InterMat Staff

It’s been over two weeks since InterMat has updated the Transfer Tracker and there has still been plenty of action in the transfer portal. Just a day after our last update, Iowa added a pair of All-Americans from North Dakota State. Though the window for entry in the portal has temporarily closed, there are still lots of talented wrestlers in the portal or who have recently made decisions on where to transfer. Here is the updated list of wrestlers who have transferred into DI institutions for the 2023-24 season. There are some notables (Cody Chittum) who loosely may be called transfers, they were not enrolled at their previous institution, merely training under a wrestling club or RTC. That is a reason why he is not listed for Iowa State. Arizona State Chance McLane (Oklahoma State) Bloomsburg Harrison Levans (West Virginia) Kordell Waiter (Lackawanna CC) Buffalo Caleb Brooks (Northern Illinois) Eric Tigue (Niagara CC) California Baptist Darren Green (Wyoming) Dayne Morton (Nebraska) Justin Phillips (Virginia) Eli Sheeran (Buffalo) Cal Poly Michael Goldfeder (North Carolina) Chance Lamer (Michigan) Clarion Alejandro Herrera-Rondon (Oklahoma) Tye Varndall (Edinboro) CSU Bakersfield Guillermo Escobedo (Wyoming) Drexel Ibrahim Ameer (Cloud CC) Shane Whitney (Camden CC) Franklin & Marshall Eric Howe (George Mason) George Mason Brandon Wittenberg (Virginia Tech) Hofstra Keaton Kluever (Minnesota) Joe Russo (Nassau CC) Illinois Charlie Heydorn (Ohio) Tony Madrigal (Oklahoma) Indiana Danny Fongaro (Columbia) Roman Rogotzke (South Dakota State) Iowa Michael Caliendo (North Dakota State) Joey Cruz (Oklahoma) Jared Franek (North Dakota State) Victor Voinovich (Oklahoma State) Iowa State Will Feldkamp (Clarion) Garrett Grice (Virginia) Lehigh Hunter Mays (Rider) Little Rock Michael Gasper (Clackamas CC) Cole Minnick (Buffalo) Lock Haven Wyatt Henson (Oklahoma) Long Island Christopher Betancourt (Mt. San Antonio CC) Bo DiJulius (Edinboro) Brayden Roberts (West Virginia) Maryland Seth Nevills (Penn State) Michigan Chris Cannon (Northwestern) Lucas Davison (Northwestern) Michael DeAugustino (Northwestern) Shane Griffith (Stanford) Morgan State Khalid Brinkley (Presbyterian) Nebraska Owen Pentz (North Dakota State) Caleb Smith (Appalachian State) North Dakota State Devon Dawson (Pratt CC) Northern Colorado Manzona Bryant (Lehigh) Adam Busiello (Nassau CC) Travis Mastrogiovanni (Oklahoma State) Noah Pettigrew (North Carolina) Northern Illinois Tommy Curran (NC State) Northern Iowa Jack Thomsen (South Dakota State) Northwestern Patrick Adams (Buffalo) Oklahoma Cael Carlson (Minnesota) Giuseppe Hoose (Buffalo) Jace Koelzer (Northern Colorado) Mannix Morgan (North Dakota State) Juan Mora (North Dakota State) DJ Parker (North Dakota State) Oklahoma State Tagen Jamison (Minnesota) Mirzo Khayitov (Ellsworth CC) Izzak Olejnik (Northern Illinois) Troy Spratley (Minnesota) Oregon State Victor Jacinto (Clackamas CC) Boone McDermott (Rutgers) Brett Mower (Iowa Western) Steele Starren (Clackamas CC) Penn State Kurt McHenry (Michigan) Mitchell Mesenbrink (California Baptist) Aaron Nagao (Minnesota) Bernie Truax (Cal Poly) Pittsburgh Finn Solomon (NC State) Purdue Joey Milano (NC State) Marcos Polanco (Minnesota) James Rowley (Wisconsin) Rider Kyle Davis (George Mason) Mason Lynch (Kent State) Enrique Munguia (Kent State) Rutgers Jacob Butler (Oklahoma) Mitch Moore (Oklahoma) Yaraslau Slavikouski (Harvard) Stanford Dom LaJoie (Cornell) The Citadel Jeffrey Boyd (West Virginia) Virginia Ryan Catka (Navy) Sammie Hayes (Northwestern) West Virginia Jett Strickenberger (NW Kansas Tech) Wisconsin Isaac Klarkowski (Rice - Football) Shane Liegel (Loras) Max Maylor (Michigan) Luke Mechler (Oklahoma State) Wyoming Cooper Birdwell (Oklahoma State) Ethan Ducca (Edinboro) Stockton O’Brien (Utah Valley) David Saenz (Mt. San Antonio CC) Gabe Willochell (Edinboro)

University

We’ve done a lot of talking about recruiting lately, most of it is related to the incoming freshmen from the Class of 2023. Today we’re looking back in time. Year-by-year to see which recruiting classes have produced the most national champions, going back to 2001. As you can guess, the extra year of eligibility has resulted in star wrestlers staying in college longer than in the past, resulting in the dearth of champions from the most recent graduating classes. 2001 Ben Cherrington (Boise State) Joe Dubuque (Indiana) Nate Gallick (Iowa State) Travis Lee (Cornell) Troy Letters (Lehigh) Steve Mocco (Iowa/Oklahoma State) Jake Rosholt (Oklahoma State) Shane Webster (Oregon) 2002 Ben Askren (Missouri) Zack Esposito (Oklahoma State) Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State) Cole Konrad (Minnesota) Derek Moore (UC Davis) Trent Paulson (Iowa State) Matt Valenti (Penn) Teyon Ware (Oklahoma) 2003 Phil Davis (Penn State) Keith Gavin (Pittsburgh) Josh Glenn (American) Jake Herbert (Northwestern) Mark Perry (Iowa) 2004 Paul Donahoe (Nebraska/Edinboro) Dustin Fox (Northwestern) J Jaggers (Ohio State) Jarrod King (Oklahoma/Edinboro) Jordan Leen (Cornell) Steve Luke (Michigan) Coleman Scott (Oklahoma State) 2005 Max Askren (Missouri) Jay Borschel (Virginia Tech/Iowa) Mark Ellis (Missouri) Angel Escobedo (Indiana) Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) Franklin Gomez (Michigan State) Brent Metcalf (Virginia Tech/Iowa) Jayson Ness (Minnesota) Troy Nickerson (Cornell) Mike Pucillo (Ohio State) Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) Jake Varner (Iowa State) David Zabriskie (Iowa State) 2006 Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) Darrion Caldwell (NC State) Bubba Jenkins (Penn State/Arizona State) JP O’Connor (Harvard) Jon Reader (Iowa State) Anthony Robles (Arizona State) 2007 Dustin Kilgore (Kent State) Frank Molinaro (Penn State) Zach Rey (Lehigh) Kellen Russell (Michigan) Cam Simaz (Cornell) 2008 Steve Bosak (Cornell) Matt Brown (Iowa State/Penn State) Andrew Howe (Wisconsin/Oklahoma) Matt McDonough (Iowa) Jordan Oliver (Oklahoma State) Quentin Wright (Penn State) 2009 Kyle Dake (Cornell) Kendric Maple (Oklahoma) Tony Nelson (Minnesota) Chris Perry (Oklahoma State) Tony Ramos (Iowa) Ed Ruth (Penn State) Derek St. John (Iowa) David Taylor (Penn State) 2010 Jesse Delgado (Cal Poly/Illinois) Kyven Gadson (Iowa State) Drake Houdashelt (Missouri) Logan Stieber (Ohio State) 2011 Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) Alex Dieringer (Oklahoma State) Nahshon Garrett (Cornell) Nick Gwiazdowski (Binghamton/NC State) Nico Megaludis (Penn State) 2012 Cory Clark (Iowa) Gabe Dean (Cornell) Jason Tsirtsis (Northwestern/Arizona State) 2013 Anthony Ashnault (Rutgers) J’den Cox (Missouri) Darian Cruz (Lehigh) Dean Heil (Oklahoma State) Mike Macchiavello (NC State) Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) Zain Retherford (Penn State) Nate Tomasello (Ohio State) 2014 Anthony Cassar (Penn State) Drew Foster (Northern Iowa) Seth Gross (Iowa/South Dakota State/Wisconsin) Bo Nickal (Penn State) Jason Nolf (Penn State) Kyle Snyder (Ohio State) 2015 Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) Myles Martin (Ohio State) Zahid Valencia (Arizona State) 2016 Ryan Deakin (Northwestern) Max Dean (Cornell/Penn State) Mark Hall (Penn State) Nick Suriano (Penn State/Rutgers/Michigan) 2017 Vito Arujau (Cornell) Nino Bonaccorsi (Pittsburgh) Yianni Diakomihalis (Cornell) Nick Lee (Penn State) Spencer Lee (Iowa) Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) Austin O’Connor (North Carolina) 2018 Roman Bravo-Young (Penn State) Aaron Brooks (Penn State) David Carr (Iowa State) Patrick Glory (Princeton) Shane Griffith (Stanford) Mason Parris (Michigan) Gable Steveson (Minnesota) 2019 Andrew Alirez (Northern Colorado) Carter Starocci (Penn State) 2020 AJ Ferrari (Oklahoma State) Keegan O’Toole (Missouri)

Completing a career in college wrestling is an incredible mental and physical feat that prepares these athletes for all types of challenges that they will face after graduation. While many grads will never step on the mat as a competitor again, some will continue on to challenge for World and Olympic Championships or continue their career in coaching. Others will enter the business world, relying on the work ethic and perseverance they learned through countless hours on the mat. There are a select few who have branched into a new sport after completing their wrestling career. We are going to take a look at the alternate athletic careers that a few ACC wrestling alumni have pursued since graduating. Jacob Kasper after winning the 2018 Southern Scuffle; photo courtesy of Sam Janicki; SJanickiPhoto.com Jacob Kasper: WWE NXT Julius Creed/Creed Brothers Duke * ACC Champion * 2x All-American (6,4) * 3x NCAA Qualifier Kasper left his name in the Duke record books and has left a lasting legacy with the program; a legacy Kasper is proud of after receiving very few opportunities out of high school. He was a two-time Ohio state placer but didn’t have many options collegiately. “I didn’t have any big results, and I grew late in my high school career, so I didn’t really stand out to many schools,” said Kasper, “but I knew I wanted to wrestle in college so I took the initiative to recruit myself.” Kasper sent out emails to programs across the country, but it was two ACC coaches who expressed the most interest; Glen Lanham at Duke and Pat Popolizio at NC State. “I really clicked with both of them, and I had the opportunity to wrestle for both (Popolizo at the Wolfpack RTC). They are two men who I really respect.” Ultimately, Kasper felt that Duke was the better fit for him and he made the move to Durham, becoming the first in his family to leave Ohio for college. He started his career in Durham at 184 lbs and made an impression as soon as he got on campus. “I was beating everyone else in the room, and I was the only person scoring points on (Conner) Hartmamn. Once coach saw that, he made it clear that I wasn’t redshirting”. His freshman season was a major adjustment; he started the year 5-0 before stumbling a bit in dual competition. He ended the year at 16-16 and went 1-2 at the ACC tournament. Kasper struggled with the adjustment to life at college and away from his family; he considered transferring to be closer to home. Kasper spent some time back in Ohio after the year and made the decision to commit to his journey at Duke and to do whatever it took for him to make his mark. “I knew I was destined for bigger things, but there was some suffering I had to do to get there.” His sophomore season saw improvement; he ended the season at 25-12 and qualified for the NCAA tournament after an ACC runner-up finish. Kasper took a redshirt year and put on the size to move up to heavyweight where he excelled for his final two seasons. He went 30-6, capturing a Southern Scuffle title--a first for Duke--before his second ACC finals appearance, where he fell to Ty Walz. He had a great run at the NCAA tournament, capturing his first All-American honors with a sixth-place finish. He had an even more impressive senior year, earning an ACC title and setting a Duke record with 38 wins on the year. He entered the NCAA tournament with a lot of hype and settled for fourth after falling to Kyle Snyder in the semifinals. The most impressive aspect of that weekend was fighting through an excruciating flare-up of his Crohn's Disease during the tournament, a testament to the mental toughness of Kasper. “We always watched wrestling growing up and my brother (Drew) and I would spend hours copying what we saw and wrestling at the house.” Kasper’s connection with WWF/WWE wrestling is one that many of us (including me) had growing up. He watched regularly when he was in elementary school then his interest faded away during middle school and early in high school. “My interest got rekindled by one of my coaches who spent time in OVW (Ohio Valley Wrestling)”. Stories of his time with pro wrestlers like John Cena, Brock Lesnar, and Shelton Benjamin drew Kasper back in; seeing Cena wearing a Lexington Wrestling t-shirt during a WWE show helped Kasper visualize himself in the spotlight at Wrestlemania and holding court in the squared circle. It was a chance interaction with a legend that set Kasper on his path to the WWE. Kasper was watching Kyle Snyder wrestle in the Olympics when he saw a tweet from WWE Hall-of-Famer Gerald Brisco about looking for heavyweight talent for the WWE. “I jumped on and immediately replied that ‘I’m way better looking, charismatic, faster, and more athletic than them.” He reached out to me and told me he’d be keeping an eye on me.” Brisco made good on his word, watching Kasper win his first Southern Scuffle title from the stands in Chattanooga, and seeing him knock off Denzel Dejournette in a dual against Appalachian State. The attention from WWE scouts coincided well with Kasper’s rise in the rankings at heavyweight and capturing his first All-American honor. “Knowing that they were watching, I really made an effort to put on a show every match and I really played it up any time I was on camera.” After graduation, Kasper went to Orlando for a WWE tryout and was offered a developmental contract with NXT. “I had committed to coaching at Duke for that season, so they allowed me to delay my start. When I got the itch to make a run at the 2020 Olympics they were supportive.” When the 2020 games were canceled due to COVID, Kasper took it as a sign that it was time for him to commit to making a run at WWE stardom. Since making that commitment, Kasper has made a big impression on the WWE world. He is known by the name Julius Creed and competes as a tag team with his brother Drew (Brutus Creed) as part of the Diamond Mine. Both Jacob and Drew wrestled collegiately and have taken that skill set to NXT. They both do a phenomenal job blending their wrestling skill with some incredible athleticism that is fun to watch, even if you aren’t a fan of professional wrestling. They have been competing on the NXT circuit but there are some indications that they will be moving up to the main roster soon. “It’s been a thrill. We’ve had some success, but we are looking at what we haven't done yet.” In their time in NXT, they have held the NXT Tag Team Championship belt as well as winning the Dusty Cup. “I see the titles at the next level that I want. We are in the earning it phase now and when that opportunity comes for RAW and Wrestlemania, we will be ready for it.” Cory Daniel during an ACC dual with Virginia; photo courtesy of Chapelboro.com Cory Daniel: Rugby Team USA Old Glory DC UNC * 2x ACC Finalist * 3x NCAA Qualifier Cory Daniel chose UNC over Maryland, Old Dominion, and American after a strong prep career in Maryland. He was a two-time state champ and had a decorated Greco resume before heading to Chapel Hill. Daniel struggled his first two years in the adjustment to college wrestling, but in his sophomore season, he made big strides, culminating in his first trip to the NCAA tournament. Daniel had a breakthrough season in his junior year, finishing the season at 24-9. He was an ACC runner-up, losing to All-American Demetrius Thomas of Pitt, and made his second trip to the NCAA tournament. His final season in Chapel Hill was very similar; he finished the season at 22-11 and was again in the ACC finals, this time falling to All-American Jacob Kasper. He finished his time at UNC as a three-time NCAA qualifier with a 64-36 record over his final three seasons. “When I finished my wrestling career, I knew I wasn’t done competing, but I didn’t know what it was going to be in,” said Daniel about starting his transition from wrestling. Daniel was a decorated football player in high school, and entertained playing in college before deciding on wrestling. “I figured football was the path to go, so we (Coach Tony Ramos) made a plan for training for that path.” Because he didn’t play in college, he would have to wait for open combines the following season. Coach Ramos had a different idea--what about rugby? “Tony brought up the idea of trying out rugby, so I figured I could give it a shot”. Ramos had a connection through Dan Payne, an All-American at Clarion, who was the CEO of Rugby North America. Daniel attended the North American Rugby Combine for a week in the summer of 2019. “They liked what they saw in terms of raw skill and I got offered the chance to attend a four-month academy that fall." The academy was incredibly successful for Daniel; several pro teams were giving him looks; ultimately Old Glory DC offered him a contract. “I thought it was a great opportunity. Not only do I get an offer to play professionally, I get to go back home and play in front of my family and friends”. Daniel has been praised for his work ethic, which he attributes to years on the mat, and has been a quick learner in his transition to a new sport. He has held a starting spot for Old Glory DC since 2021, though he was out this season rehabbing from shoulder surgery. He has also played for Team USA XV’s in multiple tournaments, including the qualifying games for the Rugby World Cup. “There is a lot of crossover between the two sports; all my time spent wrestling has definitely helped with my development in rugby”, said Daniel. He noted that one of the biggest differences is the team aspect of rugby compared to the individual nature of wrestling (NRL is 15 v 15). He identified several ways in which his wrestling experience has paid off in rugby. “The continuity of the game is a lot like a match, there is a great mix of attack and defense. For me, tackling has been a big strength, a good rugby tackle is a double-leg takedown.” Daniel spoke highly of his time with Old Glory and his experience thus far as a professional rugby player; in the past two seasons, he has had the opportunity to play with his brother Brady, who wrestled at Arizona State. He also delivers a great recruiting pitch for other wrestlers making the transition to rugby. “You already have a great base of skill for the sport, and the work ethic you develop from wrestling will easily carry you through rugby training. There are a lot of opportunities in the sport, both domestically and internationally. I’ve had the chance to play in multiple countries already.” Though slightly ironic as he rehabs a shoulder injury, Daniel emphasized that rugby has been easier on his body than wrestling and that it can lead to a longer career opportunity with less contact and wear and tear on the body. “The transition is easier for wrestlers than people coming from other sports. The best advice I can give, is to take it for what it is, and to learn every time you are on the pitch.” Max Rohskopf at the 2016 NWCA All-Star Classic; photo courtesy of Mark Lundy; LutteLens.com Max Rohskopf: MMA NC State * ACC Champ * 2x NCAA Qualifier If it weren’t for a strong nudge from his good friend Jacob Kasper, Max Rohskopf wouldn’t have been a college wrestler. “I didn’t think that it was an option for me, so I never really looked at that path,” said Rohskopf. After placing in the Ohio State Championships as a Junior, he spent the off-season in a back brace to address a stress fracture in his back. It was a preseason tournament, the Michigan Grappler Fall Classic, and a conversation with the Kasper family that set the wheels in motion. “I didn’t expect a lot from that tournament, I hadn’t been on the mat or trained since the previous season.” Though he had low expectations, he ran through a tough weight class to win the prestigious preseason tournament. “I beat state champs and top-20 guys nationally; on the way back home we talked about Jacob’s recruiting experience and what I could do to make wrestling in college a reality”. Much like Kasper, Rohskopf emailed a bevy of head coaches; most of whom never responded. One who did respond was Pat Popolizio who was at the beginning of his successful tenure in Raleigh. Rohskopf mentioned that he saved this email and will look back at it from time to time as a reminder of what he accomplished after people doubted him. Kasper and Rohskopf both agreed that the structure and rules of the Wolfpack program would be exactly what he needed to be successful. Once in Raleigh, Coach Popolizio kept Max on a short leash and had very clear expectations, both academically and on the mat. “I never intended to go to college, so it was a challenge to even get in. I had a strict schedule for classes and tutoring to make sure I was able to keep my grades where they had to be…I never failed a class, that was an accomplishment for me.” Rohskopf had a successful run in Raleigh, but was plagued by a lingering shoulder injury that ultimately ended his career early. “I hurt my shoulder really early on in my time at NC State and it made me wrestle a completely different style than I did in high school. I never felt confident that my shoulder would stay in when taking a shot, so I relied heavily on my skills on top.” Rohskopf bounced between weights throughout his time in Raleigh. He wrestled at 149, 157 and 165 his freshman year before taking the starting spot at 165 for the postseason. He entered his sophomore season at 165 and put together a solid 25-15 season, qualifying for his first NCAA tournament where he went 1-2 with losses to Alex Dieringer and Michael Moreno. Rohskopf made his breakthrough during his junior year; he picked up wins over several wrestlers who had beaten him previously and knocked off a top-ten Austin Wilson in their dual against Nebraska. Rohskopf only had one loss at 165 in the regular season, to All-American Daniel Lewis (He also dropped a decision to Kyle Crutchmer at 174). He continued his momentum through the ACC tournament, capturing the title with wins over AA David McFadden and John-Michael Staudenmayer. He entered the NCAA tournament as the fifth seed with high expectations…then the bottom fell out. “I was in a bad mental space and it showed on the mat”. With the high expectations coming in, he went 1-2 and was bounced from the NCAA tournament earlier than anyone expected. “I made two big decisions going into my senior year--I was having shoulder surgery and I was dropping to 157”. He had off-season surgery to repair the shoulder, but rushed back to accept an invite to the NWCA All-Star Classic to wrestle Brian Murphy. “I was at least 2 months early to come back, but I’m a hard-nosed stupid hillbilly…it was in Cleveland and I knew I could beat this guy without training”. On that note, he was correct, he pinned Murphy in the All-Star match to kick off his senior season at 157. That season, however, would be short-lived. He started off 3-0 before reinjuring the shoulder. “The shoulder didn’t feel right coming back, and with cutting weight I was in a bad mental space. In retrospect, I should have used a redshirt, but I already knew I was going to MMA and I didn’t want to risk more injury”. With that decision, his career at NC State came to a close and he moved to a new chapter in the world of MMA. During his time in Raleigh, he spent time training boxing and BJJ every summer. “It was actually Pat’s idea for me to look into MMA and he was supportive of it.” He moved from Raleigh to Wilmington to train. After competing in a BJJ tournament in Vegas, he immediately packed up and moved out to Sin City to train at Xtreme Couture under Robert Follis. He had one amateur fight, a first-round TKO win, before making his pro debut, which he won by submission in the second round. His journey through MMA has been a roller coaster full of wild ups and downs. It has seen him progress through the lower-level organizations with an unblemished record before a loss in his UFC debut; another story all in itself. After being released from the UFC he rebounded with two wins in the Cage Warrior organization before being signed by Bellator. He lost in his Bellator debut to move his pro record to 7-2 with his next fight scheduled for August. Rohskopf notes that a lot of his success in MMA can be attributed to his wrestling career. “I’ve trained with the best in the world and that’s where my confidence comes from”, he states. “Top position is huge in the cage, that was always my strength on the mat and it has helped me a lot in fights.” Five of his wins are by submission, and four of those are by rear naked choke--so clearly all that riding time has paid off. He also stated that his time spent wrestling has helped ease the transition. “Training for fights is much easier than my D1 experience…and it’s much easier to get a takedown off punches than a handfight.” Wrestlers have seen immense success in the MMA world at all levels of organizations, and Rohskopf encourages more wrestlers to enter the cage.

Center Grove

“It's like, ‘Hey man, what's this dude gonna do to you?’ I'm like, take me down, lace me. That's it. Like, my mom and dad still gonna love me. My wife still loves me, my kids gonna love me […] So yeah, I think just have fun with wrestling,” That was Dom Bradley, who has been wrestling on the Senior level since 2008. Bradley sits back in an office chair with a Mizzou Wrestling Big 12 Champs shirt, having just been pulled away from teaching at Mizzou’s Tiger Style summer camp. In 2023, Bradley competed in his 12th U.S. Open since 2008. That doesn’t include four Senior Nationals in pre-Olympic years to make it 16 altogether. His Senior level wrestling started as a high school senior, placing eighth at the 2008 U.S. Open. As his international career was kicking off, Bradley was also one of the top heavyweights in the country as a three-time state champ for Blue Springs High School in Kansas City, MO. Despite his ranking and expectations, however, Bradley came off a redshirt in 2008 only to find himself in a lineup battle for the next two years. Fellow KCMO heavyweight Mark Ellis and Bradley went back and forth, with Ellis winning the starting spot and becoming the first Mizzou heavyweight to win a national title in 2009, followed by an All-American finish in 2010. Bradley didn’t sit idly by, however, as he dominated his way to a Junior (U20) World Championship in 2009, only giving up points in one period. “I could sit there and complain about Mark Ellis being a starter or I could just go wrestle the next big tournament.” Bradley said. “I just wrestled as hard as I could.” He also made the World Team Trials for the first time, making the National team with a third-place finish. In 2010, Bradley finished third at the World Team Trials to make the National team for a second time. That tournament saw one of his career favorite outcomes: sweeping the first two periods to beat the legendary Tommy Rowlands. “He was my favorite wrestler growing up,” Bradley said. “A three-time NCAA finalist, two-time NCAA champ.” Outside of Kyle Snyder, Bradley has beaten every heavyweight national champ since 2009. Through all of that, Bradley still had years of eligibility for the Tigers. After Ellis’ graduation in 2010, Bradley in the starting spot was a two-time All-American in 2011 and 2013, with an Olympic redshirt in 2012. In that same time, he had another third-place finish at the 2011 World Team Trials, was a two-time University Nationals finalist, won the Dave Schultz International tournament, and won his first U.S. Open in 2013. Dom Bradley at the 2013 US Open; Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com The 2013 U.S. Open was a monumental one, as he beat Olympic medalist Tervel Dlagnev, and world team members Zach Rey and Nick Gwiazdowski. That momentum came to a screeching halt, however, as an eighth-month suspension hit after a positive test for methylhexaneamine. A quick Google search for this drug reveals it listed as a stimulant, commonly found in over-the-counter supplements and not always listed on the label ingredient list. When asked about it, Bradley had one thing to say, “Don’t take pre-workout.” After a fourth-place finish at the 2013 NCAA’s as the top seed, he was devastated. “We were just working out on spring break cause I didn’t know if I was gonna wrestle yet,” Bradley said. The suspension not only affected his freestyle aspirations, but coaching opportunities as a new graduate. “I turned down four coaching jobs right before that. [...] I failed the drug test and everybody’s just done.” The setback didn’t keep him down for long however, as Bradley went on to spend time at Iowa State and Nebraska’s RTCs as an athlete before returning to Mizzou in 2019 as a volunteer assistant coach. He stayed active domestically throughout, with two Pan-American championships and eight finishes in the top three in the U.S. Open and World Team Trials from 2014-2019. On top of that, he placed 3rd at the 2016 Olympic Trials and won Senior Nationals in 2015 and 2019. Bradley described his goal in competing to be explosive, and finding ways to go through and around fellow heavyweights. However, his intense, competitive style has been misconstrued previously. One story, in particular, garnered a lot of attention for Bradley. At the 2019 Senior Nationals semifinals, Bradley squared off against the recent NCAA champ Anthony Cassar. With under a minute left in the match, Bradley led 5-2. During a double leg attempt from Cassar, he came down holding his left shoulder. The same shoulder had kept Cassar from competing for two years at Penn State. The match ended, and Bradley shook his opponent's hand off the mat before storming back to get his own hand raised and shouting “Grown ass man strength right there!” While many took that as a celebration, Bradley said it was directed at a media member who had said that Cassar would tech fall him in the tournament. That prediction didn’t sit well with Bradley, who in his career at that point had only been teched by Steve Mocco, Tervel Dlagnev, and Tommy Rowlands. Bradley said, “I’m a nice guy. A lot of people think I’m an asshole or they think I try to hurt people. I’ve never, never tried to hurt somebody. My parents raise me to be like that. They raised me to compete hard, have fun.” The longevity and competitiveness of his career have also had a significant impact on his coaching. He’s been pivotal in the development of Mizzou’s most recent heavyweight All-American, Zach Elam. Going into this year’s US Open he convinced the Tiger’s two-time NCAA champ Keegan O’Toole to compete with him instead of going on spring break. That led to O’Toole finishing 3rd to make his first Senior National team and represent the United States at the upcoming U23 World Championships. Bradley discussed how results have become less important to him over the years. Instead, he focuses on himself as an individual and his coaching. “In five years nobody’s gonna care about it,” Bradley said. “They’re gonna be like, ‘Was this guy a good person or a good coach or did he care about me?’ [...] That’s me. I wanna be a better coach.” Despite being one of the older competitors on the senior level, Bradley has continued to find success. Since 2020, the only tournament he hasn’t placed in is the 2020 Olympic Trials. But in that time, he’s finished top-five at two Senior Nationals, three World Team Trials, and two U.S. Opens. He even won his third Pan-American title while representing the United States in May 2023. “Wrestling’s really, really hard,” Bradley says. “I want people to realize that you’re gonna have fun wrestling too.” After an hour of talking about a career that spans almost four Olympic cycles and is filled with highs and lows, Bradley leaves his office and heads straight back to the mat, this time to return to the youth wrestlers at camp ready to learn. Dom Bradley at the 2023 Southern Scuffle with Cam Steed; Photo courtesy of Tony Rotundo; WrestlersAreWarriors.com

Good morning, Jagamaniacs. I hope you’re all still here after a brief hiatus. A Jagger June Swoon if you will. But fear not! We have some questions and we have some answers. Jagger is back on the bowl with you! Let’s get to it! Every year the question begins to float around that USAW should move Fargo to a different location. If you had it your way, where would you move the U16/U20 National Championship? Christian Olanowski Are they trying to give Jason Bryant a heart attack? The man moved from beautiful Virginia to cold Minnesota just to get that Fargo vibe all year. I can’t say I’m privy to the nuances of the Fargo experience, but I can’t see why it’s worth moving. I get that it’s a bit far but it’s kind of equally far for everyone. It’s also in the dead of Summer so going as far north as possible isn’t the worst idea. Also, it’s more than just a location. It’s a brand. It’s Fargo. In wrestling, everyone knows what that means. To start referring to it as Dallas or Topeka wouldn’t have the same feel in my opinion. But, if they were to move, I do think somewhere near Austin, Texas would be a good location. Basically due south from Fargo on the southern part of the Country. It doesn’t really make travel any worse for all the East and Western states while still maintaining a centralized location in the Union. It also couldn’t hurt to build interest in the sport amongst the people of Texas, which is a state that should be a monster, but isn’t. The biggest pro in all this would be the production that Flo could provide by having it in their backyard. That being said, let’s keep it in Fargo because JB told me he doesn’t want to do the Austin Almanac. What is one dream matchup, in your hometown, that might get you to venture into a large crowd? Mat Jerms Media That’s easy. Give me the best college version of Zain Retherford and Jason Nolf at the same weight. I really need to know who was better. Three years together and the only blemish in dual meets was one Nolf injury default in a highly entertaining and highly aggressive dual against Rutgers in 2018. Cael even got out of his seat a few times because it was so exciting. But I’m getting away from the point here. College Zain and College Nolf. That’s my dream matchup. I also wouldn’t turn down Kyle Snyder and Gable Steveson. John Foster just had a heart attack reading that. Speaking of Jason Nolf... Will Nolf head for a different setting after his loss to Dake? Seems like a change in scenery might help? Steven Ruhf This has been a question ever since Kyle Dake took his talents to Happy Valley. I simply don’t think it will happen. Sure, you’re the number two guy in the land and your club brought in the number one guy. But if the number one guy came to your club to get better, then I can’t see somewhere else being able to make you better than him. It’s a bit of an awkward situation, but I'm under the impression that 2024 will be the last hurrah for the Dakes and Taylors of the world anyway. If so, you only have one more year of your main competition in the room before you ascend to that spot. I don’t think Jason has hit his freestyle prime yet and that peak may just coincide with the post-Dake era and maybe a couple World Titles for the Courteous Killer from Kittanning. How does comrade Jagger feel about the entire Ferrari family of vehicle and wrestling operations moving to Iowa City? Fred Bear Bulldog You sure do have a way with words, my friend. You want my opinion on the Ferrari/Iowa angle? I have many but I’ll keep it at this, they’re not going to change for anyone. Not for you, not for me, not for John Smith, and not for the Iowa fanbase. When they win, which they do plenty of, they're gonna let you know they won. You can do that when you win. Some walk off the mat quietly and some have a six-part celebration routine. Some fans prefer the former and other fans prefer the latter. All fans prefer winning so those who will benefit probably won’t be bothered that much by it. As far as off-the-mat stuff, if there are issues, then I assume it will just take care of itself. They’re exceptional wrestlers. Some are going to love them and some are going to hate them. They know that and they don't care. I’ll just sit back and enjoy the show and you should, too. Now that you are an international criminal and likely on the Interpol watch list, will this have any effect on the Jagger Bag and will the Bronx Attorney represent you at the Hague? Jkos11 Why do you think I haven’t done a mailbag in two weeks? Had to keep a low profile after one of my German Jagoffs complained that I said they cut off Kendall Roy’s head in the first five minutes of the Succession finale. Luckily, my esteemed lawyer, Will Forrero, aka The Bronx Attorney, was able to prove that it was just a bit by displaying multiple tweets as evidence that I’ve claimed many heads were removed in various shows and movies that didn’t actually happen. Once the judge realized they did not cut Luigi’s head in the first five minutes of the Mario movie, she threw the case out and now I have returned. I’ll tell you whose head they did cut off in the first five minutes, the friggin’ New York Mets. Ruined my entire summer.

On Tuesday, USA Wrestling announced the lineup for the men’s freestyle team at the U23 World Championships which will be held in Tampere, Finland in late-October. The U23 roster isn’t as simple as the winners of the U23 World Team Trials, held early this month in Geneva, Ohio. If a member of the Senior National team qualifies age-wise and wants the spot, it belongs to them. So there was some level of uncertainty as to who would be representing the red, white, and blue. As it turns out, our 2023 team is extremely stacked! It has the potential to be perhaps the best ever since the division was rebranded in 2017. As of now, the standard is last year’s squad which brought home five medals (two silvers and two bronzes). The 2023 team has a decent amount of international experience combined with potential from some newcomers. Here are some key freestyle credentials from the members of the 2023 team, along with a reminder of what our past teams have achieved at this tournament. 57 kg - Cooper Flynn (Virginia Tech) 2023 US Open 5th Place; 2022 WTT U20 Runner-Up, 2022 US Open U20 5th Place, 2x Fargo Junior All-American (3rd, 7th), 2021 UWW Junior 4th Place 61 kg - Julian Chlebove (Arizona State) 65 kg - Brock Hardy (Nebraska) 2017 Fargo Junior 7th Place, 2x Fargo Cadet All-American (1st, 2nd) 70 kg - Sammy Sasso (Ohio State) 2023 US Open Runner-Up, 2022 US Open 5th Place, 2019 WTT Junior Runner-Up, 2019 US Open Junior Champion, 2017 Fargo Junior 5th Place, 2x Fargo Cadet All-American (2nd, 1st) 74 kg - Keegan O’Toole (Missouri) 2023 US Open 3rd Place, 2021 U20 World Champion, 2x UWW Junior Champion, 2x Fargo Junior All-American (3rd, 1st) 79 kg - Dustin Plott (Oklahoma State) 2x U23 WTT Champion, 2x UWW Junior All-American (2nd, 3rd), 2x US Open Junior Placewinner (2nd, 3rd), 2x Fargo Junior Runner-Up 86 kg - Aaron Brooks (Penn State) 2023 US Open Champion, 2019 Senior National 6th Place, 2019 Junior World Team Member, 2018 Junior World Silver Medalist, 2017 Cadet World Champion 92 kg - Jacob Cardenas (Cornell) 2022 U23 World Bronze Medalist, 2x U23 WTT Champion, 2019 UWW Junior 6th Place, 2018 UWW Cadet 5th Place 97 kg - Isaac Trumble (NC State) 2x US Open Runner-Up, 2021 Senior National 5th Place, 2021 UWW Junior 6th Place, 2019 Fargo Junior 4th Place 125 kg - Wyatt Hendrickson (Air Force) 2023 World Team Trials Challenge Tournament 4th Place, 2023 US Open 4th Place, 2021 U20 World 5th Place, 2019 US Open Junior 6th Place, 2018 Fargo Junior 3rd Place 2022 Team 57 kg - Vito Arujau (10th) 61 kg - Aaron Nagao (5th) 65 kg - Cole Matthews (11th) 70 kg - Yahya Thomas (5th) 74 kg - David Carr (11th) 79 kg - Carter Starocci (Bronze) 86 kg - Trent Hidlay (Silver) 92 kg - Jacob Cardenas (Silver) 97 kg - Tanner Sloan (Silver) 125 kg - Tony Cassioppi (Bronze) Medal Count: 5; 3 Silver, 2 Bronze 2021 Team 57 kg - Patrick Glory (13th) 61 kg - Chris Cannon (5th) 65 kg - Dom Demas (10th) 70 kg - Brock Mauller (16th) 74 kg - Peyton Robb (11th) 79 kg - Jake Marsh (13th) 86 kg - Myles Wilson (12th) 92 kg - Nino Bonaccorsi (10th) 97 kg - Jay Aiello (Bronze) 125 kg - Tony Cassioppi (Gold) Medal Count: 2; 1 Gold; 1 Bronze 2019 Team 57 kg - Gabe Townsell (13th) 61 kg - Chas Tucker (15th) 65 kg - Jaydin Eierman (8th) 70 kg - Alec Pantaleo (9th) 74 kg - Brady Berge (19th) 79 kg - Muhamed McBryde (5th) 86 kg - Max Dean (19th) 92 kg - Bo Nickal (Gold) 97 kg - Chase Singletary (10th) 125 kg - Greg Kerkvliet (5th) Medal Count: 1; 1 Gold 2018 Team 57 kg - Jack Mueller (5th) 61 kg - Sean Fausz (Silver) 65 kg - Colton McCrystal (7th) 70 kg - Hayden Hidlay (9th) 74 kg - Alex Smythe (18th) 79 kg - David McFadden (7th) 86 kg - Myles Martin (11th) 92 kg - Christian Brunner (10th) 97 kg - Kollin Moore (Silver) 125 kg - Youssif Hemida (Silver) Medal Count: 3; 3 Silver 2017 Team 57 kg - Daton Fix (19th) 61 kg - Mitch McKee (10th) 65 kg - Joey McKenna (Bronze) 70 kg - Richie Lewis (Gold) 74 kg - Isaiah Martinez (5th) 86 kg - Sam Brooks (17th) 97 kg - Ty Walz (Bronze) 125 kg - Michael Kroells (17th) Medal Count: 3; 1 Gold, 2 Bronze

Two weeks ago marked the release of our recruiting class rankings and last week we followed those up with five schools that earned honorable mentions. So, we’re all finished with the Class of 2023 recruiting? Not quite. Starting last Wednesday, we’ve drilled down a bit and looked further into each conference for more recruiting information. With some of the traditional superpowers consistently atop national recruiting rankings, this will be a way for more schools to get recognized for their recruiting efforts. Before getting to the Big 12, here are links to the conferences already covered: ACC EIWA MAC Pac-12 Big 12 on the 2023 Big Board Air Force: #104 Jackson Dewald (Westwood, IA), #107 Josh Palacio (North Bergen, NJ), #127 Brian Burburjia (Countryside, FL), #154 Soren Herzog (Simley, MN), #188 Josh Cordio (Nashoba, MA), #198 Myles Johnson (Springboro, OH) California Baptist: #136 Erik McCown (Palm Desert, CA), #147 Max Acciardi (Paramus Catholic, NJ), #159 Mitch Neiner (South Kitsap, WA), #193 Carter Schubert (Wyoming Seminary, PA) Iowa State: #27 Tate Naaktgeboren (Linn-Mar, IA), #88 McCrae Hagarty (Waverly-Shell Rock, IA), Cody Chittum (Tennessee) Missouri: #74 Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, MO), #168 David Cross (O’Fallon, MO) North Dakota State: #99 Luke Barker (Dodge City, KS), #132 Markell Cain-Rivera (Ironwood, AZ), #139 Boeden Greenley (Lisbon, ND), #156 Zane Licht (Lodi, WI), #178 Adam Cherne (Wayzata, MN), #187 Amantee Mills (Stone Mountain, GA) Northern Iowa: #68 CJ Walrath (Keokuk, IA), #86 Nick Fox (Osage, IA) Oklahoma: #54 KJ Evans (Heritage Hall, OK) Oklahoma State: #2 Christian Carroll (Elkhart, IN), #5 Brayden Thompson (Lockport, IL), #8 Cael Hughes (Stillwater, OK), #48 AJ Heeg (Stillwater, OK), #68 Jersey Robb (Bixby, OK) South Dakota State: #77 Tommy Dineen (Hancock, MN), #81 Colin Dupill (Greenville, TN) Utah Valley: #155 Q’Velli Quintanilla (University, WA) West Virginia: #32 Ty Watters (West Allegheny, PA) Wyoming: #55 Joey Novak (New Prague, MN), #71 Sloan Swan (Clovis, CA), #95 Riley Davis (Amarillo, TX), #135 Brayden Sonnentag (Cadott, WI), #150 Cole Brooks (Owasso, OK) The Class of 2023 has 37 Big Board’ers headed to the Big 12, which is a bit of a drop from the 2022 number. The drop is understandable as Oklahoma had an additional four, but lost them during their lengthy coaching search. Northern Colorado didn’t have any, because of the youth on their current roster; while Iowa State and Missouri, had smaller classes after signing huge groups in 2022. The conference (or Oklahoma State) did have three top-ten recruits, all of which are headed to Stillwater. Iowa State also signed Cody Chittum who was at one time the top wrestler in the class before reclassifying. Top Transfers California Baptist: Justin Phillips (via Virginia), Eli Sheeren (via Buffalo) Iowa State: Will Feldkamp (via Clarion), Garrett Grice (via Virginia) North Dakota State: Devon Dawson (via Pratt CC) Northern Colorado: Manzona Bryant (via Lehigh), Adam Busiello (via Nassau CC), Travis Mastrogiovanni (via Oklahoma State) Northern Iowa: Jack Thomsen (via South Dakota State) Oklahoma: Cael Carlson (via Minnesota), Giuseppe Hoose (via Buffalo), Jace Koelzer (via Northern Colorado), Juan Mora (via North Dakota State), DJ Parker (via North Dakota State) Oklahoma State: Tagen Jamison (via Minnesota), Izzak Olejnik (via Northern Illinois), Troy Spratley (via Minnesota) West Virginia: Jett Strickenberger (via NW Kansas Tech) Wyoming: Gabe Willochell (via Edinboro) The Big 12 was very active in the transfer portal. Two 2023 All-Americans transferred into the conference with the addition of Will Feldkamp (Iowa State) and Izzak Olejnik (Oklahoma State). Coaching changes at North Dakota State and Oklahoma led to plenty of wrestlers leaving, but they also picked up their fair share. Northern Colorado was one of the more active teams in the portal, they brought in three wrestlers that were originally on the Big Board of their respective graduating classes, so they have some potential to break out. Under-the-Radar Signees Air Force: Trason Oehme (Brandon Valley, SD) California Baptist: Kaiser Simpson (Cushing, OK) Iowa State: Thomas Freking (Jackson County Central, MN) Missouri: Jarrett Stoner (Rockwell, TX) North Dakota State: Michael Olsen (Albert Lea, MN) Northern Iowa: Garrett Rinken (Nashua-Plainfield, IA) Oklahoma: Nick LaMorte (Rocky Point, NY) Oklahoma State: Jeremy Manibog (Katy, TX) South Dakota State: Riggin Boger (South Summit, UT) Utah Valley: Kayd Craig (Gooding, ID) West Virginia: Luke Eschenheimer (Cascia Hall, OK) Wyoming: Lane Catlin (Thunder Basin, WY) Big 12 Recruiting Rankings 1. Oklahoma State (1st nationally) See InterMat’s Recruiting Rankings article for more information 2. Iowa State (10th nationally) See InterMat’s Recruiting Rankings article for more information 3. Wyoming (16th nationally) See InterMat’s Recruiting Rankings article for more information 4. North Dakota State (22nd nationally) See InterMat’s Recruiting Rankings article for more information 5. Air Force (23rd nationally) See InterMat’s Recruiting Rankings article for more information 6. South Dakota State (Honorable Mention) See InterMat’s Recruiting Honorable Mentions article for more information 7. California Baptist (Honorable Mention) See InterMat’s Recruiting Honorable Mentions article for more information 8. Northern Iowa Recruits: Nick Fox (Osage, IA), Brandon Paez (Lisbon, IA), Garrett Rinken (Nashua-Plainfield, IA), CJ Walrath (Keokuk, IA) Transfer: Jack Thomsen (South Dakota State) UNI was probably the hardest omission from the national rankings and honorable mentions. They don’t have a huge class, but a pair of Big Boarder’s led the way. Those two had plenty of national-level credentials, as Nick Fox placed at Fargo on three occasions, while CJ Walrath made the top-eight at the Super 32 twice. The other two high schoolers, Brandon Paez and Garrett Rinken, both were 1A state champions in 2023. That fits the profile that Doug Schwab’s staff has established on the recruiting trail. More often than not, the Panthers sign hard-nosed, small-school studs. 9. West Virginia Recruits: Erick Brothers (Wheeling Park, WV), Garhett Dickenson (Linganore, MD), Matt Dolan (Spring Mills, WV), Luke Eschenheimer (Cascia Hall, OK), Alex Gavronsky (Belmont Hill, MA), Mason Mills (St. Michael-Albertville, MN), Dom Parker (University, WV), Wilson Spires (General McLane, PA), Ty Watters (West Allegheny, PA) Transfer: Jett Strickenberger (NW Kansas Tech) West Virginia hasn’t necessarily been a force on the recruiting trail yet under Tim Flynn, but between the 2023 class and the early commitments from 2024, that could stand to change. The Mountaineer staff inked their highest-ranked recruit since coming to Morgantown when they added #32 Ty Watters, a two-time Pennsylvania state champion and Super 32 finalist. In this class, the WVU did a great job at keeping some of their best at home (Matt Dolan), while adding studs from surrounding states. They even ventured to a couple of areas (Colorado/Minnesota/Oklahoma) that generally haven’t been spots where WVU has landed talent in the past. This class marks a sign of positive things to come on the recruiting front at West Virginia. 10. Missouri Recruits: David Cross (O’Fallon, MO), Carter McCallister (Rock Bridge, MO), Andrew Stanfield (St. Michael, MO), Jarrett Stoner (Rockwell, TX) Missouri tends to fluctuate between having a massive recruiting class one year, while having a much smaller one the following season. It makes sense as 9.9 scholarships will only go so far. Looking at our list below, the Tigers had the #4 overall class in 2022, so they have a smaller group this year. Even so, there are two Big Board’ers from Missouri in this signing class, one of which is a top-100 recruit in Carter McCallister. McCallister was a two-time Super 32 seventh-place finisher and a 16U freestyle third-placer. One of David Cross’ best national-level placements was a fifth at NHSCA Juniors last year. The class is rounded out by Missouri state champ Andrew Stanfield, who grayshirted and trained under Sammie Henson in 2022-23, along with Texas champ Jarrett Stoner. Under Brian Smith, Mizzou has been one of the best teams in the nation at signing wrestlers on the backhalf of the Big Board (or unranked altogether) and developing them into quality DI competitors. Though this isn’t a gigantic class, I wouldn’t be surprised if that happened to a wrestler or two in this group. Past National Recruiting Rankings (2021-22) Air Force: 2021 (HM) Iowa State: 2022 (2nd), 2021 (16th) Missouri: 2022 (4th) North Dakota State: 2022 (HM), 2021 (15th) Northern Colorado: 2021 (19th) Northern Iowa: 2022 (25th) Oklahoma: 2022 (24th), 2021 (11th) Oklahoma State: 2022 (6th), 2021 (6th) South Dakota State: 2022 (HM), 2021 (12th) Wyoming: 2022 (13th)

****This originally ran in mid-November 2022**** We're just a few hours removed from one of the most shocking college wrestling upsets in recent memory. Wisconsin's Austin Gomez put together a 9-3 victory over three-time NCAA champion Yianni Diakomihalis of Cornell. Gomez took Diakomihalis to his back in the second period for four points and later added two additional takedowns. The win itself was pretty difficult to fathom; however, the manner in which he achieved it is just remarkable. Diakomihalis' 75-match winning streak was shattered as were possibly Hodge Trophy aspirations. Within a few minutes after Gomez's victory, some on social media were asking how this ranks in comparison to other collegiate wrestling upsets. That's a great question, as we went back to find some of the most shocking upsets of the last 20 years. For clarification's sake, generally only returning NCAA champions were considered. As you peruse the list, you'll see that there were a few wrestlers that were never NCAA champions among this group, but if you go back in your DeLorean you'll find they were significant favorites. Also, clearly injured wrestlers were not considered. Some that come to mind but did not make the cut include: Kyle Snyder/Nick Gwiazdowski (2016 NCAA's) - A decent amount of people favored Snyder in the match. Bubba Jenkins/David Taylor (2011 NCAA's) - While a shocking match, Bubba was capable of anything and could beat anyone on his best day. Tyler Caldwell/Andrew Howe (2011 NCAA's) - Earlier in the year, Jordan Burroughs beat Howe pretty good at the Midlands. That kind of took away an aura of invincibility from Howe, though the Caldwell loss was eye-opening. Fred Santaite/Troy Nickerson (2010 NCAA's) - Huge upset of a returning champion; however, Nickerson was not close to prime condition. Cole Konrad/Steve Mocco (2006 National Duals) - Konrad unofficially beat Mocco at the All-Star Classic earlier in the year in an ugly bout. This was amazing and was via fall which gave Minnesota the team title. Sean Stender/Jon Trenge (2005 NCAA's) - Trenge actually had a loss earlier in the year to Hofstra's Chris Sketkowicz, along with two via disqualification. The result was definitely one I didn't see coming. Now, onto our most shocking results! 2022 NCAA Round of 16 - Hunter Willits (Oregon State) over David Carr (Iowa State) We don't need to look very far back to find this shocking result. David Carr was the top seed at 157 lbs and riding a 55-match winning streak that dated back to December 2019. The dangerous Carr could never get his offense on track and was stymied by Willits 2-1 in tiebreakers. Though the two did not meet again, Carr finished third while Willits was seventh. 2019 NCAA final - Mekhi Lewis (Virginia Tech) over Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) One of the best total “runs” in recent memory at the NCAA tournament belongs to Mekhi Lewis, who captured his national title as the eighth seed at 165 lbs. To finish his dream tournament, Lewis used a cradle to put the two-time national champion on his back and blow open what was a close match. Lewis’ national title made him the first wrestler in Virginia Tech history to accomplish the feat. 2019 NCAA semi - Max Dean (Cornell) over Myles Martin (Ohio State) The night before Lewis’ win, Max Dean had the PNC Paints Arena in awe after he ruined Myles Martin’s perfect record and earned a spot in the finals. Dean was able to flip the script on Martin for a 5-4 victory. Earlier in the year, Martin had majored Dean at the CKLV Invitational and was victorious, 13-6, in the final dual of the season. 2018 NCAA quarters - Kyle Conel (Kent State) over Kollin Moore (Ohio State) Here’s another upset that wasn’t over an NCAA champion; however it was as shocking as any on this list. Kollin Moore was two weeks removed from his second Big Ten title and a heavy favorite to win at 197 lbs. No one told Kyle Conel. The Kent State star tossed Moore and the wrestling world on its collective head as he pinned Moore and moved into the semifinals. Surprisingly, Conel posted a second win over Moore in the NCAA third-place contest. 2017 NCAA finals - Vincenzo Joseph (Penn State) over Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) Up at 165 lbs for the first time, Isaiah Martinez was halfway to the hallowed four national titles after winning as a freshman and sophomore. Undefeated and fresh off his third Big Ten crown, Martinez was paired with redshirt freshman Vincenzo Joseph in the national finals. At the time, Joseph wasn’t necessarily viewed as even the conference’s top freshman at the weight. That distinction went to Michigan’s Logan Massa (Big Ten finalist). Joseph, an 8-5 loser to Martinez at the conference meet, was dangerous from all of the setups that made Martinez great. What resulted was a pin that almost shook the foundation in St. Louis. 2016 NCAA finals - Myles Martin (Ohio State) over Bo Nickal (Penn State) This was the rare NCAA final between two freshmen; however, Bo Nickal was a redshirt freshman that was the top seed after a Big Ten title. Myles Martin was a true freshman that had lost three times to Nickal, including once via fall at the Big Ten Tournament. In this meeting, Martin has all the answers for the dangerous Nickal’s offense and won an 11-9 shootout. 2015/16 Dual - Jason Nolf (Penn State) over Isaiah Martinez (Illinois) In 2014-15, Isaiah Martinez became the first freshman since Cael Sanderson to go undefeated and win an NCAA title. Martinez’s unbeaten run stopped during his sophomore year after he met the redshirt freshman Jason Nolf. Nolf’s pace and gas tank were evident as he wore down Martinez and pinned the returning champion to hand him his first official collegiate loss. 2015/16 Dual - Kaid Brock (Oklahoma State) over Cody Brewer (Oklahoma) Talk about one we didn’t see coming! Cody Brewer demolished the NCAA field in 2015 as the 13th seed, which was a combination of head-scratching seeding and a lack of regular season matches. Early in the following season, true freshman Kaid Brock was thrown into the Cowboy lineup to face Brewer during a Bedlam clash. Brock turned the college wrestling world on its head with a :42 fall over Brewer. Just a few weeks later, Brock would injure his knee and missed the remainder of the season. 2013/14 Dual - Zain Retherford (Penn State) over Logan Stieber (Ohio State) Logan Stieber was halfway through his quest for four NCAA titles and fresh off an undefeated sophomore season that earned bonus points in 23 of 27 wins. True freshman Zain Retherford made sure Stieber would not go unbeaten in his junior year, as he won on the strength of a second-period rideout and a takedown in sudden victory. Stieber bounced back to beat Retherford at the Big Ten’s and in the NCAA semifinals and is responsible for half of his four career losses. 2013/14 Scuffle - Gabe Dean (Cornell) over Ed Ruth (Penn State) After losing in the NCAA semifinals as a freshman, Ed Ruth reeled off an 84-match winning streak that saw him capture a pair of NCAA titles and generally dominate everyone within his path. That was abruptly ended by freshman Gabe Dean in the Southern Scuffle finals. The two were on the same half of the bracket as the #’s 2 and 3 at nationals and Ruth got revenge with a 5-2 victory in the semis. He would defeat Jimmy Sheptock (Maryland) for his third title. 2011/12 CKLV - Hunter Stieber (Ohio State) over Kellen Russell (Michigan) 2011 saw Kellen Russell claim a national title and go undefeated in the process. Russell was as good as anyone at prevailing in close matches or in overtime (14-0 in overtime). One time where he was tripped up was in Vegas, as a senior, against freshman Hunter Stieber. Russell had to beat Stieber in the NCAA semifinals for a shot at his second title. 2010 NCAA Semi - Andrew Long (Iowa State) over Angel Escobedo (Indiana) Escobedo was a 2008 champion who looked to be on a collision course with 2009 champion Troy Nickerson (Cornell). Nickerson was injured in the early going and was not a factor in the title hunt. Escobedo was shocked by a late flurry from freshman Andrew Long, which made for an all-freshman final, opposite Matt McDonough (Iowa). 2009 NCAA finals - Darrion Caldwell (NC State) over Brent Metcalf (Iowa) The returning Hodge Trophy-winning Brent Metcalf looked to be on his way to a second Hodge and an undefeated season, with only Darrion Caldwell in his way. From the opening whistle, Caldwell threw the kitchen sink at Metcalf and stunned him with a wide variety of offense. Earlier in the same season, Metcalf had teched Caldwell at the All-Star Classic. 2007/08 Dual - Chris Brown (Old Dominion) over Mark Perry (Iowa) InterMat recapped this stunning, likely forgotten upset here . 2007 NCAA finals - Paul Donahoe (Nebraska) over Sam Hazewinkel (Oklahoma) All the stars seemed to align perfectly for Sam Hazewinkel, who had previously lost three times in the NCAA semifinals. Hazewinkel handily disposed of freshman Jayson Ness (Minnesota) in the semifinals and earned his first berth in the championship bout opposite conference foe Paul Donahoe. Less than two weeks earlier, Hazewinkel had majored Donahoe. Donahoe was able to shut down Hazwinkel and won in sudden victory. 2007 NCAA semi - Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) over Dustin Schlatter (Minnesota) A 2006 NCAA champion as a true freshman, Dustin Schlatter amassed a 65-match winning streak and looked beatable by only rival Brent Metcalf. Metcalf was ineligible to compete in the 2006-07 season. Schlatter’s streak was snapped by Edinboro’s Gregor Gillespie on the strength of an early takedown. Watch Here 2005 NCAA semi - Mark Perry (Iowa) over Troy Letters (Lehigh) Letters won an NCAA title as a sophomore and rolled through the 2004-05 season without a loss. He even picked up two wins over the eventual champion, Johny Hendricks (Oklahoma State). But they would not meet in the national finals because, Letters was shut out and ridden out by Mark Perry. 2004 NCAA semi - Cliff Moore (Iowa) over Scott Moore (Virginia) Scott Moore was the top seed and put up some of the most absurd stats you could imagine in college wrestling. Despite his semifinal loss (via major decision), Moore finished the year 51-1 with 34 pins. Even without an NCAA finals appearance, Scott was a Hodge Trophy finalist. Watch Here 2003 NCAA 1st Round - Ralph Everett (Hofstra) over Greg Jones (West Virginia) Jones was a returning national champion, he won as a freshman in 2002, but lost in the opening round to Ralph Everett to dash any hopes of becoming a four-timer. Jones was eliminated in the consi’s by future UFC star Rashad Evans (Michigan State) and did not AA.

The NCAA Playing Rules Oversight Panel approved new groundbreaking rules for the 2023-24 wrestling season. Cal Poly’s coach Jon Sioredas discussed his thoughts on how his Mustangs will adapt to the new rules this upcoming season. “I think it’s good because we need a change,” Sioredas said. “I can see where a three-point takedown is a game-changer. In the first period, two takedowns to one is not a tie but you are up by two, which is how it should be.” On the other hand, Sioredas is questioning if some wrestlers may hit the brakes if they get an early lead and stall for the rest of the match. Even though there are two sides to the new rule, Sioredas has an early game plan for Cal Poly. “We are going to put an emphasis on scoring early and try to separate ourselves,” Sioredas said. Sioredas is in favor of the three-point nearfall too. Previously, wrestlers were able to cling onto their opponents on top and not have to do much after. Sioredas likes the new rule because “there is a hidden gem where the top man has to work for a turn.” Cal Poly recently finished their summer wrestling camp and training for freestyle the circuit. However, the Mustangs will be practicing situational wrestling soon with the new rules. “This is something that will allow us to dig into it and allow the wrestlers to learn,” Sioredas said. “The thing we will miss the most is yelling ‘Two!’ but we are at wrestling camp and the campers yelling three sounds just as good.” As for the new weigh-in and video replay rules, Sioredas believes the panel has fixed some head-scratchers. Sioredas is in favor of the medical forfeit rules as well. “If our guy is a little bit banged up and there won’t be any repercussions, we will do it like every other team,” Sioredas said. “It’s been happening so much that the risk was so high that the reward was very little. Most coaches were erring on the side of caution and healing them up.” Lastly, Sioredas is excited to see some wrestlers try to rock facial hair as good as his beard. “They might be rocking the beard but not as much gray as I do,” Sioredas said. “I tell my guys when I took this job I didn’t have gray in my beard but look at me now.”

Roger Kish was announced as Oklahoma’s new head coach on May 2nd and shortly thereafter spoke with InterMat. In that interview, Kish stated his desire to hit the ground running on the recruiting trail, particularly with in-state talent. That has been evident over the past few days as the Oklahoma staff has secured verbal commitments from a pair of top-100 wrestlers from the Class of 2024, along with a past NCAA qualifier. Starting with the veteran, the Sooners will get a boost with the addition of Cael Carlson, a 2022 national qualifier for the University of Minnesota. Carlson went 18-17 that season and finished seventh in the Big Ten at 165 lbs. Last season, Carlson went 10-7 and saw action in five conference duals. During the 2022-23 season, Carlson scored wins over a pair of national qualifiers in Danny Braunagel (Illinois) and Wyatt Sheets (Oklahoma State). The Sooners already have a returning national qualifier (Gerrit Nijenhuis) at 165 lbs; however, he does have a redshirt available. Carlson does appear to have two years of eligibility remaining. Upping Oklahoma’s in-state recruiting was a huge priority, so a verbal commitment from Bixby, Oklahoma’s Clay Giddens is a welcome sight for Sooner fans. Giddens is a three-time Oklahoma state finalist and a two-time champion in the 6A classification. On the national stage, Giddens has placed at the Walsh Ironman in each of the last two years (7th/8th). In 2021, Giddens finished seventh in Fargo in 16U freestyle and sixth at UWW Cadets. Giddens is currently ranked 56th overall in the Class of 2024 and 14th in the nation at 152 lbs. He projects in the 149/157 lb range for the Sooners. Oklahoma’s second top-100 verbal came from #83 Owen Eck of Andale, Kansas. Eck is a three-time Kansas 4A state champion with his most recent title coming at 144 lbs. While Eck hasn’t made the podium at some of the major national tournaments, he does own multiple, lopsided wins over 2022 Fargo Junior freestyle All-American Tucker Cell, also of Kansas. Eck also projects in the 149/157 lb range for Oklahoma. The pair of recruits join Iowa’s Koufax Christensen as members of the Sooners Class of 2024. Oklahoma appeared to have a loaded recruiting class in 2023; however, most of the top-ranked wrestlers asked to be released from their NLI's once the head coaching search lingered. Without a huge Class of 2023, going in hard on the Class of 2024 was a necessity and the new Oklahoma staff has done that already.

Southeast Polk

Two weeks ago, we started a new feature investigating some of the toughest NCAA brackets of all time. That article focused on the 2019 133 lb weight class one of the best of the last decade. Now, we’re going back ten years to look at a really strong one from 2009, the 157 lb weight class. The 2009 157 lb weight class featured the first national title from budding superstar Jordan Burroughs, along with one of the best of his era not to win a title, two more returning champions, and one future champ that didn’t make the podium. In addition to the success on the wrestling mat, fans of MMA will notice a couple of names from this bracket that have gone on to win belts in the cage. So, without any further ado, here’s the 157 lb weight class from 2009, one of the strongest of all time. The Champion: #1 Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) As always, when we’re talking about college Jordan Burroughs, a reminder that he was still a few years away from World Champion/GOAT status in 2009. The previous year saw Burroughs break out big-time in the toughest weight class of all time. Burroughs AA’ed for the first time and took third in an absolutely stacked bracket. For the 2008-09 season, Burroughs moved up to 157 lbs and immediately announced his presence with a win over returning national champion Jordan Leen in the Cliff Keen Las Vegas Invitational finals. Burroughs would go undefeated in 2008-09 with a 35-0 record in claiming his first national title. In St. Louis, at the NCAA Tournament, Burroughs posted bonus point wins in the first four rounds of the tournament. That stretch was highlighted by a 13-4 major decision over 2007 national champion Gregor Gillespie in the semis. For his title, Burroughs downed the returning NCAA runner-up, Mike Poeta, who came into the contest unbeaten. Burrough went through the entire 2008-09 season surrendering only one takedown. The Runner-Up: #2 Mike Poeta (Illinois) One of the best wrestlers over the last two decades without an NCAA title, Mike Poeta made the NCAA finals in each of his last two years at Illinois and placed top-three on three occasions. Poeta got to the NCAA finals after downing rival Jordan Leen in the semis. Leen defeated Poeta in the 2008 finals. Before the NCAA Tournament, Poeta captured his second Big Ten title in as many years. His senior season got off to a late start, due to an injury, so Poeta only had 13 wins entering NCAA’s. At the time, Poeta was only the tenth Illini wrestler to earn All-American honors three times. In the spring of 2021, Poeta was named the head coach at his alma mater. 3rd Place: #3 Jordan Leen (Cornell) Leen was the returning national champion at this weight after an unexpected run in 2008 as the eighth seed. In that tournament, Leen knocked off the top-two seeds, downing Gregor Gillespie in the quarterfinals and Poeta in the finals. At the time, Cornell was still gaining steam and Leen became the third different wrestler to win a title under Rob Koll. Leen’s 118 career wins put him at sixth place on Cornell’s all-time list, at the time. That total has since been surpassed a few times and he’s been bumped down to 14th place. Despite losing to Poeta in 2009, Leen battled back for third place and scored another win over Gillespie in the consolation finals. His tournament also included wins over All-Americans Michael Chandler and Matt Moley. Leen finished his career as a three-time All-American and four-time national qualifier. In 2022, Leen was named the head coach of Brown University after spending time on the Pittsburgh, Virginia and Duke coaching staffs. 4th Place: #4 Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) In 2007, Gregor Gillespie shocked the wrestling world and stopped Dustin Schlatter’s 65-match winning streak in the NCAA semifinals. A match later, Gillespie finished the job and downed Josh Churella to claim the national title at 149 lbs. Gillespie moved up to 157 lbs for the 2007-08 season and earned the top seed at nationals, though he was upset by Leen in the quarters and fell to fifth place. This year, Gillespie was stopped by Matt Moley in the EWL finals, which prevented him from capturing his fourth conference title. That assured Gillespie would receive the fourth seed and put him on the same side as the unbeaten Burroughs. Looking at Gillespie’s path to the 2009 semifinals, he edged eventual national finalist Jason Welch in the Round of 16, before shutting out future champion JP O’Connor in the quarters. Gillespie finished his career as a four-time All-American, only the second Fighting Scot wrestler to accomplish the feat, and he did so without ever redshirting. 5th Place: #6 Michael Chandler (Missouri) Before achieving MMA fame as a three-time lightweight champion for Bellator and moving into the UFC, Michael Chandler was a stalwart for Mizzou. Chandler was a four-time national qualifier for the Tigers, but finally breakthrough and made the podium in 2009. Previously, he was a Round of 12 finisher in 2006 and 2008. Chandler also made the Big 12 finals for a second time in 2009. This time he fell to Burroughs; however, he was the only wrestler to score a takedown on the future legend. Chandler posted some impressive wins in this tournament, blanking the 2010 national runner-up Chase Pami in the Round of 16 and outlasting Jon Bonilla-Bowman in the Round of 12. After securing All-American honors, Chandler majored Tyler Safratowich. 6th Place: #7 Matt Moley (Bloomsburg) The most recent Bloomsburg wrestler to earn All-American honors? That’s right, it’s Matt Moley, who did so in 2008 (8th) and 2009. As mentioned above, Moley came into this tournament red-hot after upsetting Gillespie in the EWL finals for the first of his two conference crowns. Moley would win a second in 2010, but came up a match shy of the NCAA podium. After suffering a loss in the Round of 16 at the 2009 tournament, Moley went on a consolation run that saw him major Jedd Moore, and get through SoCon champ Joey Knox, before edging Cyler Sanderson in a battle of returning All-Americans in the bloodround. He clinched a spot in the top six after an 8-3 win over Pami. 7th Place: #11 Chase Pami (Cal Poly) The Pac-10 (yes, that’s correct) champion Chase Pami got the #11 seed and had a difficult first-round match against a young Jesse Dong. Pami prevailed in tiebreakers, but was sent to the consi’s in the next round versus Chandler. Pami grinded out a pair of wins, which put him into the bloodround opposite JP O’Connor. Pami won 2-1 to secure All-American honors for the first time. The two would meet a year later, in the NCAA finals, and O’Connor would turn the tables. Pami finished his tournament with a third sudden victory/tiebreaker win over Tyler Safratowich in the seventh-place match. 8th Place: US Tyler Safratowich (Minnesota) The only unseeded All-American (at this time the NCAA only seeded to #12) was Minnesota’s Tyler Safratowich. Safratowich placed third in the Big Ten in 2009, his senior season. It marked the second time in his career that he finished third and qualified for nationals. Safratowich started his tournament off by upsetting #10 Scott Winston, a true freshman for Rutgers. In his second match, he downed returning All-American Matt Moley, the seventh seed. After losing to Poeta in the quarters, Safratowich downed Adam Hall to clinch a place amongst the top eight. Despite starting the tournament without a seed, Safratowich downed the #7, #8, and #10 seeds during his path to the podium. The Bloodround: Jon Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra), #8 Adam Hall (Boise State), #9 Cyler Sanderson (Iowa State), #5 JP O’Connor (Harvard) One of the more enjoyable wrestlers to watch in this era was Jon Bonilla-Bowman who could score on anyone and tended to give up points himself. Nowhere was this more evident than the 2009 tournament. He fell in the first round to unseeded Joey Knox, 15-12, then proceeded to score 18, 11, and 12 points in his next three matches. Two of those wins were against #12 Neil Erisman and true freshman Jason Welch. He would get held in check by Chandler, 6-5, in the Round of 12. For the second consecutive year, Adam Hall’s season ended in the NCAA Round of 12. He was a member of the vaunted 149 lb bracket the year before and missed out on All-American status as a redshirt freshman. Hall would go on to finish third and fifth during his next two seasons, winning Pac-10 titles each time. Cyler Sanderson was fourth in a loaded Big 12 weight class that featured Burroughs, Chandler, and Erisman ahead of him. He pulled a slight upset over Hall in the Round of 16, but understandably losing to Burroughs in the quarters. After the collegiate season, Cyler’s older brother, Cael, took the head coaching position at Penn State. Cyler would follow Cael to State College and won the Big Ten in 2010 before getting sixth at NCAA’s to All-American for the second time. This Round of 12 loss prevented JP O’Connor from becoming a four-time All-American. He’d rebound nicely by avenging that loss to Pami in the 2010 NCAA finals. His national title made him only the third Harvard wrestler to ever achieve the feat and he remains the Crimson’s most recent champion. Other Notables: US Jason Welch (Northwestern), US Jedd Moore (Virginia), US Justin Gaethje (Northern Colorado) NCAA Finals: Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) over Mike Poeta (Illinois) 5-1 Third Place: Jordan Leen (Cornell) over Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) 4-0 Fifth Place: Michael Chandler (Missouri) over Matt Moley (Bloomsburg) 2-1 Seventh Place: Chase Pami (Cal Poly) over Tyler Safratowich (Minnesota) 4-2SV NCAA Semifinals Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) over Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) 13-4 Mike Poeta (Illinois) over Jordan Leen (Cornell) 6-4 NCAA Quarterfinals Jordan Burroughs (Nebraska) over Cyler Sanderson (Iowa State) 14-6 Gregor Gillespie (Edinboro) over JP O’Connor (Harvard) 1-0 Jordan Leen (Cornell) over Michael Chandler (Missouri) 4-2 Mike Poeta (Illinois) over Tyler Safratowich (Minnesota) 10-5 NCAA Bloodround Michael Chandler (Missouri) over Jon Bonilla-Bowman (Hofstra) 6-5 Tyler Safratowich (Minnesota) over Adam Hall (Boise State) 6-4 Matt Moley (Bloomsburg) over Cyler Sanderson (Iowa State) 5-2 Chase Pami (Cal Poly) over JP Connor (Harvard) 2-1 The Top 12 Seeds 1. Burroughs 2. Poeta 3. Leen 4. Gillespie 5. O’Connor 6. Chandler 7. Moley 8. Hall 9. Sanderson 10. Scott Winston (Rutgers) 11. Pami 12. Neil Erisman (Oklahoma State) Conference Champions ACC: Kody Hamrah (NC State) Big 12: Burroughs Big Ten: Poeta CAA: Bonilla-Bowman East Regional: Shaun Smith (Liberty) EIWA: Leen EWL: Moley Pac-10: Pami SoCon: Joey Knox (Chattanooga) West Regional: Gaethje Fun Facts - This bracket contained two wrestlers that already won NCAA titles coming into the tournament (Gillespie, Leen). - Over the course of their careers, four wrestlers in this bracket claimed national championships. (Burroughs, Leen, Gillespie, O’Connor). - Six wrestlers in this bracket made NCAA finals during their careers. (Pami and Welch are the others). - 14 wrestlers in this group got on the NCAA podium at least once in their respective careers. (The eight AA’s, Hall, Sanderson, O’Connor, Welch, Gaethje, Jedd Moore) - The 14 All-Americans combined to earn All-American honors 31 times. - Five wrestlers in this bracket were seeded #1 at the NCAA Tournament at one point or another (Burroughs, Gillespie, Welch, Hall, O’Connor). - Two wrestlers in this bracket went on to win major MMA world titles (Chandler, Gaethje) - This bracket featured a rematch of the 2008 NCAA finals (Leen/Poeta) and a preview of the 2010 NCAA finals (O’Connor/Pami) - This bracket has three members who are current DI head coaches (Poeta/Illinois, Leen/Brown, Erisman/Little Rock). - Burroughs is the only wrestler from this bracket to make a World or Olympic team. - There were two wrestlers in this bracket who were considered the #1 recruits in the respective recruiting classes. Jason Welch/2008 and Mike Poeta/2004. - The first round had a pair of true freshmen that both AA’ed in 2013 square off. Welch and Jedd Moore. - It has no bearing on anything, but Cyler Sanderson and Bryan Deutsch (Northern Illinois) met in the first round. They’d wrestle again in the first round of the 2010 tournament. - This proved to be an extremely balanced weight class in terms of talent from different conferences. The seven placewinners came from six different conferences. Comparisons: Here’s where we compare the 2009 157 lb weight class to the 2019 133 lb weight class that we looked at earlier this month. Returning NCAA Champions: 2009 (2); 2019 (0) Total NCAA Champions: 2009 (4), 2019 (2) Total NCAA Finalists: 2009 (6), 2019 (5) Total NCAA All-Americans: 2009 (14), 2019 (14) Total Times these Wrestlers AA’ed: 2009 (31), 2019 (31) Number Wrestlers Seeded #1 at NCAA’s: 2009 (5), 2019 (4) Number of World Medalists: 2009 (1), 2019 (2) Number of Hodge Trophy winners: 2009 (1), 2019 (0) Conclusion: Comparing this weight class to the 2019 133 lb weight class is almost a dead heat. What separates the two is that Leen/Gillespie came into the tournament as national champions. The top four from 2009 are probably better than the top four in 2019; however, 2019 probably has more depth. Plus, you have Burroughs in 2009 which carries a Hodge Trophy and all of his international success.

Today, the Nebraska Wrestling Training Center and James Green, dropped some big news on the wrestling community. Green, who had served as USA Wrestling’s National Freestyle Development Coach since April of 2022, will be returning to Nebraska presumably to train for the 2024 Olympic Games. Green made six world teams at 70 kg and won a pair of world medals during his career (2015/bronze and 2017/silver). During the 2016 and 2020 Olympic Trials, Green cut down to 65 kg and couldn’t manage to have the same sort of success as he found at 70 kg. One may guess that he’ll move up to 74 kg for the 2024 run. This could be interesting if former Nebraska training partner Jordan Burroughs cuts back down to 74, as well. During his career at Nebraska, Green earned All-American honors for the Cornhuskers (7, 7, 3, 3). He was a two-time Big Ten finalists (one-time champion) and earned the #1 seed at the 2014 NCAA Championships at 157 lbs.

Two-time national champion Roman Bravo-Young exhausted his college eligibility this past season. He completed his senior season with a second-place finish at 133 pounds after winning the previous two NCAA tournaments. The plan, for now, is to continue his wrestling career on the freestyle circuit, but the former Penn State wrestler has always had a bit of a toe in the MMA water. This week, he is set to wade a little deeper into that pond. The Event Bravo-Young is scheduled to face off against former UFC flyweight title challenger Alex Perez in a grappling match. The bout, which is set at featherweight (145 pounds), will be part of UFC Fight Pass Invitational 4 and will air live on the promotion’s streaming service on Thursday at 9:00pm ET. For those that do not follow combat sports outside of wrestling, grappling is basically an MMA fight without any striking (punching, kicking, etc). The Fight Pass Invitational uses EBI rules, which consist of a 10-minute submission-only match with the potential for overtime. Unlike some grappling events, a winner can’t be determined via points. More on this later. The Opponent Alex Perez at the 2023 CCCCAA finals; Photo courtesy of John Sachs; Tech-Fall.com Like many MMA fighters, Perez comes from a wrestling background. He wrestled in high school for Lemoore where he was a three-time West Yosemite League champion and a two-time divisional champion. As a senior in 2010, he was ranked as high as 12th in California. Perez continued to wrestle on the collegiate level for West Hills College, which is a member of the California Community College Athletic Association (CCCAA). In 2013, he defeated Brady Howell (Lassen College), Brian Ha (Skyline College) and Greg Barrera (Cerritos College) to make the finals at 133 pounds. In the championship bout, he dropped an 8-6 decision against Nathan Pike then of Mount San Antonio College and settled for second place. Following that season, Pike would transfer to NYU where he would become a three-time Division III All-American. In 2017, he became the first NCAA champion in NYU’s extensive history, and he is currently an assistant coach on staff. Perez did not wait until his wrestling career was over to start fighting professionally. By the time he finished second at the CCCAA tournament in 2013, he already held a 9-2 professional MMA record. In 2017, Perez received his big break as he was invited to compete on the first season of Dana White’s Contenders Series. He defeated Kevin Gray via anaconda choke submission and earned a contract with the UFC. A little over three years later, Perez earned a shot at the flyweight title. He faced off against then-champion Deiveson Figueiredo in the main event of UFC 255, but ultimately lost via submission in the first round. Since that loss, he has fought only once. Last July, he was submitted once again versus Alexandre Pantoja who will fight for the flyweight title next weekend. Perez was set to return to the cage last March against fellow contender Manel Kape. However, the bout was canceled at the last minute due to a health issue. Perez later announced on his Instagram that he experienced a seizure backstage while warming up. During his MMA career, Perez has won seven fights via submission and has been forced to submit five times, including his last two fights. In the UFC, he has averaged 1.29 submission attempts per 15 minutes, which ranks 24th among ranked UFC fighters The Match While this bout has been marketed in some places as Bravo-Young's submission grappling debut, he did have a high-profile match against UFC bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling. On Dec. 20, 2020, the two had a freestyle match followed by a grappling match on a show hosted by the Nittany Lion Wrestling Club. Bravo-Young came back to win the freestyle match by a 6-4 score after giving up a first-period four on a lateral drop. The grappling match was a different story entirely. About 35 seconds into the bout, Sterling was able to secure half guard position on the bottom. He then transitioned from there into a deep single leg. Bravo-Young defended with a shin whizzer, but Sterling was able to throw in his far leg and eventually achieve what folks call back mount in grappling. This is one of the most dominant positions in the sport, and it was not long until the UFC champion snaked his arm under the chin and finished with a rear-naked choke. That bout was nearly three years ago, and it is entirely possible that Bravo-Young has made strides in his grappling game. While Perez has proven himself to be a strong offensive submission threat in MMA, he has not shown the type of positional dominance that Sterling has in the UFC. Bravo-Young will have the wrestling advantage in this contest, and it should allow him to work from the top position and dictate where the contest takes place. While Sterling competes in MMA at 135 pounds, he appeared to have a visible size advantage over Bravo-Young who wrestled for Penn State at 133 pounds. This bout against Perez will take place at 145 pounds, but Perez has always fought in the UFC at flyweight (125 pounds). Unlike his previous grappling match, Bravo-Young should not be working against a larger opponent. Under certain rules, Bravo-Young would be a considerable the favorite in this contest. While some grappling events give points for takedowns and establishing positions, this bout will take place under submission-only rules. If neither fighter is able to win via submission during the 10-minute regulation period, the bout will head to “overtime.” The overtime under these rules is similar to rideouts in college wrestling. Each wrestler gets an opportunity from a dominant position (either “spider web” or back mount). After each competitor gets an offensive opportunity, the following logic is used to determine a victor or declare another round of overtime. If Fighter 1 submits Fighter 2, and Fighter 2 does not submit Fighter 1, then Fighter 1 wins If Fighter 2 escapes, and goes on to submit Fighter 1, then Fighter 2 wins If both fighters escape, the fighter who escapes fastest wins If neither fighter escapes or submits, then it goes to another round of overtime As previously stated, under a different set of rules Bravo-Young would likely be a large favorite in this bout. However, if the wrestler is unable to secure a submission in regulation, Perez should have the edge in this overtime situation. He will have more experience in these grappling positions and more experience with submissions. Regardless of the result, Bravo-Young deserves credit for taking on a former UFC title challenger in only his second grappling match. At the very least, it gives MMA fans reason to be excited for his expected and eventual transition to the fight game.

It’s the “off-season” right now which means there’s nothing but space and opportunity for theories, speculations, and rumors. So why not do a little indulging with the Cowboys in Stillwater, OK. At last year’s NCAA Championships, the hosting Oklahoma State Cowboys didn’t exactly defend their home turf. In fact, they had the worst performance in the school’s history at the tournament scoring just 28.5 points that left them tied for 18th place. Those 28.5 points were the lowest they scored since 1953 when they scored just 11 points – for context, Penn State won that year with only 21 points. It was also the Cowboys first time since 2018 that they didn’t have a finalist as Daton Fix, their perennial finalist, ended up fourth. But all that is now history and it’s time to look to the future. And what the future holds is…questions. Optimistic questions, but questions nonetheless. The first one that comes to mind is will Fix be making a return for one final crack at winning the title? During his interview at Final X where he claimed a spot on the National Team with a dominant 9-0 win over Austin DeSanto, we asked him what his future plans were and if he would be taking 1 last ride in orange and black. “We’ll see. Obviously, I want to win an NCAA title too,” Fix said. “It slipped right through my hands 4 times. That leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Since I’ve been granted another year of eligibility, that's a big opportunity for me to attempt to go win something that I’ve dreamt of my whole life. So, we’ll see what the future holds.” Obviously, Fix left every option on the table as to whether he is coming back, but later on in the interview straight-shooter Zeb Miller rehashed the question to which he replied with a “Yeah, probably. We’ll see.” But Zeb had a follow-up asking “What weight? Maybe 33, maybe 41”. “I have no idea. Could be 25, who knows. Could be 49,” Fix said with a smirk on his face. Considering that it’s an Olympic year it could be possible that Fix makes his descent to 125 to prepare for the move to 57kg where he said he will return to with his eyes set on Paris. We’ll get to how this could cause a bit of an issue with the lineup later. Check out Fix’s full interview here. Ok, that was the obvious question. The others all circle around their incoming class. Recently, the Cowboys topped the InterMat Recruiting Rankings with a pretty monstrous class led by #2-ranked heavyweight Christian Carroll, who just claimed his spot on the U20 World Team. Carroll could have an instant impact at 285 for John Smith’s crew. Now you can’t talk about heavyweight without talking about the 125. Oklahoma State hasn’t had an All-American at this weight since Nick Piccininni graduated. Enter transfer Troy Spratley. After spending his redshirt year at Minnesota, where he had a 10-4 record, he could possibly be the answer to the question of what’s happening for the Cowboys in this weight class where last year’s starter Trevor Mastrogiovanni missed the last few months of competition and Reece Witcraft filled the spot. Most recently, Spratley was a runner-up at U20 at 57kg losing two straight matches to Luke Lilledahl. Getting back to that point about Fix dropping to 125 to prep for the Olympic Trials, this could be where things get hairy. But, I honestly don’t see it happening. Spratley wasn’t the only gift from the transfer portal. Tagen Jamison also made his way to Stillwater after spending last season with the Gophers. And making the jump from NJCAA is 2-time All-American Mirzo Khayitov. The biggest transfer impact next to Spratley is Izzak Olejnik. Last season while at Northern Illinois he was the 12-seed at NCAAs and ended up with an 8th place finish to make his way onto the podium at 165. Olejnik can jump right in to replace Wyatt Sheets and give the Cowboys some good strength in the middle to go along with fellow AA Dustin Plott at 174. Along with highly touted high school recruit Carroll, #5-ranked Brayden Thompson, a 2022 U20 World teamer, and #8-ranked Cael Hughes, who also made the finals at U20s but came up short, are very promising additions as well for Cowboys. Both guys can add some very good depth to the lineup at 133 and 184. Upperweights #48 AJ Heeg and #68 Jersey Robb will also be tough additions as well at 197. The only true unknown is who will be replacing NCAA qualifier Victor Voinovich who left OK State for Iowa? It’s looking like Jordan Williams will be the one to do it. Williams took a redshirt year a season ago competing at a few open tournaments at 149. Overall, John Smith’s squad could be getting a much-needed new look with the additions of these transfers and recruits making last year’s 18th-place finish more of a historical point and less of a foreshadowing moment.