InterMat Staff

The Peacock wrestling program will enter the 2009-2010 season with a focus on building toward the NCAA Championships in Omaha, Nebraska this coming March. Head Coach Heath Grimm has crafted this year's schedule to best prepare his team for the progression of the Northern Sun Conference season, the NCAA Super Regional, and the NCAA Championships. In November, Upper Iowa will compete in three open tournaments on consecutive Saturdays. UIU will enter the Kaye Young Open in Mason City, Iowa on the 7th, the Pointer Open in Stevens Point, Wisconsin on the 14th, and the Brute-Adidas Open in Minneapolis, Minnesota on the 21st. The Peacocks will wrestle four times in December with an even mix of duals and tournaments. Upper Iowa will travel to Iowa Falls, Iowa to line up against the Panthers of Ellsworth Community College in a dual on the 2nd before opening their home schedule the following Wednesday, the 9th, in Fayette against Waldorf College. The home opener begins at 7:00 p.m. Prior to the Christmas holiday, UIU will enter the Jim Foxx Open in Dubuque, Iowa on the 19th and the Reno Tournament of Champions on the 20th. The field in Reno will include Adams State University, Edinboro University, Minnesota State University, Mankato, Newberry College, Oklahoma State University, Penn State University, Stanford University, University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill), West Virginia University. Upper Iowa will not waste any time getting on the mats in 2010. The Peacocks will compete in the Flash Open in Dubuque, Iowa on the 2nd of January as a tune up for another trip to the NWCA/Cliff Keen National Duals hosted by the University of Northern Iowa in Cedar Falls, Iowa. Upper Iowa placed 8th (2-3) in 2008 and 7th (3-2) at last year's event. The team's success last year was fueled by Trevor Franklin's 5-0 record that included a fall, a technical fall and three decisions by a combined 20 points. After the National Duals, the Peacocks will open their Northern Sun Conference season. Upper Iowa won the NSIC title in 2006-07 and 2007-08. Last year, UIU finished in second place behind Minnesota State, who claimed the runner up spot at last year's NCAA Championships. Upper Iowa will travel for their first two NSIC matches of the season. The Peacocks will battle the Marauders of the University of Mary on Saturday, Jan. 16, and the Wolves of Northern State University on Sunday, Jan. 17. UIU will then defend Dorman Gym in four straight NSIC duals in Fayette. The home stand begins with the Dragons of Minnesota State University Moorhead on Thursday, Jan. 21. The Peacocks will then welcome the Mavericks of Minnesota State University, Mankato to campus on Thursday, Jan. 28, and the Mustangs of Southwest Minnesota State University the following night, Jan. 29. All three duals are set for 7:00 p,m. starts. The Peacocks will wrap up their home schedule with a Sunday afternoon matinee on Feb. 7 at 2:00 p.m. UIU will line up against the Vikings of Augustana College. Upper Iowa will then wrap up their NSIC schedule on the road at St. Cloud State the following Sunday, Feb. 14. Following the Northern Sun season, Upper Iowa will send 10 wrestlers into competition for the NCAA Super Regional III hosted by Northern State in Aberdeen, S.D. The top four wrestlers in each weight class will earn a spot at the NCAA Championships hosted by the University of Nebraska-Omaha on Mar. 12 and 13.

PHOENIX -- Illinois assistant wrestling coach and former three-time All-American Mike Poeta won the title at 74 kg/163 lbs at the Sunkist Kids International Open freestyle tournament over the weekend. Poeta topped Jon Reader of Iowa State, 1-0, 2-1, in the finals. In addition, freshman Sam White took sixth at 55 kg/121 lbs, falling, 3-0, 3-1, to Mark McKnight, a former Penn State wrestler who placed fourth at the 2008 NCAA Championships. The Illini currently are practicing in preparation for their season-opener at Missouri at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 12.

Blake Meeks

COLLEGE PARK, Md. -- The University of Maryland wrestling team began the 2009-10 season Saturday afternoon at Comcast Pavilion with the annual Red & Black Wrestle-Offs exhibition, won by the red team, 25-9. A crowd of 428 came out to see the defending Atlantic Coast Conference Champions for the first time this season and the fans were treated to several competitive matches featuring the likes of big-time returnees Alex Krom, Mike Letts, Brian Letters and Patrick Gilmore, as well as several promising newcomers to the program. "It was a good day. Our guys have been waiting for an opportunity to compete in front of our fans," Maryland head coach Kerry McCoy said. "Competing against teammates is always a challenge, but I think they did a good job. I'm excited this part is behind us and we can now look forward to the season." The match began with a tight contest at 125 pounds between James Knox and Pat Strizki. Tied at 2-2 after regulation and the first sudden victory period, each wrestler earned an escape in the tiebreakers sessions. Strizki held the crucial riding-time advantage at the start of the final tiebreaker, but Knox earned an escape and turned the riding time advantage in his favor to earn the victory by the slimmest of margins. Mookie Golden earned a 2-0 decision for black at 133 pounds to knot the match at 3-3. Red and Black alternated the next two weight classes, with Alex Krom earning a 6-1 decision for black at 141 and Jon Kohler getting the three points back for red at 149, topping Chris Stinnett, 11-4. With the score tied at 6 apiece, Red took the next three matches to pull away. Brian Letters earned a 4-2 decision against Kyle John in a very-competitive matchup at 157 pounds. Josh Asper took a 14-3 major decision against Andrik Cruz at 165 and Mike Letts posted an 18-1 technical fall against Owen Smith at 174 pounds to give Red an 18-6 lead in the match. Corey Peltier scored three points for Black at 184 pounds, defeating Bradley Nielson, 3-0. At 197 pounds, freshman Christian Boley notched a late takedown to win a 4-3 decision against sophomore Ryan Gray. Patrick Gilmore capped the afternoon with a 14-3 major decision against Owen Duffy at heavyweight. There were four exhibition matches during the day, as well. Freshman Bryan Osorio defeated fellow freshman Danny O'Malley, 7-3, in a matchup of two 133-pounders. In one of the most entertaining matches of the day, freshmen 149-pounders Justin Cash and Domenic DeRobertis went back and forth at a fast pace, with Cash winning in the end, 12-7. Freshman Jimmy Sheptock defeated Andrew Bradley, 7-3, in another exhibition and freshman Dallas Brown posted the only pin of the day in the last exhibition, doing so in 3 minutes, 58 seconds against Ty Snook. The Terps officially start the regular season Saturday, Nov. 7 at Comcast Pavilion for a tri-meet with Drexel and York College. RED 25, BLACK 9 125 -- James Knox (Red) dec.Pat Strizki, 4-3 [tb2] (3-0) 133 -- Mookie Golden (Black) dec. Joey Boone, 2-0 (3-3) EXH -- Bryan Osorio (Red) dec. Danny O'Malley, 7-3 141 -- Alex Krom (Black) dec. Matt Bogusz, 6-1 (3-6) 149 -- Jon Kohler (Red) dec. Chris Stinnett, 11-4 (6-6) EXH -- Justin Cash (Black) dec. Domenic DeRobertis, 12-7 157 -- Brian Letters (Red) dec. Kyle John, 4-2 (9-6) EXH -- Jimmy Sheptock (Black) dec. Andrew Bradley, 7-3 165 -- Josh Asper (Red) major dec. Andrik Cruz, 14-3 (13-6) 174 -- Mike Letts (Red) tech. fall over Owen Smith, 18-1 [7:00] (18-6) EXH -- Dallas Brown (Black) fall over Ty Snook (3:58) 184 -- Corey Peltier (Black) dec. Bradley Nielson, 3-0 (18-9) 197 -- Christian Boley (Red) dec. Ryan Gray, 4-3 (21-9) HWT -- Patrick Gilmore (Red) major dec. Owen Duffy, 14-3 (25-9)

Two roads diverged in a wood, and I- I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference. -Robert Frost On this particular day, thick snowflakes blanket the woods around Blair Academy, nestled in the foothills of northwestern New Jersey. Mark Grey is a three-time Cadet Nationals champion in Fargo, North Dakota (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)But there's only one road that Mark Grey is currently walking on, the path that winds through the prep school's gorgeous sprawling campus to the brand spanking new wrestling and basketball facility. It's a path he might not have followed had his older brother Mike not first blazed his own trail in the state of New Jersey. Now an All-American wrestler at Cornell, the 141-pound junior went 157-2 at Delbarton School, becoming the first four-time New Jersey state champion in the process. Mark knew that comparisons to his brother's career would be inevitable were he to also attend Delbarton. But he'd been tagging along with Mike to informal sessions at Blair in junior high, and had gotten to known legendary Bucs wrestling coach Jeff Buxton. Once he did well on the entrance exam, Mark decided to trade a green and gray singlet for a navy one instead. "I didn't want to take the same route that my brother did," Mark said. "I wanted to do my own thing, so I went to Blair." No disrespect to Delbarton, but going to Blair upped the ante in terms of competition. Mark's first tournament was the Walsh Ironman; his second, Beast of the East. Talk about putting your feet to the fire. "I think by coming to Blair, it kind of put (the comparisons to Mike) to rest," Coach Buxton said. "He's going about it in a little bit different way (by) wrestling at a school that has a more competitive schedule, so he's in a very different environment than Mike was on a daily basis ... He's set his own accolades and already raised the bar pretty high." It goes without saying that New Jersey has some of the fiercest high school wrestling competition in the country, so the bulls-eye would have been squarely on Mark's back from day one. "With Mike winning four state titles, Mark got to see firsthand the pressure and everything that goes with wrestling in New Jersey," his older brother John Grey Jr. said. "Going to Blair means he's not putting all his eggs into one basket. The schedule is so diverse. There are so many major tournaments that it gives him the opportunity to create his own path and set other goals." Mark GreyOf course, you don't start at a place like Blair as a freshman without coming in highly touted. As the 2008-09 school year began, Mark was fresh off winning a double Cadet national championship in freestyle and Greco-Roman in his first trip to Fargo. In his corner for the tournament were his brother Mike and fellow Pascack Hills alum Cody Cooperman. A vaunted wrestling club in Northern New Jersey whose famed alumni includes current and former All-Americans like Grey, Cooperman, Kurt Backes and Steve Mocco, the Pascack Hills Cowboys were Mark's first introduction to wrestling. He would follow Mike to practice and imitate his moves. Mark finally joined at age four, and wound up winning his first AAU Eastern National championship by five. And he hasn't stopped winning ever since, claiming everything from six Northeast Regional championships to a USA Wrestling Kids Triple Crown. After being a double champion at Fargo, he went 38-1 as a nationally-ranked freshman, winning titles at the prestigious Beast of the East tournament and a National Prep Title at 103 pounds. His only loss came in the finals of his first major tournament, the Walsh Ironman. There he fell by a narrow 6-3 decision to Nick Brascetta of St. Paris Graham. Mark would finish the season ranked No. 2 in the country at 103 pounds by InterMat, second only to Brascetta. Mark Grey won his second Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman title this past summer (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)Now the No. 6-ranked sophomore in the country by InterMat, Mark says his loss was one of inexperience, and he's ready for a rematch. "It was my first major tournament and I was nervous," Mark admits. "I messed up with a dumb headlock in the first period. I really didn't wrestle the way I can." It was that headlock that cost him the match, as Brascetta countered him for an easy takedown, then controlled on top the rest of the match. "He prepares really well, we prepared for this particular kid and he got out of the game plan," Coach Buxton said. "This happens (occasionally) with young kids when they get nervous in the finals of a big tournament, and I think being able to find his groove and stay calm for those big matches will be key down the road." Of course, times have changed and a rematch might not be in the works. Mark bulked up over the summer, wrestled at 112 pounds at Fargo, and is unsure at this point whether he'll move up to wrestle at 119 or 125 for the Bucs this season. He guessed that he might wrestle at 135 by senior year, then eventually end up at 141 or 149 in college. "He's a stronger wrestler physically," said Blair 112-pounder Evan Silver, Mark's teammate and training partner. "We're lifting now and he's really powerful with his takedowns." But with the new season and the added weight will also come additional challenges in the form of better, more experienced competition. "As he moves into 119 or 125, instead of hitting ninth graders, now he's going to be hitting seniors," Coach Buxton said. "That's going to be the biggest adjustment. He's going to hit better guys at those weights because that's where the best guys in the country usually are -- between 119 and 140 pounds." It's said that the transformation from freshman year to sophomore year at Blair is a substantial jump, and a recent practice confirms that. To see Mark Grey practice reveals a focused, confident wrestler who has filled out and looks nothing like the nervous freshman of a year ago. Mark Grey (Photo/Dave Jedlicka/jedicheetah.com)"He's become a lot more explosive," Coach Buxton said. "I'm really excited to watch him wrestle in December because I think he's made such big jumps this year." One thing Mark will not lack in is support. With brother Mike rooting him on from Ithaca and older brother John Jr. on the Bucs coaching staff, there are plenty of people to make sure he stays the course. Not that he needs it. His stated goal since the age of five has been to wrestle in the Olympics, and that has not changed. But for a 16-year-old, Mark Grey has a maturity and patience that belies his years. He understands that it's a long process, a journey that requires discipline and consistent, if not dramatic, improvement on a daily basis. Suffice it to say, the sophomore will experience some growing pains, as the road to wrestling glory is never easy. But when descriptive nouns like "the total package" and "a juggernaut" are thrown around to describe a wrestler still realizing his potential, bright lights wouldn't seem to be too far off.

Event: UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun Date: October 24, 2009 Venue: Staples Center (Los Angeles, CA) The UFC Monster will be in Las Vegas for tonight’s UFC event. Unfortunately, the event is in Los Angeles, not Las Vegas! However, this did give me a chance to spend a few days shopping the Vegas sportsbooks, and seeing how the action is coming in on the fights. And, as expected, it is coming in strongly on the favorites on a fight card stacked full of one-sided favorites, according to the oddsmakers, who set such odds. On paper, tonight’s fights have clear favorites to win, and decided underdogs to lose. But, as we know, UFC fights are not fought on paper. They are fought in a caged octagon. So, let’s take a look at the matchups, and see if we can have a profitable night. My fictitious bets have made a profit of over $600 to InterMat readers! Let’s keep the winning streak going … The main event pits the undefeated light-heavyweight champion Lyota “Dragon” Machida (15-0) against former Pride champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (18-3), once considered the best 205-pounder on the planet. Injuries have hampered Shogun, and his few UFC fights have been less than impressive as he enters the twilight of his career. Machida is a quiet, unassuming athlete, who is about the only fighter in mixed martial arts to center his game around karate. Amazingly, Lyota has not only won all of his fights, with names like BJ Penn, Rich Franklin, Tito Ortiz, Thiago Silva, and Rashad Evans on his resume, but he has NEVER lost a single round in a UFC fight! Now, that’s incredible. He rarely gets hit with his unorthodox style, and his pin-point striking makes him a lethal opponent. Once he has you measured, the fight will soon be over. He is outrageously expensive in a fight like this, but you either bet on him or you don’t bet at all. A bridge jump at -410 may be scary, but it should also land you in the winner’s circle. In a 5-round battle for the belt, Machida will be standing with his hand raised by unanimous decision. Heavyweight Cain Velasquez will put his undefeated 6-0 record on the line against veteran slugger Ben Rothwell (16-4). Velasquez, the former Arizona State All American wrestler, should be able to take Rothwell to the mat. Once there this becomes the classic wrestler vs. striker scenario. We know who wins those encounters, don’t we? Cain will raise cane with some vicious elbows and fists from a full mount position. A bloodied Rothwell will wonder why he joined the UFC. Velasquez at -300 ends this in the first period by TKO. I’m not sure why lightweights Gleison Tibau (29-6) and John “the Dentist” Neer (25-8-1) are on the main card, but the fight promises lots of action. Neer is anxious to redeem himself after an unimpressive loss to Kurt Pelligreno in Philadelphia in August. His under-rated takedown defense and striking power should be the different here, as he wins by knockout in the second round. He is a slight underdog at +105. I’m not sure why the oddsmakers have made “Joe Daddy” Stevenson (35-10) a -250 favorite over Spencer “The King” Fisher (24-2) since Stevenson has lost three of his last four UFC fights. Joe likes to box and trap you into his wicked guillotine chokehold. But, Fisher is a relentless striker who should take advantage of Stevenson’s propensity for bleeding. The refs will have seen enough midway through the third period, calling off the dogs as Fisher advances toward a long awaited title shot that may never happen. I’ll go with Fisher at +200 to surprise the powers to be. The final bout on the main card pits welterweight Anthony Johnson (7-2) against Yoshiyuki “Zenko” Yoshida (11-3). Yoshida will be looking for a mistake to capitalize on as he tries to put a submission hold on his opponent. AJ will be looking for a knock-out with his massive body and punching power. He gets it here in the second round with a thundering uppercut, reminiscent of Mike Tyson’s early days. Somewhat over-priced at -320, Johnson will cash your ticket and reward his faithful fans. Now let’s take a look at the undercard. Undefeated light-heavyweight Ryan “Darth” Bader (10-0) is a bully who should have little trouble controlling Eric “Red” Shafer (13-3-2). He is a better wrestler and much stronger, leaving Shafer’s only hope at victory, his ability to maneuver a submission hold on his bigger opponent. But, don’t rule that out. Shafer has won most of his fights by submission and if he gets lucky here, he could do the same to Bader. But, my money says he won’t, so I’m laying the big number at -500 to see Bader’s streak continue with some brutal ground-and-pound. Two of the world’s best heavyweight kickers meet when Pat Barry (4-1) takes on Antoni Hardonk (8-5). Both will have sore legs tomorrow. Rumor has it that Barry may even have a ground game, but I doubt it. Hardonk has no interest in going to the mat either. This one opened as a pick ‘em, but the public has been betting Hardonk. I’ve found a few books that have it even, so my value goes with Hardonk at -115. The ref stops this midway through the second round when Barry has trouble standing. Middleweights Yushin Okami (24-4) and Chael Sonnen (24-10-1) are both seasoned veterans who are known for their ability to win fights, but not finish their opponents! Half of their fights end in a judge’s decision, and that makes them unpopular with most UFC fans (and Dana White for that matter). Therefore, the loser here may be on the outside looking in. Sonnen’s ability to defend Okami’s clinching and grabbing style will determine who wins this one. As a +200 underdog the value lies with Chael. In yet another judge’s decision he will have his hand raised at the end. He has won 13 of his 14 fights won by decision. Add another to his belt. Two more middleweight veterans meet when the popular Jorge “El Conquistador” Rivera (16-7) takes on Rob “The Rosedale Reaper” Kimmons (22-4) in another interesting fight. In what could be the fight of the night, both like to stand and punch and neither has a glass jaw, tho’ Rivera has been caught early before (see Terry Martin for details). I’m of the opinion that Jorge’s better fight days are behind him. I’ll try my luck with the heavily tattoo’ed Kimmon’s to win by third round TKO. The betting action is coming in on Kimmons, and the -150 price tag should prevail. Kyle Kingsbury (7-2-1) at -115 will eke out a decision over Razak “Razor” Al-Hassen (7-1) And 6’11” Stefan Struve (21-3) will prove to be no match for Chase Gormley (6-0), who opened at +200, but is currently at -200! So let’s see how we do with our fictitious $1000 bankroll tonight: Let’s lay $123 to win $30 on the Dragon, Lyota Machida. Let’s lay $150 to win $50 on Cain Velasquez. Let’s lay $50 to win $100 on Spencer Fisher. Let’s lay $96 to win $30 on Anthony Johnson. Let’s lay $40 to win $42 on Josh Neer. Let’s lay $150 to win $30 on Ryan Bader. Let’s lay $92 to win $80 on Antoni Hardonk. Let’s lay $50 to win $110 0n Cael Sonnen. Let’s lay $75 to win $50 on Rob Kimmons. Let’s lay $69 to win $60 on Kyle Kingsbury. Let’s lay $100 to win $50 on Chase Gormley. In all we are risking $995 to win $632. The cocktail waitress gets a $5 tip. That’s 7 favorites and 3 underdogs with one pick’em. Good luck and enjoy the fights. I know I will. And, don’t forget to give a large portion of your profits to your local youth wrestling program, where future champs are made! Fantastic Five: Five fighters who had wrestling success Tony Nguyen Many of the fighters competing tonight have had some sort of wrestling background. Let’s take a look at five fighters who had collegiate wrestling success. We begin with the co-main event: Cain Velasquez squares off with “Big” Ben Rothwell. Cain Velasquez was an NJCAA champion at Iowa Central Community College and then went on to become a two-time All-American at Arizona State. He’s an undefeated fighter whose climb up the heavyweight ladder has been meteoric. His last win against kickboxing monster Cheick Congo put him within two fights of a title shot. Against Congo, when Velasquez got in trouble early, taking poor angles, and getting hit, he went back to his wrestling and controlled the fight on the ground. Let’s see if he’s improved his standup since his last outing. Ben Rothwell was the IFL’s No. 1 contender and one of their best fighters. He has a victory over former UFC champ Ricco Rodriquez. In the Affliction league, he lost a tough battle against former UFC champion Andre Arlovski. He’s a serious test for Cain Velasquez, and a battle-tested veteran. The winner of this fight is a fight away from fighting for the belt against Brock Lesnar. Another former wrestler on the main event card is Anthony Johnson. He’s quickly rising as one of the UFC’s most exciting welterweights. His devastating knockouts of Tommy Speers, Kevin Burns, and Luigi Fioravanti have fans clamoring for more of the man they call“Rumble.” What fans might not know is that Johnson was a successful wrestler at Lassen Community College. He uses his wrestling background to defend takedowns and throw his powerful strikes. He faces a man that wants nothing more than to take him down … in Yoshiyuki Yoshida, a judo expert and former judo Olympian. Yoshida will want to clinch and take this fight to the mat, and avoid the striking of Johnson. This is an interesting fight as styles make fights. If Johnson keeps it standing, it’s only a matter of time before he connects and hurts Yoshida. If Yoshida can get this fight to the mat, he could win via decision. You don’t want to miss this fight. Ryan Bader, a two-time NCAA all American and reality TV superstar, is fighting Eric Schafer on the undercard. The bout, based mostly on Bader’s popularity, is going to be aired live on Spike TV. Bader is known in wrestling circles for his wrestling accomplishments at Arizona State University. He’s extremely popular since winning a season on Spike TV’s reality TV show, and is now a fan favorite. He trains alongside many great former All-American wrestlers turned MMA fighters such as C. B. Dollaway, Aaron Simpson, and Ben Askren at Arizona Combat Sports. His last win against Carmelo Marrero was solid, but not spectacular, and now makes a jump in competition against Schafer. Eric Schafer is a submission specialist that has solid wins against Houston Alexander and Antonio Mendes. He will have his chances if Bader takes him to the mat, but in the end, it’s a tough road. Bader is the stronger puncher and can take Schafer down at will. Schafer has to hope for a submission to win this fight. Chael Sonnen is also on the undercard and is facing Yushin Okami, one of four fighters that has a victory against current middleweight king, Anderson Silva. Sonnen wrestled at the University of Oregon and was a very accomplished Greco-Roman wrestler as well. He was the top middleweight in the WEC before arriving as a serious contender in the UFC. Okami is Japan’s top middleweight. He has a great clinch game and wins most of his fights by clinch, using his physical strength and striking. Okami is 7-1 in the UFC and the winner of this fight moves into the top two or three as a contender for a title shot. This will be a battle of equal fighters. I believe that whichever fighter can dictate the rhythm and impose his “will,” will win the fight. This one is too close to call! Chase Gormley is a big heavyweight at 6-3, 265 pounds. This former wrestler is also sporting a perfect 6-0 MMA record and looking to make a splash in his UFC debut. Chase was an NAIA All-American wrestler at both Montana State Northern University and Lindenwood University. He is fighting Steven Struve, who is a lanky 6-11, 238-pound fighter out of Holland, has the look of a basketball player, but is a submission specialist. He also is 1-1 in the UFC and 17-3 overall. Struve will want to submit Gormley in any way possible. Gormley will have to negotiate the long reach and lanky frame of Struve. He must be cautious of taking Steven down and work solid footwork in his standup and apply some ground and pound. Should be a fun fight. You can follow Tony Nguyen on Twitter at http://twitter.com/TonyNguyenMMA.

TDR this week will be LIVE from the home based Brute Adidas studios of TDR for the final time before hitting the road for several weeks of room shows. The season is almost upon us and we look forward to our visits around the country. A complete and evolving schedule will be posted soon on the Takedownradio.com web site. The big news for us this week is that next weeks TDR TV will be on TV. Mediacom in Iowa and surrounding areas will air TDR TV on a weekly basis on its MC 22 channel. Thanks to our friends at Mediacom for their belief in wrestling. Tune and watch. This week on TDR: Chris Ayers- Head Coach of the Princeton Tigers joins us to discuss prep for the season and his new freshmen. Tim Flynn- Head Coach of Edinboro. With a number of elite wrestlers ranked highly, it is apparent that Flynn's squad is highly respected Dr. William K. Bauer- Writer, teacher and good guy penned the book, "Wrestling: A Boys First Book" Joe McFarland- A new Home for the Wolverines of Michigan, a heck of a good incoming class and some seniors looking to make their marks. Mychal Grenawalt- Matside Michigan, the Radio Show returns to the air with some of the best youth, high school and collegiate wrestling in the state of Michigan on Supertalk 1570 and others as well as http://supertalk1570.com Emily Klinefelter- 13 national titles and two Gold Medals from the Pan Am Games in Brazil. She has fought all over the world and owns a 5-0 MMA record, and 6-0 pro boxing record. November 13th she will face Nately Jerez at Max Fights DM: Ballroom Brawl Missed an episode of TDR? Now You can get TDR on your PDA or iPhone at Lightsout.tv and at iTunes Please note that Episode 28 of TDR TV is now up on all the top web sites around the country and is available for your viewing. TDR every week! It's appointment Radio! Join us at Takedownradio.com. America's Wrestling Radio Talk Show airs on Supertalk 1570 in Michigan, AM 1460 KXNO in Iowa and on a radio station near you or on line at many of our broadcast partners around the world including Livesportsvideo.com. We air 9 AM to 11 AM CST every Saturday morning and look forward to having you listen in.

VIENNA, WV -- The Ohio Valley University Athletic Department announced this week that it will add wrestling as a new varsity sport to its program roster during the 2010-2011 academic year. The Fighting Scots have also announced that they’ve signed Pat Sole to serve as head coach of the new program. “At OVU we are really striving to have more impact in the local community. Next to football, wrestling is one of the most loved and fan supported sports in the local area. This is a hot bed for wrestling talent. The new program will serve to increase our overall visibility in the community,” OVU Athletic Director Larry Lyons said. “We want the community to really feel that OVU is their team and want them to be excited about what we’re doing and come out and support our teams.” It doesn’t go unnoticed that OVU has recruited one of the most decorated wrestling coaches in the state. Coach Pat Sole is no stranger to the Mid-Ohio Valley or winning. A native of Parkersburg, Sole spent the better part of his coaching career at Parkersburg South High School (PSHS) where he helped guide the program to 10 state titles and three runner-up finishes. During his tenure at PSHS he also coached seven high school All-Americans with 11 of his wrestlers going on to the NCAA Division I collegiate competition level (four went on to the NCAA Division I National Championships). Following 18 years of success at PSHS, Sole returned to his Alma Mater, Liberty University, to help reinstate the university’s wrestling program. While there the program won the East Region Conference NCAA Division I Championship title in 2007, 2008 and 2009. Fourteen of his wrestlers went on to compete in the NCAA Division I National Championships. “I’m honored to establish something in the valley that is much needed and happening elsewhere in the country with Division II colleges/universities. We have great talent here locally when it comes to wrestling and those student-athletes deserve the opportunity to stay local on a collegiate level and compete,” Coach Pat Sole said. “I’m excited to see OVU open its doors and sponsor this sport. It will benefit them, the community and state.” “OVU is a faith based institution and to have the opportunity to make an impact with young men and expose or encourage them in their Christian faith is important to me. Coaching at OVU will allow us to not only build up young men physically and academically, but spiritually as well,” Sole continued. “It was very clear to us that Coach Sole shares OVU’s Christian values and wants to work with us in transforming lives in a Christian atmosphere and academic community,” Lyons said. “The way this program has come about and having Pat serve as its leader…is nothing short of spectacular. We are very excited to have him part of our family and look forward to the enthusiasm and dedication he will bring to our student-athletes.” Lyons noted that the West Virginia Intercollegiate Athletic Conference does not currently include wrestling as a conference sport but that a number of schools within the region (West Virginia, Ohio and Pennsylvania) do offer the varsity sport and finding strong competition will not be difficult. Lyons went on to say that Coach Sole has already begun working on a schedule and will begin recruiting immediately for the program. To learn more about OVU sports, visit http://www.ovu.edu/athletics

Dave Barker & Sara Koenig

The USA Wrestling Preseason Nationals return for a second edition on October 31. The event has moved locations from Veterans Auditorium in Des Moines, Iowa to the UNI-Dome in Cedar Falls, Iowa on the campus of the University of Northern Iowa. Currently over 500 high school wrestlers have decided to spend their Halloween on the mats seeking the treat of a Preseason Nationals title. Based on the trend of last year, Tournament Director Brian Keck hopes that "the field will approach 1,000 wrestlers in all." The following is an analysis of the field as it is presently constructed on Thursday evening October 22, 2009. Registration will remain open until midnight October 27. For further information, check out http://www.preseasonnationals.com 103: This opening weight is anchored by the excellent junior Ruben Navejas (Kentwood, WA). This past summer, Navejas was a finalist in both styles at Junior Nationals in Fargo, North Dakota; and was champion in the freestyle competition. In addition, he finished 2008-09 ranked 13th by InterMat at 103 pounds after a state championship season. However, standing in the way of a Preseason Nationals title will be at least six other excellent wrestlers. Two of these young men were All-Americans in both styles in the Cadet Nationals 91-pound weight class. Colton Howell (Ozark, MO) won the Greco-Roman tournament, and was also a state runner-up during the 2008-09 regular season. Phillip Laux (Pekin, IA) was a runner-up in the freestyle competition, and also earned All-American honors in both styles at the FILA Cadet Nationals this past spring. Another pair of wrestlers earned All-American status in both styles at the Junior Nationals. Kevon Powell (Montini Catholic, IL) was fourth place at 105 pounds in Greco-Roman and at 98 pounds in freestyle. In addition, Powell finished third in his in-season state tournament and was a FILA Cadet Nationals freestyle runner-up. Mike Dauterive (McKinney Boyd, TX) was a state tournament qualifier in 2008-09 and finished third at 98 pounds in both freestyle and Greco-Roman this past summer. The other duo of wrestlers was Cadet Nationals freestyle All-Americans. Sophomore Mason Todd (Pendleton Heights, IN) was a state qualifier in 2008-09 and finished seventh at 105 pounds this past summer. Freshman Colby Knight (Urbandale, IA) was fifth at 98 pounds. 112: Junior Nationals folkstyle champion Hayden Zilmer (Crosby-Ironton, MN) leads the way in this weight class. After winning Cadet Nationals titles in freestyle and Greco-Roman during the summer of 2008, Zilmer finished 2008-09 ranked 11th by InterMat at 103 pounds after closing out a state championship season. Right behind Zilmer is Jack Hathaway (Iowa City West, IA) who was able to follow up a third-place finish in his 2008-09 state tournament with a fourth-place finish in freestyle at the FILA Cadet Nationals and Junior Nationals All-American honors in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at 105 pounds. This included a runner-up finish in the freestyle competition. Also meriting attention in this weight class is a trio of Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman All-Americans. Dylon Thompson (Grand Junction, CO) finished third at 98 pounds, after finishing runner-up in both freestyle and Greco-Roman at 84 pounds in the 2008 Cadet Nationals. Ryan McQuade (Appleton West, WI) finished fourth place at 112 pounds. Alex Calandrino (Howell, MI) was sixth at 105 pounds to follow a regular season in which he finished as state runner-up. Another pair of wrestlers to watch are state champion senior Alex Spooner (Forest City, IA) and freshman Cain Salas (Mout Olive, IL), who was 5-2 at 119 pounds in freestyle at Cadet Nationals this past summer. 119: After winning the inaugural Preseason Nationals at 112 pounds, senior Brandon Jones (West Des Moines Valley, IA) earned a state title with an upset victory against Eric Devos (Waverly Shell-Rock, IA), who had won titles for Apple Valley High School in Minnesota as a seventh and eighth grader the previous two years. Jones is the early favorite to earn a second Preseason Nationals title from this weight class. Leading the group of challengers is Courtland Hacker (Broomfield, CO), who finished as a state runner-up this past season but was Cadet Nationals freestyle All-American this past summer finishing seventh at 112 pounds. Others to watch include state champion Nick Harrison (Stillman Valley, IL); Sam Jones (Riverside Academy, LA), a FILA Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman All-American; senior A.J. Juarez (Joliet Township, IL), fourth in the state as a freshman but yet to place at state since; and sophomore Travis Leiskau (Klein Oak, TX), third at his state tournament and fifth at the NHSCA Freshman Nationals. 125: A pair of Iowa state champions from 2008-09 at 119 pounds lead the way in this weight class. Senior Levi Wolfensperger (Denver-Tripoli, IA) was champion of the medium-school division, and also won the NHSCA Junior Nationals at 125 pounds one month later. Wolfensperger ended 2008-09 ranked 11th by InterMat at 119 pounds, and is currently ranked 30th among all members of the Class of 2010. Sophomore John Meeks (Des Moines Roosevelt, IA) won the big-school division, and is ranked 10th overall in the Class of 2012. Also competing in this weight is a former state champion Adam Perrin (North Scott, IA), who finished third last season at state. Nick Babcock (Broomfield, CO) placed fourth at 103 pounds in the December 2008 Walsh Ironman, and finished as a state runner-up at the end of 2008-09. Another state runner-up in this weight class is Logan Arlis (Batavia, IL). Joseph Hefley (Oviedo, FL) finished was a state qualifier this past season and finished sixth in Greco-Roman at Cadet Nationals this past summer. 130: The favorite in this weight class is two-time state finalist Bronson Steuber (Jackson County Central, MN). Steuber was able to win state at 119 pounds this past season after taking second at 103 the year before. Also, this past April, he was champion in the Junior Nationals folkstyle competition. Next best in this field is fellow junior Jordan Rinken (Waverly Shell-Rock, IA), a two-time state placer that took second place in the 2008-09 state tournament. Two other wrestlers to watch are a pair of fourth place finishers in their respective state tournaments this past season -- Chad Ryan (Sioux City North, IA) and Taylor Simaz (Allegan, MI). 135: Three outstanding wrestlers headline this weight class. However, the "lead dog" would be Louis Trujillo (Rio Rancho, NM). Trujillo was a state champion and NHSCA Junior Nationals champion this past season, and ended the season ranked sixth at 130 pounds by InterMat. This summer, Trujillo was a Junior Nationals freestyle All-American, finishing seventh at 125 pounds. Currently he is ranked 15th overall in the Class of 2010. Coming off of two consecutive fourth places at 125 pounds in the Illinois state tournament, Chris Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL) earned All-American honors at Junior Nationals in Fargo, ND. In an ironic twist of sorts, Dardanes again finished fourth in the 130-pound freestyle competition. Also in this weight is state runner-up Jake Sueflohn (Arrowhead, WI), who lost to Jesse Thielke (Germantown, WI) in the state final despite having upset him the week prior. 140: The favorite in this weight class is Nick Dardanes (Oak Park River Forest, IL). Following an outstanding 2008-09 season in which he was state champion, and closed out the season ranked 11th by InterMat at 130 pounds; his off-season was equally superb. Dardanes was fourth place in the FILA Junior Nationals freestyle competition at 132 pounds, and a Junior Nationals freestyle runner-up at 130 pounds. He heads into this season ranked 20th overall in the Class of 2010. The lead challenger for Dardanes in this weight class will be Alex Dieringer (Port Washington, WI) -- a Cadet Nationals champion in both freestyle and Greco-Roman this past summer. With state finals appearances in his first two scholastic seasons, including a title as a freshman in 2008, Dieringer currently ranked 23rd overall in the Class of 2011. Other wrestlers to watch in this weight class include senior Matt Leibforth (Lemont, IL), third at state and eight at the NHSCA Junior Nationals; freshman Zane Nelson (Tuslaw, OH), finishing fourth at 130 pounds in the Cadet Nationals freestyle tournament; and junior Austin Wilson (Hastings St. Cecilia, NE), a state champion and NHSCA Sophomore Nationals sixth-place finisher. 145: On the surface, this seems to be a rather thin weight class, which means that it is ripe for relatively unknown wrestlers to make themselves visible to the general public. Possibly the most credentialed wrestler in this field would be junior D.J. Beauch (Toledo Central Catholic, OH). Beauch was a state qualifier this past scholastic season, but followed that up with All-American finishes in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the Cadet Nationals. Also in this field is University of Virginia verbal commit Tanner Hirstine (Cherry Creek, CO), who finished fourth in his state tournament during 2008-09. 152: This is another weight class where there are opportunities abound for relatively unproven commodities on the national level. However, it is a pair of wrestlers from the Land of Lincoln that headline the field. A strong favorite in this weight class would be Joey Moorhouse (Marengo, IL). This past summer Moorhouse was third in the Junior Nationals Greco-Roman competition after finishing third at state during the scholastic season. Also in this weight is Joe Brewster (Maine South, IL), a Cadet Nationals Greco-Roman All-American in 2008. 160: The favorite in this weight class is senior Joe Latham (Bismarck, ND), a state champion during the 2008-09 season and a fifth-place finisher at the NHSCA Junior Nationals. While there doesn't seem to be a strong challenger to Latham, there are three wrestlers that seem relatively even, but ahead of the rest of the field. Despite failing to place at state this past season, Sam Brooks (Oak Park River Forest, IL) is one of the nation's best wrestlers in the Class of 2012 (ranked 38th by InterMat). Brooks was a runner-up in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the Cadet Nationals, and a FILA Cadet Nationals champion in Greco-Roman. Junior Steven Keogh (Apple Valley, MN) was a state runner-up in 2008-09 while competing at lower-division Thief River Falls, and finished as a champion at the NHSCA Sophomore Nationals. Senior Robert Pickrell (Northridge, CO) was a state champion this past season after earning All-American honors in 2008 at the Cadet Nationals freestyle tournament. Also meriting mention in this weight class is Logan Molina (Lincoln Northeast, NE), who finished fourth in the Cadet Nationals freestyle competition 171: Two wrestlers stand out above the rest in this weight class. Despite failing to place at state this past year, after finishing third in 2008, Walt Gilmor (North Scott, IA) earned All-American honors at Junior Nationals this past summer in Fargo, ND; he finished seventh at 171 pounds in freestyle. Noah Budi (Kaukauna, WI) was a state champion this past season. Two others to watch are Mike Khoury (St Joseph Regional, NJ) and Geordan Speiller (St Thomas Aquinas, FL). Khoury was a state qualifier this past season and a NHSCA Sophomore Nationals All-American in 2008. Speiller was also a state qualifier this past season, and fifth in Greco-Roman at Cadet Nationals this past summer. 189: This weight could be an open competition among three different wrestlers for the title. Senior Ben Brooks (Oak Park River Forest, IL) was a state qualifier this past season, and was an All-American in both Greco-Roman and freestyle at the FILA Cadet Nationals; Brooks was the champion in Greco-Roman. John Rizgallah (Allegan, MI) was a state runner-up, finished fourth at the Junior Nationals folkstyle tournament, and earned a silver medal in the AAU Scholastic (Disney) Duals. Jay Taylor (Oviedo, FL) was also a state runner-up in 2008-09, and he earned All-American honors at FILA Cadet Nationals in both Greco-Roman and freestyle. Also present in this weight is Zack Rutt (Le Center, MN). Rutt was a state qualifier this past season, but followed that up in the off-season with runner-up finishes in Cadet folkstyle and Greco-Roman. 215: State champion and Disney Duals silver medalist Nick McDiarmid (Hartland, MI) is the favorite in this weight class; however, he will face two pretty strong challengers in Cody Krumwiede (Waverly Shell-Rock, IA) and Matt Tourdot (Sparta, WI). Krumwiede earned a state title this past season and was runner-up at FILA Cadet Nationals in freestyle. Tourdot was a Junior Nationals freestyle All-American, finishing sixth at 215 pounds. 285: As of present, the closing weight class has no defined favorites or lead contenders. It is rife for the taking by any wrestlers willing to participate in the tournament and bring their "A" wrestling game.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- With seven ranked individuals, including the defending national champion at 184 pounds, Southern Oregon lands as the No. 1 team in the preseason NAIA Wrestling Coaches' Top 20 Poll, the NAIA announced Wednesday. The Raiders earned 100.5 points. Notre Dame College (Ohio) is listed second with 98 points, followed by No. 3 McKendree University (Ill.), No. 4 University of Great Falls (Mont.) and No. 5 Grand View University (Iowa). Lindenwood (Mo.) was the top-ranked team heading into the 2008-09 season and went on to win its third national title. As the No. 1 to close out the 2008-09 campaign, Southern Oregon finished as the runner-up at the National Championships. Five individual national champs from a year ago will return to defend their title in 2010 and enter the season rated No. 1 in their respective weight classes: Adam Koballa of Notre Dame (Ohio) at 141 pounds, Grand View's (Iowa) Matt Burns at 149 and Chris Platt of Southern Oregon at 184. McKendree sports a pair of titlists that are ranked No. 1 in Aaron Winning at 165 pounds and Andrew Sanchez at 197. Of Southern Oregon's seven nationally ranked grapplers, four are returning All-Americans, including top-ranked 125-pounder Mitchell Lofstedt and heavyweight John Bates. A third-place finisher a year ago, Barry Johnson is listed second at 141 pounds and Tommie Norton is ranked second at 157 pounds following a fifth-place showing in 2009. Five defending national champions begin the season ranked No. 1Second-ranked Notre Dame and No. 8 Dana (Neb.) each have nine wrestlers garnering national ranking. Notre Dame brings back two additional All-Americans to Koballa with No. 1 Thomas Straughn at 157 pounds and second-ranked 125-pounder Tyler Savage. Dana's highest ranked wrestler is Robert Costa at No. 4 at 133 pounds. No. 3 McKendree (89 points) and No. 4 Great Falls (78.5 points) each have seven nationally-ranked grapplers and No. 5 Grand View (69 points) has six. Three-time defending national team champion Lindenwood is ranked sixth with six ranked wrestlers. The first regular-season poll will be announced on Nov. 24. Team Rankings: 1 Southern Oregon University 100.5 2 Notre Dame College (Ohio) 98 3 McKendree University (Ill.) 89 4 University of Great Falls (Mont.) 77.5 5 Grand View University (Iowa) 69 6 Lindenwood University (Mo.) 61 7 California Baptist University 58 8 Dana College (Neb.) 57.5 9 Campbellsville (Ky.) 45 10 Dickinson State (N.D.) 38.5 10 Embry-Riddle Aeronautical (Ariz.) 38.5 12 Montana State University-Northern 37.5 13 Missouri Baptist University 37 14 Oklahoma City University 30.5 14 Cumberland University (Tenn.) 30.5 16 Menlo College (Calif.) 22 17 Morningside College (Iowa) 19 18 Northwestern College (Iowa) 18 19 Dakota Wesleyan (S.D.) 17.5 20 University of the Cumberlands (Ky.) 13.5 20 Waldorf College (Iowa) 13.5 Others receiving votes: Jamestown College (N.D.) 10; Hastings College (Neb.) 9.5; William Penn University (Iowa) 8.5; York College (Neb.) 2.5. Individual Rankings: 125: 1 Mitchell Lofstedt Southern Oregon University 2 Tyler Savage Notre Dame College 3 Dante Rini Notre Dame College 4 Cody Dennis Morningside College 5 Angel Olea Dickinson State 6 Clayden McKim Dana College 7 Kyle Conley Dana College 8 Larone Madison University of the Cumberlands 9 Jarrod Wiens Hastings College 10 Taylor Louie William Penn University 11 Chauncey Philipps California Baptist University 12 Jason Moorhouse Menlo College 133: 1 Wade Lowe McKendree University 2 Ryan Luu Embry-Riddle Aeronautical 3 Tommy Pretty Campbellsville 4 Robert Costa Dana College 5 John Rojas California Baptist University 6 Travis Evans Grand View University 7 Matthew Jacobson Dana College 8 Anton Prater Missouri Baptist University 9 Malik Stewart Dakota Wesleyan 10 Eric Garcia Menlo College 11 Blake Hunter Dickinson State 12 David Crow William Penn University 141 141: 1 Adam Koballa Notre Dame College 2 Barry Johnson Southern Oregon University 3 Jordan Harer Dakota Wesleyan 4 Christian Martinez Menlo College 5 Michael Davis Cumberland University 6 Jason Costello University of Great Falls 7 Kyle Williams McKendree University 8 Adam Manz Dana College 9 Jacob Murton Campbellsville 10 Nathen Schweitzer Dickinson State 11 Jeff Steele University of the Cumberlands 12 Dustin Howa William Penn University 149: 1 Matt Burns Grand View University 2 Samuel Schmitz Lindenwood University 3 Jeffrey Pelton Notre Dame College 4 Tyler Chang Embry-Riddle Aeronautical 5 Byron Kuylen University of Great Falls 6 Levi Price Northwestern College 7 Andrew Carrillo Dana College 8 Tim McGoldrick Lindenwood University 9 Jeff Marval Waldorf College 10 Benjamin Garcia California Baptist University 11 Brad Cusatis Hastings College 12 Matt Pridgeon Dickinson State 157: 1 Thomas Straughn Notre Dame College 2 Tommie Norton/Hooper Southern Oregon University 3 Nikolas Turner Oklahoma City University 4 Ross Mosher University of Great Falls 5 Trace Billet Embry-Riddle Aeronautical 6 Brain Oeschner Lindenwood University 7 Josh Emmett Menlo College 8 Ben Knight Morningside College 9 James Casadaban Cumberland University 10 Jeremy Padilla Waldorf College 11 Josh Swanson William Penn University 12 David Razo California Baptist University 165: 1 Aaron Winning McKendree University 2 John Murray Lindenwood University 3 Lamar Reed California Baptist University 4 Chris Chionuma Lindenwood University 5 James Linker Campbellsville 5 Brad Lower Grand View University 7 Ryan Tuzon Dana College 8 Brandon Porter Waldorf College 9 David Dwyer McKendree University 10 Kris Spencer Southern Oregon University 11 Nick Zumwalt Dickinson State 12 Mark Meyer Oklahoma City University 174: 1 Brendon DeCock University of Great Falls 2 Austin Ouellette Montana State University-Northern 3 Christopher Knowland California Baptist University 4 Glenn Rhees Grand View University 5 Kurt Wolff Notre Dame College 6 Cameron Schrempp Dickinson State 7 Damion Stephenson University of the Cumberlands 8 Jameon Rush Hastings College 9 Jason Pence University of Great Falls 10 Adam Houser Grand View University 11 Phillip Oudhuis Campbellsville 12 Donald Woods Lindenwood University 184: 1 Chris Platt Southern Oregon University 2 Evan Hinebaugh Montana State University-Northern 3 Michael French University of Great Falls 4 Spencer Adams Campbellsville 5 Enock Francois California Baptist University 6 Jacob Oberfoell Missouri Baptist University 7 Tanner Wolk McKendree University 8 Jordan Powers Cumberland University 9 Mark Peiffer Dana College 10 Adam Herrick Waldorf College 11 Josh Geppert Dakota Wesleyan 12 Alex Denman Notre Dame College 197: 1 Andrew Sanchez McKendree University 2 Justin Rau Grand View University 3 Jake Kallestad Dickinson State 4 Ike Okenwa Missouri Baptist University 5 Alex Calvi University of Great Falls 6 Nicholas Leither Northwestern College 7 Ronald Lee Southern Oregon University 8 Evan Mattingly Montana State University-Northern 9 Derek Foore Notre Dame College 10 Karl Spain William Penn University 11 Jeff Roman Waldorf College 12 Joseph Lockett Morningside College 285: 1 John Bates Southern Oregon University 2 Corey Johnson Oklahoma City University 3 Cedric Powell McKendree University 4 Byron Stewart Cumberland University 5 Michael Wakim Missouri Baptist University 6 Willie Hernandez Jamestown College 7 Joshua Marquez California Baptist University 8 David Coffey Campbellsville 9 Jason Lloyd York College 10 Jonathan Wilbourne Dana College 11 Orlando Scales Notre Dame College 12 Willie Wiggins Lindenwood University 12 Aaron Field Jamestown College

Vince Silva

Frank Popolizio

Wade Schalles

B.J. Suitor

Jarad Swint

Sean Boylan

Mike Duroe

J Robinson and the University of Minnesota wrestling staff will host their 2009 coaches clinic on Oct. 30, 2009. This year's program will include Bill Zadick, Rod Olson and Tim Hartung. Zadick was World Champion in 2006 after claiming both NCAA and Big Ten Championships. A four-time state champion in high school, he was twice a NCAA All-American. Olson is a former NCAA Division I Football coach and founder of the Coaches of Excellence Institute. A Minnesota native, he is also the author of the Legacy Builder Series. Hartung is one of the all-time greats in the history of Gopher Wrestling. He was J Robinson's first two-time NCAA Champion, and was a three-time Big Ten Champion. Also a three-time All-American, he was a member of the 2002 World Team. The Clinic is schedule to begin at 12:00 p.m. on Oct. 30, and registration is due by Oct. 27. For more information please contact Mack Reiter at reit0125@umn.edu or 612-626-7697.

The 3rd Annual Hudson River Fall Wrestling Clinic is set for Sunday, November 1 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Stevens Institute in Hoboken, New Jersey. The clinic will be followed by Stevens Institute team wrestle-offs at 4 p.m. Clinicians: Jerry Rinaldi, Two-time NCAA All-American at Cornell CJ Ettelson, Four-time Iowa state champ, four-time NCAA qualifier at UNI Max Meltzer, All-American at Harvard Matt Palmer, All-American at Columbia John Manarte, Stevens Assistant and NCAA qualifier at Hofstra Mike Clayton, Stevens Head Coach, 2008 NCAA Rookie Coach of the Year & NCAA qualifier at Navy The cost is $35 for wrestlers (includes free t-shirt) and free for parents and coaches.

Head coach Duane Goldman enters the his 18th season at the helm of the IU wrestling program with a large amount of ammo returning from last season's squad which finished 24th at the NCAA's. Seven former NCAA Qualifiers will don the Cream and Crimson for the 2009-10 season, including two big bullets in former All-Americans Angel Escobedo and Matt Coughlin. 125 POUNDS There is little doubt who will man the 125-lbs. slot for Indiana this season as three-time All-American and 2008 National Champion Angel Escobedo returns for his senior season. Following successful offseason surgery to repair his shoulder which forced him to wear a harness for much of last year, he looks to capture his second NCAA title in `10 and become the first four-time All-American in IU history. "Angel is really looking forward to his senior year," said Goldman. "He has a tough weight class coming back with the defending national champion returning, but he expects to regain his spot on top of the awards stand." Another fifth-year senior in Wesley Fike is prepared to fill-in at 125 pounds if needed. Fike has seen some action in the line-up at both 125 and 133 pounds, winning all three contests in the dual-match line-up. He was also the Hoosiers' 125-pound representative at last season's Las Vegas Open. Justin Brooks rounds out the 125-lbs. class. 133 POUNDS Redshirt sophomore Matt Ortega had a strong-hold on the 133-pound weight class a year ago and this season looks to be no different. Ortega, a four-time New Mexico state champion, is a bonus point-producing machine. Sixteen of his 23 wins garnered the extra points, including six major decisions and 10 pins. Geno Capezio provides quality depth in the weight class, coming off a 12-win redshirt season that saw him place in two tournmaments. "Matt gained a lot of starting experience as a freshman that should benefit him greatly this season," said Goldman. "Geno wrestled well in his redshirt competitions, and will really push Matt." 141 POUNDS This is arguably the most wide-open weight class for Indiana heading into the season. A three-man race comprising of freshmen Danny Monaco, Nick Viterisi and Max Ortega will battle it out for time in the line-up. Monaco and Viterisi are redshirt frosh while Ortega begins his first season on the Bloomington campus. Ortega is a five-time state champion from New Mexico and the younger brother of Matt Ortega. "We are going to be a little inexperienced at this weight in terms of varsity action," said Goldman. "But all three have extensive mat time competing in elite tournaments throughout their prep careers. We expect to be very competitive at 141, if not right away, then certainly down the line." 149 POUNDS Redshirt junior Alex Warren is expected to be at 149 pounds early on before fighting to keep his spot in the line-up once the 157-lbs. representative is decided. Warren has cracked the line-up before, winning five of six dual matches. "Alex has a lot of potential there having been an Indiana state champion," said Goldman. Sophomore Jacob Smith is also in the mix at 149 pounds. 157 POUNDS The talent crop at 157 pounds is plentiful, highlighted by the colossal clash between two-time NCAA qualifers Kurt Kinser and Matt Coughlin. Kinser's 18 pins in 2008 are the second most in school history while Coughlin made his way to the All-American stand in 2007, placing seventh at 149 lbs. Each will start the season at 157 lbs. with one dropping to 149 before Big Ten action begins. "They both need to find a way into the line-up," said Goldman. "There is no doubt that they are going to have to earn their way into the line-up this season. It's going to be interesting to see how it all shakes out." Coach Goldman has three additional 157-pound options at his disposal as well. Redshirt freshman Ryan Konz is expected to push the action in that weight while true freshmen Anthony Fretwell and Ross Powell provide increased depth. Konz is a very skilled wrestler out of Tennessee. Fretwell holds the national prep record for most pins in a single season with 68 falls. 165 POUNDS Paul Young cemented himself at 165 lbs. with his strong sophomore campaign a year ago. One of three Bloomington H.S. South products on the roster, Young was the Vito Maurici Leadership Award honoree last season and has flashed noticeable offseason improvements on the mat during early practices. "Paul has set some very high goals for himself," said Goldman. "He really wants to get himself in that All-America contingent, and he has the ability to do just that." Ryan LeBlanc, a top-50 recruit nationally, will like redshirt in 2009-10, but has the necessary skills to fill-in if something were to happen to Young. 174 POUNDS Trevor Perry is set for his fourth consecutive year as Indiana's starter at 174 pounds. He is a three-time NCAA Qualifier, reaching the round of 12 at last season's national tournament. Perry has racked up 24 pins and is tied for 10th on the all-time career pins list heading into his fourth and final season as a Hoosier. "Trevor was so close to stepping on that All-American stand last year, losing a tight match" said Goldman. "He is dedicated to capping off his senior year as an All-American." True freshman Bryce Grimes is an Indiana state runner-up and will join Perry at 174 lbs. 184 POUNDS Indiana's "Most Improved Wrestler" a year ago, Eric Cameron returns at the 184-pound weight class, a starting slot he earned late in the season and converted into a trip to the NCAA's after placing sixth at the Big Ten Championships. Fellow junior Nick Avery is going to challenge him for time in the line-up. Avery has pushed himself into the varsity line-up before and had some strong showings. "Cameron scored points at the NCAA's, and gained a lot of confidence from that experience," said Goldman. "The confidence boost has been a benefit to him this offseason and should help in his quest to succeed in 2010." "Nick is going to serve as strong competition for Eric. He has been a solid performer for us for years now. 197 POUNDS Redshirt sophomore Matt Powless is likely to serve as Indiana's 197-pounder. He showed the ability to compete with "the big boys" last season, defeating several NCAA Qualifiers. His biggest victory came against Purdue's Logan Brown in the waning seconds. His foe was not only ranked No. 13 nationally at the time, but Powless's win also clinched the team triumph over the Boilermakers. He will be joined at practice by Joe Fagiano, who is redshirting this season. Fagiano is a two-time NCAA Qualifier with 40 career wins in two years on his resume. "Matt has gotten much bigger in the offseason and comes in as a more bona fide 197-pounder after starting last year at 184 lbs.," said Goldman. "He will also benefit from having Fagiano in the wrestling room each and every day." True freshman Tanner Kriss, a state champion from Kansas, will likely redshirt. 285 POUNDS Indiana has a pair of senior heavyweights to choose from. Nate Everhart is the favorite to fill the heavyweight role. He is a two-time NCAA Qualifier and notched two wins over nationally-ranked opponents last season. Everhart's offseason workouts have paid off with a big increase in overall strength and muscle mass. Kuhn, meanwhile, is a very tall wrestler who has challenged for varsity spots before at both 197 and 285 pounds. The Indianapolis, Ind., native has competed in a total of 17 duals during his Hoosier career. "Nate is very anxious to get his senior season started," said Goldman. "His confidence level and the experience he has gained over the last couple years are coming to a head." "Justin has prepared himself well to have a good senior year on the mat. We feel very condifent that he could step in for Nate if needed." Columbus North High's Jowan Gill also tips the scales at 200-plus for IU, but is a redshirt candidate for the 2009-10 season.

IOWA CITY, IA -- The defending Big Ten and NCAA champion University of Iowa wrestling team has announced its schedule for the 2009-10 season. The Hawkeyes are set to host seven home events, including duals with 2009 NCAA runner-up Ohio State, perennial power Oklahoma State and Big Ten foe Penn State. Three of Iowa's duals, as well as competition from the Midlands and Big Ten Championships, are scheduled to be aired on the Big Ten Network. The Hawkeyes will also have five duals streamed live and on-demand at www.bigtennetwork.com. Iowa will open the season by hosting the six-team Iowa City Duals Friday, November 20 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. The Hawkeyes will face Coe at 10:30 a.m., Cornell College at 12 p.m., Iowa Lakes at 1:30 p.m., North Carolina-Pembroke at 3 p.m. and Southern Illinois-Edwardsville at 5 p.m. Two other duals will run simultaneously at 10:30, 12 and 1:30 in the round-robin event. The remainder of Iowa's home schedule includes intra-state rival Northern Iowa (Dec. 10, 7 p.m.), Oklahoma State (Jan. 16, 7 p.m.), Penn State (Jan. 29, 7 p.m.), Michigan State (Jan. 31, 6 p.m.), Northwestern (Feb. 12, 7 p.m.) and Ohio State (Feb. 19, 7 p.m.). The Oklahoma State dual will air Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. on the Big Ten Network, while the Ohio State dual will be aired taped-delay at 9:30 p.m. Feb. 19. Iowa's duals with Northern Iowa, Penn State, Michigan State and Northwestern will be streamed live and on-demand at www.bigtennetwork.com. The Hawkeyes will open the 2009-10 dual road season Nov. 27 at Bucknell, wrestling the Bison at 3 p.m. and Rutgers at 4:30 p.m. in Lewisburg, PA. Iowa will also face intra-state rival Iowa State (Dec. 6) in Ames before ending the calendar year at the Midlands Championships (Dec. 29-30) in Evanston, IL. The Hawkeyes have won the last two Midlands titles. The Big Ten Network will air part of the Midlands tournament Jan. 3 at 7 p.m. Iowa will start 2010 at the Cliff Keen/NWCA National Duals in Cedar Falls Jan. 9-10, looking for its third-straight team title at that event. The Hawkeyes' dual road schedule features Big Ten rivals Michigan (Jan. 22), Purdue (Jan. 24), Minnesota (Feb. 14) and Wisconsin (Feb. 21), as well as Utah Valley in Hawkeye senior Phillip Keddy's hometown of Vernal, UT, on Feb. 6. The 2010 Big Ten Championships are scheduled for Mar. 6-7 in Ann Arbor, MI, while the 2010 NCAA Championships will be held Mar. 18-20 in Omaha, NE. The Minnesota dual and portions of the Big Ten Championships will be aired live on the Big Ten Network, while the Wisconsin dual will be streamed live and on-demand at www.bigtennetwork.com. The Big Ten Network is now available to up to 73 million homes across North America through satellite providers such as DIRECTV, DISH Network and Shaw Direct (Canada), telco companies such as Verizon FiOS and AT&T U-Verse, and on cable in 19 of the nation’s top 20 media markets. Fans can find the channel specific to their area and provider by entering their zip code at www.bigtennetwork.com/channelfinder. Wrestling season tickets can be ordered from the UI Athletics Ticket Office, at (319) 335-9327, or online at www.hawkeyesports.com. Tickets are $60 for members of the public and $48 for UI faculty and staff. Single meet prices are $10 for adults and $5 for youth if purchased in advance for the UNI, Michigan State and Northwestern duals, and $13 for adults, $7 for youth and $2 for children ages five and under for the Oklahoma State, Penn State and Ohio State duals. The day of the meet tickets are $12 for adults and $6 for youth for the UNI, Michigan State and Northwestern duals, and $15 for adults, $8 for youth and $2 for children ages five and under for the Oklahoma State, Penn State and Ohio State duals.

Sean Dolan

What ever happened to UMD Wrestling? Tom YoungblomI had no idea when I asked that simple question that the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldog wrestling program would become a part of my life for the next two years. I was interviewing Tom Youngblom, Mora head wrestling coach, for a story about the Mustang wrestling program that would appear in The Guillotine later that year. We were talking about his days as a wrestler and he mentioned he wrestled for UMD in college. I knew UMD at one time had a wrestling program and innocently asked Youngblom the question that started this crazy journey. 'What ever happened to the UMD wrestling program?' His response was the first of many instances where I knew I had to tell this story. Youngblom simply said, "Now THAT would make a good story." I spent most of my college life at UMD. I met my wife while we were both living on campus. We try to go to the North Shore at least once a year and take our kids to visit the campus we both love. My wife and I both transferred to Saint Cloud State for our final year of school, but I have always told people 'I graduated from SCSU, but I went to college at UMD.' I love the city and the school. What I learned since I talked to Coach Youngblom broke my heart. When I was doing some early research for this story, I found plenty of information about what happened at UMD after the wrestling program ended, but very little about the program itself. What got lost in the fallout on the North Shore during the middle to late 1990's was the story of a remarkable program that succeeded despite having nearly every possible obstacle thrown in its way. For thirty years the Bulldog wrestling program conquered nearly every challenge -- until they finally met a foe even they could not defeat. This is the story of the University of Minnesota-Duluth wrestling program and how they changed UMD forever. The Bulldog wrestling program was founded as a club team in 1966. Some students approached former head football coach and athletic director Lloyd Peterson with the idea of starting a club team. Three years later UMD alumni Neil Ladsten was hired by the school to be the head wrestling coach and assistant football coach under head coach Jim Malosky. The year before Ladsten's arrival, the team managed only one win. In Ladsten's first two years the team went a combined 13-11-1. For such a young program, the Bulldogs were on their way. Neil LadstenThe rise to Division II prominence might have happened sooner, but Ladsten was drafted to fight in Vietnam. He enlisted and because of his position as a college teacher, he was put into a delayed entry program. From 1972-74 Ladsten was part of the Military Police and was stationed in Fort Carson Colorado. During that time he was able to take classes at the University of Denver and earn his masters degree. At the same time, the Bulldog wrestling program fell off the map. When Ladsten returned the program was in worse shape than the first time he took over. In two years without Ladsten, the program did not record a dual meet victory. After Ladsten returned, slowly but surely, the program improved. They improved even though Duluth is a hockey crazed area. Of the high schools in Duluth and the surrounding communities very few even have wrestling programs. UMD had little or no home grown talent. The community didn't know much about the sport and according to Ladsten didn't seem to want to learn. The program had no full-time assistant and had a limited budget. "Neil Ladsten had a tremendous wrestling program for not having any high school feeder programs," said former baseball coach and the only current UMD employee who agreed to talk to me, Scott Hanna. "Baseball had all kinds of feeder programs. Football, basketball -- everyone had that up here. You didn't have wrestling up here, yet he would have competitive teams every single year." "We never overspent our budget," said Ladsten. "We would sleep three or four kids to a motel room to save money," said Ladsten. Because of his football commitment and loyalty to Malosky and the football team Ladsten had a limited time to recruit athletes for wrestling. Spring football started during a peak wrestling recruiting time, and without an assistant Ladsten had to recruit on his own while honoring his football responsibilities. He would start each wrestling season later than other wrestling programs to stay with the football team, even though his contract allowed him to start earlier. Ladsten tried to get help from the administration with recruiting and opportunities to do more fund raising, but when he would go to the athletic department to ask for help he never got it. Somehow the program not only survived but it began to thrive. Seven years after he came back, Ladsten had built a conference champion. "We had a close knit group of kids," said Ladsten. "We were in it together." Over the next twelve years UMD would win five more conference championships, have over twenty Division II All-Americans and crown one national champion, Mike Hirschey, in 1987. For the outside observer, and the Bulldog wrestlers, during that time things appeared to have never been better for wrestling on the shores of Lake Superior. Behind the scenes however, things were starting to fall apart. Mike HirscheyThe beginning of the end started slowly for wrestling at UMD. Ironically, the first red flag was born out of Ladsten's desire to help UMD -- the school he graduated from, played football for and had worked for almost his entire adult life. UMD needed to upgrade its training facilities and Ladsten was given the opportunity to design a new athletic locker room as well as design and run a new weight room for the athletes. Ladsten took to the idea and even took the time to earn his strength and conditioning degree. In return, Ladsten asked UMD athletic director Ralph Romano if he could hire his wrestlers, through the work-study program, to supervise the room. He knew it would be a great recruiting tool to get athletes to wrestle in his program -- come to UMD and get paid to work and workout in a new weight room. Romano agreed and Ladsten went about helping the school get a new weight room together. The arrangement was working well for Ladsten and his wrestlers, but that would soon change. While talking to Ladsten and others who were involved in the wrestling program, everyone knew wrestling wasn't important to the athletic administration, but like Coach Youngblom said, "we (the wrestlers) didn't care because we were good." What was important were the two highest revenue and two highest profile programs -- football and at the time UMD's only Division I program, men's hockey. When Romano passed away in 1983 the university hired former UMD hockey player and product of the Iron Range, Bruce McLeod, to take over the athletic director job. McLeod's office was contacted a number of times for comment on this story, but McLeod never replied back. Ladsten and the wrestling program started to get pinched. The locker room Ladsten helped design was originally going to be for the wrestlers and the baseball team, but before long the football team had moved in and relegated the minor sports back to the old locker room. Then Ladsten was starting to get pressure from other coaches to get their kids in the weight room work study program. Soon Ladsten had lost control of who was working in the weight room and lost a great perk for his wrestlers. Even though the wrestlers were getting pushed further and further back by the athletic department, the real trouble -- for all parties involved -- was yet to come. The eventual divorce of UMD from wrestling was ultimately started between two long time co-workers and friends -- Ladsten and Malosky. Malosky's success and longevity -- he became the head coach in 1958 -- had made him sort of the Godfather in the UMD athletic department. Many people I talked to when doing research for this story claimed Malosky often times had more power over decisions than the athletic director -- especially after McLeod was hired. Ladsten played on both the offensive and defensive lines for Malosky's Bulldog football teams and was an All-Conference first team selection in 1967 and 1968. As a senior he served as one of the team captains. He had worked under Malosky as an assistant coach the entire time he was at UMD. Hanna was a freshman offensive lineman Ladsten's senior year. "Neil was a very good football player," said Hanna. "He was a real leader and a good player." In the early 1980's the Bulldogs had a great quarterback who started for three seasons. He was good enough to get a brief look in training camp with the National Football League's Dallas Cowboys. His name was Jim Malosky Jr. -- Head Coach Jim Malosky's son. After his NFL dreams died, Malosky Jr. came to work for his dad as a quarterback coach. Instead of earning the respect of the players, like the rest of the staff, Ladsten felt Malosky Jr. was getting respect by unsavory means. Basically Ladsten (and other coaches on the staff) felt Jim Jr. was getting his respect by making sure the players knew he had the undivided attention of the head coach. Feeling the younger Malosky had more power because of his dad, players felt forced to respect the coach because of an unnatural fear of playing time. Ladsten also felt Malosky Jr. was difficult to work with, was arrogant and was held up above other more experienced coaches by his father. None of this sat well with Ladsten, but to the outside world everyone was still able to get along. With Malosky senior nearing retirement, his son was being groomed to take over the head coaching duties. Ladsten, who had no desire to get the head job, felt more deserving coaches were going to be passed over and he felt there was little he could do about it. Ladsten knew he had no future -- and didn't want a future -- in football. His relationship with Malosky senior had deteriorated, and he could see where the program was headed. He wanted to get out of football to do away with what was becoming an increasingly difficult working environment. He wanted to concentrate on teaching, his responsibilities with the weight room and the wrestling team. Ladsten went to McLeod and explained what he wanted to do. McLeod said no -- Malosky wouldn't allow it. Ladsten then told McLeod about his assistant coach concerns regarding Jim Jr., but McLeod refused to do anything about it. Bruce McLeodNot able to get any help from McLeod, Ladsten went up the chain of command to McLeod's boss -- Greg Fox. He again asked to have a strength and conditioning coach to replace his football duties. Just like before, Fox and the UMD administration did nothing. Not able to get any help from his superiors, Ladsten asked to see the universities nepotism policy. The nepotism policy stated that no one could be hired to work directly under a family member, making the situation with the Maloskys against university policy. Fox heard about Ladsten's sudden interest in university policy and called McLeod, but one year later still nothing changed for Ladsten. Still without any help from his immediate superiors, Ladsten again went up the chain of command to the head of the school, university chancellor Dr. Lawrence Ianni. Ianni told Ladsten he was not the first coach to approach him about the football program and that he would find a way to get him out of football. Ianni also assured him that he need not worry about his future employment at UMD. They would find plenty of things for him to do after he left football. Ianni's promise could never be put into action because he was fired shortly after for incidences not involving the athletic programs. At the time, Ladsten was allowed to officially start his job as wrestling coach around October 15th, but with the football season still going he would stay with football for an extra week before he started his active wrestling duties. Feeling he was running out of options, Ladsten decided it was time to give his full attention to the wrestling team instead of putting it on the back burner until football wrapped up. When the first day of wrestling season came around that season, Ladsten left his football position -- when he was contractually allowed to -- and started in on the wrestling season. When Malosky found out, Ladsten said the head coach was irate. The tension between the two old friends finally had reached a boiling point. Ladsten and Malosky had a good old nose to nose no holds barred argument centered on Ladsten's commitment to the football team. Malosky questioned Ladsten's loyalty to the school and his program and told his assistant that Ladsten owed him because he hired him -- which wasn't true. After again stating his intention to get out of the football program, Ladsten said Malosky finished the argument by saying, "Okay, it's over for you. If that is the way you feel about it, it's over for you". "They maybe had a disagreement about the amount of time put in," said Hanna who in addition to being an assistant football coach, was also UMD's head baseball coach for years. "Ladsten would quit football to go with wrestling before football was over. I don't think Malosky liked that. He wanted him to finish it out. He thought that (Ladsten) didn't have his heart in it. He probably didn't -- his heart was in wrestling. Everybody knew that. It was unfortunate that we had to combine coaches like that. It just doesn't work that well. You've got your own sport and in your heart you want to make that go. I totally understand Neil's position on it." The argument did allow Ladsten to set up a meeting with Fox, who was temporally given the responsibilities of the chancellor until a permanent person was hired, McLeod, Malosky Sr. and himself to discuss getting his job description changed. After everyone laid out their case, Fox sided with Ladsten and told McLeod to change Ladsten's job description and not to touch his salary. Starting the next fall he would be teaching his classes, coaching wrestling and running the training facilities as the school's strength and conditioning coach. Finally Ladsten had been given his leave from football -- or so he thought. The following fall, Ladsten reported to campus ready to resume his duties as strength coach and wrestling coach. On the first day of fall football practice in 1994, while he was attending to his weight room duties, McLeod called him into his office. McLeod told Ladsten he was needed on the football field. Ladsten, obviously caught off-guard, went over the meeting they had had the previous year regarding his responsibilities for this season. McLeod wouldn't budge and told Ladsten that if he didn't report to the football field it would be grounds for dismissal. Ron McClureLadsten tried to call Fox to plead his case, but Fox was out of town and could not be reached. Close to retirement and all the benefits he had earned over his twenty plus years on staff at the school, Ladsten made yet another attempt to buy time and hope the administration would help him out. He went to the business manager at the school and immediately applied for and got a twenty percent leave of absence, with a twenty percent pay cut to cover the portion of his football coaching duties. Ladsten knew the leave of absence was only a one year fix. If he took another year, he would not be able to get his full-time status back. Temporally free from his football duties, Ladsten and the wrestling program had one of their best years. They had three national place winners including Ron McClure who placed second. By coincidence, the football team, who had designs on a conference championship, had its first losing season in many years. After the season wrapped up, Ladsten still had hopes that he would be allowed to stay at the school full-time, free of his football duties. Little did Ladsten know, behind the scenes, the stage was being set to axe the entire wrestling program. While Ladsten was away at a wrestling tournament that year, an off the record, off campus meeting took place at McLeod's home. At the meeting were McLeod, Malosky, men's basketball coach Dale Race and hockey coach Mike Sertich. The purpose of the meeting, which was against university policy because it was off campus, was to deal with the wrestling program. The four men knew Ladsten would have to leave if his pay was cut any more and decided the best way to get rid of him, was to cut one of the campuses most successful programs -- wrestling. The reason they came up with was budgetary problems. The official reason was that "wrestling was a burden on the budget". Over the years and previous to cutting wrestling, UMD has had to cut a number of programs. "They dropped swimming just before I came (to UMD)," said Hanna who now helps with fundraising for the school and is the head equipment manager. "They dropped skiing, they dropped men's tennis, and they dropped men's and women's golf." It was in fact true that UMD, like many collegiate athletic programs, could have used some financial help at the time. The costs with running athletic programs had increased dramatically since the 1970's. Wrestling was not a revenue producing sport and the hockey team -- the biggest revenue generator on campus -- had been struggling in recent years. The state government funds were not able to close the monetary gap. The money coming into the program -- on the books at least -- was not keeping up with the costs associated with a $3 million a year athletic budget. So the wheels were in motion to get rid of Ladsten and his wrestling program because the $65,000 a year budget -- less than three percent of the school's total -- was too much of a burden for the athletic department to shoulder. Tom LamphereAs the news came out that the program was being cut, UMD's athletic department thought it was in the clear and could finally rid itself of Ladsten. The one thing they did not see coming was the one thing they could not stop. They could not stop the UMD wrestling alumni and specifically Jim Paddock and Tom Lamphere. Paddock wrestled for Harding High School and was a walk-on at UMD. He became the Bulldogs first All-American wrestler in 1980. Lamphere wrestled at Robbinsdale-Cooper before enrolling at the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and joined the wrestling team. For two years Lamphere was behind an All-American so after his sophomore year, he transferred to UMD. Lamphere was an All-Conference selection his senior year. When word got around that the program was going to be cut, Paddock, Lamphere and about twenty other former Bulldog wrestlers and parents traveled up to the school to meet with the athletic department to see if they could help save the program. Paddock recalled the initial meeting with McLeod to discuss saving the program. "McLeod shook his finger at a room full of teachers, doctors, and other professionals and told us 'I'm going to do what I'm going to do. I'm not afraid of any of you in here,'" Paddock said of McLeod. "'Go ahead, bring it on. I don't care what you do, I don't care who you call. You can call anyone you want -- bring it on.'" Paddock's first reaction was to wonder why McLeod was angry. Paddock and McLeod had always been on good terms, so after the meeting, walking down the hall, Paddock asked McLeod if he could see the budget. Paddock said McLeod told him, "You know what? You can't have the budget." Lamphere mentioned another incident with McLeod. "We were in Bruce's (McLeod) office and I said 'If you have any skeletons in your closet they are going to get jerked out. I remember the expression on his face was very nervous and his knees started tapping on the desk underneath. I had no idea what was going to come out. I thought just some minor stuff." The athletic department's early stonewall of the alumni's attempts to save the program raised enough red flags for Paddock and Lamphere to feel the need to dive into the issue more deeply -- much more deeply. Although they didn't get the answers they were looking for from the administration, their concerns bought the program one more year. UMD told the alumni they will keep the program running one more season to give the alumni the chance to raise enough money to cover the entire wrestling program. It also gave Paddock and Lamphere a year to look into UMD's finances to find a way to permanently save the program. The wrestlers knew raising that much money was going to be impossible, but felt if they were able to look at the athletic department's budget, maybe they could find ways to cut corners and keep the program running. Because of UMD's unwillingness to help, Paddock went on his own to the state archives and to the telephone to attempt to piece together a wrestling budget. Early on in the search it became apparent that it was not just a budget issue. Paddock would find the information and Lamphere would crunch the numbers. Paddock pulled payroll statements, expense accounts, you name it, and Paddock and Lamphere looked at it. Paddock called around to UMD employees and soon found out that the people he talked to knew about a number of under the table deals that were going on. Gifts to coaches, missing tickets, questionable mileage reports, exorbitant cell phone bills, improper hiring practices and even coaches' salaries -- including Malosky Jr.'s -- that were off the university's books, were just the start. The employees were scared to tell their superiors about what they saw because they knew it would mean they would risk being fired. They were able to talk to Paddock because they knew their identity would remain secret. Once Paddock and Lamphere got going and started to get tipped off by anonymous employees, they started to find violations in seemingly every form. "All of the sudden," said Lamphere, "this didn't just become a wrestling thing; it became a whole bunch of stuff." At the center of much of the improper hiring practices was Malosky Jr. Not only was he one of the coaches being paid with money that was off the books, he didn't meet the minimum educational requirements (to coach for the University of Minnesota you need to have a college degree), and of course his hiring was against the school's nepotism policy. Football was not the only program with hiring issues. The women's basketball program had a brother working as an assistant to his sister. They found a pull tab operation called the Cloquet Connection that was supposed to be giving money to UMD that was being run illegally. They found donations that were meant to go to the wrestling program not being accounted for and not getting anywhere near the wrestling program. An assistant coach was given a $12,000 bonus from a fund raiser that was supposed to go to purchasing supplies for the department. Despite all those findings, the worst was yet to come. Jim PaddockWhen Lamphere and Paddock went to the UMD general counsel with their findings, they hoped the school would do what was necessary to clean up the problems. When the UMD administration weighed what the alumni had claimed to have found and what McLeod was claiming -- they took McLeod's side. Lamphere and Paddock told them if the administration didn't take their findings seriously, they would have to go to the press. "We really tried," said Lamphere, "we really tried in meetings with McLeod, with Fox and then with the main U to say there is a problem here, let's address it in house. They would not do it." "They got angry at us," said Paddock. "They got angry at Tom (Lamphere), they got angry at us for bringing these issues forward. They said we were renegades. We were rouges, because we were out to hurt the university and we didn't bring it to anybody (outside of the school). Then after they absolutely thumbed us and told us to get out of here, that's when we went to the press." "They were ready to play hard ball," said Lamphere. "Greg Fox said you better have a lot of money and a lot of time, because the University has deep pockets and they will stretch this thing out. The only thing that Jimmy (Paddock) and I had on our side was the truth." Eventually Star Tribune reporter Larry Oakes was contacted and spoke with the alumni. Oakes left that first meeting and told his editors that "if one third of what these guys are saying is true, we've got a story." After looking into the findings, he found out that everything Paddock and Lamphere claimed was true. This launched an investigation that uncovered more than anyone could have expected. The results of the investigation revealed money from every direction was getting funneled to hockey, football, basketball and McLeod's bank account. The most glaring misuse of funds was UMD's handling of tax payer money that was supposed to go to women's athletics. The State of Minnesota gave UMD over $5 million dollars of tax payer money over fifteen years to improve women's athletics. Paddock and Lamphere found out and the Star Tribune confirmed that most of it ended up supporting the hockey, football and men's basketball programs. According to the Star Tribune, in 1994 the state gave UMD over $600,000 to improve women's athletics. UMD's total women's athletic budget for the 1994-95 school year was just over $322,000. "(McLeod) had completely gutted it," said Paddock. "He paid hockey coaches out of it; he paid tutors out of it. He had paid for gifts and stuff out of it." Although the amount of money might not have been that much, two different sources of money, if handled the way they were intended would have made sure the wrestling program was not so much of a "burden on the budget" as originally claimed. Shortly after the conclusion of what would be the second to last (and what UMD had hoped would be the last) season of Bulldog wrestling, Ladsten and a couple of his senior wrestlers were invited to a banquet put on by a Duluth charity group called The Duluth Optimist Club. At the time the Optimists donated to many different groups around the Duluth area. Towards the end of the banquet, the Optimists were going over the minutes of the meeting and mentioned the monthly contribution of $800 dollars that was to go to the UMD wrestling program. Ladsten was shocked and embarrassed. He had never been told by the athletic department about the charitable contribution and never received the funds. Ladsten was in the uncomfortable position of trying to thank them for years of donations that he never received and therefore never bothered to thank the Optimists for. When word got around that the wrestling team was being cut and the alumni went to the administration to attempt to save the wrestling program, emotions were running high. New chancellor Kathryn Martin, who was also contacted more than once to comment on the story, but didn't respond, especially took offense to some of the comments that were thrown her way by the people supporting the wrestlers. Because of those comments, Martin said to the press, "I don't know why anyone would want to support a sport that has fans like that." As a lifelong wrestling fan, my first reaction -- after anger towards the Chancellor -- was to wonder who and to what she was referring to. When I found out who she was referring to, I was furious. Bob Labat was born in Marshal Minnesota and was a 1959 graduate of Saint John's University in Collegeville. While in college, one of his roommates wrestled for the Jonnies and sparked an interest in the sport for Labat. After moving to Wayzata with his wife to start a family, the Labat's raised four boys: Paul, Tim, David and Patrick. Labat and his boys got interested in wrestling and never let up. The Labat boys got involved in the Minnesota Wrestling Federation, and competed in freestyle competitions. The boys and their father also got involved in AAU wrestling programs when the boys were young. Bob was so involved he helped merge the AAU and MWF and became involved in U.S. Olympic wrestling and what would become the predecessor to the Minnesota Storm. Labat's real passion was watching his sons wrestle. Paul and Tim both would go on to make it to State and then went on to wrestle in college. Paul wrestled at his father's alma mater -- Saint John's. After a high school career that saw him make two state tournaments, Tim wrestled at Willmar Community College for two years before enrolling at UMD in 1984. In 1985 while Tim was at UMD Paul was killed in a hunting accident. Bob wanted to do something to honor his son so he raised money in his son's name to help the SJU wrestling program. He set up a fund in his son's name to continually contribute to the program. The original principle was not going to be touched and the interest earned would be split -- some would go to the wrestling program and some would go back into the principle to continue to grow the fund. Each year SJU would provide the Labat's with mailings thanking them for their contribution and updating them on the funds status and where the money was being spent. They would ask for Labat's input on how to handle the money. To this day, the fund is alive and well and helping to support, among other things, the wrestling program. Tim Labat"Tim ended up not going back (to UMD) at the start of his senior year because of Paul's death," said Labat. "Patrick, my youngest son, and Tim were really close. (Patrick) was having a really hard time with Paul's death, so Tim stayed home that fall to be close to Patrick. Unfortunately, in late October of 1986, Tim got on his motorcycle to ride up to Saint John's to see his brother David who was a freshman up there." On his way to campus, Tim was hit by a semi truck and was killed instantly -- ten months after Paul passed away. By his own admission, at this time Bob was a basket case. Who could blame him? He had lost two sons in less than a year. Despite that, he wanted to honor Tim the same way he honored Paul -- with a donation to help his son's wrestling program. Through fundraisers and donations the Labat family was able to donate nearly $10,000 dollars to start the fund. The money was given over to UMD. "In order for people to get a tax write-off as a charitable contribution this was being handled through the athletic department at UMD and from a financial standpoint McLeod was handling the fund." "When Timmy died," said his father, "I just thought it would work the same way (as the Saint John's fund). I really didn't do any double checking." "I was a basket case. I had two sons die ten months apart. When Timmy's death occurred it was a devastating blow. I really could have cared less if someone did something or not. I left it up to the school. It was a tough, tough time for me." "I don't think I ever got a single acknowledgment from UMD on that fund. I never had any official acknowledgment or a statement on how much it was or how it was used, but I never doubted that any school would not handle the funds given to them in a less than proper fashion." One group that did handle Tim Labat's death in the proper fashion was his teammates. Teammates from UMD and Willmar dedicated the season to him. Tim's former roommate and UMD wrestler Mike Hirschey honored his deceased friend. "Mike was a real good high school wrestler," said Labat. "He didn't do well up there (at UMD) his junior year at all. He just never got going. With Tim's death," Labat continued, "Mike dedicated his senior year to be a champ for UMD and by God he was. I will never forget it. He called me at home the night before he wrestled in the National finals and told me 'I just want to let you know I am wearing Timmy's shorts out to the championship match that I am going to win for him. He called me again ten or fifteen minutes after the championship match to tell me he won the National championship." When word of the wrestling program's demise surfaced, one of the people involved early was Bob Labat. He thought the memorial fund he had set up was active and earning interest each year. "When I found out the program was going to be canceled," said Labat, "that's when I started to get concerned. I wanted those funds to be used to prevent the program from being canceled, but there was not a proper accounting of the fund. I thought the $6000 or so dollars (initially) would have been earning 5% for about 300 bucks, what's that going to do? So I thought use whatever is there and keep the program going. We can always start a (new) memorial fund for Tim; we don't need a fund for him. We need (the money) to keep the program going." The school claimed the fund had $13,000 dollars in it. In reality, the fund should have had $25,000 dollars in it. Labat's continued questioning of the administration finally helped the true amount of the fund come to light. When UMD could not come up with a way to document where the money had gone, Labat was upset. In a meeting that did not involve Martin, Lamphere said Labat made his point very clear that if his son's funds were not looked into, Labat would "be very angry." Lamphere said Labat basically said he was coming after Martin's job. "Everyone in that room knew what an emotional father was saying about his dead son" said Lamphere. "Could have Bob used better words? Sure, but with an emotional father I am not going to start scrambling over words when you are dealing with such a deep issue. For Kathryn Martin to turn around and start telling people that the wrestlers are physically threatening her was just not correct. Jimmy Paddock had to get an attorney; I had to send a letter saying this didn't happen." When word got back to Martin, she went to the press and used Labat's comments to feed the notion that the wrestlers were just a bunch of disgruntled people. If anyone had a reason to be disgruntled, it was Ladsten. UMD had been trying to get him to resign and after the final season of wrestling, Ladsten was expecting to be let go, but if Ladsten was able to finish the year, he would qualify for something called the Rule of 75. It is a benchmark for teachers at public universities to qualify for retirement benefits. The basic rule then was, once a teacher's age and time served at his or her place of employment equal 75 they qualify for retirement benefits. Lamphere was told by Fox that they were going to fire Ladsten. "I don't think I would do it right now," Lamphere told Fox. "You are going to have a big lawsuit on your hands, cutting him loose a year before he reaches the Rule of 75. So they kept Neil on for an extra year, but it was a brutal year for him." According to Ladsten they didn't let him go because they wanted to be able to fire him for cause. "They were trying to peg things -- like illegal use of the copy machines on me," said Ladsten. "They were trying to schedule meetings and not tell me so I purposely wouldn't show up and be derelict of my duty. So then when I terminate I won't get my severance benefits." Ladsten had hired an attorney to oversee his final days and to make sure when he was told something by the administration they would have to follow through. His attorney sent a letter to the administration telling them to give his client an answer on his employment status one way or another. Even though the wrestling team was gone, the school offered to take Ladsten back full-time. Ladsten had stayed through everything because he didn't want to abandon his wrestlers. After being repeatedly "stabbed in the back" by the administration, once he saw there was no hope for his wrestlers anymore he walked into McLeod's office and asked that the severance package he was offered originally be put back on the table. Two days later, the papers had been signed and after twenty-seven years as an employee and four more as a student, Ladsten walked off of the UMD campus and has never returned. Even with Ladstan and wrestling gone, the story for McLeod and UMD was far from over. Most damning for McLeod was not that the money from Minnesota taxpayers and from private donors to the school was getting funneled into the coffers of football, boy's basketball and hockey instead of women's programs. It was also revealed that McLeod was diverting funds from the athletic budget into his own bank account. The investigation revealed he had stolen at least $18,000 over a period of years and used it for his own benefit. He signed a statement for the county admitting he took the funds. He was forced to pay back the money and was placed into a diversion program that stated if he kept his nose clean for a period of time, he would not have to receive any additional punishment. When the indictment came down, the University was finally forced to fire McLeod. Unbelievably, two things occurred. At the press conference when he stepped down, most of the UMD athletic department still stood behind McLeod. More amazingly, over the previous couple of years, in addition to his duties at UMD, McLeod was the head of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, the conference that UMD, is associated with. When word of the guilty plea came down, the board kept him on as the leader and face of the WCHA. "(McLeod) had a lot of friends at UMD," said Hanna. "He had a lot of friends in academia at UMD." "The Board looked the other way," said Oakes. "I remember them telling me 'we never saw any evidence that he would do that to the WCHA.' Board members reacted like the charges were dropped -- they were going away. They were not dropped. He was given the diversion option." Oakes continued, "They (the Board) believed Bruce. They chose not to internalize it. They basically sent the message that (the WCHA) doesn't mind being led by a man who admitted taking $18,000. That's okay with us. What's eighteen grand between friends? If I took my hand and shaped it like a gun and I walked into Super America, put it in my coat and said, 'give me everything in the till -- let's say there is $600 -- and I walked out with it. I would go to prison if they caught me. Stealing $18,000 -- that's okay? Instead of a gun (McLeod) did it with a pen. He took it not from a private business -- he took it from a bunch of sports fans, tax payers and kids." In McLeod's case, it pays to have powerful friends -- that is what this whole thing seemed to come down to. Almost to a man, everyone I interviewed -- Martin and McLeod never returned any of the numerous emails I sent them asking for help on this story -- said that the Duluth area was very protective of their sports programs. They take pride in what they have accomplished and they take pride in those who have become successful from the area. McLeod was an Iron Range kid who played for UMD and was well liked in the community. "I knew," said Labat, "if we try to prosecute this in Saint Louis county, we are not even going to get to first base. The Saint Louis county people are going to protect their own. UMD is their crown jewel up there. They are not going to do anything to cause a negative outlook on the university." Malosky was one of the most successful Division II football coaches in history. When Malosky and McLeod spoke, people wanted to believe them. Even when it was proven that they had made mistakes and in McLeod's case, criminal mistakes (more than what is mentioned here), they looked the other way and continued to protect, as Oakes put it, "the sacred cow" that was UMD athletics. This also was a story of fear. Many people knew about the illegalities that were occurring in the athletic department, but until Ladsten started to ask questions, it was kept hidden. "Neil Ladsten, I believe," said Lamphere, "lost his job because he started to stand up and say there is something wrong here. When he went to Greg Fox and said 'I need to show you the truth', Greg did not want to look at it. Well what happened to Neil? He was fired. What happens is when people see that happening, somebody standing up for the truth, and they are fired, they say, I'm not going to do that. I can't lose my job. Where else am I going to get a job in Duluth? And so everyone was quiet. That was the thing -- Jimmy and I had nothing to lose. They had never dealt with that before." Even today, there is a fear of McLeod by people in athletics. I spoke to a former UMD coach who will remain nameless, about McLeod. The former UMD coach said to me, "I do have to be careful. I am in athletics right now. Mr. McLeod is the commissioner of the WCHA. I just have to be really careful because my whole life and career is still in athletics." It would be foolish of me to conclude that the demise of the wrestling program was because of any one person. The mismanagement of the funds UMD did have, played a big role in dropping wrestling, but rising costs and shrinking revenue were no doubt part of the reason wrestling was dropped at UMD. Even without the problems Ladsten had with the administration ,wrestling might have been doomed. Hanna and the other former UMD coach both told me eventually a decision had to be made. Did the school want to keep more programs and have them all struggle financially or did they want a smaller number of teams who financially would be able to thrive? I am not going to argue with that logic. I can see both sides to that argument. What everyone at UMD is still unwilling to admit -- something Ladsten, Paddock and Lamphere all told me would happen -- was the investigation and the work the wrestlers did to expose the illegalities was brushed aside by UMD. They claim these changes were coming anyway. As hard as I find that to believe, the change -- if made -- would have been superficial. They were not about to change the culture of the athletic department unless someone made them. I have been asked more than once if I thought UMD would ever get wrestling back. I have to laugh when I am asked that question. I believe as long as Chancellor Martin is in charge, wrestling will never be a part of UMD athletics. She was thrown into this hornets nest early in her time as Chancellor and decided to believe what ended up being the wrong side. Her first reaction to the aggressive tactics used by Paddock and Lamphere was to try to marginalize them and paint them as disgruntled renegades. Jerry HoyI believe things got personal on both sides and enough bad blood remains that the scar will never heal. Lamphere's daughter, after this whole episode ended, was a college student at UMD. Lamphere has been trying to get on the UMD alumni mailing list to get updates on the school, and despite repeated attempts, has never been sent one piece of mail. Despite all the success on the mat Ladsten and his wrestlers had, only two wrestlers are in the UMD Hall of Fame. The first, Jerry Hoy, was inducted just as the scandal was coming about and the second, McClure, was elected into the Hall last year. The timing was too much of a coincidence for Ladsten. The former coach and the administration had not contacted each other once since Ladsten's departure almost fifteen years ago. Shortly after I sent my first email to UMD asking about the wrestling program, Ladsten received a call asking about McClure and his records. Ladsten thinks UMD needed to act fast and get another wrestler into the Hall in advance of this story and because they destroyed virtually everything associated with the wrestling program they needed McClure's information and records. With all the history behind Ladsten and UMD the chances of Coach Ladsten getting into UMD's Hall of Fame are about as good as mine, but that has not stopped others from recognizing his contribution to the sport. In a unanimous vote, the Minnesota wing of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame has voted him in for the Class of 2009. He will be inducted this spring. For UMD this story is sad in many ways, but I kept coming back to two points I still cannot understand. The first was how easily the school could have avoided all the scandals, but like Paddock said to me the first time I talked to him, "stupidity and ignorance go hand in hand". At so many points, all anyone in the UMD athletic department had to do was realize the easiest course of action would have been to keep the wrestling program and allow Ladsten to get out of the football program. At the very least it would have made for a more peaceful coaching staff, and it would have prevented the alumni investigation. Even though Malosky Jr.'s imperfect resume might have been exposed to the people inside UMD, without the investigation Malosky Jr. would likely have been the head football coach following in his father's publicaly untarnished footsteps. McLeod would still have been the athletic director (and would still have the $18,000) to go with his duties with the WCHA. Instead, the belief that they could ride it out gave the school its biggest black eye. How Bruce McLeod survived this scandal is the second point I just don't understand. Despite admitting to stealing taxpayer money -- money that was supposed to help kids -- he still leads one of the most powerful conferences in NCAA hockey. The WCHA as an organization has decided repeatedly that they are okay having an admitted felon lead their organization. The members of the WCHA are okay having someone who admitted to stealing -- essentially from them -- at least $18,000. They are fine with a leader who oversaw a program that was out of control and did nothing to slow it down and in fact contributed to the corruption. On the other hand, as Lamphere said, they were not able to save the wrestling program, but they were able to force UMD to make positive changes. They were changes that UMD might have been forced to make eventually anyway, but the wrestlers accelerated the process. Kathryn MartinOne of the positive aspects to this story is the money that was supposed to go to women's athletics eventually got there. Funding for women's programs across the board at UMD have improved and have given the women in those programs, more opportunities to pursue their dreams. One of the things Paddock and Lamphere went after was the need to get an equivalent Division I women's program started to balance out the men's hockey team under Title IX. Paddock filed a complaint with the Office of Civil Rights stating that UMD needed an equivalent Division I women's program to off-set the men's team. Originally Martin, who has decided to retire at the end of the 2009-10 school year, went on record saying that UMD will never have a women's DI hockey team. The complaint forced the administration to start the formation of the team. UMD's women's hockey team has won multiple national championships and is consistently one of the best in the country. I wish the Bulldog wrestling program still existed so that there would be that many more spots for kids to continue with their wrestling careers. I wish it still existed for kids like Tim Labat. "Timmy would have never gone to college if it hadn't been for wrestling," said his father. "He had dyslexia; he had other learning disability problems. If it hadn't been for wrestling, he never would have gone to three years of college. It was a classic example of a sport that had a great impact on a young man. He loved the sport and the people that he met in the sport." I wish it still existed for Coach Ladsten and his wrestlers who, against all odds, built a program that competed year in and year out at or near the top of Division II wrestling. In the end it became something bigger than it ever could have been had it stayed in existence. Although the school will not admit it, the program they tried so hard to kill lives on. It lives on every time young kids play on the soccer fields that were built with the money recovered from the Optimists and the Labat fund. It lives on every time a young woman is given a scholarship to get an education and compete on a team for the University of Minnesota-Duluth. The Bulldog wrestling program lives on with every women's hockey championship that UMD wins. "Somewhere there is a little girl," said Lamphere, "strapping up her skates that is going to have a chance to play DI hockey at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. If it wasn't for Jimmy Paddock, doing what he did, this wouldn't have happened." By the way, Paddock and Lamphere, those disgruntled renegades UMD has cast as the bad guys in all of this -- are an assistant principal, and a sports chaplin for the Athletes in Action organization. What ever happened to the UMD wrestling program? Regardless of how hard Minnesota-Duluth tries to erase it from memory, they cannot. Because of what it has helped create, the UMD wrestling program will live on -- forever. This story also appears in the October 16 issue of The Guillotine.

The Journeymen/ASICS Sprawl & Brawl College Wrestling Duals (Binghamton University) and The Northeast Collegiate Wrestling Duals (Hudson Valley Community College - Troy NY) are slated to take place November 22 and November 28 2009 respectively. Nearly 1/3 of all D-I NCAA College wrestling teams will be competing in NY State within a 6-day period. Nationally ranked teams in 7th annual The Journeymen/ASICS Northeast Collegiate Wrestling Duals: Nebraska, Maryland, C Michigan, Virginia, Lehigh, American University, Hofstra and Penn Former local talent are on various rosters and could see mat time: Nate Graham (Ravena – Bloomsburg) Mike Chaires (CBA – Virginia) Matt Cubillos (Guilderland – Virginia) Zach Clemente (LaSalle – Virginia) Austin Meys (Shen – Lehigh) Matt Kaylor (Burnt Hills – Binghamton) Brandon Lapp (Maple Hill – Sacred Heart) Ed Gavin (Corinth - Sacred Heart) Ben Krakower (Albany Academy/Blair - American) Ken Altrac (LaSalle/Appalachian State) Pat Popolizio (Niskayuna/Binghamton - Coach) Andy Seras (Niskayuna/Binghamton – Coach) Carl Fronhofer (Salem/Columbia – Coach) Entertainment – Lehigh’s Pep Band, Breeze team Break dancing, Music, Special appearance by UFC legend Randy Couture. Tickets $20 Nationally ranked teams in the 3rd annual Journeymen/ASICS Sprawl & Brawl College Wrestling Duals: Illinois, Penn St, Edinboro, Northern Iowa, Wyoming and Michigan State. Former section IV residents participating : JP O’Connor - Harvard (NCAA All American - Athlete) Donnie Vinson - Binghamton Garrett Morabito - Binghamton Brad Penrith - Northern Iowa (Coach) Joe Privitere - Davidson College (Coach) Tickets $15 Come witness wrestling greatness – Right in our own backyard.