InterMat Staff

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 11 University of Michigan wrestling team showed its support for the nation's service men and women with a 24-9 victory over Virginia to open the dual season on Military Appreciation Night on Friday (Nov. 11) at Cliff Keen Arena. "Military appreciation night means a lot to me as my dad fought in the Pacific in World War II," said head coach Joe McFarland. "I appreciate all the sacrifices that our military men and women do for us. Because of them we have the freedom to have an evening like this on the wrestling mat." The Wolverines looked impressive with a lineup that featured seven redshirt freshmen among the 10 wrestlers. Five of them earned victories, but junior/sophomore Zac Hall provided the spark with Michigan trailing 6-4. There was no score after one period in Hall's match with Sam Krivus of Virginia and tied at 2-2 heading into the final two minutes. Krivus chose to start down. He got to his feet several times, but each time Hall lifted him in the air and took him back down to keep him from getting a release. Hall rode him out for the entire third period and gained a stalling point in the process to win, 4-2. "I hope I gave them a spark," said Hall. "I heard the crowd get into it at the end of my match. Either way I think our guys would have taken care of business, but any time I can do anything to help my team it's all the better." The crowd showed its appreciation for the effort shown by Hall to stay on top for two minutes. The Wolverines followed with five straight wins. Ranked No. 5, senior Brian Murphy put an exclamation point on the next match with an escape leading 8-7 with a little more than a minute to go. He then closed out the win by slamming No. 20 Andrew Atkinson to the mat two straight times to send U-M to intermission with an 11-7 lead. No. 7 Logan Massa made his dual-meet debut with a 14-7 decision coming out of the break. His classmate Myles Amine got off to a fast start and earned a major decision, 13-4. Not to be outdone by the young guys, senior Domenic Abounader, ranked No. 9, had his way with Will Schany in a 15-4 major decision. Redshirt freshman Jackson Striggow finished off the run with a 7-2 victory at 197 pounds. Along with Massa, Amine and Striggow, redshirt freshman Stevan Micic also came away with a triumph. Ranked No. 10 at 133 pounds, Micic had a takedown followed by a leg turk to get back points and build an 11-1 lead. He earned a major decision, 14-4, for Michigan's first win of the day. "We battled hard tonight," said McFarland. "We had a lot of young guys in the lineup, and all of them wrestled really hard. We still have some early season stuff we need to fix, but overall we wrestled hard matches." Fitting that on Military Appreciation Night, Michigan battled hard to open its season. Results: 125 -- Jack Mueller (Virginia) dec. #20 Austin Assad (Michigan), 7-4 (UVA, 3-0) 133 -- Stevan Micic (Michigan) major dec. William Mason (Virginia), 14-4 (U-M, 4-3) 141 -- George DiCamillo (Virginia) dec. Sal Profaci (Michigan), 12-6 (UVA, 6-4) 149 -- Zac Hall (Michigan) dec. Samuel Krivus (Virginia), 4-2 (U-M, 7-6) 157 -- Brian Murphy (Michigan) dec. Andrew Atkinson (Virginia), 11-7 (U-M, 10-6) 165 -- Logan Massa (Michigan) dec. Ray Bethea (Virginia), 14-7 (U-M, 13-6) 174 -- Myles Amine (Michigan) major dec. Tyler Askey (Virginia), 13-4 (U-M, 17-6) 184 -- Domenic Abounader (Michigan) major dec. Will Schany (Virginia), 15-4 (U-M, 21-6) 197 -- Jackson Striggow (Michigan) dec. Chance McClure (Virginia), 7-2 (U-M, 24-6) Hwt -- Chuck Boddy (Virginia) SV-1 Kostya Golobokov (Michigan), 3-1 (U-M, 24-9)

WEST POINT, N.Y. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling team (1-0, 0-0 B1G) opened up the 2016-17 season with a strong 45-0 shutout victory at Army West Point (0-1). The Nittany Lions, winners of five of the last six NCAA Championships, won all ten bouts and tallied two falls, three technical falls and three majors in the process. The dual began at 125 where true freshman Nick Suriano (Paramus, N.J.), ranked No. 12 nationally, made his collegiate debut with a strong 15-4 major decision over Army West Point's Trey Chalifoux. Sophomore Jered Cortez (Carol Stream, Ill.), ranked No. 9 at 133, made his collegiate and Penn State debut and added his own major decision, posting a 14-1 win over Austin Harry to put the Nittany Lions up 8-0 early. Senior Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 12 at 141, met No. 17 Logan Everett in one of the dual's most anticipated match-ups and dominated the action. Gulibon rolled up five takedowns and a four-point near fall to post a 17-6 major over the ranked Black Knight. Defending NCAA Champion Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, then dominated Matt Kelly on his way to a 21-3 technical fall at the 6:31 mark. Sophomore Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, sent Penn State into the halftime break on a high note with a dazzling pin of No. 14 Russ Parsons at the 2:19 mark. The fall, the 16th of Nolf's career, gave Penn State a 23-0 lead at intermission. Red-shirt freshman Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 8 at 165, made his Nittany Lion debut in fine fashion, posting a dominating 21-6 tech fall at the 5:36 mark over Black Knight Andrew Mendel. Senior Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.), and NCAA qualifier at 165 last year, moved up to 174 and posted a 4-2 win over Army West Point's Ben Harvey to put the Lions up 31-0. Sophomore Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), NCAA finalist at 174 last year and ranked No. 3 at 184 this season, dazzled the fans with a quick throw and pin of West Point's Samson Imonode, getting the fall at the 0:25 mark. Junior Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), two-time NCAA qualifier at 184 and ranked No. 16 at 197, kept Penn State's shut-out hopes alive with a thrilling 4-2 win over No. 11 Rocco Caywood. McCutcheon used a first period takedown and late defense of a solid Caywood shot to grab the win at his new weight. Sophomore Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 14 at 285, capped off the outstanding team win with a dominant performance of his own. Nevills used four takedowns and two four point near falls to roll to a 17-2 tech fall over David Farr at the 4:31 mark to secure the 45-0 shutout victory. The Nittany Lions are now 1-0 on the year and have won 18 straight duals dating back to the end of the 2014-15 campaign. Penn State posted a strong 36-3 takedown edge in the season opener and picked up 15 bonus points off two falls, three tech falls and three majors. This marks the second straight season that Penn State has opened up its campaign with a shutout victory. The Nittany Lions posted a 50-0 home win over Lock Haven last November in Rec Hall. This is Penn State's first road shutout since a 35-0 win at Michigan State on Feb. 1, 2015. Penn State started six underclassmen in the dual and had three wrestlers (Suriano, Cortez and Joseph) win in their collegiate debuts. The victory was the 99th dual win for head coach Cael Sanderson at Penn State in his eighth season and his 143rd overall. Sanderson is 99-14-2 at Penn State, 143-24-2 overall (11th year). Penn State hosts No. 12 Stanford on Sunday, Nov. 13, in its home opener. The dual begins at 2 p.m. in sold out Rec Hall. Penn State Fans are encouraged to follow Penn State wrestling via twitter at @pennstateWREST, on Penn State Wrestling's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/pennstatewrestling and on Instagram at www.instagram.com/pennstatewrest. The 2015-16 Penn State wrestling season is presented by The Family Clothesline. This is PENN STATE. WRESTLING lives here. Results: 125: #12 Nick Suriano PSU maj. dec. Trey Chalifoux AWP, 15-4 4-0 133: #9 Jered Cortez PSU maj. dec. Austin Harry AWP, 14-1 8-0 141: #12 Jimmy Gulibon PSU maj. dec. #17 Logan Everett AWP, 17-6 12-0 149: #1 Zain Retherford PSU tech fall Matt Kelly AWP, 21-3 (TF; 6:31) 17-0 157: #1 Jason Nolf PSU pinned #14 Russ Parsons AWP, WBF (2:19) 23-0 165: #8 Vincenzo Joseph PSU tech fall Andrew Mendel AWP, 21-6 (TF; 5:36) 28-0 174: Geno Morelli PSU dec. Ben Harvey AWP, 6-4 31-0 184: #3 Bo Nickal PSU pinned Samson Imonode AWP, WBF (1:03) 37-0 197: #16 Matt McCutcheon PSU dec. #11 Rocco Caywood AWP, 4-2 40-0 285: #14 Nick Nevills PSU tech fall David Farr AWP, 17-2 (TF; 4:31) 45-0 Attendance: 1,898 Records: Penn State 1-0, 0-0 B1G; Army West Point 0-1 Up Next for Penn State: home vs. #12 Stanford, Sunday, Nov. 13, 2 p.m. (Rec Hall) BOUT-BY-BOUT: 125: True freshman Nick Suriano (Paramus, N.J.), ranked No. 12 at 125, made his collegiate debut against Army's Trey Chalifoux. Suriano notched his first collegiate takedown at the 2:23 mark to take an early 2-1 lead. The Lion freshman then worked his way around Chalifoux's waste for a second takedown and a 4-1 lead midway through the opening period. Suriano built up a :52 riding time edge before cutting Chalifoux loose, then took him down a third time for a 6-2 lead. Leading 6-2 with 1:48 in riding time, Suriano chose down to start the second stanza and quickly escaped to a 7-2 lead. The Lion freshman blew through a fast low double to move out to a 10-3 lead with :33 on the clock and picked up another takedown at the :05 mark to lead 11-3 with 1:58 in time after two periods. Chalifoux chose down to start the final period and Suriano dominated action on top. Suriano picked up a point on a second stall and clinched the riding time point. Suriano cut Chalifoux loose on a reset and led 12-4. He picked up a final takedown at the :08 mark and rode Chalifoux out. The riding time point gave Suriano a 15-4 major in his Lion debut. 133: Sophomore Jered Cortez (Carol Stream, Ill.), ranked No. 9 at 133, made his collegiate and Penn State debut against Army's Austin Harry. Cortez fought off an early Harry shot, countered with a low single and forced Harry off the mat for a first stall warning. Cortez connected on a low single, worked his way into control of both legs and picked up his first Lion takedown at the :54 mark of the first period. Cortez then worked Harry's shoulders to the mat for a two-point near fall, reset himself, and then picked up a four-point near fall as the period ended to lead 8-0 after the first period. Cortez chose down to start the second period and steadily worked his way to an escape and a 9-0 lead. The duo battled evenly until the final :10 when Cortez blew through a fast low double for a takedown and an 11-0 lead. Harry chose neutral to start the third period. Cortez was steady on his feet, waiting for his opening and once again using a fast low double to take Harry down, upping his lead to 13-0 with 1:00 on the clock. He then controlled action from the top position long enough to build up a 1:26 riding time edge before cutting him loose to a 13-1 score. Harry held Cortez off to prevent the tech fall but Cortez picked up one more point on riding time and posted the 14-1 major. 141: Senior Jimmy Gulibon (Latrobe, Pa.), ranked No. 12 at 141, took on No. 17 Logan Everett of Army West Point. Gulibon worked his way into a deep single led and picked up the takedown to lead 2-1 after a quick Everett escape. The ranked duo battled evenly for the next minute-plus but neither wrestler would score and Gulibon led 2-1 after one. Gulibon chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped. Without losing contact with Everett, the Lion senior grabbed the Knight's ankle and took him down to up his lead to 5-2 after a quick Everett score. Everett scored quickly after that exchange and Gulibon escaped to a 6-4 score. The Lion senior kept up the pressure and took Everett down a third time to up his lead to 8-4. A strong ride after that allowed Gulibon to build up a 1:04 riding time edge with a rideout. Everett chose down to start the third period and Gulibon broke the Black Knight down once again to pad his riding time advantage. Everett escaped at the 1:24 mark to cut Gulibon's lead to 8-5 but the Lion senior was furious in the center of the mat, working his way into control of both Everett's ankles for another takedown. He cut Everett loose and took him down quickly again. This time he turned Everett for a near fall, picking up four points and riding him out for a 17-6 major including 2:38 in riding time. 149: Junior Zain Retherford (Benton, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 149, met Army's Matt Kelly. Retherford forced Kelly into a first stall and then quickly took him down to lead 2-0 at the 1:56 mark. Retherford put together a strong ride on top, working Kelly's belly flat to the mat. Retherford cut Kelly loose on a rest at the :59 mark and then commenced his offensive pressure. His lead moved to 3-1 after a second Kelly stall and carried that lead into the second period, along with :57 in riding time. Retherford chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 4-1 lead. Retherford turned a low shot into a takedown and a 6-1 lead with 1:32 on the clock. He cut Kelly loose, quickly took him down again and cut him once more. His third takedown of the period put Retherford up 10-3 with :40 on the clock and this time, the Lion junior went to work on top, looking to turn Kelly for a pin. Retherford picked up four near fall points to lead 14-3 with 1:50 in riding time after two. Retherford picked up another point on another Kelly stall and then forced a scramble in the middle of the mat. He picked up a takedown at the 1:20 mark to lead 17-3. Retherford turned Kelly to his back and then spent nearly a minute trying to pick up the fall. Kelly fought off the attempt and Retherford settled for a 21-3 tech fall at the 6:31 mark. 157: Sophomore Jason Nolf (Yatesboro, Pa.), ranked No. 1 at 157, battled No. 14 Russ Parsons of Army West Point. Nolf drew first blood in the ranked match-up and cut Parsons loose for a 2-1 lead. Parsons attacked immediately and surprised Nolf with a takedown to take a brief 3-2 lead. But Nolf was steady, waiting for an opening and reversed the ranked Knight, nearly taking him to his back in the process. Parsons escaped to a 4-4 score and Nolf entered attack mode. The Lion sophomore worked his way into control of Parson's legs and took a 6-4 lead. Parsons looked for a chance to reverse Nolf, but the Nittany Lion waited for his opening, found it, locked up a cradle and turned Parsons for the pin at the 2:19 mark. The fall was the 16th of Nolf's career. 165: Redshirt freshman Vincenzo Joseph (Pittsburgh, Pa.), ranked No. 8 at 165, made his collegiate debut against junior Andrew Mendel. Joseph was steady and worked his way to his first Nittany Lion takedown at the 2:30 mark. Mendel escaped to a 2-1 and action resumed in the center circle. Joseph took Mendel down quickly after and then turned Mendel for four back points. He cut him loose, used a low shot and took Mendel down once more to lead 10-2 at the 1:20 mark. Joseph cut Mendel loose at the :41 mark and quickly blew through a high double leg takedown to lead 12-3 at the :15 mark. A short rideout gave the Lion a 12-3 lead with 1:40 in time after one. Joseph chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to a 13-3 lead. He countered a slight Mendel shot, circled his way behind the Knight and upped his lead to 15-4 after cutting Mendel loose. Joseph countered a nice Mendel shot, gained control of the scramble, and tripped the Knight to the mat for a 17-4 lead at the 1:00 mark. Joseph rode Mendel out to lead 17-4 with 2:55 in time after two periods. Mendel chose down to start the third period and quickly escaped. Joseph took him down, cut him loose and took him down one final time to end the match with a 21-6 technical fall at the 5:36 mark. 174: Senior Geno Morelli (DuBois, Pa.) met Army West Point's Ben Harvey at 174. Morelli ended a minute-long scramble in the middle of the mat with control and a takedown to lead 2-0 early in the match. Morelli then put together a strong ride, working to turn Harvey for back points. Harvey was able to fight off Morelli's efforts and forced a reset at the :59 mark. Morelli cut him loose to a 2-1 score and then began looking for another takedown. After a brief blood time out for Harvey, Morelli set the tempo off the reset, looking to control Harvey's shoulders and work his opponent's head down towards the mat. Harvey's defense sent the match to the second period with Morelli leading 2-1 with 1:07 in riding time. Harvey chose down to start the second period and escaped to a 2-2 score at the 1:32 mark (Morelli had 1:30 in riding time. Harvey connected on a low single and nearly took Morelli down on the edge of the mat, but Morelli was able to force a stalemate. The takedown, however, was challenged by Army with 1:17 on the clock. The referee awarded Harvey two points and Morelli trailed 4-2. The Lion escaped quickly and trailed 4-2 at the 1:05 mark. Morelli nearly took the lead as the period ended but Harvey was able to kill the clock before Morelli could finish the takedown. Morelli, trailing 4-3, chose down to start the final period. Harvey got hit for locked hands and then Morelli escaped to lead 5-4, while maintaining his 1:11 in riding time. Morelli fought off a late Harvey single and posted the 6-4 win with 1:11 in riding time. 184: Sophomore Bo Nickal (Allen, Texas), ranked No. 3 at 184, debuted at his new weight against Army's Samson Imonode. Nickal made short work of Imonode, catching the Knight and taking him to his back quickly for a fall in just :25. The pin was the ninth of Nickal's career. 197: Junior Matt McCutcheon (Apollo, Pa.), ranked No. 16 at his new weigh of 197, took on No. 11 Rocco Caywood. McCutcheon and Caywood battled for control in the middle of the mat for nearly two minutes before McCutcheon turned a fast low double into a takedown and a 2-0 lead with 1:15 on the clock. The Lion junior then dominated the action from the top position, trying to turn Caywood for back points but Caywood was able to roll out of trouble for an escape at the :10 mark. Trailing 2-1, Caywood chose down to start the second period. McCutcheon maintained control for nearly :30 before Caywood escaped to a 2-2 tie, but McCutcheon had 1:29 in riding time. The ranked duo then battle evenly, with neither wrestler able to break through as they battled for control. Caywood picked up a stall warning and action moved to the third period tied 2-2. McCutcheon chose down to start the third period and escaped to a 3-2 lead while maintaining a 1:03 riding time edge. Caywood worked his way into control of McCutcheon's left knee at the :20 mark. McCutcheon fought off the move for the final :20, not giving up the takedown and holding on for a 4-2 win over No. 11 Caywood with 1:03 in riding time. 285: Sophomore Nick Nevills (Clovis, Calif.), ranked No. 14 at 285, met West Point's David Farr. Nevills wasted no time taking Farr down. He then put together a strong ride, dominating the action on top while looking to turn the Black Knight for back points. Nevills turned Farr for four near fall points at the 1:02 mark and led 6-0. He then reset himself and turned him once again for four points and led 10-0 with :40 left in the opening period. Nevills chose down to start the second period and quickly escaped to an 11-0 lead. Nevills picked up a second takedown with 1:40 on the clock to up his lead to 13-0. He cut Farr loose to a 13-1 score, took him down once more and led 15-1 with 1:10 left to wrestle. Nevills let Farr escape again and then ended the match with a final takedown to post the 17-2 tech fall at the 4:31 mark.

Columbia is the nation's oldest intercollegiate wrestling program (Photo/Columbia Spectator) Columbia University has cancelled the season-opening event for its wrestling team as the New York City school investigates the program after racially and sexually explicit messages allegedly exchanged among some of their wrestlers were made public Thursday by the Columbia Spectator, the school's student newspaper. Gabe Gilson, sports information director for Columbia Lions wrestling, confirmed to InterMat that the team will not be traveling to Binghamton University this weekend for the Jonathan Kaloust Bearcat Open to launch the Lions' 2016-17 season. In addition, Gilson shared the following statement issued by the university. "Columbia University has zero tolerance in its athletics programs for the group messaging and texts sent by several members of the men's varsity wrestling team. They are appalling, at odds with the core values of the University, violate team guidelines, and have no place in our community. "Upon learning yesterday of these messages, Columbia's Department of Athletics and our office of Student Conduct and Community Standards initiated an investigation. The Department of Athletics has decided that, as the investigation proceeds, Columbia wrestlers will not compete in Binghamton University's open meet this weekend." The messages, allegedly exchanged among some senior wrestlers on the group text messaging platform GroupMe, date back to 2014, with some having been sent as recently as this week, the news service Patch.com reported. Bwog -- an independent, student-run campus news site from Blue and White Publishing which produces Columbia's Blue and White magazine -- posted alleged screenshots on Thursday night which it described as being from a Class of 2017 Wrestling Team GroupMe. "The men in the group message mock women's appearances, make jokes about rape, use homophobic and racist slurs, and engage in other distasteful interactions," is how Bwog described the posts. The Bwog website featured screenshots which included obscenities and racial epithets, but all names have been blacked out. "Our intention is not to defame any individuals, but to bring up a larger question of how this sort of culture has continued for so long among students who are supposed to represent the University," Bwog said. "It is clear that this sort of 'locker room banter' should not be blindly accepted at an institution of higher learning." Columbia isn't the only Ivy League school facing challenges with alleged behavior on the part of some student-athletes. In recent weeks, similar situations emerged at Harvard University involving both the men's soccer and cross country teams. Last month, the Harvard Crimson student newspaper reported that the 2012 men's soccer team produced sexually explicit "scouting reports." Harvard later cancelled the remaining two games of the men's soccer season after learning that the team continued to produce the reports into this fall. Then last week, the Crimson reported that the men's cross country team created similar reports. Harvard is conducting an investigation.

Pat Smith (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) The seeds have been released for the U.S. Non-Olympic Weights World Team Trials in Greco-Roman, which will be held on Saturday at the New York Athletic Club. The two weight classes contested will be 61 kilograms and 70 kilograms. The champions in the two weight classes will compete at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on December 10-11. 71 kilograms: 1. Pat Smith, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 2. Alejandro Sancho, Miami, Fla. (NYAC/NMU) 3. Ellis Coleman, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 4. Chris Gonzalez, Bolingbrook, Ill. (U.S. Army WCAP) 5. Anthonie Linares, San Jose, Calif. (NYAC/NMU) 6. Alec Ortiz, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 7. Joshua Russo, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 8. Cody Pack, Colorado Springs, Colo. (Legends of Gold/OTC) 9. Clay Frost, Orem, Utah (Charger WC) 80 kilograms: 1. Patrick Martinez, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 2. Jon Anderson, Colorado Springs, Colo. (U.S. Army WCAP) 3. Cheney Haight, Colorado Springs, Colo. (NYAC/USOTC) 4. Kendrick Sanders, Homestead, Fla. (NYAC/NMU) 5. Barrett Stanghill, Philipsburg, Mont. (NYAC/NMU) 6. Jon Jay Chavez, Ithaca, N.Y. (unattached) 7. Curt Calovecchi, Marquette, Mich. (NMU/OTS) 8. Michael Brant, Camp LeJeune, N.C. (U.S. Marines) 9. Ryan Lyons. Ledyard, Conn. (Finger Lakes WC/NYAC)

Lackawanna College will be launching an intercollegiate wrestling program starting in the 2017-18 school year, the Pennsylvania school confirmed on Thursday. Lackawanna had placed a listing at the job search website Indeed.com for a "Wrestling Coach - Part Time." InterMat contacted the school to seek information about the listing. Joseph Paparelli, Lackawanna's sports information director, said, "We are starting the program next year and are looking for a head coach so we can give him time to start recruiting for this inaugural season." The new wrestling program would join existing men's sports programs baseball, basketball, football, golf and soccer, and women's basketball, bowling, soccer, softball, tennis, and volleyball. As with Lackawanna's existing intercollegiate sports programs -- all competing under the Falcon team name -- wrestling would compete in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA). "Coach will be responsible for the planning, development, administration, and oversight of the sports program for which he/she is serving as Head Coach," according to the text under the heading "Coaching Position and Duties." Additional details are available at the above link to the job listing on Indeed.com. All applications will be accepted only via online method or email to jobs@lackawanna.edu. Deadline for receipt of application is noon on Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016, the day before the Thanksgiving holiday. At its website, Lackawanna College describes itself as "the premier, private, accredited two-year college serving the people of northeastern Pennsylvania… With its main campus situated in downtown Scranton, Lackawanna's expanding footprint also includes satellite centers in Hawley, Hazleton, New Milford, and Towanda." Lackawanna College has an enrollment of approximately 1,400 students.

Victoria Anthony (Photo/Larry Slater) NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Three U.S. women claimed gold medals on the first day of the Bill Farrell Memorial International at the New York Athletic Club on Thursday. In a battle of past Junior World champions at 48 kilograms/105.5 pounds, two-time Junior World champion Victoria Anthony (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) dominated 2011 Junior World champion Marika Shidocki of Japan in the finals, scoring a pin at 5:50. Anthony, a 2013 World Team member, was leading 7-2 when she tossed and pinned Shidocki. "I had to get going with my motion, knowing I am not going to get my shots right away, but motion all the time. Wrestling a Japanese girl, whenever you get a chance to wrestle one, they all wrestle pretty similar with their movement. It is great to be here. Spain was my last tournament (in the summer) and it's November now, so I have been waiting a lot for this," said Anthony. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

Alli Ragan earned a spot on the U.S. World Team (Photo/Larry Slater) NEW YORK, N.Y. -- Roommates at King University and now roommates at the U.S. Olympic Training Center, Sarah Hildebrandt and Alli Ragan will be teammates at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on December 10-11. Both came up big with victories in their best-of-three series on Thursday at the U.S. Non-Olympic Weights World Team Trials at the New York Athletic Club. Hildebrandt (Colorado Springs, Colo./New York AC) will compete at her first Senior World Championships after defeating feature three-time World Team member Whitney Conder (Colorado Springs, Colo./U.S. Army WCAP) at 55 kg/121 lbs. Hildebrandt nailed a headlock to break open each match. Read complete story on TheMat.com ...

Live Blog Penn State at Army West Point

I'm on vacation for a few weeks, but wanted to post answers to a few questions posted by readers and weigh in on the fallout from the election. Questions are below, so let's start with the election. The election of Donald Trump was a wakeup call for many Americans. As recently as last week most thought he had no chance, a year ago that number was exponentially larger. Today he's the president-elect. While Trump didn't win the popular vote, he was within .001 percent of the total votes cast. Those numbers and the incredible difference in rhetoric from the candidates points to a nation divided. We can all agree that the wrestling community, as with much of the country, came a little unglued during this election cycle. While many progressives focused on the drum roll of insults laid out by president-elect Trump, the other half of the country focused on the corruption of the elite ruling class. Within our sport those who held blood and soil tightest tended to repeal any notion of continued balanced governance -- they thirsted for a revolt. Within our sport the fights took place online -- the tip-tap of keystroked aggression ramping up as Election Day neared. The online echo chamber creates ideological silos, but with wrestling there seems to be enough overlap in politics to cause mass agitation, resulting is repeated shouts in to the abyss -- none fruitful, and all meant to sizzle and stoke rather than provide substantial calories of intellect. Agree or disagree with the outcome, civil revolt by the people is what America does best. Nobody will die as a direct result of the next 90 days and the transition of power, despite the riots and despite the seeming uptick in racist and xenophobic acts. For America the pride comes from the electoral process, not being correct in your selection of the next leader, or self-righteous in the virtues of the runner-up. The elites were complacent and the system worked. Disruption won the day. Maybe it's the fresh mountain air of Patagonia, or cruising on motorcycles watching indescribable vistas come and go, but I'm ready to move forward and greet the next cycle. Showboat if you must, despair if necessary, but each of us should be ready to engage in the next step of the democratic process. We should all invest in those things we care about, love our neighbors and leave behind the divisiveness of 2016 so that in 2017 we do … not just shout. To your questions … J'den Cox at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) Q: Do you think that there's any chance J'den Cox would move up to 285 pounds for the NCAA Championships? Barring injury, he's basically assured of a third title (with no redshirt year) at 197, which would be an awesome feat. But there are maybe 20 three-time champions. J'den would join the top of the all-time list (maybe right after Cael, alongside Gable) if he could win his third title by beating the defending Olympic champion. Think how awesome this would be. They could probably weigh in relatively close to one another (say, 215-230) so size wouldn't be a big deal. And it would be great for Snyder also, giving him the opportunity to defeat two different two-time champions in the finals (probably also something that hasn't been done before). -- Irvonian Foley: While this is a compelling matchup it feels more like a high-level scrimmage between bored wrestlers! These guys may certainly win their next titles with little issue, but I don't think they need to scan up or down to find their toughest opponent when they are constantly traveling overseas and wrestling the Caucuses. The real question becomes, can either repeat their medal performance in Tokyo, and if so will that make them one of the all-tine best for the Stars and Stripes? Q: With a number of wrestling documentaries bursting onto the scene, between the ones on Flo and the ones that you worked on for UWW, could you list a few wrestlers who you would like to see future documentaries filmed about? Obviously, if someone went to Russia and did one on Alexander Karelin that would be amazing. I would also put Chris Campbell out there. I think he was supposed to be on the Olympic team in 1980 when the U.S. boycotted, and then he came back in '92 and won bronze in Barcelona when he was almost 38. Probably an interesting story to tell there. -- Mark R. Foley: The docu-film industry in the sport of wrestling is BOOMING! Yes, United World Wrestling and FloWrestling have both been producing some great docs, but I'd keep your eye out for the Olympic Channel as well. They have a number of original series featuring Olympians and future Olympians from all their sports. Wrestling has been promoted a few times, and there is work to get a lot more in the future. One item that seems to be coming for sure is a documentary on Alexander Karelin! Not sure in what format or length, but the production company is excellent and the Olympic channel doesn't do bad content. As for specific UWW projects in the works -- we'll see! MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME UFC 205 on Saturday night in NYC is going to be legit … Q: Of these wrestlers turned MMA fighters, who in your opinion made the best transition and why: Logan Storley, Ed Ruth, Henry Cejudo, and T.J. Dillashaw? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Big ups to Ed Ruth and Tyrell Fortune for winning their Bellator debuts last week. While I was happy to see them both come out as dominating forces, I think the experience likely worked to humble both. Ruth was rocked early and you could tell he hadn't been hit like that in the gym. From your list I think T.J. Dillashaw is clearly the most successful and made the most impressive transition. He's a confident fighter with superb striking and solid grappling. We still have to see about Logan Storley… Q: Do you happen to know why Macedonia and Montenegro were suspended by the UWW? The website just states that they were suspended but doesn't give any additional info. -- Mark R. Foley: Failure to pay necessary fees.

The 24th-ranked University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling team posted a 41-5 win over VMI in Southern Conference action at Maclellan Gym tonight. The Mocs scored bonus points in seven of their nine wins at the Candlelight Dinner Match. The evening started at 149, with freshman Dylanger Potter putting UTC up 6-0 with a second period pin. VMI's only win was next 157 when No. 18 Neal Richards scored a technical fall against sophomore Trey Watson. The Mocs then ran off three straight major decisions by junior Justin Lampe (165), senior Sean Mappes (174) and junior Bryce Carr (184). The highlight of the night came at 197 when fifth-year senior Clay Dent pinned Taylor Thomas just 31 seconds into the match. Dent took down Thomas who quickly got back to his feet and tried to escape. Dent put him back on the mat and stuck him for his second pin of the year. "It is great to see Clay being rewarded for all of his hard work," stated head coach Heath Eslinger. "Guys just don't stick around like he has, but we have given him the keys and he is driving it." Junior Jared Johnson lived up to his No. 11 ranking with a tech fall at heavyweight. He was in control throughout the match and won 16-0 early in the second period. Sophomore Alonzo Allen bounced back from a season opening loss to score a great win over Dalton Henderson at 125. Allen posted five takedowns in the 12-5 win. "That was a big win for 'Zo," added Eslinger. "He lost to him twice last year, so it was great to see him come out and be aggressive from the start." Sophomore Chris Debien had a 3-2 decision over Hunter Starner at 133 and sophomore Roman Boylen closed out the night with a pin at 141. The Mocs moved to 2-0 on the year and 1-0 in SoCon action. VMI drops to 0-2 overall after losing its SoCon opener tonight. Up next for Chattanooga is Sunday's trip to No. 6 Virginia Tech. Match time against the Hokies is 1:00 p.m. in Blacksburg, Va. Results: 149: Dylanger Potter (UTC) - Fall 4:09 - Stevan Smith (VMI) - UTC 6-05 157: No. 18 Neal Richards (VMI) - Tech. Fall 20-4 (3:11) - Trey Watson (UTC) - UTC 6-5 165: Justin Lampe (UTC) - MD 16-4 - Cade Kiely (VMI) - UTC 10-5 174: Sean Mappes (UTC) - MD 13-5 - Shabaka Johns (VMI) - 14-5 184: Bryce Carr (UTC) - MD 11-3 - Christopher Beck (VMI) - 18-5 197: Clay Dent (UTC) - Fall 0:31 - Taylor Thomas (VMI) - 24-5 285: No. 11 Jared Johnson (UTC) - Tech. Fall 16-0 (4:04) - Sam Bouis (VMI) - UTC 29-5 125: Alonzo Allen (UTC) - Dec. 12-5 - Dalton Henderson (VMI) - UTC 32-5 133: Chris Debien (UTC) - Dec. 3-2 - Hunter Starner (VMI) - UTC 35-5 141: Roman Boylen (UTC) - Fall 4:58 - Darren Ostrander (VMI) - UTC 41-5

With the early signing period in earnest, Michigan State got a verbal commitment from two-time state medalist Jaden Enriquez (Mission Oak, Calif.). Ranked No. 31 overall in the Class of 2017, Enriquez placed fourth as a freshman and finished as runner-up during his sophomore campaign, before an injury during the state series derailed his junior season. He starts the 2016-17 ranked No. 9 at 145 pounds. In terms of the off-season, Enriquez was a Junior Greco All-American this past summer and a two-time Cadet National double All-American, including finals appearances in both styles during the summer of 2014. He is also a two-time UWW Cadet National runner-up in Greco-Roman, and was an All-American in freestyle during the spring of 2015. Enriquez projects to compete as a 141/149 for the Spartans.

The seeds have been released for the U.S. Non-Olympic Weights World Team Trials, which will be held on Friday at the New York Athletic Club. The two weight classes contested will be 61 kilograms and 70 kilograms. The champions in the two weight classes will compete at the Non-Olympic Weight World Championships in Budapest, Hungary on December 10-11. 61 kilograms: 1. Logan Stieber, Columbus, Ohio (Titan Mercury WC/Ohio RTC) 2. Tyler Graff, New Brunswick, N.J. (New York AC) 3. Nahshon Garrett, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 4. Alan Waters, Columbia, Mo. (Missouri Wrestling Foundation) 5. Jayson Ness, Minneapolis, Minn. (Minnesota Storm) 6. Cody Brewer, Evanston, Ill. (Chicago RTC) 7. Josh Kindig, Durham, N.C. (Tar Heel WC) 8. Darrius Little, Bethlehem, Pa. (Lehigh Valley AC) 9. Andrew Hochstrasser, Boise, Idaho (Titan Mercury WC) 10. Joey Lazor, Cedar Falls, Iowa (Panther WC RTC) 11. Shelton Mack, Charlottesville, Va. (Titan Mercury WC) 12. Joel Webster, Norfolk, Conn. 13. Nick Lee, State College, Pa. (Nittany Lion WC) 14. Alex Radsky, Lexington, Va. (Mat Pack WC) 15. Mizam Tamaradze, West Springfield, Mass. 70 kilograms: Advances directly to Finals Series - James Green, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC) Challenge Tournament Seeds 1. Jordan Oliver, Tempe, Ariz. (Sunkist Kids) 2. Jimmy Kennedy, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Michigan RTC) 3. Isaiah Martinez, Lemoore, Calif. (Illinois RTC) 4. Adam Hall, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC) 5. Jason Chamberlain, Lincoln, Neb. (Titan Mercury WC) 6. Kellen Russell, Ann Arbor, Mich. (New York AC/Cliff Keen WC) 7. Nazar Kulchytskyy, Madison, Wis. (Titan Mercury WC) 8. Kevin LeValley, Lewisburg, Pa. (Buffalo Valley RTC) 9. Thomas Gantt, Raleigh, N.C. (Titan Mercury WC) 10. Dylan Alton, West Point, N.Y. (West Point WC) 11. Mitch Finesilver, Greenwood Village, Colo. (Blue Blood WC) 12. Markus Scheidel, New York, N.Y. (New York City RTC) 13. Hayden Hidlay, Lewiston, Pa. (Wolfpack WC) 14. Alexander Steen, San Antonio, Texas (The Open Mat) 15. Robert Zyko, Staten Island, N.Y. (NYAC)

Jason Tsirtsis battles Edinboro's David Habat in the NCAA semifinals in 2015 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) TEMPE, Ariz. -- After transferring from Northwestern, Jason Tsirtsis has been granted an additional year of eligibility by the NCAA to compete for the Sun Devils for the 2017-18 season. "This could not have happened without the hard work of our compliance team," said head coach Zeke Jones. "It's a great day for him and his family to get his final year of eligibility and it couldn't have happened to a better person because Jason exemplifies what a student-athlete is." At Northwestern, Tsirtsis won the NCAA championship in 2014 and was a two-time Big Ten champion at 149 pounds (2014, 2015). "Thank you to the NCAA, to our compliance department, and our administrators for their work," said Tsirtsis. "I'm so excited to officially put on a Sun Devil singlet and wrestle here at ASU." Tsirtsis also earned All-American status in 2015, finishing third, and was crowned Midlands champion in 2014. As a freshman (2014), he was named Intermat and Big Ten Freshman of the Year. He was the No. 1 recruit at 141 lbs. and the No. 2 overall recruit in his class. "The real credit goes to those that worked diligently to help Jason in this case - compliance and our senior administrators," Jones continued. "It also wouldn't have happened without the cooperation from Northwestern helping Jason and without the NCAA making a decision that was right for the student-athlete." The No. 18 Sun Devils are on the road this weekend before returning home for their regular season home opener vs. No. 2 Ohio State on Saturday, Nov. 19 at 1 p.m.

Destin McCauley celebrates after winning a national title (Photo/Corbey R. Dorsey, UNK Athletics) Last season Destin McCauley of Nebraska-Kearney won a national title at the NCAA Division II level. It was his second consecutive All-American honor at 149 pounds after finishing third at the NCAAs the previous season. He begins his senior season ranked No. 1 at 157 pounds in Division II. McCauley competed for Apple Valley (Minn.) High School, winning five state championships and earning six state medals. He won 286 matches, which set a state record. McCauley was once the nation's No. 1 wrestling recruit in the Class of 2011. InterMat recently caught up with McCauley. Last season you won a Division II national championship in dramatic fashion, coming from behind in the final 10 seconds, scoring a takedown off a throw from double overs. You showed a lot of emotion after the victory. How much did that national championship mean to you? McCauley: It really meant a lot to me kind of because of where I used to be in my wrestling career. The previous two years I really took a couple steps back. It showed me that I still have it and still have that fire inside me to be the best. Your wrestling journey has kind of taken you all over. You spent time at the Olympic Training Center after high school, and then attended Nebraska briefly before transferring to Nebraska-Kearney for the second semester of the 2013-14 season. Why has Nebraska-Kearney been a good fit for you? McCauley: It's really the coaches here. They really understood where I was coming from. They understood my background. They really take time with me. They want to meet with me a couple times a week just to talk and hang out. They connect with you on a personal level. I feel like I haven't had that connection so far. I feel like some coaches use their wrestlers just to make their team great. Here at Kearney they really want what's best for the student-athlete. You're moving up a weight class this season from 149 pounds to 157 pounds. What went into the decision to move up a weight class? McCauley: I lose a lot of muscle when I get down to 149 pounds. I don't really have much body fat on me to begin with. Getting down there I felt like I just kept losing muscle, and that's not really how I like to do things. This summer I really spent a lot of time in the weight room. Marc Bauer resigned as Nebraska Kearney's head wrestling coach in August. Were you surprised when you received that news? McCauley: I really wasn't surprised. Just the way things had been going, it kind of seemed like a domino effect. Dalton Jensen had been named a co-head coach the year before, so I kind of had a feeling something was going to happen. Coach Bauer is still in there with us quite a bit. We all understand that he has obligations to school now, which we're all OK with. It really wasn't a shock. Dalton is an awesome coach, and he's just going to pick up where Coach Bauer left off. Nebraska-Kearney begins the season ranked No. 6 after finishing third at the NCAAs last season. You lose a couple multiple-time national champions in Daniel DeShazer and Romero Cotton, but have four All-Americans returning. What are your expectations for the program this season? McCauley: We're really going to miss Daniel and Romero because those guys were always bringing the hammer down. We're kind of a young team, but we have a lot of good guys who are willing to step up. I'm excited to see what these guys can bring to the table this year. Of course, I think we have a shot at winning a national title by the end of the year when everything comes around and our lineup is ready. Nebraska-Kearney wrestles a tough schedule that includes events like the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational where you'll see Division I competition. Does it excite you being able to compete against the top Division I wrestlers while still wrestling for Nebraska-Kearney? McCauley: Oh yeah. That was another thing that drew me to Kearney. I knew that they had tournaments like this. They used to go to the Midlands Championships, but they backed out of that and we go out to Vegas. I love to still be able to compete with the Division I guys, see where I'm at, get my hands on them and show them that Division II is not much of a step down from Division I. A lot of wrestlers in Division II have tons of talent. Are there any particular opponents you're looking forward to facing this season? McCauley: I'm excited to get my hands on any top-ranked guys. Any top 10 guys in Division I would be great. I don't really know who is at 157 pounds in Division II, but whoever is trying to take down, I'm ready. Tervel Dlagnev came from Nebraska-Kearney and became a two-time Olympian and two-time world medalist. What has his post-collegiate success in freestyle done for the Nebraska-Kearney program? McCauley: Tervel is an awesome guy. He's always trying to come back when he can. When we have camps in the summer he'll come in and run a session for us. It increases the number of kids who will come out just because they're excited to see a world medalist or Olympic athlete. It really brings more numbers to the camps. So we all appreciate that. Mark Hall recently finished his career at Apple Valley. He was a six-time state champion, and won Cadet and Junior World titles and the nation's No. 1 wrestling recruit. You were teammates with Mark when he was a seventh-grader and you were a senior. What do you remember about Mark during that year? McCauley: I just knew instantly that kid was going to be something special. I was the top recruit in the country my senior year, and that kid was almost taking me down as a seventh-grader. That just kind of blew my mind. I was always that kid who was trying to beat up all the older guys. He was doing better than I ever did at that age. He just has the right mindset. He just kept with it. I'm so proud of him. I know he's going to do awesome at Penn State. You were very successful in freestyle wrestling, winning multiple Fargo titles and making the Junior World team. Is freestyle wrestling in your future after you finish your college wrestling career? McCauley: I definitely want to wrestle some freestyle. That has always been my favorite style. I just have to try to find a place to train after this season, whether it's staying here at Kearney or training somewhere else. I have my options open. I want to find a nice regional training center and keep competing in freestyle. What weight class do you plan to compete in for freestyle? McCauley: I'm still kind of trying to figure that out myself. I'm not really sure about going down to 143 pounds just because I don't really like to cut the weight, but sometimes you have to do that with the Olympic weight classes. So I might try to get bigger and take a gander at the bigger weight class, 163 pounds. I'm going to keep trying to lift, get big and keep my body healthy and see how that will go for a little bit. If things aren't working out, then I might have to cut down. Right now I'm shooting for the bigger weight class. When I get small I'm more prone to injuries, and I have some bad shoulders, so I like getting big, keeping my body strong. Destin McCauely battles Isaac Dulgarian of Notre Dame in the NCAA finals (Photo/Corbey R. Dorsey, UNK Athletics) Do you feel pretty healthy right now? McCauley: Yeah. This is probably the healthiest I've felt in a couple years. I went from getting shoulder surgery to getting ankle surgery … I have two screws in my ankles. It has been kind of a long recovery process for me the last few years. I'm finally starting to feel like I'm back to where I used to be. Are you having fun and enjoying the sport as much as you ever have? McCauley: Oh yeah. There was a time when I was kind of done with the sport. I thought it was about time I hung up my shoes. It took me hitting rock bottom to find out I love this sport, and I feel like this sport loves me. It gives me tons of opportunities in life, and I love that about the sport so I'm going to keep riding this train as long as I can. What needs to happen this season for it to be considered a successful season? McCauley: For me personally, it's winning another national title. Along with that, making sure academically I'm keeping up with my grades. I'm almost done with school, so I need to make sure that's a priority. Also making sure my team is on the same path as me, making sure their mindset is to get better and push everyone. I want a team national title too. I would like to go out with that. I know we have the kids to do it. This story also appears in the Nov. 11 issue of The Guillotine. The Guillotine has been covering wrestling in Minnesota since 1971. Its mission is to report and promote wrestling at all levels -- from youth and high school wrestling to college and international level wrestling. Subscribe to The Guillotine.

Jacob Warner at UWW Cadet Nationals (Photo/Sam Janicki) The nation's No. 8 senior recruit is off the board. Jacob Warner, the No. 1-ranked 195-pounder in the country by InterMat, announced on Wednesday afternoon that he will be competing for the University of Iowa. He joins a 2017 Iowa recruiting class that includes three other top 50 recruits: No. 1 Spencer Lee, No. 27 Max Murin and No. 44 Luke Troy. He selected Iowa over Ohio State, Minnesota, Arizona State and Purdue. In September, Warner won a bronze medal at the Cadet World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. He projects as a 197-pounder in college.

Rudy Yates wrestling Minnesota's Mitchell McKee in Fargo (Photo/David Peterson) Sean Stender and Rudy Yates will be guests on this week's edition of the On the Mat wrestling broadcast today. Stender, a three-time NCAA All-American and 2005 NCAA finalist for the University of Northern Iowa, and Yates, currently a freshman for the UNI Panthers, will be interviewed by guest host Jeff Bradley. 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 each Wednesday at 5 p.m. Central on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com.

Gable Steveson claimed his second Cadet world title earlier this year (Photo/Alireza Akbari) With the major preseason tournaments all but done, and official scholastic season practices either having started already or about to start, it is now time for the presentation of the preseason national high school weight class rankings. The top 20 wrestlers in each weight class are recognized, with the most elite wrestler named as the No. 1 wrestler in the country. To start the 2016-17 season, here are the top ranked wrestlers in each weight class. 106 pounds: Malik Heinselman (Castle View, Colo.) The junior has already won three Fargo freestyle titles, two at the Cadet level and this past summer at the Junior level. In addition Heinselman has competed for the United States at the UWW Cadet World freestyle championships the last two years, at 42 kilograms in 2015 and 46 kilos in 2016. He was state champion this past high school season at 106 pounds. 113 pounds: Adam Busiello (Eastport-South Manor, N.Y.) The sophomore finished last season as the nation's top-ranked wrestler at 106 pounds after winning a second high school state title (he was champion at 99 pounds as an eighth-grader). Busiello won a second straight high school division title at the Super 32 Challenge last month, and is also a two-time Cadet National freestyle All-American. 120 pounds: Jordan Decatur (CVCA, Ohio) The sophomore is a two-time Cadet National freestyle champion in Fargo, and a two-time placer in freestyle at the UWW Cadet Nationals, including a runner-up finish this year at 54 kilograms. Most notable though was a win at the Who's Number One event over Gavin Teasdale, a Junior National freestyle champion and two-time UWW Cadet World team representative in freestyle. 126 pounds: Spencer Lee (Franklin Regional, Pa.) The University of Iowa verbal commit is the nation's top overall senior, and has yet to lose an in-season high school match on the way to three state titles. Lee is also a three-time world freestyle champion at 50 kilograms, winning at the Cadet level in 2014 before winning at the Junior level the last two years. 132 pounds: Daton Fix (Sand Springs, Okla.) The three-time state champion is a two-time world freestyle bronze medalist, earning that status at the Junior level competing in the 55 kilogram weight class this summer and also last summer at 54 kilograms as a Cadet. Fix is also a two-time Fargo freestyle champion, winning a Cadet title in 2013 and a Junior title in 2015. 138 pounds: Vitali Arujau (Syosset, N.Y.) Another three-time state champion was a UWW Cadet world freestyle silver medalist this summer at 58 kilograms, and won the Super 32 Challenge last month. The Cornell commit was also third at the Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2015 and a Cadet National freestyle champion that summer in Fargo. 145 pounds: Yianni Diakomihalis (Hilton, N.Y.) The four-time state champion, and another Cornell commit, is also a two-time UWW Cadet world freestyle champion. He won those titles the last two years at 58 and 63 kilograms respectively. Diakomihalis is also a three-time Super 32 Challenge champion, and ended the 2015-16 season ranked No. 1 at 138 pounds. 152 pounds: David Carr (Massillon Perry, Ohio) The junior has already won three state titles, winning his eighth grade state title in the state of Kentucky. This fall he was a UWW Cadet world bronze medalist competing at 69 kilograms. Carr also won the Super 32 Challenge in the fall of 2015 and was champion at the Walsh Jesuit Ironman in December 2015. 160 pounds: Brady Berge (Kasson-Mantorville, Minn.) The Penn State commit is a three-time state champion. He also won the Super 32 Challenge last month, and competed at the UWW Cadet world freestyle championships last year at 69 kilograms. 170 pounds: Kaleb Romero (Mechanicsburg, Ohio) The three-time state champion is a verbal commit to Ohio State. He was all-state first team in football last year at the quarterback position, and is likely headed to that status this fall, with possible Offensive Player of the Year honors within his division statewide. The two sport star was also undefeated at the AAU Scholastic Duals this summer. 182 pounds: Michael Beard (Malvern Prep, Pa.) The junior has twice made the finals at the National Prep Championships, winning the title last year at this weight class. He also was a UWW Cadet National freestyle runner-up this spring at 86 kilograms. Beard also finished as runner-up at both the Walsh Jesuit Ironman and Beast of the East last December. 195 pounds: Jacob Warner (Washington, Ill.) The two-time state champion, three-time state finalist, was also a UWW Cadet world bronze medalist in freestyle this summer at 86 kilograms. Warner was champion in both styles at the Cadet Nationals in Fargo during 2015, along with winning a UWW Cadet National title in Greco-Roman this spring in addition to the title in freestyle at 86 kilos. 220 pounds: Chase Singletary (Blair Academy, N.J.) This Ohio State verbal commit is a two-time National Prep finalist, winning the title this past season at 195 pounds over defending champion Nick Reenan. During the 2015-16 season, he was champion at the Walsh Ironman; while this summer he went undefeated at the AAU Scholastic Duals. 285 pounds: Gable Steveson (Apple Valley, Minn.) The nation's top overall junior is a two-time UWW Cadet world freestyle champion at 100 kilograms. Steveson is also a two-time state champion at 220 pounds, and was a state runner-up at 195 pounds in eighth grade. Additional USA Wrestling tournament titles for Steveson include a Junior folkstyle title at 220 pounds this spring and a Cadet freestyle title at 220 pounds in the summer of 2015. Wrestlers ranked by state (high school attending), 36 states in all: 40: Pennsylvania 29: New Jersey 28: Ohio 19: California 18: Illinois 14: Florida, Iowa 11: Colorado, New York 10: Minnesota 9: Indiana, Michigan, Missouri 7: Georgia, Oklahoma 6: Wisconsin 4: Maryland, West Virginia 3: Arizona, Idaho, Oregon, Tennessee, Virginia 2: Kansas, Nebraska, New Hampshire 1: Connecticut, Kentucky, Massachusetts, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wyoming

There is a proverbial saying, "when it rains, it pours." That statement has to be 100 percent true when it comes to the 2017 recruiting class for the University of Oklahoma. Election Night saw a sixth and now seventh top 100 commit for the Sooners in this class, as No. 60 Jake Boyd (Smithville, Mo.) verbally committed. Boyd was a finalist in both styles at the Cadet Nationals last summer in Fargo at 195 pounds, winning the title in freestyle. He also was a state champion this past high school season at 195 pounds; and was a UWW Cadet freestyle All-American this spring, when he placed fifth at 86 kilograms. He projects to compete collegiately at 197 pounds.

Three-time state placer, and 2015 state champion, Kevin Vough (Elyria, Ohio) verbally committed to Boise State University on Tuesday evening. The nation's No. 15 overall Class of 2017 prospect was also a Junior National freestyle runner-up in 2015 and a Flo Nationals champion in 2014. Other notable distinctions for the projected 285 pound wrestler are a third place finish at the Flo Nationals in 2015, a Cadet Greco-Roman national title in 2014, and championships in both styles at the UWW Cadet Nationals in 2015.

A most excellent haul of recruits in the 2017 class continues for new Oklahoma Sooners head coach Lou Roselli. The latest is the verbal commitment on the evening of Election Night from Matthew Waddell (Gilmer, Ga.), who is currently ranked No. 85 overall in the class. A projected 184 pound wrestler, Waddell was a Junior National double All-American this past summer at 182 pounds, third in Greco and fifth in freestyle. He also was a Junior Greco All-American in the summer of 2015. On the folkstyle side of things, Waddell is a two-time state champion, and placed third at the NHSCA Junior Nationals this spring in the 182 pound weight class. He also placed sixth at 182 pounds in the Super 32 Challenge last month. Waddell joins No. 22 Dominick Demas (Dublin Coffman, Ohio), No. 32 Anthony Mantanona (Palm Desert, Okla.), No. 33 Kyle Lawson (Olentangy Liberty, Ohio), No. 52 Tanner Litterell (Tuttle, Okla.), and No. 90 Jake Woodley (North Allegheny, Pa.) in this class for Oklahoma.

What do former Ohio State wrestlers do once they've hung up their scarlet and gray singlets? Some find success in international competition ... while others share their knowledge and experience with the next generation of wrestlers as high school and college coaches. Still others translate that experience in the wrestling room and on the mat to excel in the fiercely competitive world of business. Three recent Buckeye wrestlers -- Mike Manuche, Josh Whitt, and Joe Grandominico -- have charted a completely different path by creating Conquering Columbus -- a podcast that celebrates successful individuals with ties to the city that is home to Ohio State. InterMat first learned of the Conquering Columbus podcast when it saw a link to its recent interview with Mike Pucillo, 2008 NCAA Division I champ for Ohio State who revealed in a March 2015 interview with Jason Bryant that he is gay. The sixty-minute segment on the Conquering Columbus podcast was an engaging, in-depth conversation between Pucillo and the Conquering Columbus principals (they are friends, as evidenced by the interviewers referring to the former Buckeye champ as "Mikey"). Wanting to know more, InterMat contacted Conquering Columbus ... and learned more about the trio of Buckeye matmen who started the podcast, and their purpose for creating it. Meet the Conquerors Yes, Manuche, Whitt and Grandominico all wrestled for Ohio State ... but each former Buckeye brings a unique background to Conquering Columbus. A walk-on for the Ohio State wrestling team at 133 pounds, Mike Manuche came to Central Ohio from San Diego, Calif. in 2011. In his bio at the Conquering Columbus website, Manuche said, "I am asked why someone would leave a place as beautiful as Southern California to come to the Midwest for school, and then decide to stay in Columbus after finishing my degree. The simple answer is the people. I knew that, although it would be uncomfortable and much more difficult than going to UC Santa Barbara, I would be the best version of myself coming to Ohio State to train with the Buckeyes ... Today, I work in the business world instead of on the mat. Conquering Columbus was started for the same reason I came to Ohio State to wrestle: to learn from the best. We hope to bring the stories and experiences of our guests to our listeners so we can all understand what it takes to reach our potential." Like Mike Manuche, Josh Whitt was also a walk-on at Ohio State who wrestled 133. The Toledo native graduated Summa Cum Laude and Academic All Big-Ten honoree. Whitt now works full-time at Facilities Management eXpress (FMX) and, in addition, helps out at Rudis, the Columbus-based wrestling gear and athletic wear supplier. In a phone interview, InterMat asked Manuche and Whitt about their original career goals ... and whether getting into communications (as in creating a podcast) was part of the plan. "I wanted to be a dentist, until I talked to a dentist," Manuche disclosed. "I studied theoretical mathematics," said Whitt. "You can imagine the career opportunities there." That said, the two have some broadcast experience, with Manuche doing color commentary for BTN (Big Ten Network) wrestling telecasts ... and Whitt accompanying him at the mic for a dual. Serving as webmaster and IT guy for Conquering Columbus is Joe Grandominico, who wrestled for Ohio State at 149 and 157 pounds. He was a three-time varsity letter winner and Academic All American as a Buckeye, and graduated Cum Laude with a degree in Business Administration, specialization in Management Information Systems, and a minor in Spanish for Business. Since graduating, the Westerville, Ohio native has been building his professional career at Ohio-based Owens Corning. Wrestling ... and a whole lot more To be clear, Conquering Columbus is NOT specifically a wrestling podcast ... but realizing that three Ohio State mat alums built it, and that a number of the guests have amateur wrestling backgrounds, it would be easy to draw that conclusion. "We focus on incredible individuals centered in the Columbus community," Mike Manuche told InterMat. "We do have a few other interviews with former wrestlers, including Tommy Rowlands and Mike Novogratz, Wall Street guru and Beat The Streets founder ... "Many of our interviewees also have wrestling ties, not because we intentionally seek out wrestlers, but we have an easier time landing them as a guest if we have some sort of connection to them," Manuche continued. "James Lawrence, who ran 50 IronMan competitions in 50 days in 50 states; Kevin Harrington, former Shark on ABC's "Shark Tank", and Robert Hatta, talent partner at Drive Capital) all have wrestling somewhere in their backgrounds and we have interviews with them on our site as well." In looking at the roster of recent Conquering Columbus guests from the past month or so, another wrestling-related name came up as the subject of an interview: Commander Dominic Gorie, retired U.S. astronaut who was just announced as the Outstanding American honoree of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Class of 2017 who will be welcomed into the Stillwater, Okla. based hall in June 2017. Then again, it's not all wrestlers who make up the Conquering Columbus guest list. In recent weeks, the podcast has interviewed Jack Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo ... the entrepreneur who created Jeni's Splendid Ice Creams, Jeni Britton Bauer ... as well as "health blogger" Sara Grandominico on the importance of diet in living a healthy lifestyle. How it got started The idea for launching Conquering Columbus came early this year. The first podcast was posted in June 2016 ... with nearly two dozen podcasts already available for listeners to access. What was the thinking behind the Conquering Columbus podcast? "Josh and I saw all of the individuals working every day to make Columbus better, and we knew someone had to capture their story," Mike Manuche wrote on the Conquering Columbus website. "We wanted to learn from everyone doing amazing work around Columbus -- from business and athletics to science, medicine, social work, and beyond -- and bring their ideas and dreams to others with the hope that we could make our city more connected then it has ever been." The three creators see their Conquering Columbus podcast as the way to achieve these goals. They research and interview those across Columbus and beyond who have achieved success in a wide range of endeavors. "We're genuinely curious about serious people," Josh Whitt told InterMat. "We want to let our interview subjects present their stories in a straightforward, relaxed, conversational setting." As for timing ... the goal is to have a new podcast up each week, usually posted at 4 p.m. Eastern time Sunday afternoons. Most interviews run from 40-60 minutes each. Want to know more about Conquering Columbus? Visit their website, where you'll find a list of available podcasts for listening (complete with links) ... complete bios of the three podcast founders ... and more, including a way to be alerted by email when new podcasts are available.

Romero Cotton, three-time NCAA Division II wrestling champ at University of Nebraska-Kearney, has signed with Bellator, the mixed martial arts organization announced Monday. Cotton, who was granted an eleventh semester of eligibility by the NCAA one year ago, is currently working on completing his psychology degree at Nebraska-Kearney, but hopes to make his professional MMA debut in 2017, competing as a middleweight (185 pounds), according to Bellator. Romero Cotton (Photo/Mark Lundy, Lutte-Lens.com)A native of Hutchinson, Kan., Cotton was a four-time NCAA Division II championship finalist for the UNK Lopers, winning three consecutive titles at 197 pounds in 2014, 2015 and 2016, making him the first three-time champ in the 111-year history of the school. Cotton compiled an overall record of 66-10 record at Kearney, earning NCAA All-American status four times. He also played football for the school where the team co-captain rushed for 309 yards this year, and 1,866 yards over the past three seasons. "Having an opportunity to be part of a promotion like Bellator so early in my MMA career is one that I am thankful for,' Cotton said. "Being that I'm just starting out in the sport I thought it would be two or three years of grinding and working my way up the ladder before reaching a company of this magnitude." The 26-year-old Cotton joins a growing roster of athletes with impressive amateur wrestling credentials who have signed with Bellator in the past year or so, including Aaron Pico, Joey Davis, Jarod Trice, Tyrell Fortune and Ed Ruth. Just this past weekend, Fortune and Ruth both made successful debuts at Bellator 163 in Connecticut, each winning his first pro MMA bout by TKO within the first round. Cotton is eager to make a similar positive first impression in MMA, and build a successful career with Bellator. "Having seen how Bellator's recent string of wrestlers have been treated and performed, I'm honored to be the latest and there's nothing I'm looking forward to more than showing the world my skills that I've acquired throughout my life not only as a wrestler, but as an athlete," said Cotton. "Now, I move onto the next phase of my career and will continue to develop into a well-rounded fighter."

Dale Anderson with his book "A Spartan Journey: Michigan State's 1967 Miracle on the Mat" Quick question: Which Big Ten wrestling program was the first to win an NCAA Division I team title while a member of that conference? No, it wasn't University of Iowa. Nor was it Penn State. Or Ohio State. Nope, not University of Minnesota, either. While all these current members of the Big Ten can claim at least one NCAA team championship, the school that did it first was none other than Michigan State, at the 1967 NCAAs at Kent State University in Kent, Ohio. Dale Anderson was a member of that history-making Michigan State wrestling team that helped propel the Spartans to that team title nearly a half-century ago after having been a struggling, cellar-dwelling squad just three years earlier. Now he tells that story -- along with what he describes as "a travelogue of my (wrestling) life" that intersects with a number of familiar names in the sport -- in his brand-new book "A Spartan Journey: Michigan State's 1967 Miracle on the Mat." Meet Dale Anderson Dale AndersonDale Anderson was born in Fort Dodge, Iowa -- birthplace to legendary college wrestling champ and coach, the late Bill Koll -- exactly nine months after Japan surrendered at the end of World War II. His family moved around the state, for a time settling on a farm in Humboldt, Iowa, hometown for Frank Gotch, who won the world professional wrestling championship in 1908, and whose fame and superstar status helped fuel amateur wrestling in high schools and colleges throughout the U.S. in the early 20th century. Anderson's family eventually settled in Waterloo, Iowa, a community known internationally as the home of Dan Gable. Dale Anderson and Dan Gable both wrestled at Waterloo West High School for Bob Siddens, one of the giants in prep wrestling coaching; Anderson was a senior when Gable was a sophomore. ("There was very little intersection with Dan Gable, but a lot with his dad," Anderson told InterMat.) Dale Anderson won two Iowa high school state titles at Waterloo West ... then headed east to Michigan State, where, wrestling for Grady Peninger and the late Doug Blubaugh, he tallied three Big Ten championships and back-to-back NCAA titles in 1967 and 1968. The path to write 'A Spartan Journey' Anderson started writing "A Spartan Journey" with one purpose in mind ... only to eventually widen the scope of the story. "Originally I was going to tell only about the 1967 team title," Anderson told InterMat. "As I was working on it, I expanded it to make it more autobiographical ..." That said, Anderson's book is very much a wrestling memoir that concentrates on his mat careers at Waterloo West and Michigan State. In fact, "A Spartan Journey" pretty much ends after that championship season ... without any coverage of his life and career since 1967 which has focused on the law, as a lawyer, prosecutor, instructor and author of a number of law books. In the preface of his "A Spartan Journey," Anderson cites fellow Michigan State alum Magic Johnson, member of the 1979 NCAA championship basketball team, in a speech to the 2000 title-winning Michigan State basketball squad, saying, in essence, they would not fully appreciate what they had done for a long time, perhaps 50 years. "As I relax in front of my fireplace, I begin to feel that way about our NCAA championship team of 1967 -- now some 50 years ago. That's one of the main reasons I wrote this book. This is a story I only later in life am beginning to fully appreciate ..." In that preface, Anderson said a motivating factor for taking on this assignment was reading "The Dream Team of 1947" by Arno Niemand, about the wrestling program at tiny Cornell College of Iowa defeating much larger mat powers of the time such as Oklahoma State, Lehigh and University of Illinois to win the team title at the 1947 NCAA championships. However, Anderson originally had no intention of writing about the 1967 Michigan State "miracle on the mat" himself. "I tried to induce many great authors to write this story," Anderson revealed in his preface. After having no takers, the two-time NCAA champ set about writing it on his own. "It took about three years to write what ended up being ten drafts," Anderson told InterMat. "A lot of people think you can just drink a six pack and the book is done." "As anyone who has even attempted to write a book, it's a much tougher undertaking," Anderson added. "But I loved the journey." Intersecting with giants of the sport Reading Dale Anderson's "A Spartan Journey" and you can't help but notice that his mat career crossed paths with many iconic figures in wrestling. In fact, it's easy to think of Anderson as being somewhat like Zelig and Forrest Gump -- two movie characters who always seemed to be in the right place at the right time with historically significant individuals. So many big-name wrestlers and coaches were significant in Anderson's life ... and not just Dan Gable, his high school teammate. Anderson's coach at Waterloo West High was Bob Siddens, one of the all-time great prep wrestling coaches in the nation. Siddens' positive influence on Anderson is mentioned by example throughout Anderson's book in the form of endearing -- and enduring -- sayings that helped propel the former Wahawk mat champ through some challenging times at Michigan State. One expected benefit of Anderson's decision to write about more than that Spartan championship of 1966-67 is his detailed description of his college recruiting process that is eye-opening, and at times perhaps even jaw-dropping. His recollections of his dealings with two of the most successful collegiate coaches of the Sixties -- Oklahoma State's Myron Roderick, and Iowa State's Harold Nichols -- make for a fascinating peek into the recruiting process a half-century ago. After initially selecting Iowa State, Anderson had a change of heart and decided to transfer to Michigan State. It was at the East Lansing school that Anderson's wrestling journey crossed paths with two legendary coaches with deep roots within the state of Oklahoma: MSU head wrestling coach Grady Peninger, and assistant coach Doug Blubaugh. (As Anderson pointed out in his book's dedication to Blubaugh, the former Oklahoma State NCAA champ and 1960 Olympic gold medalist is the only individual affiliated with the team-title-winning Spartans of '67 to have passed away. Blubaugh died in a motorcycle accident in his northern Oklahoma hometown in May 2011.) Refreshingly disclosing One of the strongest aspects of Dale Anderson's wrestling memoir is in its refreshing honesty. The two-time NCAA champ provides clear, honest portraits of his coaches, opposing coaches, his teammates, and his rivals. Wrestlers and coaches who weren't alive in 1967 will recognize many of the names sprinkled throughout "A Spartan Journey" but even those who remember '67 will be surprised by some of the revelations Anderson provides. (His recollections of the 1964 murder of Dan Gable's sister Diane, including insights into her killer, and what the crime did to the Gable family, are among the most powerful I have read about that tragedy.) That said, Anderson is arguably most revealing in presenting himself, on the mat -- and off. "I went into the zone before a match," Anderson said. "I had a crazy, berserker attitude ... In about my junior or senior year (of high school) I started making it work for me." Moments later, Anderson told InterMat, "I don't think I had a high level of self-awareness. I never thought of myself as competitive. I only came to that conclusion after it was pointed out to me." Anderson takes readers inside the Michigan State mat program, into practice sessions and actual matches, with clear recollections as if the incidents he described took place last week. He also provides sharp portraits of his Spartan teammates. Perhaps most refreshing, however, is that Anderson is very open and honest about his own struggles with serious illness and injuries, making weight, and off-the-mat challenges in making the transition from high school and living at home with family, to being alone far from home, getting accustomed to life at a large Big Ten school. Anderson has done a masterful job in telling his wrestling story. "A Spartan Journey" provides uncanny insights into the world of amateur wrestling in the 1960s. It serves up a behind-the-scenes look at Waterloo West, one of the nation's high school powerhouses of that time, as well as at Michigan State, a college program that went from the cellar of the Big Ten to penthouse (1967 Big Ten and NCAA champs) in three short seasons. And it provides fascinating reading on coaches and competitors who remain well-known a half-century later. Anderson's clear description of the 1966-67 championship season at Michigan State would have made for a compelling book on its own. However, by expanding his focus to go beyond that magical year to become a truly personal "wrestling memoir" crafted with candor, Anderson has made "A Spartan Journey" even more powerful reading for coaches, wrestlers and fans of all ages and locations. This writer is thankful Anderson made the decision to expand his story and share it with the wrestling community with such honesty, and to do it on his own, rather than have another author write about him and his team. To learn more about "A Spartan Journey" and purchase the book, visit the official website: www.67spartanbook.com.

NCAA champion wrestlers Tony Gizoni, Cary Kolat, Andre Metzger and Chuck Yagla are among the Class of 2017 inductees named by the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Tony Gizoni In addition to these Distinguished Members, other honorees to be welcomed into the Stillwater, Okla. wrestling hall include Meritorious Official Mike Hagerty, Outstanding American Commander Dominic (Dom) Pudwill Gorie, Order of Merit Greg Hatcher and Medal of Courage Thomas Green. Honorees will be welcomed into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame at an induction ceremony during the 41st Annual Honors Weekend on June 2-3, 2017 in Stillwater, Okla. Kolat and Metzger were chosen as Distinguished Members for the Modern Era while Gizoni and Yagla were selected by the Veterans Committee. All nominee selections were approved a Hall of Fame Board of Governors meeting in Kansas City on Oct. 27. Distinguished Members In its announcement, the Hall described a Distinguished Member as "a wrestler who has achieved extraordinary success in national and/or international competition; a coach who has demonstrated great leadership in the profession and who has compiled an outstanding record; or a contributor whose long-term activities have substantially enhanced the development and advancement of the sport." Meet the members of the Class of 2017: Tony Gizoni wrestled for Washington High School in Washington, Pennsylvania, where he became the fourth wrestler in state history to win three state championships, capturing the title at 101 pounds in 1946, at 103 pounds in 1947 and at 112 pounds in 1948. He won back-to-back NCAA Division I championships for Waynesburg University in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania, being voted Outstanding Wrestler after winning at 121 pounds in 1950 and defeating Bill Borders from the University of Oklahoma in 1951. He was ineligible to compete in the NCAA tournament as a freshman and was declared ineligible as a senior due to competing in dual meets and tournaments that were not approved by the NCAA Rules Committee. He finished his college career with a 52-0 record, and his overall record for high school and college was 120-3-1 with the three losses and the tie occurring in his freshman year of high school. Gizoni did not lose during his final three years of high school and four years of college, winning 108 consecutive matches. He served in the Korean War and earned a Bronze Star in 1956. Gizoni is a member of the Pennsylvania Wrestling Coaches Association Hall of Fame, the Pennsylvania Sports Hall of Fame Washington-Greene and the Helms Foundation Wrestling Hall of Fame. Cary Kolat was a four-time state champion for Jefferson-Morgan High School in Green County, Pennsylvania, compiling a 137-0 record. He was named Outstanding Wrestler at the state tournament every year, an honor that no other wrestler had achieved even twice. He wrestled two seasons at Penn State University, reaching the Big Ten finals as a freshman before winning the title and being named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year as a sophomore. He reached the NCAA finals as a freshman and finished third as a sophomore. After transferring to Lock Haven University, he won back-to-back NCAA Championships in 1996 and 1997, finishing 25-1 as a junior and 25-0 as a senior. He also won two Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference titles and back-to-back Eastern Wrestling League Championships where he was named Outstanding Wrestler both years. He finished his college career with a 111-7 record and 53 falls. He was a member of the United States Men's Freestyle team from 1997-2001 and won a silver medal at the World Championships in 1997 and a bronze medal in 1998. He won gold medals at the World Cup in 1998, 1999 and 2000, and at the Pan American Games in 1999 and 2000. He was a silver medalist at the World Cup in 2001 and finished ninth at the Olympic Games in 2000. He was the University National Freestyle champion in 1995 and the U.S. Open champion in 1997, 1999 and 2000. Kolat is currently the wrestling coach at Campbell University after being an assistant coach at Lehigh University, the University of Wisconsin, West Virginia University, Lock Haven and the University of North Carolina. Andre Metzger is one of the greatest technicians in amateur wrestling history, and he wrestled and won more matches than anyone, competing in over 2,000 matches and winning 1,870 for an estimated winning percentage of 93.5 percent. He was a state champion at Cedar Springs High School in Michigan and was the first wrestler to win five junior national titles, capturing three freestyle and two Greco-Roman championships. Before beginning his career at the University of Oklahoma, he wrestled in the 1979 World Championships and won a bronze medal to become the youngest American to medal in the World Championships at 19 years old. He was a two-time NCAA champion and a four-time All-American for Oklahoma, winning titles in 1981 and 1982 after finishing second in 1980 and fifth in 1979. Metzger was the United States Senior Greco-Roman champion in 1980 and a five-time U.S. Freestyle Champion, winning titles in 1979, 1982, 1984, 1986 and 1987. Metzger won gold medals at the Pan American Games in 1979 and 1987 while capturing silver medals at the World Cup in 1980, 1986 and 1988 and at the World Games in 1986. He was an alternate to Distinguished Member Nate Carr on the 1988 Olympic Freestyle team and defeated at least six Olympic gold medalists during his career. He returned to the mat 2012 at the age of 52 and competed for a spot on the U.S. Greco-Roman team. Metzger was an assistant coach at Indiana University, University of North Carolina and Villanova University from 1983-88 and currently is the head coach at the University of North Texas as well as a member of the coaching staff for the Bombers of Frisco Wrestling Club. Chuck Yagla was a three-time All-American, a two-time national champion and the Outstanding Wrestler at the 1976 NCAA Championships for the University of Iowa. He was an alternate on the 1976 Olympic team and earned a spot on the 1980 team but did not compete when the United States boycotted the Olympics in Moscow. Yagla was a four-time National Open champion and won gold and silver medals at the World Cup while also placing second at the prestigious Tbilisi tournament in Russia. He stopped competing but did not step off the mat, as he began a career as an NCAA official in 1983. He earned the respect of coaches and competitors while working NCAA Division I Championships from 1996-2007, including five finals matches. Yagla officiated six NCAA Division II Championships and worked the Big Ten and Pac-10 Championships for over 20 years, working as head official for each conference four times. He refereed two National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star meets and was selected to work the National Duals 12 times. He stepped off the mat following the 2007 NCAA Championships, but continued to be involved in officiating as Coordinator of Wrestling Officials for the Big Ten and Big 12 conferences. Yagla received the Meritorious Official award from the Hall of Fame in 2009 and was inducted into the Glen Brand Wrestling Hall of Fame of Iowa in 2004. Outstanding American The Outstanding American award recognizes individuals who have used the disciplines of the sport to launch notable careers after concluding their wrestling career. Past recipients have included individuals who have excelled in science, technology, business, industry, government, military, and arts and humanities, according to the Hall. Receiving the 2017 Outstanding American honor is Commander Dominic (Dom) Pudwill Gorie. He began wrestling in junior high school and competed for Miami Palmetto High School in Florida where he had a career record of 41-9-1. He wrestled four years at the United States Naval Academy for coach Ed Peery (Class of 1980 Distinguished Member honoree), finishing with an 8-15-2 record. Gorie received his Bachelor of Science degree in ocean engineering from the Naval Academy in 1979 and his master's degree in aviation systems from the University of Tennessee in 1990. He was designated as a naval aviator in 1981 and piloted fighter jets aboard the USS America, the USS Coral Sea and USS Roosevelt from 1981-92, accumulating more than 600 carrier landings while also flying 38 combat missions in Operation Desert Storm. Gorie was ordered to United States Space Command in 1992 and was selected as an Astronaut Candidate in 1994. He reported to Johnson Space Center in 1995. Following a year of training and evaluation, Gorie was assigned to work safety issues for the Astronaut Office. Gorie served as a spacecraft communicator in Mission Control for numerous Space Shuttle flights and was chief of the Astronaut Shuttle Branch. In June of 1998, his career in space took flight with the first of two shuttle missions as a pilot, followed by two more as Mission Commander. Gorie, who retired from NASA in 2010, has logged over 49 days in space. He has received five Medal of Citation honors including the Distinguished Flying Cross in 1992 and 2010, the Defense Superior Service Medal in 1999, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal in 2000 and the Legion of Merit from 1995-2002. Gorie is now an active volunteer and board member with Combat Wounded Veterans Challenge, a national organization that provides a spectrum of adventures to wounded veterans while focusing on rehabilitation research. Medal of Courage The Medal of Courage recipient is a wrestler or former wrestler who has overcome what appear to be insurmountable challenges, providing inspiration to others. Receiving the Medal of Courage for 2017 is Tom Green. His life changed on May 15, 1997 in a workplace accident when a pipe burst and sprayed potassium hydroxide in his face. Blind from the accident and his face badly burned, Green, who had also been working as a referee, underwent a series of surgeries. He had a procedure to increase the size of his mouth, which had healed so small that he couldn't put his thumb in, and a cornea transplant, as well as another rare eye surgery that required a donation from his brother that eventually helped him regain his sight. With the help of his wife, Mary, and his two sons, Caleb and Cormac, Green has stayed positive while enduring more than 40 surgeries, including reconstructive retinal surgery and a synthetic cornea implant. One year after the accident, he returned to wrestling as a volunteer assistant coach, helped start a youth program and eventually took over as head wrestling coach for the Port Byron Central School District in Port Byron, New York. Green has led Port Byron to the Patriot League title the last six seasons while being named Coach of the Year seven times. He is the all-time wins leader at Weedsport High School, and he qualified for nationals at Cayuga Community College and earned all-state honors at SUNY Cortland. Order of Merit The Order of Merit is presented to an individual that has made a significant contribution to the sport of wrestling, but who is not an athlete or a coach. This year's honoree, Greg Hatcher, was a nine-letter winner and one of the last athletes to play three varsity sports for four years at Alma College in Michigan. He was captain of the wrestling team and was named first-team All-Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association in 1982-83. Hatcher helped the wrestling and baseball teams each capture three MIAA titles while also lettering in soccer. He was inducted into the Alma College Athletic Hall of Fame as a Distinguished Alumnus in 2007, and he was a member of three Hall of Fame wrestling teams and two Hall of Fame baseball teams. Hatcher was president of his junior class and served as president of the student body as a senior. He co-founded and was president of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and also served as sports information director from 1981-83. He was Alma College's Top Senior Graduate in 1983 and also was chosen Tau Kappa Epsilon's national Top TKE. He started The Hatcher Agency in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1990 with a loan from the bank, an assistant and 500 square feet of office space. At the end of the first year, Hatcher had outgrown the office space and had seven employees while producing more insurance than any agent in Arkansas. The Hatcher Agency was named Arkansas's Small Business of the Year in 1993 and has led the state in health insurance every year since its founding in 1990. Arkansas Business named it the Most Philanthropic Company in 2006, and it has been chosen as the Best Insurance Agency every year. Hatcher founded the Arkansas Wrestling Association in 2005 and is proud that now more than 4,000 kids are wrestling in Arkansas. He was instrumental in Arkansas becoming the 49th state to institute the sport at the high school level. He helped start programs and purchased wrestling mats for 65 high schools, a wrestling academy and 10 college programs while also funding the Hatcher Wrestling Center at both Ouachita Baptist University and Lyon College in Arkansas and the Hatcher Wrestling Room at his alma mater. USA Wrestling and WIN Magazine have named Hatcher Man of the Year, and he received the Distinguished Alumni and the Certificate of Merit from the Arkansas Activities Association. He was presented the Outstanding American award from the Arkansas Chapter of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame in 2014. Hatcher was named Arkansas' Philanthropist of the Year in 2015 and was the March of Dimes Citizen of the Year in 2005. He wrote 55 Steps to Outrageous Service, a book outlining the service that The Hatcher Agency delivers every day to its clients, and Between The Ears (How to Think Like a Champion), sharing 110 hard-earned lessons learned from nearly 25 years of coaching. Hatcher serves on the board of the United States Wrestling Foundation and is also on the Alma College Board of Trustees. Meritorious Official The Hall describes the Meritorious Official award as recognizing "outstanding service as a referee, judge, or pairing official." Mike Hagerty has been selected to receive this honor in 2017. Hagerty has 25 years of experience as an NCAA Division I official and has worked the NCAA Division I Championships from 2003 to present, including 11 finals matches. He has officiated 14 NCAA Division II Championships and has served as the head official four times. Hagerty has refereed 16 Big 12 Championships and seven Pac-12 Championships while also officiating two National Wrestling Coaches Association All-Star matches. He has also worked two NAIA Championships and has officiated NCAA Division III Championships. Hagerty founded the Inter-Collegiate Wrestling Officials Association in 2015 and continues to serve as Executive Director. He was president of the NCAA National Wrestling Coaches Association in 1989 and was a member of the Board of Directors from 1996-2001. Hagerty works as a coach for USA Wrestling and was an Olympic Team Camp coach in 2012 and 2016. He has been a USA World Team coach six times. He recently coached the United States World University Team, which won the first USA University World Championships in 2015. Hagerty has been named USA Wrestling Developmental Coach of the Year twice and was chairperson of Missouri USA Wrestling from 1983-89. He coached Central Missouri for seven seasons and had two national champions, 10 All-Americans and 25 national qualifiers while being named Midwest Regional Coach of the Year twice. Hagerty has been coaching at Blue Springs High School in Blue Springs, Missouri, for the past 24 years. He has coached the team to three state championships and seven other Top Three finishes while being named Missouri Coach of the Year five times. He wrestled at Higginsville High School in Higginsville, Missouri, where he was 87-6-1 and was a Scholastic Wrestling News Honorable Mention All-American. Hagerty qualified for the NCAA Division II Championships at Central Missouri State University where he was a Missouri Intercollegiate Athletic Association champion as well as team captain and Outstanding Wrestler. Hagerty is also a member of the Missouri Wrestling Association Hall of Fame and the Missouri USA Wrestling Hall of Fame. Hagerty was inducted into the Central Missouri Hall of Fame in 2015 and is also a member of the Central Missouri Hall of Legends. Hagerty's son, Keenan, was a state champion for Blue Springs and a three-time All-American at Maryville University. "The Class of 2017 features truly remarkable individuals who have been successful on and off the mat," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "We look forward each year to honoring those who have not only made contributions to our sport, but also those who have taken what they learned in wrestling to excel throughout their life." About the National Wrestling Hall of Fame Located just steps from the Oklahoma State campus at Hall of Fame Avenue and Duck Street in Stillwater, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame reopened in June following a $3.8 million renovation that included a complete demolition and rebuild of the interior. The museum now features interactive exhibits and electronic kiosks, as well as the opportunity to watch NCAA Championship matches from the 1930s to present day. The museum is open Monday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Admission is $7 for adults, $5 for military veterans and seniors (65 and older), $3 for students and $15 for a family. Children 5 and under and active military with an ID are free. For more information about the National Wrestling Hall of Fame and its annual Weekend Honors program, visit www.nwhof.org or call (405) 377-5243.

BROOKINGS, S.D. -- In their first tournament of the season, the Sun Devils earned four individual tournament championships, the most of any participating school at the Daktronics Open hosted by South Dakota State. "Overall, it was a good performance for us, said head coach Zeke Jones. "I think we were the best conditioned team in the tournament and overall wrestled really hard and competed tough." ASU led all teams with four tournament champions followed by Nebraska (3), South Dakota State (2), and Minnesota (1). The Sun Devils also had two finalists at both 149 and 165 for six total wrestlers in finals bouts. At 125 lbs., Josh Kramer battled back through three consolation rounds prior to the third place match after Nebraska's Kris Williams bested him in the quarterfinals. Ali Naser also made a comeback to the third place match after originally advancing to the semifinals of the main bracket at 133 lbs. In similar fashion, Josh Shields earned a third place finish (157 lbs.) after falling in the semis and working his way through the consolation bracket. Josh Maruca and Oliver Pierce emerged as finalists at 149 lbs., with Maruca winning a 9-4 decision for first place and Pierce earning a second place finish. Anthony Valencia and Jacen Petersen ended in a tie for first at 165 lbs. "Although it was a successful weekend, I am cautious because we still made mistakes and need to clean up several technical and tactical things. It's all part of the process of getting better." Zahid Valencia (174 lbs.) and Tanner Hall (HWT) would finish the team's significant scoring with a pair of first place finishes to round out the Sun Devils' performance on the day. Each won four straight matches to earn the titles. "I think we're ahead of schedule for November but certainly not the team we need to be in March. It'll be time to go back to work this week and get ready for New York next weekend." Next weekend, the Sun Devils split between the Bearcat Open in Binghamton, NY and the Journeyman Classic in Troy, NY on Sunday, Nov. 13. ASU returns home to host top-five Ohio State in their regular season home opener on Saturday, Nov. 19 (1 p.m.).