InterMat Staff

Three-time state finalist, and 2015 state champion, Kyle Bierdumpfel (Don Bosco Prep, N.J.) verbally committed to Harvard early on Sunday afternoon. The No. 35 overall prospect in the Class of 2016 placed fourth in Junior National freestyle this summer at 145 pounds. The projected 157 pound wrestler is also a two-time Cadet National freestyle All-American, and a 2014 UWW Cadet National freestyle All-American.

Link: Results CEDAR FALLS, Iowa -- While it's not Fargo, it is a big tournament put on by USA Wrestling and hosted in a dome in the upper Midwest. Therefore, one can predict dominance by wrestlers from Illinois. Four Illinois wrestlers won titles in both the Freshman/Sophomore and Junior/Senior divisions at the Preseason Nationals on Saturday. The tournament was wrestled at the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Illinois natives to win titles in the Junior/Senior division included Hazen Rice (Schaumburg) at 113 pounds, Jimmy Pawleski (Montini Catholic) at 126, Jose Champagne (Marian Catholic) at 152, and Zach Muller (Downers Grove South). Those winning Freshman/Sophomore division titles were Joey Melendez (Montini Catholic) at 106, Real Woods (Montini Catholic) at 113, Matthew Hennessey (Plainfield North) at 182, and Ronald Tucker, Jr. (Lockport) at 285. Land of Lincoln success was also reflected in a pair of runner-up finishes at the Freshman/Sophomore level, those coming from Will Lewan (Montini Catholic) at 132 and Jake Leske (McHenry) at 170; along with five such placements at the Junior/Senior level, Austin Kezdie (Kaneland) at 106, David Rivera-Kohr (Evanston) at 126, Jake Tucker (Mt. Carmel) at 152, Ryder Punke (Washington) at 160, and Dylan Ervin at 195. Wrestlers from the host state of Iowa also had much success at the Preseason Nationals tournament on Saturday. University of Iowa commits Jack Wagner (Bettendorf) and Matt Malcom (Glenwood) won weight class titles at 120 and 160 in the Junior/Senior division; Brandon Haas (Dubuque Hempstead) took second at 170 in that groupinnedg. Four Hawkeye State natives earned runner-up finishes in the Freshman/Sophomore division: Kyle Biscoglie (Waukee) at 106, Brody Teske (Fort Dodge) at 113, Noah Fye (New Hampton) at 120, and Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines Valley) at 145. In the Junior/Senior division, a pair of Missouri natives won weight class titles, Canten Marriott (Park Hill) at 170 and Tommy Williams (Pleasant Hill) at 220; while a pair of Texas natives won titles in the Freshman/Sophomore division, Braeden Redlin (Texas) at 152 and Colin Lawler (The Kinkaid School) at 220. Finals Results (Junior/Senior): 106: Joseph Harrison (Omaha Burke, Neb.) pinned Austin Kezdie (Kaneland, Ill.), 0:53 113: Hazen Rice (Schaumburg, Ill.) dec. Chad Craft (Northmont, Ohio), 2-0 120: Jack Wagner (Bettendorf, Iowa) dec. Wesley Dawkins (Lincoln, Neb.), 5-1 126: Jimmy Pawleski (Montini Catholic, Ill.) dec. David Rivera-Kohr (Evanston, Ill.), 3-0 132: Taylor LaMont (Maple Mountain, Utah) dec. Kyran Hagan (Eureka, Mo.), 5-4 138: Kanen Storr (Leslie, Mich.) dec. Ryan Deakin (Legacy, Colo.), 3-1 145: Brik Filippo (Tuttle, Okla.) dec. Patrick Munn (Wyoming Seminary, Pa.), 5-1 152: Jose Champagne (Marian Catholic, Ill.) dec. Jake Tucker (Mt. Carmel, Ill.), 2-0 160: Matt Malcom (Glenwood, Iowa) dec. Ryder Punke (Washington, Ill.), 3-0 170: Canten Marriott (Park Hill, Mo.) dec. Brandon Haas (Dubuque Hempstead, Iowa), 5-0 182: Brandon Moen (Owatonna, Minn.) dec. Taylor Venz (Farmington, Minn.), 6-4 195: Jake Raschka (Pewaukee, Wis.) dec. Dylan Ervin (Ill.), 6-3 220: Tommy Williams (Pleasant Hill, Mo.) dec. Max Darrah (Whitfield, Mo.), 7-0 285: Zach Muller (Downers Grove South, Ill.) dec. Mason Watt (Broomfield, Colo.), 6-0 Finals Results (Freshman/Sophomore): 100: Mosha Schwartz (Ponderosa, Colo.) dec. Antonio Lorenzo (Calif.), 5-2 106: Joey Melendez (Montini Catholic, Ill.) dec. Kyle Biscoglia (Waukee, Iowa), 5-5 TB 113: Real Woods (Montini Catholic, Ill.) dec. Brody Teske (Fort Dodge, Iowa), 5-1 120: Conner Ward (Shawnee-Mill Valley, Kans.) dec. Noah Fye (New Hampton, Iowa), 4-2 126: Jackson Henson (University, W.Va.) dec. Jacob Mariakis (Ridgeland, Ga.), 6-0 132: Jacob Greenwood (Poudre, Colo.) dec. Will Lewan (Montini Catholic, Ill.), 6-4 138: Jarrett Jacques (Kirksville, Mo.) dec. Garrett Lange (Goddard, Kans.), 8-4 145: Sandro Ramirez (Wauseon, Ohio) dec. Joel Shapiro (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa), 4-2 152: Braeden Redlin (Allen, Texas) dec. Hayden Krein (Sparta, Wis.), 8-1 160: James Noel (Pulaski Academy, Ark.) dec. Devin Winston (Missouri), 6-4 170: Jared Krattinger (Waterford, Wis.) major dec. Jake Leske (McHenry, Ill.) 182: Matthew Hennessey (Plainfield North, Ill.) dec. Caden Steffen (Zumbrota-Mezeppa, Minn.), 3-2 195: Easton Rendleman (Choctaw, Okla.) dec. Cameron Sauerwein (Harrison, Ohio), 5-1 220: Colin Lawler (The Kinkaid School, Texas) dec. Max Darrah (Whitfield, Mo.), 1-0 285: Ronald Tucker, Jr. (Lockport, Ill.) pinned John Mann (Florida), 2:46

Less than five months after launching his 2016 U.S. Presidential campaign, long-time Rhode Island politician Lincoln Chafee ended his bid for the White House, the former Brown University wrestler announced Friday. Lincoln Chafee wrestled at Brown University"As you know, I have been campaigning on a platform of prosperity through peace," the former Rhode Island governor and U.S. senator said at the Democratic National Committee's annual Women's Leadership Forum in Washington D.C. Friday. "But after much thought I have decided to end my campaign for president today. I would like to take this opportunity one last time to advocate for a chance be given to peace." Chafee is the second Democratic candidate to withdraw from the 2016 Presidential race. Earlier this week, former Virginia governor Jim Webb also pulled out of the campaign. That leaves former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders, and former Maryland governor Martin O'Malley among the roster of Democrats vying for the White House. Chafee announced his campaign at George Mason University outside Washington in early June, but it struggled to gain traction, facing fundraising challenges -- having raised only about $30,000, the New York Times reported -- and barely registering in most polls. The former Ivy League wrestler did have one key figure in his corner: Conan O'Brien. The late-night TV host championed Chafee as the ultimate underdog, and enlisted Ted Leo and Aimee Mann to write him a theme song, to the tune of "She Drives Me Crazy," according to Molly Ball of The Atlantic. One couplet: "He's only got 12 Facebook friends; he looks like Chris Matthews on a juice cleanse." A 1975 graduate of Brown, Lincoln Davenport Chafee, 62, earned a degree in the Classics at the school located in Providence, R.I. He was a four-year varsity wrestler for the Brown Bears, serving as team captain as a senior. Years after stepping off the mat, Chafee remained a supporter of the Brown wrestling team. When the school threatened to eliminate wrestling and a handful of other sports in April 2011, Chafee -- at the time, governor of Rhode Island -- was a member of presentation team to save wrestling. "(Chafee) was there to be an advocate for Brown wrestling," said Hudson Collins, a student representative of the wrestling team present at the meeting, the Brown Daily Herald student newspaper reported at the time. "He's willing to take time out of his busy schedule to come speak not only about the importance of preserving the Brown wrestling program but also the other teams in general." The varsity wrestling program remains on the roster of Brown intercollegiate sports. Lincoln Chafee launched his political career 30 years ago, serving as a mayor, senator and governor for Rhode Island. He was appointed to fill the U.S. Senate seat of his father John Chafee, who died of congestive heart failure in 1999 at age 77. Like his son, John Chafee also wrestled in the Ivy League, at Yale University, where he was undefeated as a freshman, and was a runner-up at the EIWA (Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association) championships, according to the amateur wrestling website TheMat.com. John Chafee was inducted into the National Wrestling Hall of Fame as an Outstanding American in 1993.

COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Wrestling season is officially here. The defending national champions held preliminary wrestle-offs Friday afternoon, all leading up to final wrestle-offs inside French Fieldhouse on Thursday, Oct. 29 at 7:45 p.m. The most lopsided victories came at 197 lbs., 141 lbs. (twice) and 133 lbs. At 197, Matthew O'Hara, a redshirt senior who wrestled in 13 matches last year, pinned Kadin Llewellyn, a true freshman from Perrysburg High School. Another true freshman, Ke-Shawn Hayes, shut out Sal Marandino at 141 pounds, 18-0. Also at 141, redshirt freshman Micah Jordan cruised past Mike Hozan, winning by technical fall, 27-9. Jordan went 31-3 last year in open tournaments while wrestling at 157 pounds. Two more true freshmen picked up big victories on Friday - Kollin Moore won by decision over Josh Fox at 197 lbs. while Jose Rodriguez piled up 17 points and won by tech fall over Stanley Hendricks, 17-1. A major decision (12-2) was picked up by redshirt freshman Thomas Haines at 285 pounds over Parker Knapp. Other winners included J.P. Newton (165 lbs.), Jake Ryan (157 lbs.), Anthony DeCarlo (157 lbs.), Matt Davis (149 lbs.), Blake Riley-Hawkins (149 lbs.) , Jack Rozema (184 lbs.) and Seth Williams (165 lbs.). Pairings for Thursday evenings wrestle-offs are listed below. The event is in conjunction with Ohio State's annual coaches clinic. For more information on the coaches clinic, click here. Ohio State's regular season schedule kicks off Nov. 1 when Nathan Tomasello competes in the NWCA All-Star Classic. On Nov. 7, the Buckeyes will make the trip to Ypsilanti, Mich. for the Eastern Michigan Open. PRELIMINARY WRESTLE-OFF RESULTS 197: Matthew O'Hara fall over Kadin Llewellyn 165: J.P. Newton dec. over Jeremy Scott - 6-2 157: Jake Ryan dec. over Cody Burcher - 5-2 157: Anthony DeCarlo dec. over Alex Sepeda - 5-3 149: Matt Davis dec. over Josh Powell - 5-1 149: Blake Riley-Hawkins dec. over Heath Phillibert - 4-1 141: Micah Jordan tech fall over Mike Hozan - 27-9 184: Jack Rozema dec. over Sean Prather - 6-3 197: Kollin Moore dec. over Josh Fox - 10-4 141: Ke-Shawn Hayes tech. fall over Sal Marandino - 18-0 133: Jose Rodriguez tech. fall over Stanley Hendricks - 17-1 285: Thomas Haines major dec. over Parker Knapp - 12-2 165: Seth Williams dec. over J.P. Newton - 8-3 OCT. 29 WRESTLE-OFF MATCH UPS 125: Nathan Tomasello vs. Mike Manuche 133: Jose Rodriguez vs. Johnni DiJulius 141: Micah Jordan vs. Ke-Shawn Hayes 149: Blake Riley-Hawkins vs. Matt Davis 157: Jake Ryan vs. Anthony DeCarlo 165: Seth WIlliams vs. Justin Kresevic 174: Bo Jordan vs. Jacob Bresciani 174: Myles Martin vs. Dominic Prezzia 184: Kenny Courts vs. Jack Rozema 197: Mark Martin vs. Kollin Moore 285: Nick Tavanello vs. Thomas Haines

Officials at the University of Oregon this week sent a strong, if not rude, message to the Save Oregon Wrestling movement when they responded to requests for funding goals with an outrageous $75 million ask. As articles about the proposal suggests, officials at the university believed the number to be high enough for them to function without accruing an additional balance for the school and offsetting their Title IX requirements. Forgiving the fact that the Oregon officials seem to have zero understanding of the rate of return on institutional-level investments, the heave-ho number also certifies that the current administration has no plans to ever add wrestling back to the offerings in Eugene. Their match, it would seem, is over. The wrestling community is quick to point to Nike for their role in potentially influencing Oregon athletics' decision to adopt baseball as a Division I sport while shedding wrestling. To many that was an unnecessary infringement by a corporation into the dealings of the university, and that has led to more than a decade of hard feelings between many in the wrestling community and Nike. But who are we really kidding here? Are we shocked that Oregon would ask for $75 million? Boosters at Bucknell and Arizona State each paid the ransom after their programs were cut. Why not ask for $75 million and maybe land at $20 million. The larger loss here isn't to the wrestling community, but in what these types of actions say about where amateur sports have ended up after decades of professionalization. Amateur sports were once talked about in the currency of total health of athletes and the charm of hard work. Today the only currency that matters is the dollar. NCAA institutions aren't places to become fit and learn lifelong values, they're the easiest way for a school to build their applicant pool and jack up prices on those looking to learn. Money corrupts and as you look at sports in America notice that now even the athletic choices of pre-teens decisions aren't being decided by coaches and teachers with physical education backgrounds, but by those hungry for attention and a scholarship. I'm all for entertainment and making money to survive in the sports landscape, but the real goal, the only one that matters, is to grow sport so that more children around the world can live healthy and active lives. Right now the goal of amateur athletic institutions is to make more money and that greed is not sustainable, or moral, when dealing with the health of children. To your questions … Q: Is it Penn State's NCAA title to lose this season? Foley: For sure Penn State is the favorite to win the NCAA title, but Oklahoma State also has a lot of firepower this season so "theirs to lose" sentiment might be a dash too strong. One weight class that could decide the team title is 141 pounds where Dean Heil and Jimmy Gulibon will battle it out at the top. The weight is still shifting with Evan Henderson coming into the season as the top-ranked guy, but Heil's finish and Gulibon's finish will influence the team score. The only thing I'd add is that Michigan has a team that can make a huge impact on the team race. Maybe the Wolverines can't win the team title, but their Big Ten season might have some impact on seeding come NCAAs. Q: What do you make of Kyle Dake moving up to 86 kilos and then losing in the first round of the tournament in Russia? -- Chris J. Kyle Dake finished runner-up to Jordan Burroughs at the U.S. World Team Trials at 74 kilos (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Foley: The bump up was always meant to be a test for Dake. It's not surprising that he'd run into a few bumps, especially since he hasn't wrestled a lot of freestyle in the past two years against foreign opponents. Certainly losing his first match wasn't a great sign of anything, but within the match I'm sure Dake learned a little more about how difficult a move up might be. I'd imagine that even locking up with an established international 86-kilo wrestler gave him an indication of how he would have to improve his strength. I'm happy to see that he traveled overseas to compete at all. The Americans aren't known to travel often, but those that do seem to show better growth over their international careers. Also, I think Dake stays at 86 kilos and turns some heads in his next competition. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME Gotta love the dance! Q: It's been 18 months since you skewered FloWrestling as having an Icarus complex. How have they improved since? -- @jtothemfp Foley: You can see the improvement in everything they do from video coverage to broadcasting. Not only are they growing as a into a multi-million dollar corporation, but the feedback from those who deal with them most often report back professional and courteous interactions. Their recent expansion has so far been incredible for the sport of wrestling. Q: It sounds like Hunter Stieber is returning to Ohio State's lineup in January. Do you think he can win an NCAA title in 2016? Or will the time off from competition be too much? -- Mike C. Foley: The time off may have an effect on his performance in January, but eight weeks later he should be prepared for NCAA competition. However, I don't see Hunter wrestling past Jason Tsirtsis. While I've been critical of Tsirtsis in the past for not wrestling an aggressive style, I think that he will change tactics in 2016 and be untouched at the weight class.

Mark Hall gets his hand raised after beating Chance Marsteller in the finals of the UWW Junior World Team Trials in Madison, Wisconsin (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Mark Hall (Apple Valley, Minn.), the nation's No. 1 wrestling recruit and 2015 InterMat High School Wrestler of the Year, will compete in his only preseason wrestling event of his senior year, the InterMat JJ Classic, three days before he announces his college decision on Nov. 11. He has entered the event at 170 pounds and will be in search of his fifth straight JJ Classic title. Hall is a five-time state champion and will look to become Minnesota's first-ever six-time state champion. He was a UWW Cadet World champion in freestyle in 2014. Hall's wrestling resume is littered with titles at the nation's premier high school and college-age wrestling events. In May, Hall won the UWW Junior Nationals freestyle title by beating Penn State's Jason Nolf, and in June earned a spot on the Junior World Team when he dominated Oklahoma State's Chance Marsteller in the finals of the Junior World Team Trials in Madison, Wis. The 2015 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Sunday, Nov. 8, in Rochester, Minnesota. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic or to register, visit the event website.

This Saturday in Cedar Falls, Iowa, at the UNI-Dome is the annual USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals event. One of the unique features of this tournament is the split into two different grade level groupings, one tournament is for (primarily) juniors and seniors, while the other is for freshmen and sophomores. This format enables fans to see the emergence of some freshmen and sophomores for the first time on the national landscape in a high school setting. In addition, the field here -- while not necessarily chock full of national stars -- does offer significant quality throughout. The following is a weight-by-weight breakdown for both divisions of the tournament, based on the field composition as of Wednesday evening. Junior/Senior 106: Junior National double All-American Elijah Varona (South Dade, Fla.), a returning state placer, is the anchor figure in this weight class. Others to watch include Cadet freestyle All-American Joseph Harrison (Omaha Burke, Neb.) and state qualifier Kory Cavanagh (Penn, Ind.). 113: Among the lead contenders in this weight class is a pair of state champions, Ethan Cota (Kenyon-Wannamingo, Minn.) and Josh Venia (Toledo Central Catholic, Ohio). Also meriting mention is state qualifier Charles Faber (Glenbard West, Ill.), a Cadet Greco-Roman All-American. 120: Leading the way in this weight class are a pair of two-time state champions, Jack Wagner (Bettendorf, Iowa) and Sidney Oliver (Holt, Mo.). Also in this weight class are two-time state placers Brenden Baker (Cedar Rapids Jefferson, Iowa), Noah McQuigg (Tuttle, Okla.), and Skylour Turner (Warren Central, Ind.). Additional wrestlers to watch include state runner-up Victor Gliva (Farmington, Minn.), as well as 2014 state runners-up Connor Cleveland (New Hampton, Iowa) and Lane Glover (Goddard, Kans.). 126: State champion Kyran Hagan (Eureka, Mo.), a Cadet National double All-American, might be the slight favorite in this weight class over a formidable field of wrestlers. Also here are three-time state placer Jimmy Pawleski (Montini Catholic, Ill.), a Junior Greco-Roman runner-up; three-time state placer Seth Beard (Napoleon, Ohio); two-time state placers Adam Brown (Southeast Polk, Iowa), Derek Holschag (Union, Iowa), and Triston Lara (Fort Dodge, Iowa); a pair of Junior Greco-Roman All-Americans in Aslan Kilic (Wheele, Ga.) and David Rivera-Kohr (Evanston, Ill.); as well as state placer Abdullah Assaf (Lockport, Ill.). 132: Three top 100 Class of 2016 prospects anchor this weight class, No. 46 Dylan Duncan (Montini Catholic, Ill.), No. 59 Kanen Storr (Leslie, Mich.), and No. 65 Colby Smith (Holt, Mo.). Additional state champions in this weight class include 2014 titlist Clay Weil (Dodge City, Kans.), Reiley Brown (Whitehall, Mich.), and Wyatt Alvis (Arlington Martin, Texas). Other returning state medalists include Austin Yant (Waverly-Shell Rock, Iowa), Blaine Martinez (Keller Central, Texas), and Jacob Silzer (St. Rita, Ill.); two-time medalists include Jaden van Maanen (LaCrosse Central, Wis.) and Jason Crary (Munster, Ind.); while Yahya Thomas (Mt. Carmel, Ill.) was a Cadet freestyle All-American, and Zachary Barnes (Southeast Polk, Iowa) placed at state in 2014. 138: Three multi-time state champions are among the many wrestlers to watch in a relatively wide open and balanced weight class, Jake Spiess (Delta, Ohio), Nick Noel (Pulaski Academy, Ark.), and Ozzy Lugo (South Dade, Fla.). Another pair of wrestlers have state titles to their credit, 2014 state champion Ryan Deakin (Legacy, Colo.), a two-time Junior Greco-Roman All-American; as well as Taylor Nein (Bismarck, N.D.). Others to watch here include two-time state placer Gavin Dewitt (Jefferson City, Mo.); returning state placers Brice Everson (Camanche, Iowa), Cole Needham (West Marshall State Center, Iowa), and Jackson Gallagher (Bettendorf, Iowa); along with 2014 state medalists Gavin Sutton (Richmond Burton, Ill.) and Jimmy McAuliffe (Revis, Ill.). 145: Three returning state champions are among the primary contenders in a wide open and balanced weight class, Kameron Frame (Goddard, Kans.), Mason Kauffman (Stratford, Wis.), and Thomas Lisher (Park Hill, Mo.); Lisher was a Junior Greco-Roman All-American this past summer as well. Another pair of wrestlers in this field have past state titles on the resume, Bailey Vanderpool (Skutt Catholic, Neb.) and two-time state champion Sean Hosford (Park Hill, Mo.). Also in the field are two-time state runner-up Brik Filippo (Tutlte, Okla.) along with returning third place state tournament finishers Aidan Yde (Arrowhead, Wis.) and Gavin Londoff (Holt, Mo.). 152: Four wrestlers with state titles on their resume lead the way in this weight class, two-time state champions Beau Guffey (Tuttle, Okla.) and Zemua Baptista (Friend, Neb.), as well as Hunter Grau (Geneseo, Ill.) and Kendall Frame (Goddard, Kans.). Others to watch include multi-time state placers Jose Champagne (Marian Catholic, Ill.) and Logan Moriarty (Jefferson City, Mo.), state runner-up Jacob Messer (Norman North, Okla.), along with 2014 state medalists Fernie Silva (Hononegah, Ill.) and Jake Tucker (Mt. Carmel, Ill.). 160: Two-time state placer Trace Carello (Marmion Academy, Ill.), ranked as the No. 100 overall prospect in the Class of 2016, leads the way in this weight class. Others to watch include state runners-up Seth Vosters (Freedom, Wis.) and Tristan Johnson (Osage, Iowa), along with state placer Jack Koethe (West Des Moines Valley, Iowa). 170: Leading the way in this weight class are three returning state champions, Riley DeMoss (Marmion Academy, Ill.), Canten Marriott (Park Hill, Mo.), and Tanner Johnson (Tuttle, Okla.). Others to watch include Cadet double All-American Anthony Sherry (Glenwood, Iowa), who is ranked No. 47 overall in the Class of 2018; UWW Cadet Greco-Roman champion Logan Gruszka (Schaumburg, Ill.); three-time state placer Taylor Venz (Farmington, Minn.); along with returning state medalists Dylan Anderson (Hudson, Wis.), Jonah Egli (Fort Dodge, Iowa), and Riley Vanik (Kaneland, Ill.). 182: Leading the way in this weight class is two-time state finalist, 2014 state champion, Kyle Betourne (Bishop McNamara, Ill.). Others to watch include state champion Dalton Miller (Allen, Texas) and state placer Isaac Bartel (Mason City, Iowa). 195: Cadet National freestyle champion Jacob Raschka (Pewaukee, Wis.) is the lead figure in this weight class. Others to watch include two-time state placers August Peplinski (Wittenberg-Birnamwood, Wis.) and Tre Campbell (Wauseon, Ohio), as well as returning state placers Brendan McKenna (Lafayette, Mo.) and Tage McNutt (Benton, Mo.). 220: A pair of returning Illinois state medalists are among the leaders in this weight class, state runner-up Eric Johnson (Plainfield South) and Nick Graziano (Oak Forest). 285: Two of the names to watch in this weight class are Cadet National double All-American Zach Muller (Downers Grove South, Ill.), who also won the Cadet folkstyle tournament, and returning Preseason Nationals placer Blake Schjoll (Perry Meridian, Ind.). Freshman/Sophomore 100: Leading the way in this weight class is Cadet Triple Crown winner Mosha Schwartz (Ponderosa, Colo.), who won the national titles in folkstyle, Greco-Roman and freestyle during the past off-season at 88 pounds. Additional wrestlers to watch include Jace Koelzer (Olathe South, Kansas), a Cadet National double All-American at 94 pounds; Lucas Byrd (LaSalle, Ohio), a Cadet double third place finisher at 88 pounds; along with Cadet Greco-Roman All-American Cevion Severado (CBC, Mo.). 106: Among the lead contenders in this weight class are three of the nation's best Class of 2019 wrestlers, No. 7 Travis Ford-Melton (Marian Catholic, Ill.), No. 13 Aden Reeves (Albia, Iowa), and No. 17 Cade Devos (Waukee, Iowa). Additional wrestlers to watch include Cadet folkstyle champion Kyle Biscoglia (Waukee, Iowa), Cadet National double All-American Cody Phippen (Platte County, Mo.), Junior National double All-American Ryan Chauvin (Pine Creek, Colo.), Cadet freestyle All-American Sean McKenna (Marmion Academy, Ill.), a two-time Cadet Greco-Roman All-American in Joey Melendez (Montini Catholic, Ill.), and UWW Cadet Greco-Roman champion Eric Barnett (Wisconsin). 113: The favorite in this weight class returning state champion Real Woods (Montini Catholic, Ill.). Three other high school state champions from last year serve as primary challengers, Malik Johnson (CBC, Mo.), Michael Millage (Crestwood, Iowa), and Brody Teske (Fort Dodge, Iowa); Johnson was a Cadet National champion in Greco-Roman. Others to watch include state placer Gauge Perrien (Southeast Polk, Iowa) and Cadet Greco-Roman runner-up Benji Peak (Elkhorn, Wis.). 120: Leading the way in this weight class is returning Preseason Nationals champion Tate Steele (Lawrence Free State, Kans.). Others to watch include a pair of state third place finishers in Nathan Lendt (Southeast Polk, Iowa) and Noah Fye (New Hampton, Iowa), each of whom was a Cadet National All-American in 2014. 126: The arguable favorite in this weight class is returning state champion Jackson Henson (University, W.Va.). Others to watch include nationally ranked eighth grader Dustin Plott (Tuttle, Okla.), state placer and returning Preseason Nationals placer Weston DiBlasi (Park Hill, Mo.), and notable incoming freshman Abe Assad (Glenbard North, Ill.) 132: Three wrestlers who won state last year lead the way in this weight class, Brevin Balmeceda (South Dade, Fla.), Jacob Greenwood (Poudre, Colo.), and Brock Mauller (Father Tolton Catholic, Mo.). Others to watch include state runner-up Tyler Eischens (Anoka, Minn.), and state placer Will Lewan (Montini Catholic, Ill.), who was also a Cadet National double All-American. 138: Leading the way in this weight class is state champion Jarrett Jacques (Kirksville, Mo.), who also was one match away from placing at the FloNationals last spring. Others to watch in this weight class include returning state placers Jaxen Gilmore (Yukon, Okla.) and Garrett Lange (Goddard, Kans.) 145: Returning state placer Sandro Ramirez (Wauseon, Ohio), who also placed in last fall's Southwest Kickoff Classic leads the way in this weight class. Others to watch include solid sophomore Gage Grunden (Wauseon, Ohio) and notable freshman Brian Case (Davison, Mich.) 152: Anchoring the way in this weight class is state champion Braeden Redlin (Allen, Texas), a returning Preseason Nationals champion and Cadet National double All-American, who is also rankd No. 50 overall in the Class of 2018. Others to watch include returning Preseason Nationals placer Billy Higgins (Skutt Catholic, Neb.) and returning state placer Kenny O'Neill (Prior Lake, Minn.). 160: A couple of wrestler to watch in this weight class include returning Preseason Nationals placers Izzy Fox (Evanston, Ill.) and Noah Warren (Perry Meridian, Ind.). 170: Leading the way in this weight class is returning Preseason Nationals runner-up Joshua Myers (Allen, Texas), who also placed third in his state tournament last year as a freshman. Additional wrestlers to watch include returning state placers Jared Krattiger (Waterford, Wis.) and Nick Casperson (Beresford, S.D.). 182: Among the wrestlers to watch in this weight class is returning state champion Layne Hatcher (Pulaski Academy, Ark.). 195: A pair of returning Preseason Nationals placers, Dylan Olson (Dubuque Wahlert, Iowa) and Easton Rendelman (Choctaw, Okla.), are among those to watch in this weight class. 220: Leading the way in this weight class are returning Cadet double All-American Colin Lawler (The Kinkaid School, Texas) and returning state placer Max Darrah (Whitfield, Mo.). 285: Among those to watch in this weight class is impact freshman Ronald Tucker, Jr. (Lockport, Ill.).

Two Centenary College wrestlers have been charged with allegedly assaulting a man outside a campus residence hall and have been suspended from the team, according to media reports Wednesday. Authorities on Friday charged 22-year-old Adam Swift, of Secaucus, N.J., and 22-year-old Joseph Bartolini, of Jackson Township, N.J., in connection with the attack on the school's Hackettstown, N.J. campus. Both suspects are members of the college's wrestling team. A Centenary spokesperson said the pair was suspended from the wrestling team indefinitely pending the outcome of the criminal charges and the college's internal investigation into the incident. Bartolini and Swift were released pending court appearances after Judge J. Edward Palmer set bail at $15,000 for each man, authorities said. Hackettstown police said they responded to an assault call at 11:11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 9 near Van Winkle Hall. Officers found campus security attending to a victim bleeding from his face. The Hackettstown Rescue Squad transported the victim to Hackettstown Regional Medical Center. LehighValleyLive.com reported that Barolini and Swift beat the victim, Thomas Roselli, causing Roselli to suffer extensive injuries to the right side of his face that required reconstructive surgery, authorities said. Bartolini is also charged with simple assault after pushing Kayla Gonzalez to the ground the same day, authorities said. Media reports did not indicate whether either victim is a Centenary College student. Centenary College issued a statement Monday on the alleged incident, saying, "The safety and well-being of our students is of utmost importance to everyone at Centenary College. As in past practice, we will provide the Hackettstown police with any requests they may have. In addition, the college has policies in place to review the incident internally." Centenary College is a private, four-year, liberal arts college with an undergraduate enrollment of approximately 1,700 students. All Centenary Cyclones sports teams, including the wrestling program, compete in NCAA Division III.

Dan Gable, legendary, long-time wrestling coach at the University of Iowa, really likes the idea of the Hawkeyes-Oklahoma State outdoor meet to be held on the football field at Kinnick Stadium on Saturday, Nov. 14 ... so much so, in fact, he had come up with a similar idea back in his college coaching days. Dan Gable speaks at the United 4 Wrestling event in 2013 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)"It was in the late '80s, early '90s and what I tried to do was set up a match at halftime of a football game," Gable told the Davenport (Iowa) Grid Club Monday, the Quad City Times reported Tuesday. "I worked on setting up a deal to have (former Iowa Hawkeye) Royce Alger and Iowa State's Kevin Jackson come out and wrestle in front of that kind of a crowd. Both of them were still wrestling after their college careers and I thought it would be great exposure for our sport." Gable still likes the idea of grappling on the gridiron ... and thinks next month's dual between the Hawkeyes and Cowboys will be good for wrestling. After all, both are storied mat programs that together own the vast majority of NCAA Division I wrestling team titles ... and both are expected to be ranked in the top five nationally for the 2015-16 season. "Both teams have the right guys coaching their teams to make it work," Gable said. "Tom Brands and John Smith both have an understanding of how this can help our sport or they wouldn't have agreed to it." The 1972 Olympic gold medalist wrestler and two-time NCAA champ for Iowa State realizes that the participants must prepare for the unique demands of wrestling outdoors in Iowa in mid-November. Not just potential issues with the weather and temperature (average high in Iowa City on Nov. 14 is 50 degrees; low: 31) ... but also the number of fans in attendance, expected to be thousands more than a typical dual meet at Carver-Hawkeye Arena or Gallagher-Iba Arena at Oklahoma State. "They can't just throw guys out there and have them wrestle," said Gable. "Both Tom and John will have to have their kids ready mentally. Coming out into whatever the conditions are, in front of that size of a crowd, it's going to be different. Those guys will have to get their kids to understand that and deal with it." "It's a different mentality. To have 10 matches in that kind of environment, I think it's going to be a pretty cool deal," Gable continued. "I'm glad that it's happening at Iowa. It probably should have happened about 20 years ago but we couldn't quite pull it off." Weather permitting, it appears that the college dual-meet attendance record will be shattered, judging by just-released ticket sales information. The Cedar Rapids Gazette reported Tuesday that approximately 28,000 seats had already been sold for next month's Grapple on the Gridiron at Iowa City. The current NCAA record for attendance at a college dual is 15,996, set at Penn State in 2013 for the Pittsburgh-Penn State meet at the Bryce Jordan Center. If rain, snow or cold makes it impossible to hold the event outdoors at Kinnick Stadium, the dual will be moved inside to Carver-Hawkeye, with the first 15,000 ticket purchasers guaranteed a seat for the Iowa-Oklahoma State meet. The remaining ticket-buyers would get a chance to attend another Iowa home dual.

Beau Breske gets his hand raised after winning a Junior freestyle title in Fargo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Junior National freestyle champion Beau Breske (Hartford, Wis.) verbally committed to Nebraska on Tuesday evening. The three-time state finalist, twice a state champion in 2013 and 2014, is ranked No. 13 overall in the Class of 2016 and projects to compete at 184 pounds for the Cornhuskers. In addition, Breske placed third in Junior Greco-Roman this summer, and was a Cadet National double champion in Fargo the two previous summers. Breske is the second major commit for the University of Nebraska in this recruiting class, joining No. 5 Chad Red (New Palestine, Ind.) in being bound for Lincoln.

Three-time state champion Carter Happel (Lisbon, Iowa), the highest rated Hawkeye State native at No. 30 overall in the Class of 2016, verbally committed to the University of Iowa on Tuesday evening. Happel has an excellent resume in freestyle, finishing fifth this summer at the Junior Nationals in the 138 pound weight class, competing on the UWW Cadet World team last summer at 58 kilograms, and winning a Cadet freestyle title in the summer of 2013 at 132 pounds. The projected 141 in college joins No. 3 Alex Marinelli (St. Paris Graham, Ohio) and No. 32 Kaleb Young (Punxsatawney, Pa.) as nationally ranked wrestlers in Iowa's 2016 recruiting class.

Dan Gable will go "On the Mat" is this Wednesday, Oct. 21. "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. Gable was an Olympic gold medalist in 1972. He coached the University of Iowa to 15 NCAA team titles during his 21 seasons as head wrestling coach (1977-97). A podcast of the show is available on mattalkonline.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments.

With the Big Ten seeking its 10th consecutive wrestling national championship, BTN's 2015-16 wrestling coverage, presented by returning sponsor Cliff Keen Athletic, will take fans along for the ride with some of the most noteworthy matchups of the season. The schedule includes the Midlands Championships hosted by Northwestern; a key matchup between Ohio State and Penn State, winners of the past five national championships; the NWCA National Duals; and coverage of the Big Ten Wrestling Championships in Iowa City. The championships' final session will be televised live at 4 PM ET on Sunday, March 6. Additionally, BTN Plus on BTN2Go will carry at least 73 matches, a new record-high. A large number of those streamed events will be televised on delay as part of BTN's Student U initiative. BTN will also debut a new wrestling show on Monday, Jan. 11. B1G Mat Attack will compile the conference's most exciting dual matches from the previous weekend to be showcased on Monday nights. According to InterMat's rankings, the Big Ten has three of the top four squads in the country with No. 1 Penn State, No. 3 Iowa and No. 4 Michigan. Also projected in the top-10 is No. 7 Nebraska and No. 8 Ohio State. The Buckeyes claimed their first team national title in program history last season, capturing 102 points to finish ahead of the second place Iowa Hawkeyes. All matches can also be streamed via the web, smartphones, tablets and connected devices on BTN2Go, BTN's digital extension.

Alex Lloyd celebrates after winning a Cadet Greco-Roman title in Fargo (Photo/John Sachs, Tech-Fall.com)Cadet National Greco-Roman champion Alex Lloyd (Shakopee, Minn.) and undefeated state champion Adam Hedin (Rosemount, Minn.) have entered the InterMat JJ Classic at 138 pounds. The two wrestlers met in January during the high school wrestling season, with Hedin winning 3-0 in overtime. Lloyd was a Cadet double All-American this past summer in Fargo, winning a Greco-Roman title and finishing sixth in the freestyle competition. He was a Junior National folkstyle runner-up in April. He has state finishes of third (2014) and fifth (2013). Last fall he won the JJ Classic title at 126 pounds. Lloyd is the nation's No. 22 sophomore. Hedin compiled a perfect 45-0 record this past season as a junior en route to winning a state championship at 132 pounds. He was a Rumble on the Red champion. Last fall Hedin placed third at the JJ Classic. He was a state fourth-place finisher as a sophomore. The 2015 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Sunday, Nov. 8, in Rochester, Minnesota. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic or to register, visit the event website.

Devin Bahr (LAW, Wis.), one of the nation's top juniors, has registered for the 2015 InterMat JJ Classic at 152 pounds. Bahr has compiled a 73-1 career record heading into his junior year. He was a state champion as a freshman in 2014. Last season he suffered a torn ACL at the Bi-State Classic in late December that cut his season short. In 2014, Bahr was an All-American in all three styles. He was a Cadet National folkstyle champion, and finished runner-up in Greco-Roman and third in freestyle. Bahr was a Preseason Nationals champion in 2012, 2013 and 2014. He was a member of the Cadet World Team in Greco-Roman in 2013. Bahr finished fourth at the JJ Classic in 2013. The 2015 InterMat JJ Classic takes place on Sunday, Nov. 8, in Rochester, Minnesota. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic or to register, visit the event website.

There will be two weigh-in options for wrestlers competing in the 2015 InterMat JJ Classic on Sunday. Nov. 8, 2015, at the UCR Regional Sports Center in Rochester, Minnesota. The weigh-in locations will be held in Minneapolis and Rochester on Saturday, Nov. 7. The Minneapolis weigh-in will take place at Bierman Field Athletic Building on the campus of the University of Minnesota from 12:30 p.m. CT until 2 p.m. CT. For those interested in watching Division I wrestling, the University of Minnesota will be hosting the Gopher Duals starting at 3 p.m. that day at Williams Arena. The Rochester weigh-in will be held at Centerstone Plaza Hotel in Rochester from 2:30 p.m. CT until 4:30 p.m. CT. Wrestlers have the option of weighing in at either location. There is a three-pound allowance. For more information on the InterMat JJ Classic or to register, visit the event website.

Nearly 20 years after the tragic murder of beloved wrestler-coach Dave Schultz at the hands of multi-millionaire benefactor John du Pont, a second telling of the story within the past year will debut on ESPN this coming week. Mark Schultz"The Prince of Pennsylvania", an ESPN "30 for 30" documentary, will premiere on Tuesday, Oct. 20 at 9 p.m. Eastern on the flagship ESPN channel, less than a year after "Foxcatcher", the much-anticipated Hollywood version of the Schultz/du Pont story, opened in theaters ... and just three months before the 20th anniversary of Dave Schultz's murder in Jan. 1996 at du Pont's Foxcatcher Farms estate and Olympic wrestling training facility outside Philadelphia. Just to be clear ... this new hour-long ESPN documentary has nothing to do with a 1988 fictional comedy/drama of the same name, starring a young Keanu Reeves. In text to accompany a trailer for its "Prince of Pennsylvania" documentary posted online Friday, ESPN described it as "the tragic story of the turbulent relationship between Olympic wrestling stars Mark and Dave Schultz and multimillionaire John du Pont." At its "30 for 30" webpage for "The Prince of Pennsylvania", ESPN provided a somewhat more detailed telling of the tragic story known all too well by the wrestling community: "Back in the 1980s, the road to the Olympics was long and hard for an amateur wrestler. But then along came John du Pont, an eccentric heir to the family fortune with a passion for wrestling. His 800-acre Foxcatcher Farm outside Philadelphia became the hub of the sport, with state-of-the-art training facilities, free accommodations, generous stipends and the support of America's best freestyle wrestlers, brothers Mark and Dave Schultz. It all seemed too good to be true -- and tragically it was, with a savage ending. Featuring fresh testimonials and never-before-seen footage, 'The Prince of Pennsylvania' is the story of a paradise lost to the madness of its creator, a man who had the means to buy anything except for the one thing he truly wanted." Jesse Vile, "The Prince of Pennsylvania" director, was 14 when the murder took place at Foxcatcher Farm, not far from his home. After seeing previews for "Foxcatcher" in early 2014, Vile realized Dave Schultz's killing had ramifications well beyond suburban Philadelphia, saying, "It was rich territory for a documentary and ESPN felt the same way." "John du Pont was a strange man who did some terrible things. He hurt a lot of people," said Vile. "But during my research, I was surprised to discover there were many who remember him as a good-hearted but deeply troubled person. This made it a difficult story to tell because it's hard to humanize a killer. But it was important that du Pont wasn't treated as a two-dimensional monster in order to understand the depth of the tragedy that occurred on Jan. 26, 1996, in Newtown Square, Pa. Dave Schultz brought out the best in John du Pont, but, unfortunately, also the worst." The Hollywood entertainment publication Variety weighed in with its review of ESPN's "The Prince of Pennsylvania" documentary on Saturday. "The movie, notably, centered heavily on du Pont's relationship with Mark Schultz, played by Channing Tatum, the brother of his eventual victim," wrote Brian Lowry, TV critic for Variety. "Mark is interviewed extensively here, along with a number of the other wrestlers, but the focus shifts pretty squarely to Dave, who seemingly felt he could control, or at least manage, du Pont, despite his drug and alcohol abuse and increasingly erratic and paranoid behavior." "While the movie frittered around the edges of what motivated du Pont, the documentary more directly zeroes in on his desire to achieve greatness through his contact with those who accomplished it within this sphere, including his pathetic desire to become an Olympian himself in middle age." Lowry wrapped up his review of the ESPN documentary by writing, "Clearly, 'Foxcatcher' and 'Prince of Pennsylvania' grapple with the same story from different angles. But viewed in concert, the two paint a complementary portrait of a madness that was sadly allowed to go unchecked, largely because of the size of a checkbook." For another perspective, check out InterMat's in-depth feature on the murder of Dave Schultz, written by Mark Palmer a decade after the crime.

To launch its Legends interview series, the National Wrestling Hall of Fame selected one of the all-time greats of college wrestling, Stanley Henson. Now wrestling fans can hear this three-time NCAA champ for Oklahoma State talk about his life as a wrestler, surgeon and sports medicine pioneer in an audio interview with award-winning wrestling journalist Jason Bryant, the Hall announced via press statement Thursday. At 98, Henson is the oldest living NCAA wrestling champ, according to the Stillwater, Okla.-based National Wrestling Hall of Fame. Welcomed into the Hall as a Distinguished Member in 1978, Henson was a two-time Oklahoma state champ for Tulsa Central High School who then headed west to Stillwater to wrestle at what was then called Oklahoma A&M (Agricultural and Mechanical) College. Wrestling for Ed Gallagher (named one of the three greatest college mat coaches of all time in a 2005 NCAA survey), Henson compiled a near-perfect 31-1 record as a Cowboy, winning three consecutive national titles as a middleweight (145-155 pounds) in 1937, 1938 and 1939. He was twice named the tournament's Outstanding Wrestler, becoming the first to earn that honor as a sophomore. One magazine declared Henson to be the best amateur wrestler of 1930s; Jay Hammond's "History of Collegiate Wrestling" book named Henson as the greatest college matman of the pre-World War II era. Stanley Henson with his coach Ed GallagherHenson wrestled in a world today's college wrestlers, coaches and fans would not recognize. Instead of wearing a singlet of synthetic fabric, Henson competed in wool trunks, usually without a shirt. And, rather than wrestle on a foam-core mat, Henson's home matches were conducted on a canvas mat, inside a raised, roped-off wrestling ring, like those we associate with professional wrestling or boxing today. After serving in World War II, Henson entered medical school. He became the first surgeon in Ft. Collins, Colo. and is considered to be a pioneer in the field of sports medicine. In the Legends interview, Henson speaks about growing up in the Great Depression, working in the oil fields, wrestling for coach Gallagher (a fellow Distinguished Member of the Hall of Fame), serving in the United States Navy, and his distinguished career in medicine. The interview may be heard for free at mattalkonline.com. It is also available via iTunes, Stitcher, Spreaker, and Soundcloud as well as an RSS link for use in other third-party podcasting applications like Downcasts, BeyondPod, and Podcast Republic. "We are excited about the Legends interviews because it gives fans the opportunity to hear the greats of our sport talk about their lives and careers in their own words," said Lee Roy Smith, Executive Director of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame. "Our goal is to preserve the sport of wrestling's history, and these audio histories are important to helping us achieve it." Bryant of the Mat Talk Podcast Network created the Legends interview concept, and also serves as the host and producer of the interviews. Bryant is president of the National Wrestling Media Association, and has been honored for his work as both a broadcaster and writer, including the Bob Dellinger Wrestling Writer of the Year award. "I've wanted to do a show with our legends for a while, and crowdfunding has made that a reality," said Bryant. "There are so many stories to tell and preserve, and we hope that fans of our great sport will enjoy and be supportive of the Legends series."

2014 state champion Noah Baughman (Wadsworth, Ohio), a Junior National freestyle All-American this summer, verbally committed to Cornell University on Saturday afternoon. The projected 133 pound wrestler also placed third at state this past high school season, and was a runner-up at 113 pounds last year in the Super 32 Challenge. Ranked No. 92 overall in the Class of 2016, Baughman is joined as a Big Red verbal commit by No. 25 Ben Darmstadt (Elyria, Ohio) and No. 57 Max Dean (Lowell, Mich.)

In the years since the University of Oregon axed its wrestling program in 2007, fans within the state and beyond have been working to reinstate the Ducks varsity mat program. Now the school located in Eugene, Ore. seems to have given these supporters the "kiss off" -- to quote one of these supporters -- according to a column in The Oregonian newspaper this week. In his column titled "The University of Oregon to Save Oregon Wrestling: Kiss Off", long-time Oregonian sportswriter Ken Goe presented the ongoing efforts of Paul Fenley, who heads up the National Wrestling Restoration Foundation, and former Oregon Ducks head wrestling coach Ron Finley, to bring back intercollegiate wrestling to the school ... and the stunning response from officials at Oregon. Fenley and Finley had been working with the idea to raise $10 million for a wrestling endowment to restart the varsity program, which they believed would generate enough income to sustain a program at Oregon. Beth Campbell of the Duck Athletic Fund had other ideas. In early October, she wrote to Fenley and Finley, saying, "I recently learned that you had asked for information on what it might take to bring back the wrestling program. In my research, I have been told that it would take a $75 million endowment that would kick back $3 million annually which would cover wrestling and adding another sport to stay compliant with Title IX." Goe quoted former UO wrestler Hank Hosfield: "That's a kiss-off figure. That's supposed to be discouraging, and it is discouraging." According to Goe, the Duck Athletic Fund's figures are based on two mistaken assumptions: lower-than-expected investment income ... and that running a NCAA Division I wrestling program is a pricey proposition, requiring $2-$3 million a year. (Oregon State manages to do it for just over $900,000 a year.) As Goe points out, the varsity sports programs at Oregon with expenses of more than $2 million for 2016 are football, baseball, basketball, women's basketball and track & field. He also shares figures with other UO programs which are arguably comparable to wrestling, in terms of scholarship numbers (wrestling is limited to 9.9 scholarships). Women's soccer, which has a limit of 14 scholarships, has projected expenses of $1,228,675 ... while women's tennis, with eight scholarships, comes in at $763,598. If all this weren't bad enough for wrestling fans in the state of Oregon and beyond, follow-up correspondence from the University of Oregon is potentially even more chilling. Goe reported that a subsequent email from an UO spokesperson stated, "To add any sports, first of all there has to be (a) fit before an endowment would even factor in." As Goe wrote, "That leaves open the possibility that even if presented with a $75 million check, the UO athletic department could decide wrestling didn't ‘fit.'" The Oregonian sports columnist added, "It's hard to know what the current administration has against wrestling. It's one of the original Olympic sports. There is a strong wrestling tradition in Oregon high schools." The University of Oregon decided to cut its wrestling program in 2007, replacing it with men's baseball and competitive cheerleading. Duck wrestlers, coaches, and supporters filed a lawsuit but the courts ruled the team filed too late. Various individuals and organizations such as Save Oregon Wrestling and the National Wrestling Restoration Foundation continue the fight to bring back varsity wrestling to the school in Eugene.

Daniel Page proves that once you've gone Dutch, there's no turning back, as the NCAA All-American wrestler for Central College is returning to his alma mater as a volunteer assistant coach for the Dutch, the Division III school in Pella, Iowa announced Friday. Page, who graduated this spring from Central, earned All-American honors by placing seventh at the 2015 NCAA Division III Wrestling Championships. The four-year letterwinner from Tumwater, Wash. was a three-time NCAA qualifier, and was named all-Iowa Conference three consecutive years. Page was team co-captain as a senior, completing his mat career with a 103-44 record. He is just the 11th wrestler in Dutch wrestling history to reach the 100-win mark, and the first since 2003. Beyond the impressive stats, Page achieved additional honors as a Central wrestler. He earned the team's outstanding freshman award in 2012, the most outstanding performer award in 2013, 2014 and 2015 and the Lawrence Award for outstanding work ethic in 2014 and 2015. "We're really excited to have Daniel join our staff," head coach Eric Van Kley said. "He has been through our program and knows the expectations of the wrestlers. Daniel is going to be a huge help working with our 125 and 133 weight classes." "Daniel is a tremendous young man," Van Kley added. "He is an all-American and guys really look up to him." Page is now the sixth coach on Central's wrestling staff. "Our staff continues to get stronger every year," Van Kley said. "It helps anytime you can grow the staff and add more experience."

MANHEIM, Pa. -- Twenty Division I All-Americans will kick off the college wrestling season at the 50th annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network on November 1 in Atlanta, Ga. The All-Star Classic is also sponsored by Raymond James and will be held at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion at 5 p.m. The last two All-Americans were added at 133 pounds where Lehigh's two-time All-American Mason Beckman was selected to compete for a third time. He will face All-American Rossi Bruno of Michigan, one of three Wolverines set to compete in the event. He'll join Max Huntley and Adam Coon. This will be Beckman's first All-Star match against a wrestler not named A.J. Schopp. The previous two years, Beckman and the Edinboro graduate traded wins at the event. "Obviously Mason Beckman enjoys competing in the event, it's his third time," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "But more than just competing three times, Mason really does embody what it's like to be a student-athlete. He performs at a high level, he attends a prestigious academic institution and he loves to compete." Beckman finished sixth at 133 pounds, finishing last season with a 30-8 record. As the No. 10 seed, he rebounded from an opening round loss at the NCAA Division I Championships in St. Louis to win five straight matches and clinch his second All-American honor. Bruno entered as the No. 14 seed and finished eighth. After opening the NCAA tournament with an overtime win over Rider's Rob Deutsch, Bruno was sent to the consolation bracket by eventual finalist Cory Clark of Iowa. In the consolations, Bruno won three straight matches, including two over fellow Big Ten wrestlers, to earn his first All-American honor. He defeated Drexel's Kevin Devoy in sudden victory to cement his place in the top eight. "Rossi Bruno comes from a great wrestling tradition at Brandon High School in Florida," said Moyer. "His exciting finish at last year's NCAA championships in the All-American round are the types of matches this sport is made of." Bruno and Beckman, who hails from Reynolds High School in Western Pennsylvania, have wrestled one another just once during their careers - a 7-5 victory by Bruno at last season's Southern Scuffle. Beckman enters with a career record of 85-25, while Bruno is 61-45 in three seasons in Ann Arbor. Beckman's appearance will mark the 30th time a Lehigh wrestler has competed in the event. They've compiled a 16-13 record overall with the last wins coming in 2013 at George Mason where Beckman and teammate Joey Napoli both earned victories. Beckman is also the 23rd wrestler in the event's history to make at least three appearances in the All-Star Classic. Coming into 2015, Michigan wrestlers are 14-16-3 all-time in the event, with Steve Luke picking up the school's last victory back in 2009 against Iowa's Jay Borschel at 174 pounds. Announced #NWCAClassic50 Matchups 125: Nathan Tomasello, So. (Ohio State) vs. Zeke Moisey, So. (West Virginia) 133: Mason Beckman, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Rossi Bruno, Sr. (Michigan) 141: Cody Brewer, Sr. (Oklahoma) vs. Dean Heil, So. (Oklahoma State) 149: B.J. Clagon, So. (Rider) vs. Alexander Richardson, Sr. (Old Dominion) 157: Isaiah Martinez, So. (Illinois) vs. Nick Brascetta, Sr. (Virginia Tech) 165: Alex Dieringer, Sr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Ethan Ramos, So. (North Carolina) 174: Kyle Crutchmer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Zach Epperly, So. (Virginia Tech) 184: Nathaniel Brown, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Vic Avery, Sr. (Edinboro) 197: Conner Hartmann, Sr. (Duke) vs. Max Huntley, Sr. (Michigan) 285: Adam Coon, Jr. (Michigan) vs. Ty Walz, Jr. (Virginia Tech) WHAT: 50th Annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network Atlanta Chapter WHEN: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 5 p.m. Eastern WHERE: Hank McCamish Pavilion, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga. TICKETS: VIP/Social $125, Premium Floor $100, Premium $50, Reserved $25-$35; General Admission $10-$20; Student Rate $15 PURCHASE ONLINE: Click here TV/LIVE STREAMING: ESPNU (Find ESPNU on your cable or satellite provider) EVENT WEBSITE: http://www.theallstarclassic.com About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The NWCA brings the wrestling coaching community together to advance the sport and ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to engage in a safe and educationally based wrestling experience. This is primarily done by strengthening existing programs, creating new programs, and providing coaches with progressive educational opportunities. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org About ESPNU The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually. ESPNU is available nationwide in approximately 73 million households.

MANHEIM, Pa. -- When mentioning Duke in sports circles, the conversation almost always centers around its legendary basketball program. For Conner Hartmann, he's looking to cement himself as one of the school's all-time great athletes and his quest for a third medal at the NCAA Division I Championships starts with an appearance at the 50th annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network on November 1 in Atlanta, Ga. The All-Star Classic is also sponsored by Raymond James and will be held at Georgia Tech's McCamish Pavilion at 5 p.m. Hartmann, a two-time All-American from Port Orchard, Washington, will face Michigan's Max Huntley at 197 pounds. He will be the first wrestler in Duke history to compete at the event. Hartmann became Duke's second-ever two-time All-American after a sixth-place finish at the 2015 NCAA Division I Championships. He and former heavyweight Konrad Dudziak are the only two wrestlers in school history with All-American honors and Hartmann will look to become the first three-time All-American at Duke. He finished last season with a 29-5 record. "Duke University is known the world over for its tremendous academics," said NWCA Executive Director Mike Moyer. "To have a student-athlete of this caliber represent Duke at the All-Star Classic for the first time is a tremendous accomplishment for coach Glen Lanham's team and for the school as a whole." Huntley has battled injuries throughout his career in Ann Arbor, but last year, he finally broke through and hit the podium with an eighth-place finish. The NCAA granted Huntley a sixth year of eligibility after he'd seen two prior seasons end due to injuries. He finished last season with a 24-11 record. "It's great to see Max Huntley get an opportunity to finish out his career after such a rocky beginning," said Moyer. "I'm excited to see this matchup." Seeded 10th, Hartmann reached the semifinals of the 2015 NCAA championships by opening up with a win over Penn's Caanan Bethea before upending seventh-seeded Abe Ayala of Princeton and second-seeded Morgan McIntosh of Penn State. He fell to eventual NCAA champion Kyven Gadson of Iowa State in the semifinals. Huntley was the No. 8 seed and fell to returning NCAA champion J'Den Cox of Missouri in the quarterfinals. Huntley earned his first All-American honor by defeating Wisconsin's Timmy McCall. Coming into 2015, Michigan wrestlers are 14-16-3 all-time in the event, with Steve Luke picking up the school's last victory back in 2009 against Iowa's Jay Borschel at 174 pounds. Huntley and teammate Adam Coon are two of the three Wolverines competing in Atlanta. Rossi Bruno accepted the invitation at 133 pounds and information on his bout will be released in the coming days. Announced #NWCAClassic50 Matchups 125: Nathan Tomasello, So. (Ohio State) vs. Zeke Moisey, So. (West Virginia) 133: 141: Cody Brewer, Sr. (Oklahoma) vs. Dean Heil, So. (Oklahoma State) 149: B.J. Clagon, So. (Rider) vs. Alexander Richardson, Sr. (Old Dominion) 157: Isaiah Martinez, So. (Illinois) vs. Nick Brascetta, Sr. (Virginia Tech) 165: Alex Dieringer, Sr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Ethan Ramos, So. (North Carolina) 174: Kyle Crutchmer, Jr. (Oklahoma State) vs. Zach Epperly, So. (Virginia Tech) 184: Nathaniel Brown, Sr. (Lehigh) vs. Vic Avery, Sr. (Edinboro) 197: Conner Hartmann, Sr. (Duke) vs. Max Huntley, Sr. (Michigan) 285: Adam Coon, Jr. (Michigan) vs. Ty Walz, Jr. (Virginia Tech) WHAT: 50th Annual Hire Heroes NWCA All-Star Classic presented by the Wrestlers in Business Network Atlanta Chapter WHEN: Sunday, November 1, 2015, 5 p.m. Eastern WHERE: Hank McCamish Pavilion, Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga. TICKETS: VIP/Social $125, Premium Floor $100, Premium $50, Reserved $25-$35; General Admission $10-$20; Student Rate $15 PURCHASE ONLINE: Click here TV/LIVE STREAMING: ESPNU (Find ESPNU on your cable or satellite provider) EVENT WEBSITE: http://www.theallstarclassic.com About the National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) The NWCA brings the wrestling coaching community together to advance the sport and ensure that current and future generations have the opportunity to engage in a safe and educationally based wrestling experience. This is primarily done by strengthening existing programs, creating new programs, and providing coaches with progressive educational opportunities. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The Group Wrestlers in Business is a non-profit organization that strives to unite the thousands of wrestlers that have retired from the sport and are now in their respective careers. It started as a networking group on LinkedIn. Since then, the group has evolved into a more prominent, member-focused organization that cares about supporting current & former wrestlers and the sport. Their mission is to establish a community of wrestlers who commonly share in the interest of helping each other in business and in life, while supporting and strengthening the sport that made us who we are today. www.wrestlersinbusiness.org About ESPNU The 24-hour college sports television network airs more than 650 live events annually. ESPNU is available nationwide in approximately 73 million households.

EAU CLAIRE, Wis. -- The University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire wrestling program has named six additions to its coaching staff, announced head coach Tim Fader. Former Olympic Gold Medalist John Peterson headlines the group, bringing decades of experience to the Blugold staff. A 1976 Olympic Gold Medalist, Peterson also won a Silver Medal in 1972 and was a World Cup Champion in 1973, 1975 and 1980 along with being a five-time United States National Freestyle Champion. In addition to his many accolades on the mat, Peterson coached U.S. teams in over 10 countries. "His wisdom and experience as a wrestler, coach and human being will help our students be the best they can be," said head coach Tim Fader. "The athletes and this university are fortunate to have him as part of this campus; it's just fantastic we have someone of his caliber here at UWEC." Also joining the staff is Blugold wrestling alum, Mat Rieckoff. A season ago, Rieckoff capped off his senior season at NCAA national tournament and earned National Wrestling Coaches Association (NWCA) Scholar All-American honors. Former Warhawk Elroy Perkin also joins the coaching ranks. Perkin earned All-America honors, finishing fifth at the national meet the last two seasons and was the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference (WIAC) champion at 149 pounds a year ago. "My goal is to surround the student-athletes with the best possible people," said Fader. "These mentors will help them be not only excellent wrestlers, but also better men." Also added to the staff are three volunteer assistants; former head coach Steve Wozniak, former coach and UW-La Crosse two-time All-American Russ Peloquin and alum Jeremy Peery. "We are very fortunate to have our volunteer coaches as they will be key with helping with the transition," said Fader. "And with being professionals in the community they can really help us with our community outreach. It says a lot when you have so many people who are willing to help elevate the program." The Blugolds will kick off the season on Nov. 1st at the Yellowjacket Open hosted Rochester Community and Technical College.