InterMat Staff

King University, a Div. II program in Tennessee, opens as the No. 1 team in the WCWA Women's College Preseason poll. Last season, King placed third in the WCWA Nationals. The team, coached by Jason Moorman, returns most of its starters from last season, including three individual athletes with No. 1 preseason rankings. The team features eight athletes who are ranked in the top three of their weight classes in the preseason rankings. Taking second in the WCWA preseason poll is Oklahoma City University, an NAIA college which placed second at the WCWA women's college nationals. OCU, coached by Archie Randall, boasts two athletes with individual preseason No. 1 rankings. Coming in third in the preseason poll is defending WCWA national champion Simon Fraser, a Div. II school from Burnaby Mountain, Canada. Mike Jones’ team features four individual No. 1 wrestlers in the preseason selections. Rounding out the top 10 are No. 4 Lindenwood, a tie for No. 5 with Jamestown and Missouri Valley, No. 7 Wayland Baptist, No. 8 Missouri Baptist, No. 9 Univ. of the Cumberlands and No. 10 Midland. There are 18 teams ranked in the preseason poll, reflecting the growth of women’s college wrestling this year. Five returning WCWA individual champions open the season with No. 1 rankings: junior Emily Webster of Oklahoma City (101), senior Victoria Anthony of Simon Fraser (109), senior Alli Ragan of King (136), senior Justina Distasio of Simon Fraser (170) and senior Jenna McLatchy of Simon Fraser (191). Anthony and Ragan were members of the 2013 U.S. Senior World Team, which placed a strong third at the World Championships in Budapest, Hungary. The other five athletes with No. 1 rankings are junior Nikkie Brar of Simon Fraser (116), junior Sarah Hildebrandt of King (123), senior Randi Beltz of Missouri Valley (130), senior Stephanie Geltmacher of Oklahoma City (143) and junior Julia Salata of King (155). The 2014 WCWA Women’s College Nationals are scheduled for Missouri Baptist University, January 24-25 in St. Louis, Mo. View team rankings View individual rankings

BETHLEHEM, Pa. -- The Lehigh wrestling team officially kicked off its preparations for the 2013-14 season as Thursday marked the first official day of practice. The Mountain Hawks took to the mats in their new training home, the Caruso Wrestling Complex for their first official workout. Lehigh has a full month before its dual season begins at home versus Bucknell on November 9, but just two weeks before the annual Brown and White Wrestle-offs October 24 inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. "The first day is always exciting," said Lehigh head coach Pat Santoro. "It's wrestling season. That's what we do. We love to wrestle. Our team loves to be in this room. We're very excited about competition next month. It's not too far away. Wrestle-offs are just two weeks away." Santoro begins his sixth season with another relatively young squad. Lehigh will look to replace a minimum of four wrestlers who competed at last year's EIWA Championships, including All-American and NCAA Finalist Robert Hamlin, EIWA Champion Shane Welsh and Alex Abreu, who all graduated in May. Just five of the 30 men on Lehigh's roster hold junior or senior eligibility. "It's a young team, but I like the way they wrestle," Santoro said. "They're exciting to watch. They're just trying to score points. When you have a young team you like to see guys who wrestle hard. That's what we're looking for." The Mountain Hawks do return all three of their 2013 EIWA Champions in senior Joey Napoli, junior Nathaniel Brown and sophomore Randy Cruz. In addition, sophomore Mason Beckman, who was selected to compete at the NWCA All-Star Classic earlier this week, returns to the lineup at 133 after an impressive 2012-13 season in which he deferred his eligibility. The public wrestle-offs are just two weeks away, and while those results may not lead to final decisions, Santoro knows that wrestling has become a year-round sport and that the wrestlers will take it upon themselves to be ready to go. "It's a tight timetable, but at the end of the day these guys have been pushing themselves all year," Santoro said. "It's one of those things you just have to do. The wrestlers knew the schedule. They're prepared for that. We'll see in two weeks how everybody handles everything." For the next two weeks the goal is simple: just keep getting better. "Today is day one," Santoro said. "We're excited. We have a lot of potential. Every day we have to get better and grow and learn." Following the Brown and White Wrestle-offs on October 24, Lehigh's first full-squad competition will be the Knight Point Clarion Open on Sunday, November 3. The Mountain Hawks will open the dual season on Saturday November 9 against the Bucknell Bison at 7 p.m. inside Leeman-Turner Arena at Grace Hall. The Bucknell match begins a stretch of four straight home duals to open the season, a stretch that includes matches with Bloomsburg, Penn State and Pittsburgh. Season and single-match tickets for Lehigh Wrestling are on sale and can be purchased by calling 610-7LU-GAME or by logging on to LehighTickets.com.

FAIRFAX, Va. -- George Mason wrestling’s Sahid Kargbo has been selected to wrestle in one of the preliminary bouts of the NWCA All-Star Classic on Saturday, November 2. Kargbo, a sophomore from nearby Alexandira, Va., will wrestle senior Luke Bilyeu of West Chester University of Pennsylvania. Bilyeu is a three-time NCWA Mideast-Conference champion and a two-time NCWA All-American. He currently holds a collegiate record of 75-15. In Kargbo’s freshman season at Mason he had a 19-14 overall record and an 11-6 dual record on the season, leading the team with four major decision wins. Kargbo also represented the United States at the 2013 Junior World Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria this past August. Mason wrestling will also be hosting the 48th annual NWCA All-Star Classic, a two-day event that will feature many of the nation’s top Division 1 wrestling talent facing off in a dual meet format. The main event will take place at 7:15 p.m. on Saturday, November 2 in the Patriot Center with the preliminary matchups starting at 6:45 p.m. An All-Star clinic will take place earlier in the day on Saturday at the George Mason University Field House from noon to 5 p.m. Additionally a middle school All-Star match will be held in the Field House on Friday, November 1 at 7:30 p.m.

COLUMBIA, Mo. -- The Mid-American Champion Missouri wrestling team has announced a couple of changes to the coaching staff, as confirmed Wednesday by Head Coach Brian Smith. Included in the changes is the promotion of former Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach Nick Marable to Volunteer Assistant, with 2013 All-American Mike Larson taking over as Assistant Strength Coach. Marable was hired on as the Assistant Strength Coach prior to the 2010-11 campaign. After serving three years in that position, he will now fill the void left by former Volunteer Assistant and 2009 heavyweight national champion, Mark Ellis. “Nick (Marable) enjoyed his position as strength coach, but he came to me and asked to be more involved in the coaching aspect,” said Smith. “Over the years, he’s really developed into a good young coach, and with (Mark) Ellis taking a position with Chattanooga, we wanted to give him an opportunity to grow even more as a coach.” A two-time All-American, Marable wrestled to a third place finish at the 2008 NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships, the highest finish amongst Tigers. As a senior, the Tiger grappler posted a 35-5 record, which included a 13-1 dual mark, and became the 17th Missouri wrestler in program history to join the elite 100-win club. Winner of three consecutive Big 12 titles, Marable finished his career with 116 wins, the eighth-most in Missouri history, and was awarded Missouri's Hap WhitneyCoaches Award honor in 2007 as well as Most Improved Wrestler accolades in 2008. On the heels of Marable’s promotion, Smith also announced the addition of former Tiger Mike Larson to the staff.Larson, last year’s 184-pound starter for the Tigers, will take over as Assistant Strength and Conditioning Coach. “When Mark left, I asked (Mike) if he would be interested in coming back,” said Smith. “He was already talking to other coaches around the country who were interested in bringing him on board, but I knew that ultimately he wanted to be here. He’s a Tiger, and he’s been through the program, so now he’s back to where he belongs.” A four-time NCAA qualifier, Larsonfinally gained All-American status with an eighth-place finish last year at the NCAAs in Des Moines. He finished his career with a 101-50 career record after transferring to the Tigers from Cal-State Bakersfield. “Mike was one of the hardest workers we have ever had in the program. He has worked for everything that he has everearned, and that work ethic is what I want in our weight room. We have had a lot of recognition for our training and conditioning from other coaches nationally, and that all starts with the intensity coming from our trainers and coaches. He brings that energy and intensity to the weight room that I think is important.” Stay connected with Mizzou Wrestling by following us on Facebook and Twitter, and on MUTigers.com.

ATLANTA -- PrimeSport, the official ticket and hospitality provider of the NCAA, announced official ticket and hospitality packages and the official NCAA Ticket Exchange program are now available at the sold out 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championships. For the first time, college wrestling fans will be able to buy official ticket packages or buy and sell tickets with other fans quickly and easily in a safe, secure and NCAA approved marketplace. The 2014 NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championships will take place on March 20-22, 2014 in Oklahoma City. “Our partnership with PrimeSport over the years has provided college sports fans with a safe, dependable and fully authorized method for securing official tickets, VIP hospitality and travel packages for several NCAA championships,” said Josh Logan, director of ticketing at the NCAA. “We are thrilled that we can now also provide The NCAA Experience and NCAA Ticket Exchange for the first time at the NCAA Division I Men’s Wrestling Championships through our partnership with PrimeSport.” Through the official NCAA DI Men’s Wrestling Championships Ticket Exchange program, PrimeSport creates a secure and approved marketplace for fans to buy and sell tickets in a convenient, safe and guaranteed environment. Ticket holders who are unable to attend a session, or find their team eliminated prior to the finals, have a place to safely sell their tickets. Buyers can be assured that the tickets are authentic and guaranteed, even if a session is sold out. The NCAA Experience program, also managed by PrimeSport, offers official ticket packages that include event tickets and access to pre-session hospitality with light hors d’oeurves, cash bar and appearances by NCAA legendary players or coaches. “We are excited about expanding our relationship with the NCAA and offering The NCAA Experience and NCAA Ticket Exchange programs at another great event like the NCAA DI Men’s Wrestling Championships in Oklahoma City,” said Sam Soni, president and CEO of PrimeSport. “Through our relationship with the NCAA, fans can enjoy the event worry free knowing they have secure tickets and are buying directly from the only NCAA-sanctioned ticket and hospitality provider.” For more information about the official NCAA Ticket Exchange and The NCAA Experience packages for the 2014 NCAA DI Men’s Wrestling Championships, visit NCAA.com/VIP.

After a three-year hiatus, the University of Iowa will again be represented at the annual NWCA All-Star Classic as reigning 157-pound Division I champion Derek St. John has accepted an invitation to compete on November 2 at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va. St. John will face Boston University senior Nestor Taffur as the final weight was released for the 10-match main event. St. John will be Iowa’s 74th all-time participant in the event, while Taffur is only the second Terrier wrestler to compete in the main event. The last time Boston U. coach Carl Adams had a wrestler compete came back in the 1995 season, when Earl Walker wrestled Seton Hall’s Joe Burke at 158 pounds. Adams will also serve as one of the honorary coaches for the event. St. John’s inclusion brings the total number of past NCAA champions to seven as Logan Stieber (Ohio State), Kendric Maple (Oklahoma), Andrew Howe (Oklahoma), David Taylor (Penn State), Ed Ruth (Penn State) and Tony Nelson (Minnesota) have all accepted invitation to the showcase event. St. John becomes the first Hawkeye to compete since Dan Dennis defeated Maryland’s Steve Bell 9-8 at 133 pounds at the 2009 All-Star Classic held in Fullerton, Calif. Taffur, a New Jersey native, was 36-9 last season at 157 pounds and went 2-2 at the NCAA Division I Championships. He was the Colonial Athletic Association champion at 157 pounds and earned eight falls on the year. He was ranked by Amateur Wrestling News periodically last season. He comes into the event with a 77-40 career record. He wrestled at 149 pounds as a freshman and sophomore before redshirting during the 2011-12 season. Last spring, Taffur finished fifth at the ASICS University Freestyle Nationals in Akron, Ohio at 74 kilos. While Taffur hasn’t yet earned NCAA All-American status, his inclusion in the All-Star Classic is important for Boston University’s visibility as the program struggles to stay alive. Last spring, the BU administration announced the 2013-14 season would be the last for Terrier wrestling. St. John has been one of the most consistent wrestlers in the Iowa lineup the past three seasons. Already a three-time All-American, the Iowa native defeated Northwestern’s Jason Welch 3-2 in the finals of the 2013 NCAA Division I championships at 157 pounds. St. John went 31-2 and comes in with a career record of 76-11. As a sophomore, St. John reached his first NCAA final, falling to eventual four-time Division I champion Kyle Dake in the finals. St. John was also the Big Ten champion as a junior As a redshirt freshman, St. John finished second at the Big Ten championships and fourth at the NCAA Division I championships. The completed main event draw features 18 All-Americans with a combined 10 NCAA Division I titles and 32 medals. Three two-time NCAA champions (Logan Stieber, Ohio State; Ed Ruth, Penn State; Tony Nelson, Minnesota) and 15 total finals appearances. Confirmed Matchups: 125: Nahshon Garrett, So. (Cornell) vs. Jarrod Patterson, Sr. (Oklahoma) 133: A.J. Schopp, Jr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, So. (Lehigh) 141: Tony Ramos, Sr. (Iowa) vs. Devin Carter, Jr. (Virginia Tech) 149: Logan Stieber, Jr. (Ohio State) vs. Kendric Maple, Sr. (Oklahoma) 157: Derek St. John, Sr. (Iowa) vs. Nestor Taffur, Sr. (Boston U.) 165: Michael Moreno, Jr. (Iowa State) vs. David Taylor, Sr. (Penn State) 174: Andrew Howe, Sr. (Oklahoma) vs. Matt Brown, Jr. (Penn State) 184: Jimmy Sheptock, Sr. (Maryland) vs. Ed Ruth, Sr. (Penn State) 197: Taylor Meeks, Jr. (Oregon State) vs. Scott Schiller, Jr. (Minnesota) 285: Mike McMullan, Jr. (Northwestern) vs. Tony Nelson, Sr. (Minnesota) The All-Star Classic, presented by the Marine Corps, will take place on Nov. 2 at 7:15 p.m. on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) George Mason University was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. Located in Fairfax Va., GMU has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

Demian Maia vs. Jake Shields? Could be boring. Very boring. With that in mind, let's skip straight ahead to UFC 166. Richard and John dissect the entire undercard, fight by fight, including some groundbreaking analysis of Hector Lombard vs. Nate Marquardt (sarcasm). Tune in next week for a preview of the main card, led by a heavyweight title trilogy between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 165-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature David Taylor of Pennsylvania State University against Michael Moreno of Iowa State University, a matchup never before seen in collegiate wrestling. Taylor began his career as a Nittany Lion redshirting at 157 pounds. During the 2009-2010 season, as an unattached competitor Taylor logged a 21-2 record, claiming individual titles at three of the five open tournaments he entered. In his official debut season, Taylor continued the momentum he generated during the past year, finishing the regular season with a perfect record. He completed the season with a 19-0 record in dual competition and 8-0 record against Big Ten opponents. In his first post season, Taylor logged an undefeated 3-0 record earning his first Big Ten title at 157 pounds. As a result of his victory Taylor earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships, where he took down the event’s number two seed on his way to a runner-up finish. For his success, Taylor was named Intermat’s National Freshman of the Year, the Big Ten Wrestler and Freshman Wrestler of the Year, and earned his first All-American honors. Taylor finished the year with a 38-1 overall record. As a redshirt sophomore Taylor logged another perfect regular season, this time at 165 pounds, wrestling to a 14-0 record in dual competition and 8-0 record against Big Ten opponents. In the post season Taylor earned his second consecutive Big Ten individual title after winning four consecutive matches. Taylor was recognized as Big Ten Wrestler of the Year for his accomplishments. At the national championships Taylor blazed a path to the finals at 165 pounds, logging pins against every wrestler he came up against. In the finals Taylor continued to awe fans logging an all-time finals record of 22 points in his 22-7 technical fall win against Lehigh’s Brandon Hatchett where he earned his first national title. Taylor won the 2012 NCAA Championships Gorrarian Award and Most Dominant Wrestler Award and the 2012 Hodge Trophy. Taylor began the 2012-2013 season with a trip to the 2012 NWCA All-Star Classic, where he took on Cornell’s Kyle Dake. This match showcased the first time the two would face each other during the season, but not the last. As a redshirt junior, Taylor again logged his third consecutive season undefeated in both dual competition, 14-0, and against Big Ten opponents, 8-0, and won his third straight Big Ten individual title at 165 pounds. At the national championships Taylor once again reached the finals where he was poised to take on Cornell’s Dake. In the matchup Taylor suffered a narrow 5-4 decision on 1:13 riding time loss. Moreno enters the matchup as a redshirt junior riding a wave of success from last season. Moreno began his career as a Cyclone redshirting during the 2010-2011 season. During the 2011-2012 season, Moreno made his official debut as a Cyclone. Moreno completed the season with a 4-13 record, appearing in 15 dual meets. In the post season, Moreno advanced to the Big Twelve Championships where he finished fourth. Entering the 2012-2013 season Moreno made Iowa State Wrestling history for completing one of the most successful season turnarounds to date. Moreno completed his redshirt sophomore season with 31-10 record and reached the NCAA National Championships for the first time. With 31 wins, Moreno led the Cyclone teams in most wins on the season. At the national championships, Moreno earned his first All-American honors after finishing sixth as an unseeded competitior. The All-Star Classic, presented by the Marine Corps, will take place on November 2nd at 7:15 p.m. on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

Eric Keller and Joe Russell will go "On the Mat" this Wednesday, Oct. 9. "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 from 5 to 6 p.m. CT on AM 1650, The Fan. A podcast of the show is available on theopenmat.com. E-mail dgmstaff@nwhof.org with any questions or comments. Keller enters his first season as the sole head wrestling coach at Wartburg College. He was an All-American at the University of Northern Iowa in 1999. Russell is the current head wrestling coach at George Mason. George Mason will host the NWCA All-Star Classic on Nov. 2 at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va.

Edinboro's A.J. Schopp will face Lehigh's Mason Beckman at 133 pounds at the NWCA All-Star Classic on November 2 at George Mason University's Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va. It's the ninth weight class released for the 48th annual event. While the two haven't officially met in college competition, their history on the mat goes back to their days wrestling in the rugged Pennsylvania high school ranks. It will be Schopp's second straight appearance in the All-Star Classic. He defeated Minnesota's Chris Dardanes 2-1 in last year's event. Schopp will also be Edinboro's 13th participant all-time and it will be the third straight year the Fighting Scots will be represented in the event. Chris Honeycutt earned a fall at 197 pounds during the 2011 All-Star Classic in Tempe, Ariz. Beckman will make his first appearance in the Classic and Lehigh's second consecutive appearance after a six year layoff from the event. Last season, Mountain Hawks' senior Robert Hamlin defeated Minnesota's Kevin Steinhaus 5-3 at 184 pounds. Beckman owns a 2-1 lifetime mark against Schopp, splitting during the King of the Mountain tournament during Beckman's freshman year while at Reynolds High School. Beckman took a freestyle victory over Schopp at the 2012 ASICS University Freestyle Nationals. Schopp went 33-5 in 2012-13 and finished fourth at the NCAA Division I Championships last year at 133 pounds, while Beckman redshirted. During Beckman's redshirt year, he went 39-4 at 133 pounds. As freshmen, both wrestlers won over 25 matches. Schopp, as a redshirt freshman, went 39-6 and finished a match away from placing at the NCAA Championships. Beckman, as a true freshman, moved up to 133 pounds at The Midlands after struggling at 125 pounds. After the move, Beckman finished the season with a 27-11 mark and went 1-2 at the NCAA Championships. Schopp, a two-time Eastern Wrestling League champion, comes in with a 72-11 career mark, while Beckman's official record only reflects his true freshman season. Both wrestlers won PIAA state championships in high school. Beckman won two state titles and placed four times, while Schopp was a state champion for Tyrone Area High School in Tyrone, Pa., and a four-time state placewinner, reaching the finals on two other occasions. Confirmed Matchups: 125: Nahshon Garrett, Jr. (Cornell) vs. Jarrod Patterson, Sr. (Oklahoma) 133: A.J. Schopp, Jr. (Edinboro) vs. Mason Beckman, So. (Lehigh) 141: Tony Ramos, Sr. (Iowa) vs. Devin Carter, Jr. (Virginia Tech) 149: Logan Stieber, Jr. (Ohio State) vs. Kendric Maple, Sr. (Oklahoma) 157: 165: Michael Moreno, Jr. (Iowa State) vs. David Taylor, Sr. (Penn State) 174: Andrew Howe, Sr. (Oklahoma) vs. Matt Brown, Jr. (Penn State) 184: Jimmy Sheptock, Sr. (Maryland) vs. Ed Ruth, Sr. (Penn State) 197: Taylor Meeks, Jr. (Oregon State) vs. Scott Schiller, Jr. (Minnesota) 285: Mike McMullan, Jr. (Northwestern) vs. Tony Nelson, Sr. (Minnesota) The All-Star Classic, presented by the Marine Corps, will take place on November 2nd at 7:15 p.m. on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) George Mason University was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. Located in Fairfax Va., GMU has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

OMAHA, Neb. -- After years of success developing and promoting mixed-martial artists and events, the Victory Fighting Championship is excited to announce its first foray into wrestling with the Victory Wrestling Challenge, set for Nov. 22 at Ralston Arena in Omaha, Neb. Victory FC has helped launch the careers of prominent MMA fighters and will now thrust wrestling's heroes into the spotlight. The Victory Wrestling Challenge is a freestyle and Greco-Roman event featuring past World and Olympic wrestlers in a 12-bout card. The event will bring together Victory FC's first-class promotion of events and grassroots wrestling clubs to provide not only an entertaining night of wrestling in both international styles, but also give back to wrestling by pledging a portion of each ticket sold to USA Wrestling, the National Governing Body for wrestling in the United States. In addition to donating funds to USA Wrestling to assist in senior-level athletes training, local wrestling clubs have been able to sell tickets as a fundraiser, with each club getting a portion of the proceeds to help stimulate wrestling at the high school and youth levels. "The relationship between USA Wrestling and the Victory Wrestling Challenge is a new but very promising one," said USA Wrestling Director of Marketing Larry Nugent. "Victory's founder, Ryan Stoddard, is a strong business person with a realistic vision of the elite wrestling event market and its potential for growth. USA Wrestling views Victory as a testing lab of innovation and supports Ryan's efforts to push his experience as a professional event promoter into action by partnering with us." Nugent also believes a main-event style promotion will help promote the sport and entertain audiences. "The great thing Victory Wrestling Challenge can utilize in their promotions are our elite wrestlers," Nugent said. "They are entertaining professionals in every sense of the word, except they don't have enough opportunities to use their rare skills to financially support themselves and their families. A successful Challenge can lead to more of these opportunities in the future." Based in suburban Omaha, Ralston Arena is a prime location for the wrestling-friendly Midwest. The location will also serve as a homecoming of sorts for Victory Wrestling Challenge participants Les Sigman and Trent and Travis Paulson. Sigman was a four-time NCAA Division II champion for coach Mike Denney at the University of Nebraska-Omaha, while the Paulson twins are natives of Council Bluffs, Iowa, which sits just across the Missouri River from Omaha. Trent Paulson's opponent will be announced later this month. Victory Fighting Championships President Ryan Stoddard is extremely upbeat about what's to come at Ralston Arena. "I am very excited about the Victory brand launching itself into another combat sport and being able to have such high-level athletes like the Paulson twins and Les Sigman as part of our inaugural event," said Stoddard. "I am also extremely excited about our partnership with USA Wrestling to develop a first-of-its-kind wrestling promotion that can not only give back to the sport, but also stimulate the future of wrestling as well." Sigman and the Paulson's have represented the U.S. at the Wrestling World Championships in the last four years. "This is going to be a great opportunity," said Travis Paulson. "Once I heard about it, I jumped at the opportunity. I think it's going to be the future for guys who graduate and are looking to go out and compete." Paulson is also looking forward to competing with his twin brother Trent on the same day. "Since we usually wrestled different weights, I don't think we've wrestled back-to-back since we were in college. It's going to be exciting," said Paulson. "Wrestling is the best base for MMA and it's awesome to see a good MMA group support wrestling. It's smart on their part and great for wrestling." Sigman is set to square off against three-time Division I All-American Jarod Trice, a recent graduate of Central Michigan University. Travis Paulson, a three-time NCAA All-American at Iowa State is set to face Max Askren, a Missouri graduate and Wisconsin native. Askren was a three-time All-American and a 2010 NCAA Division I champion. In addition to freestyle matches, the event will also showcase Greco-Roman wrestling, as UNO alum, Esai Dominguez, will step to the mat. Dominguez is an Omaha native who wrestled scholastically at Creighton Prep. Dominguez, a three-time NCAA Division II All-American, is set to compete against 2012 Olympian and two-time World bronze medalist Justin "Harry" Lester of the U.S. Army's World Class Athlete Program. Also expected to compete in the inaugural event is MMA veteran Joe Ellenberger, a regular at Victory Fighting Championship events. Ellenberger is a two-time Division II All-American at Nebraska-Kearney. Other MMA fighters with wrestling backgrounds are also expected to compete. Victory Wrestling Challenge will also compete under the same rules as international wrestling, but with a few minor alterations to further enhance the excitement inside Ralston Arena. "We're going to run the exact same rules as the U.S. World Team Trials, with the exception that the Greco matches will also have overtime," said Zac Dominguez owner of Freco, a former Greco-Roman wrestler who is helping Victory FC with its wrestling initiative. "Two point takedowns, all turns are two and unlimited overtime. The current rule structure (the U.S.) used at the Trials keeps it simple and keeps it smart." Dominguez, Esai's older brother, also heads up Nebraska USA Wrestling's freestyle and Greco program. He wrestled collegiately at Nebraska before training exclusively in Greco-Roman from 2000-2006. He was also an assistant coach at Nebraska-Omaha. "There's times where you never got to see great matchups and ideally what we're trying to do is create all the what-if scenarios for the fans, coaches and moms and dads out there," said Dominguez. "Ryan runs a really good show. He's a fantastic promoter and he's got all the right things in place." "Fans in the Midwest have come to know Victory events as one thing � Bright Lights, Big Fights � and the Victory Wrestling Challenge will be no different. High-level wrestling with top-notch production and promotion will give this great sport and its amazing athletes every bit of recognition it deserves," said Stoddard. Said Stoddard: "November 22 will be a very special night and I hope to see as many wrestling and MMA fans there as possible." WHAT: Victory Wrestling Challenge 1 WHERE: Ralston Arena, Omaha, Neb. WHEN: Friday, Nov. 22, 7:30 p.m. Central TICKETS: $25 General Admission; $750 for seated table (10 spectators) BUY ONLINE: www.homepridetix.com For more information about the Victory Wrestling Challenge and the Victory Fighting Championships fans are encouraged to visit victoryfighter.com, Facebook.com/VictoryWrestlingChallenge and Twitter @Victoryfighting to stay up-to-date on the latest match-ups and news. About Victory Fighting Championship Victory Fighting Championship is the premier mixed martial arts organization in the Midwest. Headquartered in Omaha, Nebraska, Victory has provided its thousands of fans with high-quality, competitive, and entertaining fights since 2002. A catalyst for success, Victory has launched the careers of numerous elite fighters such as UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, Spencer Fisher, Jorge Gurgel, Josh Neer, Chad Reiner, Bobby Volker, Jacob Volkmann, T.J O'Brien, Kevin Burns, Jake Ellenberger, Ryan Jensen, Houston Alexander, Brian Foster, Jason Brilz, Anthony Smith, Justin Salas, Nick Mamalis, Rob Kimmons, Chris Camozzi, Abe Wagner, Junior Hernandez, Brian Houston, and Travis Browne. These Victory fighters have made their way to the largest, most competitive stages across the United States including the bright lights of the UFC. As an institution that continues to grow, thrive and gain strong, consistent momentum, Victory Fighting Championship presents fights at the region's top venues and in front of the best crowds. Bright Lights, Big Fights.

OTTAWA, Kan. -- Ottawa University is pleased to announce that it will add women's and men's wrestling to its athletic program lineup, bringing the total number of teams to 18 for the OU athletic department. The search for a head coach and recruitment of student-athletes will begin immediately, with competition slated to begin in 2014-15. "I have a firm commitment to building a 'scholar-centered' athletic program that will continue to grow The College enrollment and foster expanded investment in campus academic and co-curricular programs," said Provost Dr. Terry Haines. "I believe wrestling will be a very positive addition to our athletic program, and this expansion is very much in line with the scholar-athlete model I have advocated throughout my tenure in higher education." He added, "The average GPA of the Nation's top elite high school wrestler competing in recent High School National Championships was 3.0, which will contribute to and maintain the academic focus of our sports program. Intercollegiate wrestling will also provide additional opportunities for diverse populations to participate in our athletic program, including expanded opportunities for women and multiple physiological profiles for both genders." Ottawa University joins a growing list of colleges adding wrestling to their sport rosters, including 43 men's wrestling teams in the NAIA, three of them in the state of Kansas: Benedictine College, Baker University, and Bethany College. OU will be the second KCAC program to add wrestling and the first to add women's wrestling. There are currently 280,000 high school students actively engaged in wrestling at the secondary education level. The NAIA currently does not sponsor women's wrestling, so the Lady Braves plan to compete both regionally and nationally in the Women's College Wrestling Association (WCWA), which hosts 10 NAIA teams. The National Collegiate Wrestling Association (NCWA) added a Women's Collegiate Division in 2008. The WCWA is the current governing body for all collegiate women's wrestling programs at NCAA, NAIA and NJCAA institutions. Ottawa University will be the second Kansas college to add women's wrestling, joining Northwest Kansas Technical College (Goodland, Kan.) Current NAIA schools with women's wrestling programs include Oklahoma City University, University of Jamestown, Missouri Valley College, Wayland Baptist University, Missouri Baptist University, University of the Cumberlands, Midland University, Waldorf College, Lindenwood University-Belleville, Menlo College, and Campbellsville. "We are excited to offer both women's and men's athletic opportunities in this very popular sport," said OU Director of Athletics Arabie Conner. "Women's wrestling is rapidly growing across the nation on the youth and high school levels, and there are still limited opportunities for competing at the college level. We are very interested in expanding opportunities for the many competitive, highly skilled scholar-athletes who are looking for opportunities to continue to compete on the college level." Notably, Ottawa University has a track record of focusing its attention on female sport offerings, including recent program additions in softball (1996), women's soccer (1996), women's golf (2007), and women's tennis (2012).

Season 2 starts off with Foley and Muir digging into the newly released InterMat NCAA Division I rankings. The pair begin the podcast season by making a series of expensive bets sure to hurt in March. Also, a look at the NWCA All-Star Classic and the first line of the event is set: Tony Ramos (Iowa) vs. Devin Carter (Virginia Tech) at 141 pounds. Some chatter about Kyle Dake as a Greco-Roman wrestler and whether or not David Taylor needs to start eating more. Check out our Tumblr page at backpoints.tumblr.com. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes by searching "back points" and pushing SUBSCRIBE. Do you want to listen to a past episode? Access archives.

InterMat has released its preseason NCAA Division I college wrestling team and individual rankings for the 2013-14 season. Three-time defending NCAA champion Penn State begins No. 1 (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Three-time defending NCAA champion Penn State sits atop the team rankings. The Cael Sanderson-led Nittany Lions have nine wrestlers ranked in the top 11, including two ranked No. 1, David Taylor (165) and Ed Ruth (184). Iowa begins the season ranked No. 2. The Hawkeyes have two top-ranked wrestlers, Tony Ramos (133) and Derek St. John (157), and nine of their ten wrestlers are ranked. Two-time defending Nationals Duals champion Minnesota has eight All-Americans on its roster and sits third in the rankings. The Gophers are led by two-time NCAA champion Tony Nelson (285). Big 12 powers Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are tied for fourth. The Sooners have two wrestlers ranked No. 1, Kendric Maple (149) and Andrew Howe (174), and six wrestlers in the rankings. The Cowboys have nine ranked wrestlers, including three ranked No. 2. Oregon State, Nebraska, Iowa State, Wisconsin, and Edinboro round out the top ten. Five of the top ten teams come from the Big Ten Conference, including the top three teams. Updated team and individual rankings are released every Tuesday during the college wrestling season. The next rankings update will occur on Tuesday, Oct. 29. View team rankings View individual rankings

One of the biggest challenges facing attendance at college wrestling events has always been timing. The bulk of college wrestling fans happen to be part of the sport of wrestling themselves. They wrestle on the youth level, or the high school level, or they coach, or they are the family of one of those coaches or wrestlers. When most marquee college wrestling events take place, most potential college wrestling spectators are in the middle of their own wrestling pursuits. The very amount of time and dedication required to forge great college wrestlers ensures that there are not many wrestling people available to watch them. This is why the NCAA Division I wrestling tournament enjoys such amazing fan support. Every other wrestling season has ended, and the full attention of a united American wrestling community has the freedom to turn its attention on one event. I know that I am not the only wrestling fan who looks upon the sea of fans at the NCAA tournament and thinks, "I wish it could be like this all the time. Hell, if we had five wrestling events a year get half this attendance, the state of the entire sport would change." This sort of thinking concludes in two ways. First, I do not think any question exists that college wrestling ought to be a spring sport. If that were the case, it would not have to compete against college basketball, and it would not have to compete against the high school version of itself. Unfortunately, we know this won't happen any time soon, so we reach the second conclusion: college wrestling would substantially benefit from a marquee wrestling event held before the high school wrestling season even begins. Enter the current incarnation of the NCWA All-Star match. The event has been around forever, but in the recent past, it had fallen on tough times, and suffered from poor attendance. Last year, for the first time, this classic wrestling event was run by the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network (GWWBN), which had the bright idea to move the match to early November, before the high school wrestling season had begun. The results in the first year were promising. They packed the gym at American University in Washington D.C., and the small venue pulsed with energy. Last year Joe Russell coached a wrestler at the NWCA All-Star Classic, and this year his program will be hosting the event (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)This year the GWWBN attempts to create the same level of success in a larger venue -- the Patriot Center at George Mason University. A capacity, or close to capacity would mark a major victory for the sport of wrestling. There is no reason why this cannot be accomplished. The venue sits in one of the nation's biggest metropolitan areas, and is only a modest drive from the major wrestling hot beds of the Mid-Atlantic. (I've made the drive from Fairfax, Va., to State College, Pa., and back in one day. It's not that bad.) Additionally, the matchups already announced for this year's competition should excite any wrestling fan. This should be an All-Star meet in the truest sense of the word. Already seven NCAA champions have committed to wrestle, along with three more NCAA finalists. Every single wrestler in the main dual has been an NCAA All-American. A couple of wrestlers, including Ohio State's two-time NCAA champion Logan Stieber, are wrestling up a weight just for the challenge. I suppose that may purpose in writing this week is to implore any wrestling fans who could possibly make it to the NCWA All Star Classic, to show up and support these wrestlers, and support the sport. High School coaches need to get their athletes together and bring them; this is a chance to show their athletes the best college wrestlers in the nation up close. Parents of younger wrestlers need to convince their children to come; this event showcases what a wrestler can accomplish through years of dedication. Wrestling shows that it generate a top rate sporting event every March, this is a chance for the sport to also create something special in November. We, as the wrestling community, need to make the best out of every opportunity we are given to show the world that college wrestling can attract an audience.

Guests: Luke Eustice Dan Gable Mark Reiland Joe Williams Cary Kolat Teague Moore Hour 1 Hour 2

With the high school wrestling season's start nearing, InterMat is taking readers across the United States of America on a tour of scholastic wrestling. From mid-August until mid-November, InterMat is introducing readers to the top high school senior wrestlers in the 49 states with scholastic wrestling. In this installment, Ross Halford looks at the top senior wrestlers in Nebraka. Without question, it's a banner season for talent in the Cornhusker state, led by a group of seniors that ranks collectively as one of the best in Nebraska history. College coaches should find a multitude of talent to fill their rosters from the Class of 2014 1. Colton Adams (Scottsbluff) Projected High School Weight Class: 132-145 Projected College Weight Class: 133 Colton Adams placed third at the Walsh Ironman last season (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Analysis: When mid-February rolls around, Nebraska commit Adams should finish out his glorious high school career as one of the most decorated high school wrestlers the state has ever produced. The three-time state champion and 2011 Cadet freestyle All-American is on track to eclipse nearly every state record imaginable, including career wins and pins. His only loss a year ago was during the semifinals of the Ironman to now-graduated No. 1 national Joey Dance. He owns convincing victories in just the past year over national standouts, such as Michael Kemerer o Pennsylvania, Keegan Moore of Oklahoma, and Fredy Stroker of Iowa, along with NCAA Division I qualifier Kevon Powell of Ohio. Adams nearly took down NCAA round of 12 finisher Nathan Kraisser during the FILA Juniors in Las Vegas in April, a testament to the level he's currently competing at entering his senior season. A broken hand suffered at Junior Duals in Oklahoma sidelined Adams for Fargo (although he did win one match before withdrawing). Look for Adams to reestablish his name nationally during the preseason fall circuit which will include trips to the Michigan Grappler Fall Classic and Super 32 Challenge. He will also seek to become the first wrestler to ever win four Preseason Nationals championships. Adams will cut to 132 for the early portion of the scholastic season and then move to 145 after the Walsh Ironman. 2. JaVaughn Perkins (Omaha North) Projected High School Weight Class: 160-182 Projected College Weight Class: 174 Analysis: Three-time state champion Perkins could well be the most talented wrestler in the state. In fact he may be one of the most talented wrestlers I've seen come through Nebraska in the past 15 years. His mat resume is a distant second to Adams' though, because he's a multi-sport athlete. He did win the tough FloNationals in the spring, defeating Penn State signee Cody Law in the finals. Perkins was also a Cadet National freestyle runner-up in 2011, finishing second to Dylan Milonas of Blair Academy. He will step back into the national spotlight in December when he is supposedly registered to compete at the prestigious Walsh Ironman tournament in Ohio, along with teammate Jacobi Jones. Perkins' Omaha North football team should make a deep run into the playoffs so it's unknown for sure what kind of shape or what weight he may compete at in Ohio but my understanding is he weighed as much as 185 during the summer. His college plans are a bit of a mystery and he could end up playing football, a sport he apparently likes every bit as much as wrestling. 3. Will Schany (Blair) Projected High School Weight Class: 182 Projected College Weight Class: 165-174 Analysis: Another wrestler seeking a fourth state championship during the upcoming season, the powerful Schany burst on to the national scene last spring, rolling through the NHSCA Junior Nationals at 170, beating multiple state champions and future Division I opponents in the process. Like Perkins, Schany is a multi-sport athlete and has the potential to skyrocket once he hits a college room. He dominated at the UNL summer camp, including going even with Joel Dixon of Oklahoma despite giving up nearly 10 pounds. He has taken official visits to Nebraska, Iowa State, and Virginia … and a decision on his future plans is expected within the next few weeks. An intriguing side note is that he and Perkins could end up meeting in epic showdown at the Flatwater Fracas in Grand Island. I would fully expect both wrestlers to be around 182 for the season and I've been told the tournament organizers will place the two teams in the same pool to make this titanic match happen. 4. Harrison Phillips (Millard West) Projected High School Weight Class: 285 Projected College Weight Class: Football (Stanford) Analysis: Like Schany, two-time state champion and Stanford football commit Phillips put his name in national lights at the NHSCA Junior Nationals in Virginia Beach, rolling to a national title and defeating the likes of standout Jesse Webb of Vermont en route to winning the heavyweight bracket. What's more amazing is Phillips didn't train one second for the NHSCA -- a tribute to his raw talent and incomparable desire to win. Phillips isn't the biggest heavyweight, measuring in the neighborhood of 6'1" and 245, but his quickness, agility and athleticism is simply too much for most high school heavyweights to contend with. He's rated in the top five heavyweights in the country entering his senior season and is perhaps the best overall athlete in the state of Nebraska right now. 5. Brett Velasquez (Bennington) Projected High School Weight Class: 126 Projected College Weight Class: 125 Analysis: The less heralded Velasquez is one of five wrestlers in the Class of 2014 from Nebraska who will be seeking their fourth state title in February. He doesn't have the national resume of the four previously mentioned wrestlers but does own a solid win over Illinois standout Jon Marmolejo and fellow in-state standout Dante' Rodriguez in the past calendar year. Despite never competing in freestyle, he acclimated himself well in Fargo, going toe-to-toe with standouts Sean Cannon of Nevada and Ronnie Bresser of Oregon. Velasquez has received looks from several Division I programs, including Nebraska, but will make whatever college he chooses a very solid career 125 at the next level. Honorable Mention: Dante' Rodriguez (Kearney) Vincent Thatcher (Crete) Chance Helmick (Beatrice) Chase Reis (Grand Island) Josh Coyle (West Holt) Jacob Sebade (Pender) Jacobi Jones (Omaha North) Nick Hollins (Omaha Skutt) Brian Peska (Omaha Skutt) Jake Anderson (Omaha Creighton Prep)

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 184-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature Ed Ruth of Pennsylvania State University against Jimmy Sheptock of the University of Maryland, a matchup pitting conference champions and All-Americans against one another. Ruth's collegiate wrestling career began during the 2009-2010 season when he elected to take a redshirt year and compete unofficially at 184 pounds. During the season Ruth experienced success and claimed a title at the Hitchcock open. As a redshirt freshman, Ruth entered the Nittany Lion starting lineup and competed both at 174 and 184 pounds. During the season while competing at 174 pounds Ruth recorded a 38-2 overall record, and a perfect 19-0 dual record and 8-0 record against Big Ten competition. At his first Big Ten Championships Ruth completed the day undefeated, 3-0, and claimed his first Big Ten individual title and bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Ruth, who was suffering from an injury, completed the day 6-1, earning a third place finish and All-American honors at 174 pounds. For his success at the championships Ruth was awarded the 2011 Gorrarian Award. As a redshirt sophomore, Ruth continued to win and build upon the momentum he generated during the prior season at 174 pounds. Ruth completed the season with a perfect record overall, 31-0, in dual competition, 11-0, and against Big Ten competition, 8-0. Ruth remained undefeated in the post season, as he claimed his second consecutive Big Ten Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA Championships after wrestling to three dominating wins. Ruth continued to lead the field of collegiate wrestlers at 174 pounds at the national championships, where he wrestled to a 5-0 record, logging two pins, one technical victory and one major decision victory, on his path to winning his first national title. For his success Ruth was named InterMat's 2012 National Wrestler of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten first team. Most recently as a redshirt junior, Ruth began competing consistently at 184 pounds. Despite advancing in weight class, Ruth continued to dominate, logging a second perfect season with a 33-0 overall record. Competing in the post season at 184 pounds for the first time, Ruth for a third consecutive year wrestled to a Big Ten Championship and earned an automatic bid to the national championships. At the championships Ruth did not deviate from perfection, claiming his second national individual title and third All-American honors. For all his success during the 2012-2013 season Ruth was named Big Ten Wrestler of the Year and Penn State Male Athlete of the Year. Ruth currently holds a 68 match win streak and has not suffered a loss since March of 2011. Sheptock, like Ruth, began his collegiate career as a redshirt. During the 2009-2010 season Sheptock competed unofficially at 165 pounds claiming two individual titles and winning 11 of his first 12 collegiate matches. During his first official year as a Terrapin, Sheptock continued to compete at 165 pounds as well as at 174 pounds. Sheptock saw limited action during his first season, recording a 6-4 overall record. As a redshirt sophomore Sheptock entered the fulltime starting lineup for Maryland at 174 pounds. During the season Sheptock logged a 27-6 overall record, and 12-0 dual record. In his first trip to the post season Sheptock earned his first ACC Championship title and an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. For his post season success, Sheptock was named to the All-ACC Team. During the 2012-2013 season Sheptock continued to build momentum and enjoyed greater success. As a redshirt junior Sheptock advanced a weight class and competed at 184 pounds, wrestling to a 40-6 overall record and perfect, 21-0 dual record. Sheptock led his team in most win, 40, and major decisions, 10. In the post season, Sheptock claimed his second consecutive ACC Championship title, All-ACC honors and automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the national championships Sheptock wrestled to several key upset victories to finish sixth and earn All-American honors for the first time. To date, Sheptock has competed against Ruth twice, with each time Ruth emerging the victor. The All-Star Classic will take place on November 2nd at 7:15pm on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

InterMat senior writer T.R. Foley answers reader questions about NCAA wrestling, international wrestling, recruiting, or anything loosely related to wrestling. You have until Thursday night every week to send questions to Foley's Twitter or email account. Do you want to read a past mailbag? Access archives. Let's get to the bacon, wrestle-heads. There is only one month until the NCAA wrestling begins, and we need to start picking the horses we think will trot away from Oklahoma City with an NCAA title. Forget the long-winded prognostications, here are my picks: David Taylor with Cael Sanderson during the NCAA semifinal round (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Individual: 125: Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) 133: Tony Ramos (Iowa) 141: Logan Stieber (Ohio State) 149: Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) 157: Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) 165: David Taylor (Penn State) 174: Andrew Howe (Oklahoma) (Matt Brown!) 184: Ed Ruth (Penn State) 197: Travis Rutt (Oklahoma) 285: Tony Nelson (Minnesota) Team: 1. Penn State (110) 2. Oklahoma (103.5) 3. Oklahoma State (101) InterMat Wrestler of the Year: David Taylor (Penn State) InterMat Freshman of the Year: Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern) Name yours in the comments and we'll check back in March. Can anyone go 10/10? To your questions ... Q: With the Southern Scuffle getting bigger every year, what does the Midlands have to do to regain its form as the toughest in-season tournament for a college/open? -- Tony G. Foley: The Scuffle has definitely seen a growth in popularity over the past several years. Though much of the change has to do with big teams wanting to avoid Midwest mingling until absolutely necessary, some of it has to do with weather and presentation. Add-in Cornell, Minnesota and Penn State and you have an attraction equivalent to a fully-charged bug-zapper during the Costa Rican rainy season. I live in Chicago and can tell you that our winters, though not as climatically severe as nearby cities like Minneapolis and Milwaukee, could break a blue-faced William Wallace. The steel skies, dirty snow and mind-numbing traffic jams are enough, but the stiff lake-blown breezes and slush-soaked parking lots multiply the misery to a level exponentially higher than most anyone can rationally withstand. Why do so many people live here, you ask? Summertime bar hopping and the best restaurant scene in America. That's it. And maybe the Blackhawks. Chicagoans love hockey. Compare Evanston's snow-banks with the verdant hills and rolling rivers of Chattanooga and you can see why a weekend spent shoveling your car out of pay-for-parking is comparatively miserable. But there are several incentives that Midlands offers that the Scuffle can't replicate, primarily the ability for post-grads to enter the tournament, MUCH better television distribution via the Big Ten Network and a top-down "tougher" event. Northwestern University head wrestling coach Drew Pariano is a great salesman. He's managed some pretty fine recruits over the past several years (Welch, McMullan, Tsirtsis), and just as he coerced those talented young brutes to scrap in the misery of a northern Illinois' winter, he's managed to keep some big teams away from the Scuffle and maintain the integrity of the event. When you compare the top four team finishes from both tournaments there is a decided edge for the Southern Scuffle (NCAA team placement in parenthesis): Southern Scuffle: Penn State (1), Oklahoma State (2), Missouri (7), Minnesota (3). Midlands: Illinois (9), Virginia Tech (10), Oklahoma (12), and Oregon State (8). However, when you look at how many All-Americans (post-grad included) competed in the two tournaments, the numbers favor Midlands, 43-31. Or a full 1.2 more All-Americans wrestling in the Midlands bracket. What I think you'll start to see is a balance built between the two tournaments. There are plenty of wrestlers to go around and the two tournaments can share the talent and provide fans with a week filled with great wrestling. We are lucky to have these two tournaments in competition with each other, and the ability to watch them on our television and online. Q: Which wrestling program has the most Division I All Americans? -- Steve H. Foley: You made me do math. I don't like math. I went through some trouble to scrounge this up for you, only to realize halfway through my second pot of coffee that there is definitely someone else in the wrestling universe who has these numbers certified and posted on their wall. For now, these are my numbers: Oklahoma State: 430 Iowa: 302 Iowa State: 284 Oklahoma: 265 Q: Does FILA have any plans to expand on wrestling's popularity in Asia? India, Korea and Japan are the future? -- @zachjanderson Foley: FILA has done an excellent job expanding their international reach over the past several years. In 1992 there were roughly 110 national governing bodies for the sport of wrestling, and today there are 177 with a few more possibly ready to launch in 2014. Not only are there more NGB's but there is also a much wider variety of countries who are earning medals -- 29 in 2012 and 28 in 2008. That is up from 22 in 2004 and 2000. These are important numbers to keep in mind when considering FILA's expansion. Korea and Japan have always had strong programs and will always compete well in the lighter weights. The only expansion Koreans would make is in focusing on creating a stronger women's program who have yet to win an Olympic medal. The Japanese could try to pour more money into their Greco program before the Tokyo Games in 2020, but otherwise have a fairly balanced and dependable program. FILA can't expand much within India, as it's only one country, but the forces inside India are being encouraged by the government and private business to fund men's and women's wrestling. This year India won it's first-ever medal in Greco-Roman wrestling when Sandeep took bronze at 66 kilos in Budapest. Where in some countries there is only funding for one style, in India there is funding for all three. When Sandeep realized he'd never start in front of World champion and two-time Olympic medalist Sushil Kumar he chose to transition to Greco-Roman. The Indians support the growth of the program, and now have a result to show for their efforts. FILA's greatest potential for influence will be in southeast Asia, South American and Africa, where wrestling is the second-most popular sport on the continent and there are millions of underprivileged youth waiting for the opportunity to compete. The leadership at FILA has realized Africa's potential and taken the first steps at creating a legitimate Olympic style program by establishing a FILA Training Center in Thies, Senegal. Though a start, the current system of picking 18-year-old raw athletes for development isn't sustainable or effective in the long-term. However, should a country like Senegal find the economic support to create 30 well-coached clubs along their populated coastline, I'm one-hundred percent confident that they'd be winning Olympic medals at the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Other parts of Africa could experience similar results, too. Nigeria, Niger, The Gambia, and Cameroon all value wrestling as a culturally acceptable choice for work. With some financial and coaching support these communities could see the rapid growth and improvement of their Olympic-style wrestlers. There is no sales job to make within the local communities -- Africans love wrestling. The sales job comes in finding men and women willing to share their talents on the continent. MULTIMEDIA HALFTIME What the sport can look like to kids, when you make it fun ... And WOW. American highlights from the 2013 World Championships Yeah, I guess this guy works hard for what he's got ... Q: You have given your opinion about Win Win and your hopes for Foxcatcher. After reading your mailbag last week, I feel like I now have the courage to write this email. For years I have felt like a guy living in Boston wearing a Yankee's cap. Why? Because I think Vision Quest is a dumb movie. Protagonist cuts weight, antagonist carries a log up bleachers, protagonist stalks transient woman who is crashing in his house, protagonist cuts more weight, uncomfortable scene involving a hotel guest, nose bleed due to cutting weight, beating the quiet guy who carried said log, close to credits. In fact, the only enduring scene is that movie is when the cook breaks down retelling a story about Pele, the soccer player! Am I missing something? Is there an Aesop's-fable-storyline that has sailed over my head all of these years? -- Bob in Atlanta Foley: The book was better. Vision Quest might not be the story you wanted to watch, but it remains the most accurate representation of what happens to a wrestler during the high school wrestling season. There are villains, obscene weight cuts and transient 31-year-old trollops in every American wrestling town (that last bit was a joke). The difference between Win Win and Vision Quest was that the former is a story about family and belonging, while the latter is about the sub-culture of wrestling and sex. There aren't many, if any, other quality Hollywood movies that have focused so plainly on our odd world, and though the 80s aspect of it might be goofy now, it meshes in principle with the behavior of modern wrestlers. For better or worse our guys are still not eating enough and spending too much time in saunas. They have single-minded focus on becoming the best in their town, their city and their state. They sacrifice booze and bad food for the chance to win a medal. There's a lot of every wrestler in Louden Swain. Though the enduring legacy of the movie might be the homoerotic shoe salesman telling stories about a soccer player, or Brian Shute trudging up a set of stairs with a telephone pole on his back, the emotional truth of the movie is true to the sport and its participants. You sold me. Who wants to see a sequel? Tyrell FortuneCOMMENT OF THE WEEK By PK I'm glad to see that the NWCA All-Star Classic has been better promoted in recent years. The out of weight class matches are the latest attention-grabbing wrinkle that will only help to grow the event. However, given the recent focus on upgrading the media attention to our sport, why was Tyrell Fortune of Grand Canyon not included in the matchups? Fortune may be the biggest special interest story of the year in college wrestling and the All-Star Classic could have been the springboard to drawing in even the non-wrestling media. IN CLOSING I'm excited to announce that the Wrestling Roots Foundation I founded in 2011 (still waiting for the tax-exempt paperwork back from the IRS) has landed its first major partnership! We will be working with the Fetzer Institute to promote "love and forgiveness" among warring tribes in South Sudan. We will be hosting a 12-day Wrestling for Peace tournament in mid-December featuring four tribes with a history of conflict, cattle rustling, and, of course, a mutual love for traditional wrestling. Planning for the project has been underway for more than a year, but next week should mark the first few days of money wiring and firming up of transportation details. As you well know, I'm always looking for ways to spread the word about wrestling's redemptive qualities and think that this project, if a success, will be the first of many around the world. My hope is that we can change the attitudes about wrestling by showing it as something more than barbarism, and something more akin to a necessary form of communication among members of a functioning society. In addition to my scribbling on InterMat we are hoping for some national print and magazine coverage to help spread the message. We've brought on Ben Lowy, an award-winning war and conflict photographer with plenty of hours covering mixed-martial arts, boxing, and even traditional wrestling in Turkey. You can check out his portfolio here. We are facing a tough challenge in heading to such a young country, and one that has been in conflict for so long, but we're hopeful that our mutual love for wrestling will be at center of everything we accomplish together. Wish us luck!

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 174-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature Andrew Howe of the University of Oklahoma and Matt Brown of Pennsylvania State University, a matchup pitting Big Ten Champions against one another for the first time. Andrew Howe is coming off two redshirt seasons (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)Howe began his collegiate wrestling career during the 2008-2009 season at the University of Wisconsin wrestling at 165 pounds. Competing as a true freshman Howe logged 19 consecutive wins on his way to a 30-5 overall record, 13-0 dual record and 8-0 Big Ten record. In his first post season, Howe won his first Big Ten Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Howe wrestled to a second place finish and earned All-American honors. For his success during the season Howe was named Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned a spot on the All-Big Ten Team. That summer Howe competed at the Junior World Championships at 163 pounds, where he placed third, and World Team Trials, where he placed fourth in the freestyle 163 pounds competition. As a sophomore, Howe recorded a perfect season at 165 pounds with a 37-0 overall record and 8-0 Big Ten record. In the post season Howe again claimed the Big Ten Championship and earned a bid to the NCAA National Championships, where he claimed his second consecutive All-American honors and his first individual national championship. During the 2010-2011 season Howe again competed in the Wisconsin starting lineup at 165 pounds, competing once at 174 pounds. Howe logged a 27-3 overall record at 165 pounds and a perfect, 1-0 record at 174 pounds. At the Big Ten Championships, Howe claimed his third title and automatic bid to the national championships. Howe wrestled to a third place finish at the national championships and earned his third All-American honor. Howe elected to take an Olympic redshirt during the 2011-2012 season, and will make his first appearance as an Oklahoma Sooner at the All-Star Classic. Brown, like Howe, did not begin his collegiate wrestling career at the school he will be representing at the All-Star Classic. During the 2008-2009 season Brown elected to take a redshirt while attending Iowa State where current Penn State Head Coach, Cael Sanderson, was coaching at the time. As a redshirt Brown competed at both 157 pounds and 165 pounds. Brown then took a two year hiatus from collegiate wrestling while he completed his mission. During that time, Brown transferred and followed Sanderson to become a Nittany Lion. Brown returned to collegiate wrestling for the 2011-2012 season and competed for the Nittany Lions at 174 pounds. During the season Brown competed at both 197 pounds at 174 pounds, recording notable wins against ranked opponents and a second place finish at the Southern Scuffle. Brown logged a 27-2 overall record, 5-0 dual record and 2-0 Big Ten record. Matt Brown is coming off a runner-up finish at 174 pounds (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)During the 2012-2013 season Brown entered the Penn State starting lineup full time. Brown recorded a 29-5 overall record and claimed his first individual Big Ten title at 174lbs. As a result of his Big Ten conference finish, Brown earned his first automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Brown made a 4-1 run to claim second place and earned his first All-American honors. For his wrestling success, Brown was named to the First Big Ten team. The All-Star Classic will take place on Nov. 2 at 7:15 p.m on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- With the All-Star Classic a little over a month away, the lineup got another boost today when the NWCA and George Mason announced the addition of two All-Americans, Devin Carter of Virginia Tech and Tony Ramos of Iowa, agreeing to an “out of weight class” match-up at 141 pounds. After redshirting as a true freshman, Ramos entered the starting Hawkeye lineup during the 2010-2011 season wrestling at 133 pounds. During his first official season Ramos logged an overall record of 25-6, wrestling to an undefeated 12-0 dual and 8-0 Big Ten record. In his first post season, Ramos finished third at the Big Ten Championships and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. As a redshirt sophomore, Ramos' success continued to build. Ramos wrestled to a 33-4 record, with a near perfect record in both duals, 17-1, and Big Ten competition, 7-1. During the regular season Ramos scored a team high 74 points in dual competition and logged the most dual wins, 17, and technical falls, 7, for all Iowa wrestlers. For his success during the regular season Ramos was twice named Big Ten Wrestler of the Week. Tony Ramos is coming off a runner-up finish at the NCAAs (Photo/Tony Rotundo, WrestlersAreWarriors.com)At the Big Ten Championships, Ramos once again earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships after finishing second. At the championships Ramos earned All-American honors after finishing third. During the 2012-2013 season Ramos continued to experience mounting success at 133 pounds, winning 26 consecutive bouts at the start of the season. Ramos completed the season with an overall record of 30-2, logging a perfect record in dual competition, 23-0, and in Big Ten competition, 8-0. He again led the Hawkeyes in most dual points scored, 114, and recorded a team high 14 pins. In the post season Ramos finished second at the Big Ten Championships and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships, where he finished second and earned All-American honors for a second time. Carter began his career as a Hookie competing officially as a true freshman at 133 pounds. During the 2010-2011 season Carter wrestled to a 35-7 overall record, 21-3 dual competition record and 5-0 ACC competition record. Carter was named ACC Wrestler of the Week after just his first weekend of competition. During the regular season Carter recorded a team high pins, 11, and team points in dual matches, 98. In the post season Carter earned his first ACC Championship and automatic bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships, Carter began the day with a nine seed and made the round of 12 before being eliminated. Carter was named ACC Co-Rookie of the year for his success. As a sophomore Carter completed the season with a 36-5 overall record, 11-3 dual record and 5-0 ACC competition record. Like his freshman season, Carter again earned ACC Wrestler of the Week honors after the first week of competition. In the post season, Carter again claimed the ACC Championship at 133 pounds, earning an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. Carter bested his freshman year performance, finishing fifth and earning All-American honors. The ACC named Carter ACC Wrestler of the Year for his success. During the 2012-2013 season Carter redshirted. Competing unofficially, Carter wrestled at 141 pounds winning titles at the Hokie Open and Nittany Lion Open. Carter additionally competed internationally at 60 kilos in freestyle and captured gold and bronze medals at the Dave Schultz Memorial Invitation and the Cerro Pelado International. The NWCA All-Star Classic will be the first official matchup between Ramos and Carter at 141 pounds. The rivalry currently stands at 2-1 in favor of Ramos. The All-Star Classic will take place on November 2nd at 7:15pm on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The heavyweight match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature Mike McMullan of Northwestern University and Tony Nelson of the University of Minnesota, a fierce rivalry contested twice during the 2012-2013 season for a conference and national championship title. McMullan, a redshirt Junior who is a two-time All-American, enters the match hoping to turn the tables on Nelson, whom he suffered a 6-2 decision loss to at the NCAA Championships and 4-1 loss to at the Big Ten Championships. During the 2011-2012 season, McMullan entered the Northwestern starting lineup as a redshirt freshman. McMullan wrestled to a 29-11 overall and 11-3 dual record, with four of his wins earned against top-10 heavyweights. In the post season McMullan finished fourth at the Big Ten Championships and earned an automatic bid to the NCAA Championships. At the championships, seeded tenth, McMullan earned All-American honors via his third-place finish, which was the best finish for any Northwestern freshman since 2005. As a redshirt sophomore, McMullan continued the momentum he generated the prior season. McMullan began the season wrestling at the 2012 NWCA All-Star Classic against Missouri's Dom Bradley, whom he suffered a 3-2 decision loss to, and completed the regular season with a perfect 10-0 record in duals, 3-0 in conference matches, and 22-4 overall season record. Tony Nelson defeated Mike McMullan in the NCAA finals at heavyweight (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)At the Big Ten Championships McMullan took home a runner-up finish and earned a number five seed at the NCAA Championships. At the championships McMullan finished second to Minnesota's Nelson after upsetting the number one seed Bradley via a 3-1 sudden victory in the semifinals. For his finish McMullan earned All-American honors and became only the 16th Northwestern athlete to earn the honor twice. Nelson will enter the All-Star Classic matchup fresh from earning his second back-to-back NCAA Championship, with his most recent title earned over McMullan. In his first official season as a Gopher Nelson logged a 33-8 overall record, 13-4 record in duals and 4-3 record in the Big Ten. Nelson additionally earned championships at the Bison Open and Kaufman-Brand Open prior to finishing second at the Big Ten Championships. At the NCAA Championships Nelson finished seventh earning All-American honors. As a redshirt sophomore, Nelson completed the season with a 32-2 overall record, 15-2 dual record and perfect 8-0 record against Big Ten competition. Throughout the season Nelson outscored his opponents 150-55 and accrued a 25 match win streak. Additionally Nelson won titles at the Bison Open and Southern Scuffle. In the post season Nelson earned his first Big Ten Championship title and his second-consecutive bid to the NCAA Championships. At the championships Nelson gave up a mere four points on his way to a NCAA individual national title. For his success, Nelson was named the Best Male Athlete of the Year at the Minnesota Athletic Awards, the Golden Goldy's. During the 2012-2013 season Nelson achieved even greater success. Nelson once again finished the season undefeated against Big Ten opponents, 8-0, and logged an undefeated dual meet record, 17-0, suffering only one loss to Missouri's Bradley, with a 33-1 overall record. In the post season Nelson earned his second consecutive Big Ten Championship title and his third trip to the NCAA Championships after defeating McMullan 4-1 in the final match. At the championship Nelson again met McMullan in the finals, where he claimed victory, a national title and All-American honors. The All-Star Classic will take place on November 2nd at 7:15pm on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

It has been a long seven months following and writing about the trials and travails of international wrestling. We've seen politicking, posturing, radical rule changes and high drama. We just watched a World championship packed with thrills, amazement paired with a good bit of confusion and disappointment. As the international wrestling season effectively comes to a close, I have many conflicting feelings, but the one which most predominates is fatigue. Frankly, I am tired of freestyle, and weary of Greco, and I badly need, and welcome, the rejuvenation that comes with the arrival of the new college wrestling season. College wrestling provides a simpler brand of enjoyment, one which never befuddles and always satisfies. The rules just seem to make sense. If you take a person from his feet to his back and hold him there in college wrestling, you get points for the back exposure and the takedown. There isn't this goofy thing where you get more points for securing a takedown then getting the turn. Freestyle advocates may get tired of hearing it, but it's true: the absence of instant exposure points in college wrestling make for better mat wrestling. College wrestling obliges the bottom man to do more than remain stationary. He must move. He must seek to create points on his own. Conversely, the best riders have a vastly more varied arsenal of moves at their disposal. A college match awards points in scrambles which usually make sense. If ten people watched a video replay of an ambiguous scoring situation in a college wrestling match, most of the time nine of the viewers would agree on the call. In freestyle you see multiple exposure situations which receive scores that defy consensus. Often times I don't understand why some situations get scored the way they do, and frankly, I am pretty certain that in many cases the small army of officials who rules on the scores do not know either. Which brings me to another thing I look forward to about college wrestling: two refs per mat, one has final say, and that's it. Sure these refs will make bad calls, but for some reason, bad calls in college wrestling seem just a bit more sincere then they do on the international scene; they disappoint me, but they don't leave me with an incredibly foul taste in my mouth, as well as serious questions of the motivations of those making the bad calls. Speaking of questionable calls, college refs do not do a great job administering the current system of stalling penalties, but seven days a week I'll take college wrestling's stalling to the mystifyingly pattern of seemingly arbitrary passivity calls in Greco and freestyle. At least college referees seem to understand that they don't need to inject themselves into a match simply because the scoreboard has yet to show a big number. NCAA finals mat (Photo/Larry Slater)I'm looking forward to college wrestling because of the emotion of big rivalry dual meets, but also because of big tournaments which follow a reasonable schedule. Nothing beats a college wrestling tournament with a multi-day format with a morning session, and and an evening session. These allow wrestlers to rest properly, and it allows tournament spectators time to sojourn to a local establishment and treat themselves to a frosty ale or two. Even better, college tournaments give us each weight at the same time, and each round in order; a situation not unlike unwrapping one set of Christmas presents after another. The first round is great, but what could top it, oh tonight is the quarters, nothing can beat that, oh wow, tomorrow brings us the semis, etc. Best of all, college wrestling brings as the emperor of all wrestling tournaments, the perfectly cut luminous diamond in the crown of all college sport: The Division I Wrestling Championships. The best part of the tournament is no doubt the anticipation, anticipation fueled by the fact that I know exactly who will compete in the tournament long before the competition starts. After a season of watching wrestlers compete across the nation, and after a slightly flawed but fairly sensible qualification proceeding, the field is set well in advance. We don't arrive the night before the wrestling starts to find that Minnesota's NCAA champion 197-pounder from two years ago, who has been out of action for a year, has been suddenly plugged into their lineup. We know this can't happen because before we hop in our cars and drive across seven states to make it to the arena, we already have a set of printed-off brackets in our hands. And oh, what wonderful brackets they are. Ten beautiful (twenty if you count consis) pages of parallel and perpendicular lines, meeting at right angles, dividing by two from left to right until only one remains-the national champion. The best thing about the pages aren't the lines, nor are they the names; the best part of the brackets is the numbers. The NCAA tournament gives us sensible seeds with the intent to reserve the best matches for later in the tournament. Sure some people get seeded improperly, but for the most part the seeding works fairly as each wrestler has a season's long body of work to take into account. I think my favorite part about the NCAA championship might be the regard it shows to the wrestlers who don't make the finals. Lose at NCAAs, and no matter who beats you, you get a chance to keep wrestling. NCAAs also praises you if you place as low as eigth. Do you know who placed fourth in the world this year at 66 kilos in freestyle wrestling? The answer is nobody. You cannot place fourth in the world in wrestling, because of the double bronze, a loss in the consolation semifinals leaves you tied for fifth. World championships don't really seem too interested in anyone other than the wrestlers in the finals. The NCAA tournament goes to the trouble of really figuring out the order of the best wrestlers in the nation -- first through eighth. Those wrestlers in the consolation bracket don't just wrestle for individual accolades; oftentimes team national championships are won in the wrestlebacks. The NCAA tournament seems to take its team championship much more seriously than than any world championship. This year's team race should be hotly contested, and the means by which wrestlers win will make a big difference in the outcome. I hope I make it to Oklahoma City this year to watch the NCAA tournament, maybe more so than I'd like to go to Tashkent for next year's World Championships. Things at the NCAA tournament just seem to mesh better with my humble American sensibilities. Luckily, even if I don't make to the arena in March, everything will still be alright; at NCAAs, all the finals get wrestled at once, live on ESPN, and I can just sit back and watch it in my living room. Here's to simpler times. Here's to college wrestling.

WASHINGTON D.C. -- The 197-pound match at the 2013 NWCA All-Star Classic will feature All-Americans Scott Schiller of the University of Minnesota and Taylor Meeks of Oregon State University. chiller began his career with Gopher Wrestling as a redshirt freshman in 2010. During his first collegiate season Schiller won the North Country Open and placed second at both the Husky Open and Kaufman-Board Open, notching upsets in all three competitions. The following year, in addition to winning titles at the UNI Open, Husky Open and North Country Open, Schiller made his debut as a Gopher during the Purdue duals where we earned a 21-6 victory via a technical fall. In his redshirt sophomore season, Schiller saw a more consistent position in the Gopher starting lineup. Throughout the season Schiller wrestled to a 29-6 overall record, 16-1 dual meet record and 8-0 undefeated Big Ten record. During his first trip to the post season Schiller finished second at the Big Ten Championships and earned a bid to the NCAA National Championships. At the championships Schiller finished fifth after notching several upsets, earning All-American honors. Taylor Meeks defeated Scott Schiller at the 2013 NCAAs in Des Moines (Photo/Mark Beshey, The Guillotine)As a redshirt freshman Meeks competed unattached during the 2010-2011 season at 184 pounds Meeks wrestled to two open titles at the Mike Clock Open and Cal Open and a second place finish at the Southern Oregon Open. During his first official season as a Beaver, Meeks competed at both 184 and 197lbs in a starting position. Meeks began his debut season notching 11 consecutive victories. During the season Meeks recorded a 20-11 overall record and qualified for the NCAA Championships after a second place finish at the Pac-12 Championships. As a redshirt sophomore Meeks competed at 197 pounds and continued his success from the past season. During the regular season Meeks logged six and eight match winning streaks on his way to a 36-7 overall record, going 14-1 in dual competition. In the post season Meeks won his first Pac-12 Championship and earned his second trip to the NCAA Championship. At the championship Meeks wrestled to a fourth place finish, earning All-American honors. The All-Star Classic will take place on Nov. 2 at 7:15 p.m. on the campus of George Mason University. To purchase tickets to the event, visit the Ticketmaster website. For more information on the All-Star Classic, visit the NWCA website and follow the NWCA on Facebook and Twitter. About the NWCA Founded in 1928, the NWCA strives to promote and provide leadership for the advancement of amateur wrestling, primarily at the scholastic and collegiate levels. The association is headquartered in Manheim Pa. The three core competencies are coaching development, student-wrestler welfare, and promotion/advocacy. The NWCA has 10,000 members and educational programs that serve 230,000 students each year. About George Mason University (GMU) Was established in 1957 and obtained university status in 1972. George Mason University is located in Fairfax Virginia has 32,000 students. The GMU wrestling program has a rich tradition as evidenced by having advanced 41 different wrestlers to the NCAA Division I Championships, two wrestlers achieved All American status one time and one wrestler achieved All American status two times. The head coach is Joe Russell and he is in his 2nd year. About Wrestlers in Business Network (WIBN) The WIBN-Washington DC Chapter consists of prominent business leaders in the Washington DC metropolitan region. The organization was originally formed in September 2012 under the name of the Greater Washington Wrestlers in Business Network and more recently merged with the Wrestlers in Business Network (headquartered in Cleveland OH) to form a national Wrestlers in Business Network. The purpose of this organization is to support amateur wrestling activities in major cities across America.

Mark Branch