InterMat Staff

Wrestlers wear one-piece singlets and headgear, and wrestle on foam mats. Even folks who don't know a takedown from a touchdown recognize these basic elements of amateur wrestling. That's all most of us have ever known. These elements have been "standard equipment" for U.S. high school and college wrestling for the past 40 years or more. Things weren't always so. Singlets first made their appearance in U.S. high schools and colleges about 1970. Headgear was strictly optional -- and a rare sight -- until the late 1960s. Today's foam mats were introduced in the late 1950s. What was it like for wrestlers who competed before these changes? What kind of impact did old-school mats and gear have on the way they wrestled? And what about those who wrestled in the late 1950s into the 60s, who experienced first-hand the revolutionary changes to the mats, and in what wrestlers wore out onto those mats? Before we suit up … Even as someone who writes about wrestling as it once was -- and has interviewed more than a few wrestlers of the past -- I really hadn't thought that wrestling gear and mats would have much of an impact on the way wrestlers wrestle. (Putting aside all the advertising messages that claim wrestlers will be invincible if they wear the latest headgear, singlets, or shoes.) Jack MarchelloThat all changed during a phone interview with Jack Marchello, two-time Big Ten champ for the University of Michigan in 1956 and 1958. I was working on a profile on Gary Kurdelmeier, University of Iowa champion wrestler who later became head coach of the Hawkeyes in the 1970s. I wanted to talk to someone who had wrestled Kurdelmeier. In reviewing the Iowan's mat record, only a handful of wrestlers had defeated him in college. One was Jack Marchello. Leah Howard, sports information director at Michigan, put me in touch with the Wolverine champ. Marchello was able to paint a detailed picture of his 1956 Big Ten 177-pound title match with Kurdelmeier, mentioning matter-of-factly that, because his Hawkeye opponent's shirtless upper body was sweaty and hard to grip, he instead attached the legs which were covered in wool tights. Sweaty bare torsos? Wool tights? Today's wrestlers don't grapple with these challenges in a typical match. I wanted to know more … and Jack Marchello was the right guy to ask. At age 72, he is still actively involved in the sport, designing wrestling headgear for Cliff Keen Athletic, and attending wrestling events in the Ann Arbor area on a regular basis. In high school in Illinois, and in college at Michigan, Marchello normally wrestled in wool tights, oftentimes without a shirt or headgear, on cotton, flannel or vinyl-covered mats filled with anything from cotton to horsehair to shredded straw. Our conversation got me thinking about what it must have been like to wrestle with equipment very different than we know today. So I contacted other former wrestlers who put time in on the mat in the late 1950s and 60s. Some experienced tremendous changes in their mat careers, recalling various types of uniforms, or the first time they wrestled on Resilite (which, for the wrestling world, has almost become a generic name for any brand of foam-core mat featuring a bonded vinyl surface, as you'll see in some of the quotes in this article … much like Kleenex = tissue.) No singlets, no shirts … no problems? Today's one-piece singlets have been standard equipment in amateur wrestling events for nearly forty years. Yet, before the early 1970s, there were no singlets in high school and college wrestling; in fact, well into the 1960s, singlets were actually banned by the NCAA and state high school athletic associations that govern prep wrestling. So what did high school and college wrestlers wear onto the mat? From World War II up to the mid 1960s, most wrestlers wore full-length tights under tight-fitting trunks, sometimes with sleeveless shirts. Yes, shirts were optional. In much of the country during that time – especially the west and Midwest -- it was common for wrestlers to compete bare-chested. (The NCAA required shirts of all college wrestlers in 1965, and state high school athletic associations quickly followed suit.) Jack Marchello says, "At Michigan, we usually wrestled in tights only, no shirts." "Because most opponents wrestled shirtless, it wasn't long before both of our bodies were very sweaty, which made it harder to get a grip." "When I wrestled at 177, I usually gave away ten pounds on an opponent, so I wasn't going to go attacking his upper body," according to the two-time conference champ for the Wolverines. "I became more of a leg wrestler. I took advantage of the wool tights. Even when the tights were soaked in sweat, it was still easier for me to grab the legs than the upper body." "I wrestled in tights, shorts and no shirt," says Shelby Wilson, a two-time NCAA finalist at Oklahoma State (1958, 1959) at 137 pounds who went on to win a freestyle gold medal at the 1960 Rome Olympics. "That's what I wore all through junior high, high school and college. I never gave it a second thought." "It was only when I wrestled freestyle that I wore an international-style singlet." Les Anderson's experience was similar to that of Marchello and Wilson. Anderson, a two-time NCAA champ (1958, 1960) for Iowa State at 130 pounds, usually wrestled in trunks and tights, stripped to the waist. "It was what we and most of our opponents wore. It's what we knew. We didn't question it." Changing uniforms in Illinois … While wrestlers like Jack Marchello, Shelby Wilson and Les Anderson wrestled their prep and college careers in the trunks-and-tights, no-shirt uniform, some amateur wrestlers competed in various types of uniforms during their mat careers. Denny McCabeDennis McCabe is one. He wrestled at Maine Township East High School in north-suburban Chicago (alma mater to Hillary Clinton and Harrison Ford) in the late 1950s and early 60s, then continued his wrestling career at Southern Illinois University-Carbondale into the mid 1960s … then in the U.S. Army in the late 60s. (McCabe was the 190-pound champ at the very first Midlands tournament in 1963.) "When I started wrestling, we were bare-chested, with tights," recalls McCabe. "It affected strategy. It was hard to grip a guy who was 'greased up' with sweat." "Those first tights were wool. Funky feeling, hard to pull off after a match when they became all sweaty." While still in high school, McCabe's team switched from wool to tights that he describes as "silky cotton, like women's nylons -- slick-feeling, slippery. They looked nice, and felt great. Because they were slick, it was easier for the wrestler on the bottom to escape." While we can't give full credit for the uniform … in his junior year, Denny McCabe placed third in the 165-pound weight class at the 1960 Illinois High School State Tournament. In his senior year at Maine East -- and throughout college at SIU -- McCabe wore a third type of wrestling uniform that consisted of three pieces -- trunks and tights, plus a singlet-type, sleeveless shirt that buttoned together underneath at the crotch – "sort of like a diaper" says the former Saluki, now retired to the Tucson area, and a frequent poster to TheMat.com forum as "Denny." McCabe describes the shirt as being "cotton but silky. It absorbed the sweat generated during the match." While at SIU, Denny McCabe was one of the top-ranked 191-pounders in the U.S., expected to be in the thick of the battle at the 1964 NCAAs with guys like eventual finalists Jack Brisco of Oklahoma State, and Ohio University's Harry Houska. Sadly, just two weeks before the national championships at Cornell University, McCabe blew out his knee, and was forced to watch from the sidelines. After college, McCabe served in the U.S. Army, where he was an All-Army and All-Service Champ in 1968. At this point of his wrestling career he was introduced to the one-piece singlet much like those that are now standard equipment in high schools and colleges today. In talking about wrestling uniforms of his era, Denny McCabe recalls yet another variation: the gear Illinois prep powerhouse Reavis wore during the 1961 season. "They were singlets, cut like the ones wrestlers used to wear in international competition until a few years ago, with a narrow section of fabric down the middle of the body, revealing more of the chest and back," says the Chicagoland native. "I don't know if that was an experiment or test or what. I don't remember any other school wearing them that year, or afterwards." … and in Massachusetts The changeover in uniforms wasn't limited to Midwestern matmen. Jack Alkon was a member of the first-ever wrestling team at Brookline High in Brookline, Massachusetts (home town of President John F. Kennedy) which had a practice season during the 1962-1963 school year. "That year, we wore cotton tights, no shirts …" When asked whether wrestling bare-chested opponents posed any challenges or changes in strategy, Alkon responds, "My wrestling was in its infancy. It really didn't have any affect on what I was doing … Once the adrenaline's pumping, what you're wearing doesn't really have much of an impact." Jack Alkon (Photo/Tufts)In Jack Alkon's second year at Brookline, the school upgraded to nylon tights and singlet-style shirt. "It was a two-way stretch fabric. Much more comfortable." "The nylon tights were slipperier than wool or a bare leg," adds Alkon, who is now a dentist in Connecticut, posting to TheWrestlingTalk forum as "Spider." "Shoot for a double, and your hands would slide down the fabric." Upon graduation from high school, Jack Alkon wrestled at Tufts University in Massachusetts from 1965-1969. As a freshman in college, Alkon recalls gear consisting of tights and shirts that were made from wool. "We referred to that uniform as ‘wooly bully.' I remember the wool being itchy. You wanted to pin the other guy right away and get out of those as quick as possible." "After freshman year, we wore not-so-great cotton." To bring things full circle, Alkon says he wore a singlet just once -- when he stepped out onto the mat to wrestle as a 31-year-old. Under it all … In talking about their high school and college wrestling gear, both Denny McCabe and Jack Alkon also disclosed what they wore underneath their uniforms. "We wore jockstraps. Never wore a cup out onto the mat, just for football," according to McCabe, who played both sports at Maine East. "With all those layers of clothing that all came together down there -- the shirt, then the tights, then the heavy, cotton trunks -- it seemed like we already had layers of protection." Jack Alkon shares his experiences: "One teammate in college wore a cup. I think a cup would get in the way. In my wrestling career, I took only a couple shots to the crotch… Back then, a jockstrap was pretty standard. Nowadays, a lot of guys wear underwear or compression shorts." Why the changes? Wrestlers weigh in When asked why the NCAA changed the rules to require shirts -- and later, eliminated its ban on one-piece singlets -- Shelby Wilson says, "I don't know what the reason for the changes. I've heard different reasons thrown out there. One I heard was that we needed to be more modest and that we were showing too much skin. To use the word modesty for the reason for the change seems ridiculous in light of what athletes wear at swim meets and track meets." Modesty may have indeed been a factor in changing the uniform rules, at least according to some wrestlers of the past. More than one wrestler I've talked to over the past few years has said that they're aware of incidents where, in the heat of battle, fans in the stands saw more than a bare chest; genitals were exposed. (In fact, some wrestling rules of the 1960s seem to be written with this in mind, stating that shirts and tights are mandatory "to prevent unseemly exposure.") As for the possibility that the rules changed because it was difficult for wrestlers to get a grip on a sweaty, shirtless opponent, Shelby Wilson says, "Slippery bodies seem to me to just be a part of (wrestling) competition. If our reason for putting on more uniform is to give better grip to the wrestlers, it doesn't seem like a valid reason." Jack Marchello offers a somewhat different perspective: "I swear that requiring shirts really changed wrestling. I think it helped even things out for wrestlers who weren't as strong in the upper body." One last uniform observation … Denny McCabe provides one last recollection regarding bare-chested wrestling: "Back when I was in high school, you were able to see the muscles of your opponents because they were shirtless." "Realize that back then, only a few wrestlers lifted weights. For strength, we did pull-ups, sit-ups. So it was rare to see a truly muscular wrestler." "I remember being at the 1961 Illinois high school state tournament when Joe James took to the mat. He had the Chicago City heavyweight title, and, even in high school, he was 6'3" and 220 pounds. As soon as he took off his jacket, the crowd went ‘ooh.' They were blown away by his incredible physique. Most had never seen anything like it." (James placed third at the Illinois state championships that year. He then continued his wrestling career at Oklahoma State as the first African-American starter for the Cowboys, winning the NCAA heavyweight title in 1964.) Headgear … or bare-headed? Cauliflower ears may be considered to be a "badge of honor" with some wrestlers. However, to prevent damage to the ears -- as well as other head injuries -- there's protective headgear (referred to as "earguards" in current and past NCAA rules; some old-time ads call them "helmets"). Headgear has been mandatory for scholastic and collegiate competition in the US since the late 1960s and early 70s… but it hasn't always been so. Although early forms of head protection were available even in the 1920s and 30s, headgear was a very rare sight up into the 1950s and early 60s, though earguards were "highly recommended" in the 1963 "NCAA Wrestling Guide." "I started college in 1955, and at that point of history, we had headgear," says Shelby Wilson. "Not everyone used them because there was no rule saying you had to. The only one that I saw during those days was called the Wolverine and it was nearly the same as we have today, but different straps and other material. All headgear does the same identical job and that's to protect the ears. There's not a lot you can change except material, snaps, Velcro, pretty colors, etc." "In 1955, I saw Terry McCann (two-time NCAA champ for University of Iowa, and fellow Olympic gold medallist in Rome in 1960) wearing a Wolverine headgear at the NCAA tournament. I do not remember if he wore it in the finals but I know for a fact I saw him wear it in the semifinals against Dick Delgado (University of Oklahoma 115-pounder). I wore one some, but probably not often enough." "I recall the headgear of my era," says Denny McCabe. "They were the same for many years, with plastic straps. Then came those Japanese, black-cloth jobs … We used them in the meets. Must not have been mandatory, though. As I recall, many wrestlers whipping them off their head and into the corner. Myself included. That's why my ears look so cool … not!" Jack Alkon reports that "I never wore headgear, and I never wrestled anyone who wore them." "Headgear would probably make me feel confined. I can't imagine wearing one." "That said, headgear is very important to the safety of wrestlers," Alkon adds. "Badly-fitting headgear would be the most important impediment to a kid's performance." Jack Marchello offers a unique perspective on headgear. As a wrestler, he usually didn't wear them -- "they were strictly optional in college." However, for much of his professional life, he has designed wrestling headgear … and he sees this head-and-ear protection device as a two-edge sword. "There are negative aspects to headgear … It gives your opponent a platform, a way to get a better grip on your head, potentially controlling and battering you." "Over the years, the general trend in headgear design is to make it lighter, smaller, with less for an opponent to grab onto. However, more recently, it seems that many younger wrestlers are interested in something bigger, bulkier. For some, they want something that looks like it came out of "Star Wars" -- something tough-looking. Others seem fascinated by older-style headgear. They seem to like the retro look." Putting your best footwear forward Flip through any amateur wrestling magazine, and you'll see an overwhelming array of ads for wrestling shoes, many bearing the name of all-time mat greats, all promising winning performance during a match. Shoes have undergone tremendous changes over the years, in terms of design, construction, features … and price. Even with all these changes, the NCAA and high school athletic association rules governing the footwear a wrestler wears onto the mat have remained pretty much the same over the years: Wrestling shoes must be light in weight, heelless in design, cover the ankles, and not have any metal eyelets or other sharp parts to potentially injure an opponent. Jack Alkon says, "I don't remember my high school wrestling shoes. In college, I wore canvas shoes with flat, thin rubber soles. Kind of like P.F. Flyers (a popular all-purpose canvas sneaker) -- heavy, kinda crappy." "I've worn modern wrestling shoes," Alkon adds. "I don't think anyone's lost a match because of their shoes." "I think all shoes are pretty much similar quality, equally as good. What feels good, works." Denny McCabe recalls his wrestling footwear: "In high school, we wore high-top canvas wrestling shoes. They were lighter than typical shoes. We thought they made you faster." "At SIU, we were issued black nylon wrestling shoes. They had very thin soles, made of very thin rubber." Here's how Shelby Wilson describes the footwear he wore as an Oklahoma State Cowboy: "We wore the old canvas Converse shoes and never gave it a second thought. They were the most durable shoes ever produced for wrestling. Today everyone wants to look cool so we have competition to see who can make the coolest equipment." "You are either a good, tough wrestler, or you are not, and $100 shoes are not going to make you any better." Taking to the mats The 1950s were a decade of incredible innovation. Things we take for granted today -- space exploration, commercial passenger jets, color TV, video recording, the Interstate highway system, fast-food restaurants, indoor shopping malls, consumer credit cards -- were all products of this era. In the late 1950s, innovation also hit amateur wrestling, in the form of foam mats… and, in terms of on-the-mat performance and safety, the sport was never the same again. Les AndersonLes Anderson, two-time NCAA champ at Iowa State (1958, 1960) and long-time assistant coach for the Cyclones, says, "You could say that foam mats were the biggest change in wrestling in the past 50 years." In an interview for InterMat Rewind about the 1958 NCAAs held at the University of Wyoming, Anderson recalls many details about the venue, the War Memorial Fieldhouse -- especially the mats. "They had the new foam mats, Resilite, round ones … Iowa State had purchased one that year, so we were used to competing on them." "Most wrestlers were used to wrestling on the old horsehair mats, so the new mats at the NCAAs were a huge change for them." Jack Marchello remembers his first experience with the new mats: "Sophomore year, Michigan got its first rubber mats, made by Uniroyal." "These new mats changed the way we wrestled. It increased a wrestler's ability to shoot takedowns. The foam mats made it easier to move on the mat. It became a much faster, quicker sport than it had been." "Foam mats were safer, too," Marchello adds. "They absorbed shock better. They cut down on knee injuries. You were less likely to be injured when taken down hard." "Mat burns were no longer as common with the foam mats. Skin infections were also reduced. It was easier to keep the new mats clean, to disinfect them." Jack Alkon wrestled all his high school and college matches on Resilite-type mats. However, "our practice mats were cotton mats, covered in vinyl, tied together… I got knocked out once on an old cotton mat." One of Alkon's mat memories: "I've wrestled on a mat with a square painted on it, instead of a circle." Denny McCabe shares his experience with various types of mats: "I was considered to be an early starter, taking up the sport at age 11. I wrestled in the Chicago Park District. Their mats weren't Resilite; (instead, they were) canvas and cloth, padded with cotton, about two or three inches thick. They didn't cushion much of a fall." "By high school and college, I was wrestling on Resilite mats pretty much exclusively." Want to know more? Now you have a better idea of what it was like to wrestle 40-50 years ago. To learn even more about wrestling gear, mats and rules of the past, check out Major Changes in Intercollegiate Wrestling as part of the InterMat Rewind series. Special thanks to each of the men who graciously shared their memories here. For more photos of these wrestlers, their gear and mats, visit the Old-School Strategy photo album at the Amateur Wrestling Fan Addicts Photo Annex Yahoo group.

LionHeart MMA announces the signing of Penn State All-American wrestler Biff Walizer to a professional MMA career management contract. Walizer is the 4th fighter to sign with LionHeart MMA in the past two months and will compete at 155 lbs. LionHeart founder Chad Dubin says Walizer is a welcomed addition to the team. "I always admired Biff's work ethic and leadership when he was at Penn State. Signing him adds an experienced lightweight to our team and shows our committment to creating an elite MMA team here in State College." Walizer's first scheduled competition as a LionHeart team member will be Friday Sept. 12 at The Ring of Combat XXI at The Tropicana in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Venue information is available at www.ringofcombat.com Tickets for the fight are available at www.lionheartfighters.com

The 2008 Olympiad is over. Congratulations to our medalists, to the men and women who trained so hard to make it to the big dance. Few living know how difficult it is to train for opponents not yet named, dealing with the pool system, traveling half way around the world to compete and suffering from fatigue better than do our Olympic Wrestling Teams. They fell short of our goals in some areas and yet still proudly represented the USA. I'm indebted to our young men and women who had the courage to dream big. The results of this years Olympiad are testament to just how good wrestling is around the world. Also, a big thank you to the men and women of the press, the media who covered our sport. You are in a special group and our athletes deserve nothing less then the best! TDR's Brute Adidas studios come alive again this week with special guests from around the country. The season is around the corner, the new recruits are hankering to make themselves a place on the teams of choice. To make a difference. I can feel it. The hair on the back of my neck is starting to stand up. It's almost here! Joining me in the studio on his way to Iraq will be Vern Jefferson to discuss his upcoming fight with John Hurricane Halverson along with Brad Chiafos of the Des Moines Buccaneers. Our Guests on TDR- Greg Jackson- Greg's gym in Albuquerque, NM trains many top fighters, Greg will share some tips on crab mcgaw, self defense. Greg is 100% trainer. He is not a manager. Training men like Rashad Evans, GSP, Joey V. and others he has game plans and training schedules and programs in place each as individual as the fighter. Some of his top fighters include: Keith Jardine, Rashad Evans, Georges St. Pierre, Nate Marquardt, Joey Villasenor, David Loiseau, Jeff Breese- After spending two years matside coaching at Seton Hill University, Jeff Breese made a career change. That change has led him to become the new Director of Media Relations for the National Wrestling Coaches Association. Breese, a Claysville, Pa., native, was a Pennsylvania state high school champion at McGuffey and competed on the Division I level at N.C. State, where he earned a degree in Mass Media and Public Relations with a minor in Journalism. Nick Gallo- Silver Medalist, past Hofstra Head Coach, Hall of Fame member and one of the "Leaders" of the pack at Asics- TW promotions joins us to discuss the Olympic Games. Nick was a member of the 1976 and 1980 Olympic Freestyle Wrestling Teams Brad Dillon- An All-American on the mat and in the classroom at Lehigh, begins his first season as an assistant coach under Pat Santoro at LeHigh. Dillon followed Santoro to the University of Maryland. In his first season with the Terps, Dillon was involved in helping land a nationally ranked recruiting class and helping Charlie Pinto to the ACC title at 141 pounds. He hopes to impact the mountain Hawks in the same fashion. Pat Smith-a Distinguished Member of the National Wrestling Hall of Fame, a 4 X NCAA Champion, a former collegiate wrestler at Oklahoma State University and a former assistant coach at OSU and now one of the fathers of HS wrestling in Arkansas. Each week for 11 years now we have provided the best coverage and conversation on our sport possible. We have great sponsors that understand the need to promote wrestling everyday of the year. Our goal is to continue that effort and you can listen in from 9 AM to 11 AM CST at Takedownradio.com LIVE or archived and by Pod Cast at Takedownradio.com Please make use of the services and products from our sponsors.

EDINBORO, Pa. -– Edinboro University wrestling coach Tim Flynn has announced the addition of a pair of transfers to his squad. Paul Donahoe (Davison, MI/Davison), a two-time All-American and a former NCAA champion, has transferred from Nebraska, while Garrett Scott (Alexandria, PA/ Juniata Valley) competed this past year as a freshman at Penn State. Donahoe must meet NCAA transfer requirements and will not be able to compete until at least the end of the first semester. He has one season of eligibility remaining. He captured the 125 lb. national championship in 2007, upsetting top-ranked Sam Hazewinkel in the finals. Donahoe defeated Hazewinkel, 3-1 in sudden victory to cap a 35-5 campaign, two weeks after dropping a 12-3 major decision to Hazewinkel in the Big 12 Championships 125 lb. title match. Paul DonahoeThis past year Donahoe earned All-American honors for the second time with a third place finish at 125 lbs. Three wins put him in the semifinals against Minnesota's Jayson Ness. Ness' takedown with ten seconds left was good for a 4-3 win, but Donahoe came back with a pair of wins on Saturday. He reached the third place match with a 5-3 decision over Stanford's Tanner Gardner, then defeated Mark McKnight of Penn State, 6-3, to take home third place. Donahoe finished the 2007-08 campaign with a 25-4 record, winning the Big 12 Championship. He had a 26-9 record as a sophomore, going 2-2 at Nationals. He departed the Cornhuskers with a career record of 86-18. Garrett ScottScott is a former three-time PIAA Class AA champion while competing at Juniata Valley High School, compiling a 130-2 career record. He did not lose a match his final three seasons. A year ago he stepped into the starting lineup at Penn State at 141 lbs. when starter Jake Strayer went down with an injury. He proceeded to finish with a 21-7 record and qualify for Nationals thanks to a seventh place finish at the Big Ten Championships. He was ranked tenth in the USA Today/ NWCA rankings, seventh by Amateur Wrestling News, and fourth by W.I.N. Magazine. Scott went 3-2 at Nationals, losing by fall to Army's Matt Kyler in the round of 12, falling one win short of All-American status. That loss was his lone defeat to an unranked wrestler. His most impressive win was a 4-3 decision over Michigan's Kellen Russell, ranked fourth at the time. Scott will redshirt in 2008-09 and have three years of eligibility remaining after that.

CLEVELAND, Ohio -- Ben Stehura, a graduate assistant at Cleveland State from 2001-03, is returning to the Viking program as the head wrestling coach. Director of Athletics Lee Reed made the announcement on Friday (Aug. 22) morning. "I am extremely excited about the opportunity to return to Cleveland State and Northeast Ohio and become part of a great tradition that is CSU wrestling," Stehura said. "I have a tremendous amount of pride in the wrestling program and I want to do everything I can to continue the success that the program has enjoyed. "I am looking forward to working with a tremendous group of student-athletes, coaches and administrators and helping to write the next chapter in Cleveland State history." "I am thrilled about the addition of Ben as our head wrestling coach," Reed said. "Ben really impressed us with his work ethic, his knowledge of wrestling and his committment to the overall well-being of the student-athletes. "His approach to wrestling has allowed his teams to be very successful. He started the program at Limestone just five years ago and it is already competing on the national stage. That speaks volumes about the kind of coach he is." Stehura joins the Viking wrestling program after serving the last five years as the head coach at Division II Limestone College in Gaffney, S.C. The only head coach in school history, Stehura quickly built the program and has already coached one NCAA National Champion, three NCAA All-Americans, five NCAA National qualifiers and eight NCAA All-Academic team members. He has also coached three U.S. Senior Open All-Americans, four Olympic Team Trial qualifiers and two Olympic team alternates. Prior to starting the program at Limestone, Stehura was a graduate assistant coach at CSU from 2001-03, while earning his Masters Degree in Education Administration in 2003. While at CSU, he was part of a staff that qualified 10 grapplers for the NCAA Championship, had three EWL individual champions and 14 EWL placewinners. In addition, the 2003 squad finished third at the EWL Championship. A 2000 graduate of Lock Haven University with a Bachelor's of Science in Secondary Education, Stehura was a three-year starter, earning fourth and fifth place finishes in the Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Tournament. He was a two-time state qualifier at Jefferson High, placing fifth at the OHSAA state tournament as a senior. Stehura takes over a program that had two national qualifiers last season and loses just three seniors from last year's roster. The Vikings have had at least one NCAA qualifier each year since 1965.

Limestone College Director of Athletics Mike Cerino has announced that Head Wrestling Coach Ben Stehura will be leaving Limestone College and that Assistant Coach Trent Goodale (photo at right) will assume head coaching duties. Stehura recently accepted the head coaching position at NCAA Division I's Cleveland State University in Ohio. Goodale has been an assistant coach for the Saints since 2006. "We want to thank Coach Stehura for the solid foundation he built for the Saints wrestling program as he moved Limestone into the national picture in college wrestling," commented Cerino. "The position at Cleveland State was a tremendous opportunity for Coach Stehura and his family and we wish him success at his alma mater." Prior to coaching at Limestone, Stehura was an assistant coach for Cleveland State's nationally-ranked program from 2001-2003. Stehura helped the Vikings to a second-place finish in the prestigious Eastern Wrestling League and a top 25 national ranking. He also helped coach ten national qualifiers. In May of 2003, he completed his master's degree in education at Cleveland State. Following his stint at Cleveland State, Stehura was named the first coach in the history of Limestone's wrestling program. He coached All-American Dan Scanlan to the 2008 NCAA Division II 184-pound title, and All-American heavyweight Trey Moss to an eighth place finish at the 2008 national tournament. Stehura also guided the Saints to their first ever national ranking last season and an impressive overall record of 15-4-1. Stehura earned his bachelor of science degree from Lock Haven University in December 2000. Goodale, a native of Osage, Iowa, attended the University of Iowa where he earned a bachelor of arts in communication studies. He was a four-year letterwinner for the Hawkeyes and was a 2004 NCAA Division I national qualifier. He was also a two-time Fila Junior All-American in freestyle. Goodale's prior coaching experience includes volunteering as an assistant coach during college with the Iowa City West High School and working several University of Iowa Athletic Camps.

St. Cloud, Minn. -- St. Cloud State University head wrestling coach Steve Costanzo has announced his coaching staff for the 2008-09 season. Matt Lowers, Chris Heilman, Tom Anderson and Jeremy Lang will be joining the Huskies for the 2008-09 campaign. Matt Lowers enters his second season as an assistant coach for the Huskies. Last season, Lowers helped lead the Huskies to a 13-2 mark. This was the most wins produced by the Huskies in a season since 1972-73. The Huskies also advanced seven wrestlers to the NCCA Division II Championships and they saw three of those grapplers earn All-American status (Brad Padgett, Nick Wilkes and John Sundgren). At the NCAA Division II Championships, SCSU placed 12th as a team and it was ranked among the nation's top 10 squads in the Division II polls in 2007-08. Lowers came to St. Cloud State from the University of Minnesota, where he served as an assistant wrestling coach for two seasons. While at Minnesota, the Gophers wrestling team captured the 2006 Division I National Dual Team Championship, Big Ten Championship and finished second at the NCAA's. In 2007, the Minnesota Wrestling team repeated as National Dual and Big Ten Champions and also won the NCAA's for the third time in school history. While serving as an assistant with the University of Minnesota wrestling team, Lowers also worked as the Director of Wrestling Operations for J Robinson Intensive Camps. J Robinson Intensive Camps have set the standard for Intensive camps while training over 3000 athletes each summer. Prior to his time with the Gophers and J Robinson Camps, Lowers spent 3 seasons as an assistant at his alma mater Concordia College in Moorhead, MN. His final two seasons at Concordia, Lowers was able to work with Minnesota and North Dakota Hall of Fame Coach Clay Nagel. During those two years with the Cobber's, Lowers played a significant role in helping Nagel double their roster size and equaling the schools highest ever dual meet win record. During this time, Lowers also served as the Director of the Cobber Wrestling Camp which in its first two years of operation averaged over 285 campers per year while bringing in a World Class Staff. In high school, he was an All-State athlete for Wadena-Deer Creek High School while competing in wrestling, football and track and field. Lowers earned his bachelor's degree in exercise science from Concordia College in 2006 and his Master's degree in Sports Management from St. Cloud State University in 2008. "We are very fortunate to have Matt on our staff," said Coach Steve Costanzo. "He has done a great job with SCSU wrestling and is dedicated with a passion to take our program to another level. I am very excited to work with him again this season." Chris Heilman enters his first season as a graduate assistant coach for the Huskies. A Colorado Springs native, Heilman was a 2004 Colorado High School state champion for St. Mary's High School. He then went on to a successful career at Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, where he earned NCAA Division III All-American honors three-times. Heilman placed seventh in 2006, placed fourth in 2007 and placed third as a senior in 2008. He is the fifth wrestler in school history to earn All-American accolades in at least three years. Heilman is currently pursuing a master's degree in sports management at SCSU. "Chris is an excellent addition to our program," said Coach Steve Costanzo. "He had an outstanding college career and he will definitely benefit our lower weight classes immediately." Tom Anderson enters his first season as a volunteer assistant coach for the Huskies. A Belview native, Anderson was a 2008 NCAA Division II national qualifier while competing for the Huskies. He is a three-time letter winner and a two-time National Wrestling Coaches Association Scholar All-American. Anderson earned the team's "Most Improved" wrestler award in his senior year as he accounted for more than twenty victories on the season. He completed his bachelor degree in business economics from SCSU in May 2008. Anderson is currently employed by ING Financial Services in St. Cloud. "It will be great having Tom on our coaching staff this season," said Coach Steve Costanzo. "Tom understands the philosophy of our program and I am confident that he will do a great job." Jeremy Lang enters his third season as a volunteer assistant coach for his alma mater SCSU. Lang is a native of Springfield, MN and a 1993 graduate of Springfield High School. He was a five-year letter-winner in wrestling, three-time Minnesota High School state qualifier and a three-time All-State recipient in wrestling and placed fifth at state his senior year. He competed for the Huskies from 1993-99 where he was a three-year letter-winner for SCSU and a three-time All-Conference recipient in the tough North Central Conference. Lang earned his Bachelor's degree in local and urban affairs from SCSU in 1999. Currently, he is employed by Edina Realty in St. Cloud. He resides in St. Cloud with his two children. "We look forward to having Jeremy back on our coaching staff this season," said Coach Steve Costanzo. "He has helped us tremendously the past two seasons as a volunteer in our program."

Charleston, S.C. -- Head wrestling coach Rob Hjerling announces the addition of eight athletes to The Citadel's wrestling team. The new grapplers come to the Bulldog wrestling room with impressive stats and look to make an impact. "I am very excited about this upcoming season. The new guys we have coming in, combined with our current athletes should make up an impressive squad. Like last years class of recruits, the new cadet-student-athletes will have an opportunity to make an impact right away. I am very pleased with the our quality of athletes and the positive attitudes they bring to the team," stated Hjerling. The new crop of wrestlers consist of seven state placers including three state champions and two High School All-Americans spread out over eight weight classes. These eight athletes include Richard Alarcon, David Ivashchenko, Pierre Frazile, Weston Newton, Alex Croasmum, Kelby Smith, Odie Delaney and Bobby Jones. Alarcon wrestled 119 in high school where he was a three-time California state qualifier. He concluded is high school career with a fourth place finish at the state meet and an eighth place finish at NHSCA Senior National, earning him High School All-American honors. Alarcon is projected to wrestle at the 125-pound weight class for the Bulldogs. Ivanshchenko hails from South Park, Pa. where he wrestled at the 135-pound weight class in high school and look to drop down slightly to be a 133 pounder for the Bulldogs. He earned All-State honors placing seventh at the state meet. Adding depth to the 141-pound weight class for the Bulldogs is Charlotte, Fla. native, Farzile. He was a three-time state placer for the sunshine state. Following Farzile is a projected 149-pound grappler from Eastside, S.C. Newton was a South Carolina high school State Champion. Croasmum with be providing mid-western talent to the roster for the 2008-09 season. He is an Ohio state placer that is transferring in to The Citadel from Edinboro. Croasmum is expected to contribute at the 157-pound weight class. Kelby Smith and Odie Delaney are the second and third high school state champions respectively to join the Bulldogs this season. Smith comes to The Citadel from Wesleyan. Ga. and is projected to wrestle at either 184 or 197 pounds for the Bulldogs. Delaney is slated as a 197 pounder from South Walton, Fla. who earned High School All-American honors. Rounding out the 2008 recruits is The Citadel second grappler from Eastside, S.C., Bobby Jones. He is expected to add solid depth for the Bulldogs at heavyweight. For all the latest news from The Citadel wrestling team and other Bulldog athletics, go to www.CitadelSports.com.

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- The Indiana University Wrestling program released their 2008-09 schedule on Friday. The Hoosiers are slated to compete in several of the top tournaments in the country, including the Las Vegas Open, Midlands and the National Duals. The Hoosier grapplers begin the '08-'09 campaign with a trip to the Michigan State Open on Nov. 9. Next up is a road match at Wabash College (Nov. 18) before competing in the Missouri Open on Nov. 23. Indiana will then host five schools inside Assembly Hall for the annual Hoosier Duals on Nov. 29. The docket for the event includes dual matches versus Liberty, Ohio, Rutgers, South Dakota State and the University of the Cumberlands. The next six weeks put the Cream and Crimson on the road, starting with a long haul out to Nevada for the Las Vegas Open from Dec. 5-6. Indiana's next two competitions take place in the state of Illinois. First, are the F.I.T.E. Duals at Oak Lawn High School on Dec. 21, followed by the Midlands on Dec. 29 in Evanston. The Hoosiers then wrestle in the National Duals (Jan. 10), hosted by the University of Northern Iowa. Three dual matches in the IU Quad against American, Clarion and Gardner-Webb on Jan. 18 wrap up the non-conference slate for the Hoosiers. Indiana hosts home Big Ten matches against Penn State (Jan. 23), Purdue (Feb. 6), Northwestern (Feb. 15) and Iowa (Feb. 20) while traveling to Ohio State (Jan. 30), Michigan (Feb. 1), Illinois (Feb. 13) and Minnesota (Feb. 22) this season. Postseason starts with the Big Ten Championship at Penn State on Mar. 7-8 and ends "under the arch" in St. Louis at the NCAA Championship from Mar. 19-21.

IOWA CITY, IA -- The defending Big Ten and NCAA champion University of Iowa wrestling team has announced its schedule for the 2008-09 season. The Hawkeyes are set to host seven home events, including intrastate rival Iowa State. Iowa will kick off the season by hosting the Iowa City Duals Friday, November 21 in Carver-Hawkeye Arena. Coe and Mankato State are currently scheduled to compete in the single-day event. The remainder of Iowa's home schedule includes Iowa State (Dec. 6, 7 p.m.), Wisconsin (Jan. 23), Illinois (Jan. 25), Bucknell (Jan. 30, 7 p.m.), Purdue (Feb. 13) and Minnesota (Feb. 15). The Hawkeyes will face Northern Iowa (Dec. 11, 7 p.m.), Oklahoma State (Jan. 18), Michigan State (Feb. 6), Penn State (Feb. 8, 2 p.m.) and Indiana (Feb. 20, 6 p.m.) in road duals. The team will also make its annual trek to the Midlands Championships (Dec. 29-30) in Evanston, IL, and the Cliff Keen/N.W.C.A. National Duals (Jan. 10-11) in Cedar Falls, as well as the Journeyman Duals in Albany, NY, Nov. 29. Binghampton, Maryland, Central Michigan and Bloomsburg are scheduled to compete at that event. The 2009 Big Ten Championships are scheduled for Mar. 7-8 in State College, PA, while the 2009 NCAA Championships will return to St. Louis, MO, Mar. 19-21. Wrestling season tickets can be ordered from the UI Athletics Ticket Office, at (319) 335-9327, or online at www.hawkeyesports.com.

Columbia, Mo. -- Former Missouri wrestler Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) finished his first Olympic Tournament with a 1-1 record, winning his opening round match by fall, but dropping match No. 2, 3-1, 4-0 in the 74 kg (163 pound) men's freestyle competition in Beijing, China. Drawing Hungarian Istvan Vereb in the opening round, Askren came from behind, pinning his opponent in the second period for the eventual win. Askren lost the first period, 2-0. With the win, Askren advanced in the championship bracket and squared off with 2004 bronze medalist Ivan Fundora of Cuba. Fundora held Askren at bay, winning the first two periods and sending the former Tiger grappler to await his Olympic fate on the sidelines. Fundora's loss to two-time Olympic gold medalist Buvaysa Saytiev of Russia marked the end of Askren's Olympic run.

University of Minnesota wrestling recruit Jake Deitchler contacted head wrestling coach J Robinson Tuesday afternoon to inform the program that he would not attend the University this fall. "It's unfortunate that (Jake) has decided not to honor his commitment," Robinson said. "We're hopeful that upon returning home, Jake will consider following through with his National Letter of Intent and will choose to wrestle for the Gophers. The invitation to attend the 'U' remains open." Deitchler finished 12th in the 66 kg./145.5 lb. division at the Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling competition last week.

This week we'll be LIVE from our fashionable Brute Adidas Studios at 9:06 AM CST to 11:00 AM CST. Great guests, great topics and wrestling. Join us won't you? Takedownradio.com This week we'll be joined in studio by Boxing promoter Paul Scieszinski and new Van Meter HS Head Wrestling Coach Dustin Wright. Recently the wrestling community got together and raised the funds and the awareness of the need to have wrestling at Van Meter HS west of Des Moines, Iowa. This week on TDR: CD Mock- Tarheel's Head Coach. North Carolina's eight-man wrestling recruiting class has been ranked No. 17 nationally in this year's InterMat Division I recruiting class rankings. Additionally, the Tar Heels were recognized as one of only five programs for making a "notable move" in their recruiting efforts. Dan Wirnsberger-we'll head to Lewisburg, PA to talk with the Bison Head Coach. Bucknell Wrestling Announced Incoming Recruits for 2008-09 Eight Individuals Comprise Wirnsberger's Third Recruiting Class. The Bison will welcome eight newcomers to the squad for the 2008-09 season. This class is comprised of student-athletes from five different states, including three from Pennsylvania, two from New Jersey and one each from New York, Ohio and Virginia. said Wirnsberger. "It is a talented group, but more importantly, these young men are scholar-athletes. They understand the importance of higher education and the commitment needed to reach their individual athletic goals. I look forward to the development process." Kim Couture- Great competitor, mother, business woman and Wife of Legendary Randy "The Natural" Couture makes her return to TDR. We'll talk about relating to a man as driven as Randy. We'll discuss the new book, the expansion of the Xtreme Couture Training and Gym properties and Kim's future as a pro fighter who's record sits at 1-1. What's next for Kim? Eric Guerrero- 3 X NCAA champion, 2004 Olympian Eric Guerrero is in his fifth year on the Oklahoma State wrestling staff. Eric has been a key figure in four of the Cowboys' NCAA team championships and five of OSU's Big 12 team championships. Guerrero joined the staff as a strength and conditioning coach in 2000-01. His contributions helped prepare Oklahoma State for NCAA team championships in 2003 and 2004. Promoted into the position of assistant coach following the 2004 season the Cowboys won their third and fourth consecutive NCAA team titles with Guerrero on board in 2005 and 2006. Guerrero coached 2007 NCAA Coleman Scott, 2006 NCAA champions Johny Hendricks and Jake Rosholt, 2005 NCAA Zack Esposito, Hendricks, Chris Pendleton, Rosholt and Steve Mocco Johnny Thompson and Rosholt and 2004 NCAA individual champion Pendleton. Jared Shaw- EliteXC Vice President and match maker will join us to discuss coming events and what to expect from Kimbo. Jared Hamman needed less than one full round to avenge the only loss of his career -- a disputed 15-second stoppage at the hands of Poai Suganuma four months ago. Hamman weathered Suganuma's quick start in the rematch and made his move midway through the first round, as he stopped the Hawaiian with a series of stout hammer fists in the featured bout on the ShoXC "Elite Challenger Series" Friday at the Table Mountain Casino in Friant, Calif. Mark Branch- The West just got stronger! Head Coach of the Wyoming Cowboys is Mark Branch. Once a Cowboy, always a Cowboy. Same nickname, different state. Mark Branch has packed up the truck, the horses, all the hats and boots, Oh, and his family and headed to Wyoming. As a member of the OSU coaching staff, Branch was named the National Wrestling Coaches' Association (NWCA) Assistant Coach of the Year in 2004. He helped coach OSU to seven Big XII Championships, four NCAA Championships and three Dual Team Championships. He was named the Associate Head Coach at OSU in 2002. He individually coached 31 All-Americans and nine NCAA Champions. We'll also recap the weeks action from Beijing and count the medals and lost opportunities, salute the ones who wrestled for you and me. Team USA!

Columbia, Mo. -- The 2007 Big 12 Male Athlete of the Year, former Missouri wrestler Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.), has drawn Hungarian Gabor Hatos in the opening round of the men's freestyle 74 kg weight class. Askren is one of 10 grapplers that received a first round match, with 11 individuals earning opening round byes. Missouri's first wrestling National Champion will begin his run at an Olympic gold medal the morning of Wednesday, Aug. 20, in Beijing China, which translates to Tuesday night for Americans hoping to catch a glimpse of the Tiger wrestler. Fans interested in viewing the tournament can watch Askren in the preliminary competition available online at www.nbcolympics.com from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. (CT), TUESDAY, AUGUST 19. (Columbia, Mo., is 13 hours behind Beijing, China). The medal round for the 74 kg weight class can be seen online from 3 a.m. to 5:50 a.m. (CT) or from 4 a.m.-10 a.m. (CT) on MSNBC, Wednesday, Aug. 20. Askren sits on the bottom half of the 74 kg bracket along with two-time gold medalist and six-time world champion Buvaysa Saytiev of Russia. Should both Askren and Saytiev advance in the bracket, the two could meet in the quarterfinals. In addition, if Askren wins his opening round match, he will draw the winner of the match between Si Riguleng of China and 2004 Olympic bronze medalist Ivan Fundora of Cuba. "Ben is a wildcard in the mix," said National Freestyle Coach Kevin Jackson. "He is bringing special skills to the mat that people have not seen before. I expect him to beat these guys. His training has gone fabulous. He listened to what we asked him to do. He followed the plan. He has adopted to what we need him to use against world-level competition. He has accepted the plan. He is going to go out and compete. I expect him to do very well." Hatos, Hungary's 74 kg representative, competed in the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece at 66 kg and finished 15th. Twenty-four year old Hatos has never finished higher than seventh in any of his international competitions.

Henry Cejduo (Photo/John Sachs)BEIJING, CHINA -- Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) controlled the action to claim a two-period victory over Tomihiro Matsunaga of Japan in the gold-medal match, 2-2, 3-0 at 55 kg Cejudo becomes the first U.S. wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal at the Beijing Olympics. He is believed to be the youngest wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal in wrestling. Cejudo won the first period by scoring the highest point move, a two-point exposure. He won the second period on a three-point high crotch takedown. Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo. He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing. Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. Cejudo advances to Olympic finals, Zadick still alive BEIJING, CHINA -- Talented young Henry Cejudo (Colorado Springs, Colo./Sunkist Kids) won three close matches to qualify for the gold medal finals at 55 kg/121 lbs. at the China Agricultural University Gymnasium on Tuesday. To reach the championship finals, Cejudo defeated Namig Sevdimov of Azerbaijan, 3-5, 3-2, 4-3. Cejudo dropped the first period when Sevdimov scored two exposure points to break a 2-2 tie, then scored another counter takedown. In the second period, Cejudo scored the first takedown, and the only other points scored were on a 2-and-2 exchange where both wrestlers scored exposure. The third and deciding period was tied at 3-3 when Cejudo hit a single leg with 24 seconds left for the winning takedown. Sevdimov was a 2006 World Military champion, but did not place in his only World Championships appearance in 2007. Cejudo will face Tomihiro Matsunaga of Japan in the gold-medal match. Matsunaga upset 2007 World champion Besik Kudukhov of Russia in the semifinals. Matsunaga was the 2008 Asian champion and placed fifth in the 2007 World Championships. Cejudo lost the first period of all three of his matches, but came back with excellent technique and conditioning in all three wins. In the quarterfinals, Cejudo came back strong to defeat Besarion Gochashvili of Georgia, 1-3, 3-2, 3-0. Gochashvili scored his first period points on a takedown and a two-point reversal. In the third period, Cejudo quickly took control with a takedown and a two-point gutwrench. In the deciding third period, Cejudo scored two takedowns and an ankle lace turn for his points. Cejudo opened with a tremendous showing, beating 2006 World champion Radolsav Velikov of Bulgaria, 0-1, 3-2, 4-3 in the first round. Velikov won the first period by winning the leg clinch from the offensive position. In the second period, Cejudo quickly took a three-point lead on a takedown and used it to win the period. In the final period, Cejudo fell behind 2-1 when Velikov got a counter exposure. Cejudo stormed back with a takedown, then a takedown with exposure, to reclaim the lead, 4-2. Velikov could only score a last second takedown for the final 4-3 margin. Cejudo is competing in his first Olympic Games. He was a member of the 2007 U.S. World Team. He hails from Phoenix, Ariz., and finished high school in Colorado Springs, Colo. He became a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete as a high school junior. He was the first high school wrestler to win a USA Wrestling Senior National freestyle title in 2006. His older brother Angel is his training partner in Beijing. Cejudo defeated 2004 Olympic silver medalist Stephen Abas in the finals of the U.S. Olympic Team Trials. The other U.S. wrestler competing on Tuesday, Mike Zadick (Solon, Iowa/Gator WC) lost his first match, but has qualified for the repechage round tonight. Zadick is still eligible to wrestle back for a bronze medal. Zadick lost his opening match to Vasyl Fedoryshyn of Ukraine, 5-0, 6-0. Fedoryshin scored early takedowns in both periods, and was able to turn Zadick with gut wrenches in both periods. Fedoryshyn placed fourth in the 2004 Olympics, fifth in the 2006 World Championships and won the 2008 European Championships. When Fedoryshyn won his semifinal match against Kenichi Yumoto of Japan and qualified for the finals, Zadick was pulled back into the repechage. Only those who lose matches to gold-medal finalists are eligible for the repechage. Zadick will need to win two matches to secure a bronze medal Tuesday night. Zadick will wrestle 2007 World bronze medalist Bazar Bazarguruev of Krygyzstan in the repechage match at the 4:00 p.m. session. If Zadick wins that bout, he will qualify for the bronze-medal match against Kenichi Yumoto of Japan. Zadick was added to the field for the Olympic wrestling competition on Sunday. The U.S. had not qualified to compete at 60 kg. However, after the Bulgarian federation withdrew its entry at 60 kg due to injury, USA Wrestling made a formal request to FILA, the international federation, to add Zadick as the replacement. FILA notified USA Wrestling that Zadick was entered in the wrestling field. A native of Great Falls, Montana, Zadick was a three-time All-American at the Univ. of Iowa. He is currently a member of the Iowa coaching staff. Zadick was a 2006 World silver medalist, and competed on the 2007 U.S. World Team. He won a silver medal at the 2007 Pan American Games. Zadick's training partner in Beijing is his older brother Bill, who was a 2006 World champion.

Columbia, Mo. -- Two-time NCAA National Champion and current Missouri wrestling volunteer coach Ben Askren (Hartland, Wis.) will begin his run for an Olympic Gold medal in the men's freestyle 74 kg weight class Wednesday, Aug. 20, in Beijing China. Fans interested in viewing the tournament can watch Askren in the preliminary competition available online at www.nbcolympics.com from 8:30 p.m. to 11 p.m. (CT), TUESDAY, AUGUST 19. (Columbia, Mo., is 13 hours behind Beijing, China). The medal round for the 74 kg weight class can be seen online from 3 a.m. to 5:50 a.m. (CT) or from 4 a.m.-10 a.m. (CT) on MSNBC, Wednesday, Aug. 20. Numerous fans, including Missouri Head Coach Brian Smith, have made the trip to Beijing in support of Askren's first Olympic appearance. Missouri Assistant Coach Shawn Charles was asked by USA Wrestling to serve as one of Askren's coaches throughout the tournament. "I'm very excited about this honor to be a part of Ben's Olympic experience and help him win the gold," Charles said. Brackets for the 74 kg weight class are still being determined and should be released shortly. Askren is one of 21 individuals competing in the 74 kg weight class. Two-time Olympic gold medalist Bouvaisa Saitiev of Russia, 1996 and 2004, returns for his third attempt at a first place finish.

DES MOINES -- A major promotional agreement between two leading organizations related to the world of combat sports was announced today when Xtreme Couture signed to sponsor TakeDown Radio. Xtreme Couture is a market leader in each of its categories, with products and services including apparel, gyms, training, and nutrition products. TakeDown Radio is an 11 year old radio program placing focus on amateur, collegiate, and Olympic wrestling, as well as Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The program originates from its flag ship studios at Des Moines Sports Station AM 1460 KXNO, a Fox Sports affiliate station. Xtreme Couture was founded in 2007 by MMA icon, Randy "The Natural" Couture. Couture is a member of the UFC Hall of Fame and has held five separate UFC title reigns, spanning two weight classes and ten years. Couture is arguably the most visible, as well as popular, figure in the sport of MMA today. Randy's background with the military, and collegiate and international wrestling lead him to MMA, thus providing the perfect experience for him to become an ambassador for both wrestling and MMA. In addition to a wildly popular clothing line, Xtreme Couture operates seven world class gyms located throughout the country. The fully integrated company was designed as a way to pass on Couture's proven MMA fighting style, conditioning programs, and nutritional philosophy to a new generation of fighters and fans. Today, constant references to "the MMA lifestyle" place Xtreme Couture at its center. The gyms attract a diverse clientele of individuals striving to reach their fitness, self defense, and competitive fighting goals. A broad range of programs, events, and memberships are available, with options beginning at only $100 a month, and elevating to personal training sessions with Couture. Xtreme Couture has assembled a top team of trainers, including Jay Hieron and Mike Pyle. Xtreme Couture provides opportunities for qualified business owners to open their own gyms as the operation continues to rapidly expand. "Extreme Couture represents the absolute melding of wrestling and MMA. In this case, the total is clearly larger than the sum of its parts," commented TakeDown Radio founder and host, Scott Casber. "Randy and his organization have been friends of the program from the start. We were banging the wrestling/MMA drum long before it became generally accepted. As Randy's success went through the roof, he never forgot us. Today's announcement is a testament to his unlimited support of our sports, as well as a personal example of his humility. We are truly grateful." Casber continued. Full details regarding Xtreme Couture can be found at http://www.xtremecouture.tv Business inquiries by phone can be directed to (702) 616-1022 More information on TakeDown Radio can be found at http://www.takedownradio.com

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) Daily Recaps:

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) Daily Recaps:

2008 Olympic Games Coverage (TheMat.com) Daily Recaps:

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. -- The Penn State Nittany Lion wrestling staff has added yet another National Champion to the fold as Troy Letters, Lehigh's last national champion, has been named Director of Wrestling Operations. Former director Aaron Anspach has been named an assistant coach for the Nittany Lions. Letters was a three-time All-American for the Mountain Hawks and claimed Lehigh's last national championship as well. He was National Runner-Up at 165 in 2003 as a freshman, won the 2004 NCAA National Championship and placed third in 2005. As a senior in 2006, Letters was hampered by a serious injury that kept him from gaining his fourth All-America nod. "We're very pleased to add Troy Letters to our staff," said head coach Troy Sunderland. "The value added by bringing in one of the most decorated wrestlers in PIAA history as well as one of Lehigh's all-time greats is yet another step this program is taking in its quest to win the national title. Troy has had amazing success on the national level and that experience is vital to his role as director of operations." Letters was an assistant coach at Princeton University during the 2006-07 season and then started and ran his own wrestling club in eastern Pennsylvania last year. He left Lehigh as one of the school's most decorated wrestlers. Beyond the success at Nationals, Letters was a three-time EIWA Champion and collected a superb 115-9 overall record. He posted an amazing 65-2 dual meet record. "I'm very excited to join the Penn State staff, especially at this time," said Letters. "Penn State is in a great place right now and there's an exciting buzz about the program with all these changes and with the talent on this team. This group of guys, from the talent on the staff to the talent in the wrestling room, is poised to win a national title and I'm thrilled to be a part of it." "I really look forward to adding my experiences at Lehigh to the mix here," Letters continued. "I believe my attitude, enthusiasm and love for this sport are a perfect fit here at Penn State and I'm ready to contribute to the team's success in any way I can." Anspach, who served as Director of Wrestling Operations last year, is now an assistant coach. The 2007 NCAA National Runner-Up at HWT is in his second year on the Penn State staff. "Aaron did an outstanding job for us last year as the director of operations," Sunderland said of Anspach. "This opportunity to move from the administrative side of our program to the coaching side is one I'm pleased he's accepted. His work ethic and skills on the mat will be a huge asset to us as we continue our drive to win a national team title. Aaron will be vital in helping our upper-weights continue their progress towards All-America status." Sunderland's staff is now complete with Anspach joining first assistant Matt Dernlan, second assistant Mark Perry and director of operations Troy Letters. Dave Hart helms the Penn State wrestling club while continuing work on his law degree here at Penn State.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- Thom Ortiz, the head coach of the Arizona State University wrestling program, announced Thursday his coaching staff for the 2008-09 campaign with Al Fuentes, Brian Stith and Zach Roberson set to work with the Sun Devils as they prepare for their 47th varsity season. Both Fuentes and Stith will serve as assistant coaches while Roberson will continue on as a volunteer assistant coach. "I am excited about the staff we have put together here this year," Ortiz said. "Al will bring a new perspective to the program and will challenge our wrestlers to not only excel on the mats, but also in life. I am pleased to have Stith and Roberson back again this season as both played vital roles in the continued growth of many of the younger wrestlers we had in the line up last year. With all three of these coaches working with me, I am very confident that our student-athletes will continue to grow, both on the mat and off, and bring Arizona State back to the top of the standings." Fuentes joins the program after working locally at a sports/life performance coaching company he began in 2007 and will work with the lower weight classes on the team. A collegiate wrestler at the University of Findlay (Ohio), Fuentes competed at 142 pounds and attained All-America honors in 1997 and 1998 after finishing third and second, respectively. A member of the 1995 NAIA National Championship team that was coached by NAIA Coach of the Year John Jeffre, as well as former Russian champion Miron Kharchilava, Cuban Olympian Alberto Rodriguez and Penn State All-American Shawn Nelson, Fuentes also excelled off the mat as he was a three-time Academic All-American before earning his degree in Environmental Safety and Occupation Health Management in 1998. Following his collegiate career, Fuentes worked as the Coordinator of Sports Marketing at UF while also serving as a volunteer assistant coach. The native of Liberty Center, Ohio, was a two-time state placer at the Ohio high school championships for Liberty Center High School. Returning to the coaching staff this season with former Sun Devil All-American Stith and former Iowa State NCAA Champion Roberson, both entering their second seasons. Stith will replace Eric Larkin as a full-time assistant coach following Larkin's departure to pursue other career and competitive options. "Eric will be missed," Ortiz said. "But, now that the [2008] Olympic Trials are over, I respect his desire to pursue other dreams. This entire program will continue to help him in his new goals in any way we can." Stith, a two-time NCAA All-American and two-time Pac-10 Conference Champion for the Sun Devils, will continue his work with the middle weights this season. The 2006 national runner-up at 157 pounds and 2007 graduate of ASU (B.S. in Tourism), Stith currently ranks 12th on the ASU all-time victories list with a career record of 114-33 while standing eighth all-time in career dual wins with a 55-16 record. A leader on the mat, Stith helped the Sun Devils to a pair of Pac-10 team titles (2005, 2006) while also helping the team to two Top 15 placements at the NCAA Championships (13th in 2005 and sixth in 2006). Roberson, who was recruited to ISU by Ortiz when he was an assistant with the Cyclones, was a three-time All-American and captured the 133-pound national title in 2004, his senior season. A 2004 graduate from ISU (B.S. in Engineering), Roberson is ranked among the top American freestyle wrestlers at 60kg (132 pounds) and recently competed up in weight (66kg) at the 2008 U.S. Olympic Trials - Wrestling.

EDMOND -- Former two-time All-American Josh LeadingFox has been named assistant coach for Central Oklahoma's powerhouse wrestling program, it was announced Tuesday. LeadingFox served as UCO's graduate assistant last year and takes over for Cole Province, who served the previous two years as the Bronchos' full-time assistant before entering private business in July. "Josh did a great job for us last year as the graduate assistant and I felt he was the right person to step into the position," veteran head coach David James said. "He's passionate about UCO wrestling and brings a lot of character and integrity to our program. Our wrestlers will benefit from him being in a full-time position and Josh is really excited about this opportunity." A multi-sport star at Pawnee who was an undefeated state champion as a senior, the 24-year-old LeadingFox was a four-year starter at heavyweight for the Bronchos and finished with a 100-43 record that ranks 18th on UCO's career win list. He went 14-18 as a true freshman in 2002-03 and redshirted the following year before winning a team-high 35 matches in 2004-05 en route to winning the Midwest Regional title and finishing fifth in the national tournament. LeadingFox was 21-5 in 2005-06 before a broken hand in February ended his season and he came back as a senior the next year to go 30-6 in winning a second regional crown and finishing as national runner-up. Josh, who was also a two-time Academic Scholar-Athlete winner, is married (Lyndsey).

During the weeks of the 2008 Olympic Game we join with all nations to salute and recognize humanity. We do so each and every week of the year Live from our Brute Adidas studios. This week we're joined in studio by Pella Iowa's Central College Head Coach Eric Van Kley. We're pleased to welcome longtime TDR supporter Xtreme Couture as a special sponsor of the show. Randy and his wife Kim, Val and Scott Haney have been a very important part of the success of Takedown Radio and will help propel TDR to the next level. More on that later.... This weeks TDR guests include: 9:05 Rande Stottlemyer- Hd Coach at Pitt. Twenty-eight years at the helm of one of the most history-rich wrestling programs in the East is no small accomplishment. Pitt's head wrestling coach, Rande Stottlemyer, has done it the old-fashioned way: a dedication and commitment to one's principles and beliefs and a good day of hard work. 9:20 Kim Parrish- "the Judge" joins us to discuss his incredible book "Cowboy Up". Parrish's book chronicles a year in the lives of the Cowboys of Oklahoma State d their coach John Smith. This may be the best wrestling book you'll ever read. Hands down. Tune in and find out why. 9:40 Steve Garland- Hd Coach of the Cav's of Virginia. Garland, Former Cavalier All-American is in his second season as head wrestling coach at Virginia. A master motivator and recruiter, Garland has worked diligently to push the Cavaliers among the nation's elite. He has reeled in a top 25 recruiting class for the 3rd straight year. How he do that? LOL Tune in and find out. 9:50 Deanna Gilbert- WWE Sunday night at Billy Joe's Larry Cotlar to host 10:05 Richard Jensen- The reluctant star of a recent ESPN feature, Jensen spent 17 years wrestling with an opponent he seemingly couldn't beat -- until he scored the biggest escape of his life. Jensen, a former methamphetamine addict and ex-convict whose recovery reconnected him to a sport that gave his life stability. He relives his harrowing ordeal with us, where he's at now with his recovery and what he plans to do with his sobriety. An inspirational story indeed. Our thanks to Iowa City Press Citizen Journalist Andy Hamilton, Josh Rhoden and the good folks at Clackamas CC Athletics and to the producers of ESPN: Outside the Lines who saw the much larger picture. thanks guys. This is what wrestling is all about. 10:20 Pete Peterson joins us to take a better look at what it takes to open a new gym and training facility and to invite listeners to join him, his family and friends at their open house at Round Kick Gym in Urbandale, Iowa. 10:40 Harvey Man beck- The President of the Penn State Wrestling Booster Club joins us to discuss 100 Years of Nittany Lion Wrestling, the club and their impressive look back in their new book. 10:50 Amy Williams- Wild Rose Resort and Casino

This week's edition of "On the Mat" will feature Bob Yilek and Ben Peterson. Yilek is the head coach at his alma mater, Belle Plaine High School. He was recently awarded 2008 Class 1A Coach of the Year in Iowa. In 2001, Yilek coached Belle Plaine to State Championships in both the traditional and dual meet tournaments. As an athlete, Yilek placed fifth in the state as a senior at 126lbs in 1980 and went on to win four Midwest Conference titles and a fourth place All-American finish at Division III Coe College in Cedar Rapids, IA. After winning an two NCAA Championships at Iowa State University, Ben Peterson won an Olympic gold medal in freestyle wrestling in 1972 in Munich, Germany. Peterson was a silver medalist at the 1976 Olympics and was a member of the 1980 team that did not compete in Moscow due to President Carter's boycott. Along with his Olympic champion brother, John, Ben runs the Camp of Champs in Wisconsin. "On the Mat" can be heard live on the Internet at www.kcnzam.com or locally in Northeast Iowa on AM 1650, The Fan each Wednesday evening. This week's show will be from 5:00 - 6:00 PM Central time. Feel free to e-mail radio@wrestlingmuseum.org with questions or comments about the show.