mifflin County, Pa.), 3-1 5th: Leonard Pinnedto (Stroudsburg, Pa.) dec. Tyler Stoltzfus (St. Joseph's Catholic, Pa.), 5-1 7th: Graham Calhoun (Plymouth, Ind.) dec. Bennett Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.), 3-0 182: 1st: Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) dec. John Poznanski (Colonia, N.J.), 4-3 3rd: Joseph Walker (Mishawaka, Ind.) dec. Nathan Warden (Christiansburg, Va.), 7-5 5th: Gavin Bell (Beavercreek, Ohio) dec. Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio), 4-2 7th: Giuseppe Milano (Spring-Ford, Pa.) dec. Quayin Short (Simley, Minn.), 12-7 195: 1st: Santos Cantu (Crescent Valley, Ore.) dec. Brandon Hoselton (Prairie Central, Ill.), 3-2 3rd: Isaac Trumble (Millard South, Neb.) pinned Bennett Tabor (Simley, Minn.), 4:43 5th: Evan Bates (Chesterton, Ind.) dec. Jack Wimmer (McDonogh, Md.), 1-0 7th: Michael Misita (St. Augustine Prep, N.J.) dec. Austin Walley (Ellwood City, Pa.), 7-2 220: 1st: Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) dec. Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.), 8-2 3rd: Chad Nix (Jensen Beach, Fla.) dec. Dorian Crosby (Erie Cathedral Prep, Pa.), 3-1 5th: Cody Goodman (Deerfield, Ill.) pinned John Meyers (Greensburg-Salem, Pa.), 4:00 7th: K.J. Miley (Whitfield, Mo.) dec. Charles Swiggett (Western Guilford, N.C.), 12-8 285: 1st: Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) dec. Hayden Copass (Westville, Ill.), 8-2 3rd: Isaiah Vance (Hempfield Area, Pa.) pinned Skylar Coffey (Brentwood, Tenn.), 1:53 5th: Colby Whitehill (Brookville, Pa.) by forfeit over Garrett Kappes (McDonogh, Md.) 7th: Alex Coleman (Hamilton Ross, Ohio) dec. Tyler Delooff (Lowell, Mich.), 9-4

Semifinal matches have started at the 2019 edition of the Super 32 Challenge here late in the morning. Below are the results. 106 pounds Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa./8th grade) dec. Maximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) 4-3 TB (ult) Cory Land (Moody, Ala.) dec. Charlie Farmer (Moline, Ill.) 6-3 113 pounds Jacob Rivera (Selma, Calif.) dec. Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.) 13-6 Nico Provo (Green Farms, Ct.) dec. Erik Roggie (St. Christopher's, Va.) 7-1 120 pounds Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) dec. Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney, N.J.) 4-3 Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.) dec. Alex Almeyda (St. Joseph Montvale, N.J.) 7-1 126 pounds Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Antonio Allen (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio) 6-4 Nick Nardone (Delbarton, N.J.) dec. Caleb Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.) 2-1 132 pounds Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, Ill.) dec. Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.) 4-2 Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) dec. Wyatt Henson (Francis Howell, Mo.) 6-6 TB-ULT RO 138 pounds Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) dec. Alek Martin (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) 6-5 Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) dec. Mick Burnett (Elyria, Ohio) 3-2 145 pounds Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) dec. Francis Morrissey (Veterans, Ga.) 1-0 TB-ULT Bretli Reyna (South Dade, Fla.) dec. Ed Scott (DuBois, Fla.) 9-7 OT 152 pounds Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.) dec. A.J. Kovacs (Iona Prep, N.Y.) 7-1 Peyton Hall (Oak Glen, W.Va.) dec. Brayden Roberts (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) 7-4 160 pounds Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) over John Martin Best (Parkersburg, W.Va.) by injury forfeit Thayne Lawrence (Frazier, Pa.) dec. Derek Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) 1-1 TB-ULT RO 170 pounds Gavin Kane (Cambridge, Ga.) pin Leonard Pinto (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 5:48 Greyden Penner (Liberty, Mo.) dec. Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin, Pa.) 3-2 182 pounds Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) dec. Nathan Warden (Christiansburg, Va.) 8-3 John Poznanski (Colonia, N.J.) major dec. Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio) 17-5 195 pounds Santos Cantu (Sprague, Ore.) dec. Jack Wimmer (McDonogh, Md.) 3-1 Brandon Hoselton (Prairie Central, Ill.) pin Evan Bates (Chesterton, Ind.) 1:25 220 pounds Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) major dec. Cody Goodman (Deerfield, Ill.) 17-6 Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.) dec. Chad Nix (Jensen Beach, Fla.) 2-0 285 pounds Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) over Garrett Kappes (McDonogh, Md.) by injury forfeit Hayden Copass (Westville, Ill.) dec. Colby Whitehill (Brookville, Pa.) 9-6

Quarterfinal matches started at 8:00 a.m. on Sunday morning in Greensboro, N.C. Below are the semifinal pairings. 106 pounds Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa./8th grade) vs. Maxximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) Charlie Farmer (Moline, Ill.) vs. Cory Land (Moody, Ala.) 113 pounds Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.) vs. Jacob Rivera (Selma, Calif.) Nico Provo (Green Farms, Ct.) vs. Erik Roggie (St. Christopher's, Va.) 120 pounds Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) vs. Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney, N.J.) Alex Almeyda (St. Joseph Regional, N.J.) vs. Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.) 126 pounds Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) vs. Antoine Allen (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio) Caleb Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.) vs. Nick Nardone (Delbarton, N.J.) 132 pounds Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, N.J.) vs. Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.) Wyatt Henson (Francis Howell, Mo.) vs. Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) 138 pounds Alek Martin (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) vs. Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) Mick Burnett (Elyria, Ohio) vs. Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) 145 pounds Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) vs. Francis Morrissey (Veterans, Ga.) Ed Scott (DuBois, Pa.) vs. Bretli Reyna (South Dade, Fla.) 152 pounds Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.) vs. A.J. Kovacs (Iona Prep, N.Y.) Brayden Roberts (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) vs. Peyton Hall (Oak Glen, W.Va.) 160 pounds Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) vs. John Martin Best (Parkersburg, W.Va.) Derek Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) vs. Thayne Lawrence (Frazier, Pa.) 170 pounds Gavin Kane (Cambridge, Ga.) vs. Leonard Pinto (Stroudsburg, Pa.) Greyden Penner (Liberty, Mo.) vs. Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin, Pa.) 182 pounds Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) vs. Nathan Warden (Christiansburg, Va.) Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio) vs. John Poznanski (Colonia, N.J.) 195 pounds Jack Wimmer (McDonogh, Md.) vs. Santos Cantu (Sprague, Ore.) Evan Bates (Chesterton, Ind.) vs. Brandon Hoselton (Prairie Central, Ill.) 220 pounds Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) vs. Cody Goodman (Deerfield, Ill.) Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.) vs. Chad Nix (Jensen Beach, Fla.) 285 pounds Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) vs. Garrett Kappes (McDonogh, Md.) Colby Whitehill (Brookville, Pa.) vs. Hayden Copass (Westville, Ill.)

During Saturday's competition in Greensboro, N.C. the championship bracket took the competition down to the quarterfinal round. While consolation wrestling will yield eight additional remaining wrestlers. Competition is still in progress on Saturday, and will continue Sunday morning at 8:00 a.m. Eastern Time. 106 pounds Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa./8th grade) vs. Mac Church (Waynesburg, Pa.) Maxximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.) vs. Dylan Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) Charlie Farmer (Moline, Ill.) vs. Evan Mougalian (Kinnelon, N.J.) Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, Mo.) vs. Cory Land (Moody, Ala.) 113 pounds Jeremiah Reno (Liberty, Mo.) vs. Jett Strickenberger (Lewis Palmer, Colo.) Jacob Moon (Oregon Clay, Ohio) vs. Jacob Rivera (Selma, Calif.) Diego Sotelo (Marmion Academy, Ill.) vs. Nico Provo (Green Farms, Ct.) Joziah Fry (Coventry, R.I.) vs. Erik Roggie (St. Christopher's, Va.) 120 pounds Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) vs. Andrew Chambal (Davison, Mich.) Dustin Norris (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio) vs. Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney, N.J.) Alex Almeyda (St. Joseph Montvale, N.J.) vs. Jordan Titus (Center Morinches, N.Y.) Nick Babin (Emerson-Park Ridge, N.J.) vs. Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.) 126 pounds Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) vs. Conor Knopick (Millard South, Neb.) Ethan Oakley (Wheatmore, N.C.) vs. Antoine Allen (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio) Ethen Miller (Park Hill, Mo.) vs. Caleb Tanner (Collinsville, Okla.) Nick Nardone (Delbarton, N.J.) vs. Jacob Rundell (Oak Park River Forest, Ill.) 132 pounds Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.) vs. Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, Ill.) Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.) vs. Julian Farber (Veterans, Ga.) Wyatt Henson (Francis Howell, Mo.) vs. Daniel Cardenas (Pomona, Colo.) Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.) vs. Henry Porter (Gilroy, Calif.) 138 pounds Sam Hillegas (North Hills, Pa.) vs. Alek Martin (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) vs. Josh Edmond (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) Mick Burnett (Elyria, Ohio) vs. Caden McCrary (Woodland, Ga.) Nick Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) vs. Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) 145 pounds Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) vs. Manzona Bryant (Hudson WRA, Ohio) Francis Morrissey (Veterans, Ga.) vs. Matthew Singleton (Woodward Academy, Ga.) Ed Scott (Dubois, Pa.) vs. Noah Castillo (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) Bretli Reyna (South Dade, Fla.) vs. Joseph Zargo (Bergen Catholic, N.J.) 152 pounds Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.) vs. Cameron Robinson (Council Rock North, Pa.) Luka Wick (San Marino, Calif.) vs. A.J. Kovacs (Iona Prep, N.Y.) Matt Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind./NLWC) vs. Brayden Roberts (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) Dominic Isola (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) vs. Peyton Hall (Oak Glen, W.Va.) 160 pounds Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) vs. Lucas DeSilva (Collins Hill, Ga.) John Martin Best (Parkersburg, W.Va.) vs. Enrique Munguia (Elyria, Ohio) Derek Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) vs. Dylan Reinert (Gettysburg, Pa.) Jack Blumer (Kiski Area, Pa.) vs. Thayne Lawrence (Frazier, Pa.) 170 pounds Gavin Kane (Cambridge, Ga.) vs. Shane Reitsma (Howell, N.J.) Connor O'Neill (DePaul Catholic, N.J.) vs. Leonard Pinto (Stroudsburg, Pa.) Greyden Penner (Liberty, Mo.) vs. Trey Kibe (Mifflin County, Pa.) Graham Calhoun (Plymouth, Ind.) vs. Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin, Pa.) 182 pounds Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) vs. Joseph Walker (Mishawaka, Ind.) Tanner Mendoza (Valiant Prep, Ariz.) vs. Nathan Warden (Christiansburg, Va.) Simeone Holmes (Cosby, Va.) vs. Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio) J.T. Davis (Smyrna, Del.) vs. John Poznanski (Colonia, N.J.) 195 pounds Luke Montgomery (Bethel Park, Pa.) vs. Jack Wimmer (McDonogh, Md.) Austin Walley (Ellwood City, Pa.) vs. Santos Cantu (Sprague, Ore.) Jack Darrah (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) vs. Evan Bates (Chesterton, Ind.) Brandon Hoselton (Prairie Central, Ill.) vs. Isaac Trumble (Millard South, Neb.) 220 pounds Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) vs. Matthew Kaplan (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.) Nick Benton (Somerset Academy, Fla.) vs. Cody Goodman (Deerfield, Ill.) Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.) vs. Bryan Canedo (Palm Beach Gardens, Fla.) Chad Nix (Jensen Beach, Fla.) vs. Dorian Crosby (Erie Cathedral Prep, Pa.) 285 pounds Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) vs. Skylar Coffey (Brentwood, Tenn.) Alex Coleman (Hamilton Ross, Ohio) vs. Garrett Kappes (McDonogh, Md.) Colby Whitehill (Brookville, Pa.) vs. Tyler Delooff (Lowell, Mich.) Isaiah Vance (Hempfield Area, Pa.) vs. Hayden Copass (Westville, Ill.)

Kyle Snyder takes down Magomed Ibragimov of Uzbekistan at the World Championships (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Kyle Snyder posted a note Thursday to followers on Instagram and Twitter stating that he will be living and training in State College. The move to the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club will join him with Olympic champions Cael Sanderson and Jake Varner, as well as 2018 world champion David Taylor. The move is a surprise to many close observers of the sport. Snyder is seen as hyper loyal to Ohio State and his brand Rudis. However, it became evident at the past two World Championships that he was no longer growing his wrestling repertoire. After this year's Worlds there were even some rumors he might move to the Olympic Training Center. Instead, Snyder is headed to Penn State. The move will certainly have a major impact on the RTC landscape, but it's unclear yet what immediate changes we can expect from Snyder's wrestling. Will the improvement in training partners and number of internationally successful coaches translate into better gamesmanship, or will it be a more technique-focused change? I tend to think the latter. Snyder needs more offense. He needs to work the head more, open up better angles, and blow through his shots. The Snyder we saw in 2015 was also a little more flexible -- capable of exerting strength from compromised positions, and finishing his go-to moves, like the first low single against Gadisov. Working with a Gumby-like Taylor is absolutely going to mean an improvement in scrambling and body awareness in general. The 1200-pound Gorilla in the room is Snyder's lifting. Being strong is incredibly important, but its seemed to have a negative impact on his conditioning, flexibility, and strength in those aforementioned compromised positions. A good leaning out might be another adjustment that new coaches and a new surrounding can offer. Regardless, the message will need to be that the changes should be top to bottom -- it can't just be refining a low single. Snyder is an all-time great wrestler, in part because he makes tough decisions to get better in the sport. He forwent his senior year in high school to move to the Olympic Training Center, wrestled for Ohio State in 2016, and he traveled to Krasnoyarsk in January hungry to find any competition he can. This was another difficult, emotional decision that seems to me to be right for the development of his wrestling. The 2020 cycle is about to kick off and the drama is only starting. The next several months will be interesting to see where some top athletes choose to compete, and just how they compete at those new weights. (Also, does this mean Bo Nickal isn't making the move up to 97 kilograms?) I for one am now excited about this reboot and seeing just how potent a Cael-trained Snyder will look in early competition. I think 2.0 is going to surprise a lot of people, or maybe confirm their preexisting thoughts about the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club's impact on top-tier talent. To your questions …. Q: Think about all of Kyle Snyder's new training partners! -- Brian D. Foley: Yeah, it's a great starting point for any top-level athlete to have fellow top-level athletes who are able to train with you directly. While it's vital, also remember that they will fly in athletes to train alongside this roster, which is now even more appealing to upperweights from other countries looking to brush up, like Taha Akgul. Cael Sanderson Jake Varner Anthony Cassar David Taylor Bo Nickal Jaime Espinal Eric Thompson (if he's still on the mats) And you have Cody Sanderson and Casey Cunningham coaching. What a setup! Q: With all the success that Penn State has had the last few years on the mat, has that negatively affected their recruiting, and have they lost their recruiting mojo? -- Rick B. Foley: No. They just recruited Kyle Snyder! I don't follow the high school recruits as much, but always consider that no matter what an athlete is ranked coming in they need to be developed. Penn State remains the best college in the country for developing top-level talent. No mojo needed. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Kyle Snyder vs. Abdusalam Gadisov -- 2015 Kyle Snyder vs. Abdulrashid Sadulaev -- 2017 Kyle Snyder vs. Abdulrashid Sadulaev -- 2018 Kyle Snyder vs. Sharif Sharifov -- 2019 Snyder Level 10 (Movie) Q: Bo Nickal has expressed interest in transitioning to MMA after wrestling. Do you think he will be as successful as other wrestlers that have done it? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Success in MMA is basically a function of how much suffering you are willing to endure. While Bo Nickal is a freak wrestler, he will still need to learn how to strike, HOW TO TAKE A PUNCH, and submission grapple. I think that the grappling will come naturally and that he has the frame to be a massive success on the grappling circuit and give him enough to stay clear of being subbed in the cage. Again everyone's weakest point is the combination of learning how to strike and having to suffer in relative obscurity for a few years before having the talent and marketability to get premier, money-making fights. Best case: Nickal is headlining a Bellator card in 2.5 years, and that's an absolute best case. It'll really depend on where he chooses to train, who he hires as an agent, and what opportunities drop into his lap. And finally, a lot relies on being able to take a punch to the liver or a kick to the head. Pain tolerance and being able to game plan and counter in real time are ultimately what makes fighters bad, average, or great. Q: Do you ever think we will see MMA in the Olympics? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Never. The IOC has zero interest in allowing organizing committees to add a brutal combat sport. They are 194 times more likely to add eGaming to the Olympics than to allow athletes to get bloodied up at their event. To put this in finer perspective, United World Wrestling no longer sanctions amateur MMA (though it does recognize Pankration).

Kyle Snyder with his bronze medal at the 2019 World Championships (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) For Kyle Snyder, it's "Goodbye, Columbus" and "Hello, Happy Valley" as the 2016 Olympic gold medal-winning freestyle wrestler -- and three-time NCAA heavyweight champ for Ohio State -- will be leaving the Ohio Regional Training Center to prepare for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics by moving to the Nittany Lions Wrestling Club this month, the wrestler announced Thursday. Here's a Snyder's message posted on Twitter today: "I have a responsibility to my teammates, to my country, and to God, to tell myself the truth and to act upon that truth. The simple truth is I need to get better. In order for me to fulfill my obligations as a member of Team USA and as the defending Olympic champ, I must give full effort and take complete responsibility for this process." "This decision isn't to suggest that one program is better than the next, but this is taking advantage of additional thinking and incorporate that into my wrestling." Here's how the Maryland native concluded his announcement: "I recognize that in order for me to climb to the pinnacle I must improve. I have chosen to take advantage of the learning available at the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club." Snyder's new training partners will a number of successful wrestlers with serious college and freestyle mat accomplishments such as Jake Varner (2012 Olympic men's freestyle gold medalist), Anthony Cassar (2019 NCAA heavyweight champ for Penn State), Bo Nickal (a 2019 World championships teammate at 96 kilograms), David Taylor (2018 World champion at 87 kilograms/191 pounds), and Zain Retherford (65 kilograms/143 pounds), among others, according to PennLive.com, not to mention head coach Cael Sanderson, an Olympic gold medal-winning wrestler himself. "Penn State has world-class coaches and world-class competitors in the room," Snyder said in an interview with USA Wrestling. "I just think that change is really important. I'll get a lot of feels there and different perspective of my wrestling," he said. "Having wrestled against Varner and knowing the type of feel he has, I think his style and his pace is something I'm really excited to put myself up against…it'll be really good to work with him." Snyder graduated from Ohio State in 2018, but had remained in Columbus since then to train at the Ohio RTC. At age 19, Snyder became the youngest U.S. men's freestyle wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal at the 2016 Games in Rio de Janeiro at 96 kilograms. Just last month, Snyder earned a bronze medal at 97 kilograms/213 pounds at the 2019 World Championships. Just six months from now, the Olympic wrestling trials for the 2020 Tokyo Games will be held at Penn State's Bryce Jordan Center on April 4-5, with Snyder having a bid for the best-of-three finals as a returning World medalist. The Summer Olympics will take place July 24-August 9.

Iowa's Alex Meyer wrestling Ohio State's Bo Jordan in a 2017 dual meet (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) On Episode 38 of The MatBoss Podcast, host Chad Dennis talks with Iowa alum Alex Meyer. Meyer was a 2016 All-American at Iowa. He's currently enrolled in medical school with a career based around medicine. Meyer chronicles his career coming from Southeast Polk and having to ride the pine at Iowa for several years before breaking into the lineup. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Podcasts | RSS

The start of the collegiate wrestling season is less than one month away. As always things will get started in a hurry with some very interesting and intriguing early season matches. The following looks at some of the top dual meets in the first semester. Debuts This season there will be three new members competing at the NCAA Division I level. Presbyterian will join the SoCon with former Oklahoma and American coach Mark Cody at the helm. LIU Brooklyn and LIU Post will join forces to compete as the Sharks in the EIWA. In a geographical contradiction, Neil Erisman and Arkansas-Little Rock will join the Pac-12 as an affiliate member. The following are the debut duals for the newest members of the highest level of collegiate wrestling. Nov. 1: Presbyterian vs. Chattanooga The Blue Hose will kick off their schedule with a conference dual against UTC. As a new program, they will likely be up against it this season. However, expect the squad to led by Benny Gomez at 125 pounds. He was a Fargo double All-American in high school. Before transferring to Presbyterian, he was an NJCAA runner-up at Muskegon dropping a close 11-7 match against multiple-time Uzbek world team member Nodir Safarov in the finals. Against Chattanooga, he will face off against Fabian Guiterrez who went 17-4 last year with wins over Elijah Oliver (Indiana), Tommy Cox (NC State), Brandon Courtney (Arizona State) and Shakur Laney (Ohio). Nov. 2: LIU vs. Rutgers Last season LIU Post qualified only one wrestler for the NCAA Division II tournament. The good news is that Joe Calderone became an All-American for the third time. The bad news is that he graduated and left LIU without a returning qualifier. At 149 pounds, Chris Gomez placed fourth at the Super Region tournament and will be their highest returning placer. It will be a tough start to the season as LIU steps up to face a Rutgers squad, which finished last season with a pair of NCAA champions. Nov. 24: Little Rock vs. Ozarks Unlike the other two new Division I teams, Little Rock will get started with a slightly softer touch. Ozarks went 9-7 in duals last year and finished second in their conference tournament, but they qualified only one wrestler for the NCAA Division III tournament. Little Rock might be able to get started with a win as they have stocked their team with several transfers led by former NDSU wrestler Paul Bianchi who went 42-27 for the Bison and qualified for the 2018 NCAA tournament. Alex Marinelli after getting a pin against Iowa State (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Rivalries Two of the most storied rivalries in the history of college wrestling will take place during the first semester this year. Nov. 24: Iowa vs. Iowa State Last year, Iowa State was surprisingly game, but Iowa still pulled out the victory when heavyweight Sam Stoll demanded his spot in the lineup. This year the Cyclones return one of their best lineups in recent memory. Depending on how the lineups shake out, this dual could feature a rematch at 133 pounds between Austin Gomez and Austin DeSanto as well as an early season test for Junior world champion David Carr against returning All-American Kaleb Young. Dec. 15: Oklahoma vs. Oklahoma State Bedlam has been a one-sided contest for the last few years, but one could make the case that Oklahoma is moving in the right direction. The spotlight match of the dual will likely come at 141 pounds. Dom Demas unexpectedly dominated Cowboy Kaid Brock last year, but he will square off against Kaden Gfeller if all things play out right this year. This is an important match that could happen again at the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments. Big Ten vs. Field The Big Ten has been a dominant conference over the last decade. Before the conference schedule really gets going there will be several strong matches between Big Ten schools and some of the top schools from other conferences. Nov. 22: Penn State vs. Arizona State Last year, Penn State absolutely ran through the Sun Devils including a huge victory by Mark Hall over Zahid Valencia. This year the national champions will travel to Tempe. Valencia is expected to move up to 184 pounds, which sets up an interesting match with Shakur Rasheed. At 157 pounds, there is a showdown between former top prospects Jacori Teemer and Brady Berge. Nov. 24: Minnesota vs. Oklahoma State Last year's match had a great atmosphere, and this year's edition will almost certainly be the same. The Big Ten vs. Big 12 matchup will feature several key bouts including Gfeller against Mitch McKee and Nick Piccininni versus Patrick McKee. Dec. 1: Cornell vs. Ohio State A few of Cornell's wrestlers are taking Olympic redshirts, which has taken some of the star power out of this dual. However, there are still some interesting rematches and battles between prospects. Chas Tucker and Luke Pletcher split matches last season with Tucker taking a late season match in overtime. Ben Darmstadt should return to the lineup this season after sitting out with an injury. He could take on Gavin Hoffman, which could be a good early season indicator for both wrestlers. Nov. 24: Nebraska vs. Northern Iowa Last season, Drew Foster became the first UNI wrestler to claim an NCAA title since 2000. The Panthers will be looking to ride that momentum into another strong season. They will get an early challenge from a tough Nebraska squad. The headlining bout for this dual will likely come at 184 pounds where t hree-time NCAA qualifier Taylor Lujan is expected to take on All-American Taylor Venz. Best of the rest Outside of these first two categories, there are a variety of top duals in the first semester. The following highlights three other matches that require attention in the first half of the season. Nov. 1: Fresno State vs. Wisconsin Fresno State will host a quad-meet against Wisconsin, Army and Navy for the "Battle on the Midway." The matches will take place on the deck of the USS Midway in San Diego. In terms of Fresno State against Wisconsin, the heavyweight match could attract a lot of eyeballs. Trent Hillger broke through in his first year of competition for Wisconsin and became an All-American with an eighth-place finish. Across the mat will be A.J. Nevills who is now a two-time qualifier and still looking to become an All-American for the first time. Nov. 2: Missouri vs. Virginia Tech Missouri routinely has one of the toughest and busiest non-conference schedules. This year is no different as they travel to Blacksburg to take on Virginia Tech. Both teams will have a fair share of new faces in the lineup, but Brian LaPrade and Jarrett Jacques will be back for a rematch. Last year the bout went to sudden victory before LaPrade walked away with a 9-3 victory for the Hokies. Nov. 15: Old Dominion vs. NC State Only a little over four hours separates the campuses of Old Dominion and NC State. However, the proximity is not the only attention-grabbing factor with this dual. Last year Larry Early walked into this dual and knocked off Hayden Hidlay. This year Hidlay is one of the favorites to win the 157-pound weight class, and he will get an early season test against an old rival.

Kyle Crutchmer Former Oklahoma State All-American wrestler Kyle Crutchmer appears to have a new opponent for his upcoming Bellator MMA debut next month. MMA commentator Ariel Helwani reported on Twitter that Antonio Jones will be facing Crutchmer in a welterweight (170-pound) bout at Bellator 233 at WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Okla. on Friday, November 8. In late September, it had been announced that Crutchmer would take on Sean Clements, a 31-year-old with a 3-1 pro MMA record. The 34-year-old Jones is 6-3 in his professional MMA career going back to June 2015. He has tallied three straight losses in his most recent bouts going back nearly two years. Crutchmer, 26, brings a perfect 4-0 in his pro career he launched in June 2018. Until signing with Bellator MMA in July, all of the former Cowboy wrestler's MMA bouts had been with Xtreme Fighting League, with two wins by submission, one by technical knockout, and one unanimous decision. Prior to entering MMA, Crutchmer was a two-time NCAA All-American for Oklahoma State, placing fifth at 174 pounds at the 2015 NCAAs, and seventh in this same weight class at the 2017 NCAAs. In addition, Crutchmer was twice a Big 12 conference champ.

Joey Palmer wrestling in the semifinals of the U.S. Open (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) AMES, Iowa -- Today Iowa State wrestling head coach, Kevin Dresser, announced an addition to his coaching staff. Former three-time NCAA Qualifier Joey Palmer will join up with the Cyclones as a volunteer assistant coach. "I am very excited to add this young guy to our staff," Dresser said of Plamer. "I can speak on behalf of Coach St. John and Coach Metcalf in stating that all three of us have been super impressed with the way the Joey Palmer has made an impact in the short time he has been in Ames. Joey plans to train hard for the upcoming Olympic Trials along with coaching our student athletes. He is coming off a very successful 2019 freestyle season and we hope to assist him in further wrestling success. This is a win-win for all of us." The program that Dresser and company are building at Iowa State is ultimately what lured Palmer into making the decision to come to Ames. "You look at everywhere Dresser has been, he's had success," Palmer said. "Now he's in Ames with Metcalf, St. John and all the talent they have in that room, and it's really exciting to see what those guys have done. The state of Iowa and Ames is a great place for me to train and to learn from these coaches." Palmer wrestled collegiately at Oregon State ('17) where he was a three-time NCAA qualifier at 133 pounds. After a brief hiatus from competing on the senior level, Palmer competed at the US Open this past April and finished third place at 61 kg. He defeated current World Team Member Tyler Graff and former World Team member Tony Ramos en route to the podium. Palmer has spent the last two seasons coaching, one year at his alma mater at Oregon State, and one at his high school in Tahoma, Washington.

The Super 32 Challenge will happen for the 20th time this Saturday and Sunday at the Greensboro (N.C.) Coliseum Special Events Center. Starting in 2005, the event has been held at this facility, after being hosted at Morehead High School for the first five years of the event carrying the Super 32 name. In addition, this marks the 10th year the event has been held as a two-day extravaganza for the high school division. The future productivity of athletes that have competed in the high school division of the Super 32 Challenge speaks for itself. At the NCAA Division I Championships, held this year in Pittsburgh, 53 of the 80 All-Americans had competed in the high school division of the Super 32 Challenge at some point of their career. This includes two-time NCAA champions Spencer Lee, Yianni Diakomihalis, and Zahid Valencia; as well as three-time champion Jason Nolf. In all, eight of the 10 NCAA champions and 14 of the 20 finalists competed at the Super 32 Challenge. Looking at the depth of the 2018 Super 32 field, one notes that 350 wrestlers (out of about 350) that appeared on the bracket in the high school division would go on to win a state-level title at the end of their high school season. In addition, 115 members of the field ended the season nationally ranked by InterMat. Six of the wrestlers that ended the season No. 1 nationally in their weight class competed at the Super 32 Challenge: Richard Figueroa, Lucas Byrd, Ryan Anderson, Alex Facundo, Jacob Cardenas, and Braxton Amos. Here are some big picture things to look at in the event this Saturday and Sunday. Entrants are based on information available as of Sunday afternoon. Star power Even if the absolute mega-stars of high school wrestling aren't among those competing in this weekend's field, there is a clear abundance of star power in the 2019 Super 32 field based on entries as of Sunday afternoon. 51 of the wrestlers ranked among the InterMat top-100 for the Class of 2020 are in the field at the present time, even though that only includes three of the top ten: No. 2 Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.) at 220 pounds, along with No. 6 Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) and Sam Hillegas (North Hills, Pa.) at 138. The only other top 20 senior wrestlers in the field are No. 16 Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.) at 182 pounds and No. 17 Ryan Jack (Danbury, Ct.) at 132. In the Class of 2021, it is 29 of the top-50 slated to compete at the Super 32 Challenge, though No. 9 Carson Manville (Shakopee, Minn.) and No. 10 Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.) are the only top ten ranked wrestlers listed; Manville at 182 pounds and Renteria at 120. Six of the next ten are in the field: No. 11 Cael Valencia (St. John Bosco, Calif.) at 160, No. 13 Wyatt Henson (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) at 126, No. 14 Drake Ayala (Fort Dodge, Iowa) and No. 18 Cooper Flynn (McDonogh, Md.) at 120, No. 16 Leonard Pinto (Stroudsburg, Pa.) at 170, and No. 19 Luka Wick (San Marino, Calif.) at 152. The rising sophomore group has 26 of the top-50 wrestlers present in the field, with seven of the top ten wrestlers from the Class of 2022 among that group. It is led by No. 2 Nic Bouzakis (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.) at 126 pounds, No. 3 Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.) and No. 7 Daniel Cardenas (Pomona, Colo.) at 132, No. 4 Seth Shumate (Dublin Coffman, Ohio) at 195, No. 6 Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) and No. 9 Troy Spratley (Collinsville, Okla.) at 120, and No. 8 Caleb Henson (Woodland, Ga.) at 138. Among the freshman class, it is a paltry 10 of the top-25 from the Class of 2023 in the field, a group led by No. 5 Rocco Welsh (Waynesburg, Pa.) at 126 pounds and No. 9 Grant MacKay (North Allegheny, Pa.) at 152. Six of the ten ranked freshmen are among the contenders at 106 pounds, a group led by No. 13 Maxximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.), the Outstanding Wrestler of the middle school division in the 2017 Super 32 Challenge. Last year's edition of the Super 32 saw six freshmen earn placement finishes (one at 106, one at 113, two at 120, one at 126, and one at 220). The top two wrestlers in the Junior high rankings, No. 1 Mason Gibson (Forest Hills, Pa.) and No. 2 Pierson Manville (Shakopee, Minn.), are slated to compete in the high school division at 106 and 126 pounds respectively. Last year, an eighth grader did place in the tournament, Nasir Bailey of Illinois was eighth at 106; while in 2017, Ryan Crookham of Pennsylvania won the title at 113 pounds when still in junior high. Repeat glory Only one of nine past Super 32 Challenge champions, seven of whom won titles last year, in the high school division whom are eligible to compete in this year's event will be doing so this weekend. That being University of Wisconsin verbal commit Braxton Amos (Parkersburg South, W.Va.). It would be a significant shock if Amos did not win a third straight title at 220 pounds, as his most direct challenge is likely to come from Dorian Crosby (Erie Cathedral Prep, Pa.); the No. 72 overall wrestler in the Class of 2020 lost rather handily to Amos in the Junior freestyle final this summer. The other notable contender is Chase Horne (West Laurens, Ga.), a returning placer in this weight class, who is ranked No. 36 in the Class of 2022. Joshua Saunders gets in on a shot in his state finals match (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Saunders after an elusive title Out of all the things that Joshua Saunders (Christian Brothers College, Mo.) has accomplished in his high school career, he has yet to win a Super 32 Challenge title in the high school division. The Cornell commit is ranked No. 6 overall in the Class of 2020, has represented the United States in freestyle at both the Cadet and Junior World Championships, won multiple titles in Fargo, earned a title at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman last year, and is a three-time state champion. However, in 2016 and 2017 Saunders lost narrow decisions in the semifinal round at the Super 32 Challenge. In 2016, it was a 3-1 at 120 pounds to Andrew Alirez, while in 2017 it was an overtime loss to Jesse Vasquez at 132. He did not compete last year due to his world championships participation. This year Saunders is slated to compete in the absolute grinder at 138 pounds. The field currently features nine other top-100 Class of 2020 wrestlers: No. 10 Sam Hillegas (North Hills, Pa.); No. 33 Lachlan McNeil (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.); No. 43 Mick Burnett (Elyria, Ohio), a Junior National freestyle runner-up; No. 52 Josh Edmond (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.); No. 57 Justin Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.); No. 66 Kenny Herrmann (Bethlehem Catholic, Pa.); No. 80 Drew Eller (Evans, Ga.), No. 93 Nick Stonecheck (Buford, Ga.); and No. 96 Ryan Burgos (Hilton, N.Y.). Hillegas is a two-time Super 32 placer; while Edmond, Herrmann, and Rivera placed in this tournament last year. The insane weight class also features five nationally ranked Class of 2021 wrestlers; No. 27 Caden McCrary (Woodland, Ga.), a Junior National freestyle All-American; No. 31 Alek Martin (St. Paris Graham, Ohio); No. 36 Henry Porter (Gilroy, Calif.); No. 47 Nick Moore (St. Paris Graham, Ohio); and No. 49 Teague Travis (Father Tolton Catholic, Mo.). Also in the field are a pair of nationally ranked Class of 2022 wrestlers: No. 8 Caleb Henson Henson (Woodland, Ga.), a semifinalist last year as a freshman at 126 pounds, and No. 24 Mitchell Mesenbrink (Arrowhead, Wis.). Others to watch in this absurd weight class include NHSCA Junior Nationals champion Ethan Basile (Tampa Jesuit, Fla.), returning Super 32 placer Bretli Reyna (South Dade, Fla.), Junior National freestyle All-American Luke Sloan (Austin Vandergrift, Texas), Cadet National freestyle All-American Matthew Bianchi (Two Rivers, Wis.), and Grappler Fall Classic champion Eddie Homrock (Brighton, Mich.). Don't forget the heavyweights With the impact of football, the upperweights tend to have lower participant numbers than even during the season or the post-season national tournaments in the spring and summer. Even with that being the case, there is some talent worth watching at 285 pounds based on the field as of Sunday afternoon. The two anchors are Cadet World freestyle participant Hunter Catka (Sun Valley, Pa.) and two-time Cadet National double champion Hayden Copass (Westville, Ill.); the Virginia Tech commit Catka is ranked No. 29 in the Class of 2020, while Wisconsin commit Copass is No. 39 in the Class of 2021. Other contenders in this weight class include returning Super 32 runner-up Colby Whitehill (Brookville, Pa.), past Junior National freestyle All-American Garrett Kappes (McDonogh, Md.), NHSCA Junior Nationals runner-up Alex Coleman (Hamilton Ross, Ohio), along with Pennsylvania state placers Jalen Stephens (Meyersdale) and Isaiah Vance (Hempfield Area). Seeking that elusive ascendant step on the podium In addition to Whitehill, three other wrestlers that lost in the finals at the Super 32 Challenge last year will be in the hunt for championship belts this weekend: Drake Ayala (Fort Dodge, Iowa), Ryan Jack (Danbury, Ct.), and Gerrit Nijenhuis (Canon-McMillan, Pa.). Of the four wrestlers listed, the one with the most direct path to winning a title is Nijenhius in the 182-pound weight class. Ranked No. 16 overall in the Class of 2020, returning state champion Nijenhius has a relatively not congested weight class with his most direct challenger being John Poznanski (Colonia, N.J.). Ranked No. 38 in the Class of 2020, Poznanski was runner-up at his state tournament last year, and is a returning placer in this tournament, though he lost 8-3 to Nijenhius in the round of 16 on Saturday afternoon at this event last year. Two ranked Class of 2021 wrestlers also are present in this weight class: No. 9 Carson Manville (Shakopee, Minn.) and No. 37 Quayin Short (Simley, Minn.). Others to watch include NHSCA Junior National champion Tanner Mendoza (Valiant Prep, Ariz.), UWW Cadet freestyle All-American Jake Evans (Elyria, Ohio), along with state champion and Beast of the East placer J.T. Davis (Smyrna, Del.); while Cadet Greco-Roman national champion Gavin Nelson (Simley, Minn.), ranked No. 11 overall in the Class of 2023, is a name to watch out for once you get past this season. Fargo champions collide Arguably the two anchor figures in the 120-pound weight class were champions this summer in Fargo freestyle, Jordan Williams (Collinsville, Okla.) and Drake Ayala (Fort Dodge, Iowa). Williams was champion at Cadet 120, while Ayala won the Junior 113 title. The pair met in Akron four months ago in the 51-kilo semifinal at the UWW Cadet freestyle tournament, a match won 6-4 by Williams. Williams is ranked No. 6 overall in the Class of 2022, while Ayala is No. 14 in the Class of 2021. Williams is joined by eight of ranked Class of 2022 wrestlers in this weight class: No. 9 Troy Spratley (Collinsville, Okla.), No. 14 Zeke Seltzer (Indianapolis Cathedral, Ind.), No. 15 Nicolar Rivera (Stoughton, Wis.), No. 20 Alex Almeyda (St. Joseph Montvale, N.J.), No. 35 Casey Swiderski (Dundee, Mich.), No. 42 Brennan Van Hoecke (Palmetto Ridge, Fla.), No. 45 Garrett Grice (Bellevue East, Neb.), and No. 49 Levi Haines (Biglerville, Pa.). Spratley and Almeyda both placed at the Super 32 last year, Seltzer was runner-up to Williams in Cadet freestyle this summer. Ayala is joined by six other ranked Class of 2021 wrestlers: No. 10 Maximo Renteria (Buchanan, Calif.), a two-time state champion; No. 18 Cooper Flynn (McDonogh, Md.); No. 25 Dean Peterson (St. John Vianney, N.J.), state champion and two-time state finalist; No. 42 Jordan Titus (Center Morinches, N.Y.), NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion; No. 46 Vincent Santaniello (Brick Memorial, N.J.); and No. 48 Dustin Norris (Cincinnati LaSalle, Ohio). Also in the field are two top-100 Class of 2020 wrestlers: No. 65 Tristan Lujan (Selma, Calif.), a returning Super 32 placer, and No. 82 Dominic Chavez (Arlington Martin, Texas). Additional notable wrestlers include No. 14 overall Class of 2023 wrestlers Meyer Shapiro (Bullis School, Md.), state champion Colton Drousias (Chicago Mt. Carmel, Ill.), 2017 Super 32 placer Nick Babin (Emerson-Park Ridge, N.J.), multi-time state placer Nick Kayal (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), 2018 Cadet world freestyle participant Chance Lamer (Crescent Valley, Ore.), along with state champions Paxton Creese (Shakopee, Minn.), and Anthony Noto (Honeoye Falls-Lima, N.Y.). Cadet World Team members at the Super 32 Joining Catka as a member of the 2019 Cadet World Team in freestyle that is in this weekend's field are Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.) and Clayton Ulrey (Lower Dauphin, Pa.); Mendez is slated to compete at 132 pounds, while Ulrey is registered at 170. Ranked No. 60 in the Class of 2020, the Virginia Tech commit is joined by three other top-100 rising seniors in the 170-pound weight bracket: No. 42 Gavin Kane (Cambridge, Ga.), No. 53 Greyden Penner (Liberty, Mo.), and No. 69 Connor O'Neill (DePaul Catholic, N.J.); both Ulrey (3rd at 160) and Penner (4th at 170) are returning place-winners in this tournament. Other contenders in the 170-pound weight class include a pair of nationally ranked Class of 2021 wrestlers from Pennsylvania: No. 16 Leonard Pinto (Stroudsburg) and No. 38 Trey Kibe (Mifflin County); Pinto was a Cadet National freestyle champion in Fargo, while Kibe upset Ulrey in the Class 3A state final at 160 pounds this past March. Also meriting attention in a relatively deep weight class are state runner-up Shane Reitsma (Howell, N.J.); Bennett Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.), who is ranked No. 17 overall in the Class of 2022; previous state champion Duwayne Villalpando (Maize, Kansas); state runner-up Rocco Contino (Buchanan, Calif.); and multi-time state placer Graham Calhoun (Plymouth, Ind.). Can Derek Gilcher clear gauntlets for two straight weekends? This past weekend at the Grappler Fall Classic on the campus of Michigan State University, Derek Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.) upended a pair of fellow top-100 Class of 2020 wrestlers to win the 160-pound bracket. Ranked No. 62 overall in the senior class, Gilcher also had an absurd run on the way to his Junior freestyle All-American finish in Fargo. The Indiana commit will be joined by six other top-100 Class of 2020 wrestlers at present in the 152-pound field: No. 31 Chase Saldate (Gilroy, Calif.), whom he beat 9-4 in the Grappler Fall Classic final; No. 34 Matthew Lee (Evansville Mater Dei, Ind.), whom he upset in consolation on the way to his Fargo All-American finish; No. 36 Elan Heard (Libertyville, Ill.); No. 58 A.J. Kovacs (Iona Prep, N.Y.); returning Super 32 placer Peyton Hall (Oak Glen, W.Va.); and No. 80 Cameron Robinson (Council Rock North, Pa.). Also in the 152-pound field are a pair of top-50 Class of 2021 wrestlers, No. 19 Luke Wick (San Marino, Calif.) and No. 32 D.J. Hamiti (Joliet Catholic, Ill.); a two-time state champion, Hamiti was runner-up at the UWW Cadet Nationals in freestyle before winning a Cadet National freestyle title this summer. Additional notable rising seniors in this field include Tyler Badgett (Rancho Bernardo, Calif.), Brayden Roberts (Parkersburg South, W.Va.), Caleb Dowling (St. Joseph's Catholic, Pa.), Jaxon Garoutte (Pueblo County, Colo.), and Donald Cates (Northern Durham, N.C.). Mendez mania Last year's Super 32 ended a stretch of three major events in a row that Jesse Mendez (Crown Point, Ind.) was one match away from earning a podium finish. The now No. 3 overall Class of 2022 wrestler lost 6-4 to Ryan Jack in the quarterfinal before dropping a 3-2 decision to Jackson DiSario (Stanford/Ola, Ga.) in his subsequent consolation bout at 126 pounds. Since then, Mendez was undefeated in his freshman high school season on the way to a dominant state title and added four off-season titles of note: Cadet folkstyle, FloNationals freestyle, UWW Cadet freestyle, and Pan-Am Cadet freestyle. Mendez is a joint favorite in the 132-pound weight class this weekend with Ryan Jack, who is ranked No. 17 overall in the Class of 2020 and was runner-up at 126 last year; he also was champion at the NHSCA Junior Nationals in the spring. Eight other top-100 seniors join Jack in this loaded weight class: No. 28 Anthony Clark (Delbarton, N.J.), No. 41 Frankie Tal-Shahar (American Heritage, Fla.), No. 45 Devin Murphy (Selma, Calif.), No. 64 Chris Rivera (Lake Highland Prep, Fla.), No. 74 Dylan Cedeno (Bergen Catholic, N.J.), No. 83 Trey Crawford (Park Hill, Mo.), No. 86 Drew Munch (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), and No. 87 Kellyn March (Canton, S.D.); Clark is a two-time placer in this event, Cedeno a returning placer, Tal-Shahar a Walsh Ironman runner-up, while Crawford is a Junior freestyle All-American. Mendez is joined by three other top Class of 2022 prospects: No. 7 Daniel Cardenas (Pomona, Colo.), a Cadet National freestyle champion and returning placer in this tournament; No. 26 Chase DeBlaere (Simley, Minn.); and Michael Kilic (Woodard Academy, Ga.). Four top-50 Class of 2021 prospects also populate this field: No. 21 Nathaniel Pulliam (Rolla, Mo.), No. 24 Joel Vandervere (Warren Township, Ill.), No. 29 Reid Ballantyne (Stillwater, Minn.), and No. 35 Carter Young (Stillwater, Okla.). Others in an absurdly deep field include state champion Brock McMillen (Glendale, Pa.), Cadet freestyle runner-up Ramon Ramos (Valiant Prep, Fla.), National Prep runner-up Skyler Smith (Liberty Christian, Texas), and state runner-up Danny Pucino (Libertyville, Ill.). The opening weight Always a bastion of future stars is the 106-pound weight class. In many cases, it is an opportunity for an unknown to emerge; while in other cases, it is a known wrestler that becomes a really really known wrestler. 2018 state champion Gary Steen (Reynolds, Pa.), Cadet World Greco-Roman team members Mason Gehloff (Waseca, Minn.) and Cory Land (Moody, Ala.), and Cadet National double champion Jore Volk (Lakeville North, Minn.) are the leading contenders in this weight class that have already completed a season of high school wrestling. Of note, Land is ranked No. 32 overall in the Class of 2022; while Steen joined Land as finishing the 2018-19 season ranked nationally at 106 pounds. As previously noted in the article, six nationally ranked Class of 2023 wrestlers populate this field: No. 13 Maxximus Martinez (St. John Bosco, Calif.); No. 15 Mitchell Neiner (South Kitsap, Wash.), a Cadet freestyle runner-up; No. 16 Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, Mo.) and No. 20 Mac Church (Waynesburg, Pa.), All-Americans at both the UWW Cadet and Cadet freestyle tournaments; No. 21 Greyson Clark (Kaukauna, Wis.), a Cadet freestyle All-American; and No. 24 Nathan Jesuroga (Southeast Polk, Iowa). Others to watch include state champions Peyton Fenton (Elyria, Ohio), Gabe Giampetro (Smyrna, Del.), and Kai Owen (Tampa Jesuit, Fla.); incoming freshmen Clarence Moore (Gilroy, Calif.), Caden Horwath (Davison, Mich.), Dylan Gilcher (Detroit Catholic Central, Mich.), and Beau Mantanona (Palm Desert, Calif.); along with Ben Aranda (DeKalb, Ill.), who also was All-American at the UWW Cadet and Cadet Nationals in freestyle.

Pioneering wrestler and coach Bobby Douglas will be the guest of honor at a celebration at the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum next month. Bobby DouglasThe Gable Museum will host an open house to honor the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Distinguished Member and Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa inductee on Saturday, November 2 from 4-7 p.m. at the facility at 303 Jefferson Street in Waterloo, Iowa. Those planning to attend should RSVP to the Gable Museum online: http://weblink.donorperfect.com/BobbyDouglas An impressive list of wrestling dignitaries have already indicated they will participate in the event, according to the Gable Museum. Among those who have indicated they will attend in person: Dan Gable, whose name graces the museum; Bruce Baumgartner, President of USA Wrestling, and one of our most decorated International and Olympic wrestlers; Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and an NCAA champion; Zeke Jones, former USA Wrestling Freestyle coach and now head coach at Arizona State University; Carl Adams, long time head coach at Boston University and 2 time NCAA champion for Iowa State University; and Barry Weldon 1997 NCAA champion for Iowa State University. In addition, Chris Bono and Tadaaki Hatta will not be able to attend but are sending video messages to Bobby Douglas that the Gable Museum will play during the open house. During the celebration, Douglas will launch a new tradition for the Gable Museum by autographing his picture wall at the museum at 5 p.m. This inaugural event will be followed by a brief program. Douglas being the first to sign his own picture wall is totally appropriate, given his history as a pioneer in wrestling. As his National Wrestling Hall of Fame biography states, Bobby Douglas was the first African-American to wrestle in the Olympics (in 1964 and 1968), and the first to captain the U.S. Olympic team (1968). In addition, Douglas wrestled on six World Championship teams, winning a silver medal in 1966 and a bronze medal in 1970. He was an assistant coach for 10 World and Olympic teams, was World Cup coach in 1987 and Olympic coach in 1992. Douglas also made history as a collegiate wrestling coach. In 1988 Douglas led Arizona State to the national championship, the only wrestling team title won by a western school. He later led Iowa State to three NCAA runner-up finishes. Earlier in his mat career, Douglas was a two-time Ohio state high school wrestling champion. He then crossed the Ohio River for his collegiate career at West Virginia's West Liberty State, where he was a NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) national champion in 1962. In 1963, wrestling for West Liberty, he reached the NCAA Division I 130-pound finals and finished second to defending national champion Mickey Martin of the University of Oklahoma. Douglas later transferred to Oklahoma State, where he competed at the 1965 NCAAs at 147 pounds but had to exit the tournament because of injury. For all these accomplishments, Douglas was welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Member in 1987. Want to know more about Bobby Eddie Douglas? Check out "Bobby Douglas: Life and Legacy of an American Wrestling Legend" by Craig Sesker.

ANNAPOLIS, Maryland -- Two-time All-American and former U.S. National Team member B.J. Futrell has joined the Navy wrestling staff as an assistant coach it was announced by head coach Joel Sharratt on Monday. Futrell arrives in Annapolis after spending the last seven years training and competing on the Olympic ladder. B.J. Futrell"I am very excited that we have been able to bring B.J. Futrell on board with the program with the support of Mr. Gladchuk and the NAAA," said Sharratt "B.J. is one of the top young coaches who has competed at the highest levels of the NCAA and National Team competition, and will make an immediate impact with his on-the-mat skills and motivational style of coaching. Off the mat, he is a man of impeccable character who will serve as an outstanding mentor and role model for our midshipmen on living the championship lifestyle on the mat, in the classroom and as young men of character. He is laser focused on the relentless pursuit of team and individual goals. He has been on the podium multiple times at the largest NCAA DI events and understands our focus on winning the N-Star and producing All-Americans who will go on to serve our country with honor." "I first want to thank Navy Director of Athletics Chet Gladchuk and head coach Joel Sharratt for presenting me with this amazing opportunity to be a part of such an elite institution and program," said Futrell. "I am excited to be able to serve these student-athletes after competing at the collegiate and Olympic level for the last 11 years. These are young men who will soon be the leaders of our nation and I am looking forward to being able to lead them with excellence on the mat and in life." A three-time All-Big Ten performer at the University of Illinois, Futrell twice earned All-America honors by placing eighth at the 2011 NCAA Championship and sixth in 2012. He was also a two-time selection for the NWCA All-Star Classic. His senior season, however, was cut short after sustaining an injury that would eliminate him from postseason competition. He was ranked No. 3 in the country by W.I.N. Magazine prior to the injury. He left his mark in the Illini record books as the program's leader with 38 career pins. A member of the Illini Leadership Academy, Futrell served as team captain for three years where he led team meetings, mediated conversation between the team and coaching staff, mentored underclassmen and led the team's community engagement. Futrell was also a standout in the classroom where he was a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection, while also garnering NWCA All-Academic recognition twice. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree in kinesiology in May of 2012 and went on to earn his Master of Education degree in educational policy studies from Illinois in December of 2013. Futrell continued his wrestling career by training at the Pennsylvania Regional Training Center, as well as the Michigan Regional Training Center. He earned more than 20 domestic and international medals in Olympic-level competitions while representing Team USA in competitions that spanned 12 different countries including Romania where he claimed a gold medal. Among his career highlights, he placed third at the 2017 U.S. World Team Trials and earned a top-10 world ranking in freestyle wrestling at 65 kg. Additionally, he was a silver medalist at the 2014 University World Championships and was a three-time US Open medalist including earning the bronze in 2014. He was a two-time University Nationals freestyle and Greco-Roman champion, a two-time NYAC International finalist and champion, a three-time Dave Schultz International finalist and champion and a 2016 Last Chance Olympic Trials Qualifier Champion. Futrell was also and influential member of the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club when it won the World Clubs Cup World Championship in 2016. He has been active an active mentor and coach with Beat the Streets Philadelphia, a program committed to helping establish youth wrestling programs in the Philadelphia metropolitan region. The organization fosters the holistic development of student-athletes by providing the resources to support wrestling and an academic tutoring programs throughout the greater Philadelphia region. Additionally, Futrell has coached at numerous college and high school clinics across the country where he has created and led high-intensity and level-specific wrestling camps that focused on improving wrestling technique, physical development, sports psychology and personal development.

Zain Retherford edged Yianni Diakomihalis in a Special Wrestle-Off (Photo/Juan Garcia) One of the things that attracted me to wrestling early on was the wrestle-off. If I wanted to be the varsity wrestler, then I had to beat the varsity wrestler. What could be fairer than that? When my high school wrestling team conducted wrestle-offs each week, my assistant coach would referee the match, the manager would keep time, and the rest of the team would stretch quietly off to the side. The room was silent except for the squeaky sounds of shoes on the mat, the occasional whistle, and the hurried breaths of kids desperate to make the lineup. We didn't cheer when one wrestler won because it was more important to hold up our teammate who was going to be spending Saturday watching from the bleachers. The wrestle-off was sacred. The United States freestyle team recently returned from a somewhat disappointing performance in Kazakhstan. Let me put this in perspective: The United States still finished third in the world as a team, earned two individual gold medals, and Kyle Snyder and Jordan Burroughs both bounced back from semifinal heartbreakers to claim bronze; those are all things worth celebrating. But when you compare it to two years ago when the United States won the whole darn thing, it feels as if the Americans took a step backwards this year. In addition, only two of the six weight classes are qualified for the Olympics. Looking ahead to Tokyo 2020, I find myself questioning how we select World and Olympic teams. Even though I've always loved the fairness and transparency associated with the Final X wrestle-off series, I wonder if we are actually selecting the best team. Allow me to pose a fundamental question: What does winning a wrestle-off actually mean? In the college wrestling room, I came to learn that the wrestle-off wasn't quite as hallowed as it was in high school. I remember watching an experienced senior defeat a highly touted freshman in a wrestle-off for the 149-pound spot. Even though he'd been beaten fair and square, my coach started the freshman anyway, and shuffled the senior up a weight class to 157 pounds. In the end, both wrestlers ended up qualifying for the NCAA tournament that year, and that freshman ended up being a two-time All-American. Although at the time I thought it seemed wildly unfair, I realize now that the word, "fair," wasn't in my coach's vocabulary. Most college coaches still conduct wrestle-offs to inform their lineup decisions, but unlike a lot of high school coaches, they'll also consider other data as well. For instance, that freshman had outplaced that senior at a preseason open tournament. That freshman also had a win over a common opponent who'd beaten the senior. After all, these two were training partners and practiced with each other every day. My coach took their wrestle-off with a grain of salt, and ultimately decided that there was more information to indicate that the freshman was his better option. The United States' Trials wrestle-off series is fair, but it does not allow the coaches to consider any other information. I have some serious questions about two weight classes in particular: 65 kilograms and 86 kilograms. At 65 kilograms, Zain Retherford went 0-1 in Kazakhstan. In this calendar year alone, Yianni Diakomihalis took gold at the renowned Yasar Dogu international tournament, beat Retherford twice, and defeated not one, but two wrestlers who won world medals in Kazakhstan. Now if we want to argue about fairness, then there is no question that it should have been Retherford's spot. He won the right to represent Team USA. No question. But let's not talk about fairness. Instead, let's discuss the point of a team selection process. Should the objective be to ensure we have a fair process? Or should the goal be that we send the best team possible? At the highest levels, matchups matter more, and while Zain has proven that he matches up well against Yianni, Yianni has proven that he matches up better against the rest of the world. At 86 kilograms, David Taylor, the 2018 world champion, announced he was out with an injury right before Final X was set to happen. It was too late in the process for 92-kilogram wrestlers to drop down to 86 kilograms, or for 79-kilogram wrestlers to bump up to wrestle off for that spot. If the process was actually about selecting the best team, the United States would have figured out a way to move wrestlers around (like when my college coach moved that senior up a weight class). We became prisoner to our own system, and as a result we were not as strong as we could've been. Pat Downey after winning the U.S. Open title (Photo/Larry Slater) Pat Downey III earned the spot fair and square, and he wrestled awesome in Kazakhstan and did his country proud, but I am still not convinced he was the best option for the United States. The world's No. 2 79-kilogram wrestler, Alex Dieringer, was waiting in the wings. Now let's look at Russia. Russia's team selection process is anything but transparent. It has grown more ambiguous and convoluted over the past two years. Their federation all but handpicks who gets to wear the Russian singlet. Many American wrestling pundits have criticized how Russia selected its team. In fact, three of their wrestle-offs this year were held in secret, behind closed doors, with just the wrestlers, coaches, and referees present in the room. Some of the weights didn't even have wrestle-offs. Whereas the United States selects its team by honoring the results of a contest, which is what is best for the individual wrestlers involved, Russia operates more like an American Division I college wrestling program, which is what is best for the overall team. There was no way that they were going to keep Zaur Uguev, Gadzhimurad Rashidov, Abdulrashid Sadulaev, or Zaurbek Sidakov off the team based on the results of a wrestle-off, and all four won gold medals. Dzhambulat Tedeev, the Russian coach, was never concerned with, "fair," and I'd be willing to bet that the world "spravedlivost," the Russian word for "fair," probably isn't in his vocabulary, either. Russia medaled in nine of the ten weight classes, and they won gold in five. They were 96 points ahead of the United States. Should we still be criticizing their process? Perhaps the Russian coaches are wondering why the heck the United States left some of its best talent at home. Instead of honoring the results of the wrestle-off blindly, let's empower coaches to tap into their vast experience to allow the results of the wrestle-offs to inform rather than dictate the process for selecting the team. So what does winning a wrestle-off actually mean? Well, it means a lot, but it shouldn't mean everything.

Joey Davis gets his hand raised after a victory (Photo/Bellator) Joey Davis was the picture of perfection as a college wrestler, going 133-0 and becoming a four-time NCAA Division II wrestling champ at Notre Dame College of Ohio. Now the former collegiate mat champ continues to successfully pursue perfection in his professional MMA career, notching his sixth victory Friday night at Bellator 229 at Pechanga Casino Resort in Temecula, Calif. Davis scored a first-round KO vs. Jeff Peterson in a preliminary-card welterweight (170-pound) bout that ended at 1:00 of the first round. Here's how JackWannan.com described the bout: "Early in the fight, Peterson tripped after getting hit by a leg kick. A minute into the fight, Davis scored a flying knee to drop Peterson and win the fight. Joey Davis extended his undefeated record with a chilling KO." With the win, the 29-year-old Davis -- known as "Black Ice" -- is now 6-0 in his pro MMA career which he launched with Bellator in August 2016. Four of those wins were first-round knockouts (including this most recent victory). As MMAJunkie.com reported in its analysis of Bellator 229, Davis is now 4-0 since he dropped down to welterweight ... a streak among active fighters in that weight class at Bellator that's second only to fellow former collegiate wrestling star Logan Storley, an NCAA Division I All-American at University of Minnesota, who has five consecutive wins at welterweight. Meanwhile, Jeff Peterson, also 29, drops to 10-8 in his pro MMA career going back to March 2008. His appearance at Bellator 229 was his debut with the promotion.

Eric Akin competing in Real Pro Wrestling (Photo/Danielle Hobeika) Four-time All-American Eric Akin joins The MatBoss Podcast with Chad Dennis to talk about his career, how the battles shaped him as a competitor, what it was like competing in an era of stellar U.S. lightweights as well as what it was like to go through his college career as a father and where his focus lives today with coaching kids. About MatBoss: Created by coaches for coaches, MatBoss for iPad® integrates wrestling stats directly into the video you record for each match, completely replacing the need for labor-intensive pencil and paper scoring systems. It's the wrestling stats app our sport has been waiting for. Focus on coaching, not busy work Improve through video analysis Make data an advantage Eliminate scoring errors Increase exposure Become a digital coach For more information, visit MatBossApp.com. Follow MatBoss on Twitter and subscribe to the show @MatBossApp | Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Stitcher | Spreaker | Google Podcasts | RSS