InterMat Staff

What determines a great athlete? Is it muscular strength? Endurance? The ability to jump, run quickly and stay coordinated? Opinions are as numerous as the physical activities that qualify athletes for consideration. This week, Sports Illustrated attempted to tackle the question by rating their top 50 fittest athletes. Overall the sporting news stalwart fared well, including a few outlandish and dubious selections, but mostly choosing the greats within sports to be their poster men and poster women. The most laudable of their decisions was to include five-time world (or Olympic) titlist Jordan Burroughs among their top ten athletes. The consideration was decent mainstream publicity for a sport that often gets overlooked during print listicles, but they did the world a favor and chose Jordan Burroughs to be included in their top 50 fittest men. While the WWE "Charlotte" did make the list, USA Wrestling's three-time defending title holder Helen Maroulis was left off. The UFC saw a few of its fighters creep on, as did water polo and a half dozen track and field athletes. When breaking into the mainstream, wrestling -- especially women's wrestling -- faces a number of biases. For starters, despite the increased media coverage of our athletes and their athletic prowess, disengaged sports fans mostly associate wrestling success with extreme mental toughness and hay-bailing strength. To the commoner, wrestling is still a collection of rapid weight loss techniques, pre-dawn sprint workouts and singlets. The overall athleticism of the sport is minimized by the myopic, tough-guy façade promoted over the last several decades. Helen and women wrestlers of her success are still being punished for that failure to properly promote the athletic and healthy nature of the sport. The Skirt Bias, which implies that male administrators (like those in the NCAA) are unwilling to promote women in combat sports, is limiting the sport's sphere of influence in the mainstream. While Helen's Olympic accomplishment was one of the most-watched moments of the Olympic Games, not enough of the story focused on her incredible strength-to-flexibility ratios and technical acumen. Wrestling fans and former wrestlers can do something about this stereotype. When peers ask about the sport, or start in with the antiquated assertion about the sport, point them to something positive. Tell them about the techniques required to be successful, or forward them a video of wrestlers like Frank Chamizo performing acrobatics on the mat that are usually reserved for Cirque du Soleil. Go to the United World Wrestling Instagram page and find any number of photos or highlight videos that show our athletes performing stunts in real time that most other athletes would need weeks to rehearse. We are the best press agents for our sport and we are the ones who can reverse the biases that have kept us from the mainstream for generations. Show the sport. To your questions … Jordan Burroughs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) and Buvaisar Saitiev Q: Jordan Burroughs vs. Buvaisar Saitiev in his prime, who would you pick? Does Saitiev make your list of the five greatest freestyle wrestlers of all time? Does JB make the list? -- Andrew F. Foley: Burroughs. Saitiev wouldn't be able to handle the level change to a double and would find difficulty in the new rules set keeping his scrambles in bounds. JB's second shot ankle pick and the angles he creates in snatching ankles would give Saitiev absolute fits. My top five freestyle wrestlers of all-time: Buvaisar Saitiev, John Smith, Aleksandr Medved, Sergei Beloglazov, Jordan Burroughs. Q: It's pretty obvious to me that Jon Jones has been cheating/using steroids for much/most of his MMA career. UFC cracked down on performance-enhancing drugs when USADA was implemented in 2015. Because of that, I consider Daniel Cormier to be undefeated in his career, since his only losses have come to the cheater Jones. Do you look at DC as one of the best MMA fighters ever? -- Mike C. Foley: Jon Jones deserves to be told the truth. So far it seems few have delivered the message. He is not the greatest fighter to have ever lived. He is not special. He is not a hero or a villain. Jon Jones is nothing. He has accomplished nothing in his career and any honor he had in risking himself to the cage was so obviously mitigated by his consumption of steroids that it proves almost non-existent. Steroids are moving out of MMA and for those that fight clean it means a sport that rewards intelligent training and mental toughness. Jones was doing neither. He only knew how to press harder on the gas, to undermine his future by indulging at full throttle in the temptations of the present. That's not the discipline of a champion, or a hero. That's sociopathic behavior best reserved for outside the octagon. Jon Jones is nobody. He's no longer a fighter and he was never a true champion. Jones now has a chance to become someone else, someone new. But Jones has yet to fulfill the idea of success through hard work or satisfaction through delayed gratification. Jones is the hustler playing Three-card Monte on the corner, in search of a quick dollar even as it costs him a lifetime. Q: Do you think the United States will have any world champions in U23 this year? If so, who could you see winning a world title? -- Mike C. Foley: We will have to wait and see who comes out of the World Team Trials next month in Rochester, Minnesota. It would seem likely that some of our college talent may contend for the team, but given the time of the year I don't know which wrestlers will be entering, or who might come out in the end. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME The family of Aaron Hernandez announced their intention to sue the NFL for damages after it was shown that the former tight end suffered from severe CTE. He only played 38 games in the NFL. Link: 110 NFL Brains Q: What percent chance do you give the Gophers of winning the NCAA team title? They seem pretty strong in the lower weight classes. -- @tommyselenski Foley: 0.1 percent chance. Penn State and Ohio State are running way too hot for a third team to be considered. Ohio State has seven All-Americans and three national champions. Penn State has five national champions returning and the ability to put up buckets of bonus points. While Minnesota will be in good shape to potentially finish with a trophy, they would need help and for their lightweights to outperform expectations. Joey McKenna (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Gun to your head, which transfer do you see having the highest 2018 NCAA finish of these three, Nick Suriano (Rutgers), Joey McKenna (Ohio State) or Pat Downey (Iowa)? -- Mike C. Foley: Joey McKenna has had the least amount of publicity and is entering a team filled with winning wrestlers and a coach who knows how to motivate his athletes. McKenna has always been uniquely talented and if his training situation and personal happiness have been improved by transferring into Tom Ryan's room, I see little reason to think he won't finish in the top three. Downey has the potential, but seems he spends a lot of time on the Internet, which can be a massive distraction come the stress of the season. I wish him the best balancing the online world and the heavy hitters of the Big Ten. Suriano should place. I just think it might not be as high as McKenna. Q: Do you think Iran will be at the 2018 World Cup in Iowa City? -- @Stealy_Phil Foley: No. The only way that they will be in attendance is if Cuba can't afford to make the trip, but they almost always have made the commitment to attend. I would like to see Iran in the mix, but without them does allow for a year of new nation vs. nation storylines, which can be a positive thing for the sport. Q: Aaron Pico has his second pro MMA fight this weekend at Bellator 183. There is significantly less hype now than he had in his debut. He fights Justin Linn (7-3). Do you expect Pico to dominate Linn? Or could we see a competitive fight? -- Mike C. Foley: I thought we'd see Pico dominate in his first fight and was proven (very) wrong. Pico's standup is something he'll need in the ring, but to win this fight it would be best for him to settle down and try to find an identity as a fighter. With about a minute of in-cage experience the worst thing Pico can do is rush his game plan like he did at MSG. The key for Pico will be to soften up his opponent from a distance, cut off the cage, find a clinch against the cage and take the fight to the ground. If he can cycle through that series and feel the various aspects of a live fight I think that he will not only beat Linn, but create the momentum necessary to build a solid career as a fighter. Kevin Dresser (Photo/Cyclones.com) Q: Of the new coaching hires, which one do you find the most interesting? -- @Half Again Foley: Kevin Dresser to Iowa State feels like a lifetime ago, but I think his successes and failures will be the most documented and commented on this season. I'm interested to see how the mixture of assistants and young guys come together for big matches. Given his track record, I'm sure that Dresser and his crew will manage the disappointments and encourage the youngsters to stay the course. Jason Welch at San Francisco State is also an interesting development. We won't hear much from him or his team for a few years, but if he's able to create a winning formula I think that his personality will be a nice fit should he move up to the Division I level. The Paulson brothers at Virginia should also be very interesting to see how they help develop my alma mater! Q: Why is everyone under the Titan Mercury banner, along with their own clubs? -- @Jagger712 Foley: They are only wrestling for the Titan Mercury Wrestling Club. However, they may also be repping their Regional Training Center.

Anthony Artalona (Photo/Jim Thrall) Two-time Junior National freestyle champion Anthony Artalona (Tampa Prep, Fla.) committed to the University of Pennsylvania on Thursday afternoon. The No. 20 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 is also a three-time state champion and four-time state finalist during the scholastic season. Artalona ended the 2016-17 season ranked No. 10 nationally at 152 pounds. He chose Penn over Columbia, Purdue and North Carolina State.

James Mohney, two-time Pennsylvania state wrestling champ for Clearfield High believed to be the oldest prep titlewinner in the Keystone State, died Tuesday at his home. He was 92. James MohneyMohney went on to win a conference title for Penn State, and later crafted a long teaching and coaching career in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. James D. Mohney was born March 1, 1925 in Clearfield, Pa. It was there he launched his decades-long career in wrestling as a competitor and coach. At Clearfield High School in north-central Pennsylvania, Mohney wrestled for legendary head coach Art Weiss, where he was a two-time District champion and twice a state champ, winning the 85-pound crown at the 1941 and 1942 PIAA (Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association) state finals. In an interview four years ago with WeAreCentralPa.com, the then-88-year-old Mohney recounted his come-from-behind victory to grab his first state title. "I had nine seconds to go and I was two points behind," Mohney recalled. "And I got my favorite takedown. And we went into overtime. I just was able to dominate those two periods." Mohney compiled a 31-3 record as a Bison. He graduated from Clearfield in 1942. During World War II, Mohney served with the US Army Air Corps, completing 35 combat missions in the South Pacific as an Engineer Gunner. At the end of the war, Mohney then enrolled at Penn State. As a Nittany Lion, he won an EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) conference title in 1947, and qualified for the 1947 NCAA championships. He also wrestled at numerous AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) and YMCA events. Mohney graduated from Penn State in 1950. Mohney began his teaching career in Pennsylvania at Tyrone High School where he also served as the wrestling coach. After nine years, he moved to Long Branch, NJ where he taught for 19 years. At Long Branch, he started the wrestling program and was admitted to the NJ Shore Conference Coaching Hall of Fame. Mohney then moved back to Clearfield and was a teacher and became Vice Principal at Clearfield High School until his retirement in 1987. Throughout his coaching career, Mohney also served as a wrestling official for twenty-five years on both the high school and collegiate levels. Mohney has been welcomed into a number of Halls of Fame. He was admitted to the Clearfield Chapter of the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame along with being a member of the Pa. Coaching Hall of Fame, Pa. District 9 Coaching Hall of Fame, Tyrone Wrestling Hall of Fame and the Penn State University Hall of Fame. Mohney is survived by his wife of nearly 67 years, Betty Lou; four children; eleven grandchildren; and fifteen great grandchildren, as well as a brother and a sister. Visitation will take place at the Kevin A. Beardsley Funeral Home in Clearfield on Saturday from 1-3 p.m. with the funeral service taking place at 3 p.m. with Mr. Gary V. Mohney, son, officiating. Interment will be in the Crown Crest Memorial Park, Hyde at a later date, to be determined by the immediate family. Military honors will be accorded at the funeral home by the Honor Guard detail from Andrews Air Force Base. In lieu of flowers the family suggests that memorial contributions be made to Clearfield Wrestling Club, PO Box 30, Clearfield, PA 16830. To sign the on-line guest book go to www.beardsleyfuneralhome.com.

Seton Hill University wrestlers practiced more than takedowns and escapes in the wrestling room Tuesday. They put life-saving skills into practice when one of their coaches had a heart attack. Mark MarshallVolunteer assistant coach Mark Marshall collapsed while wrestling with a student… and the wrestlers of the NCAA Division II school in Greensburg, Pa. quickly sprang into action. "When I looked over, I saw Marshall on his side," Seton Hill freshman wrestler Joseph Miller told KDKA-TV, the CBS affiliate in Pittsburgh. "And I had this feeling. They teach us to recognize, react and respond." Although wrestling is an individual sport, Seton Hill wrestlers and coaches came together as a team to aid coach Marshall. Miller and head coach Brian Tucker, both certified in CPR, immediately started taking turns doing chest compressions, while student assistants Ty Lydic and Tanner Druck relayed information between the 911 dispatcher and those performing CPR. "We were all just communicating together. It was really just a team effort," Miller said. In the meantime, assistant coach Brett Smith took the other wrestlers out of the building and put them to work outside by helping to direct traffic to make it easier for athletic trainer Jordan Blair to the wrestling room to help coach Miller. Blair used a defibrillator to help restore Miller's heart function before paramedics took over. "At that point too, Coach Marshall was coming back through and responding and talking," according to head coach Tucker. The Seton Hill coaching staff and wrestlers had saved the life of Mark Marshall, 54, a veteran world champion wrestler who team members described as being "in phenomenal shape" but had been diagnosed in 2012 with atrial fibrillation, an abnormal heart rhythm, according to a 2014 story at the official Seton Hill wrestling website. Marshall, who wrestled at the now-defunct NCAA Division I wrestling program at Indiana State -- college alma mater to world champion Bruce Baumgartner -- has served as a volunteer coach for the Seton Hill Griffins since the program was launched in 2006. Marshall is scheduled for triple bypass surgery Thursday. Seton Hill University is a private, Catholic 4-year school located just outside Pittsburgh in Greensburg, Pa. It had been a women-only school until men were admitted in 2002. Seton Hill has an enrollment of approximately 2,500 students. The Griffins wrestling program competes in NCAA Division II.

With the 2017 InterMat JJ Classic a month away, the 132-pound weight class is shaping up to be a weight class you won't want to miss. It already includes a pair of multiple-time state champions and a Fargo freestyle finalist. Sam Stuhl, a three-time state champion, was a runner-up at last year's JJ Classic (Photo/Jeff Beshey, The Guillotine) Sam Stuhl (Ellsworth, Wis.) is back in the JJ Classic after finishing as a runner-up last year in the same weight class. Stuhl, who committed to South Dakota State, is a three-time state champion. He won titles at the Minnesota Christmas Tournament and Bi-State Classic last season. Two-time state champion Charlie Pickell earned All-American honors in Fargo (Photo/David Peterson, MN/USA Wrestling) Another multiple-time state champion, Charlie Pickell (Mankato West, Minn.), will be looking to get on top after finishing as a runner-up last year at the JJ Classic. The two-time defending state champion is up three weight classes from last season. Pickell finished third at the 2015 JJ Classic at 106 pounds, and followed it up with a runner-up finish in 2016 at 113 pounds. He has won state titles at 106 pounds and 113 pounds. Aidan Medora was a runner-up to Carson Manville in Fargo (Photo/David Peterson, MN/USA Wrestling) Aidan Medora (Brookfield Academy, Wis.), one of the nation's top sophomore wrestlers, is also entered at 132 pounds. Medora reached the finals of the Cadet freestyle competition in Fargo before losing to Carson Manville. He was a state runner-up as a freshman, finishing the season with a record of 38-4. For more information on the JJ Classic, visit intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic. To register to compete in the JJ Classic, visit intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic/register.

College coaches are the focus of this week's episode of Takedown TV, now available for viewing: One-on-one Oklahoma State University head coach John Smith Takedown Radio archives with four-time All-American Mike McMullan (now an assistant coach at his alma mater, Northwestern) and Drexel head coach Matt Azevedo One-on-one with Frank Beasley, newly hired George Mason University head coach, and Maryland head coach Kerry McCoy 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.

The 2017 JJ Classic Clinic is set for Saturday, Oct. 21, in Rochester, Minn. The clinic will be held from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at the UCR Regional Sports Center before the JJ Classic, which begins at 10 a.m. The JJ Classic Clinic is open to wrestlers ages 5-18 who attend the JJ Classic ($7 admission) or compete in the event. There is no pre-registration. Doors open at 8 a.m. Counselors Mark Hall (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Mark Hall Two-time Junior world champion Cadet world champion NCAA champion Six-time state champion Five-time JJ Classic champion Nation's No. 1 recruit in Class of 2016 Brady Berge (Photo/Mary Christen, The Guillotine) Brady Berge Four-time state champion Nation's No. 1-ranked 160-pounder in 2016-17 Nation's No. 8 recruit in Class of 2017 Junior World Team Trials challenge tournament finalist Freshman at Penn State Note: Mark Hall and Brady Berge will be signing autographs following the clinic. For more information on the JJ Classic, visit intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic. To register to compete in the JJ Classic, visit intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic/register.

A third weigh-in location for the 2017 InterMat JJ Classic was announced on Wednesday. It will be held in Hartland, Wisconsin, at Askren Wrestling Academy Lake Country, on Friday, Oct. 20, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. CT. Two other JJ Classic weigh-in locations will be held in Minnesota at the same time. The 2017 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Saturday, Oct. 21, at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. It is open to wrestlers in grades 7 through 12. For more information on the event, visit intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic. To register for the JJ Classic, visit intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic/register. Below is a look at the three weigh-in locations for the JJ Classic. Rochester, Minnesota Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Address: UCR Regional Sports Center 851 30th Ave. Southeast Rochester, MN 55904 Minneapolis, Minnesota Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Address: Kennedy Center (Augsburg College) 731 23rd Ave. S Minneapolis, MN 55454 Hartland, Wisconsin Time: 4 p.m. - 5 p.m. Address: Askren Wrestling Academy Lake Country 596 North Shore Dr. Hartland WI 53029

2016 state champion Joe Manchio (Seneca, N.J.) verbally committed to Columbia on Tuesday afternoon. The No. 88 overall recruit in the Class of 2018 also placed at state this past season after qualifying for state as a freshman in 2015. He projects to compete as a 125 pound wrestler in college.

Charlie Pingleton, national wrestling champion for Lindsey Wilson College before returning to coach at his alma mater Greencastle High School in Indiana, has passed away after battling brain cancer for nearly two years. He passed away Sept. 14. Charlie PingletonMishawaka High School in northern Indiana posted this message on its Facebook page that not only pays tribute to the fallen wrestler-turned-coach, but summarizes his life and career highlights: "Our thoughts and prayers are with the Pingleton and Greencastle Wrestling Family after the passing of coach Charlie Pingleton. Charlie was a State Runner-up at Greencastle HS, a former UIndy DII All-American, and National Champion at Lindsey Wilson College all before returning home to coach at Greencastle. Charlie was a devoted husband, father, coach, friend, and role model. The Mishawaka Wrestling Family sends our deepest condolences." One week before Pingleton's passing, Lindsey Wilson College announced he was one of three alums to be welcomed into the Kentucky school's Athletics Hall of Fame in October. In February, Pingleton was inducted into the IHSWCA Indiana Wrestling Hall of Fame. Pingleton's accomplishments in wrestling were hall-of-fame worthy. As a wrestler at Greencastle High School southwest of Indianapolis, Pingleton was a two-time state runner-up, two-time semi-state champion, two-time regional champion and four-time sectional champion. He was also a four-time WCC and Putnam County champion. At Greencastle, he compiled an overall record of 165-9, going 54-1 as a senior. After graduating from Greencastle High, Pingleton headed east to launch his collegiate wrestling career at the University of Indianapolis, where he twice earned All-American status. He then transferred to Lindsey Wilson College, where he became the program's first-ever individual national champion after winning the 157-pound bracket at the 2012 NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) National Championships. Pingleton concluded his career at LWC as the school's first Mid-South Conference Wrestler of the Year. Pingleton stayed at LWC to launch his coaching career. He joined the Blue Raider coaching ranks as an assistant for two years. He helped guide Lindsey Wilson to back-to-back fifth-place finishes at the 2012-13 and 2013-14 NAIA national championships. Pingleton returned to his alma mater to head up the Greencastle High School wrestling program in October 2014. A number of individuals who coached Pingleton weighed in with their thoughts about the wrestler/coach upon his passing. "Charlie was one of the toughest people I ever coached -- not only physically, but more importantly, his mental toughness was special," said former Greencastle teacher/coach Jarrod Duff. "I've used him as an example many times as a coach in talking about toughness, and overcoming adversity. Coaching him made me a better coach, and a better person." Lindsey Wilson College head wrestling coach Corey Ruff said, "Charlie was a mentor to all of the members of our new wrestling program at Lindsey Wilson College. He really took on the big brother role, and inspired everyone to push themselves." "Charlie had a toughness that everyone could see, but he had a tenderness to him that just made me want to hug him. He was courageous and humble. Funny and sincere. Compassionate and confident. He was so many things, but what I'll probably cherish the most about Charlie was his loyalty." "When he called me to tell me he had brain tumors a while back, it was another 'I cry' moment," said former Greencastle wrestling coach Dan Struck. "Shortly after he wrote me a Facebook message telling me that he in fact did read the letter I wrote to him in high school telling him I believed in him. All those years and I never knew he read it. Never knew if I meant anything to him -- if he was one of just 1000s of students I had had. He was special to me, I had no idea how special I was to him. I'd tell him I loved him every time we met." Funeral services for Charlie Pingleton have yet to be made public.

VMI head wrestling coach Chris Skretkowicz has named Ryan Dickinson as a volunteer assistant on his coaching staff. Dickinson brings coaching and military experience to his new job at Virginia Military Institute. Ryan DickinsonMost recently, Dickinson served as strength and conditioning intern at Briar Cliff University in Sioux City, Iowa where he led wrestlers -- and all athletic teams -- through dynamic warm-up and training sessions, as well as shadowed the head strength and conditioning coach in programming techniques. Prior to taking on that assignment, Dickinson was a graduate assistant coach for the Briar Cliff wrestling team helping to develop and monitor the progress of the athletes. Dickinson instructed athletes on specific techniques and tactics, conducted individualized training and organized home event staffing for the wrestling program. Before launching his collegiate coaching career, Dickinson was an assistant wrestling coach at East High School in Sioux City, Iowa, from 2008-10. Some of his responsibilities included planning and coordinating daily practices, teaching effective technique and assisting the head coach in identifying team and individual goals. From 2008 to June 2017, Ryan -- a native of Sergeant Bluff, Iowa -- served as an infantryman in the Iowa Army National Guard, leading a team of 4-8 members in combat operations and providing tactical guidance. He received an implemented combat orders and performed as a fire team member during situational training exercises. Dickinson earned a Bachelor of Science in Sports Science from Briar Cliff in 2015 before going on to earn a Master of Arts in Kinesiology and Human Performance from Briar Cliff in 2017. "We are excited to welcome Ryan to our wrestling program," Skretkowicz said. "He comes to us with a great wrestling background as well as military experience. I am confident that he will elevate our program and help our cadet-athletes be successful on the mat." Virginia Military Institute (VMI) is a state-supported military college in Lexington, Virginia. Founded in 1839, VMI has an enrollment of approximately 1,700. VMI's wrestlers and other student-athletes compete in NCAA Division I.

Tervel Dlagnev and Tom Ryan coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The Delaware Wrestling Alliance, DWA, in partnership with the National Wrestling Coaches Association, NWCA, is proud to announce the addition of a college wrestling match at the 25th anniversary of the Beast of the East Wrestling Tournament. The Ohio State Buckeyes, ranked No. 2 in the country, will face off against the Princeton Tigers on Friday December 15, 2017 at the University of Delaware's Bob Carpenter Center with the match starting at 8 p.m. There will also be (4) Preliminary matches, Beat the Streets, a women's match, Delaware Junior Dual vs S. Jersey & U of D Club team will wrestle UNBC. Mike Moyer, Executive Director of the NWCA, commented "the NWCA is honored to be partnered with the DWA to showcase many of our nation's top High School & College wrestlers. Further the DWA should be commended for its extraordinary commitment to supporting wrestling at all levels in Delaware." Mike and Vic Leonard, the founder of the Beast of the East, have been working behind the scenes for the past year in order to firm up this event. Steve Lex, Beast Tournament Director, says "The Beast is honored to host this event and would like to thank both teams for participating. It is out of the box ideas like this as to what makes Mike and the NWCA so successful!" "We are proud to be bringing a high level of wrestling to a community and an event that has had a great influence on the lives of a lot of young men through this great sport. Princeton is a great program filled with future leaders. We look forward to the event." Tom Ryan, Ohio State Head Coach Chris Ayers, Princeton Head Coach, "We are very excited to be a part of the Beast of the East and it is fitting to have two of the nation's premier Division I programs competing in conjunction with one of the premier tournaments in the country. My team will be ready and I can't wait for them to wrestle Ohio State as they look to have one of the best teams in the country. All in all should be an amazing weekend of wrestling." "The work that has gone into growing this event into one of the top tournaments in the country by the Delaware Wrestling Alliance and their leadership is impressive. We are proud to once again serve as the host venue here at the Bob Carpenter Center and are especially excited to be a part of this year's expanded line-up when our own University of Delaware Club Wrestling team will take to the mats on Friday night." Chrissi Rawak Director of Intercollegiate Athletics and Recreation Services, University of Delaware For tickets go to www.beastwrestling.com. All proceeds from this event will go to the Delaware Wrestling Hall of Fame.

Will Lewan after winning a Cadet world title (Photo/Richard Immel) UWW Cadet World freestyle champion Will Lewan (Montini Catholic, Ill.), who won the title at 69 kilograms earlier this month in Athens, Greece, verbally committed to Michigan on Monday. The No. 17 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 projects to compete collegiately as a 157. During the 2016-17 scholastic season, he was champion at the Preseason Nationals and won a state title, and finished the season ranked No. 5 nationally at 145 pounds. Lewan also won a Junior National freestyle title this summer, which was his second Fargo title to go with a Cadet Greco-Roman title last summer; he is a five-time All-American in Fargo, also winning the UWW Cadet National title in Greco-Roman this spring to double up on that weekend.

Coleman Scott will be the one and only guest to go On The Mat on Wednesday, Sept. 20. Scott is the head wrestling coach at the University of North Carolina. As a wrestler, Scott was a four-time NCAA All-American at Oklahoma State who won the 133-pound title at the 2008 NCAAs. He also earned a silver medal at the 2012 London Olympics. 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. CT 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.

Chadron State College wrestling is being investigated for claims of hazing during an initiation rite allegedly involving members of the Nebraska school's wrestling team. The alleged incident, which took place last weekend, is being investigated by the NCAA Division II school and the Chadron Police Department, according to multiple media reports. Dr. Randy Rhine, president of Chadron State College, issued a letter to the school's staff and students, saying, "I am disappointed to report to you that Chadron State College has been made aware of an off-campus incident last Saturday [Sept. 9] involving an alleged initiation rite between student-athletes belonging to the wrestling team." Rhine went on to say the type of alleged behavior will not be tolerated at the school. "Appropriate disciplinary action will be imposed on the students involved if they are found to be at fault", said Rhine. "These actions violate team rules, Chadron State College and Nebraska State College System Board of Trustees policies, and potentially Nebraska State Law." Rhine concluded the letter by challenging students and employees to "take a firm stance on maintaining a campus culture built on respect, leadership and dignity." He urged students to report any similar future incidents to his office or that of the Vice President. Rhine also said that Chadron State had contacted Chadron Police, which confirmed to NBC Nebraska that a law enforcement investigation was underway. Chadron Police Chief Tim Lordino said he is unable to comment "as the investigation is still developing." The Eagle, Chadron State's student paper which originally broke the story, contacted head wrestling coach Brett Hunter, who declined comment, saying, "With an ongoing investigation, I can't say anything." Chadron State College is a four-year state school located in the western panhandle of Nebraska. Founded in 1911, Chadron State has an enrollment of 3,000 students. Its sports programs -- including the wrestling team -- compete in NCAA Division II. If the allegations are true, this would not be the first time a college wrestling program has faced allegations of hazing. In the fall of 2013, some wrestlers at York College -- an NCAA Division III program in Pennsylvania -- engaged in physically abusive rituals involving teammates at off-campus locations. The school suspended the entire mat program for one week to conduct an internal investigation. York administrators uncovered evidence of hazing, and disciplined a number of student-athletes, with some receiving suspensions, while others faced expulsion. In addition, York administrators put the wrestling program on a one-year probation. UPDATE 10/8/17 Three Chadron State wrestlers have been expelled for their involvement in hazing rituals involving freshman wrestlers. A fourth wrestler was booted from the team but not expelled. Details -- and a brief video showing one hazing incident -- in update article posted at InterMat: http://intermatwrestle.com/articles/18710

Ferrum College is hoping the third time's the charm with Jessica Medina. Jessica Medina (Photo/Tony Rotundo)Medina has been named head coach of the Ferrum women's wrestling program, the third in the three-year existence of the program at the Virginia school. "I have truly felt the support from everyone and I immediately felt integrated into the Panther family," Medina said in the statement. "I'm excited to continue to build the program alongside such a supportive staff." Medina brings diverse coaching experience to Ferrum. Most recently, she was head girls' coach of the Beat the Streets Philadelphia program. Before that, Medina was assistant coach at Montini Catholic High School in Lombard, Ill. in suburban Chicago. While at Montin, Medina made history by becoming the first woman to coach at the Illinois High School Association state finals. Medina's on-the-mat accomplishments are equally impressive. The Pomona, Calif. native wrestled at the University of the Cumberlands in Williamsburg, Kentucky, where she won national titles for the Patriots in 2008 and 2010. She was a USA Wrestling National Team member from 2009 through 2015, and has represented the U.S. at various national and international championships. Medina was a USA Wrestling World Team member in 2009 and a Pan-American Games finalist in 2009 and 2010. In 2010, she qualified for the World Championships, where she placed ninth. Medina was a 2008, 2012 and 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials Qualifier. Ferrum College is a private, four-year school located in Ferrum, Va. Founded in 1913, Ferrum has a student enrollment of 1,500. All sports teams -- including the men and women's wrestling teams -- are named the Panthers.

Two-time state champion and three-time state finalist Rocky Jordan (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) verbally committed to Ohio State on Sunday evening. The No. 36 overall wrestler in the Class of 2018 was runner-up at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman as a freshman at 132 pounds before placing fifth at 145 as a sophomore, he missed last year's tournament due to injury. Older brothers Bo and Micah were both four-time state champions before enrolling at Ohio State, where Bo is a three-time All-American placing third twice and finishing runner-up last year, while Micah placed fourth last year as a redshirt sophomore. Rocky projects collegiately as a 165/174. He is the fourth top 40 or higher commit for the Buckeyes in this class joining No. 14 Gavin Hoffman (Montoursville, Pa.), No. 18 Jaden Mattox (Grove City Central Crossing, Ohio), and No. 40 Malik Heinselman (Castle View, Colo.)

Two-time Walsh Jesuit Ironman runner-up Cole Matthews (Reynolds, Pa.), a 2015 state champion, verbally committed to the University of Pittsburgh late on Sunday afternoon. The No. 47 overall recruit in the Class of 2018 also placed third at state as a sophomore and was runner-up at state this past season. Matthews ended the 2016-17 season as the No. 14 wrestler in the country at 138 pounds. He projects to compete collegiately as a 149/157, and was runner-up at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this spring.

Jason Box, Northeastern Oklahoma A&M wrestler and three-time Missouri high school state placer, was killed in a car crash Tuesday, Sept. 12. He was 21. Jason BoxJason Lynn Hall-Box was born August 3, 1996, in Boise, Idaho. Jason and his family moved to the Neosho, Missouri area in 1997. He was a three-time Missouri state wrestling qualifier and medalist, placing fifth as a sophomore, and fourth place as a junior and as a senior. Box graduated from Neosho High School in 2015. Box was a student at Northeastern Oklahoma A&M, a two-year junior college located in Miami, Okla. He wrestled at 149 pounds for the NEO Norsemen. "Jason Box was an amazing young man that I was blessed to coach and get to know over the course of several years," said Jeremy Phillips, Box's wrestling coach at Neosho High School. "The transformation Jason made over time and with much training was truly amazing. He went from a very shy, timid, and reserved boy to a confident, prideful, and determined warrior. "The memories we share are ones I will forever cherish and keep in a special place in my heart. The one moment that sticks out the most to me was when I put his medal around his neck his senior year and he told me that he loved me. That alone I could say made my time as an educator and coach worth it. "You see Jason wasn't a touchy, feely kid that ever showed a lot, if any, emotion so when he shared that I knew it was sincere and genuine and I had accomplished what I had set out to do and it was so much more than helping him get that medal around his neck. I knew I was able to have a positive influence and impact on his life. He did the same for me. "You see as I was working to inspire and always be there for him, he inspired me and was always there for me just the same. What pride I took in the man he had become and despite the trials and challenges of life he never gave up and he battled back with the character of a champion and that is how I'll forever remember Jason Box." Jason is survived by his mother and stepfather, his father, two sisters and a brother, among other relatives. Funeral services and a public celebration of life ceremony were held Friday in his hometown of Neosho. Contributions may be made to Jason Box Memorial Wrestling Fund, in care of Arvest Bank. Online condolences may be posted at clarkfuneralhomes.com.

Indiana University's new wrestling and volleyball arena is one step closer to reality, thanks to a generous gift from an alumnus, the Bloomington-based Big Ten school announced Thursday. Jay Wilkinson, IU grad and current member of the IU Varsity Club's National Board of Directors, donated $10 million to "For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign," which will help pay for the new indoor arena to be constructed in the heart of the school's athletics campus, near Memorial Stadium and Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, IU's main arena and home to the wrestling team's current practice space. The new 2,500-3,000 seat arena will be named Wilkinson Hall to honor the facility's primary donor. "We extend our deepest thanks to Jay Wilkinson for his extraordinarily impactful and generous gift," IU Athletics Director Fred Glass said in an IU Athletics release. "Jay's belief in the ‘Spirit of Indiana: 24 Sports, One Team' has led him to invest in our student-athletes through transformative philanthropic support. We are honored by his support and thrilled to have his name permanently associated with IU Athletics." Wilkinson Hall will replace the existing off-campus University Gym as home to the Hoosier wrestling and volleyball programs. In addition, it will be available for additional sports events and other activities. It is expected to be completed by September 2018. "Located in the heart of IU's athletics campus, the new Wilkinson Hall will have an enormous and positive impact for all of our students who participate in intercollegiate athletics as well as the broader IU student body," said Indiana University President Michael A. McRobbie. "Consistent with the university's master plan, this state-of-the-art, indoor, multipurpose arena will bring volleyball and wrestling back to the athletics campus, support year-round training for all of our students, and improve campus life with increased student fan accessibility for volleyball and wrestling matches. We are deeply grateful to Jay Wilkinson for this remarkable gift and for his longstanding support of IU's student-athletes." A 1985 graduate of Indiana University with a Bachelor of Science in public affairs, Jay Wilkinson has been a long-time supporter of his college alma mater, especially regarding Hoosier sports programs and athletes. "Indiana University and IU Athletics has meant a great deal to me and my family over the years," said Wilkinson. "We are pleased to be in a position to provide philanthropic support that benefits such deserving student-athletes now and in the future. I hope this gift inspires others who love Indiana University to support it in whatever way they can."

Tony Macias, Latino wrestling pioneer as an Oklahoma high school state champion and an NCAA All-American at the University of Oklahoma, died August 22. He was 78. Macias won the 123-pound Oklahoma state title for Perry High School -- one of the nation's all-time great prep programs -- in 1957. That title led to a scholarship to wrestle for the Oklahoma Sooners, where he was a 1960 Big 8 finalist in 1960, then placed fourth at the 1960 NCAA championships in the same weight class, in an era when Hispanic wrestlers were a rare sight in high school and collegiate wrestling. Tony MaciasMichael Anthony Macias was born to Emilio and Mary Macias in Perry, Okla. in October 1938. According to a recent tribute to Tony Macias at the Facebook page for "The Price of Legacy" documentary on Perry High School wrestling, his parents divorced when he was young. Wanting to stay in Perry, Macias found a sponsor in Perry attorney David Matthews, a home at the Perry Fire Station (just like another Perry native, legendary wrestler Dan Hodge, who lived there when he was in high school in the early 1950s), and a job at the Kumback Lunch diner, where Eddie Parker taught him to cook and carve meat at age 13. Despite those challenges, Tony Macias was a star athlete at Perry High, where he participated in football, baseball and track as well as wrestling. He was wrestling team co-captain two consecutive years as a junior and senior, graduating in 1958. Macias then headed south to Norman, Okla. to wrestle for the Sooners and head coaches Port Robertson and Tommy Evans. At the 1960 Big 8 conference championships, Macias made it to the 123-pound finals, losing to cross-state rival Masaaki Hatta of Oklahoma State in the championship match. A couple weeks later, Macias traveled to the 1960 NCAAs at University of Maryland, where he placed fourth at 123. His performance at the Nationals helped propel Oklahoma to the team title that year. It was while in college that Macias launched his wrestling coaching career. As a Sooner wrestler, he started the Noble wrestling program in 1959 where their practice facility was a mat in the Jefferies brothers' garage. Macias also established the wrestling program at Southeast High School in Oklahoma City where his teams were State runners-up twice before winning their only State championship. His tenure at Southeast, plus one year at Guthrie, lasted from 1967-72. He made the jump to college coaching at Southwestern Oregon Community College in Coos Bay, Oregon. In his first year, he coached them to their first winning season, and ended the season 14th in the nation. Macias graduated with a Masters from Central State College in 1969. In the early 1970s, Macias launched the next phase of his career, as a businessman. Eddie Parker, the owner of his first employer, Kumback Lunch, offered him the opportunity to purchase the long-time diner. Macias owned the Kumback Lunch -- the oldest restaurant in the state of Oklahoma to remain in business under the same name -- for the past 43 years. In addition, Macias ran other businesses in the area. Tony Macias was a man of many talents and interests. He built his own home, and liked making jewelry for family and friends. He enjoyed travel, and was a loyal fan of the Oklahoma Sooners football team. Macias is survived by his wife of 60 years, Marilee; two daughters; and four grandchildren.

This week on Takedown TV: Cadet World Championships highlights and interviews One-on-one University of Iowa's Tom Brands, Brandon Sorensen and Sam Stoll One-on-one Iowa State University's Mike Zadick, Dane Pestano and Kanen Storr 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.

The International Olympic Committee officially announced this week that Los Angeles will be the host of the 2028 Summer Olympic Games. The announcement was part of a historic two-city awarding ceremony, with Paris being awarded the 2024 Summer Games. The announcement is positive news for the U.S. Olympic Committee and its national governing bodies, including USA Wrestling. Host nations see a considerable increase in the number of medals won when hosting the Games, to go along with expected increases in viewership and ad revenue. The IOC also announced that former UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon would lead the IOC Ethics Commission, which would be responsible for instituting ethical controls over a variety of IOC departments as well as interactions with International Federations. The role could even lead to a fundamental restructuring of how IF's are mandated to run their organizations -- a move that FIFA has already committed to achieving. Overall, the IOC session (held in Lima) taught the sports community that the antiquated ways of the IOC are being challenged internally and changed through external pressures. There were still disappointments, but overall the organization seems more responsive to the needs of its constituents and willing to tackle issues of impropriety. This doesn't mean they are without fault, but it is worth taking this as a marker for future progress. How much leeway will Ban Ki-Moon be given to not only suggest, but implement his ideas? Will a relaxation of the bidding process mean lower costs and better management from the overworked staff at the IOC? Will there be continued enforcement of penalties against members proven to be corrupt? I'd like to think we will see this top-down level of responsibility take hold at the IOC and trickle into member IF's. Everyone, including wrestling, could use fresh ideas and goals to achieve in order to ensure that the world's sports are enjoyed by young and old all around the world. To your questions … Kaori Icho after winning gold in Rio (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Is Kaori Icho going to wrestle Helen Maroulis at the Beat the Streets Benefit? Say yes … please! -- @davidcelias Foley: Are you sitting down? I have some news that might upset you. As of now it looks like Kaori Icho is going to stay retired. Helen will be back on the mats, but just when is still uncertain. Icho, you may have seen, is in Iran and from the looks of it she's loving her life. The Iranian Wrestling Federation asked her to help teach wrestlers (and coaches) in Iran on how best to lead a women's wrestling program. The two-week experience is a great cross-cultural experience for Icho and a platform for her to learn more about coaching. She is looking to travel more often, so maybe she will come to Los Angeles and do a clinic. I've also heard that she's looking for the chance to coach in an English-speaking country. Q: Which team has the most fickle fan base (one minute they love you, the next they hate you)? -- @jammenjammez Foley: Though you might mean "me" as Tim Foley, I'll go ahead and take this towards a more productive, less self-reflective place. The team(s) with the ficklest fan bases tend to be those that pop into, and then out of, the top 25. Programs like Penn State and Ohio State have more-or-less cemented their following by producing team and individual national championships. Yes, their fans get upset, but they generally don't lose touch with the program in part because they enjoy the winning. Programs in and out of the top 25 tend to see a loss of fans if they aren't creating "first-ever" outcomes. I know that at Virginia there was a time when the fans were very excited and times when they fell off. Currently the attitude is positive and trending upwards with more programs and meet-and-greets for alumni and fans. Still, it's not impossible that a school like Virginia, but one that is currently down on their luck, faces lackluster support from those friends of the program. Luckily, wrestling has a tight-knit community that continues to grow and connect online. Programs that are willing to put in the work to "friendraise" can ensure themselves an increase in gift giving through cash, in-kind and even simply time. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Video on the pre-World Championship training camp last month in Finland Beauty is a Beast One of the best highlight videos you'll ever see … Q: With Ohio State getting Joey McKenna and Penn State losing Nick Suriano, can the Buckeyes win the team title in 2018? Do you still consider Penn State the favorite? -- Mike C. Foley: Yes. Ohio State has the ability to win five weight classes. Penn State has the ability to win five weight classes. Both programs are well coached and trending towards even better 2017-2018 campaigns. That I think Ohio State CAN win an NCAA title does not mean that they will. However, Tom Ryan is as good a leader as any in the nation and whoever he puts on the mat will perform. You'd have to give them a 40 percent chance at the title, especially with Iowa buffed up and making the national title a three-way race. Ohio State NCAA title contenders: Nathan Tomasello, Joey McKenna, Bo Jordan, Myles Martin, Kyle Snyder Penn State NCAA title contenders: Zain Retherford, Jason Nolf, Vincenzo Joseph, Mark Hall, Bo Nickal If you add in Kollin Moore as a title contender at 197 pounds then you may even give Ohio State the advantage.

Where were you in '62? Perhaps you were lucky enough to have been at the 1962 NCAA Wrestling Championships at Oklahoma State. If not, now you can have a front-row seat to witness the finals, thanks to black-and-white, silent film of the championship matches, posted to YouTube by the host school. Gray SimonsA few months ago, InterMat took you back to the 1937 NCAAs, with film of the finals and other information on the top event of college wrestling as it was eight decades ago. Now, let's take another trip back in time -- this time, to the 1962 NCAA finals -- to get a taste of wrestling as it was just over a half-century ago. The 1962 NCAA finals featured some wrestlers whose names you may already recognize, including Elliott Gray Simons, three-time NCAA champ and two-time NCAA Outstanding Wrestler from Lock Haven ... Oklahoma State's Masaaki Hatta, first Japanese NCAA champ ... Oklahoma's Wayne Baughman, three-time Olympian and only U.S. wrestler to win national titles in college, freestyle, Greco-Roman and sombo ... and Joe James, Oklahoma State's first African-American wrestler. The Cowboys corral the '62 NCAAs The 1962 NCAA Wrestling Championships were held March 22-24 at what was then called Gallagher Hall (now Gallagher-Iba Arena) on the Oklahoma State campus. It was the 32d edition of the NCAAs ... but only the third time the championships had been held at the Stillwater school, which hosted the NCAAs in 1946 and 1956. According to Jay Hammond's "The History of Collegiate Wrestling," there were a total of 213 wrestlers from 63 schools ... somewhat fewer than participated at the 1960 NCAAs at University of Maryland. (By contrast, recent NCAA championships have welcomed 330 athletes.) The '62 NCAAs featured at least one "first" and two "lasts." These championships were the first to incorporate new NCAA scoring rules where a wrestler's first takedown remained worth two points, but subsequent takedowns each counted for one point. This attempt at encouraging "mat wrestling" -- and penalize Oklahoma State's high-scoring "take 'em down and let 'em up" wrestling style -- was an experiment that only lasted a handful of years; by the 1966 season, all takedowns again counted for two points each. As for the two "last-ever" aspects of these championships ... the 1962 NCAAs were the last to have wrestlers from schools of all sizes compete at a single championship. (This was before today's Division I/II/III structure, with separate championships for each division.) The 1963 season saw the advent of two championships -- "University Division" (larger schools) and "College Division" (smaller schools.) A decade later, today's three-division separate championships structure was implemented. What's more, the '62 NCAAs were the last NOT to be shown on TV. The 1963 NCAAs, hosted by Kent State University in northeast Ohio, were the first to be televised by ABC for its "Wide World of Sports" anthology series. (From having seen video from the 1964 NCAAs from Cornell University, ABC's coverage was highly edited -- only highlights of selected finals matches were shown -- and the broadcast was shown at least one or two weeks after the event. Live coverage has been around only about a decade.) Up until ABC-TV (then, later CBS, and, more recently, ESPN) started telecasting the NCAA wrestling championships, it was the responsibility of the host school to film the action, and provide copies to participating schools for rental or purchase. The 1962 NCAA finals film posted here may well be among the last to be recorded by the host school, and not a television network. The state of college wrestling, 55 years ago For today's college wrestling fans, some of the aspects shown on the film of the 1962 NCAA finals will be startling. For starters, there's not a singlet in sight; in fact, NCAA rules actually prohibited the uniform style that's been the standard for more than four decades. The standard uniform back then: trunks, usually worn with tights, with shirts optional. (Wrestlers at most Midwest programs such as Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Iowa and Iowa State competed stripped to the waist; contestants from Eastern schools like Lehigh, Pitt and Penn State usually wore sleeveless shirts.) Headgear is just about as rare on the film; earguards were not required 55 years ago. If the matches seem a bit long ... well, back in '62, college matches lasted nine minutes, two minutes longer than today. AWN's preview of the 1962 NCAAs Predictions and prognostications for wrestling matches and mat championships are about as old as the oldest sport. Each year, wrestling fans, websites and magazines weigh in with their predictions for the NCAA wrestling championships. It was no different in 1962. Back then, arguably THE source for timely college wrestling news reporting was Amateur Wrestling News, the first national wrestling publication. (This was long before the invention of the internet, wrestling websites such as InterMat, and online wrestling forums.) Here's how Amateur Wrestling News headlined its preview article about the 1962 NCAAs: "OK State should repeat; Lehigh strong contender" with a subhead "Oklahoma, Pitt, Iowa State rated as runners-up." The opening two paragraphs sing the praises of Lehigh and its successful season, then concludes, "It would appear that there is only one obstacle in their path -- Oklahoma State's defending champions." Oklahoma State was arguably the dominant program of the era; since World War II, the Cowboys had won nine team titles, and, since the first NCAAs in 1928, a total of 22 championships. The host school was the defending champions from the 1961 NCAAs at Oregon State, with University of Oklahoma placing second, Iowa State in third, Oregon State placing fourth, Pittsburgh in fifth, and Lehigh coming in sixth. Ronnie ClintonSo ... did Amateur Wrestling News get its forecast right for the 1962 NCAAs? By the time the last match was wrestled at the '62 Nationals, host school Oklahoma State had run away with the team title, tallying 82 points, and claiming three individual titles: Masaaki Hatta at 123 pounds, Ronnie Clinton at 167, and Bob Johnson at 177. In a distant second place was cross-state rival Oklahoma, with 45 points; three Sooners left Stillwater as champs: Mickey Martin at 130, Bill Carter at 137, and Wayne Baughman at 191 pounds. The Iowa Hawkeyes placed third with 34 points, and one champ: Sherwyn Thorson at heavyweight. In fourth place was Lehigh, with 27 points, and no individual champs. Plenty of wrestling fans were able to catch the action in person at the '62 Nationals. (Realize that 55 years ago, there was no TV coverage -- live or tape-delay. There were no live streaming services or websites to provide instant coverage.) Despite lousy weather (rain and snow) and the fact that Oklahoma State students were away from campus on spring break, attendance was solid for the 1962 NCAAs. Amateur Wrestling News reported 7,500 fans for the finals, right at capacity for Gallagher Hall at the time. (This was before the major expansion of the arena in 2001.) One wrestler's recollections of the '62 NCAAs Wayne Baughman was definitely part of the action at the 1962 NCAAs. The University of Oklahoma junior competed in the 191-pound bracket at Gallagher Hall ... making it all the way to the finals. Wayne BaughmanIf the Baughman name sounds familiar ... for 27 seasons, he served as head wrestling coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, retiring in 2006. After college, he wrestled at three Olympics ... and became the only American to have won national titles in four wrestling disciplines: folkstyle (high school/college) ... freestyle, Greco-Roman, and sombo. Baughman had national championship-round experience, having competed in the 177-pound finals at the 1961 NCAAs at Oregon State, losing to Oklahoma State's Bob Johnson in the title match. Throughout his Sooner mat career, Baughman wrestled at 167, 177, 191 and at heavyweight. (Back then, there were no strict rules governing competition weights; coaches and wrestlers could seemingly decide on whim to move up or down in weight classes, especially to take on -- or avoid -- a particular rival.) Baughman had won the 191-pound title at the 1962 Big 8 championships a couple weeks before the NCAAs, describing himself as a "solid" 191. However, Oklahoma Sooner coach Port Robertson had other plans for Baughman for the '62 Nationals. "He was really upset with me for wanting to stay at 191," Baughman told InterMat. The trip from Norman to the NCAAs at Oklahoma State was no joyride, to hear Baughman tell it. "There was a terrible blizzard. To make matters worse, we got a flat tire on the way to Stillwater," said Baughman. "Port made me change the tire. I stripped off a lug nut, which made him even angrier with me." The Sooners made it safely to the home of their in-state rival. Baughman was the No. 2 seed at 191 (behind Colorado State's Nick Kohls). After drawing a bye in Round One, Baughman's next two matches were solid shut-outs. In the semifinals, the Sooner defeated No. 3 seed Ken Houston of Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, 3-2. That set the stage for a Sooners-Cowboys finals, with Baughman going up against Oklahoma State's Joe James. Joe JamesJames, a graduate of Tilden Tech in Chicago, was the first African-American wrestler for the Cowboys. However, for most fans, he's even more famous for his muscular, chiseled physique that created a sensation back at the Illinois state championships ... then at collegiate wrestling events. "We weighed in at 2 p.m., five hours before the finals," Baughman recalled. "I weighed 193, which was the second-day limit for 191." "To get away from the noise, I went to the old wrestling room. I walked in on James, who at that moment was actually 211." "I think James looked like a bigger version of Lee Kemp," said Baughman, who estimated that the Cowboy big man had a 48" chest and 30" waist. "So big and powerful, especially in the upper body." When asked if he was intimidated by James' musculature, Baughman told InterMat, "I was more afraid of his speed, not his strength. I thought he might be sluggish at that weight." "I could handle power, but I was basically slow." At least two individuals who were in Gallagher Hall that night -- but off the mat -- did their best to have an impact on the outcome. "(Oklahoma State head coach Myron) Roderick kept yelling, 'use your speed,'" recalled Baughman. "I've got to think my wife Betty had a role in my win. She kept yelling at Roderick, trying to distract him, and I think she may have done exactly that." Mickey MartinJoe James had scored an escape in the second period, but Baughman earned a reversal in the third to make the score 2-1. Baughman became the third Oklahoma Sooner to win an individual title in 1962, joining teammates Mickey Martin at 130 pounds, and Bill Carter at 137. That trio helped propel OU to second-place in the final team standings at the 1962 NCAAs. (See the Baughman-James 191-pound title bout at 26 minutes into the '62 NCAA finals film.) A brief bout-by-bout analysis of the 1962 NCAA finals The '62 NCAA championships film posted on YouTube by Oklahoma State lasts one hour, sixteen minutes. It's in black-and-white, and silent. Although the matches were wrestled in what was standard order back then -- lightest to heaviest -- the film actually starts with the 157-pound title bout, which the late historian Jay Hammond told this writer was the third-greatest college finals upset ever, ranked behind Larry Owings defeating Dan Gable at the 1970 NCAAs, and Darrion Caldwell upsetting Brent Metcalf in 2009. Match No. 1 -- 157 pounds: Unseeded Jack Flasche (Northern Colorado) dec. No. 1 seed Phil Kinyon (Oklahoma State), 5-2 Flasche, wearing black trunks and jersey, topped the hairy-chested 1961 NCAA titlewinner Kinyon, who had just missed making the 1960 U.S. Olympic wrestling team, and was so feared, a number of wrestlers went up or down a weight class to avoid tangling with him. (This ranks as Hammond's choice of No. 3 biggest upset in NCAA finals history, with undefeated, defending champ Kinyon being toppled by unseeded Flasche.) Match No. 2 -- 167 pounds (starts at 9 minutes into film): No. 1 seed Ronnie Clinton (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 3 Terry Isaacson (Air Force), 3-2 Isaacson is wearing a headband. Clinton won despite suffering a severe cut on his right hand prior to the NCAAs that required over 20 stitches. Bob JohnsonMatch No. 3 -- 177 pounds (17 minutes, 30 seconds into film): No. 1 seed Bob Johnson (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 2 Dean Lahr (Colorado), 3-2 Lahr is wearing headgear. Johnson, the only native Texan to win an NCAA wrestling title, successfully defended his championship won at the 1961 NCAAs. Lahr went on to win 177 titles at the 1963 and 1964 NCAAs. Match No. 4 -- 191 pounds (26 minutes into film): No. 2 seed Wayne Baughman (University of Oklahoma) dec. unseeded Joe James (Oklahoma State), 2-1 Baughman, wearing white trunks, later wrestled at three Olympics, and coached at the Air Force Academy for more than a quarter-century. The muscular James, the first African-American to wrestle as a starter for the Cowboys, went on to win the heavyweight title at the 1964 NCAAs. Match No. 5 -- heavyweight (35 minutes into film): No. 3 seed Sherwyn Thorson (Iowa) pinned No. 1 Roger Pillath (Wisconsin), 3:21 Thorson, wearing black jersey and trunks, got revenge on the bare-chested Badger, who had pinned him in the 1962 Big Ten finals. Thorson became the first Hawkeye heavyweight champ. Both Thorson and Pillath went on to pro football careers. Match No. 6 -- 115 pounds (38 minutes into film): No. 1 seed Elliott Gray Simons (Lock Haven) dec. No. 2 Mark McCracken (Oklahoma State), 7-2 Simons, wearing the black jersey, won his third straight NCAA title, and Outstanding Wrestler honors. Masaaki HattaMatch No. 7 -- 123 pounds (45 minutes into film): No. 1 seed Masaaki Hatta (Oklahoma State) dec. No. 3 Frank Freeman (Northern Iowa), 7-4 Wearing dark trunks and black tights, Hatta, a native of Japan, became the first non-American to win an NCAA title since Canadian Earl McCready claimed three heavyweight titles for the same school (1928-1930). Match No. 8 -- 130 pounds (54 minutes into film): No. 3 seed Mickey Martin (Oklahoma) dec. No. 4 Al DeLeon (Minnesota State-Mankato), 5-2 Martin, wearing white trunks and headgear, came from behind to win the first of two consecutive NCAA titles. He is the son of Wayne Martin, an Oklahoma Sooner mat champ from the 1930s. Bill CarterMatch No. 9 -- 137 pounds (1 hour, 1 minute into film): No. 2 seed Bill Carter (Oklahoma) dec. No. 4 Bill Dotson (Northern Iowa), 6-4 Carter, wearing white trunks, won the third title of the '62 NCAAs for the Sooners. Dotson won the 137-pound crown at the 1963 NCAAs. Match No. 10 -- 147 pounds (1 hour, 8 minutes into film): Unseeded Mike Natvig (Army) dec. No. 1 Kirk Pendleton (Lehigh), 5-4 Natvig, wearing dark trunks and tights, became the first West Point wrestler to win an NCAA title ... and followed it with a second at the '63 NCAAs. It was the second year Pendleton lost in the finals, falling to Phil Kinyon in 1961 ... but avenging that loss to win the 157 title over Kinyon at the 1963 NCAAs. To watch the 1962 NCAA finals online, click here.To view NCAA brackets from 1962, click here.

Chris Perry and Zack Esposito coaching at NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State wrestling coach John Smith announced changes to his coaching staff on Wednesday. Former volunteer assistant coach Chris Perry will be elevated to the assistant coach post, while former Cowboy standout Tyler Caldwell will be brought on as recruiting coordinator and Wisconsin product Isaac Jordan has been hired as a volunteer assistant coach. "I'm excited to announce the promotion of Chris Perry to a full-time assistant coach, as well as the hiring of Tyler Caldwell and Isaac Jordan to our staff," Smith said. "As athletes, all three have shown their dedication to success on the mat, and each will be an asset in continuing the development of our student-athletes moving forward. "We are happy to keep Chris and Tyler here in Stillwater where both excelled during their collegiate careers on and off the mat. I am also thrilled to welcome Isaac to Oklahoma State after a successful career at Wisconsin." Perry steps into his new role as assistant coach after serving as a volunteer assistant for two seasons following two years as a club coach for the Pokes. During his time in the coaching ranks at Oklahoma State, Perry has helped oversee a pair of national championships from 141-pounder Dean Heil in 2016 and 2017, along with Alex Dieringer's third NCAA Championship in 2016 at 165 pounds. As a wrestler at Oklahoma State, Perry won back-to-back NCAA titles at 174 pounds under the direction of John Smith in 2013 and 2014. The Stillwater native produced a dominant 28-4 record with 14 bonus-point wins. He was a four-time Big 12 champion, the 2014 Big 12 Championship's Outstanding Wrestler and a three-time All-American. Tyler Caldwell takes over as recruiting coordinator after a successful collegiate career at Oklahoma State and Oklahoma. After his graduation from OSU, Caldwell served as a volunteer assistant coach at West Virginia during the 2015-16 season. As a collegiate wrestler, Caldwell was a two-time NCAA finalist and four-time All-American. Transferring to Stillwater from Oklahoma for the 2013 season, he finished his career at 87-16 overall, including a 63-9 record at OSU. After an impressive career at Wisconsin, Isaac Jordan makes his way to Stillwater to assume the role of volunteer assistant coach. At Wisconsin, Jordan was a four-time All-American and two-time Big Ten champion wrestling primarily at 165 pounds. Jordan's four All-America honors include a runner-up finish in 2016. As a Badger, Jordan racked up an all-time record of 113-18, which sits as the sixth-highest winning percentage in program history.