InterMat Staff

Gabe Dean (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gabe Dean, one of Cornell University's most accomplished wrestlers, has graduated to a new assignment in the Big Red practice room as volunteer coach, the upstate New York school announced Friday. Dean replaces Donnie Vinson, who recently accepted an assistant coaching position at North Carolina State University, working with Pat Popolizio, his coach at New York's Binghamton University prior to when Popolizio became head coach for the Wolfpack. Here's what Dean said on Facebook about his new assignment at his alma mater: "Excited for this year and to be a part of this program from the coaching side." The two-time NCAA champ told NewYorkWrestlingNews.com that he's thrilled to launch his coaching career with the coaches who helped shape his successful wrestling career at Cornell. "It's awesome to have this opportunity. It's what I want to do with my life -- be a college coach," said Dean. "I had the influences of Damion [Hahn], Mike [Grey] and Coach [Rob] Koll during blessed and lucky." "The coaches at Cornell helped me develop so much as a person during my career," Dean continued. "All the off the mat stuff was so important and I'd like to have that same kind of impact on the kids I coach. Those are the things that really matter at the end of the day." Dean is looking forward to sharing his knowledge and experience with the wrestlers who once worked out alongside him in the Big Red wrestling room. "It's really awesome to be here for all the guys," Dean told the New York-focused wrestling website. "As a coach now, especially for the young guys, I have the chance to help them achieve their goals and prepare for the season. Everybody coaches everybody here -- it's not super specific. I'll just be helping and running individual workouts with everyone -- from little guys to the big guys." Dean, who graduated from Cornell this spring, has an impressive resume of on-the-mat achievements to share with current-generation wrestlers. A three-time national finalist at 184 pounds, Dean posted a career record of 152-7 with 101 bonus wins, both school records, and never finished lower than third at nationals. He is one of just 11 wrestlers in more than 100 years to win four Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) titles and was a two-time Ivy League Wrestler of the Year. The four-time, first-team All-Ivy League pick was the 2014 Ivy League and EIWA Rookie of the Year and was a two-time Coaches Trophy Award winner as the most outstanding wrestler at the EIWA meet. Even though he has accepted the volunteer coach assignment, Gabe Dean isn't hanging up his singlet just yet. Dean continues to wrestle Greco-Roman, and plans to compete next at the U23 Trials on Oct. 7 in Rochester, Minn. at 98 kilograms/215.5 pounds. And, if wrestling and coaching weren't enough, Dean plans to assist with Cornell wrestling's marketing efforts. "I'm one of the people working on the new Redman's Army Facebook page," Dean said. "It's about connecting our wrestlers to their fans and even moreso to the student body here at Cornell. It's important that people get to know the guys a little bit -- maybe through funny videos, seeing the shenanigans and the goofiness of our team behind the scenes. That helps fans connect with the wrestlers and come to the matches to support them."

Shaun Lally has resigned as Muhlenberg College head wrestling coach. The Pennsylvania-based school announced Lally's departure Friday. Lally, who took the reins of the Mules wrestling team in 2014, is credited with turning around a once-struggling program ... a program that, in the early part of the decade, had trouble filling out a full roster. Under Lally, the Muhlenberg mat program now has more than 20 wrestlers, and turned around its on-the-mat performance as well. This past year, Muhlenberg tallied ten wins, the most in 14 seasons. "It's been one hell of a ride and I can't believe all of the amazing things that we accomplished in just under 3 years," wrote Lally in a Twitter message. "The program's rise is a credit to so many good people who supported and believed in my abilities. It's been one of the most amazing things I have ever been a part of. For me, I'm moving in a different direction from college coaching but still can't wait to see this team beat Ursinus!" A native New Yorker, Lally grew up in the Lehigh Valley that's home to Muhlenberg. He wrestled at Parkland High School, then headed west to continue his academic and athletic career at University of Pittsburgh. Prior to coaching the Mules, Lally coached at the middle and high school level, then served as head coach at Stony Brook University in New York. Muhlenberg is already seeking a new head coach. In the meantime, assistant coaches Sonnieboy Blanco and Andrew Drake will run the mat program. Located in Allentown, Pa. in the heart of the Lehigh Valley wrestling hotbed, Muhlenberg is a private, four-year liberal arts college. Enrollment is approximately 2,200 students. The Mules wrestling program -- and all other Muhlenberg sports teams -- compete in NCAA Division III.

A dual meet last season between Arizona State and Ohio State (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Imagine the college wrestling season fitting into a single semester, starting in January, and concluding in April. What's more, dual meets could have a greater impact on determining national champions. Those concepts may become reality, as a Blue Ribbon Task Force for NCAA wrestling has been looking at ways to ensure the future of the sport, and make it better for athletes, coaches and fans. Award-winning wrestling writer Andy Hamilton outlined these proposed changes in a feature article for Trackwrestling.com this week. "The task force assigned to examine the sport's long-term health has unanimously approved schedule adjustments that, if passed by the NCAA, would squeeze the Division I season into one semester, culminating with a late-April dual championship tournament," according to Hamilton. The task force -- comprised of wrestling coaches, athletic directors, conference commissioners, as well as NCAA executive vice president of regulatory affairs Oliver Luck (former athletic director at West Virginia University) -- has proposed two fundamental changes to the structure of the college wrestling season: Shifting the wrestling season from the current one that roughly spans from Halloween to St. Patrick's Day, to a new calendar that corresponds to what most colleges would consider to be spring semester, from about New Year's Day to the end of April, making wrestling a single-semester sport. Incorporating a greater emphasis on dual meets, by having the season conclude with a two-week dual meet tournament that would be held after the traditional conference and NCAA Wrestling Championships. Let's take a look at each of these components. A single-semester season Arguably the reason for concentrating the college wrestling season into spring semester is ... for the wrestlers. This shift would provide freshmen the entire fall semester to get acclimatized to all the challenges of the college experience, including more rigorous coursework, learning time-management skills, dealing with dorm-mates and roommates, and missing friends and family back home. "If you just look at the facts with wrestling in general, we have a lot of first-generation college students and I think when you add in these kids coming to school and starting preseason right away, cutting weight and trying to get certified for the beginning of the year and then competing really close to those first final exams, it puts a lot of stress on the athletes in that first year," Troy Nickerson, head wrestling coach at Northern Colorado and a Blue Ribbon Task Force member, told Trackwrestling.com. "That's one of the big reasons why we chose the second semester being a better fit for it." The thinking behind the spring-semester season shift may draw from past practice. Until about 1970, college wrestlers were prohibited by the NCAA from competing in intercollegiate wrestling matches as freshmen ... with the idea of giving new college student-athletes an entire school year to get accustomed to all the challenges of first-year college life. What might a single-semester wrestling season look like? According to Blue Ribbon Task Force facilitator Jim Fallis, the proposed NCAA Division I* season would start on or around Nov. 10 with official practices ... with competition beginning during the break between semesters. The first half of the season would feature a mixture of duals and individual tournaments leading up to March's conference tournaments and the NCAA Championships. However, that would NOT be the end of the college wrestling season ... (* What about NCAA Division II and Division III? Fallis told Trackwrestling.com that if keeping the season as is would work best for D2 and D3, they can do that.) An enhanced dual meet focus Once the NCAA Championships were completed, the season would only consist of duals, culminating with a two-weekend, 16-team dual tournament held on college campuses. The bracket would be filled by conference dual champions and at-large selections, Trackwrestling.com reported. The top eight seeds would each host dual meets on the dual tournament's first weekend. The top remaining seed after the first weekend would play host to an eight-team championship bracket the following weekend. This dual meet championship may well be a major factor -- or, perhaps even THE determining factor -- in crowning a team titlewinner. "We need to find a way to make the dual meet matter more," Troy Nickerson told Trackwrestling.com. "Dual meets are exciting. You're always going to have your wrestling fans, but I think a dual meet is much more likely to capture that casual fan. They can conceptualize that a little bit easier than sitting eight hours at a tournament all day long." For a number of years, the NCAA has been promoting the idea of greater emphasis on dual meets. In a report incorporating a survey of attendees at the 2014 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, the collegiate sports organization seemed to be laying the groundwork for arguing its "team component" proposal -- also referred to as a "dual team competition component." Back then, the NCAA's proposed a dual meet tournament spanning three weekends in February, with teams earning points which would be a factor in determining team titles at the NCAAs. The proposal would have 70 percent of the team race be determined by the present method of points garnered by individual wrestlers at the NCAA championships, and 30 percent from this new dual meet tournament. This would be a significant change from how team titles have been determined for decades -- strictly based on points scored by wrestlers during the tournament -- and has generated some strong opposition. What is the thinking behind an emphasis on dual meets? In its 2014 report, the NCAA stated that the dual team competition component will attract "younger fans that may not have the time or resources to attend the NCAA individual component championships ... However, they can commit two hours to attend a dual match at a nearby school." In a May 2015 article titled "The Graying of the NCAAs", this writer cited the report on the 2014 NCAAs which explained the importance of developing more wrestling fans by reaching out to casual sports fans, especially near college campuses. The report went on to state a number of projected outcomes if its team component proposal were implemented, including more focus on team competition during the season, increase in fan affinity and attraction of more casual fans, additional media exposure and increased broadcast opportunities, and additional recognition opportunities for wrestling teams and institutions. "Dual meets provide a clear picture of competition for fans who currently sit outside the day-to-day of the sport," wrote T.R. Foley in his "Foley's Friday Mailbag" for InterMat on Friday, Sept. 29. "The meets are easier to televise, discuss and promote. I'm in favor of the steps taken and think that with more details will come even more support from coaches, athletes and fans." "Concentrating the season into one semester and creating new ways for fans to watch the sport is a positive for our sport," Foley, a former University of Virginia All-American wrestler, concluded. Some historical perspective Today's schedule is NOT your grandfather's college wrestling season The college wrestling season has not always been as long as it is today. From looking at college wrestling schedules from decades ago, it's pretty safe to say that most college wrestlers of the 1920s or 40s or 60s had a schedule that looks more like what is being proposed by the 2017 Blue Ribbon Task Force than the current time-frame. In other words, a dual meet season that began in January, with the NCAA championships usually being held the last weekend in March. There was not the proliferation of early-season November-December tournaments back then that there are now. To provide an individual perspective on old-school vs. more recent college wrestling schedules, let's take a look at two of the all-time great collegiate mat champs of two different eras, Dan Hodge and Cael Sanderson. Hodge, who wrestled in the mid-1950s at the University of Oklahoma, compiled a 46-0 record over three years of intercollegiate competition. That means the legendary Sooner superstar wrestled about 15 matches a year, including those at the Big 8 conference championships and the NCAA wrestling championships, in his three years of eligibility from 1955 through 1957. By comparison, Cael Sanderson compiled a 159-0 record over four seasons at Iowa State from 1999 through 2002. Sanderson, now head coach at Penn State, wrestled 39-40 matches in each of his four seasons of eligibility (again including conference and national championships). Shifting the season: Not a totally new idea, but a good one The efforts of the Blue Ribbon Task Force are to be applauded as the organization seeks to improve the student-athlete experience, enhance academic performance, put ore fans in the stands for regular-season dual meet events, and generate more media coverage for college wrestling overall -- and, in particular, the national championships which have been fighting a losing battle for media attention because of the NCAA basketball championships. However, the idea of making college wrestling a single-semester sport -- and pushing the NCAA championships a bit later on the calendar, out of the shadow of basketball's "March Madness" -- are not completely new. Fifteen years ago, one of this writer's first articles for a now-defunct wrestling website addressed this very topic ... as there was discussion of single-semester, January-through-April college wrestling season in the early 2000s. A number of college coaches weighed in, offering their support for changes to the season structure that share some of the elements that are now being proposed. That does not mean the proposals of the Blue Ribbon Task Force should be dismissed as "nothing new." In fact, the fact that some of today's proposals had validity and currency a decade-and-a-half ago mean the time for serious consideration and implementation is now. What's next In the coming weeks, the Blue Ribbon Task Force will be presenting its findings to the NCAA, with the possibility of implementation as early as 2019, according to InterMat's T.R. Foley. Only time will tell.

Donnie Vinson RALEIGH, N.C. -- NC State head coach Pat Popolizio has announced the addition of Donnie Vinson as an assistant coach for the Wolfpack. Vinson was an All-American at 149 pounds during his collegiate career at Binghamton under Popolizio, and spent the last three years on the coaching staff at Cornell. "Donnie will bring a heightened level of energy to our program," said Popolizio. "As his former coach at Binghamton, I have been able to watch him grow as an athlete. I've been extremely impressed with his professional development, and he has proven he can help produce national champions at the Division 1 level. "Donnie brings creativity and youth with him to Raleigh, which will have a major impact on all our student-athletes. Because of his history with myself and his former teammate, Nick Gwiazdowski, the transition will be smooth as he knows and understands the #PackMentality expectations and our culture." Vinson joined the Cornell coaching staff as the program's volunteer assistant coach for the 2014-15 season, and was on staff there for three seasons, which were among the program's best ever. Vinson helped tutor three NCAA champions and two runners-up and 11 total All-Americans. Cornell qualified a school-record nine wrestlers for NCAA's in his first two years and won New York State, Ivy League and EIWA titles each year Vinson was on the sidelines. He spent the 2013-14 season as a graduate assistant at Binghamton. He helped develop a pair of NCAA qualifiers, including EIWA runner-up Cody Reed at 197 pounds, who later become just the second Bearcat wrestler in program history to advance to the NCAA quarterfinals. Binghamton had five place winners and tied for seventh in the school's debut at the EIWA Championship. Vinson is the career wins leader at Binghamton with a 132-27 record and was a two-time Colonial Athletic Association Wrestler of the Year. The 2012 All-American at 149 pounds was named the CAA Championship's Most Outstanding Wrestler as a senior and claimed the athletic department's Athlete of the Year award. He was also chosen to receive the John Bilos Alumni Award, given to the top senior male for outstanding career performances as a Bearcat. Vinson is one of just four wrestlers to defeat Kyle Dake, Cornell's four-time NCAA champion, during his collegiate career. He earned his undergraduate degree in marketing from Binghamton in 2012, and then went on to earn his master's in student affairs administration in 2014, also from Binghamton.

The Blue Ribbon Task Force (BRTF) for NCAA wrestling this week announced a proposal aimed at making sweeping changes to the Division I competition calendar. The changes, as outlined below by Andy Hamilton of Trackwrestling.com, are being presented to the NCAA in the coming weeks, and could be in place as early as the 2019 season. Official practices would begin on or around Nov. 10. Competition would kick off during the semester break. The first half of the season would feature a mixture of duals and individual tournaments leading up to March's conference tournaments and the NCAA Championships. The post-NCAA Championships portion of the season would only consist of duals. The season would culminate with a two-weekend, 16-team dual tournament held on college campuses. The bracket would be filled by conference dual champions and at-large selections. The top eight seeds would each host dual meets on the dual tournament's first weekend. The top remaining seed after the first weekend would play host to an eight-team championship bracket the following weekend. In a nutshell, the BRTF hopes to make NCAA Division I wrestling a single-semester sport, while also creating a revamped championship structure focused on end-of-the-year dual meets and separating some from the NCAA Division I basketball tournament. The ideas are not altogether new, but this is the first-time recommendations will be presented to the NCAA for implementation. According to Hamilton's article there continues to be spirited debate by the BRTF and plenty of hoops to jump through, but the members seem to all agree that these steps could help student-athletes better assimilate to the academic rigors of college life and create additional revenue for top-tier programs who qualify for the end-of-year dual meet championships. Dual meets provide a clear picture of competition for fans who currently sit outside the day-to-day of the sport. The meets are easier to televise, discuss and promote. I'm in favor of the steps taken and think that with more details will come even more support from coaches, athletes and fans. Concentrating the season into one semester and creating new ways for fans to watch the sport is a positive for our sport. To your questions … Rutgers coach Scott Goodale coaching at the Big Ten Championships (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com) Q: Rutgers has a quality team, but lots of seniors. How many classes away do you think they (or any rising program) are from sustained top-10 finishes? -- Anil C. Foley: Rutgers is well within reach of a top-10 finish by 2020. With Nick Suriano on their squad and big-name Jersey talent staying in-state they will continue to grab points at the NCAA tournament. In the right year a top-10 finish could be as few as three All-Americans with bonus points. That's very doable for Coach Goodale and Coach Pritzlaff. Q: Does wrestling have a race problem? The best U.S. wrestler alive is either Kyle Snyder or Jordan Burroughs, who is black. Yet almost every Division I roster is exclusively white (or at least 85 percent white). As a minority in Carver-Hawkeye it was made very clear that I wasn't welcome by fellow fans. (Although I am Indian, I was asked repeatedly if I was here to blow something up. Security actually asked me to leave when I made it clear to the hick next to me he was one comment away from a trip to the hospital.) I can list off five locker rooms right now I know no minority wrestler would feel comfortable in based solely on the public comments of his prospective teammates. Do coaches even care? And if not, how can the sport grow when the highest levels of wrestling aren't exactly welcoming? -- Anil C. Foley: The United States is going through a challenging time, a nation caught between opposing forces seemingly incapable of agreement on the manner in which we should treat each other. As your question illustrates, the discussions about race and class division is at the forefront of our national discourse. For better or worse, wrestling will also need to address its own deficiencies. I'm married to the daughter of Chinese immigrants, but otherwise have little personal insight into the struggle of those in minority communities. I'm a white, middle class American male living and working in New York City. I don't have to worry about being profiled by police or falling into troubling times if I lose my job. My position is one of observer, not experiential. For minorities in America there is an emerging "otherness" in the political discourse that has transformed their lives into an ongoing discussion of equality and recognition. For lovers of the American dream it's terrifying to consider that the fabric of the country is being torn apart on racial lines, and some of those affected by this turmoil are wrestlers. Listen to Jordan Burroughs on Richard Immell's Bonus Points podcast. Wrestling culture is predominantly white, middle class and rural. To your point, there does seem to be members of the community who lack sensitivity to the struggles of minorities, and there is far too much racism on the surface (as you experienced). There is never one match igniting a national controversy, but politicians and the media culture framing and enflaming disputes on everything from flags to crime to immigration are certain to share blame. We can all learn from the current discussions around race and equality, but to do so will require an open mind, and more importantly, coming in with the expectation for compassion. Compassion for those that have less, who face difficult circumstances, who have different life experiences. How much of what is bantered about on CNN and Fox News would be eliminated if the commentators gave credibility to the experience and insights of those who aren't white and middle class? Compassion is apolitical, free and helps build communities and help individuals. It can also help the wrestling community to continue its growth. We should each aim to protect everything that is American, not just the portions that make us feel nostalgic or safe. America is based on ideals of fairness and freedom. Equality is recognizing that actions protected by the constitution aren't to be discarded for political expediency, or unease. I hope that wrestling can see that its role should be to protect those who are less fortunate, not be a symbol of ideals better left in the 20th century. Q: What's up with all the decommits at Northwestern? This past week Ryan Karoly announced that he was decommitting, and this was after other top recruits like Michael Beard and Anthony Cassioppi decommitted. Is something going on with Northwestern? Or are the decommits releated to Northwestern's academic standards? -- Mike C. Foley: Ryan Karoly was unable to maintain grades necessary to get into Northwestern. These offers, especially verbal, are always contingent on meeting certain criteria -- almost like a closing in real estate. There is a time after purchase for everyone to make sure this was the correct decision. Overall, academic issues are not uncommon, especially at school with rigorous academics and admission standards. Karoly will find a new home soon. The verbal period can sometimes open recruits up to more intense focus from competing schools. I once heard a coach describe it in terms of picking up girls when he was younger. He said he'd always focus on girls with boyfriends because it reduced his competition from "every other dude in the bar to just her boyfriend." It's a somewhat crass analogy, but that thinking is what guides some coaches, especially those who are desperate to fill holes in their recruiting needs. Northwestern is doing just fine with recruiting and even more so with hiring top level coaches to develop their young athletes. Things are looking up for the gang in Evanston. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Link: When athletes share infections Nicole Chung penned an essay about speaking to her parents about race in the time of Trump. It's a powerful insight into the fear that many Americans have that their fellow countrymen see white as American and non-whites -- especially Latinos and Asian-Americans -- as others. Q: 2006 NCAAs at 174 pounds: 1. Ben Askren (two-time champ four-time finalist) 2. Jake Herbert (two-time champ, four-time All-American) 3. Mark Perry (two-time champ, four-time All-American) Perry and Herbert were both three-time finalists, along with third-place finishes. Can you think of a better 1, 2, 3 finish? -- Smeadium Foley: Better? Hmm. Probably not as stacked, but I'd offer up 149 pounds in 2008 for some comparison. 1. Brent Metcalf (two-time champ, three-time All-American) 2. Bubba Jenkins (one-time champ, two-time All-American) 3. Jordan Burroughs (two-time champ, four-time All-American) Q: Do you think PSU or Ohio State shuts Iowa out this year? -- @Bpaynecpa727 Foley: You're obviously trying to get me banned from the Freestyle World Cup in Iowa City. It won't work. No. Neither of these teams will shut out the Hawkeyes. I don't see much hope of Iowa beating Ohio State or Penn State, but a Brands-led team will never roll over. Iowa should find wins between top-level talent like Brandon Sorensen, Michael Kemerer, Alex Marinelli, and potentially a non-redshirted Spencer Lee. Also, Iowa will always have a Jesse Whitmer on their squad, a guy who with an ass pat and go get 'em could upset any wrestler not named Kyle Snyder. Q: Based on the early entry list for U23 World Team Trials, what matchup are you most looking forward to seeing? -- Mike C. Foley: I'm most interested in seeing NATO! He is a little stiff at times, but I want to see how he handles the international crowd. Also, Imar could do a lot of work for Team USA once he makes it to the world stage. Getting there will be fun to watch. I'm also interested in watching some of the Greco-Roman weight classes where I don't know as many of the athletes. Same with the women. It's actually the reason I love the U23 concept -- that we as fans get more access to the next tier of talents who would otherwise do most of their toiling in regional tournaments and in their respective wrestling rooms. Q: Do you ever see freestyle replacing folkstyle at the high school and college level? -- @Jagger712 Foley: Never say never, but I'd find it a heavy lift to convince American wrestling fans, coaches and wrestlers to switch from folkstyle to freestyle. One of the many issues a transition would face is the reluctance of the American wrestling community to have rules written by a governing body based in Switzerland. To be beholden to that rule set with no input is simply a non-starter. The other major issue would be figuring out when to start that process. Imagine if the years stated was 2020 and a wrestler on the team you support won the 2019 NCAA championship in folkstyle. Seems that nobody would want to see that change. Besides, the USA is world champions. Don't change a thing! Q: I continue to enjoy your columns. However, I am disturbed by the increasing number of angry and irrational dunces spouting hatred and taking cheap shots at you each week. I oppose censorship but wonder if it would it be possible for InterMat to block inappropriate comments. There have been many since November 2016. -- Russ T. Foley: Thanks for the kind words. I mostly ignore the hatred of the comments section. I like the dialogue, but you're right that it gets hijacked by a few commenters. In that same vein I recently decided to tune out much of Twitter. There was a time when straightening out rules changes, or giving an opinion on some event seemed to do good, but nowadays those instances are becoming rarer. I still read what's being said, but my motivation to fight for truths online has been trampled by another motivation -- the motivation to not deal with trolls.

Ed Ruth (Photo/Bellator) Last month, wrestling fans learned that Penn State would be hosting Bellator 186 mixed martial arts event in November, featuring wrestling alums Ed Ruth and Phil Davis. Now those two all-time Nittany Lion mat greats have learned who they will be facing at the event to be held Friday, Nov. 3 at Bryce Jordan Center on the Penn State campus. Ed Ruth, three-time NCAA champ, will go up against Chris Dempsey in a middleweight (185-pound) bout ... while 2009 NCAA titlewinner Phil Davis will face Leonardo Leite in a light-heavyweight (205-pound) fight. Ruth, who made his pro MMA debut last November, is now 3-0, with all those wins by TKO. Prior to entering MMA, Ruth became the first three-time NCAA Division I champ in the long history of Penn State wrestling, winning the 174-pound championship in 2012, and back-to-back titles at 184 in 2013 and 2014. Dempsey is a western Pennsylvania native with an amateur mat background as an NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Pittsburgh-Johnstown. Dempsey got off to a great start in MMA, posting a 10-0 record before stumbling somewhat when he started competing in the UFC. His record is now 11-5. Davis had been Bellator light-heavyweight champ until last June when he fell to Ryan Bader, former Arizona State All-American wrestler. "Mr. Wonderful" brings a 17-4 (with one no-contest) record to his match at Penn State, where he'll be facing Bellator newcomer Leo Leite, whose background is judo. Prior to signing with Bellator, Leite compiled a perfect 10-0 record in his four-year pro MMA career, capturing the Legacy FC middleweight and light heavyweight belts along the way. The top-of-the-card bout at Bellator 186 will feature Ryan Bader defending his title against Linton Vassell. A second title fight will feature Ilima MacFarlane taking on Emily Ducote in a rematch for the vacant women's flyweight title. Bellator 186 is believed to be the first pro MMA event to be held on a major college campus.

A 20-year-old student who grew up in the Atlanta area and was a member of his wrestling team in high school and college was shot and killed while attending a party in southern Georgia. Stevenson Derival was killed this past weekend in an off-campus party in Mount Vernon, Ga., home to Brewton-Parker College where he was a wrestler. Stevenson Derival Mount Vernon Police Chief Calvin Burns says at least 200 people were at the party and fled when gunfire rang out early Sunday morning. Derival was hit and later died. No one has been arrested in Derival's death. The Georgia Bureau of Investigation is assisting Mount Vernon police in solving the crime. Born in Haiti, Stevenson Derival was a 2015 graduate of Towers High in DeKalb County in suburban Atlanta, where he was on the wrestling team and participated in track and field. Derival continued his involvement in those two sports at Brewton-Parker College. The junior wrestled at 174 pounds for the private, four-year Christian school located approximately 165 miles southeast of Atlanta. He was majoring in criminal justice. Within hours of the fatal shooting of the student-athlete, Brewton-Parker College president Steve Echols posted this message on the school's Facebook page. "Please pray for the family of Stevenson Derival who passed away early this morning in a tragic off-campus incident. We are all shocked and broken-hearted to see a friend and student whose life held such promise to be cut short in such a devastating way." Demonte Parker, a fellow student at Brewton-Parker, said this of his classmate. "(He) was one of the best wrestlers. He had a good spirit, a good heart." Brewton-Parker College has a student enrollment of approximately 800. The school's wrestling program and other sports compete in NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics).

As the college wrestling season is about to gear up, this week's Takedown TV gets you ready for the action by featuring these guests: One-on-one with North Carolina State head wrestling coach Pat Popolizio Tom Brands provides an overview of the 2017-18 Iowa Hawkeye roster A.J. Schopp discusses his move from South Dakota State to Purdue University Rutgers head coach Scott Goodale talks about the Scarlet Knights' recent milestone, and upcoming event at Yankee Stadium One-on-one with Ferrum College's new women's head coach, Jessica Medina Watch online or on these cable networks/channels: Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Comcast Cable: Friday at 5 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4 p.m. KCWI 23: Saturday 4 p.m. KWEM Stillwater, Oklahoma: Tuesday 7 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. Long Lines Cable: daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10 a.m. and Sunday at 9 a.m. SECV8: Friday at 5 p.m. Suddenlink Cable: Check your local listings. Multiple air times. Time Warner Cable Sports: Saturday at 12 p.m. Western Reserve Cable: Tuesday at 11 p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 10 p.m.

While there is a strong element of consistency and stability within the top reaches of the InterMat Fab 50 national high school team rankings, there is a certain degree of year-to-year turnover in the rankings. In the final rankings of the 2016-17 season, there were 15 teams in the rankings that had not ended the 2015-16 season nationally ranked. While at the end of the 2015-16 season, 26 teams (one more than half) had not been ranked at the end of 2014-15. The rankings at the end of 2011-12 through 2014-15 each had 18 or 19 teams in them that had not been ranked at the end of the previous season. Since there is for sure to be turnover in the rankings, let's take a look at ten of the teams that could provide a degree of "newness" to the national team rankings. Christian Brothers College, Mo. This is a top-heavy squad that features some high-impact wrestlers, though their balance -- one through fourteen -- is a question mark. The Cadets will be anchored by returning state champions Malik Johnson, Joshua Saunders, and Emille Shannon; all of whom are elite wrestlers within their respective grade levels nationally. Additional high impact wrestlers include nationally elite freshman Vincent Zerban and returning state runner-up Cevion Severado, a Junior World runner-up in Greco-Roman. Returning state placer Kyle Prewitt along with upper-weight state qualifiers Charlie Cadell and Faze Thomas provide additional breadth for the Cadets. Columbia, Idaho This past season, the Wildcats took back supremacy in Idaho's big school division from Post Falls, who ended the 2015-16 season as a nationally ranked team. Headed into 2017-18, Columbia will return four of their five state champions from last season: Angel Rios, Kekana Fouret, Kade Grigsby, and Nathan Clements. Five additional state placers from last year will be on this year's Wildcats squad: fourth place finisher Michael Scott; fifth place finishers Levi Cluff, Michael Cox, and Skylar Hughes; along with sixth place finisher Daniel Ivko. Davison, Mich. One has to go back more than ten years to see the peak of the Cardinals wrestling program under Roy Hall when a quartet of future NCAA qualifiers were assembled on the same team: Paul Donahoe, Brent Metcalf, Trevor Perry, and Jon Reader. Even with that the case, they've been a high-level contender for state titles over the subsequent years, and have ended a pair of recent seasons ranked nationally (2012-13 and 2013-14). This year's team returns ten state qualifiers, and an eleventh with state tournament experience. Davison will be led by returning state champion A.J. Facundo, returning state third place finishers Andrew Chambal and Brian Case, along with freshman phenom Alex Facundo. Additional returning state placers include Steven Garty, Jaron Wilson, Cal Stefanko, and Brian Gilmore; returning state qualifiers include Marc Shaeffer, Jay Nivison, and Trevor McGowan; while Gabe Ellis qualified for state in 2016. Nicolas Aguilar is the nation's No. 90 senior recruit (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Gilroy, Calif. While the Mustangs have been ranked at various points over recent seasons, they have never ended a season as a nationally ranked team. This year's squad is positioned to make that change. Three top 100 seniors -- Nicolas Aguilar, Alex Felix, and Tony Andrade -- anchor the lineup, while Joseph Barnes is a returning state place finisher and Juan Villarreal placed at state in 2016. Additional returning state qualifiers include Chase Saldate, Daniel Viczarra, John Fox, Nathan Villarreal, and Nicholas Villarreal; with Joseph Delgado having qualified for state the two previous seasons. Howell, N.J. This program on the rise has advanced to the state final four in three of the last four years, including this past season's state dual meet title. The Rebels won the Shore Conference Tournament (dual meet format) this past season for the second time in four years; and on the individual side of things repeated as district champions, a fifth title in six years. Headed into this season, they return a pair of state medalists in state runner-up Kyle Slendorn and Darby Diedrich; Slendorn is a top 100 overall senior nationally. Five others advanced to state last year: Luke Roda, Daniel Esposito, Xavier Kelly, Christian Murphy, and Shane Reitsma. LaSalle, Ohio (Cincinnati) The Lancers made their names known nationally in late January of last season when they upset St. Edward in a dual meet up in the Cleveland area, even though the Eagles had a short-handed lineup. They cracked the national rankings after advancing to the state dual meet quarterfinals, but dropped out of the rankings after a somewhat disappointing ninth place finish at the individual state tournament. Ryan Root moves over from Mason, who was nationally ranked last season, to take over for Avery Zerkle as head coach. This year's squad will be anchored by two-time state placer Lucas Byrd, a Cadet World team participant in Greco-Roman. Five other wrestlers return with state experience: state placers Blake Wilson and Garrett Bledsoe along with state qualifiers Antoine Allen, Trey Sizemore, and Michael Baker; another pair of wrestlers to watch are Cadet freestyle All-American Dustin Norris and Flo Nationals placer Elan Heard. Parkersburg South, W.Va. Those around the Patriots wrestling program thought last season would be the year that national rankings contention became reality. However, that was not to be as early season injuries put that out of the question. While three state champions were lost to graduation, this team brings in two star wrestlers that were not part of the state championship team last year: two-time Cadet double champion Braxton Amos (injured last year) and three-time state champion Josh Humphreys (transfer in). Two of last year's five state champions return for the Patriots, Luke Martin (a two-time champ) and Mikey Shamblin. Three additional state runners-up from last year return: Brayden Roberts, Zane Hinzman, and Louden Haga. Additional returning state medalists are Tucker Windland, Ian Irizarry, and Drew Dunbar; while state qualifier Jarritt Flinn placed at state in 2016. Portage, Ind. The Indians started the 2016-17 season as a nationally ranked team, but dropped out within the season's first month. This year's team led by head coach Leroy Vega features four returning state placers, led by Kris Rumph and Kasper McIntosh, who have state finals appearances to their credit; while Brock Peele and Colin Poynter placed fourth this past season. Jacob Moran placed at state in 2016, but was ineligible this past season; while Jeremy Torres and Anthony Maceo are upper-weights who qualified for state last season. Simley head wrestling coach Will Short at Minnesota's state tournament (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) Simley, Minn. Before Kasson-Mantorville won Class 2A state the last two seasons, the Spartans were on a run of seven state titles in eight seasons. Simley also was a nationally ranked team at the end of the 2011, 2012, and 2013 seasons. Anchoring this year's squad are three returning state champions, Jake Gliva, Anthony Jackson, and Daniel Kerkvliet; Gliva is a top 100 senior, while Jackson and Kerkvliet are inside the top ten nationally in the junior class. Another pair of Spartans return as state placers, incoming freshmen Cael Berg and Ryan Sokol; Sokol is the No. 2 overall Class of 2021 wrestler nationally. Four others were state qualifiers last year: Luis Fierro and Quayin Short, along with upper-weights Brad Dohmen and Luke Zaiser; while Anthony Dawson was a state qualifier in 2015 and 2016. South Dade, Fla. The Buccaneers are one of the best programs in the Southeastern United States, but have just ended one of the last seven seasons ranked nationally, No. 35 in the 2015. This past season marked a fourth straight state title, and 12th in all for the perennial power. Leading this year's squad are returning state champions Bretli Reyna and Brevin Balmeceda, who is a top ten overall junior nationally. Five other wrestlers return as state placement finishers: runner-up Todd Perry, fourth place finisher Mikaelle Fundara, fifth place finishers Christian Morales and Corey Harvey, along with sixth placer Tyler Orta-Khawly.

Defiance College in northwest Ohio is seeking a head coach for a wrestling program to take to the mats for the first time in the 2018-19 season, the website d3wrestle.com reported Tuesday. Established in 1850, Defiance College is a private, liberal arts school with approximately 1,000 students. The school is located in the town of Defiance, in the northwest corner of Ohio near the Indiana border, about an hour southwest of Toledo. The Yellow Jackets wrestling program will compete in NCAA Division III and the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Schools within the HCAC which already feature intercollegiate wrestling programs include Mount Saint Joseph University in Cincinnati, and Manchester University in Manchester, Ind. According to the job description posted at d3wrestle.com, responsibilities for the head coaching position at Defiance College include “all duties normally associated with being the head coach of an intercollegiate wrestling program including, but not limited to, recruiting, coaching, budget management, organization of training, practices and competitions, academic monitoring and other duties as assigned.” “Candidates must demonstrate significant knowledge of wrestling, proven success in coaching wrestling at the collegiate or high school level, the ability to recruit, develop and motivate Division III student-athletes, a strong commitment to the academic success of student-athletes, knowledge of and commitment to all NCAA, HCAC and institutional rules and regulations, good communication skills, and strong leadership. A bachelor's degree (master's preferred) and valid driver's license are required. Review of applications for this full-time, 10-month August 1-May 31 position (with an immediate start date this first year) will begin immediately and continue until position is filled.” Candidates are encouraged to send a complete resume with cover letter, along with contact information of four references, via email to mcall@defiance.edu. Defiance becomes the third NCAA Division III college in the state of Ohio to announce new wrestling programs this year, joining Wilmington College and Ohio Wesleyan. In addition, just last month, Urbana University, a Division II school in western Ohio, announced it was hiring a head coach for a new wrestling program.

John Harmon, a National Wrestling Hall of Fame Governors Associate who received the Lifetime Service to Wrestling Award from the New Jersey Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014, passed away on Tuesday, at the age of 80 years old. "On behalf of our Board of Governors and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, we extend our sincere sympathies to John's wife, Elaine, their daughters, Debbie and Wendy, and his family and friends," said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. "John was a significant member of our board for nearly two decades, and generously blessed our organization and the sport with his time, talents and treasure. He will always be remembered and loved by the Hall of Fame for his wisdom, philanthropy and concern for preserving our sport's heritage." John HarmonHarmon, who was a member of the Board of Governors from 1996-2013, was one of the original contributors to an endowment fund created for the Hall of Fame in 2007, making a $500,000 pledge. He was also instrumental in helping the Hall of Fame get funding in 2009 for its "Glory Beyond the Sport: Wrestling and the Military" book and exhibit at the museum, and was co-founder and treasurer of the New Jersey Chapter. "The Hall of Fame is our heritage and it needs to be preserved," said Harmon at the time. "Everybody knows who the national champions were last year, but what about 40 or 50 years ago. The Hall of Fame is the repository for that information." Harmon became a wrestling fan while attending Lehigh University, where he received his bachelor's degree in mathematics in 1959. He founded and published the EIWA Newsletter, which was recognized as Wrestling Publication of the Year in 2001 by the National Wrestling Media Association, from 1990-2013, and was co-author of the History of Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association. He received the Bob Dellinger Wrestling Writer of the Year award in 2012, presented annually to the nation's top wrestling journalist. He was director of sports information for the EIWA while also serving on the EIWA Hall of Fame Board of Directors and as a liaison between the NCAA and working media at the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships from 1998-2006. "John Harmon never stepped on the mat as a wrestler, but the impact he had on our sport and will continue to have on our sport through his endowment to the Hall of Fame is immeasurable," said Terry Shockley, Chairman of the Board of Governors. "John loved wrestling, and he understood the importance of preserving its history. He was also someone who was willing to do whatever was necessary for wrestling, particularly to help it grow." He and his wife, Elaine, funded the renovation of Grace Hall, the notorious wrestling venue at Lehigh known at the Snake Pit, and they were also instrumental in helping to fund the Caruso Wrestling Complex, named in honor of Mike Caruso, who was inducted as a Distinguished Member by the Hall of Fame in 1991. The Harmons also supported the head wrestling coach endowment and the John J. Harmon '59 Wrestling Scholarship as well as the building of Goodman Stadium and the Oberkotter Memorial Endowment Fund. He worked throughout his life as a programmer and systems analyst for various Fortune 500 companies, including Mutual Life, New York Central Railroad, Schenley Industries, Olivetti Corporation and Iowa Pacific Holdings, where he was a member of its Board of Directors. He was a member of the National Railroad Historical Society and a representative to TEFS Limited, a group that organizes tours for the study of operating steam power railways. Harmon also served on the Lawrence Township Board of Education and served as president of the Mercer County School Board Association. Update 9/28/17 There will be a memorial service on Sunday, Oct. 1, at 2:30 p.m., at Poulson & Van Hise, 650 Lawrenceville Road, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, 08648. There will be a reception immediately following at Mountain View Golf Club, 850 Bear Tavern Road, Ewing, New Jersey, 08628. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Clyde F Barker Transplant House at http://ow.ly/2NUY30ftDvU

Women's wrestling will become Tiffin University's 26th NCAA Division II intercollegiate varsity sport beginning in the 2018-19 season. Women's wrestling will be TU's 13th women's sport. The women's wrestling team, which will host matches in the Gillmor Student Center, will compete as an emerging sport in the NCAA. Men's wrestling head coach Joey Simcoe has been named Director of Wrestling Operations. He will be actively involved as Tiffin University opens a nationwide search for a women's wrestling head coach. Tiffin University will compete in the Women's Collegiate Wrestling Association. The WCWA serves as the governing body for women's college wrestling as it grows as an emerging NCAA sport. There are 30 college teams that are current members. The league follows International Freestyle Rules. "We are thankful to President Lillian Schumacher and Athletic Director Lonny Allen for having the foresight to see the possibilities," said Simcoe. "It shows how much the school believes in wrestling not just in this area but also nationally and what it can mean for the area and the student-athletes. We are excited to be the first collegiate women's wresting program in Ohio and look forward to continued growth with other schools in our sport." "We are excited to add women's wrestling as our 26th varsity sport," said Lonny Allen, Athletic Director. "Women's wrestling is rapidly growing across the nation on the youth and high school levels, and there are still limited opportunities for competing at the college level. We believe we are well situated to take advantage of that growth. We believe this addition provides these student-athletes with the chance to continue their athletic pursuits while obtaining a top notch education at Tiffin University."

Bill Nelson -- three-time NCAA wrestling champ, 1948 Olympian and wrestling coach who passed away Saturday in Arizona at age 90 -- will be honored with two services, including a memorial service in Arizona, and a traditional funeral in Iowa. Bill Nelson The memorial service in the state which Nelson called home will take place Friday, Sept. 29 at 11 a.m. at the Christ Church United Methodist on Craycroft in Tucson, Ariz. A funeral for William J. Nelson will be held Monday, Oct. 2 at 11 a.m. Central in his hometown of Eagle Grove, Iowa at the United Methodist Church, 421 West Broadway Street. Cards and letters of condolence may be sent to Bill Nelson's family at 10334 West Willowbrook, Sun City, Ariz. 85373. Nelson was a highly accomplished amateur wrestler. Wrestling for Eagle Grove High, he won an Iowa state title in 1945 (along with his late brother Dale). He continued his academic and athletic career at was then Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa), where he won three individual NCAA championships: the 165-pound title in 1947 as a freshman, then back-to-back titles at 155 in 1949 and 1950. (As a sophomore, Nelson suffered an injury at the 1948 NCAAs and withdrew from competition, thus missing out on the opportunity to possibly become the first four-time NCAA wrestling champ, a distinction earned by Oklahoma State's Pat Smith four decades later.) Nelson earned a place on the U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team for the 1948 London Games, but sustained an injury and was unable to take to the mats. (In his place, alternate Leland Merrill of Michigan State won the bronze medal for the U.S. at 73 kilograms/160.5 pounds.) After concluding his on-the-mat career in 1950, Nelson launched a coaching career that spanned more than three decades, first at high schools in the Midwest, then taking the helm of the wrestling program at University of Arizona. The National Wrestling Hall of Fame paid tribute to Bill Nelson who was welcomed into the Stillwater, Okla. Hall as a Distinguished Member in 1980. "On behalf of our Board of Governors and the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, we extend our sincere sympathies to Bill's wife, Violet, and his family, friends, former wrestlers and students," said Executive Director Lee Roy Smith. "Bill was a trailblazing hero to those who watched him compete at Iowa Teachers College and in freestyle. He was equally admired for trying to grow the sport throughout the United States as a high school and college coach."

Award-winning wrestling journalists Andy Hamilton and Mike Finn will go On The Mat on Wednesday, Sept. 27. Andy Hamilton and Mike FinnTrackwrestling.com's Hamilton, and Finn, editor of WIN (Wrestling Insider Newsmagazine), will offer a preview of the upcoming wrestling season for the mat programs at University of Iowa, Iowa State, and University of Northern Iowa. On The Mat is a presentation of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Dan Gable Museum. The show can be heard live on the Internet at 1650thefan.com or locally in Northeast Iowa this Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments.

Kika Kagata headlines the Japan women's team at Beat the Streets (Photo/Richard Immel) LOS ANGELES -- International women's wrestling power Japan will bring a young, dynamic team to compete against the United States at the Beat the Streets Los Angeles 4th Annual Benefit being held at the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center on October 29. The friendly exhibition will feature 10 bouts between the top two women's wrestling programs in the world. The newly established weight categories, as announced last month by United World Wrestling, will be utilized for the competition. Five of the 10 Japanese women expected to compete in Los Angeles have won a gold medal at either the Cadet or Junior World Championships. Three others have won a World-level medal in the Cadet or Junior division. Headlining for Japan is reigning Junior World champion Kika Kagata at 50 kg/110 lbs. Kagata went unchallenged at the Junior World Championships held in Tampere, Finland, last month, downing all of her competitors by either technical fall or pin. She is a three-time Cadet World champion and two-time Junior Asian champion. Two-time Junior World champion and Cadet World champion Rino Abo will represent Japan at 76 kg/167 lbs. Abo has not competed internationally in 2017, but does own a silver medal from the 2016 Asian Championships. Three of Japan's middleweights have a Cadet World title on their resume. 55 kg/121 lbs. entrant Andoria Hanako Sawa and 62 kg/136 lbs. combatant Atena Kodama secured gold at the 2016 Cadet Worlds in Tbilisi, Georgia. Yoshimi Kayama, who will compete at 57 kg/125 lbs., was a 2012 Cadet World champion and 2015 Junior World silver medalist. Kayama also won a silver medal at the 2015 Asian Championships. Kiwa Sakae, a 2015 World Team member for Japan, will take the mat at 59 kg/130 lbs. She was a Junior World bronze medalist three years ago. A pair of past Cadet World runners-up are slated to compete for Japan at 65 kg/143 lbs. and 72 kg/158 lbs. Miwa Morikawa won Cadet World silver in 2016 and was a Cadet Asian champion in 2015. Mei Shindo doubled as a Cadet World silver medalist, making the finals in 2013 and 2015. Rounding out the list of Japanese competitors are Mai Hayakawa at 68 kg/150 lbs. and Yuri Yonamine at 53 kg/116 lbs. Both women have represented Japan at the Junior World Championships, but were unable to grab a medal. Hayakawa did earn a bronze medal at this year's Junior Asian Championships. The U.S. lineup for the Beat the Streets Los Angeles 4th Annual Benefit will be announced in the coming weeks. The competition serves not only as an excellent opportunity to highlight women's wrestling, but also to showcase Los Angeles as host of the 2028 Olympics. Furthermore, BTSLA will honor Anita DeFrantz, Olympic athlete and International Olympic Committee member, with its inaugural Leaders in Sport Award. All proceeds of the 4th Annual Benefit Weekend will be directed to BTSLA's programming efforts. The nonprofit's signature program features wrestling events alongside leadership-building activities and personal mentoring in 24 schools and neighborhood training centers. In addition, BTSLA operates a summer Futures Camp and Downtown Los Angeles Wrestling Academy. Over 650 boys and girls annually benefit from these offerings. For more information or to purchase tickets, please visit www.btsla.org. BEAT THE STREETS LOS ANGELES 4TH ANNUAL BENEFIT At Los Angeles, October 29 Event Schedule 3 p.m. - Japan vs. United States at Japanese American Cultural & Community Center 5:30 p.m. - Benefit celebration at Japanese American National Museum Japan Roster 50 kg/110 lbs. - Kika Kagata 53 kg/116 lbs. - Yuri Yonamine 55 kg/121 lbs. - Andoria Hanako Sawa 57 kg/125 lbs. - Yoshimi Kayama 59 kg/130 lbs. - Kiwa Sakae 62 kg/136 lbs. - Atena Kodama 65 kg/143 lbs. - Miwa Morikawa 68 kg/150 lbs. - Mai Hayakawa 72 kg/158 lbs. - Mei Shindo 76 kg/167 lbs. - Rino Abo Team Leader and Head Coach - Toshihiro Naritomi Assistant Coach - Kazuhide Tomida Assistant Coach - Yayoi Odagaki About Beat the Streets Los Angeles Beat the Streets Los Angeles (BTSLA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that cultivates sports-based youth development in underserved neighborhoods throughout the greater Los Angeles area. The only organization in Los Angeles of its kind, Beat the Streets' mission is to empower and transform the lives of youth through the sport of wrestling. About USA Wrestling USA Wrestling is the National Governing Body for the Sport of Wrestling in the United States and, as such, is its representative to the United States Olympic Committee and United World Wrestling, the international wrestling federation. Simply, USA Wrestling is the central organization that coordinates amateur wrestling programs in the nation and works to create interest and participation in these programs. It has over 220,000 members across the nation, boys and girls, men and women of all ages, representing all levels of the sport. Its president is Bruce Baumgartner, and its Executive Director is Rich Bender. More information can be found at TheMat.com.

Bill Nelson presented with National Wrestling Hall of Fame plaque (Photo/NWHOF) Bill Nelson, three-time NCAA wrestling champion for Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) and 1948 U.S. Olympic team member who went on to coach at the high school and collegiate level, passed away Saturday, Sept. 23 in Sun City, Ariz. He was one month shy of his 91st birthday. Bill NelsonWilliam J. Nelson was born on Oct. 24, 1926 in Jewell, Iowa, the son of Harry and Fern Nelson. He wrestled at Eagle Grove High School in north-central Iowa, where he was a three-time placer at the Iowa state wrestling championships, winning the heavyweight title at the 1945 tournament. After graduating from high school, Nelson headed east to ISTC/UNI to wrestle for head coach Dave McCuskey, joining a team which included, among others, Bill Koll (three-time NCAA champ and future UNI/Penn State coach) and Bob Siddens (future Waterloo West (Iowa Iowa coach who mentored Dan Gable). It was at Northern Iowa where Nelson won three NCAA individual championships: the 165-pound title in 1947 as a freshman, then back-to-back titles at 155 in 1949 and 1950. While wrestling for the Panthers, Nelson was undefeated in dual competition. A national magazine named Nelson the nation's outstanding amateur wrestler in 1950, his senior year. Bill Nelson was a key component in Northern Iowa winning the team title at the 1950 NCAAs held on the school's Cedar Falls campus. Five Panthers made it to the finals; Nelson was one of three home team heroes to win individual titles at the Men's Gymnasium (now West Gym), joined by Keith Young at 145 pounds, and Bill Smith at 165. Nelson won National AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) freestyle titles his last two years at Northern Iowa. Bill Nelson's college alma mater paid tribute to one of the school's all-time great athletes on social media. "Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Panther great Bill Nelson, 3x NCAA wrestling champion for #PantherTrain," University of Northern Iowa Wrestling posted on its Facebook page Sunday. "Mr. Nelson died Sept. 23 at the age of 90." Bill Nelson on a ship on his way to the 1948 London Olympics (Photo/NWHOF)While an injury during the 1948 NCAAs denied Nelson the chance for a national title that year, he was able to wrestle at the U.S. Olympic Trials, winning the title and earning a place on the 1948 Olympic freestyle team. However, injury got in the way of Nelson competing in London; alternate Olympian Leland Merrill of Michigan State won the bronze medal for the U.S. at 73 kilograms/160.5 pounds at the 1948 London Games. After graduating from what is now UNI, Nelson launched a coaching career in both high school and college that spanned three decades. He started at Brighton High School in Colorado (1953-55); Osage High School in Iowa (1955-57); and Michigan's Kalamazoo Central High School (1957-63). A decade of coaching at the high school level prepared Nelson to take the step up to the collegiate ranks. He served as head wrestling coach of the now-defunct mat program at the University of Arizona from 1963-1983. While at the Tucson-based school, Nelson coached six NCAA All-Americans, leading the Wildcats to seven NCAA top 20 finishes. He was also instrumental in getting the NCAAs to hold their 1976 championships at Arizona, the first time the Nationals had been held in the southwest U.S. A dozen years after leaving Arizona, Nelson returned to coaching, working as a volunteer assistant at Bondurant-Farrar High School in Iowa in the 1990s. "More than that, I think over the period of 30 years of coaching I influenced a lot of kids, helped a lot of kids," Nelson told the Des Moines Register upon being welcomed into the newspaper's Sports Hall of Fame in 1996. "To me that's more important than anything else. I remember taking kids that were discipline problems, getting them out for wrestling and they became good citizens." Bill Nelson's brother Don shared these thoughts with InterMat: "My brother Bill was an outstanding wrestler and human being, he will be truly missed by his family and friends. He was a wrestling hero to me and to the young men he coached during his coaching tenure." For all his accomplishments as a wrestler and coach, Nelson was welcomed into a number of halls of fame, including the Helms National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 1963, the Arizona Wrestling Hall of Fame (1977), the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Iowa Wrestling Hall of Fame (both in 1980), and the University of Northern Iowa Athletic Hall of Fame in 1987. In addition to his brother Don, Bill Nelson is survived by his wife of 70 years, Violet; two sons (William D. and Bruce); two daughters (Leanne and Lori); and numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He was preceded in death by his parents and his younger brother Dale -- like Bill, a 1945 Iowa state champ -- who was killed in a car crash in 1946.

Junior National freestyle All-American Justin McCoy (Chestnut Ridge, Pa.), also a state champion during the past high school season, verbally committed to the University of Virginia on Sunday evening. The No. 49 overall wrestler in the 2018 class is also a three-time state placer, along with placing third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals and fifth at the Flo Nationals this past spring. McCoy joins No. 74 Joey Baughman (Wadsworth, Ohio) as a top 100 commit for the Cavaliers, and projects to compete collegiately as a 157/165.

Garrett College will add intercollegiate wrestling to its sports lineup in the 2018-19 academic year, the school in western Maryland announced this week. With this news, Garrett will be the first wrestling program in the Maryland Junior College Athletic Conference, offering high school wrestlers seeking a two-year school the opportunity to continue their on-the-mat careers in the state. Garrett College offers other advantages, including on-campus housing, as well as proposed sports management and exercise science degrees for student-athletes seeking those career options as a way to stay connected with sports long after graduation. The school is making a significant investment in the new wrestling program, with plans to hire a head coach who will have full-time responsibilities within the athletic department as well as a second athletic trainer. The college's target date for having a coach in place is no later than November 1st so that the coach can spend the 2017-18 high school wrestling season recruiting for next year's squad. "We intend to commit the resources necessary to run a successful wrestling program and ensure we have the athletic training resources to cover three winter sports," said Garrett College president Dr. Richard Midcap. "The only way I was interested in expanding athletics was if we did it the right way. In addition, our financial projections indicate the program actually begins to generate a profit with 14 additional full-time students enrolled -- and we expect to enroll at least 20 wrestlers who would not otherwise have attended GC." According to the official announcement, Garrett plans to recruit from Maryland, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania. The new wrestling program at Garrett College will join existing teams in men's and women's basketball, baseball and softball, women's volleyball, and golf. "Garrett College has a rich tradition of athletic success," said Gibson. "We expect to write another chapter in that success story with the addition of wrestling." Garrett College is a two-year, state college located in the town of McHenry in western Maryland. Founded in 1967 as Garrett Community College, GC has an enrollment of approximately 4,500. The new Lakers wrestling program will compete in the NJCAA (National Junior College Athletic Association).

James Cox, psychiatrist who wrestled at Ursinus College in the 1940s -- and was the father of current Ursinus assistant coach Lee Cox -- passed away Sept. 12. He was 90. Cox, who led the staff of the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital in Philadelphia and founded the University City Swim Club, died last week at Bryn Mawr Hospital from complications caused by diabetes. James CoxJames Lee Dolan Cox was born June 16, 1927, in New York City, but moved as a child to Philadelphia, where his family traces its roots back to the mid-1600s. He was raised in Philadelphia and later in Ocean City, N.J. With an older brother serving in the military during World War II, Cox entered Valley Forge Military Academy, Class of 1944, with the idea of receiving an appointment to West Point. Unable to do so, he went instead to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., arriving in 1945 as the war ended. Three years later, he transferred to Ursinus College in Collegetown, Pa. -- about 30 miles west of Philadelphia -- to prepare for medical school. At Ursinus, Cox was captain of the 1949 wrestling team. That year, he was the 142-pound titlewinner at the Mid-Atlantic Conference championships and was named the conference's Outstanding Wrestler. Cox crafted an undefeated record at Ursinus. He later competed at the Olympic wrestling trials. Cox was later inducted into the Ursinus College Hall of Fame in 2002. In 1949, Cox graduated from Ursinus and became a medical student at what today is the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania. While there he met his future wife Nancy Christie. The two married in 1953, the year he graduated. Cox spent many years as chief of staff and president of the staff at the Institute of Pennsylvania Hospital. One of his sons, Lee, now an assistant wrestling coach at Ursinus, told the Philadelphia Inquirer that his father chose to work with some of the hardest-to-reach patients, especially juveniles diagnosed with schizophrenia, paranoia, or depression. In addition to his medical work, James Cox was a driving force in getting the University City Swim Club -- an integrated facility -- built in Philadelphia in the mid-1960s, and was ardent supporter of BalletX, a venture launched by his daughter Christine. In addition to his son Lee and daughter Christine, Cox is survived by daughters Linda and Barbara; son Eric; a brother; a sister; and eight grandchildren. Services were held Saturday, Sept 22. Contributions may be made in memory of Dr. James L.D. Cox to BalletX, 265 S. Broad St., Philadelphia, PA 19107 or submitted online at balletx.org/donate.

It was a split outcome for former amateur wrestlers at Bellator 183 at SAP Center in San Jose Saturday night, as one-time prep wrestling phenom Aaron Pico celebrated his 21st birthday with a brutal first-round knockout, redeeming himself from suffering a similar fate in his professional mixed martial arts debut this summer ... while past collegiate mat star Benson Henderson lost on a split decision in the main event. Pico makes up for debut loss ... Aaron PicoAaron Pico, who passed on a promising collegiate wrestling career by signing with Bellator at age 18, had a disastrous pro MMA debut back in June, submitted with a guillotine choke in just 24 seconds by veteran Zack Freeman in New York City. Pico's second Bellator fight went much better than his first. He redeemed himself at Bellator 183, picking up "a highlight-reel knockout in the opening round," to quote MMAJunkie.com. Pico -- a high school state wrestling champ who made it to the finals of the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials -- knocked Justin Linn out cold with "a picture-perfect left hook" at 3:45 of Round 1, for the 21-year-old's first victory of his MMA career. Another wrestler-turned-emerging MMA star, Penn State three-time NCAA champ Ed Ruth, weighed in on Pico's performance, tweeting, "With a nasty left hook, Aaron Pico has a stun gun in his knuckles. Congrats on the win!!!" That knockout blow is no surprise, given that Pico also has an amateur boxing background, having won a National Junior Golden Gloves title in 2009. With the win, Pico is now 1-1 in his young MMA career ... while Linn drops to 7-4 overall, and 0-1 in Bellator competition. ... while Henderson comes up short Benson Henderson, former UFC lightweight champ and two-time NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) All-American wrestler for Nebraska's Dana College, fell to Patricky "Pitbull" Freire in his second straight split-decision loss. The three judges scored the three-round bout 29-28, 29-26, and 30-28 for Freire. (The official scoring mirrors that of Sherdog.com's three MMA experts, who, in their live coverage, scored the fight 30-27 Friere, 30-27 Henderson, and 30-28 Fiere.) To reinforce the idea that the Henderson-Friere bout was close, MMAJunkie.com used the phrase "chess match" in the headline for its coverage of the Bellator 183 main event ... and, in the text of the article, said it was "a fight that frequently dipped into a tactical stalemate." Sherdog.com reported, "Neither man did much to warrant the judges' favor." "Freire had a tough time getting inside to land punches on the southpaw Henderson, who proved an elusive target as he sniped to the body with kicks," according to MMAJunkie.com. "Takedown attempts from Henderson in the second and third rounds ate up a sizable chunk of time as Freire wrestled to stay upright." With the win, Freire improves to 18-8-0, while Henderson, 33, who has fought professionally since 2006, drops to 24-8-0 overall, and 1-3 since moving from UFC to Bellator.

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. -- Illinois wrestling coach Jim Heffernan announced the addition of redshirt senior Brock Ervin as a student volunteer coach. The addition comes on the heels of back-to-back season-ending injuries for the Morganfield, Illinois native. Brock ErvinAfter tallying 21 wins while redshirting in 2014-15, Ervin started for the Illini during each of the next two seasons. In 2015-16, Ervin finished with an 8-5 record, highlighted by a 14-12 upset of No. 12 Steve Bleise at Northern Illinois. After an injury cut the end of his season short, Ervin bounced back in 2016-17 with a 13-3 record to start the season only to see his season again ended due to injury. Overall, Ervin finished his Illini career with a 21-8 record with five of the victories coming by fall. Off the mat, Ervin excelled in the classroom. A two-time Academic All-Big Ten honoree, Ervin was also named an Academic All-American by the National Wrestling Coaches Association in 2015-16. A product of Union Country High School in Morganfield, Kentucky, Ervin won five state titles, going undefeated against opponents from the state of Kentucky. He was a part of two Union County High School state championship teams and was named the team's Most Outstanding Wrestler as a senior. For complete coverage of Fighting Illini wrestling, go to FIGHTINILLINI.com and follow @IlliniWrestling on Twitter and Instagram.

MEQUON, Wis. -- Concordia University Wisconsin Director of Athletics Dr. Rob Barnhill has announced the hiring of Kevin Koch, as head coach for the wrestling program. "I am very excited to announce the hiring of Kevin Koch as our new wrestling coach and welcome he and his wife home," Barnhill stated. "Kevin was an accomplished student-athlete at CUW and has had an impressive professional career as the head wrestling coach at Edgar High School. He has boundless enthusiasm and love for the wrestling program here and the university and its mission. The future of CUW wrestling is going to be very bright with this new appointment. Kevin and I agree on the philosophical principles of building our team and his intended direction and leadership were evident during the interview process." Kevin KochKoch, one the greatest wrestlers in program history, returns to his alma mater a decade after ending his career as a national qualifier. The Edgar, Wis., native completed his career with 119 career victories, which ranks second all-time. Koch won over 30 matches in a season twice, including an outstanding 36-10 record during his senior campaign that culminated in a trip to the NCAA Division III Championship. He was also named the CUW Male Athlete of the Year and to the NWCA Scholar All-America Team. "I am blessed to be given this opportunity to coach at my alma mater," Koch expressed. "CUW has been a special place for me and I look forward to being able to foster that experience for other wrestlers coming through our program." A highly successful high school coach at Edgar High School for the past 10 years, also his alma mater, he coached a program that was a perennial WIAA state contender. He coached seven individual WIAA state champions, 10 individual WIAA state placers, and 33 individual WIAA state qualifiers. Koch also guided the Wildcats to nine-consecutive Marawood Conference titles, to go along with a 120-38 dual meet record. During his time as a Falcon; he posted a 33-11 record during his rookie season, 22-9 mark as a sophomore, 28-13 as a junior and had his most successful season as a senior with a 36-10 record. His overall four-year record was 119-43 while wrestling at 141 pounds. The three-time MVP and team captain was inducted into the school's William C. Ackman Athletic Hall of Fame in 2012. He earned 14 top-5 finishes, won titles at the Wisconsin Private College Tournament and Lake Michigan Conference Tournament twice, while also placing third at the NCAA Division III Great Lakes Region twice. While in high school, Koch won two WIAA state individual championship at Edgar (1998, 2000). He received his Bachelor's Degree in Education in 2006 and his Master's Degree in Education in 2012, both from CUW. He is married to Kaitlin and the two have a daughter, Grace.

Dan DiColo, NCAA Division III All-American wrestler at the College of New Jersey, has been named head wrestling coach at Wayne Hills High School in New Jersey, NorthJersey.com reported Friday. Dan DiColoDiColo succeeds Brian Basile, who resigned from Wayne Hills following the 2016-17 season. As a TCNJ wrestler, DiColo placed sixth in the 157-pound bracket at the 2009 NCAA D3 Wrestling Championships in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, competing for one of the all-time great Division III mat coaches, Dave Icenhower, who passed away nearly three years ago at age 66 after a long battle with cancer. The College of New Jersey alum will be both an instructor and coach at Wayne Hills, much as he was at Franklin Township High School in Somerset, N.J. for the past eight years. "It really worked out well," said DiColo of the hiring process for his new job. "I'm very excited about coming to Wayne Hills. I live pretty close to the school. I can't wait to start working with the kids." "I know the reputation that they're hard-working kids," DiColo added. "There are some talented younger kids on the team and a good group of seniors, as well. I'm excited about working with the recreation program, too." Prior to launching his teaching/coaching career, DiColo wrestled at Mount Olive High School ... then at TCNJ for Icenhower, who, as head coach, compiled one of the most impressive won-loss records in all of Division III wrestling -- 535-80-4 overall -- before his death in October 2014. "Coach Icenhower taught me so much, not only about wrestling, but the importance of academics," said DiColo. "He was an amazing coach and mentor." Wayne Hills High School is a comprehensive, four-year public school located in Wayne, N.J. in Passaic County. The school -- one of two high schools in the district -- has an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students.

Lavion Mayes CLARION, Pa. -- Clarion wrestling coach Keith Ferraro announced today that Lavion Mayes, a three-time All-American and 2017 national runner-up at 149 pounds, is joining the Golden Eagle staff as a volunteer assistant coach. "Lavion had an incredible college career and is going to be a tremendous addition to our staff," Ferraro said. "He brings an expectation of success into our practice room every day. He entered Mizzou as a walk-on and climbed his way to the national finals, and that's the kind of progress we want our guys to believe is possible." A 2017 graduate of Missouri, Mayes was just the fifth Tiger in program history to earn three All-American honors during his career. He reached the national final at 149 pounds at the most recent NCAA Championships in St. Louis, one year after taking third place in the 2016 Championships in New York City. He also earned All-America honors at 141 pounds in 2015, and qualified for the NCAA Championships at that same weight in 2014. Overall, Mayes finished his collegiate career with a record of 122-24, including a 53-6 record in dual matches and a 25-4 record against Mid-American Conference (MAC) foes. He claimed 29 major decisions, seven technical falls and seven wins by fall through his career. Mayes became the 25th member of the 100-win club at Mizzou on Nov. 13, 2016 with a 9-4 win over Old Dominion's Michael Hayes. His overall wins total ranks ninth in Mizzou history, his major decisions total fourth, and his overall winning percentage seventh.

Tom Brands (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors) IOWA CITY, Iowa -- University of Iowa head wrestling coach Tom Brands has received a three-year contract extension, and the UI Athletics Department announced Friday it will begin exploring possibilities for a new wrestling training center. Both announcements were made by University of Iowa Henry B. and Patricia B. Tippie Director of Athletics Chair Gary Barta. Brands, who has won three NCAA team titles and coached 10 national champions since taking over the program in 2006, is now under contract through 2022-23. "Tom embraces the challenges and responsibilities associated with leading the Iowa wrestling program," Barta said. "He is committed to our philosophy of 'Win, Graduate, Do It Right.' There is tremendous momentum behind our wrestling program and I'm excited about the future." "I'm fortunate to be a part of an institution that is committed to providing a world-class experience to its student-athletes," Brands said. "We have tremendous leadership and I thank Gary Barta, Barbara Burke, President Bruce Harreld, and the entire campus community for their continued support of the Iowa wrestling program." Barta also announced that the department will conduct a facility feasibility study that could lead the Hawkeyes to training grounds outside of their traditional second floor space at Carver-Hawkeye Arena, where they have trained since the building opened in 1983. "As part of our on-going commitment to student-athletes, the department will begin a feasibility study for the potential development of a wrestling practice facility," Barta said. "The study will allow us to evaluate our options for the continued enhancement of Iowa wrestling." "There is a great deal of momentum behind this project and that's a testament to the support and vision of our fans and leadership," Brands said. "We expect to be the best. There is no question. There is no starting point. There is no end. It's a continuous process and this is the next step in that process." The Iowa wrestling program has led the NCAA in attendance in each of Brands' 11 seasons, setting the dual meet attendance record in 2015 when 42,287 watched the "Grapple on the Gridiron" inside Kinnick Stadium. Carver-Hawkeye Arena also hosted the United States Olympic Wrestling Team Trials in 2012 and 2016 (setting an attendance record in 2012), and will host the United World Wrestling World Cup in April, 2018. The World Cup is the annual international dual meet championship that features the top eight men's freestyle wrestling teams in the world. In 2016, The United States Olympic Committee named Iowa City one of seven "Olympic Hometowns in America." "Wrestling at Iowa is a lifestyle," Brands said. "It's practiced every day in the classroom, in the household, in the community, and on the mat. Our administration knows it. Our fans expect it. And we love it."