InterMat Staff

Omi Acosta Former Grand View University assistant coach and former NAIA and NJCAA national champion Omi Acosta has been named the head coach of men's wrestling for Life University. "We are very pleased to welcome Omi to Life University as our men's wrestling head coach," says Jayme Pendergast, Interim Director of Athletics. "He certainly brings solid credentials as an NAIA and NJCAA National Champion, but most importantly Omi will bring a passion for working with student-athletes and a strong focus on academic performance and the pursuit of a Life University degree. I firmly believe that Omi will enhance the success that our current wrestlers have established both on and off the wrestling mat." "I am grateful for the opportunity to serve as the head wrestling coach at Life University" Acosta states. "I want to help student-athletes become the best they can possibly be in their life. This includes being the best they can possibly be in academics and in competition. I want my student-athletes to be LIFE champions. There's a lot of support from Life University. LIFE has the tools and people to make LIFE wrestling a championship program." In addition to his impressive individual accomplishments, Acosta coached and mentored 15 NWCA Academic All-Americans, 12 Individual NAIA National Champions and 19 NAIA All-Americans throughout his coaching career.

Henniker, N.H. - New England College Athletic Director, Lou Izzi, is pleased to announce the addition of wrestling as a varsity sport for the 2016-17season. "This is an exciting time for New England College and our athletic department," states Izzi. "We have been evaluating the addition of men's wrestling for the past year as part of our strategic plan to increase enrollment and continue to expand the geographic diversity of our student population. The opportunity to launch this program as our sixteenth NCAA-sponsored sport and compete as a full member of the NEWA." NEC will be a member of the New England Wrestling Association (NEWA) and will begin varsity competition this November. Members of the NEWA include, in-state opponent Plymouth State University, neighboring University of Southern Maine and Norwich University, plus 11 other institutions. NEC is in the process of a hiring a full-time head coach. With the addition of wrestling, NEC will boast 15 varsity sports in competition in 2016-17 and move to 16 in 2017-18 when women's volleyball begins varsity competition. "On behalf of the executive board of the NEWA and all the members of the league, we are excited to welcome New England College as a full-fledged member of the conference," stated NEWA president Scott Honecker. "It is fantastic to add another collegiate wrestling opportunity in New Hampshire where the wrestling culture is growing rapidly. We are looking forward to working hand-in-hand with the administration and the future coaching staff as they embark on this new challenge."

Ryan Franco, the nation's No. 5 junior high wrestler, competes for Wrestling Prep One of the nation's top junior high wrestlers has entered the 2016 InterMat JJ Classic: Ryan Franco (California). He will compete at 113 pounds. Franco, who competes for Wrestling Prep, has won titles at the Reno Worlds in each of the last three years. This year he rolled to the title at 110 pounds in the 12 and under division with four pins and a major decision in his five matches. He was a California state freestyle champion this year. Last month he claimed a title at Battle on the Midway in the Cadet division at 113 pounds. This past spring, as a seventh-grader, Franco competed in the high school division of FloNationals and compiled a 5-2 record, finishing one match shy of placing at 106 pounds. He placed fourth at the Super 32 Challenge in the middle school division last year at 95 pounds. Franco is currently ranked as the No. 5 junior high wrestler in the country by InterMat. The 2016 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22, in Rochester, Minnesota. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic and to register, visit the event website.

Brandon Eggum coaching at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Former University of Minnesota wrestler and assistant coach Brandon Eggum was made interim head coach of the Golden Gopher wrestling program Wednesday, after head coach J Robinson was fired by the school's athletic director for "just cause" over the 30-year coach's handling of alleged prescription drug use on the part of some of his wrestlers. In the span of approximately six weeks, Eggum held three titles at Minnesota. As recently as late July, Eggum was head assistant coach. On August 1, the Sidney, Montana native was made acting head coach when Minnesota AD Mark Coyle put Robinson on paid administrative leave. On Wednesday, Eggum became interim head coach. Eggum joined the Minnesota coach in 2000, immediately after graduating. He is about to embark on his sixteenth season as a coach at his alma mater, having spent nearly two decades at the school as a student-athlete and member of the coaching staff. Brandon Eggum the wrestler Brandon Eggum at the 2001 World Team TrialsBefore setting foot on the Minnesota campus, Brandon Eggum was a three-time Class A Montana state champion. He graduated from Sidney High School in 1995, then headed east to the Twin Cities to continue his education and wrestling career. Eggum was a four-time letterwinner for the Gophers from 1997 to 2000. As a sophomore, Eggum earned NCAA All-American honors at the 1998 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, placing fifth in the 177-pound bracket. In 1999, Eggum moved up to 184 pounds, where he won the first of two Big Ten titles (defeating Penn State's Ross Thatcher, 6-3, in the finals), then, a couple weeks later, made it to the 184 finals at the 1999 NCAAs, losing to eventual four-time champ Cael Sanderson of Iowa State, 6-1. As a senior, Eggum notched another Big Ten crown (over Illinois' Nate Patrick), then earned his third All-American honor at the 2000 NCAAs, placing third at 184. During Eggum's time as a Minnesota wrestler, some referred him as "little Lesnar" for his resemblance to his heavyweight teammate -- and future UFC/WWE champ -- Brock Lesnar. Eggum's impressive physique was matched by some muscular statistics. His 115 career wins -- along with his .833 career winning percentage (115-23) -- both put the Montana native among 25 best in Gopher history, while his 61 dual victories is tied for 12th. Eggum was not only a standout on the mat, but also in the classroom. He was a four-time Academic All-Big Ten selection and 2000 Big Ten Medal of Honor recipient. Eggum graduated from the University of Minnesota in May 2000, with a bachelor's in Applied Economics. Brandon Eggum competed in Real Pro Wrestling (Photo/Danielle Hobeika)In addition to his folkstyle wrestling career in high school and college, Eggum also competed in freestyle. Among his highlights: he earned a silver medal at the 2001 World Freestyle Championships as well as at the 2002 Pan American Freestyle Championships, and was a bronze medalist at 2003 U.S. National Freestyle Championships. What's more, Brandon Eggum twice participated in Real Pro Wrestling, a venture from the previous decade which provided amateur wrestlers with an opportunity to continue to compete in their sport, and earn some money doing it. Real Pro Wrestling bore little resemblance to WWE; it was a hybrid of various amateur styles, with wrestlers wearing fight shorts (without shirts) competing on a raised circular mat. Eggum was a participant at a premiere event in 2002 (which was akin to a TV show pilot, to show to potential networks and advertisers) ... as well as the first and only official season in 2005. Real Pro Wrestling served as inspiration for some more recent pro ventures such as Agon and Tour ACW (Association of Career Wrestlers). Brandon Eggum the coach Right after hanging up his college headgear, Eggum launched his long coaching career at Minnesota. Starting in 2000, he served as the team's strength and conditioning coordinator. In 2004, Eggum became an assistant wrestling coach. For the past five seasons, Eggum had been head assistant coach to J Robinson. Brandon Eggum coaching at thje 2016 Big Ten Championships (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)During Eggum's time on the coaching staff, the Gophers won three NCAA team titles in 2001, 2002 and 2007 ... and a total of five Big Ten team titles. What's more, Eggum helped Minnesota wrestlers win 62 NCAA All-American honors, including nine individual national titles and 27 individual Big Ten conference crowns. As an assistant coach, Eggum played a part in the national title-winning efforts of Luke Becker, Jared Lawrence, Dustin Schlatter and Jayson Ness, as well as two-time champions Damion Hahn, Cole Konrad and Tony Nelson. All seven of these NCAA champs also won Big Ten titles during Eggum's tenure ... along with these conference titlewinners: Garrett Lowney, Owen Elzen, Ryan Lewis, Leroy Vega, Jacob Volkmann, Mack Reiter, C.P. Schlatter, Roger Kish, Mike Thorn, Kevin Steinhaus, Dylan Ness and Chris Dardanes.

Sam Hazewinkel battles Tony Ramos at the U.S. World Team Trials in 2014 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) EDMOND -- The University of Central Oklahoma wrestling team has added a new member to the coaching staff, Athletic Director Joe Muller announced Thursday. Sam Hazewinkel will join first-year head coach Todd Steidley and assistant coach Kyle Evans on the staff. "I am thrilled to have someone of Sam's caliber on the staff here at UCO," Muller said. "His success, both on the college and olympic levels, are well known and I know he's going to have a great impact on our wrestling program." Hazewinkel said the chance to work with Steidley is a great opportunity. "I'm excited to be moving forward in my coaching career. This is a great opportunity and Central Oklahoma is the place to be. I've heard nothing but good things about coach Steidley and I can't wait to work with him. I'm very excited to learn from all he knows. He's one of the best around." Steidley is as eager to work with Sam and said Central Oklahoma now has one of the best coaching staffs in the country. "Both those guys (Sam and Kyle) are great technicians," Steidley said. "They're both energetic and I'm excited to get to work. I think it's huge for us. Sam brings a wealth of knowledge. He has traveled all over the world for wrestling and he brings in a fresh set of eyes." Hazewinkel, of the same family inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, brings one of the better resumes and pedigrees in all of wrestling to UCO. National champion, All-American, Olympian, Hazewinkel has done it all. Hazewinkel went 140-0 in high school at Pensacola Christian Academy and was a three-time state champion. From there, he went to the University of Oklahoma and was a four-time All-American and a four-time Academic All-American. Also a four-time U.S. Open Champion, twice in Freestyle and twice in Greco, Hazewinkel was a 2008 University World Champion in Greco. The same year, he served as alternate for the Olympics and in 2012 was also an Olympian in both Freestyle and Greco. His accolades didn't go unnoticed. Chael Sonnen hosts a radio show on Flowrestling.com and had this to say about Sam. "Hazewinkel two years ago was the best overall wrestler in the country. If there's one person to have coach my kid, (Hazewinkel) is the guy. That's my guy." After competing in the Olympics, Hazewinkel joined his father and uncle as Olympians. Sam and his father, Dave, are the only father-son Olympians in American wrestling history. Sam is married (Rachel) and has one son (Josh). Central Oklahoma wrestling, who hangs 15 national championship banners in Hamilton Field House, returns to action this November.

The University of Minnesota fired head wrestling coach J Robinson on Wednesday afternoon, citing several ways in which they say the longtime leader fell outside the Universities code of professional conduct. Soon after the release of the letter J Robinson published a response explaining that he felt the University of Minnesota mischaracterized his actions and avoided culpability for their own lack of institutional control and cooperation. So who's right: The University of Minnesota's Athletic Director, or J Robinson? After reading the University's explanation and J Rob's response the best conclusion might be both and it might be neither. College kids are dumb and college wrestlers even more so, often making tragically, cosmically stupid decisions regarding their own health and wellbeing. As a coach I've seen wrestlers stumble into the office with massive cuts on their brow from "playing WWE." I've seen a whole side of a body turned into a scab after a wrestler crashed during a downhill long board luging race. Then there are the fights, the booze and YES -- drugs. As a wrestler I saw teammates jump off roofs, commandeer a bar for personal use and attempt to play chicken with a train. Sometimes the scene around a wrestling program filled with testosterone and empty on leadership can be something more akin to an episode of Jersey Shore, or maybe the Sopranos. Tough-guy attitudes, rampant immaturity and easy access to intoxicants can make a tight-knit group of wrestlers into one muscular ball of bad decision making. To combat this behavior many coaches set rules with strict consequences. From the outside it seemed that J Rob had always set very clear expectations for his team and was effective at enforcing penalties for poor judgment, but also rewarding positive behaviors and actions. There was never much question as to his ability to lead young men and it showed itself with several individual NCAA champions and a handful of team titles. However, from 10k feet it seems as though maybe even he was perplexed by what to do in response to the team-wide abuse (and sale) of drugs. I know that I would be lost on how to respond, and that most coaches I know would be hopeless to figure out the correct response. While J Rob laid out very clear expectations, there was likely no answer in place for an incident this far-reaching. For many in the wrestling community J's response seems fair and even-keeled -- the drugs were gone, the wrestlers forced into programs to repair any addictions issues they might face, and the stakeholders in the wrestlers' lives were informed. Could anyone come up with a more complete and thoughtful solution to the issue? J did the best he could by his team and for the health of the individuals, but that might not have been enough to save his job. The University of Minnesota doesn't seem to take issue with J's intentions as much as the fact he forgot who signs his check. Like all institutions there is a level of transparency that must be met, and like J oversaw his wrestlers and their expectations for behavior, the University had expectations for J and his behavior. In the end they felt he didn't meet those expectations and was subsequently fired. So who's to blame: J or the University? Neither or both, but I don't think you can blame one without indicting the other. My hope is that J takes another job, but this time something off the mat. Administrative positions have the ability to make big changes and I think that J's outlook on the sport and its future are important to preserve. Here's to wishing everyone involved a better future: the administration, J Robinson, and especially the wrestlers. To your questions …. Spencer Lee won his second straight junior world title (Photo/Justin Hoch) Q: Biggest takeaway from Junior Worlds? -- Mike C. Foley: Spencer Lee is a monster. Forget the quick technical falls, he GUTTED out a win in the 50-kilogram finals and won over the anti-American crowd with his effort. I think that I said in a previous mailbag that he might not be ready for 57 kilograms in 2020, but that's an opinion I can see changing if/when Lee adds some muscle. Another takeaway is that the Americans aren't peaking at 18 as much as they are 23-25 and that's OK. Even as that's the case, the team had an impressive performance and as freestyle adds appeal with more visibility I think the Americans will continue to approve. Q: Is there any chance that women will compete in Greco-Roman sometime during the 2020 Olympic cycle? Also, will Iran ever field a women's wrestling team? -- Jacob R. Foley: No. Under the current IOC rules, the first time wrestling could be added as a new style to the Games would be 2024, and only then as an exhibition sport. Assuming that wrestling adds a style it's highly doubtful Greco-Roman would make the cut since beach wrestling has been around for several years, is highly marketable and would be more likely to bring along with a men's program as well. Iran just fielded a women's team for belt wrestling, and Rasoul Khadem was just elected to the United World Wrestling bureau. Those are good indications that there could be some progress. However, that would come from the government, not just the federation. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME The single most watched wrestling video … ever? (Seriously) Q: You mentioned how Iranians receive some money from the government and Turks get a salary for Olympic medals. However, in the U.S. we have a private organization in USA Wrestling and the Living The Dream Medal Fund that pays our guys. For some of the more successful countries in wrestling (Russia, Azerbaijan, Cuba, Iran, etc.) where does their funding come from? Is it the government or are there similar organizations in other countries that preside over the wrestling there? -- Chris P. Foley: The Russian government provides a large gift (this year it was a BMW) and some cash. That is then supplemented by the regional governments (Abdulrashid Sadulaev got a horse) and then a untold amount of money comes from private donors. There is a story that Makharbek Khadartsev would receive several hundred thousand dollars for world championships. Cuba is paid $1200 for gold and given a very insignificant monthly salary from the government. America leads the way in terms of paying their wrestlers … Q: What happened to Anzor Boltukayev in Rio? Sick? Injured? He looked like a shell of himself. -- Mike C. Foley: The Russians said he had food poisoning. Your guess is as good as mine, but he not only looked tired, but sloppy. Q: How did Coleman Scott become the 2012 Olympic gold medalist? Will there be a medal ceremony? Lastly, has this happened before? -- Gregg Y. Foley: Togrul Asgarov has NOT violated WADA's anti-doping code. There is not gold medal to be redistributed. Should it happen in the future I highly doubt there would be a ceremony in the USA and certainly not at the international level. However, he would GET PAID. Q: Did you see this? Sacred Heart head wrestling coach Any Lausier is riding a bike to St. Louis to raise funds for his program. -- CC Foley: I'm a big fan of cycling and put down a long ride in 2008. Coach should be commended for this endeavor! Very tough ride that I hope goes really well. I'll be donating a few bucks and hope more of the community pitches in to help one of Division I wrestling's least supported programs! Go Coach! Q: What excites you most about the upcoming college wrestling season? -- Mike C. Foley: Uh, watching Olympic champion Kyle Snyder eff around versus highly talented and woefully outmatched college heavyweights. You? Q: Can you give the wrestling community insight or history as to why NCAA wrestling never adopted the NCAA track & field model of two separate seasons for very similar but different sports? Did the powers that be in wrestling and the NCAA ever consider an official NCAA folkstyle season for the winter, fall, spring and have an official NCAA freestyle and Greco-Roman and corresponding season? -- Marcus R. Foley: Until you wrote this question I never considered this as an option! Obviously, funding would be a huge issue, but I think that there is some validity to the idea of making a LOW KEY collegiate dual meet season to help our guys transition from the college style to the freestyle and Greco-Roman rules. Something modest like 5-7 matches? I think that's a workable idea!

Jason Tsirtsis battles Edinboro's David Habat in the NCAA semifinals in 2015 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) TEMPE, Ariz. -- Sun Devil wrestling head coach Zeke Jones announces the team's 10-member incoming class, highlighted by transfers Ali Naser and Jason Tsirtsis. Naser previously wrestled at 133 lbs. at Fresno City College (2013-15) and is a graduate of Woodland Hills' El Camino Real HS where he was a two-time California state tournament placer. In the second round of the 2015 US Open, Naser defeated 2012 Olympic bronze medalist Coleman Scott in the second round. He also defeated Missouri's Zach Synon and Rutgers' Scott Delvecchio at 2015 University Nationals. Tsirtsis, one of two other transfers, brings a wealth of experience and accolades to Tempe, including a 2014 NCAA championship at Northwestern. The two-time Big Ten champion at 149 lbs. was also a 2015 All-American, 2014 Midlands champion, and 2014 Big Ten Freshman of the Year.

This week's Takedown TV covers all levels of amateur wrestling. Among this week's features: United World Wrestling Junior World Championships Recap J'den Cox on his Olympic medal-winning performance, and the possibility of playing football for the University of Missouri Jesse Thielke speaks out on UWW officials at the Olympics Bucknell University's wrestling room and facilities receive new upgrades Tom Ryan on future of Ohio State wrestling coaching staff Watch this week's episode below … or at the Takedown Wrestling's YouTube Channel. In addition, Takedown Wrestling TV is aired on these television networks. All air times are Central. Cablevision: Sundays at 4 p.m. Charter Cable: Thursday at 6:30 p.m., Friday 11:30 p.m. and Monday 2:30 p.m. Comcast Cable: Friday at 5:00 p.m. Cox Cable: Sunday 9:30 a.m. Fight Network HD: Sundays at 4:00 p.m. KWEM, Stillwater, Oklahoma: Tuesday 7:00 p.m., Friday and Saturday at 8:00 p.m. Long Lines Cable: Daily at 5:30 p.m. Mediacom Cable: Sundays at 10:30 a.m. MidCo Sports Network: Saturday 10:00 a.m. and Sunday at 9:00 a.m. SECV8: Friday at 5:00 p.m. Suddenlink Cable- Check your local listings. Multiple air times. Time Warner Cable Sports- Saturday at 12:00 p.m. Western Reserve Cable- Tuesday at 11:00 p.m., Friday at 5:30 p.m., Saturday at 10:00 p.m.

What can an author do when he writes a book that strikes a chord and resonates with thousands of readers? How about an encore? That describes the situation with former wrestler Michael Fessler who penned the incredibly popular "Faith and Wrestling" book a couple years ago. Now he has crafted a follow-up book geared to a wider audience -- yet still very applicable for the wrestling community -- titled "They're Just Not Interested: Rediscovering Our Faith and Approaching Non-Believers with the Faith of a Wrestler," just published by Banyan Press. First, a bit about Fessler's first book The title of Mike Fessler's first book, "Faith and Wrestling: How the Role of a Wrestler Mirrors the Christian Life" described two significant aspects of who he is, as a former wrestler (competing at the storied Apple Valley High School mat program in Minnesota, and at Cal State-Bakersfield) as well as a graduate of theology at Bethel University. "I was not only engaged in religious study at Bethel, but also had reconnected with wrestling as a fan," Fessler told InterMat in 2014. "Wrestling and faith (as subjects) collided in my head. My experience as a wrestler and my faith became even more interconnected, an idea that I could not keep from swirling in my mind." After all, there's a strong linkage between religious faith and wrestling. Wrestling is featured in the first book of the Bible, Genesis, as Jacob wrestles with the angel. Numerous wrestlers openly profess their religious faith with their clothes, their tattoos, in their participation in groups such as the Fellowship of Christian Athletes and Athletes in Action, and in their interviews. It was even the subject of a 2009 InterMat article titled "Christian faith serves wrestlers on and off the mat." "The (InterMat) article was a springboard," Fessler disclosed last year. "I thought, 'Readers might want to hear what I have to say.'" Fessler's first book "Faith and Wrestling" created something of a sensation within the wrestling community. "The success of the first book was pretty surprising to me," Fessler told InterMat in a recent interview. "It was exciting to see how many individuals, schools and teams wanted to read 'Faith and Wrestling.'" The inspiration for a second book A comment from a reader can get an author to start thinking about a follow-up book ... especially when the reader is a wrestling coach. "Coach Lenny Zalesky at Cal Baptist told me as he was reading 'Faith and Wrestling,' 'I'm looking forward to 'Faith and Wrestling II,'" said Fessler. Michael FesslerHowever, it took more than a coach at a Christian university in California to inspire former wrestler Mike Fessler to commit to writing another book. "I was giving a talk about the first book in a church, where the vast majority of those in the audience had no idea about wrestling," said Fessler. "I thought the idea of wrestling with faith is bigger than the wrestling community. Perhaps there is a real need for a book that goes beyond the sport. I wanted to explore how churches reach out to others -- and how they wrestle with issues in connecting with those who aren't part of the church." "Fifteen percent of Americans consider themselves to be 'spiritual' but don't consider themselves to be Christian," Fessler said. "They want to know 'How does spirituality impact my life?'" "I wanted to offer a different way to help others connect to faith. Engaging people as human beings, rather than through religious philosophy," the former wrestler continued. "We are rational, intelligent individuals, but we're also emotional beings." "We often try to appeal to these individuals intellectually. There is a place for this kind of discussion. A place where people can wrestle with issues, while we're making it clear to them that we don't have answers for everything." As for the new book's attention-getting title ... "It popped into my head after coming across the Pew Research analysis of the spiritual landscape in America -- the study that revealed fifteen percent of Americans identify themselves as spiritual but not interested in traditional Christian faith," said Fessler. "They are not interested in philosophical arguments. After all, we're not just rational beings. A lot of us struggle with life. We seek an experiential connection." Wrestling with greater intimacy ... and simplicity "They're Just Not Interested" continues with the themes explored in "Faith and Wrestling" in that it continues to explore the faith of a wrestler ... with a focus in reaching out to others who seek spirituality but may not be comfortable -- or may even be turned off -- by a deep philosophical approach to Christianity. "Wrestling and faith is a Christian concept," said Fessler. "There are unique elements of wrestling that connect to Christianity. Think of Jacob wrestling an angel." "The church has always talked about a relationship with God," said Fessler. "Wrestling implies intimacy. Struggling can create a stronger connection, which translates into more faith in God." "If we talk about Christianity being a relationship, the faith of a wrestler comes into it." "There will be times of wrestling, conflict, struggle. Issues of confusion." "I think it's OK for us to say that God wants us to wrestle with him, engage with Him," Fessler continued. "We don't wrestle with things that don't mean anything to us." "It's part of our quest for deeper intimacy ... Even in times of struggle, there can be greater intimacy." Quoting from his new book, Fessler said, "God brings simplicity to a world with people on a merry-go-round of complexity." "While spirituality and Christian faith can be complicated, all too often we make it complex. We human beings are often uncomfortable with simplicity. We try to complicate things." "We've become infatuated with complicated thoughts," the former wrestler continued. "We need to simplify things." "We need to focus on the original simple Christian message." Lessons learned from "Faith and Wrestling" To say Fessler's first book "Faith and Wrestling" was a huge hit would be an understatement. Coaches, wrestlers and families within the wrestling community read it on their own or made it a component of their Bible study groups ... then recommended it to others. In a 2015 interview with InterMat, Fessler said, "A year ago, I was a former wrestler and a theology grad that no one had heard of. Now, to see how it (the first book) has been received, well, it's beyond anything I had hoped for." However, there were challenges along the way. The first publisher suddenly went belly-up, leaving book orders unfilled. Eventually Fessler found another publisher who was able to get "Faith and Wrestling" into the hands of even more readers. That whole experience led to the wrestler-turned-writer in a new direction for "They're Just Not Interested." "I took a different route with publishing the new book," Fessler disclosed. "It is self-published." "The positive reception of the wrestling community to the first book provided me encouragement to self-publish." That encouragement from a receptive wrestling community provided the author greater confidence with the second title in ways that go beyond taking the self-publishing route. "All the aspects of having been a wrestler make me comfortable in sharing my thoughts in a new book," said Fessler. "They're Just Not Interested" continues the thread Mike Fessler first presented in his earlier book, "Faith and Wrestling." That said, it is not mandatory for a prospective reader who is intrigued by the new book to have read the first one. However, those who gained much from "Faith and Wrestling" will definitely appreciate Fessler's exploration of Christian outreach in his new title. As with his first book, Fessler is able to wrestle with challenging issues of making Christianity meaningful to those who aren't churchgoers but consider themselves to be spiritual and are seeking "something more" to their lives ... as well as to Christians who may have lost some of the intimacy that was foundational to their faith in earlier times. Nor does one have to be a theologian -- or even someone who knows the Bible backwards and forwards -- to gain from reading "They're Just Not Interested." Mike Fessler has a gift for making his case in the clearest language, often referring to his own life story and faith journey to make the book all the more compelling and clear. "They're Just Not Interested: Rediscovering Our Faith and Approaching Non-Believers with the Faith of a Wrestler" is available from a number of sources as of September 9, 2016, including Amazon.com.

J Robinson served as Minnesota's wrestling coach for 30 years (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) "The University of Minnesota has terminated head wrestling coach J Robinson, effectively immediately. Acting head coach Brandon Eggum will assume the position of interim head coach for this coming season." With that terse, 30-word statement from the school, the 30-year career of J Robinson, 70, as Golden Gophers head wrestling coach is over, having been fired for "just cause." His bio has already been erased from the official Minnesota wrestling website. The situation which led to the dismissal of the coach known as J Rob by Minnesota athletic director Mark Coyle began approximately four months ago, when a Minneapolis-St. Paul TV station first reported allegations that some Minnesota wrestlers had sold and/or used the prescription anti-anxiety drug Xanax. It's difficult to imagine that today's firing will be the end of this story. Wednesday's termination On Wednesday, Coyle issued a letter to Robinson, which concluded with the statement that "your position as head coach of wrestling is hereby terminated, for just cause, effective immediately." That same day, the brief announcement which opens this article was released to the media. The two-page letter spells out Coyle's case against Robinson and his handling of the drug allegations involving some members of his wrestling squad. "The investigation into this matter revealed that you engaged in multiple acts of serious misconduct," according to Coyle. "The investigation found that you violated University policy and acted in a manner inconsistent with the expectations of a Head Coach. I am also disappointed with your repeated failures to answer important questions asked of you during the course of this investigation. You have not provided me with any information that persuades me to question the investigation's findings." Coyle then lists four findings from that investigation: "You failed to disclose information regarding drug-related activity of your team, including drug sales by current team members. "You instructed student-athletes to turn in drugs to you, drugs were turned over to you, you took possession of drugs, and you disposed of them. This directly impacted the ability of the University and law enforcement to investigate and address this matter. "You made promises of amnesty and confidentiality to student-athletes that you were not authorized to make. "You disobeyed reasonable directives from me and the University to share information regarding the drug-related activities of wrestling team members. Although you have the information, you refuse to say which student-athletes were involved in selling drugs. You have also declined to answer other questions asked of you regarding your actions in this matter." The letter goes on to state that Robinson had "not refuted the investigation's findings, or offered any acceptable explanation for your conduct. You have not accepted responsibility or expressed remorse for your conduct. As a result, I cannot trust you to refrain from such conduct in the future." The letter states the university is firing Robinson with "just cause," meaning no formal buyout was paid to Robinson by the university, despite reports that there were negotiations for some sort of deal. Robinson had been under contract through 2020, with a salary of $146,000 per year. (Robinson also earns additional income from his wrestling camps.) At a press conference held late Wednesday afternoon after the announcement, Coyle said, "I'm terminating Coach Robinson's contract because he was not forthcoming with his superiors when reporting his suspicion about selling and abusing prescription medication." "He did report the suspicion to his supervisors, but he did not tell him everything he knew, and he was not forthcoming," Coyle continued. "When we had a chance to meet with him, he did not answer many of our critical questions (such as) what did he know, when did he know? Those types of things. "He had multiple opportunities to visit with us, and he refused to answer many of those questions." Coyle added he had met face-to-face with Robinson "multiple times" to discuss a possible settlement but added he couldn't reach him on Wednesday, so the AD informed the coach of his termination by email and a text message. A timeline Late May 2016: InterMat's first story, titled "Minnesota wrestlers investigated for selling, using Xanax" -- dated May 26 -- reported that four University of Minnesota wrestlers were being investigated for selling the prescription drug Xanax and ten others were suspected of using the anti-anxiety drug, while head coach J Robinson was being investigated for how he may have tried to handle the situation internally, according to a news report from KMSP-TV, the Fox affiliate in Minneapolis-St. Paul. That initial InterMat story also quoted reports from additional Twin Cities media outlets which provided additional details, including allegations that the drug activity took place between January and March of this year. At the time, a University of Minnesota spokesperson said, "The University takes allegations of this nature seriously, and upon receiving information the University provided it to UMPD (University of Minnesota Police Department). In consultation with UMPD, the University is allowing for the legal investigation to conclude before conducting its own internal investigation. As it remains part of an active investigation, we do not have anything additional to share at this time." The spokesperson added that Robinson remained an active employee at the time. June 1: A few days after that initial story, InterMat reported that, in his second day as athletic director, Mark Coyle had placed J Robinson on paid administrative leave, pending the completion of the school's internal investigation regarding the Xanax allegations. "[University of Minnesota] President [Eric] Kaler and I had conversations about [Robinson's leave] and given the seriousness of the allegations, and the beginning of the internal investigation with the office of the general counsel, I thought that was the best thing to do at this time," Coyle said. June 16: According to emails uncovered by the St. Paul Pioneer-Press, J Robinson had informed his superiors - including the interim athletic director at the time -- about his concerns about possible drug use and sales on the part of some of his athletes back in March. June 17: J Robinson Intensive Camps -- one of the longest-running summer wrestling camp organizations in the nation -- which were originally scheduled to take place at the University of Minnesota campus were relocated to the University of Wisconsin-River Falls, approximately 35 miles east of the Twin Cities, after new AD Coyle told Robinson he was not to be on campus. June 24: County prosecutors declined to charge a University of Minnesota wrestler with selling the prescription anti-anxiety drug Xanax. A spokesperson for the Hennepin County Attorney's Office said there was "insufficient evidence at this time." However, an investigation by university police remained open. August 1: The University of Minnesota announced that Brandon Eggum has been named the acting head coach of the school's wrestling program. Eggum will assume this new position immediately. "Given the University's internal investigation of Coach Robinson, it is important to have clear and continued leadership as the program prepares for the 2016-17 academic year," said Coyle. "Coach Eggum is an effective leader and will ensure continued stability within the wrestling program." August 13: The agent for J Robinson said that negotiations for an exit strategy were falling apart, claiming that the school was trying to place all blame for allegations of some wrestlers using and selling prescription pills on the doorstep of the long-time coach. August 20: Despite state and federal prosecutors declining to bring criminal charges against any Minnesota wrestlers, the school reportedly began interviewing all wrestlers suspected of using Xanax, with the ABC-TV affiliate quoting a university report stating "any wrestler who is found to have been less than truthful could face suspension or a loss of their scholarship." September 7: J Robinson was fired for "just cause" by the University of Minnesota. J Robinson Not that long ago, the relationship between the University of Minnesota and its long-time head wrestling coach was much more positive, as evidenced by the opening paragraph of an archived version of his official bio: "Gophers head coach J Robinson consistently works to continue the success that has defined the Golden Gopher program under his leadership. Robinson has developed an environment of excellence over the past three decades that has seen Minnesota rise to elite status in college wrestling. Since taking over the Gophers program in 1986, Robinson's teams have claimed the first three National Championships in Minnesota history while the three-time National Coach of the Year has helped develop 63 All-Americans, 14 individual National Champions, six Big Ten team titles and 31 different Big Ten Champions accounting for 49 individual titles. All told, Robinson's wrestlers have amassed a total of 124 All-America honors, including an NCAA record 10 All-Americans during the National Championship run in 2001. His .753 winning percentage is a program record, and his 430 dual meet victories stand as both the best mark in Minnesota wrestling history and the highest total for any active, Division I head coach." Wrestling has been on the roster at University of Minnesota since 1919. However, J Robinson can be credited for putting the Golden Gophers among the all-time top Division I wrestling programs to have won an NCAA team title ... and among the handful to have won more than one. Since taking the helm in 1986, Robinson has guided the Golden Gophers to three NCAA team titles: 2001, 2002 and 2007. He had been the second-longest serving in Minnesota mat history, behind Wally Johnson, who was head coach for 34 seasons immediately before J Rob. Despite being long-associated with Minnesota, J Robinson's wrestling roots also tie into two other top collegiate mat programs: Oklahoma State University, and University of Iowa. J Robinson wrestled at Oklahoma State as a middleweight (152-167 pounds) from 1966-68, compiling an overall record of 20-15 with 6 falls. He graduated in 1969. While at Oklahoma State, Robinson was involved in the ROTC program and left as a Distinguished Military Graduate, Distinguished Military Student and was offered a Regular Army Commission as a Second Lieutenant in June 1969. Robinson then attended Airborne and Ranger School, as well as Jungle Warfare School, before beginning his tour in Vietnam. His accomplishments in Ranger School included becoming an Honor Graduate, and his first duty station was the officer in charge of the small arms department. In late 1970 through early 1971, Robinson was attached to the United States Military Academy in the Athletic Department. In February of 1971, he left for Vietnam with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, and then served with the First Cavalry Division as the Information Officer for the Third Brigade. The former Cowboy wrestler made a name for himself in national and international competition. Robinson competed on two World teams, placing fourth in 1970 and fifth in 1971. Robinson captured four national titles during his amateur career, two in freestyle and two in Greco-Roman. He earned a place on Team USA's Greco-Roman squad competing at the 1972 Munich Olympics. While working on his master's degree at University of Iowa, Robinson launched his coaching career as an assistant coach for the Hawkeyes under Dan Gable from 1976-84. During that span, Iowa won seven NCAA team titles, and eight Big Ten championships. He served as an interim head coach during the 1983-84 season and led the Hawkeyes to Big Ten and NCAA titles. In addition to his experience in coaching at two Big Ten programs, Robinson has also been involved in coaching on the national and international level. He served as an assistant coach on four consecutive U.S. Olympic squads -- 1976, 1980, 1984 and 1988 -- and was the head coach for the United States at the 1983 Pan American Games.

J Robinson coaching at the Big Ten Wrestling Championships (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) The University of Minnesota has terminated head wrestling coach J Robinson, effectively immediately. Acting head coach Brandon Eggum will assume the position of interim head coach for this coming season. Athletics director Mark Coyle will be available at a brief press conference today at 4:30 to discuss this decision. That press conference will take place in the Sports Pavilion media room.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- The annual National Wrestling Coaches Association Board Meeting in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., came to a close on July 31 with several key focus areas approved and restructured. Ohio State head wrestling coach Tom Ryan was introduced as the new President of the Board of Directors for the NWCA. He assumes the role after former Oklahoma coach, Mark Cody's tenure came to completion. N.C. State head wrestling coach, Pat Popolizio was voted in as the President-elect and will assume the role of President following Ryan's two-year role. "We'd like to thank Mark Cody for his tremendous work during his time as the President of our Board of Directors," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "Mark has done a fantastic job setting a solid foundation for Tom Ryan and Pat Popolizio to build on." The structure of the Board of Directors was altered and approved by reducing the number of voting board members and creating a more streamlined system to enable members and different groups of wrestling to have an equal voice within the organization. With the new restructuring of the Board, the following individuals were appointed as new members NWCA Board of Directors: Troy Nickerson (Northern Colorado) - Division I Austin Devoe (Colorado School of Mines) - Division II Jon McGovern (Dubuque) - Division III Jacque Davis (Beat the Streets NYC) - At Large Nathan Shearer (Washington & Lee) - At Large "One of our primary goals is to substantially improve communication between the NWCA Board members and the constituents they represent," said Moyer. "This new structure will most definitely accomplish that objective. Each respective group will have leadership that will sit on our board." Led by Jim Fallis, a longtime collegiate administrator and former wrestling coach, the Blue Ribbon Task Force outlined its Strategic Plan for the 2016-17 Division I wrestling season. The panel, which includes a number of representatives from large and small conferences, athletes and administrators from various wrestling organizations. The BRTF outlined a number of goals as part of the strategic plan to align with the NCAA's Guiding Principles. They include: Academic Success, Health and Safety, Mental Health for Student Athletes, Time Demands, Spectator, fan and media enhancements, Competitive Equity and Fiscal Responsibility and Marketing. A link to the five-year outline and the 2016-17 Strategic Plan can be found here. In addition, the Board of Directors voted upon and approved the 2016-17 budget and strategic plan. "There are a number of moving parts in the actual Strategic Plan," said Moyer. "The outline of the group led by Jim Fallis has so many potential opportunities to enhance our sport at every level. We're moving into a new era with the NWCA through our relationship with the Blue Ribbon Task Force." About National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The National Wrestling Coaches Association, established in 1928, is a non-profit organization for the advancement of all levels of the sport of wrestling with a primary emphasis on developing coaches who work in academic environments. The membership embraces all people interested in amateur wrestling. The three core competencies of the NWCA are: coaching development, student-athlete welfare, and the promotion of wrestling.

BOISE, Idaho -- Boise State wrestling head coach Mike Mendoza announced the hiring of Levi Jones and Riley Orozco as assistant coaches, and Andrew Hochstrasser as a volunteer assistant coach, Wednesday. Riley OrozcoOrozco had worked as the head assistant coach with Mendoza at CSU Bakersfield the past five seasons, and Jones, a former Bronco wrestler, previously worked at Arizona State. Hochstrasser, also a former Boise State wrestler, worked with the Broncos in a volunteer capacity this past season. "I feel great about this coaching staff and the direction that we are already heading with Boise State wrestling," Mendoza said. "In the process of filling out the staff I wanted coaches that would be committed to developing men and building a great culture. These are quality coaches with great character and unbelievable commitment to coaching. "Obviously I know Coach Orozco after working with him for the last five years and have witnessed his tremendous growth as a coach and his ability to develop wrestlers. Levi Jones and Andrew Hochstrasser are eager to continue building on the history of success that they helped establish as student-athletes. Levi will make a big impact with his passion, intensity and his extensive training experience. Andrew is a tremendous addition as the volunteer coach and will be a huge inspiration for the program as he continues his international wrestling career and quest to make world and Olympic teams in the future." Jones ranked as high as third in the country during his Bronco career and was a member of three Pac-12 Championship teams. He placed at the conference tournament four times, earning three trips to the NCAA Championships individually. Professionally, Jones worked with the Sun Devils during the 2011-12 season, helping five wrestlers reach the NCAA Tournament. He has since served as the camp director and owner of Kaizen Intensive Wrestling Camps in Washington, hosting more than 400 high school wrestlers and managing a staff of more than 60 on an annual basis. "I am honored to step in as an assistant coach and thankful Coach Mendoza was ready to get to work with both Riley and myself by his side," Jones said. "This program will be great because we are surrounded by an athletic department that believes in us. I fully understand and respect the foundation that was laid before me and plan to commit at extraordinary levels to becoming a better coach each day." While wrestling for the Roadrunners, Orozco became just the 12th individual in school history to eclipse 100 victories, and the first to reach the NCAA Tournament four times. He captured the Pac-12 Championship individually at 197 pounds during his junior season. As an assistant with CSU Bakersfield, Orozco helped Mendoza lead the program into the top 25 of the USA Today/National Wrestling Coaches Association Division I Coaches Poll, the school's first ranking in 15 years. He oversaw the day-to-day operations for student-athletes, including coordination with the academic staff, resulting in a perfect single-year Academic Progress Rate score each of his final two seasons. "I would like to thank Curt Apsey and Coach Mendoza for giving me the opportunity to be part of the Bronco family," Orozco said. "I have always had a lot of respect for the Boise State wrestling program and I am excited to be a part of it. I am ready to immerse myself and get to work." Orozco earned a bachelor's in criminal justice in 2011 and a master's in public administration this past June, both from CSU Bakersfield. Jones earned his bachelor's in communications from Boise State in 2011. Hochstrasser won the Pac-12 Championship individually in both 2009 and 2011, garnering All-America honors each season. He finished runner-up at the national tournament in 2011. Since graduating from Boise State, Hochstrasser has finished fourth at the US Olympic Trials, captured a pair of Pan American Championships (2014-15) and twice finished runner-up at the US Open (2014-15). "Not very many wrestlers get the opportunity to continue to wrestle after their collegiate careers," Hochstrasser said. "I am incredibly fortunate to have a coaching staff that believes in me and my abilities as an athlete and as a coach. I am looking forward to helping Boise State wrestling succeed."

Duane Waters, a wrestler at Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa) in the early 1960s who was active in the sport before and after college, passed away after complications from a stroke on Saturday, Sept. 3 in St. Cloud, Minn. He was 75. Duane WatersBorn in July 1941 in Guttenberg, Iowa, Duane Allen Waters was a multi-sport athlete at Hampton High School, where he wrestled as well as played football and Babe Ruth baseball. After graduating from Hampton High in 1959, Waters attended Iowa State Teachers College (ISTC) in Cedar Falls, where he was given the nickname of "Abe." At ISTC he wrestled for Panthers' legendary head coach Bill Koll, and counted among his teammates Bill Dotson, Frank Freeman, and Bob Stevens (late husband of wrestling announcer/journalist Sandy Stevens). Waters also played football at ISTC, where he was a first-team all-conference selection and a co-captain. His 1963 team was inducted into the UNI Athletic Hall of Fame in 2015. After Waters graduated from ISTC in 1963, he accepted a job at Wapsie Valley High School, where he taught history, and coached football and wrestling. In 1966, Waters and his young family moved to Atlantic, Iowa where he began his career with Josten's, Inc. as a sales manager in the ring division. In 1975, Waters' career took the family Iowa City in 1975, where, he resumed his connection to the sport of wrestling, officiating matches and becoming a strong fan of the University of Iowa wrestling program. He is also credited as a co-founder of the Hawkeye Area Wrestling Club (H.A.W.K.). Duane WatersWaters' life later took him from his native Iowa to southern California where he owned and operated a limousine company for nearly two decades. In 2004 he returned to the Midwest, first settling in Brainerd, Minn. to be closer to family, then settling in St. Cloud in 2008. Duane Waters leaves behind his children Cindy Steinke (St. Cloud) and Pat Waters (Steamboat Springs, Colo.); four grandchildren; two siblings; and several nieces and nephews. Services have yet to be announced. However, the family has already requested that, in lieu of flowers, individuals wishing to pay tribute to Duane Waters consider a donation to the Alzheimer's Association of Minnesota.

Max Wessell battles Michael Kroells for seventh place at the NCAAs (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine) Max Wessell has wrestled his last match at Lehigh University, but it may not be the last time college wrestling fans see of the former Mountain Hawk heavyweight, as the 2016 NCAA All-American and EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) champ has reportedly signed a development deal with WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment). WWE reportedly signed Wessell and MMA fighter Alvin Abitz to developmental contracts. Both will report to the WWE Performance Center in October, 411mania.com reported Monday. WWE has not made any official announcement. However, WWE talent scout Gerald Brisco -- an Oklahoma State wrestler in the 1960s -- retweeted the report on Wessell's signing. A number of friends have posted congratulatory messages on Wessell's Facebook page, though the 2016 Lehigh graduate has yet to post any message of his own as of Tuesday evening. A native of Boulder, Colo., Wessell concluded his collegiate mat career with his best season ever for Lehigh, winning the 2016 EIWA heavyweight title, then a couple weeks later, earning All-American honors by placing eighth in the 285-pound bracket at the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships in Madison Square Garden. In addition, Wessell was named Outstanding Athlete at Lewis Wrestling Dinner at Lehigh, and earned a place on the NWCA (National Wrestling Coaches Association) All-Academic Team this year. He compiled an overall record of 52-21 during his career at Lehigh. Prior to coming to Lehigh, Wessell won a Colorado high school state title at 189 pounds as a senior. He also was a top-ranked participant in judo. Over the years, a number of top college wrestlers have launched pro wrestling careers, including NCAA champs Earl McCready and LeRoy McGuirk in the 1930s ... Dick Hutton, Verne Gagne, Joe Scarpello and Dan Hodge in the 1950s ... Jack Brisco in the 1960s ... and Kurt Angle in the 1990s.

Action from the InterMat JJ Classic Registration has opened for the 2016 InterMat JJ Classic, a premier preseason high school wrestling tournament. This year's event takes place on Saturday, Oct. 22, at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minn. Weigh-ins will be held on Friday, Oct. 21, at the venue. The JJ Classic is open to high school wrestlers, as well as seventh and eighth-graders. The event has attracted wrestlers from all across the country since it was founded in 2010. Last year Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.) claimed his fifth straight JJ Classic title and earned Outstanding Wrestler honors. Champions from last year's event came from Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Wisconsin and Michigan. The entry fee is $40 if registered in the month of September. The entry fee increases to $50 on Oct. 1. Proceeds from the event go toward the Justin Kukowski Foundation, which provides scholarships for people living with cancer. For more information on the JJ Classic and to register, visit the event website: www.intermatwrestle.com/jjclassic.

Myles Martin celebrates after winning the NCAA title as a true freshman at 174 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) The finals of the 2016 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships were labeled by large numbers of wrestlers, coaches, fans and journalists to be the "most exciting" and "best ever." They were also one for the history books -- and not just because they were the first to be held in New York City at the famed Madison Square Garden. The 2016 NCAA finals were historic because they saw the crowning of only the 15th true freshman wrestler to win a Division I title: Myles Martin of Ohio State. When you consider that the NCAAs have been held since 1928 -- and realize that hundreds of men have won at least one individual title in 86 editions of the Nationals -- the fifteen men who achieved that honor in their first year of college are in rarified territory. In fact, by the time NASA stopped putting men on the moon, more had set foot on the lunar surface than had won an NCAA title as true freshmen. I wish I could claim to have figured this out the "moonwalkers/first-year mat champs" equation on my own. Instead, I must give credit to Jim Kalin, who did the research, and shared his list of the fifteen fab freshmen in a feature article simply titled "The 15" in the August 15 issue of Amateur Wrestling News. Kalin, recipient of the Dellinger Award as the nation's best wrestling journalist in 2009, emphasized the rarity of a first-year student winning an NCAA D1 title at least twice in his historical feature ... first with the fact that a greater number of astronauts have strolled on the lunar surface than a true freshman claiming college wrestling's greatest individual championship. Or, if that weren't clear enough, Kalin emphasized his point thusly: "True freshman national champs are wrestling's version of a Bigfoot sighting. Tartare-rare." Realize that true freshmen have not always been allowed to wrestle at the NCAAs. In fact, that was the case for the first two decades of the Nationals ... and for another two decades, roughly from the late 1940s through the late 1960s. All-time greats such as Oklahoma State's Stanley Henson, Oklahoma's Dan Hodge, and Iowa State's Dan Gable were not allowed to wrestle at the NCAAs in their first year of college. That was the rules back then. There have been only two times when first-year students have been eligible for varsity competition: during a small window of eligibility for a couple years immediately after World War II ... and since 1969. That said, in those two time-frames when freshmen could compete at the NCAAs -- nearly 50 years in all -- only fifteen managed to nab a title as a true freshman. Dick HuttonIf that weren't amazing enough, dig this: four first-year collegians did it in 1947. Three were baby-faced freshmen, fresh out of high school, wrestling for colleges in the state of Iowa. The fourth was a hairy-chested World War II vet in his mid-20s originally from Amarillo who wrestled in Oklahoma. The kids: Dick Hauser and Lowell Lange, both of Cornell College of Iowa that won the team title at the '47 NCAAs ... along with Bill Nelson of what was then Iowa State Teachers College (now University of Northern Iowa). Hauser was champ at 121 pounds; his teammate Lange claimed the title at 136 ... while Nelson won the 165 crown. The Army veteran: Dick Hutton, heavyweight for Oklahoma State, an eventual four-time finalist who came incredibly close to becoming the first four-time NCAA champ. Fast-forward a quarter of century to the next set of first-year collegians to win individual titles. Pat Milkovich, 126-pound champ for Michigan State at the 1972 NCAAs (at 17, the youngest wrestler ever to win a title) ... the following year, Clarion's Don Rohn took home the title at 134 ... then, in 1979, Darryl Burley of Lehigh, at 134. The 1980s had only one champ who made Kalin's ultra-exclusive list: Matt Reiss, 167-pound titlist for North Carolina State at the 1980 NCAAs. Lincoln McIlravyIt would be an entire decade before another true freshman would snag a title. At the 1990 NCAAs, Pat Smith of Oklahoma State won the first of his four national titles. Three years later, Iowa's Lincoln McIlravy won his first of three NCAA championships at the 1993 NCAAs. In the new millennium, five collegians won NCAA titles as true freshmen: Oklahoma's Teyon Ware in 2003 ... in 2006, Minnesota's Dustin Schlatter ... Cornell University's Kyle Dake in 2010 ... in 2014, Missouri's J'den Cox ... and Ohio State's Myles Martin this past March. Kalin's four-page freshman feature is liberally sprinkled with great photos of these highly accomplished mat champs ... along with fun facts and rich details that will dazzle your friends, confound your frenemies, and perhaps even help you win a bar bet or two. For all these reasons, "The 15" is must reading. Can't get enough Jim Kalin? He has written a brand-new book, "Mustang", which chronicles the storied Maple Heights High School wrestling program in suburban Cleveland and the coach that put the Mustangs on the map, Mike Milkovich.

Dana Vote Dana Vote, head wrestling coach at Concordia University of Nebraska, has been named Director of Wrestling Operations at Iowa State, the Lincoln (Neb.) Journal-Star reported Monday. In four seasons heading up the wrestling program at Concordia - a four-year private school located in Seward, Nebraska -- Vote had coached eight All-Americans and the Bulldogs' first-ever individual NAIA (National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics) national champion, Andrew Schulte, this past March. The Gillmore City, Iowa native helped guide the Bulldogs to Great Plains Athletic Conference dual and tournament titles in each of the past two seasons. Vote was twice named GPAC Coach of the Year. "It was one of the toughest decisions I've made in my life," Vote said of leaving Concordia for the new position at Iowa State. "It's a good group of kids here. The commitment they've shown is what made it so hard to leave. It's also what's helped me feel better about the decision because I know that they're going to succeed in whatever they do. They've all shown tremendous growth. "My time here is time I'll never forget. I went through basically every emotion you can go through as a coach. We went from being one of the least competitive programs in the country to being nationally relevant and having a national champion and GPAC team championships. It was an awesome opportunity. I enjoyed every bit of it." Director of Athletics Devin Smith complimented Vote on turning around what he described as "a program that had fallen on hard times" into a "national contender." Meanwhile, Vote starts his new job at Iowa State this week. "Dana is a piece of the puzzle that our program needs," said Cyclones head coach Kevin Jackson. "He brings a multitude of experience being a head coach. We're also excited about his experience as a full-time administrator." Prior to heading to Nebraska to take the helm at Concordia in 2012, Vote was very much a fixture in wrestling within the state of Iowa. He had spent the previous five seasons as an assistant coach at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa. Vote had started his collegiate mat career at Iowa Central Community College, where he was a national qualifier during his two seasons at the Fort Dodge school. He completed his wrestling and academic career with the BVU Beavers, wrestling for two seasons at 149 and 157 pounds, before graduating in 2008. Concordia has already begun a nationwide search for Vote's replacement.

Nick Brascetta earned his third All-American honor in NYC (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com) University of Tennessee at Chattanooga wrestling head coach Heath Eslinger announced the addition of Nick Brascetta to the Mocs staff this week. Brascetta joins Chattanooga's program as the Coordinator of Student-Athlete Development. Brascetta is a 2016 graduate of Virginia Tech where he was a three-time All-American for the Hokies. He finished third at last year's NCAA Championships at 157 pounds. He was also a three-time ACC Champion during his career at Virginia Tech. "We are excited to add Nick to our staff," added Eslinger. "He is very accomplished on the mat and is the total package as a coach. He is going to be a great addition for our student-athletes. "Competitively, he brings a very high expectation to our program." A native of Graham, Ohio, he was the ACC Rookie of the Year in 2012 after winning the league title at 149 pounds. He repeated his ACC crown and placed eighth at the NCAAs in 2013, before redshirting in 2014. He won another ACC title at 157 in 2015 and went on to finish fourth at the NCAAs. He earned his degree in Accounting at Virginia Tech and is currently working on his M.B.A. at UTC.

Students of the G. C. Foster College of Physical Education and neighboring residents practice during a workshop The G.C. Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, which has produced some of Jamaica's most outstanding athletes and coaches in various disciplines, is adding wrestling to its roster of sports, the Jamaican Information Service reported Sunday. The reason the college is adding wrestling is to educate future coaches for the sport, who then can bring wrestling to schools throughout the Caribbean island nation. Dr. Joyce Graham-Royal, who heads up the college located just outside the capital of Kingston, said that the introduction of wrestling at the college "will bring tremendous opportunity for students to be exposed to a new discipline." Graham-Royal is already looking to a future where Jamaicans can compete in wrestling at the international level, saying if children are introduced to the sport at an early age, by the time they get to Olympic-level competition, "they will be excellent at it." The school's president also noted that wrestling, like other sports, offers benefits beyond improving physical health. "You can gain many skills that our nation needs at this time, such as body awareness, self-confidence, mental toughness, team spirit and tolerance," she said. Last month, G.C. Foster College hosted a five-day wrestling workshop conducted by the Future Champs of Texas organization which attracted more than 50 students from primary and secondary schools and colleges, as well as community members and persons interested in becoming instructors. Participants were exposed to the areas of coaching and competition, and engaged in the sport as a fun activity. G.C. Foster College and Future Champs of Texas have signed a three-year memorandum of understanding, and plan to conduct additional wrestling workshops over the life of that contract, according to the Jamaica Observer. The G.C. Foster College of Physical Education & Sport is a full-time residential institution located on 41 acres at St. Catherine, Jamaica, approximately 20 miles from Kingston. The college, the first of its kind to be established in the English-speaking Caribbean in September 1980, was named in honor of Gerald Claude Eugene (G.C.) Foster, an athlete in the early 20th century who, among other accomplishments, earned a gold medal for Jamaica in the 100-meter dash at the 1904 Olympics in St. Louis.

Logan Storley Logan Storley, four-time NCAA All-American wrestler at University of Minnesota, has been signed for his fifth professional mixed martial arts fight at RFA 45 at Mystic Lake Casino in Prior Lake, Minn. on Friday, October 28. No opponent for the former Golden Gopher mat star now fighting as a middleweight (170 pounds) has been named. Storley, who launched his pro MMA with Resurrection Fighting Alliance in August 2015, is now a perfect 4-0 in that promotion. All of Storley's matches have ended with a TKO; all but one was over within the first round. (His most recent fight went 13 seconds into the second round.) A native of Webster, S.D. -- same hometown as fellow former Golden Gopher wrestler and former UFC champ Brock Lesnar -- Storley was a six-time South Dakota high school state champion wrestler who went on to a sterling career at Minnesota. Storley is part of a card which will feature a double main event. Fighting for the vacant RFA middleweight title is Gerald Meerschaert taking on Chase Waldon. In the co-headliner, Dan "The Hitman" Moret will challenge reigning RFA champion Raoni Barcelos for his featherweight crown.

Daton Fix won a bronze medal at 55 kilograms (Photo/Justin Hoch) MACON, France -- First-year Junior Daton Fix sent the U.S. home from the 2016 Junior World Championships in style on Sunday, picking up a bronze in men's freestyle at 55 kilograms/121 pounds. Standing opposite the electric American youngster was two-time Cadet World champion Andriy Yatsenko of Ukraine. Yatsenko has medaled at four Senior-level tournaments in 2016, including a finals appearance at the European Championships. Fix came out firing from the first whistle against the well-versed Ukrainian, scoring two electrifying takedowns to take a 4-0 lead. Yatsenko struck on a low-level single to cut the lead in half, but that's as close as the Ukrainian would get. Fix rode his offense to three second period takedowns and a 10-3 win. Read complete story on TheMat.com …

Three-time state champion Layne van Anrooy (Roseburg, Ore.) verbally committed to the University of Michigan late on Sunday afternoon. The projected 157/165 placed fourth at the Flo Nationals this past spring, and was a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals champion in the spring of 2015. This summer, van Anrooy placed third in Junior Greco-Roman. He is ranked No. 19 overall in the Class of 2017, joining No. 25 Jelani Embree (Warren Lincoln, Mich.), No. 30 Ben Freeman (Walled Lake Central, Mich.), No. 61 Andrew Davison (Chesterton, Ind.), and No. 63 Drew Mattin (Delta, Ohio) as elite commitments for the Wolverines in this recruiting class.